In optically transmitting a video signal comprised of luminance and chrominance signals which are frequency modulated to provide an FM luminance signal and an FM chrominance signal in respective adjacent frequency bands, such as, 6 to 20 MHz and 20 to 30 MHz, respectively, whereupon, infrared signals corresponding to the FM luminance and chrominance signals are output by respective emitting diodes, a carrier frequency for the FM chrominance signal is set, for example, between 25.93 and 26.08 MHz, so that the lower sideband wave of the FM chrominance signal is spaced by a substantial frequency from a frequency band in which a secondary distortion of the FM luminance signal is substantially generated. Further, the upper sideband wave of the FM chrominance signal is removed, as in a trap circuit, for ensuring that the transmitted FM chrominance signal will be accommodated in the respective frequency band therefor when its carrier frequency is set, as above. When the infrared signals corresponding to the FM luminance and chrominance signals are received by a photodiode and thereby transduced to respective FM modulated components output by the photodiode and then preamplified in common prior to separation, the component corresponding to the FM chrominance signal has the removed upper sideband wave restored by amplitude limiting thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for effecting the optical transmission of signals, and more particularly is directed to the optical transmission of a video signal comprised of a luminance signal and a carrier chrominance signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical transmission system has been proposed for transmitting a luminance signal and a carrier chrominance signal without using wire. Such proposed system is comprised of an optical transmitter and an optical receiver to be hereinafter further described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7, respectively, and which may be used, for example, for transmitting a video signal according to NTSC standards.
As shown in FIG. 5, the previously proposed optical transmitter 100 includes an input terminal 101 for receiving a luminance signal Y, a clamping circuit 102 receiving the luminance signal Y from the terminal 101 for making even the levels of the sink tip and the pedestal in the luminance signal, a pre-emphasis circuit 103 for emphasizing the high frequency band of the luminance signal received from the clamping circuit 102, and a frequency modulating (FM) circuit 104 for modulating the frequency of a carrier wave by the luminance signal Y which has had its high frequency band emphasized in the circuit 103. By making even the levels of the sink tip and the pedestal in the clamping circuit 102, a carrier wave can be modulated in the frequency modulating circuit 104 so that, for example, the sink tip of the luminance signal and the white peak of the luminance signal correspond to the frequencies 11.5 MHz and 13.5 MHz, respectively, in the frequency modulated luminance signal Y.sub.FM issuing from the frequency modulating circuit 104. The frequency modulated luminance signal Y.sub.FM is supplied from the modulating circuit 104 through a band-pass filter 105 for limiting the band thereof, for example, to a band of 6 to 20 MHz, to an amplifier 106, and the resulting amplified FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM is applied to a driving circuit 108 which correspondingly drives an infrared-emitting diode 107 constituting an electro-optical transducing means for outputting an optical signal corresponding to the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM. The cathode of the diode 107 is shown connected to an output of the driving circuit 108, while the anode of the diode 107 is connected to a power terminal to which a suitable d.c. voltage V.sub.B is supplied.
The optical transmitter 100 is further shown on FIG. 5 to be provided with an input terminal 109 for receiving a carrier chrominance signal C having a chrominance subcarrier frequency of 3.58 MHz, and a frequency modulating circuit 110 for modulating the frequency of a carrier wave by the carrier chrominance signal C supplied to the terminal 109. In the case of the existing optical transmitter 100 being here described, a signal with the frequency of 25 MHZ is used as a carrier wave in the frequency modulating circuit 110. A band-pass filter 111 receives the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM output from the frequency modulating circuit 110 for limiting the band thereof to 20 to 30 MHz. An amplifier 112 suitably amplifies the band-limited FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM prior to supplying the same to a driving circuit 114 for an infrared-emitting diode 113 which acts as an electro-optical transducing means for outputting an optical signal corresponding to the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM. As shown, the cathode of the diode 113 is connected to an output of the driving circuit 114, while the anode of the diode 113 is connected to a power terminal to which a suitable d.c. voltage V.sub.B is supplied.
In the operation of the existing optical transmitter 100, a luminance signal Y supplied through the input terminal 101 has the levels of its sink tip and pedestal made even in the clamping circuit 102, and then has its high frequency band emphasized in the pre-emphasis circuit 103 prior to being frequency modulated in the circuit 104. The band of the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM output from the frequency modulating circuit 104 is limited to 6 to 20 MHz by the band-pass filter 105 prior to it being amplified by the amplifier 106 and then supplied to the driving circuit 108 by which an infrared signal corresponding to the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM is output from the diode 107 as a transmitted optical signal. A carrier chrominance signal C supplied through the input terminal 109 to the frequency modulating circuit 110 is there subjected to frequency modulation processing. The resulting FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM output from the circuit 110 is limited to the band of 20 to 30 MHz by the band-pass filter 111 prior to being amplified by the amplifier 112 and then supplied to the driving circuit 114 so that an infrared signal corresponding to the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM is output from the diode 113 as a transmitted optical signal. The frequency bands of the optical signals transmitted from the diodes 107 and 113 of the optical transmitter 100 shown in FIG. 5, and which correspond to the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM and the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM, respectively, are shown in FIG. 6.
Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that the existing optical receiver 200 suitable for receiving optical signals transmitted by the transmitter 100 includes a photodiode 201 serving as an electro-optical transducing means for transducing transmitted infrared or other optical signals to a corresponding electrical signal and a preamplifier 202 for amplifying an electrical signal output from the photodiode 201. The anode of the photodiode 201 is grounded through a coil 203 for providing bias, and the cathode of the photodiode 201 is connected to a power terminal to which a suitable d.c. voltage V.sub.B is supplied. A junction between the anode of the photodiode 201 and the coil 203 is connected to the input terminal of the preamplifier 202 through a capacitor 204 for reducing direct current. The optical receiver 200 further includes a band-pass filter 205 with a pass band of 6 to 20 MHz for extracting an FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM from an output of the preamplifier 202, a limiter 206 for limiting the amplitude of the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM extracted by the band-pass filter 205, and an FM demodulating circuit 207 for demodulating the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM output from the limiter 206. A low-pass filter 208 limits the band of a luminance signal Y output from the FM modulating circuit 207, whereupon, the high frequency band of such luminance signal Y is attenuated in a de-emphasis circuit 209 prior to the supplying of the luminance signal Y through an amplifier 210 to an output terminal 211.
The optical receiver 200 is further provided with a band-pass filter 212 also connected with the output of the preamplifier 202 and having a pass band of 20 to 30 MHz for extracting an FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM from the output of the preamplifier. Such extracted FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM has its amplitude limited in a limiter 213 and is then supplied to an FM demodulating circuit 214 for obtaining a carrier chrominance signal C. A band-pass filter 215 receives the chrominance signal C from the demodulating circuit 214 for limiting the band thereof prior to the supplying of such carrier chrominance signal through an amplifier 216 to an output terminal 217.
In transmitting a video signal according to the NTSC standard in which the frequency of a chrominance subcarrier is 3.58 MHz, if the transmission band of a carrier chrominance signal C is 1.5 MHz, the band required for normal double-sideband frequency modulation is 2.times.(3.58+1.50)=10.16 MHz. In transmitting a video signal according to the PAL standard in which the frequency of a chrominance subcarrier is 4.43 MHz, the band required for normal double-sideband frequency modulation is 2.times.(4.43+1.5)=11.86 MHz. Therefore, if frequency modulation is performed using a carrier wave of 25 MHz in the frequency modulating circuit 110 in the optical transmitter 100 of FIG. 5, the transmission band B.sub.N required for the NTSC standard extends from 19.92 MHz to 30.08 MHz, as shown on FIG. 8, and the transmission band B.sub.P required for the PAL standard extends from 19.07 MHz to 30.93 MHz, as also shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, the existing optical transmitter 100 described above with reference to FIG. 5 cannot be used with either the NTSC or the PAL standard for transmitting the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM within the band of 20 to 30 MHz which is proposed for optical transmission of video signals by the Electronic Industries Association of Japan (EIAJ).
A further problem arises if the optical receiver 200 described with reference to FIG. 7 is employed for receiving the transmitted infrared or other optical signals from the transmitter 100. More specifically, in the receiver 200, the transmitted optical signals are transduced to an electric signal by the photodiode 201 and, after such electric signal is amplified by the preamplifier 202, an FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM and an FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM are extracted from the output of the preamplifier 202 by the band-pass filters 205 and 212, respectively. Since both the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM and the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM are frequency multiplexed or combined when amplified in the preamplifier 202, a secondary distortion of the FM luminance signal Y.sub.FM is generated within the band occupied by the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM by reason of the non-linearity of the preamplifier 202, as shown in FIG. 9, and the FM chrominance signal C.sub.FM output from the band-pass filter 212 is undesirably influenced by such secondary distortion.


