An ophthalmic apparatus of an exemplary aspect performs the first and second OCT scans on a subject's eye. The first OCT scan is performed on the first region including the first site of the subject's eye, and the second OCT scan is performed on the second region including the second site. The ophthalmic apparatus acquires the first deviation information of the subject's eye prior to the first OCT scan and performs alignment, and also acquires the second deviation information of the subject's eye prior to the second OCT scan and performs alignment. The ophthalmic apparatus calculates the distance between the first site and the second site based on the first data acquired through the first OCT scan and second data acquired through the second OCT scan.

Ophthalmic apparatuses capable of axial length measurement are known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-19634 discloses an axial length measurement technique using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Axial length is defined as the distance between the corneal apex and the macula (fovea centralis). Axial length is one of useful intraocular parameters in selection of the power of an intraocular lens before cataract surgery, in checking of axial ametropia (axial refractive abnormality), etc.
Since axial length is defined as the distance between the corneal apex and the macula as described above, both the corneal position and the retinal position are required for axial length measurement. Regarding the invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-19634, there is a time difference between the first measurement for determining the corneal position and the second measurement for determining the retinal position. Here, the first measurement includes an OCT scan of anterior eye segment mode and the second measurement includes an OCT scan of posterior eye segment mode. Therefore, if a subject's eye moves between the first measurement and the second measurement, there is a possibility that axial length cannot be measured accurately. In particular, movement in a direction orthogonal to the depth direction of the subject's eye may greatly reduce the reliability of the measured value of axial length.

Ophthalmic apparatus, controlling method thereof, and recording medium


There is provided an information processing apparatus including an eardrum recognition unit configured to recognize a position of an eardrum based on image information regarding the eardrum, a temperature measurement unit configured to acquire a temperature within an external ear canal including the eardrum, and a temperature processing unit configured to determine a temperature of the eardrum based on a recognition result of the eardrum recognition unit and a measured temperature of the temperature measurement unit.

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program that measure an eardrum temperature.
Recently, a type of clinical thermometer that measures a body temperature by measuring radiant heat emitted from an eardrum has been proposed. In such a clinical thermometer, a sensor that measures the radiant heat of the eardrum from an external ear canal is inserted and the radiant heat emitted from the eardrum is measured in a non-contact form. For example, in Japanese Patent No. 2671946, an eardrum temperature measurement apparatus for inserting a sensor unit including a first temperature sensor, which detects infrared rays from an eardrum and generates an output voltage in proportion to a temperature difference between an ambient temperature and an eardrum temperature, and a second temperature sensor, which detects a temperature around the first temperature sensor, into an external ear canal is disclosed. A package in which the sensor unit is housed can be held by a support including silicone rubber having a shape that approximately fills between an external ear canal entrance and a first bent portion of the external ear canal. The package can be positioned inside the external ear canal by inserting the support into the external ear canal.
For stable fixing inside the external ear canal, a shape of an insertion portion of a thermometer that measures radiant heat of the eardrum in the related art, a shape along the external ear canal (for example, Japanese Patent No. 2671946 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-340681) or a cone shape (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-28194) is generally formed. In addition, for measurement of a distance from the eardrum to the temperature sensor, a method using distance measurement by laser irradiation or bouncing of sound waves is general.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program for measuring eardrum temperature


A control device includes a control unit that performs control of writing of data with respect to a memory unit, in which a size of a physical block that is a deletion unit is larger than a size of a physical page that is a minimum writing unit, and generates logical and physical address management information that indicates a correspondence relation between a physical page address and a logical address in a writing target physical block, in which data is written through the control of writing, so as to perform control so that the logical and physical address management information is written in the writing target physical block.

The present application relates to a control device, a storage device, and a storage control method. Especially, the present application relates to processing of management information for conversion from logical addresses into physical addresses.
Storage devices employing a non-volatile memory such as a NAND type flash memory, for example, have been widespread. A non-volatile memory is used in a memory card, a solid state drive (SSD), an embedded multimedia card (eMMC), and the like which are used in various types of electronic devices and information processing devices, for example.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009-70098, 2007-334852, 2007-193838, and 2007-58840 have disclosed storage devices employing a flash memory.
In a non-volatile memory, a physical address is used as an address of a physical storage region. Accordingly, a physical block, a physical page, and a physical sector are set. A plurality of physical sectors constitute a physical page, and a plurality of physical pages constitute a physical block.
Deletion (erasing) is performed in a physical block unit and writing (program) and reading are executable in a physical page unit.
A logical address is used for address designation from a host device side. A logical block and a logical page according to a logical address are associated with the above-described physical address. Accordingly, a logical address is converted into a physical address in response to an access request and access to an actual flash memory is executed.

Control device, storage device, and storage control method


A method for connecting game plays between different players playing a video game. The method includes determining that a first character has accomplished a mission within a region of a virtual environment of the video game, wherein the first character is controlled by a first player playing the video game in a first game play. The method includes opening access by the first character to a regional inter-game communication medium in response to accomplishing the task. The method includes generating first data in the first game play. The method includes cross-pollinating the first data using the regional inter-game communication medium across a plurality of virtual environments of a plurality of asynchronous game plays of a plurality of players.

With higher processing power video games are becoming more complex and expansive. Open world video games allow a player to move throughout a gaming environment without any predetermined pattern. That is, the player is able to freely explore the gaming environment without following any ordered approach. In addition, a multi-player video game allows one or more players to simultaneously play within a gaming environment. For example, a small group of friends (e.g., 4 to 6 friends) may join together to simultaneously play a video game. Further, a massively multi-player online game allows a large number of players to simultaneously play within a gaming environment.
In these various types of multi-player video games, players directly interact with each other. For example, one player may see another player in the gaming environment, and both players directly compete or cooperate with each other in the gaming environment. In addition, in a single-player game where one player independently progresses through the game, there is virtually no interaction with other players. As such, in single-player or multi-player gaming, there may be a disconnect between players that are not on the same gaming session. The disconnect occurs when players play the same video game at different times (e.g., different days). For example, while players may directly communicate with each other while they are simultaneously playing, no communication between players is possible through the game play in one disconnect. In another disconnect, there is an absence of changes to the gaming environment effected through one player's actions in another player's gaming environment.
It is in this context that embodiments of the disclosure arise.

Cross-pollination of in-game events, assets and persistent communications using signs and likes across virtual environments in gaming sessions of a video game


A side fire optical device comprises a cap member, a sleeve and a fiber optic segment. The cap member comprises a closed end section, a tube section having a bore, and a transmitting surface. The sleeve is received within the bore of the tube section. The sleeve includes a bore and an exterior surface that is fused to a surface of the bore of the cap member. The fiber optic segment comprises an exterior surface that is fused to a surface of the bore of the sleeve, and a beveled end surface that is positioned adjacent the transmitting surface of the cap member. The beveled end surface is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic segment such that electromagnetic radiation propagating along the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic segment is reflected by the beveled end surface at an angle that is transverse to the longitudinal axis and through the transmitting surface of the cap member.

Electromagnetic energy, such as laser light, is used to perform various medical procedures including the destruction of cancerous tissues, for example. One optical device that is used in surgical tools that perform such medical procedures is a side fire optical device.
Side fire optical devices are typically used to redirect delivered electromagnetic radiation (hereinafter "laser light") in an off-axis direction from the longitudinal axis of the delivery fiber and the device, typically at and angle of 74-76 degrees off axis. Conventional side fire optical devices operate by reflecting the electromagnetic radiation off of a beveled optical surface. The redirected output laser light is transmitted through a transmitting surface of the device to the surgical site. One exemplary side-firing optical device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,699.
During surgery, components of side fire optical devices, such as the surface of the external cap, rapidly heat and cool. This thermal cycling produces large stresses in the in the components of the side fire optical device. The thermal cycling of components of the device is magnified along with the stresses in the components, when high power lasers (e.g., 100 W holmium laser energy, 120 W 532 nm laser energy, etc.) are utilized and further magnified when the device is involved in tissue contact surgery. The stresses in the side fire optical devices often cause components of the device to crack or, even worse, shatter.

Side fire optical device for laterally redirecting high power electromagnetic energy


A cold energy storage evaporator is used in a vehicle refrigeration cycle device configured to cool a vehicle compartment. The cold energy storage evaporator includes a refrigerant tube through which a refrigerant flows, and a cold energy storage member that is in close contact with the refrigerant tube, the cold energy container accommodating therein a cold energy storage member configured to freeze due to heat absorption by the refrigerant. A melting point of the cold energy storage member is higher than 11 degrees Celsius.

In recent years, more and more vehicles perform so-called idle reduction, which automatically stops the internal combustion engine when the vehicle stops. In such a refrigeration cycle device of a vehicle, since the compressor is stopped by the idle reduction control, a cold energy storage evaporator is used to perform cooling during the idle reduction.

Cold energy storage evaporator and vehicle refrigeration cycle device provided with same


A squamous cell carcinoma-like (SCC-like) immunoreactive antigen has been identified in human female urine. This material appears to perform the same as and quite likely have the same composition as squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen (SCC) which is a subfraction of tumor antigen 4 (TA-4). This patent also relates to the isolation, and use, of the SCC-like material.