Method and apparatus for blind docking an electronic device or module with an electrical connector, for example within a rack for a computer system. A forwardly-directed power connector is secured to a distal end of at least one rail or shelf bracket for blind docking with a rearwardly-directed power connector on the electronic module. The shelf bracket securing the forwardly-directed electrical connector is included in a pair of longitudinally-extending shelf brackets secured to opposing vertical side walls of a rack at a common elevation to form a module bay. The electronic module may slide along the shelf bracket until a rearwardly-directed power connector of the electronic module blind docks with the forwardly-directed power connector. A boss or alignment stud may be included on the bracket to improve alignment of the connectors. The forwardly-direct electrical connector may also be secured to the bracket with a floating connection to enable minor adjustments in alignment during blind docking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to adjustable rails for supporting equipment in a rack, and more specifically to rails that can be secured without the use of tools.
2. Background of the Related Art
Electronic devices, including data processing devices such as servers, are typically housed in standardized equipment enclosures. These enclosures have side walls that establish or include a rack. The rack is a substantially rectilinear metal frame having a plurality of mounting and alignment openings or holes that permit mounting various devices in the rack.
Rails are mounted to the walls or other support structure in the rack and form support for the electronic devices or components. The rails are screwed, bolted, or otherwise attached to the rack and the devices are placed on a pair or set of rails secured to opposing walls of the rack. In order to be attached to the rack the length of the rails must be appropriately configured to cooperate with the rack.
Because a computer system may not completely fill a rack and because individual devices or chassis may have various heights, it is desirable to have rails that can be selectively mounted at desired heights within the rack. In this manner, the vertical spacing between rails can be incrementally adjusted to accommodate specific devices as the computer system is being installed or reconfigured. Typically, the height of a device is an integer multiple of a "unit" height (otherwise known as a "U"), wherein each unit of height measures 1.75 inches. Standardized rack specifications are provided by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA).

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to an interpolation method for enlarging a digital image or predicting a moving vector of a compressed image system as a sub-pixel unit when the image digitized through a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera ect. has a low resolution in a video phone or video conference or general digital video system, particularly the present invention can be adapted to a post processor of a compressed digital image in order to improve the image quality, and can be used for finding a moving vector of a moving picture compressed type, accordingly the present invention is capable of improving the image quality.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interpolation method adapted to enlargement of a low resolution image when the image digitized through a CCD (Charged-Coupled Device) has the low resolution, in particular to a filtering control method for improving the image quality of a bi-linear interpolated image which is capable of restoring a requested interpolated high resolution image from a low resolution image by finding a coefficient of a two-dimensional filter on the basis of a regularization image restoration method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional technology, a still picture or a moving picture has or transmits a low resolution image because it can not physically satisfy a sensor having the low resolution or a nyquist value.
In addition, a compressed moving picture has or transmits the low resolution image due to its bit value problem.
For example, when the compressed moving picture having the low bit value is transmitted to a receiver and the receiver enlarges the transmitted moving picture, the resolution of the transmitted moving picture lowers due to a degradation phenomenon ect.
Accordingly, a method for getting a high resolution image from a low resolution image is required.
In the meantime, the method for getting the high resolution image from the low resolution image is largely divided into an image expansion type method and an image enhancement type method.
First, the image expansion type method converts the size of the low resolution image into a requested size. The bi-linear interpolation method, a zero order expansion method, and a cubic spline method are comprised in the image expansion type method.
However, as described above, the image expansion type method has an image visibility lowering problem because when the image is interpolation-restored by the above-mentioned method such as the bi-linear interpolation method, zero order hold expansion method, cubic spline method, the outlines of the image is over-blurred.
Meanwhile, the image enhancement type method comprises many methods, but the image enhancement type method causes a computational complexity, accordingly the method is not suited to a real-time processing due to the its computational complexity.
In addition, when the image enhancement type method is used for getting the high resolution image from the low resolution image, setting of each parameter is not adaptable.
For example, there is a POCS (Projection Onto Convex Set) method for increasing the resolution of an image. In the POCS method, in use of time region information, it is assumed as correlation between the images is uniformly same, but actually the correlation between the images is not uniform.
In addition, there is a mapping method for mapping a non-uniform sample of the low resolution image into a uniform sample of the high resolution image by using moving information and segmentation information of the image. However, the mapping method has the computational complexity problem, accordingly the mapping method is not suited to the real-time image data processing of the image processing system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Filtering control method for improving image quality of bi-linear interpolated image


Change notify responses can be utilized to inform a remote computer that a file or directory that is being monitored has changed. A change notify response can include a path name to the file or directory being referenced. In some examples, a cache of path names can be maintained in a user space of a server implementing change notify responses. When a module that generates a change notify response does generate such a response, the module can first access the cache to determine if the relevant path name is located in the cache. Where the relevant path name is not located in the cache, the module can obtain the path name from kernel space and store it in the cache.

A distributed storage system generally is a form of computer data storage that can provide remote data storage and access to one or more client computers. In some embodiments, multiple users or client computers can have access to alter at least some of the data stored in the distributed storage system.

Path name cache for notifications of file changes


Molten metal is fed to a caster in a continuous casting operation through a distributor that divides the molten metal into four streams flowing in circulating patterns from the central axis of the caster. Each stream sweeps first along the longer side wall of the caster toward the corner, then back along the shorter side wall toward the center line. The result is a higher degree of fragmentation of metal crystals as they form, and a better distribution of the fragments across the caster cross section, as well as a more even temperature distribution.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and equipment for continuous or semi-continuous casting of metals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Continuous casting, or semi-continuous casting as it is frequently referred to in the aluminum industry, is a method used for casting metals such as aluminum and steel from molten metal. The advantages of continuous casting include a relatively low expense and a higher yield than ingot casting, as well as the ability to directly form slabs that would otherwise have to be formed from ingots by rolling. Two methods of continuous casting are used in the aluminum industry--direct chill (DC) casting and electromagnetic (EM) casting, the former using a water-cooled mold to contain the molten metal as it solidifies, and the latter using an electromagnetic field for the same purpose and eliminating some of the surface defects that arise in DC casting.
In either of these methods, the cast metal moves continuously downward while molten metal is continuously fed to the top of the apparatus. To achieve efficient cooling of the metal, the incoming molten metal is directed by nozzles or distributors to flow in a horizontal direction toward the shorter sides of the mold where the cooling rate is greater.
A typical caster and distributor for aluminum casting is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. FIG. 1a shows the horizontal cross section of the caster in dashed lines 11. The cross section is divided into quadrants by two orthogonal bisecting panes 12, 13, that intersect at the vertical axis 14 of the caster. One of the quadrants 15 is shown in solid lines. At the base of this quadrant is the bottom block 16 which supports the aluminum that has already solidified. Molten aluminum is fed to the caster at its top center through a nozzle 17 and distributor bag 18, and cooling of the molten aluminum occurs through the side walls of the caster, forming a solidification front 19.
FIG. 1b is an enlargement of the nozzle 17 and distributor bag 18. The distributor bag is an open-top receptacle whose sides and base are formed of closely woven ceramic or heat resistant fabric that is virtually impermeable to aluminum at the pressure differentials encountered in the metal pool. Its two short sides, however, which are parallel to the two short sides of the casting mold, contain windows 21, 22 where a fabric of a much more open weave is used. The lower end 23 of the nozzle 17 is open and terminates above the base 24 of the bag, allowing the molten metal to flow from the nozzle to the windows and out of the bag.
A typical caster and nozzle for steel casting is shown in FIG. 2, which presents a view identical to that of FIG. 1a, including the full cross section shown in dashed lines 11 and the two orthogonal bisecting planes 12, 13. Distribution of the molten steel, however, is achieved by a cylindrical nozzle 27 or "shroud" without a bag, since ceramic fabric bags are not functional at the high temperatures required for molten steel. Unlike the nozzle used in aluminum casting, the steel distributor nozzle is closed at the bottom and contains two lateral holes 28, 29 at opposite sides of the cylindrical wall close to the closed bottom. Both the windows 12, 13 in the aluminum distributor bag and the two holes 28, 29 in the steel nozzle are intended to direct the flow of the incoming molten metal toward the two short sides of the casting mold, where the cooling rate is greater. The goal is a uniform temperature gradient and solidification rate along the perimeter of the mold. This minimizes solidification defects such as segregation and coarse-grained regions or "cold shuts," and yields better quality castings.
With either type of distributor, however, the metal solidifies in the mold in three regimes, located in segregated regions in the transverse cross section of the cast metal. These are the chill zone located near the mold wall, the columnar zone defined by dendrites that extend inward from the chill zone, and the equiaxed zone surrounding the central axis of the mold. In the equiaxed zone, the grains are closest to being isometric, i.e., equal in dimension along all three axes, and are usually more fine-grained. Studies have shown that the equiaxed zone can be expanded and the grain size decreased by increasing the rate of agitation of the metal as it solidifies. This is desirable because it facilitates subsequent processing of the cast metal. The time needed to homogenize the metal by annealing, for example, is reduced, and rolling of the metal is easier and produces a more uniform product.
The generally accepted explanation of why agitation is successful in yielding a smaller grain size and a larger equiaxed zone is the "fragmentation" of dendrites growing at the solidification front. Fragmentation, or the detachment of dendrite arms from the dendrites, results from fluctuations in the temperature of liquid adjacent to the dendrites, or in the concentration of the liquid, which lowers the local melting point. Once detached, the fragments are swept to other regions of the melt by the flow, where they serve as nuclei for the formation of grains as solidification proceeds.
In the steel industry, agitation during casting is frequently imposed by electromagnetic stirring, which involves the imposition of electromagnetic stirring forces on the melt by a low frequency power supply and inductor. Electromagnetic stirring is costly, however, due to the significant investment associated with the power supply and inductor plus the cost of electricity. Furthermore, because of technical difficulties in imposing electromagnetic stirring at the level of the mold, the stirring is usually applied below the mold. In fact, attempts have been made to reduce the force of the jets of metal flowing from the nozzle holes 28, 29 (FIG. 2) by electromagnetic braking.
In the aluminum industry, electromagnetic casting causes electromagnetic stirring to occur in the metal pool, but only in the few millimeters at the periphery of the liquid pool, whose width is typically of the order of 1 meter. This therefore has little influence on the structure of the cast metal. The main method to date for improving grain structure in the aluminum industry, in either direct chill or electromagnetic casting, has been the addition of "grain refiners" which are chemical compounds (such as titanium diboride, for example) that form nuclei for the solidifying grains. Grain refiners add to the cost of the process, however, and they raise the impurity level of the finished metal.
There remains a need to improve the quality of the cast metal by increasing the size of the equiaxed zone and decreasing the grain size in the zone, as well as by avoiding casting defects such as cracks. These and other problems encountered in the prior art are addressed by the present invention.

Liquid metal delivery system for continuous casting

The Regents of the University of California


Examples include a device including a nanovoided polymer element having a first surface and a second surface, a first plurality of electrodes disposed on the first surface, a second plurality of electrodes disposed on the second surface, and a control circuit configured to apply an electrical potential between one or more of the first plurality of electrodes and one or more of the second plurality of electrodes to induce a physical deformation of the nanovoided polymer element.

Polymer materials may be incorporated into a variety of different applications. Electroactive polymer (EAP) materials, for instance, may change their shape under the influence of an electric field.
Improved materials would be useful for, for example, emerging technologies, including virtual reality/augmented reality devices where a comfortable, adjustable form factor is desired.

Spatially addressable nanovoided polymers


A two-wheeled motor vehicle includes a control device and is configured such that a radius of curvature of a cross-section of a tire mounted on one of the front wheel and the rear wheel is larger than a radius of curvature of a cross-section of a tire mounted on the other wheel. The control device includes a sensor arranged to detect a rotation speed of the one wheel, a sensor arranged to detect a rotation speed of the other wheel, and a turn determining section programmed to determine that the vehicle is turning based on a condition that a value corresponding to a bank angle of the vehicle is higher than a threshold. The value corresponding to the bank angle of the vehicle is a value indicating the relative amount of the rotation speed of the one wheel relative to the rotation speed of the other wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-wheeled motor vehicle, and in particular to a technique to detect turning of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2009-127689 discloses a device for detecting turning of a two-wheeled motor vehicle. When a vehicle turns with the steering handle rotated rightward or leftward, the front wheel runs on a course outside the course of the rear wheel. This is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2009-127689, and it is determined that a vehicle is turning when the rotation speed of the front wheel is faster than that of the rear wheel.
However, a two-wheeled motor vehicle running at a high speed turns by inclining the vehicle body, that is, by banking, without rotating the steering handle. In such a case, the difference in the course between the front wheel and the rear wheel is small, and therefore, the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2009-127689 cannot appropriately detect turning of the vehicle.

Two-wheeled motor vehicle and control device therefor


A method for determining the anatomic condition of components of the body of a human or of an animal is disclosed comprising producing a sound signal in a selected component of the body by at least one of passive and active movements of at least one joint. The method includes recording a sound signal at a point adjacent to the selected component of the body and evaluating the sound signal. An auxiliary device selected from the group consisting of a splint, an orthosis and an exercise machine is used which ensures a repeatable movement determined by the design of the auxiliary device. The sound signal caused by the movement is recorded and evaluated by a spectral analysis of frequencies and amplitudes contained in the sound signal. A comparison is made with reference patterns of the spectral analyses for the diagnosis of the anatomic condition. The result of a diagnosis is indicated as at least one of a print out and a screen display and wherein the joint investigated is schematically illustrated on the screen display, optionally with associated soft tissues, tendons and ligaments. The diagnosis is indicated visually, by at least one of coloring, lighting up of and flashing of damaged positions.

The present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for determining the anatomic condition of components of the body of a human or of an animal and also to an exercise machine, in particular an adjustable exercise machine and to a computer program stored on a storage medium.
Although the present invention is principally concerned with diseases of the joints and soft tissues, or their therapeutic treatment and rehabilitation and also with corresponding apparatuses, the term "osteoporosis" and the significance of the illness should be briefly explained in order to be better able to explain the invention.
In accordance with various sources there are in Germany about 6–8 million people suffering from osteoporosis. As a result of the ¼ million fractures, in particular fractures of the neck of the femur, the cost of treating osteoporosis and the consequence of osteoporosis reach a sum in the tens of billions.
The bone substance undergoes a physiological restructuring. The cells which build up the bone mass and for example repair it after fracture are osteoblasts. They take calcium and other minerals from the blood and bind it in the bones. In this manner the bone substance becomes stronger. The other type of cells which break down bone substance and prevent excess bone growth are named osteoclasts.
In the physiological condition equilibrium exists between the two processes. With increasing age the decomposition of bones takes the upper hand. Some sources state that from the 25th year of life onwards there is an increased break down of the bones, both in men and also in women.
Stated simply one understands under the term osteoporosis a porous fragile bone. Medically one has to distinguish it however from a relatively rare illness, osteomalacia. Both osteoporosis and also osteomalacia fall medically beneath the generic term osteopenie.
Independently of the causes of osteoporosis in women and men the same picture generating measures are used. The bone density is most frequently investigated by means of computer tomography. This method has however many disadvantages, such as exposure to radiation and influencing of the measurement results in the lower LWS by changes such as spondylophytes, osteochondrosis etc.
The increasingly most frequent method is the measurement with ultra sound. The patients are however here forced into orthopaedic and gynaecological practices in order to undergo an ultrasonic investigation. The precision of this measurement is, however, hitherto very unreliable as is known from the literature and from daily practice. The bone densitometry by means of ultra sound takes place in a frequency range from 200 kHz to 1 MHz and is additionally restricted by the legally prescribed health insurers. This is done for two reasons: on the one hand, as a result of the relatively high costs amounting to an average of 80–130 DM per investigation and, on the other hand, as a result of the above discussed unreliability of this method.
X-ray diagnosis only reliably shows osteoporotic changes when the reduction in bone density has passed about 30 percent. Densitometrie is in such cases no longer useful. Appropriate treatment is commenced even without this investigation.
The object of the invention is to set forth a new method and a new apparatus with which one can reliably carry out a series of investigations and diagnoses in connection with the anatomic condition of components of the body of an human or of an animal at favourable cost and indeed without having to carry out medical surgery or to take samples.