There is considerable literature on the existence of squamous cell carcinoma and the diagnostic value of a tumor antigen of the squamous cell carcinoma (often referred to as TA-4 or its subfraction SCC).
The SCC antigen and TA-4 which have been referred to in the literature have been extracted from either the actual squamous cell carcinoma itself, a carcinoma cell line derived therefrom or from serum which is found in patients who have squamous cell carcinoma. There are inherent difficulties in using these materials, namely the difficulty and hazard of handling the actual carcinoma tissue and the low concentration of TA-4 which appears in serum or cell lines. Thus the difficulty in handling the current sources of these antigens makes the production of these materials and of products utilizing the SCC antigen and TA-4 (e.g., reference materials) very difficult and expensive.
Previous work by the current inventor (35 Clin. Chem. (1989) 1079) also identified SCC-like material in seminal plasma and amniotic fluid. Although present in concentrations above that found in serum, the difficulty of obtaining these fluids make them impractical as commercial sources.
This invention relates to the identification of an SCC-like material in human female urine. This material is present in urine in a much higher level than that in normal human serum and can be isolated without encountering the difficulties of handling the other human materials. The identification of the SCC-like material in urine has led to the ability to isolate a material which is much less expensive to produce than the previous materials and methods and which has been found to be as useful as the previous materials.
The invention covers not only the identification of the material but also techniques for isolation and use of the SCC-like material.

Squamous cell carcinoma-like immunoreactive antigen from human female urine


An apparatus and method for protecting a structure from corrosion, according to which the apparatus includes two pivotally connected members, at least one anode device connected to at least one of the members, and a resilient component engaged with the members.

This invention relates, in general, to the corrosion protection of a structure that is exposed to wet, gaseous and/or below-ground environments wherein either water or a thin film of condensed moisture covers at least a portion of the structure. In these types of environments, an electrochemical process, often referred to as corrosion, can destroy the material of the structure.
While undergoing corrosion, the structure has two areas, an anodic site (or anode) where the corrosion occurs and from which electrons flow, and a cathodic site (or cathode) to which the electrons flow. Sacrificial anode devices have been used to prevent the corrosion. A sacrificial anode device includes one or more anodes from which electrons flow into the structure, thereby intentionally corroding the anodes while lowering the potential of the structure to such a value that no anodic sites form, that is, no corrosion occurs. The sacrificial anode device is usually replaced as its anodes near destruction.
The installation or replacement of a typical sacrificial anode device is usually costly and time-intensive, and sometimes requires the interruption of the operation of the system of which the structure to be protected is a part. For example, the replacement of a sacrificial anode device connected to an underwater flexible pipe usually requires raising the flexible pipe out of the water.
Therefore, what is needed is a sacrificial anode device that may be quickly and easily installed or replaced in situ, without moving the structure to be protected or interfering with its normal operation.

Corrosion protection apparatus and method


A terminal block probe for taking electrical current measurements through an isolating terminal block by a multi-meter includes a tip configured as an isolating terminal block pin corresponding to the isolating terminal block pin of the particular isolating terminal block under test. This allows the probe to be releasably held by the terminal block for hands free testing. The probe tip includes two conductors adapted for contact with the isolating pin terminals of the terminal block. The terminal block probe includes a socket that releasably receives a plug of a multi-meter cable. Internal wiring of the probe extends from the socket and connects with the two conductors of the tip. When the plug of the multi-meter cable is received within the socket, the conductors of the tip are in electrical continuity with the wires of the multi-meter cable and thus the multi-meter. A kit of a plurality of isolating terminal block probes each having a differently configured tip corresponding to differently configured isolating terminal block pins of different isolating terminal blocks is also provided. Each probe of the kit has a socket that accepts the same plug of the same multi-meter cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to devices for electrically testing amperage through terminal blocks and, more particularly, to probes for electrically testing amperage through terminal blocks utilizing a multi-meter. For example, current loops, such as, 0–20 mA or 4–20 mA signals.
2. Background Information
A terminal block is a device that provides and/or allows an electrical connection between two electrical elements or components. Terminal blocks are used in and for a variety of electrical situations and are easily mountable and replaceable. However, in some cases it is necessary to monitor the current passing through the terminals of a terminal block. This current monitoring is performed typically by a user using a multi-meter by placing the multi-meter's probes in series with the current loop.
To perform electrical tests using a multi-meter, a first probe having an electrically conducing tip is connected to either the positive or negative terminal of the multi-meter via an electrical cable while a second probe having an electrically conducting tip is connected to the other of the positive or negative terminal of the multi-meter via another electrical cable. The user selects an appropriate multi-meter function via a function (A or mA) selector on the multi-meter. Thereafter, a probe is grasped by each hand of the user and separately manipulated such that the electrically conducting tip of each probe is contacting an appropriate contact point.
With respect to an isolation terminal block, the terminal block, under normal operating condition, uses an isolating pin to jumper the opposing terminals. This isolating pin must first be removed before the probes can be used to perform the current test. Because most isolating terminal blocks are finger safe (contacting metal not exposed), it is oftentimes difficult to hold the probes in position to obtain the electrical measurement. Moreover, it is difficult to make adjustments to the multi-meter while holding the probes.
It is therefore evident from the above that there is a need for a better manner of performing current monitoring on terminal blocks using a multi-meter.


An automatic bread maker comprises: an oven chamber having a heater, a kneader and a temperature sensor; a bread vessel mounted within the oven chamber, ingredients being charged into the bread vessel; and controller for controlling the heater so as for a temperature within the oven chamber, which is detected by the temperature sensor to be maintained at a fermentation temperature.

This invention relates to an automatic bread maker in which bread can be automatically made merely by charging ingredients including flour, yeast and water, into a vessel.
In an already-known device of this type, a predetermined amount of ingredients is put into a vessel, and when a desired bread-making course is selected, a bread-making process, comprising a kneading step of kneading dough, a fermentation step of fermenting the dough, a degassing step of deflating the expanded dough, a shaping-fermentation step of expanding the dough into a shape of the bread, and a baking step of baking the expanded dough, is automatically performed, thereby making the bread.
In such a device, however, since the independent steps of the process, including the kneading step and the fermentation step, were sequentially effected, it took at least about 4 hours to about 2 hours to complete the bread-making process, and therefore considerable time was required, including the time for the preparation of the material, before the bread could be eaten.
And besides, in order to make bread in a short time, it is necessary to accurately control the temperature of the material at a starting stage, and particularly whether or not the bread can be made satisfactorily depends greatly on the temperature of the prepared water. Therefore, the user need to change the temperature of the water to be set, depending on the season. However, these are adjusted based on the temperature which the user can know through an indoor thermometer or the like, and the temperature within an oven chamber of the bread maker is not detected, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the accurate temperature control can not be effected, so that bread can not be made satisfactorily.


The use of wideband or software defined radio is attractive in terms of cost reduction since it allows re-use of base stations for different transmission modes. However, wideband radio also introduces the problem of how to deal with high level interfering signals. Presently, such signals saturate parts of the receive circuit—typically the ADC. By detecting interference and determining its frequency, it is possible to tune a bandpass or bandpass with notch filter, to take the interfering signal out of the reception band of the receiver thereby taking the ADC out of saturation whilst retaining the ability to resolve low level signals.

Presently cellular base stations typically use one receiver per channel and a unique receiver design per mode. Wideband radio receivers capable of multiple channel and multiple modes (e.g. GSM, UMTS, CDMA) represent a promising technology for cellular base stations. However, the application of wideband receiver, otherwise known as software defined radio (SDR), technology to cellular base station design, whilst representing a promising technology for providing low cost multiple channel and multiple mode receivers, has been impeded due to the inability to provide the required dynamic range.
A limitation in applying wideband receiver technology to cellular base station design is that of insufficient dynamic range in the analogue to digital converter (ADC) to cope with interfering signals. The problem is manifest in the simultaneous detection of multiple channel radio signals of multiple modes when interfering signals from one of the modes are at such a level that they block the wanted receive radio frequency band by saturating the analogue to digital converter.
The conventional approach involves the use of switched surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters of varying bandwidths as shown in FIG. 1. By switching the filters, the interfering signal can be taken out of the passband. However, multiple filters and switches increase costs and the use of narrower filters means that wideband reception is not possible.
The problem of dynamic range in wideband multicarrier receivers is discussed in detail in "Receiver dimensioning in a hybrid multicarrier GSM base station". Harri Posti and Rauli Järvelä. IEE Personal Communications, August 1999. This paper proposes the use of three receivers; a high gain receiver, a low gain receiver and a narrowband receiver to overcome the dynamic range problem.

Interference rejection in a radio receiver


The adherence of a wheel to a braking track is defined by a point of operation that is variable on an adherence curve as a function of the slip of the wheel. In operation, the braking torque servo control parameter utilized is the sign of the variation of the slope of the adherence curve at the above-mentioned point of operation. The braking torque is servo-controlled in such a way that this point of operation is the same as the point of maximum adherence of the adherence curve.