Method and device for determining the anatomical condition of a human being or an animal and a strength training machine and a computer program which is saved to a memory medium


Method and apparatus for producing a cooled atom beam suitable for use applications requiring cold atoms. A two-stage cooling process is employed in which the atoms in the atom beam are cooled in two, spatially separated regions of a cooling apparatus, wherein the atoms are first cooled in two dimensions by two counterpropagating laser beams under a magnetic field and then are cooled in three dimensions by means of an optical molasses, where the power, frequency, and magnetic fields are tuned to obtain a continuous beam of three-dimensionally cooled atoms having a controllable velocity distribution, very low decoherence, and low background atomic gas loss.

Atomic clocks, atom interferometers, atom-based magnetometers and other atom-based sensors rely on sources of either hot or cold atomic gases within vacuum cells. Hot atom sources include vapor cells at room temperature or higher, or atom beams emitted from ovens, which have root-mean-square atomic velocities of hundreds of meters per second. Cold atoms are generated from hot atomic vapors by laser cooling and/or trapping. Common examples of cold atom sources include 3D magneto-optical traps and 3D optical molasses, both of which cool atoms in three dimensions and cool atoms to root-mean-square atomic velocities of centimeters per second. Some atom sources are partially cooled, such as 2D magneto-optical traps that trap and cool atoms in two dimensions but do not cool in the third dimension.
Clocks, sensors and atom interferometers based on hot, continuously emitted atom beams are able to measure continuously and with high bandwidth by addressing the continuous stream of atoms using lasers or other electromagnetic fields. However, the large spread in atomic velocity inherent in hot atom sources reduces measurement sensitivity by a number of mechanisms. For example, in the case of atom interferometers and Ramsey atomic clocks, interference fringe contrast is reduced because of Doppler shifts and inhomogeneous coupling to atoms due to their finite velocity distribution. The total free quantum evolution time allowed in hot atom beam sources is typically short because of the high mean atomic velocity. The large distribution of atomic velocities can also create unwanted susceptibility to dynamic effects such as accelerations and rotations of atoms in the beam.
Laser cooling of atoms employs a set of laser beams directed at a vapor of gas-phase atoms in a vacuum chamber, where the laser is tuned to a frequency near an atomic resonance frequency in order to narrow the velocity distribution of the atoms. Additionally, magnetic fields applied within the chamber modify the cooling force to create a trap for the atoms so that they form a beam.
In contrast to hot atomic beams, three-dimensionally laser-cooled atomic samples provide better sensitivity in atom-based clocks, interferometers and sensors. However, in most prior art systems, three-dimensional laser cooling has been performed by pulsed techniques, in which a single measurement cycle consists of a cooling and/or trapping period, followed by a measurement period in which the cooled atoms are employed for sensing. See, e.g., R. Geiger, A. Landragin, S. Merlet, and F. Pereira Dos Santos, "High-accuracy inertial measurements with cold-atom sensors," AVS Quantum Science 2, 024702 (2020).
This leads to the significant drawbacks of reduced bandwidth due to the limitations of time needed to cool the atoms, as well as "dead time," i.e., periods in which no measurement occurs within the measurement cycle. Dead time can present as stability reduction by the Dick effect in atomic clocks, and aliasing as well as navigation errors in inertial measurement systems based on atom interferometry.
Some prior art has addressed the dead time and bandwidth deficiencies of cold-atom sources by operating in a "zero-dead-time" mode in which the periodic process of cooling and/or trapping of atoms occurs in one spatial region of the vacuum system while measurement takes place simultaneously on a previously prepared ensemble of atoms in a nearby region. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,317,184; 9,019,506; and I. Dutta, D. Savoie, B. Fang, B. Venon, C. L. Garrido Alzar, R. Geiger, and A. Landragin, "Continuous Cold-Atom Inertial Sensor with 1 nrad/sec Rotation Stability," Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 183003 (2016).
However, as illustrated by the block schematic in FIG. 1, if the cooling laser light is near the resonant atomic frequency, the cooling light scattered into the measurement region will destroy the quantum superposition that atomic clocks, interferometers and sensors rely upon for operation. See Jon P. Davis and Frank A. Narducci, "Raman spectroscopy in the presence of stray resonant light," Appl. Opt. 55, C39-01.5 (2016). The goal of laser cooling is to change the velocity vector of each atom from its initial value vin (with the value of yin being different for each atom and drawn from a distribution of velocities) to a predetermined final value vOM, which may be zero—i.e., stationary in the laboratory frame of reference—or nonzero. As a result, the distribution of final velocities is narrowed compared to the distribution of initial velocities. The capture velocity v of a laser cooling system is defined herein as the maximum value of the velocity difference |vin−vOM| for which the atomic velocity is successfully modified from vin to a value very close to vOM. Laser cooling methods having a high capture velocity, such as those designed to cool from a warm atomic vapor to a near-zero velocity, typically induce the emission of greater power of near-resonant light per atom than do laser cooling methods having a low capture velocity.
Laser cooling of atoms simultaneously with quantum coherent processes can be effective for stationary platforms if the ballistic flight of the atoms is of long enough duration to impart significant curvature of the atomic trajectory due to gravity, allowing optical baffles to block the near-resonant cooling light from the measurement region. Alternatively, for sufficiently long atomic trajectories, the falloff of scattered light intensity with distance mitigates this effect. However, if such predictable trajectory curvature or long atomic propagation is not possible due to size or dynamics constraints, then the near-resonant cooling light from the cooling region will scatter from the atoms in the measurement region and degrade interferometer performance in a cold-atom device that operates continuously and without dead time.

Continuous, velocity-controlled three-dimensionally laser-cooled atom beam source with low fluorescence

The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The present invention provides the combination of the O-2 diphenylcarbamoyl (“DPC”) and N-6 dimethylaminomethylidene (“DMF”) protecting groups for isoguanosine nucleosides that can be utilized in oligonucleotide synthesis.

Oligonucleotides are essential reagents in many important molecular biology experiments, assays and information gathering operations, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), diagnostic probes, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection, and genomic sequencing. The benefits of conducting the synthesis of oligonucleotides by the sequential addition and covalent attachment of monomeric units onto a solid support is well appreciated. In particular, the method of Caruthers is highly optimized and almost universally adopted (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,066 and 4,973,679). The vast majority of the millions of oligonucleotides consumed each year are prepared by automated synthesis with phosphoramidite nucleoside monomers (Beaucage (1992) Tetrahedron Lett. 22:1859-62; U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,732).
The key step in oligonucleotide synthesis is the specific and sequential formation of internucleotide phosphate linkages between a 5′-OH group of one nucleotide and a 3′-OH group of another nucleotide. Accordingly, in the typical synthesis of oligonucleotides, the phosphate group of an "incoming" nucleotide is combined with the 5′-OH group of another nucleotide (i.e. the 5′-OH group is "phosphorylated" or "phosphitylated"). These groups must be capable of actively participating in the synthesis of the oligonucleotide. Thus, the 5′-OH groups are modified (typically with a dimethoxy trityl ("DMT") group) such that an investigator can introduce two such nucleotides into a reaction chamber and adjust the conditions therein so that the two nucleotides are properly combined; by a series of successive such additions, a growing oligonucleotide having a defined sequence can be accurately generated.
The four bases of the nucleosides, adenine, thymine (uracil in the case of RNA), guanosine and cytosine, include moieties which are chemically reactive (e.g., exocyclic amino groups). These groups, unlike the 3′-OH and 5′-OH groups, must be "temporarily" protected, i.e. the protecting groups must be capable of blocking any reactive sites on the base until after the oligonucleotide synthesis is completed; after such synthesis is completed, these groups must also be capable of being removed from the bases such that the biological activity of the oligonucleotide is not affected.
The principal reason for temporarily protecting the base is that in the absence of such protecting groups, the exocyclic amino groups ("NH2") of the bases can compete for binding to the 5′-OH group. If such a reaction takes place, the resulting product will not be useful. Accordingly, these protecting groups are important in reducing the occurrence of "side product formation" i.e. the formation of chemically similar, but unwanted, materials. To date, the most widely used protecting groups used in conjunction with the phosphoramidite methodologies for oligonucleotide synthesis are benzoyl for A and C, and isobutyryl for G and C, (thymine, which does not have an amino group, does not ordinarily require a protecting group).
Despite the structural similarities that iso-G shares with the standard bases, it has not been trivial to convert procedures and protecting groups used for the automated solid-phase synthesis of standard oligonucleotides to be suitable for preparing oligonucleotides containing iso-G. Accordingly, the synthesis of oligonucleotides and their analogs that employ the widely used protecting groups remains a tedious and costly process. There remains an ongoing need in this area for developing improved synthetic processes that facilitate the synthesis of oligonucleotides.

Reagents for the improved synthesis of isoguanosine containing oligonucleotides


A method for use with a computer simulation includes generating metadata that corresponds to replay data, and storing the generated metadata in a searchable text file. The replay data is generated in response to an execution of the computer simulation, and the metadata includes textual descriptions of one or more events that occurred during the execution of the computer simulation. A computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program for use with a computer simulation, and an apparatus includes a processor based system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to method and apparatus for use in computer simulations, and more specifically to searching replay data generated during a computer simulation.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the increased popularity of computer games, such as video games, there has been a great interest in replay features available to users. Currently, users can record and replay events that occur during a computer game. Single-user and Multi-user video games offer the user the option of viewing events that occurred during the game at a later time using these replay features.