The present invention relates to a method and device for the braking of vehicles through the servo-control of the braking moment or braking torque applied to a wheel. It can be applied notably to the braking systems of all vehicles where the braking has to be done in very safe conditions.
The presently known braking control devices mainly use, as their basic parameter, the measurement of the rotational speed of the wheels. By means of this parameter and the characteristic equation of the braking, they monitor the variations in the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. Furthermore other devices implement a speed servo-control system to monitor the speed of the braked zone which, when compared with the reference speed of the vehicle, determines maintaining of the braked wheel at a fixed wheel slip value, the slip value being the difference between the speed of the vehicle and the rotational speed of the wheel multiplied by its radius.
In the above two cases, the performance of the device is directly related to the number of measurement signals per wheel rotation delivered by the sensor mounted on the wheel to be controlled. Depending on these applications, this number may vary from 50 to 200 signals per wheel rotation, which necessitates sophisticated sensors that are costly and not sufficiently reliable. These methods have other drawbacks. In particular, it is difficult to detect the deceleration of the speed of the wheel when the curves representing the brake friction coefficient as a function of slip have a low maximum point or are flat, like the curves encountered when the ground is wet, for example. In fact, these methods do not enable optimizing of the stopping distance but instead prevent the wheels from becoming locked. The braking efficiency of the systems made according to these methods is about 60% to 70%. This braking efficiency is defined by the ratio between the real braking distance obtained and the theoretical braking distance computed for a maximum value of a given curve of values or a given adherence curve. Finally, these methods have the major drawback of not providing a high degree of safety in the braking of vehicles. Indeed, the operations of detection or regulation are carried out based on the rotational speed of the wheels without the values of the braking torque exerted on these wheels being taken into account. Now, for dictated or instructed values of speed that are identical, the values of braking torque applied to the wheels are generally different. This creates braking dissymmetries that could result notably in loss of control of the direction of travel of the vehicles.
In order to avoid such accidents, there are methods wherein the braking is controlled by means of two systems, firstly a speed regulation loop and secondly a computer. The regulation loop provides for the fast correction of the system when there are disturbances while the computer, using information based on the speed of the braked wheel and on braking torque, computes the curve of the values of adherence between the tire and the track, determines the maximum point of this curve and prepares a signal which, in modifying the instructed value of the speed regulator, leads the system to this maximum point. While the speed regulator makes fast comparisons of divergence from the instructed slip value, the computer carries out an operation of pre-regulation by taking account of the trends or slow drifts and modifies the instructed value of the regulator in order to bring operation of the system close to the maximum point of the adherence curve and keep it there. However, these methods imply linear relationships, firstly between the pressure exerted on the brake and the control current delivered by the regulator and, secondly, between the braking torque exerted on the wheel and the pressure exerted on the brake. In reality, no such linear relationships exist, for they are in fact only very approximate relationships. To overcome this drawback, there are approaches proposing a direct servo-control of the braking torque exerted on each of the wheels of the vehicle. These approaches, which are satisfactory in theory, are however very difficult to implement notably because they require the use of very sophisticated and very costly torque sensors and speed sensors in order to be made efficient.

Method and device for the braking of vehicles by the servo-control of the braking torque applied to a wheel


A device for attaching one or more personalized fixtures to a video monitor. This device contains at least one track with a first surface and a second surface; the first surface contains adhesive, and the second surface is comprised of a splined receptacle. The device also contains at least two separate personalized fixtures, each of which is integrally connected to a splined connector.

Assemblies which can attach a device to a computer monitor are well known. Thus, by way of illustration, such assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,869,565 of Bachman and 5,301,915 of Bahniuk et al. The disclosure of each of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The Bachman patent discloses a universally adjustable display apparatus for fitment about and affixation to the housing of a computer monitor screen. However, the device of this patent is not flexible, i.e., it does not allow the user to decide among several different configurations which provide one or more personalized fixtures located at one or more places on the periphery of the monitor screen.
The Bahniuk et al. patent discloses a note holder board which comprises a support means to be secured to the top or side of a monitor screen and an extending panel the bottom of which interconnects with the supports means. However, like the device of the Bachman patent, this latter device also does not provide flexibility to the user. Thus, one may only affix a noteboard to the computer monitor, and that fixture may only be affixed in a limited range of positions.
It is an object of this invention to provide an assembly for attaching one or more personalized fixtures to a video monitor in a multiplicity of positions at a multiplicity of locations.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device for attaching one or more personalized fixtures to a video monitor, wherein the position of the device vis-a-vis the video monitor can be readily changed.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device for attaching one or more personalized fixtures to a video monitor, wherein such device is securely but removably attached to said video monitor.
These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification.

Apparatus for attaching personalized fixtures to personal computer and workstation monitors


A display device includes: a light source; a light guide plate including a first plate surface that emits light incident from the light source, a second plate surface other than the first plate surface, and at least two protruding portions formed on the second plate surface; a light source board including the light source arranged thereon, the light source board arranged on the second plate surface; and an optical sheet including a first sheet surface arranged to face the first plate surface, a second sheet surface arranged to face the light source board, and at least two protruding portions formed on the second sheet surface.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a display device using a light source board.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device, a display device using liquid crystal for example, is disclosed in FIG. 13 of JP-A-2004-349020. The display device includes: a liquid crystal panel that has a display surface; a light guide plate arranged on a surface opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal panel to guide light to the liquid crystal panel; and a light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) arranged on a side surface of the light guide plate. By propagating light from a light source in a light guide plate and diffusing the light in a diffusion pattern provided in the light guide plate, the light is extracted onto the display surface.
The display device further includes a middle frame for supporting a light guide plate arranged therein, an optical sheet, and a reflective sheet. The light guide plate has a first surface to face the liquid crystal panel, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The optical sheet is arranged on the first surface of the light guide plate. The reflective sheet is arranged on the second surface of the light guide plate so as to effectively guide light from the light sources. A light source is arranged on the side surface of the light guide plate. A light source board is formed in the shape of T or L and feeds power from a power supply unit.
In the display device, a middle frame is provided with concave portions that are fitted to protruding portions for position regulation formed on the optical sheet and the light guide plate, thus resulting in a larger frame area of the display device. However, if smaller protruding portions for position regulation are provided on the optical sheet and the light guide plate include so as not to influence the frame area of the display device, this results in dislocation of the optical sheet and the light guide plate due to impact.
When protruding portions for position regulation formed on a light guide plate are arranged on the side surface on the light source side in order to narrow the frame of the display device, it is necessary to provide a T-shaped or L-shaped light source board so as to avoid contact between the protruding portions and the light source board. This involves reduced number of light source boards segmented thus adding to the manufacturing costs.
When a light source board is formed in a linear shape to suppress the increase in the manufacturing costs of a light source board, the light source board is loaded on a light guide plate in close proximity to the power feeding portion, thus increasing the thickness of the entire display device. Further, the optical sheet is deformed by the light source board, which degrades the display quality.


A computer system creates and displays a map image based upon a value database associating a plurality of values each with a geographic location in a geographic area and a map program associating each location with a map image location. The computer system assigns one of a plurality of symbols to each geographic location based upon its associated value. The symbol is then displayed on the map image at the map image location associated with the geographic location.