Method and apparatus for searching replay data


The invention relates to the use of interferon-beta for the treatment of Ewing""s family of tumors in mammals. A method for treating Ewing""s family of tumors in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of interferon-beta is disclosed. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions suitable for administration to a mammal for the treatment of Ewing""s family of tumors comprising interferon-beta in a therapeutically effective amount, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The invention relates to the use of interferon-beta for the treatment of Ewing""s family of tumors in mammals.
The family of Ewing""s tumors represents the second most common type of bone tumors observed in children after osteosarcoma. The family includes Ewing""s sarcoma (EWS or Ewing""s tumor of bone), extraosseus Ewing""s (EOE), primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET or peripheral neuroepithelioma) and Askin""s tumors (PNET of the chest wall). These tumors are rare diseases in which malignant cells are found in the bone and soft tissues, and recent protocols use the same treatment for this family of tumors. EWS is mostly observed in adolescent and young adults, and the most common sites for the primary lesion are the pelvic bones, femur, humerous and ribs. Incidence of Ewing""s sarcoma is estimated to be about 60% of the Ewing""s family of tumors.
Studies using immunohistochemical markers, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and tissue culture indicate that these tumors are all derived from the same primordial stem cell. Cytogenetic studies of the Ewing""s family of tumors have identified a consistent alteration of the EWS locus on chromosome 22 band q12 that may involve other chromosomes, including 11 or 21. Characteristically, the amino terminus of the EWS gene is juxtaposed with the carboxy terminus of another chromosome. In the majority of cases (90%), this chromosomal translocation directs the fusion of the 5xe2x80x2 end of the EWS gene, encoding a protein capable of participation in RNA metabolism, with the 3xe2x80x2 end of the Fli-1 gene, a member of the Ets transcription factor family located on chromosome 11 band q24 (Delattre et al., Nature 359:162-165 (1992)). Several fusion genes can be generated according to the cleavage sites (between exons 7 and 11 of EWS and exons 3 to 9 from Fli-1).
The more frequent fusion, EWS-Fli-1 type I, fuses EWS exon 7 with Fli-1 exon 6 and represents 50% of cases. The type II fusion (25% of cases) ligates EWS exon 7 with Fli-1 exon 5. In addition to these two principal fusion types, about ten other combinations have been described.
In certain Ewing""s tumor cases, EWS is not fused to Fli-1 but to another member of the Ets family, e.g. FEV. Other Ets family members which may combine with the EWS gene are ERG (located on chromosome 21), ETV (located on chromosome 7), and EtAF (located on chromosome 17), which result in the following translocations: t(21;22), t(7;22), and t(17;22) respectively.
These genetic alterations reach a constant biochemical consequence: Ewing cells always express a chimeric protein bearing the N-terminal region of EWS fused to a DNA binding domain of the Ets protein family. This constancy suggests that this fusion exerts a central role in Ewing""s tumor development.
In Ewing""s sarcoma, the role of the EWS/Fli-1 fusion protein has been experimentally demonstrated. This protein can transform mice fibroblasts, and these cells are able to generate tumors in nude mice.
From in vitro experiments, it was shown that the EWS/Fli-1 protein was able to activate certain gene transcription more efficiently than Fli-1. This fact suggests that the EWS/Fli-1 protein fusion exerts its oncogenic actions through the abnormal activation of certain cellular genes.
It was also shown that the PU-1 protein, also from the Ets family, is implicated in the control of interferon and cytokine regulated gene expression (Perez et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 14:5023-5031 (1994)).
Important prognostic factors for the Ewing""s family of tumors include the site and volume of the primary tumor and whether the disease is metastatic. Size of the tumor is also thought to be an important variable. With current treatment, studies suggest that 50%-70% of patients without metastatic disease have a long-term disease-free survival, compared to only 20%-30% for patients who present with metastatic disease. As such, there remains an acute need in the art for an effective method of treating the Ewing""s family of tumors.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an effective method of treating the Ewing""s family of tumors in a mammal. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description of preferred embodiments that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. These advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the compositions and methods particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof.
Rosolen et al. (Modern Pathology, 1997, 10:55-61) reported that the treatment of a cell line derived from Ewing""s sarcoma with interferon-alpha, induces an inhibition of cell growth in vitro.
The authors of the present invention have now shown that interferon-beta (IFN-xcex2) which binds the same receptor as interferon-alpha (IFN-xcex1) but which is known to exert distinct activities (Runkel et al., 1998, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, 14:8003-8008), exhibits an antiproliferative action on Ewing""s sarcoma.
They have more particularly shown that the antiproliferative action of IFN-xcex2 on cells derives from Ewing""s sarcoma in vitro was distinctly superior than the one of IFN-xcex1.
Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of treating Ewing""s family of tumors in a mammal comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of IFN-xcex2. A second embodiment of the present invention is directed to a composition suitable for administration to a mammal for the treatment of Ewing""s family of tumors comprising IFN-xcex2 in a therapeutically effective amount, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein are intended to have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cEwing""s family of tumorsxe2x80x9d means a type of tumor found in bone and soft tissues characterized by small round cells and associated with an alteration of the EWS locus on chromosome 22. The family of tumors includes Ewing""s sarcoma (Ewing""s tumor of bone or ETB), extraosseus Ewing""s (EOE), peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET or peripheral neuroepithelioma) and Askin""s tumors (PNET of the chest wall).
The individual cells of Ewing""s sarcoma and EOE contain round to oval nuclei with fine dispersed chromatin without nucleoli. Occasionally, cells with smaller, more hyperchromatic (and probably degenerative) nuclei are present giving a xe2x80x9clight cell-dark cellxe2x80x9d pattern. The cytoplasm varies in amount, but in the classic case it is clear and contains glycogen, which can be highlighted with a periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain. The tumor cells are tightly packed and grow in a diffuse pattern without evidence of structural is organization.
The histologic appearance of the PNET differs somewhat from Ewing""s sarcoma and EOE. These tumors are typically composed of round to ovoid hyperchromatic cells with minimal cytoplasm. The tumor cells are typically arranged in nests and trabeculae with variable rosette formation. The rosettes may have a central lumen, but are often ill-defined, composed of tumor cells arranged around an empty space. The classic lobular growth pattern is best appreciated at low-power, and differs from the typical diffuse growth seen in EOE. Occasionally, groups of cytologically uniform, round cells with dispersed chromatin resembling those in EOE are seen interspersed in an otherwise typical PNET. This overlap of features lends confidence to the concept that these tumors are indeed the same tumor with a spectrum of differentiation.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cmammalxe2x80x9d indicates any mammalian species, and includes, but is not limited to, rabbits, mice, dogs, cats, primates and humans, preferably humans. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ctreatmentxe2x80x9d refers to any process, action, application, therapy, or the like, wherein a mammal, including a human being, is subject to medical aid with the object of improving the mammal""s condition, directly or indirectly. In the context of tumor growth or tumor cell growth, xe2x80x9ctreatmentxe2x80x9d includes, but is not limited to, inhibition and prevention.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cinhibitionxe2x80x9d can be assessed by the delayed appearance of primary or secondary tumors, slowed development of primary or secondary tumors, decreased occurrence of primary or secondary tumors, slowed or decreased severity of secondary effects of disease, arrested tumor growth and regression of tumors, among others. In the extreme, complete inhibition is referred to herein as prevention.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpreventionxe2x80x9d means no tumor or tumor cell growth if none had occurred, and no further tumor or tumor cell growth if there had already been growth.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ctherapeutic treatmentxe2x80x9d indicates treating a subject after a disease is contracted, and includes prophylactic therapy.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ceffective amountxe2x80x9d signifies an amount effective to perform the function specified. A xe2x80x9ctherapeutically effective amount,xe2x80x9d in reference to the treatment of a tumor, refers to an amount sufficient to bring about one or more or the following results: reduce the size of the tumor, inhibit the metastasis of the tumor, inhibit the growth of the tumor, prevent the growth of the tumor, relieve discomfort due to the tumor, or prolong the life of a patient inflicted with the tumor.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cinterferonxe2x80x9d means the family of highly homologous cytokine proteins and glycoproteins which are known to have various biological activities, such as antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activity at least in the species of animal from which such substances are derived.
At present, the interferons are categorized into five different types: alpha IFN (leukocyte IFN), beta IFN (fibroblast IFN), gamma IFN (immune IFN), omega IFN and tau IFN (trophoblastic factor). For a review of the details and homology relationships of the known IFN proteins, see. e.g., Viscomi, Biotherapy 10:59-86 (1997).
As used herein, the terms xe2x80x9cinterferon-betaxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cIFN-xcex2xe2x80x9d include all proteins, polypeptides and peptides which are natural or recombinant IFN-xcex2""s or derivatives thereof, and which are characterized by the biological activity of those IFN-xcex2""s against malignant, non-malignant or viral diseases. These include IFN-xcex2-like compounds from a variety of sources such as natural IFN-xcex2""s (human and non-human), recombinant IFN-xcex2""s and synthetic or semi-synthetic IFN-xcex2""s.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9crecombinant interferon-betaxe2x80x9d refers to IFN-xcex2 produced by recombinant DNA techniques, i.e., produced from cells to transformed by an exogenous DNA construct encoding the desired IFN-xcex2 polypeptide.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cInternational Unitxe2x80x9d means the internationally established potency unit of measurement of IFN as defined by the International Conference for Unification of Formulae and as recognized by those of skill in the art.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically acceptable carrierxe2x80x9d refers to a diluent, adjuvant, excipient, or vehicle with which the therapeutic is administered. It includes any and all solvents, dispersion media, aqueous solutions, coatings, antibacterial and antifuincgal agents, isotonic and absorption delaying agents, and the like. The use of such media and agents for pharmaceutical active substances is well known in the art. Except insofar as any conventional media or agent is incompatible with the active ingredient, use thereof in the pharmaceutical compositions is contemplated.