The present invention relates generally to computer systems and more particularly to a computer system for creating and providing a map image of real estate values.
Currently, data indicating sale prices of homes or other real estate is available from several on-line sources. This data is typically displayed in text format, wherein each entry displays the address, sales price, sales date, etc. Although these databases provide information to potential home buyers regarding sale prices in selected areas, the textual display of such information is inefficient. Further, the textual display does not provide the observer with an indication of how sale prices vary generally across geographic areas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A lightweight inductive apparatus is integrated into at least one therapeutic device (Step 101). Miniaturized circuitry containing logic for a mathematical model having at least one waveform parameter used to configure at least one waveform to be coupled to a target pathway structure such as molecules, cells, tissues, and organs, is attached to the coil by at least one wire (Step 102). The configured waveform satisfies a SNR or Power SNR model so that for a given and known target pathway structure it is possible to choose at least one waveform parameter so that a waveform is detectable in the target pathway structure above its background activity (Step 103). A repetitive electromagnetic signal can be generated for example inductively, from said configured at least one waveform (Step 104). The electromagnetic signal is coupled to a target pathway structure by output of the inductive apparatus (Step 105).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to an electromagnetic treatment induction apparatus and a method for using same to achieve modification of cellular and tissue growth, repair, maintenance, and general behavior by application of encoded electromagnetic information. More particularly this invention relates to the application of surgically non-invasive coupling of highly specific electromagnetic signal patterns to any number of body parts. In particular, an embodiment according to the present invention pertains to using an induction means such as a coil to deliver pulsing electromagnetic fields ("PEMF") to enhance living tissue growth and repair in conjunction with devices such as supports, wraps, beds, and wheelchairs, and in conjunction with other therapeutic and wellness physical modalities, such as ultrasound, negative or positive pressure, heat, cold, massage.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is now well established that application of weak non-thermal electromagnetic fields ("EMF") can result in physiologically meaningful in vivo and in vitro bioeffects.
EMF has been used in applications of bone repair and bone healing. Waveforms comprising low frequency components and low power are currently used in orthopedic clinics. Origins of using bone repair signals began by considering that an electrical pathway may constitute a means through which bone can adaptively respond to EMF signals. A linear physicochemical approach employing an electrochemical model of a cell membrane predicted a range of EMF waveform patterns for which bioeffects might be expected. Since a cell membrane was a likely EMF target, it became necessary to find a range of waveform parameters for which an induced electric field could couple electrochemically at the cellular surface, such as voltage-dependent kinetics. Extension of this linear model also involved Lorentz force analysis.
A pulsed radio frequency ("PRF") signal derived from a 27.12 MHz continuous sine wave used for deep tissue healing is known in the prior art of diathermy. A pulsed successor of the diathermy signal was originally reported as an electromagnetic field capable of eliciting a non-thermal biological effect in the treatment of infections. PRF therapeutic applications have been reported for reduction of post-traumatic and post-operative pain and edema in soft tissues, wound healing, burn treatment and nerve regeneration. Application of EMF for the resolution of traumatic edema has become increasingly used in recent years. Results to date using PRF in animal and clinical studies suggest that edema may be measurably reduced from such electromagnetic stimulus.
Prior art considerations of EMF dosimetry have not taken into account dielectric properties of tissue structure as opposed to the properties of isolated cells.
In recent years, clinical use of non-invasive PRF at radio frequencies comprised using pulsed bursts of a 27.12 MHz sinusoidal wave, wherein each pulse burst comprises a width of sixty-five microseconds, having approximately 1,700 sinusoidal cycles per burst, and various burst repetition rates. This limited frequency components that could couple to relevant dielectric pathways in cells and tissue.
Time-varying electromagnetic fields, comprising rectangular waveforms such as pulsing electromagnetic fields, and sinusoidal waveforms such as pulsed radio frequency fields ranging from several Hertz to an about 15 to an about 40 MHz range, are clinically beneficial when used as an adjunctive therapy for a variety of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions.
Beginning in the 1960's, development of modern therapeutic and prophylactic devices was stimulated by clinical problems associated with non-union and delayed union bone fractures. Early work showed that an electrical pathway can be a means through which bone adaptively responds to mechanical input. Early therapeutic devices used implanted and semi-invasive electrodes delivering direct current ("DC") to a fracture site. Non-invasive technologies were subsequently developed using electrical and electromagnetic fields. These modalities were originally created to provide a non-invasive "no-touch" means of inducing an electrical/mechanical waveform at a cell/tissue level. Clinical applications of these technologies in orthopaedics have led to approved applications by regulatory bodies worldwide for treatment of fractures such as non-unions and fresh fractures, as well as spine fusion. Presently several EMF devices constitute the standard armamentarium of orthopaedic clinical practice for treatment of difficult to heal fractures. The success rate for these devices has been very high. The database for this indication is large enough to enable its recommended use as a safe, non-surgical, non-invasive alternative to a first bone graft. Additional clinical indications for these technologies have been reported in double blind studies for treatment of avascular necrosis, tendinitis, osteoarthritis, wound repair, blood circulation and pain from arthritis as well as other musculoskeletal injuries.
Cellular studies have addressed effects of weak low frequency electromagnetic fields on both signal transduction pathways and growth factor synthesis. It can be shown that EMF stimulates secretion of growth factors after a short, trigger-like duration. Ion/ligand binding processes at a cell membrane are generally considered an initial EMF target pathway structure. The clinical relevance to treatments for example of bone repair, is upregulation such as modulation, of growth factor production as part of normal molecular regulation of bone repair. Cellular level studies have shown effects on calcium ion transport, cell proliferation, Insulin Growth Factor ("IGF-II") release, and IGF-II receptor expression in osteoblasts. Effects on Insulin Growth Factor-I ("IGF-I") and IGF-II have also been demonstrated in rat fracture callus. Stimulation of transforming growth factor beta ("TGF-β") messenger RNA ("mRNA") with PEMF in a bone induction model in a rat has been shown. Studies have also demonstrated upregulation of TGF-β mRNA by PEMF in human osteoblast-like cell line designated MG-63, wherein there were increases in TGF-β1, collagen, and osteocalcin synthesis. PEMF stimulated an increase in TGF-β1 in both hypertrophic and atrophic cells from human non-union tissue. Further studies demonstrated an increase in both TGF-β1 mRNA and protein in osteoblast cultures resulting from a direct effect of EMF on a calcium/calmodulin-dependent pathway. Cartilage cell studies have shown similar increases in TGF-β1 mRNA and protein synthesis from EMF, demonstrating a therapeutic application to joint repair. Various studies conclude that upregulation of growth factor production may be a common denominator in the tissue level mechanisms underlying electromagnetic stimulation. When using specific inhibitors, EMF can act through a calmodulin-dependent pathway. It has been previously reported that specific PEMF and PRF signals, as well as weak static magnetic fields, modulate Ca2+ binding to CaM in a cell-free enzyme preparation. Additionally, upregulation of mRNA for BMP2 and BMP4 with PEMF in osteoblast cultures and upregulation of TGF-β1 in bone and cartilage with PEMF have been demonstrated.
However, prior art in this field does not use an induction apparatus that is lightweight, portable, disposable, implantable, and configured with, integrated into, or attached to at least one of garments, fashion accessories, footware, bandages, anatomical supports, an anatomical wraps, apparel, cushions, mattresses, pads, wheelchairs, therapeutic beds, therapeutic chairs, therapeutic and health maintenance devices such as vacuum assisted wound closure devices, mechanical and functional electrical stimulation devices and exercise devices, ultrasound, heat, cold, massage, and exercise.
Therefore, a need exists for an electromagnetic treatment induction apparatus and a method for using same that is lightweight, portable, implantable, and can be disposable. A further need exists for an electromagnetic treatment induction apparatus and method that can be used more effectively with miniaturized circuitry that optimally configures electromagnetic waveforms to be inductively coupled with plant, animal, and human tissue, organs, cells, and molecules for therapeutic treatment.

Electromagnetic treatment induction apparatus and method for using same


There are provided a positive electrode active material for an alkaline storage battery, a positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery, and an alkaline storage battery each of which has an excellent output characteristics and also has an excellent self-discharge characteristic and an excellent cycle lifetime characteristic. The positive electrode active material for an alkaline storage battery according to the present invention has nickel hydroxide particles each containing at least magnesium in a solid solution state and a cobalt compound layer coating the surface of each of the nickel hydroxide particles. Among them, the cobalt compound layer contains cobalt having an average valence of not less than 2.6 and not more than 3.0 and also contains sodium at a proportion of less than 0.10 wt % to the total weight of the cobalt compound layer. The positive electrode active material for an alkaline storage battery according to the present invention has a conductivity smaller than 1.0×10−5 S/cm in a state pressurized at 39.2 MPa.

In recent years, an alkaline storage battery has drawn attention as a power source for a portable instrument or devices or also as a power source for an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or the like. As such an alkaline storage battery, various types have been proposed. Among them, a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery comprising: a positive electrode made of an active material primarily containing nickel hydroxide; a negative electrode containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy as a main component; and an alkaline electrolyte containing potassium hydroxide or the like has rapidly become widespread as a secondary battery having a high energy density and excellent reliability.
The positive electrodes of nickel-metal hydride secondary batteries are roughly divided into two types depending on the difference between production methods therefor, which are a sintered nickel electrode and a paste (non-sintered) nickel electrode. Of the two types, the sintered nickel electrode is produced by precipitating nickel hydroxide in extremely fine pores in a porous sintered substrate obtained by sintering nickel fine powder onto the both sides of a punched steel plate (punching metal) by a solution impregnation method or the like. On the other hand, the paste nickel electrode is produced by filling an active material containing nickel hydroxide directly into fine pores in a high-porosity substrate using a foamed nickel porous body (formed nickel substrate) (see, e.g., Patent Document 1).    Patent Document 1: Jpn. unexamined patent publication No. 62 (1987)-15769    Patent Document 2: Jpn. patent No. 3363670    Patent Document 3: Jpn. patent No. 3234492    Patent Document 4: Jpn. unexamined patent publication No. 2001-357844
Since the paste nickel electrode is high in the filling density of nickel hydroxide and easy to be increased in energy density, it has currently become the main stream of a positive electrode for a nickel-metal hydride storage battery. In recent years, attempts have been made to improve the active-material utilization ratio, high-rate discharge characteristic, and output characteristic of the paste nickel electrode by improving active material powder to be filled therein, a material to be added thereto, and the like (see, e.g., Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4).
In Patent Document 2, a thermal treatment is performed in the coexistence of oxygen and an alkali so that a coating layer made of a cobalt compound having a valence larger than 2 and a disturbed crystallinity is formed on the surface of each of nickel hydroxide particles containing one or more of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, and calcium. Since a cobalt compound having a valence larger than 2 has an extremely high conductivity, it is reported that the active-material utilization ratio is significantly improved. In addition, it is also reported that, by causing one or more of zinc, cadmium, magnesium, and calcium to be contained in a solid solution state in each of the nickel hydroxide particles, a reduction in capacity during over-discharging can be suppressed, while a high active-material utilization ratio is retained.
In Patent Document 3, a conductive layer made of a sodium-containing cobalt compound of which the content of sodium is adjusted to 0.1 to 10 wt % is formed on the surface of each of nickel hydroxide particles or grains containing nickel as a main component. It is reported that, with sodium being captured in the crystal of a cobalt compound, the compound having a high conductivity is provided and the active-material utilization ratio is thereby significantly increased.
Patent Document 4 has proved that, by using a solid solution of nickel hydroxide containing a small amount of magnesium, an excellent high-rate discharge characteristic and an excellent output characteristic are shown. By further using the solid solution of nickel hydroxide containing a small amount of magnesium for a positive electrode active material, the generation of γ-NiOOH can be suppressed so that the cycle lifetime of a battery is also improved.