Supplementary active ingredients can also be incorporated into the compositions of the invention. A composition is said to be xe2x80x9cpharmacologically acceptablexe2x80x9d if its administration can be tolerated by a recipient patient.
As used herein, xe2x80x9csimultaneous or sequentialxe2x80x9d is meant that IFN-xcex2 is co-administered with another cytokine or chemotherapeutic agent or together with radiotherapy or surgery or where IFN-xcex2 administration is preceded or followed by non-IFN-xcex2 treatment. Where xe2x80x9csequentialxe2x80x9d therapy is occurring, the time difference between IFN-xcex2 administration and non-IFN-xcex2 treatment can be minutes, hours, days, weeks or months depending on the tumor or sarcoma being treated, the mammal being treated and the effectiveness of the overall treatment.
The term xe2x80x9csubstantially simultaneouslyxe2x80x9d means xe2x80x9cat about the same timexe2x80x9d with the only limitation being that both substances must be present together at the tumor site.
In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that IFN-xcex2 can significantly inhibit and/or prevent tumor growth in Ewing""s sarcoma. As such, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of treating Ewing""s family of tumors in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of IFN-xcex2.
In a preferred embodiment, the IFN-xcex2 is recombinant IFN-xcex2. For example, recombinant IFN-xcex21a, (such as the one commercialized as REBIF(copyright) by Ares-Serono or AVONEX(copyright) by Biogen, which are glycosylated recombinant IFNs produced in mammal cells, or IFN-xcex21b (such as the one commercialized under the name of BETASERON(copyright) by Schering AG or BETAFERON(copyright) by Berlex/Chiron) can be used. More preferably, glycosylated recombinant IFN-xcex21a is utilized.
An extracted natural IFN-xcex2 can be used in the present invention as well such as the one commercialized under the name of FRONE(copyright) by Ares-Serono. Natural human IFN-xcex2 can be purified from several cell sources including leukocytes isolated from whole blood, neonatal fibroblasts, lymphoblastoid and various leukemic cell lines. IFN-xcex2 can also be a mammalian extract such as ruminant or bovine IFN-xcex2. As such, the IFN-xcex2 employed can be xe2x80x9chomologousxe2x80x9d to the mammal to be treated meaning that it has the same origin as the species of mammal to be treated (e.g. human IFN-xcex2 for treatment of a human or murine IFN-xcex2 for treatment of a mouse) or can be xe2x80x9cheterologousxe2x80x9d to the mammal to be treated meaning that the species origin of IFN-xcex2 and the species of the mammal are different (e.g. human IFN-xcex2 for treatment of a mouse or murine IFN-xcex2 for treatment of a human).
The IFN-xcex2 of the inventive method also includes, for example, known sequences and those variants whose genes are characterized by a high degree of homology with the known sequence and which code for biologically active IFN-xcex2 and compounds having substantially the same biologically activity as known forms of IFN-xcex2. The IFN-xcex2 can also contain single or multiple amino acid insertions, deletions and/or additions to the naturally occurring sequence and may be fragmented to a part carrying the active site of IFN-xcex2.
In general, any IFN-xcex2 molecule is encompassed by the present invention and is included in the expression xe2x80x9cIFN-xcex2xe2x80x9d provided all such molecules have the effect of preventing or reducing the size of Ewing""s family of tumors in vitro, in a laboratory test animal in vivo or in a mammal to be treated.
The present invention is exemplified by the effect of IFN-xcex2 against Ewing""s sarcoma tumors in mice. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention extends to the in vivo effects of IFN-xcex2 in all mammals such as humans, and to all of Ewing""s family of tumors. In a preferred embodiment, the mammal is human. Exemplary non-human mammals include livestock animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, horses, goats, companion animals such as cats and dogs, and laboratory test animals such as mice, rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters.
According to the present invention, the IFN-xcex2 can be administered by any suitable route such as oral or parenteral, i.e., any route other than the alimentary canal. In a preferred embodiment, the parenteral administration is by intravenous (within or into a vein), intramuscular (within a muscle), subcutaneous (introduced beneath the skin) or percutaneous (effected through the skin) means. A systematic injection is preferred wherein IFN-xcex2 enters the blood stream, but a direct injection in the tumor itself can also be advantageously used.
Administration can be as a single dose or repeated doses one or more times after a certain period. When administering IFN-xcex2 by injection, the administration may be by continuous injections, or by single or multiple boluses. The administration modes and posology can be determined by those skilled in the art according to criteria generally considered for a therapeutical treatment adapted to a patient. As such, dosage of the administered agent will vary depending upon such factors as the patient""s age, weight, height, sex, general medical condition, previous medical history, etc.
The effective amount of IFN-xcex2 will depend on the mammal and the condition to be treated. In general, it is desirable to provide the recipient with a dosage which is in the range of about 1xc3x97106 to about 90xc3x97106 International Units (IU), although a lower or higher dosage may be administered. Preferably, a dose of in the range of about 1xc3x97106 to about 45xc3x97106 IU can be administered. Skilled practitioners will adjust the timing and dosage to fit the clinical symptoms of the patients. Such knowledge has been accumulated over decades and is reported in the medical literature. The IFN-xcex2 composition may be administered alone or formulated with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, in either single or multiple doses. As such, in another embodiment of the invention the IFN-xcex2 is administered as part of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Suitable pharmaceutical carriers include, but are not limited to, inert solid diluents or fillers, sterile aqueous solutions, and various nontoxic organic solvents. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers should be inert. Further, the carrier should not react with or otherwise reduce the effectiveness of the active ingredients, and more particularly, should not significantly diminish the effectiveness or stability of the IFN-xcex2. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include water, ethanol, polyethylene glycol, mineral oil, petrolatum, propylene glycol, lanolin, and similar agents.
The pharmaceutical forms suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions (where water soluble) or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersion. In all cases the form should be sterile and should be fluid to the extent that easy syringability exists. It should also be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and be preserved against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
The IFN-xcex2 composition can be administered alone or can be simultaneously or sequentially administered in combination with any pharmaceutical agent, such as another agent efficient against Ewing""s sarcoma. In this xe2x80x9ccombined therapyxe2x80x9d, IFN-xcex2 can be administered with other cytokines and/or chemotherapeutic agents and/or radiotherapeutic protocol and/or with surgery. Such cytokines include, but are not limited to, interleukin-1, TNF-xcex1, IFN-xcex1, and/or interferon-gamma. Representative chemotherapeutic agents are well known in the art and include, but are not limited to, Doxorubicin, Actimomycin, Cyclophosphamide (VAdriaC), Etoposide, Ifosfamide and Vincristine.
More particularly the authors of the present invention have shown a synergic effect resulting from an associated treatment of IFN-xcex2 and Ifosfamide.
Amounts of other cytokines will be similar to the effective amounts of IFN-xcex2. The effective amounts of chemotherapeutic agents will vary as depending on the agent and are known in the art. The subject compositions may be administered either in conjunction with the second treatment modalities, or separately, e.g. at different times or in different syringes or tablets.
Surgery may be used in certain cases to try to remove the cancer and some of the tissue around it. Surgery may also be used to remove any tumor that is left after chemotherapy or radiation therapy. In a preferred embodiment, the IFN-xcex2 composition is administered in combination with surgical therapy, preferably after the surgical operation.
Another aspect of the present invention further comprises the substantially simultaneous or sequential administration of one or more other cytokines, derivatives thereof and/or one or more chemotherapeutic agents and/or the simultaneous or sequential treatment by radiotherapy. Accordingly, IFN-xcex2 can be co-administered with another cytokine or chemotherapeutic agent or together with radiotherapy or where IFN-xcex2 administration is preceded or followed by non-IFN-xcex2 treatment. Where xe2x80x9csequentialxe2x80x9d therapy is occurring, the time difference between IFN-xcex2 administration and non-IFN-xcex2 treatment may be minutes, hours, days, weeks or months depending on the tumor or sarcoma being treated, the mammal being treated and the effectiveness of the overall treatment.
The present invention further relates to the use of IFN-xcex2 or active fragment, mutant or derivative thereof alone or together with one or more other cytokines and/or chemotherapeutic agents in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of patients carrying tumors or sarcomas from the Ewing""s family of tumors.
The present invention also relates to a process for preparing the abovementioned pharmaceutical composition characterized by mixing, according to known methods, active ingredients with acceptable excipients which are pharmaceutically acceptable.
In all of the above cases, the present invention also extends to the use of derivatives of IFN-xcex2 and derivatives of other cytokines and/or chemotherapeutic agents. By xe2x80x9cderivativexe2x80x9d is meant recombinant, chemical or other synthetic forms of IFN-xcex2 or other cytokine or chemotherapeutic agent and/or any alteration such as addition, substitution and/or deletion to the amino acid sequence component of the molecule, provided the derivative possesses the ability to prevent and/or inhibit Ewing""s family of tumors.
The present invention further extends to a pharmaceutical composition comprising IFN-xcex2 and/or its derivatives alone or in combination with one or more other cytokines and/or their derivatives and/or chemotherapeutic agents and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or diluents.
The authors of the present invention have also established that IFN-xcex2 mediates apoptosis via induction of IRF-xcex2 and activation of caspase-7.
These results provide a foundation for a method for monitoring the sensitivity of Ewing""s sarcoma cells to IFN-xcex2-mediated apoptosis, by following the expression and/or proteolyzed activation of caspase-7. This method can be particularly advantageous to assess the sensitivity of a patient toward a treatment with IFN-xcex2, for example by analyzing surgical samples of Ewing""s tumors.
This analysis of activation of caspase-7 can be carried out by any standard method well-known by one skilled in the art.
An inmunoassay of caspase-7 by means of an antibody directed against this protein is preferred.
However, one can also detect and/or quantify the mRNA coding for this caspase, for example.
All patents and publications cited in this disclosure are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains and are all herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Having now generally described the invention, the same will be more readily understood through reference to the following Examples which are provided by way of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting of the present invention, unless specified.