Positive electrode active material for alkaline storage battery, positive electrode for alkaline storage battery, alkaline storage battery, and method for manufacturing positive electrode active material for alkaline storage battery


In a keytop in which a mark indicating a function of the corresponding key switch is printed on the top surface of a keytop body made of a synthetic resin, the mark being a letter, a character, a numeral, a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a pattern or the like, or any combination thereof, and the mark is coated with a resin coating, a transparent or semitransparent coating that is soft, not slippery, and lusterless, is applied on the whole surface of the keytop body including the resin coating. Such transparent or semitransparent coating gives a soft feeling to the tip of an operator's finger as well as the tip thereof is hard to slip off the keytop, and hence the feeling thereof on operation is comfortable and the operativity thereof is satisfactory. Moreover, a line of the contour of the resin coating becomes disappeared and it is possible to completely take off the luster thereof. Accordingly, a grade in the external appearance of the keytop can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keytop in a keyboard used in a personal computer, a word processor or the like and/or of a key switch used in an IC electronic dictionary, an electronic desk or pocket calculator or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, there have been provided many key switches corresponding to a predetermined key arrangement in a keyboard used in a personal computer, a word processor or the like, and on the top or upper surface of a keytop (keybutton) of each of the key switches is put or applied a letter, a character, a numeral, a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a pattern or the like, or any combination thereof each indicating a function of each key switch. A letter, a character, a numeral, a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a pattern or the like, or any combination thereof applied on the top surface of each keytop is abraded by repetitively touching it with the tip of a finger so that it becomes blurry or it disappears. For that reason, there has been proposed a keytop in which a letter, a character, a numeral, a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a pattern or the like, or any combination thereof applied on the top surface thereof has been coated with a hard resin layer to improve the resistance to abrasion thereof. Here, in the specification, a term "mark" will be used as a generic term for a letter, a character, a numeral, a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a pattern or the like, or any combination thereof applied on the upper surface of each keytop.
For example, there has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-060824 that was published on Apr. 6, 1984, a keytop on the top surface of which is applied a mark indicating the function of the corresponding key switch and having a transparent synthetic resin applied on the top surface of the keytop including the mark to form a protection layer against abrasion. There has been also disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-171414 that was published on Sep. 27, 1984, a keytop on the top surface of which is applied a mark indicating the function of the corresponding key switch and having a transparent radiation-setting resin applied on the top surface of the keytop including the mark to form a protection layer against abrasion. There has been also disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 61-008390 that was published on Jan. 16, 1986, a keytop on the top surface of which is printed a mark indicating the function of the corresponding key switch and having a transparent paint applied on the top surface of the keytop including the mark to form a protection layer against abrasion. There has been also disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-237618 that was published on Oct. 17, 1987, a keytop on the top surface of which is printed a mark indicating the function of the corresponding key switch and having a protection layer of an ultraviolet-setting resin formed on the top surface of the keytop including the mark by a tampo printing (also called tampon printing). There has been also disclosed in Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 07-024748 that was published on Jun. 5, 1995, a keytop on the top surface of which is printed a mark indicating the function of the corresponding key switch and having a protection film of a transparent or semitransparent hard type ink formed on only the mark portion of the top surface of the keytop by a pad printing (the same printing method as that of the tampo printing).
There will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 one example of the prior art keytop having the same construction as that of the keytop disclosed in the aforesaid Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 07-024748. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the keytop, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4—4 in FIG. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. A keytop body 11 having a generally square shape in plan is made of a synthetic resin, for example, an ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin. On the top or upper surface of the keytop body 11 are printed two marks (two letters one being an English letter and the other being a Japanese letter, in this example) 12 each indicating the function of the corresponding key switch that is adapted to operate by the keytop, and further, a resin coating 13 is applied on only a portion of the upper surface on which each mark 12 has been printed so that the marks 12 are coated with the resin. Thus, the keytop is formed.
The marks 12 are printed on the upper surface of the keytop body 11 by a silk printing, a tampo printing, or the like. In addition, the resin coatings 13 covering only the portions of the marks 12 are carried out by use of a hard resin such as an ultraviolet-setting (UV-setting) resin or the like, in this example. Such resin coatings 13 can be applied on only the portions of the marks 12 by use of, for example, a tampo printing, as described in the above-mentioned Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 07-024748.
There have been proposed keytops each having its keytop body 11 on the overall upper surface of which is formed a coating of a hard resin protecting the marks 12 from being abraded besides that the hard resin coating is applied on only the portions of the marks 12 as the example shown in the figure. In case the resin coating is applied on the overall upper surface of the keytop body 11, it is formed thereon not by use of a tampo printing, but by application of a hard resin solution on the overall upper surface of the keytop body by use of, for example, a spray gun.
As discussed above, in the prior art, the marks 12 each indicating the function of the corresponding key switch have been coated with a transparent or semitransparent hard resin to form a protection layer against abrasion so that the durability (the resistance to abrasion) of the keytop has been increased.
However, in the prior art keytop constituted as discussed above, both the keytop body 11 made of a synthetic resin and the resin coating 13 formed by use of a hard resin such as an ultraviolet-setting resin or the like are hard, and hence an operator's feeling or tactile impression when the operator touches the keytop in operation becomes hard, which results in a disadvantage that it could not be said that the feeling on operation of the keytop is comfortable. In addition, since the keytop is constituted by a hard resin, the tip of a finger is comparatively easy to slip thereon and there leaves a room for improvement in operativity or maneuverability thereof.
Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in case the resin coating 13 is partly applied on only a portion of the upper surface of the keytop body on which each mark 12 has been printed, a line of the contour of the resin coating 13 is visually identified (caught by eyes), and there is a disadvantage that a grade or quality in the external appearance (high-grade impression) of the keytop is lost.


A paintball loader comprising a paintball storage compartment for holding a supply of paintballs, a frame supporting a paintball feeding arrangement for actively feeding paintballs in the compartment through an outlet, a supporting plate, at least two abutments, and a suspension member having one end operatively connected to a central region of the supporting plate and a second end operatively connected to the frame, the suspension member being spring loaded to press the supporting plate against the abutments in a direction substantially opposite the feeding direction. The supporting plate is depressable against a force of the spring loaded suspension member, for moving said supporting plate in the feeding direction A from a first position, in which the supporting plate is pressed against said abutments and serves to guide paintballs in said compartment towards said points of entry, to a second, depressed position.

A paintball marker uses compressed gas, such as air or nitrogen, to propel spherical projectiles including a colored liquid enclosed in a fragile gelatin casing. The projectiles are called paintballs, and they were originally used e.g. to mark objects, hence the name paintball marker.
Today, paintball markers are widely used for target practice and in mock war games, where participants try to "mark" members of another team to send them of the game field. In such games, it is critical to have markers with high capacity (many balls), rapid firing and satisfactory reliability (no jamming balls, etc).
A paintball marker is normally provided with a paintball loader mounted on the upper side of the marker. The loader is essentially a container for holding a supply of paintballs to be loaded into the marker. The balls are fed through an outlet into the marker, where they are pushed through the barrel of the marker by means of e.g. compressed air. In many paintball loaders, the paintballs are simply pulled by gravity through the outlet. More sophisticated loaders, however, typically employ some kind of battery powered feeding arrangement, which uses force to feed the paintballs through the outlet and into the marker. Such a mechanism increases the firing rate and reduces the risk of paintball jam. The feeding arrangement also ensures that the marker can be used also when not held in an upright position.
In later years, significant efforts have been made to improve the performance of paintball markers and in particular the paintball loaders. Such improvements include various types of feeding arrangements, see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 8,950,386 to the present inventor.
Another area subject to improvement is the holding capacity of the loader, i.e. the number of paintballs it can hold. For example, document US 2012/103316 shows a paintball loader including a ramp member which is pivotable between two positions. In a first, lowered position, the ramp is depressed to increase the free volume of the loader, so as to hold a maximum number of balls. In a second, raised position, the ramp is elevated to form a ramp sloping in the direction of the feeding arrangement.
However, the force required to depress the ramp in US 2012/103316 is significantly weaker at the end of the ramp furthest away from the pivoting edge, and significantly stronger closer to the edge. This provides an unsatisfactory pressure distribution and function, Also, the ramp in US 2012/103316 provides rather limited additional storage. It would be desirable to even further increase the holding capacity of paintball loaders.


Disclosed are methods for transporting one or more synthetic products produced from a carbonaceous source, such as coal, natural gas, or biomass, which may be located in a location that is remote from markets for such products. The synthetic products may include lower molecular weight alcohols such as methanol, lower molecular weight ethers such as dimethyl ether, olefins and/or the products of a Fischer-Tropsch or other hydrocarbon synthesis. The methods include transport of such synthetic products via a pipeline in the dense phase state, either neat or blended with light hydrocarbons, such as natural gas.

Natural gas generally refers to rarefied or gaseous hydrocarbons (comprised of methane and light hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, butane, and the like) which are found in the earth. Non-combustible gases occurring in the earth, such as carbon dioxide, helium and nitrogen are generally referred to by their proper chemical names. Often, however, non-combustible gases are found in combination with combustible gases and the mixture is referred to generally as "natural gas" without any attempt to distinguish between combustible and non-combustible gases. See Pruitt, "Mineral Terms-Some Problems in Their Use and Definition," Rocky Mt. Min. L. Rev. 1, 16 (1966).
Natural gas is often plentiful in remote locations or regions where it is uneconomical to develop those reserves due to lack of a local market for the gas or the high cost of processing and transporting the gas to distant markets. Such natural gas is accordingly referred to in the energy industry as "stranded gas" or "remote gas".
Recently a number of methods have been investigated and/or proposed to allow for more economic use of such resources by converting the stranded gas into products which are more readily transportable, such as methanol, dimethyl ether or other chemicals, as well as liquid hydrocarbons.
It is also commercially important to cryogenically liquefy natural gas so as to produce liquefied natural gas ("LNG") for more convenient storage and transport. A fundamental reason for the liquefaction of natural gas is that liquefaction results in a volume reduction of about 1/600, thereby making it possible to store and transport the liquefied gas in containers at low or even atmospheric pressure. Liquefaction of natural gas is of even greater importance in enabling the transport of gas from a supply source to market where the source and market are separated by great distances.
In order to store and transport natural gas in the liquid state, the natural gas is preferably cooled to extremely low cryogenic temperatures of from −240° F. (−151° C.) to −260° F. (−162° C.) where it may exist as a liquid at near atmospheric vapor pressure. Various methods and/or systems exist in the prior art for liquefying natural gas or the like whereby the gas is liquefied by sequentially passing the gas through a plurality of cooling stages, and cooling the gas to successively lower temperatures until liquefaction is achieved. Cooling is generally accomplished by heat exchange with one or more refrigerants such as propane, propylene, ethane, ethylene, nitrogen and methane, or mixtures thereof. The refrigerants are commonly arranged in a cascaded manner, in order of diminishing refrigerant boiling point. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, LNG plants are relatively expensive to build and operate. Further, the resulting LNG product must be transported in specially designed ships to maintain the LNG in liquid form for extended periods of time at such cryogenic temperatures until it reaches a market, where it then must be regasified in a specialized regasification facility.
Dimethyl ether can be manufactured from natural gas, coal and other carbonaceous feedstocks and is used in some markets as a fuel or fuel blendstock. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,341,069; 4,417,000; 5,218,003; and 6,270,541, and European Patent Publications 0 324 475 and 0 409 086, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Many current or potential markets for dimethyl ether that is used as a fuel, such as in China, India, Japan, Europe, and Korea, are located significant distances from natural gas resources that could supply the demand for such fuel, such as inland natural gas fields in central Russia.
To economically supply markets for dimethyl ether where it is to be used as a multi-purpose fuel, the feedstock resource such as natural gas or coal generally needs to be located at or close to a coastal location so that the dimethyl ether produced with such feedstock can be economically transported to distant markets by ship. If the feedstock resource is located at for example a remote inland area; that is a significant distance from the coastal location, then transport options for dimethyl ether produced at such remote locations, such as by a dedicated pipeline, railroad car, or trucks, may make it uneconomical to transport the dimethyl ether into a relevant fuels market. In addition, if the dimethyl ether is manufactured within or close to the relevant fuels market location, and the natural gas available for use as a feed for making dimethyl ether in that location has been transported there as LNG or by pipeline, the natural gas within that market location may also be too expensive to economically convert the gas to dimethyl ether in that market location for use as a fuel since a significant amount, such as about 30%, of the natural gas is used for process fuel; that is, only 70% of the gas is utilized to make dimethyl ether. In many cases it would be more economical to produce the dimethyl ether at or close to the area where the natural gas is produced. However, as mentioned, transport of the resulting dimethyl ether to a distant market in those cases is a practical problem.
In addition to dimethyl ether, the manufacture of other compounds, such as olefins, paraffins and aromatic hydrocarbons, by the known methanol-to-olefins ("MTO"), methanol-to-gasoline ("MTG"), or by Fischer-Tropsch ("FT") type processes are increasingly becoming important, particularly with respect to conversion of remote carbonaceous feedstocks, such as biomass, coal and natural gas, to liquid fuels. Such processes are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,928,483; 5,177,114 and 6,743,829, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. The same transportation concerns mentioned previously for the manufacture of dimethyl ether from remotely located carbonaceous feedstocks would also apply to the manufacture and use of these other synthetic products for fuels applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,971 discloses a process for converting natural gas to methanol in liquid form at a remote natural gas production site and transporting the methanol by truck, tanker, supertanker, and pipeline to a refinery where the methanol is converted to fuel products or petrochemicals. Such transportation of liquid methanol has its drawbacks, such as described previously for dimethyl ether, and particularly with respect to use of natural gas resources remotely located in inland areas. Further, methanol can be corrosive and more difficult to handle. The patentees of the '971 patent also state in a comparative example that production of ethylene and propylene at the production site for the natural gas feed is not desired as those products cannot be shipped economically.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,961 discloses a method for transportation of light hydrocarbons by compressing them into a so-called "dense phase" state which is said to enable the hydrocarbons to be shipped via a transport vessel, i.e., a ship. The relevant teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,961 are incorporated herein by reference. While such method is said to reduce the size of cooling systems associated with current transportation technologies, the method relies upon transportation vessels, such as ships, rail cars or trucks, which are not always reliable and are still subject to weather concerns.
In some cases natural gas, which may include natural gas liquids or NGLs therein, produced from a subterranean reservoir, is sent via pipeline in a dense phase state in order to increase pipeline capacity. One such system is the Central Area Transmission System (CATS) wherein natural gas produced from various locations in and around the North Sea is collected and conveyed by pipeline in a dense phase state to natural gas processing facilities in the UK. Another example is the Alliance natural gas pipeline system located in Canada.
As can be seen, it would be desirable to develop alternatives for transport of such synthetic products, such as dimethyl ether and hydrocarbons produced by a MTO, MTG, or FT hydrocarbon synthesis. Such alternatives could make such remote carbonaceous feedstocks, such as coal, biomass, or natural gas, and the resulting synthetic products produced therefrom, a more economical and commercially attractive energy resource from the perspective of both energy producers and consumers.

Method for transporting synthetic products


The present invention relates to an image display apparatus including a plurality of spatial light modulation elements corresponding to respective colors and an illumination optical system illuminating the plural spatial light modulation elements. The image display apparatus includes a dichroic prism (5) which color-separates illumination light from an illumination optical system (2) to direct thus separated lights to respective spatial light elements (3R), (3G), (3B) as well as composites reflection lights from those spatial light elements (3R), (3G), (3B), and a projection lens (6) which projects the light outgoing from the dichroic prism (5) to display an image. A retarder stack (7), which is disposed on an optical path between the illumination optical system (2) and the dichroic prism (5), causes light of wavelength band which is supposed to pass through reflection planes of the dichroic prism (5) to be of P-polarized light, and causes light of wavelength band which is supposed to be reflected by the reflection planes to be of S-polarized light.