Interferon-beta use in the treatment of ewing""s family of tumors

Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM)


A process of effecting various anti compensation processes on input image on a plasma display panel comprises the steps of a) performing a gamma (i.e., γ equal to 0.45) compensation process on a video signal received by the PDP with respect to a γ; b) dividing the video signal into at least two segments based on a gray level thereof; and c) performing a variety of anti compensation processes on the video signal in respective segment. A smaller γ is used in the anti compensation process with respect to the video signal in a range of low gray level for increasing the gray level in the range of low gray level. Similarly, a larger γ is used in the anti compensation process with respect to the video signal in a range of high gray level for increasing a gradient in the range of high gray level, thereby obtaining a sharp image contrast, improving image quality, and rendering an enhanced image brightness.

The brightness of a typical color television (TV) may be expressed in following equation (1) in terms of input voltage by utilizing the physical characteristic of cathode ray tube (CRT) of color TV:brightness=k1×(VINPUT/VMAX)γ  (1)where γ=2.2, k1 is a variable representing gray level of color TV (e.g., k1=256 if gray level of color TV is 256), VINPUT is input voltage varied as gray level of color TV, and VMAX is a maximum voltage required for showing a maximum gray level of color TV. Hence, the relationship of input gray level (voltage) versus output brightness of color TV may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 1b). Conventionally, prior to sending a video signal (e.g., NTSC or HDTV), a Gamma (γ) compensation process (called compensation process hereinafter) is performed on the original video signal by utilizing above physical characteristic thereof. That is, a compensation process is performed with respect to γ in equation (1). As such, the relationship of input brightness versus output gray level (voltage) of color TV may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 1a). In one example of γ=0.45 (i.e., obtained from 1/2.2), the video signal received by color TV is converted into image for showing on screen of CRT of color TV Hence, the relationship of input brightness versus output brightness of color TV may be plotted as a straight line (FIG. 1c). As a result, a high quality image is shown on the typical color TV without distortion.
As to recently available PDPs (plasma display panels) brightness of respective discharge unit on panel thereof is controlled by discharge number.
Hence, brightness may be expressed in following equation (2) in terms of discharge number as below (i.e., a straight line):brightness=k2×discharge number  (2)where k2 is a variable representing brightness in a discharge number of a pixel of plasma display panel (e.g., k2=1 if brightness of one discharge of PDP is equal to 1 cd/m2) In view of this, the higher discharge number the brighter of PDP. This is similar to the effect that the larger input voltage the brighter of a typical color TV.
Referring to FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c, a compensation process is performed on received video signal by PDP by substituting γ=0.45 into equation (1) by similarly utilizing the physical characteristic of typical color TV. As such, the relationship of input brightness versus output gray level (voltage) of PDP may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 2a). Further, the relationship of input gray level (voltage) versus output brightness of PDP may be plotted as a straight line (FIG. 2b). Furthermore, video signal received by PDP is converted into image for showing on screen of PDP Hence, the relationship of input brightness versus output brightness of PDP may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 2c) by similarly substituting γ=0.45 into equation (1). As a result, a distorted image with poor contrast is shown on PDP.
Typically, an anti compensation process is performed for solving above drawbacks. In detail, in one example, an anti compensation process is performed on received video signal by PDP by substituting γ=2.2 into equation (1). As such, in PDP the relationship of input gray level (voltage) versus output gray level may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 3b). In another example, an anti compensation process is performed on received video signal by PDP by substituting γ=0.45 into equation (1). Hence, in PDP the relationship of input brightness versus output gray level (voltage) may be plotted as a curve (FIG. 3a). As to image shown on PDP, the relationship of input gray level (voltage) versus output brightness of PDP may be plotted as a straight line (FIG. 3c). By combining FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, in PDP the relationship of input brightness versus output brightness may be plotted as a straight line (FIG. 3d). In other words, a linear relationship exists between image shown on PDP and received video signal. As a result, a high quality image is shown on PDP without distortion.
As to current PDPs, signal input/output and processing are done by a digital technique. Moreover, in most cases gray level of PDP is expressed as a power of 2. For example, in PDP eight bits are needed for representing 256 gray levels. Typically, in performing a compensation process an analog-to-digital conversion is performed on video signal prior to substituting γ=0.45 into equation (1). Then an anti compensation process is performed by substituting γ=2.2 into equation (1) for effecting an inverse transform on video signal. Finally, an image is shown on PDP. However, the previous improvement technique has a disadvantage. That is, a non-integer number (e.g., decimal) can not be expressed by a digital signal. Hence, the decimal has to be converted into an integer. In the case of the original video signal having 256 gray levels, the number of gray level is reduced to 184 after first being processed in a analog-to-digital conversion and subsequently by substituting γ=2.2 into equation (1) for performing an anti compensation process thereafter. In another case that the original video signal having a gray level in the range of 0 to 40, the number of gray level is reduced to 5 (e.g., gray level 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4) after an inverse transform is performed by substituting γ=2.2 into equation (1) (see Table I below.)
TABLE Igray levelgray levelgray levelgray levelgray level ofafter γ =after γ =after γ =after γ =original video2.22.01.81.6signalconversionconversionconversionconversion 0–2000–10–20–421–2811–32–44–729–3323–45–67–934–3834–56–810–1239–4245–68–912–1443–4657–810–1114–16. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .47–616–10 8–1412–1914–25Total grayTotal grayTotal grayTotal grayTotal graylevel =level =level =level =level =6211152026
Hence, a problem of insufficient gray level of video signal is occurred in the range of low gray level after such anti compensation process. And in turn a false contour is occurred in the range of low gray level. Consequently, a poor contrast is occurred in the range of high gray level due to extremely low gray level (or brightness) gradient. As a result, a difference between two gray levels is undistinguishable visually.

Method of effecting various anti compensation processes on segmented gray level of input image on plasma display panel


A waterproof connector includes a housing and an elastic seal member. The housing includes a hollow portion for accommodating a mating connector. The elastic seal member is placed in the housing. The elastic seal member includes a main body portion and an engaged portion extending from the main body portion. An extending end portion of the engaged portion includes a protruding portion, and the protruding portion protrudes outwardly. The extending end portion has a width in a protruding direction of the protruding portion greater than a width of an entrance of an installation portion in the protruding direction where the extending end portion is to be accommodated.

The present invention relates to a waterproof connector. More particularly, the invention relates to a waterproof connector including a housing and an elastic seal member. In the waterproof connector, the housing includes a hollow portion for accommodating at least a part of a mating connector, and the elastic seal member is placed at a specific location in the housing after the elastic seal member is guided along the hollow portion of the housing in a specific direction.
Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional waterproof connector. FIG. 19 is a plan view showing the conventional waterproof connector having an elastic seal member (a packing) 101 according to Patent Reference. FIG. 20 is a sectional view showing the conventional waterproof connector when the elastic seal member 101 is attached to a housing 102 of the conventional waterproof connector according to Patent Reference.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 4,346,495
In the conventional waterproof connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the elastic seal member 101 is formed in a substantially short cylindrical shape as a whole. The elastic seal member 101 has an opening portion 113 at a center thereof. Further, the elastic seal member 101 has a pressing surface 111 formed in an accordion shape to be pressed and contacted with an inner surface of the housing 102 along a longitudinal direction thereof. Further, engaged portions (engaged pieces) 112 are formed to face each other near a lower end portion of the pressing surface 111, so that the engaged portions 112 are capable of engaging with engaging pieces (engaging holes) 121 formed in the housing 102.
In the conventional waterproof connector disclosed in Patent Reference, when the elastic seal member 101 is fitted into the housing 102 with a specific tool, the elastic seal member 101 is placed at a specific location in a hollow portion 114 of the housing 102. The engaged portions 112 are formed in a thin plate shape and extend in a direction away from the opening portion 113. When the elastic seal member 101 is attached to the housing 102, the engaged portions 112 are pushed into the engaging holes 121 with an external force while rotating around the pressing surface 111.
As described above, in the conventional waterproof connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the elastic seal member 101 is formed in a thin plate shape. Accordingly, after the engaged portions 112 of the elastic seal member 101 are pushed into the engaging holes 121 formed in the housing 102, distal end portions of the engaged portions 112 are exposed from an outer surface of the housing 102. Accordingly, if an operator accidentally pushes the distal end portions of the engaged portions 112, the engaged portions 112 may be easily come off from the engaging holes 121 formed in the housing 102.
In view of the problems of the conventional waterproof connector described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connector capable of solving the problems. In the waterproof connector, a housing thereof includes an engaged portion. Accordingly when an elastic seal member is guided in a specific direction along a hollow portion of the housing, it is possible to easily engage the elastic seal member with the engaged portion at a specific location in the hollow portion of the housing.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.

Waterproof connector having an elastic seal member with the engaged portion


A mounting system is described. The mounting system suitable for a computer management system comprises a video display device and one or more KVM devices. The video display device has a plurality of first attaching holes allocated on its back side. The KVM device has a plurality of second attaching holes such that it is able to be compactly mounted on the back of the video display device by screwing and fastening a corresponding number of fastening devices into the first and second attaching holes. The mounting system economizes the occupied space of a KVM device and shortens the cables for data communication in a computer management system.

A keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switch has been developed as an important solution in a computer management system for management a plurality of computers via a single console station. Traditionally, a KVM switch is set on a desk and locates apart from the console station which usually includes a keyboard, a video display device, a mouse or other console devices. However, due to such arrangement, the KVM switch occupies and reduces available space for the console station on the desk. In addition, other KVM devices, such as the KVM console modules, KVM extenders, and video extenders are generally located adjoining the console station and may have the same drawback.
Moreover, the cable connections between the KVM devices and the console station are too long. As a result, it is necessary to shorten the cable connections between the KVM devices and the console station to decrease the manufacturing cost.
Consequently, there is a need to develop a mounting system to solve above-mentioned problems.

Keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) device mounting system