Up to now, there has been proposed an image display apparatus which illuminates spatial light modulation elements utilizing polarization made of such as liquid crystal using an illuminator having a light source e.g. a discharge lamp, and projects an image of the spatial light modulation elements using a projection lens.
Such a projection-type image display apparatus has come into practical use, particularly as a large-sized image display apparatus. For example, in an image display apparatus which employs reflection-type liquid crystal elements having reflecting electrodes as spatial light modulation elements, the numerical aperture of the spatial light modulation elements can be enlarged to realize miniaturization of the configuration of the apparatus and high-definition image displaying.
The reflection-type spatial light modulation elements modulate polarization direction of incoming illumination light and reflect thus modulated light, according to an image to be displayed at respective pixels. Thus, when using reflection-type spatial light modulation elements, a polarizer which polarizes incoming light into the spatial light modulation elements and an analyzer which analyzes polarized components of predetermined direction alone from the light reflected by the spatial light modulation elements are necessary to be provided.
As the polarizer and analyzer, a polarization beam splitter (PBS) 101 can be used, as shown in FIG. 1. In the image display apparatus, illumination light emitted from a discharge lamp 102 outgoes from an illumination optical system 103 consisting of a parabolic mirror and a fly-eye lens, and comes into the polarization beam splitter 101 via a first condenser lens 104, a mirror 105 and a second condenser lens 106. The reflection plane of the polarization beam splitter 101, which is laid obliquely against the incoming illumination light, reflects S-polarized component alone of the incoming illumination light, and causes the S-polarized component to outgo to a dichroic prism 107 working as a color separation/composition element. Here, the polarization beam splitter 101 works as a polarizer.
The dichroic prism 107 separates the illumination light into R (red) light, G (green) light and B (blue) light, each of which comes into spatial light modulation elements 108, 109 and 110 corresponding to each color, respectively. The spatial light modulation elements 108, 109 and 110 modulate polarization directions of the separated color lights according to an image to be displayed. Then, thus modulated color lights are composited at the dichroic prism 107, and thus composited light returns to the polarization beam splitter 101. At this time, the polarization beam splitter 101 allows P-polarized component alone, toward the reflection plane, of the illumination light returned from the dichroic prism 107 to pass through the reflection plane, and causes the P-polarized component to outgo to a projection lens 111. Here, the polarization beam splitter 101 works as an analyzer for converting polarization modulation to intensity modulation.
The projection lens 111 projects the light of an image from the spatial light modulation elements 108, 109 and 110 onto a screen, not shown, to display an image.
In the image display apparatus described above, the reflection plane of the polarization beam splitter is made of dielectric multilayer films, which select polarized light in accordance with the difference of reflectance between P-polarized light and S-polarized light at respective interfaces of the dielectric multilayer films. Therefore, the reflection plane of the polarization beam splitter selects polarized light depending highly on wavelength and angle.
In the image display apparatus, when using bright illumination light of small F-number, the range of incident angle of illumination light toward the reflection plane of the polarization beam splitter becomes wide, which undesirably deteriorates the function of the polarization beam splitter as a polarizer. Namely, the image display apparatus employing the polarization beam splitter working as a polarizer as well as an analyzer cannot use bright illumination light, thus efficiency of light utilization in an illumination optical system can not be improved.
Also, separating color using a dichroic prism depends highly on polarization state. Namely, in the dichroic prism, the dichroic surface for separating color has different properties between for incoming light being S-polarized light and for outgoing light being P-polarized light. The polarization direction of the modulated light reflected by the spatial light modulation element is perpendicular to that of the incoming light, consequently, the efficiency of light utilization is deteriorated.
Further, in the case the dichroic surface is so constructed as to reflect R (red) light and B (blue) light of incoming S-polarized illumination light, G (green) light needs to pass through the dichroic surface. Generally, the dichotic surface has higher reflectance R (p) for S-polarized light as compared with reflectance R (s) for P-polarized light. Accordingly, actually, G (green) light component is also partially reflected to come into the spatial light modulation elements for R (red) light and B (blue) light, as shown in FIG. 2. The phenomenon described above consequently deteriorates color separation property and color reproduction property of an image to be displayed.
In case of using a light source of irregular emission spectrum distribution, illumination light of regular wavelength distribution may not be obtained. In this case, when the illumination light is separated into R (red) light, G (green) light and B (blue) light to be modulated and thus modulated lights are composited, desirable color reproduction range may not be obtained.


A processor may initiate a first verification event. The first verification event may be triggered when a mobile device begins generating new data at a first time. The processor may determine, in response to the first verification event, that the mobile device is above a threshold limit of available storage. The processor may analyze one or more applications on the mobile device. The processor may automatically remove a first re-downloadable portion of a first application binary interface associated with a first application from the mobile device. The processor may store the generated new data on the mobile device.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of data storage, and more specifically to automatically reclaiming storage while recording media on a mobile device.
While recording an event on a device, it is typical for a device that is low on memory to prematurely terminate or fragment the recording. This leads to multiple instances of a user losing the opportunity to record an irreplaceable, non-replicable moment.

Instant storage reclamation ensuring uninterrupted media recording

International Business Machines Corporation


A hybrid vehicle capable of selecting between a state where a clutch coupling an engine and a motor is engaged and the vehicle travels by drive power of the engine, and a state where the clutch is released and the vehicle travels with the engine stopped, wherein, if there is a request to restart the engine while the engine is rotating after control to release the clutch and stop the engine has been started, then upon the condition that the engine number of revolutions is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, and in a state where the output torque of the motor is limited to a previously established torque or less, control to increase the transmission torque capacity of the clutch is implemented, whereupon the output torque of the motor is increased to a torque that cranks the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hybrid vehicle provided with an engine and a motor or a motor-generator, as drive power sources, and configured to be able to disengage the engine from the drive power transmission system or motor.
2. Description of Related Art
In a hybrid vehicle that is provided with both a motor or motor-generator (below these may be referred to jointly as "motor") and an engine as sources of motive power, various advantages are obtained in that it is possible to halt the engine (perform an idling-stop) when the vehicle is stationary, regeneration of energy can be performed by the motor when decelerating, and the engine can be operated at an operating point of good energy efficiency, and so on. In particular, when the time during which the vehicle travels by the power of the motor becomes longer, the effect of improving the overall fuel consumption of the vehicle is raised. This is because, in the case of motor-powered travel, the engine is stopped and fuel is not consumed. In this case, in order to reduce the loss of motive power due to turning over of the engine, it is desirable for the engine to be disengaged from the motor which is outputting drive power for travel or from a power transmission system which transmits this drive power to the vehicle wheels. If a clutch is provided in order to disengage the engine in this way, it is possible to select an operational mode in which the engine is stopped or the engine is driven, during travel by the power of the motor. A hybrid vehicle provided with a clutch for disengaging the engine in this way is described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-295140 (JP 08-295140 A).
To give a brief description of this composition, an electric generator is coupled to a first rotating element in a differential mechanism provided with three rotating elements, such as a planetary gear mechanism, and furthermore a second rotating element is taken as an output element and a third rotating element is coupled to braking means. The engine is coupled to the third rotating element via a clutch. Furthermore, a motor is coupled to the second rotating element. Consequently, in the composition described in JP 08-295140 A, since the differential mechanism functions as a decelerating device or an accelerating device due to the third rotating element being fixed by the engine or the braking means, then it is possible to cause the electric generator coupled to the first rotating element to function as a motor and to transmit the torque thereof to the output element. In other words, it is possible to cause the vehicle to travel by motive power outputted from the electric generator and the motor. If a unidirectional clutch which fixes the third rotating element by engaging therewith when a torque is applied in a direction causing reverse rotation of the third rotating element is used as braking means, then the third rotating element can be fixed by the unidirectional clutch, independently of the engine, during motor-powered travel, and since the clutch can be disengaged from the third rotating element, then it is possible to continue to drive the engine or to stop the engine.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-18399 (JP 2013-18399 A) describes a control apparatus designed for a hybrid vehicle which couples an engine, a motor and a transmission apparatus by interposing a clutch respectively therebetween. JP 08-295140 A does not describe the concrete control relating to stopping and restarting of the engine, whereas the apparatus disclosed in JP 2013-18399 A is configured so as to stop combustion of the engine by a braking operation during travel, and to raise the number of revolutions of the engine by disengagement of the braking operation. Control for raising the engine number of revolutions is performed by both the motive power of the vehicle wheels and the motive power of the motor-generator.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-162142 (JP 2005-162142 A) describes a method for starting an engine in a hybrid vehicle, and according to this description, when the engine is started during electric-powered travel using the motor as a source of motive power, the clutch provided in a hybrid transmission apparatus including an engine and a motor is engaged gradually, and the engine is gradually cranked as the torque of this clutch is gradually increased. The torque variation during this starting of the engine is absorbed by slipping of the clutch.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-86649 (JP 2013-86649 A) describes an apparatus which is configured so as to stop a supply of fuel to an engine when a hybrid vehicle is decelerating, and to delay decline in the number of revolutions of the engine by controlling the speed ratio of a belt-type step-less transmission mechanism which is coupled to the output side of the engine, to a low speed ratio. This control of the reduction in the decline of the engine number of revolutions is control for achieving a restart of the engine by raising the possibility or frequency of the engine rotating, when a request for restarting of the engine is established.


The present invention relates to an isolated Clostridial neurotoxin propeptide having a light chain region, a heavy chain region, where the light and heavy chain regions are linked by a disulfide bond, and an intermediate region connecting the light and heavy chain regions. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a Clostridial neurotoxin propeptide is also disclosed. Also disclosed is an isolated, physiologically active Clostridial neurotoxin produced by cleaving a Clostridial neurotoxin propeptide, a vaccine or antidote thereof, and methods of immunizing against or treating for toxic effects of Clostridial neurotoxins. Methods of expressing recombinant physiologically active Clostridial neurotoxins are also disclosed. Also disclosed is a chimeric protein having a heavy chain region of a Clostridial neurotoxin and a protein with therapeutic functionality. A treatment method is also disclosed.

The Clostridial neurotoxins are a family of structurally similar proteins that target the neuronal machinery for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Produced by anaerobic bacteria of the Clostridium genus, botulinum neurotoxins ("BoNT"s, seven immunologically distinct subtypes, A-G) and Tetanus neurotoxin ("TeNT") are the most poisonous substances known on a per-weight basis, with an LD50 in the range of 0.5-2.5 ng/kg when administered by intravenous or intramuscular routes (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, "Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (R-TECS)," Cincinnati, Ohio: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1996)). BoNTs target cholinergic nerves at their neuromuscular junction, inhibiting acetylcholine release and causing peripheral neuromuscular blockade (Simpson, "Identification of the Major Steps in Botulinum Toxin Action," Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 44:167-193 (2004)). BoNT serotypes A, B, and E are considered to represent the most significant threat to military and civilian populations, particularly because they can be aerosolized and delivered by inhalation (Amon et al., "Botulinum Toxin as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management," JAMA 285:1059-1070 (2001)).
Though much work has been done to develop vaccines or antidotes which are effective against poisoning with Clostridial neurotoxins, the effectiveness of available products is limited because the available inactivated toxin preparations do not optimally mimic the native toxin. No therapeutic antidotes or vaccines have been approved for widespread use, though some preparations are available for limited use under specific circumstances. The NIAID Biodefense Research Agenda has identified the development of countermeasures against Clostridial neurotoxins as one of its most pressing goals (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, "NIAID Biodefence Research Agenda for CDC category A Agents" NIH Publication #03-5308 (2002)). A prime target is understanding and preventing neurotoxin entry into target cells. Immunological approaches have utilized passive protection via injection of antibodies as antitoxins, or active immunization via vaccination with toxoids, toxins chemically or genetically transformed to render them non-toxic but still immunogenic (Ramon et al., "Sur L′ immunization Antitetanique et sur la Production de L'antitoxine Tetanique," Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. 93:508-598 (1925)). Antibody-based anti-toxins are available in limited quantities, but no protective vaccine against Clostridial neurotoxins has been approved. A pentavalent botulinum toxoid (ABCDE), consisting of toxins inactivated by temperature or cross-linked with formaldehyde, is available in limited quantities, and has been shown to induce antibodies in laboratory workers and military personnel (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, "NIAID Biodefence Research Agenda for CDC category A Agents. Progress Report," NIH Publication #03-5435 (2003)). An inactivated heavy chain toxoid administered by inhalation was found to protect animals against inhaled toxin doses 104 times the LD50 (Park et al., "Inhalational Poisoning by Botulinum Toxin and Inhalation Vaccination with Its Heavy-Chain Component," Infect. Immun. 71:1147-1154 (2003)). An investigational heptavalent antitoxin (A-G reactive, equine origin) against BoNT is being developed by the U.S. Department of Defense and is now being tested. Initial data demonstrate the general safety of this antitoxin, though it displays some cross-species reactogenicity in humans. Another investigational BoNT anti-toxin is based on a combination of three recombinant monoclonal antibodies, which neutralize BoNT A with a high potency (Nowakowski et al., "Potent Neutralization of Botulinum Neurotoxin by Recombinant Oligoclonal Antibody," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:11346-11350 (2002)). Development and testing of human monoclonal antibodies to BoNT B-G is also currently in progress and supported by NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, "NIAID Biodefence Research Agenda for CDC category A Agents. Progress Report," NIH Publication #03-5435 (2003)).
Several laboratories are attempting to develop recombinant Clostridial toxin genes or fragments thereof. The Department of Defense has developed a vaccine based on expression of the receptor-binding domain of the BoNT A heavy chain (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, "NIAID Biodefence Research Agenda for CDC Category A Agents. Progress Report," NIH Publication #03-5435 (2003); Byrne et al., "Purification, Potency, and Efficacy of the Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Binding Domain from Pichia pastoris as a Recombinant Vaccine Candidate," Infect. Immun. 66:4817-4822 (1998); and Pless et al., "High-Affinity, Protective Antibodies to the Binding Domain of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A," Infect. Immun. 69:570-574 (2001)). A similar approach with a recombinant BoNT F fragment expressed in Salmonella typhimurium was found to provide partial protection of animals against the toxin (Foynes et al., "Vaccination Against Type F Botulinum Toxin Using Attenuated Salmonella enterica var Typhimurium Strains Expressing the BoNT/F HC Fragment," Vaccine 21:1052-1059 (2003)). A catalytically active non-toxic derivative of BoNT A expressed in E. coli was reported to induce toxin-neutralizing antibodies and protect animals from a BoNT challenge (Chaddock et al., "Expression and Purification of Catalytically Active, Non-Toxic Endopeptidase Derivatives of Clostridium botulinum Toxin Type A," Protein Expr. Purif. 25:219-228 (2002)). A catalytically inactive, full-length derivative of BoNT C expressed in E. coli was immunogenic in mice, though limitations of this system hinder expression of full-length native and active recombinant toxin (Kiyatkin et al., "Induction of an Immune Response by Oral Administration of Recombinant Botulinum Toxin," Infect. Immun. 65:4586-4591 (1997)). Rummel et al. ("Synaptotagmins I and II Act as Nerve Cell Receptors for Botulinum Neurotoxin G," J. Biol. Chem. 279:30865-30870 (2004) ("Rummel I")) and Rummel et al. ("The Hcc-domain of Botulinum Neurotoxins A and B Exhibit a Singular Ganglioside Binding Site Displaying Serotype-Specific Carbohydrate Interaction," Mol. Microbiol. 51:631-643 (2004) ("Rummel II"), report full-length BoNT A, B, and G neurotoxins expressed in an E. coli from plasmids encoding the respective full-length genes. Rummel I and Rummel II also report several derivatives of BoNT genes. The neurotoxins described in Rummel I and Rummel II are active only at very high concentrations. This is likely due to the fact that the neurotoxins expressed by Rummel I and Rummel II are denatured during expression, extraction, and purification from E. coli and achieve low physiological activity of the single chain BoNT propeptide due to improper disulfide bonding. Thus, although Rummel I and Rummel II may in fact have produced full-length recombinant BoNT peptides of serotypes A, B, and G, the properties of the neurotoxins described do not possess native structures and physiological activity.
The widely used E. coli expression system may be problematic for some proteins, because the E. coli cytosol may not provide the non-reducing environment needed for maintenance of disulfide bridges critical to the native toxin structure (Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, Third Edition, Garland Publishing Inc., 112, 113, 488, 589). In addition, E. coli based expression systems also present practical problems associated with endotoxin removal. These limitations emphasize the importance of selecting an expression system capable of producing recombinant molecules that retain the native toxin structure and biological activity.
Data from multiple laboratories suggest that the C-terminal moiety of Clostridial toxin heavy chains ("Hc"), or the intact heavy chain ("HC") expressed or prepared by reduction/denaturation from native toxins, are functionally altered and therefore require a ˜10,000-fold molar excess to delay the onset of toxin-induced paralysis (Li et al., "Recombinant Forms of Tetanus Toxin Engineered for Examining and Exploiting Neuronal Trafficking Pathways," J. Biol. Chem. 276:31394-31401 (2001); Lalli et al., "Functional Characterization of Tetanus and Botulinum Neurotoxins Binding Domains," J. Cell Sci. 112:2715-2724 (1999)). Some of these preparations have been completely inactive in this assay (Daniels-Holgate et al., "Productive and Non-Productive Binding of Botulinum Neurotoxin A to Motor Nerve Endings are Distinguished by Its Heavy Chain," J. Neurosci. Res. 44:263-271 (1996)). The low efficiency of HC and Hc may be due to either their increased binding affinity to non-productive sites on cells normally mediating toxin trafficking or their conformational differences from the native toxin which results in a low binding affinity for the specific binding sites at the target cells. In either case, incorrect folding, altered post-translational modification, a requirement for the N-terminal portion of the molecule (Koriazova et al., "Translocation of Botulinum Neurotoxin Light Chain Protease through the Heavy Chain Channel," Nat. Struct. Biol. 10:13-18 (2003)), or multiple other changes, may be responsible for these functionally important deficiencies. These facts suggest that the currently available preparations of BoNT or its derivatives are poor mimics of the native toxin, which may limit their therapeutic potential.
The methods currently available to produce inactivated derivatives of BoNTs as vaccines or antidotes to BoNT poisoning have met with limited success. This can be due to several factors. First, the methods used to inactivate BoNT prepared from Clostridial cultures are harsh, and may alter the toxin's native conformation in ways that may influence its immunogenicity or trafficking and absorption. Second, methods based on producing recombinant toxins have thus far only succeeded in producing either inactive toxin molecules or fragments of its protein domains. In both cases, the recombinant molecules produced are by definition significantly different from native toxin, particularly with respect to post-translational processing and disulfide bonding. Though inactivated toxins and toxin fragments have been shown to be immunogenic, the pool of polyclonal antibodies they generate will include a fraction recognizing epitopes present only on misfolded toxins.
Another area in which Clostridial neurotoxins have been extensively studied relates to their clinical use to treat dystonias, and to temporarily correct aesthetic defects in skin. These indications are specific to the neurotoxins produced by strains of Clostridium botulinum (BoTox), because they can be used at extremely small doses to locally paralyze specific muscles and thereby achieve therapeutic goals. All of the current products used for this indication are produced from Clostridial cultures, and there have been no reports of an active BoTox molecule produced using any type of genetic engineering technology.
A further area of interest is derived from the ability of Clostridial neurotoxins to pass undegraded through epithelial barriers via transcytosis, and specifically target nervous tissue. This has led to suggestions that Clostridial neurotoxins can be used to enable oral and inhalational carriers for therapeutic agents that cannot normally be delivered via these routes of administration, and delivery vehicles which can specifically target the peripheral and central nervous system.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other limitations in the art.

Genetically engineered clostridial genes, proteins encoded by the engineered genes, and uses thereof