Techniques for retrieving and displaying information from a business system on a mobile computing based on contextual details are disclosed. The contextual details can include caller identification information and contact identifiers associated with the caller identification information stored a contacts record in a mobile computing device. Contextual details may include caller identification information, contact identifiers, user preferences, job functions, time/date, and location. Based on the specific details of a particular context, an associated layout definition can be determined. The layout definition specifies the information and analysis to retrieve from the business system and the manner in which to display the information in a graphical user interface if a mobile computing device.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The present invention relates generally to customer service, and in particular to systems and methods for using the caller identification information determined during an incoming call to a mobile computing device to automatically retrieve timely information that is most likely germane to the conversation.
There are many scenarios in which a customer might call a business. For instance, a customer may call to discuss the status of an order or to ask a question about an invoice or bill. The call may be routed to a mobile representative (e.g., a salesperson) who will answer the call using his or her mobile communication device, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or the like. Due to the increasingly high computing capability and network connectivity of such mobile communication devices, it is possible for authorized representatives to access detailed information stored maintained in remotely accessible business systems from wherever they are.
In remotely accessible business systems, like a customer relationship management (CRM) system, information may be accessed using a corresponding application or general purpose web browser executed on a mobile computing device. Using the mobile computing device, the representative may explore the customer data to obtain information to service or sell to their customers. Such on-demand mobile data access capability is increasingly more important as representatives are more frequently away from their offices and desktop computers and laptop computers.

Automatic account information retrieval and display


The present technique includes a software framework which makes it possible for providing Business-to-Business (B2B) integration software as a service (SaaS). The framework follows a hub and spoke model wherein the hub and spoke communicate through web services. While the hub and spokes act as integration gateways with the enterprise systems, the hub also acts as a centralized remote command, control and configuration center for the entire setup. The hub software provides the ability to generate and remotely deploy the spoke environments and also manage them remotely. The generated spoke environment can be downloaded, installed and configured to connect to the local systems and act as a mediator for B2B integration between hub and the local systems. Once installed the environments are remotely managed through the management console provided by the hub software. This invention reduces the cost of B2B integration by amortizing the cost of remotely managing multiple trading partner gateways through a single management console.

Enterprises generally aim to integrate their computer systems with their trading partners for doing business efficiently. This is usually referred to as business to business (B2B) integration. As part of B2B integration, data transfers usually occur between the trading partners through a defined channel and in a defined format as agreed upon by the participating trading partners.
For enabling B2B integration both trading partners usually need to invest in software and infrastructure. Predominantly, smaller enterprises might not be able to invest in the infrastructure needed to meet the demands of larger enterprises, thereby delaying the integration and affecting the business of the large enterprises that can afford and are willing to invest.
Thus, there exists a need for improved B2B integration that is simple to implement and effective to manage for smaller enterprises in terms of effort required, timeliness, and cost expended.

Business to business integration software as a service


A semiconductor chip and a semiconductor device mounting the semiconductor chip capable of increasing a capacitance of a capacitor without reducing the number of signal bumps or power bumps of a package and the number of C4 solder balls of the semiconductor chip, and achieving a stable power supply with suppressing fluctuations of power at a resonance frequency without a limitation in a position to mount a capacitor for lowering noise of a signal transceiving interface block. In the semiconductor device, a via hole is provided to the semiconductor chip, a power-supply electrode connected to the via hole is provided to a back surface of the semiconductor chip, and a capacitor is mounted to the electrode on the back surface. And, a high-resistance material is used for a material of a power-supply via hole inside the semiconductor chip, thereby increasing the resistance and lowering the Q factor.

According to developments, improvement in speed and improvement in functionality of semiconductor device (LSI) processes, the power noise of LSI has been increased. This is because a power voltage is decreased as the semiconductor manufacturing process proceeds, and the flowing current is increased when the power consumption is same. More particularly, when denoting the power current by I, power consumption by W and power source by V, to decrease one of I and V increases the other with same power consumption W from the relation of W=IV.
Further, along with advances in semiconductor manufacturing processes, clock frequency has been increased and therefore the induced electromotive force (V) becomes as the following.V=L(dI/dt)  (Equation 1).
Here, "L" denotes an inductance of a power supply system, "I" denotes a current waveform of a power distribution system, and d/dt denotes temporal differentiation. According to the relation of (Equation 1), switching time of signals becomes shorter in LSIs improved in speed, and thus, fluctuating time of the power current (I) becomes shorter. Consequently, large power noise will be generated even with a small inductance (L) component of the power supply system.
To respond to the generation of power noise, there are techniques for arranging a decoupling capacitor on a surface of a circuit wiring layer of a semiconductor chip in a semiconductor device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-170920 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-332515 (Patent Document 2). In addition, there is a technique for mounting a decoupling capacitor on a same layer of solder balls of a package as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-173407 (Patent Document 3).

Semiconductor device with power noise suppression


A transfer feeder 41 for a transfer press 1 comprises a pair of bars 14 provided on a moving bolster 30 in parallel with a work transfer direction, a feed carrier 52 held by the bars 14 and movable in the work transfer direction, a clamp carrier 62 held by the feed carrier 52 and movable in the direction of clamp, and a lift carrier 72 supported by the clamp carrier 62 and movable in the direction of lift. Since a large drive mechanism is unnecessary, simplification of the construction can be enhanced. Further, since the whole of a transfer feeder 41 is provided on a moving bolster 30, the moving bolster 30 in its entirety can be carried out of the transfer press 1, thus facilitating die exchanging operation.

FIG. 17 shows a transfer press 100 as a conventional press machine. As shown in FIG. 17, four uprights 121 are erected on a bed 123 located in a lower portion of a press frame 110 of the transfer press 100, and a crown 120 is provided above the uprights 121. A slide drive device is built into the crown 120 for driving a slide 122 disposed below the crown 120 so that the slide 122 moves upward and downward. Upper dies 112 are attached to a lower surface of the slide 122. Lower dies 113 are attached to an upper surface of a moving bolster 130 opposed to the slide 122, so that a work is press-formed by cooperation of the upper dies 112 with the lower dies 113. A pair of bars 114, 114 are provided on the right and left with the upper dies 112 and the lower dies 113 sandwiched therebetween, the pair of bars 114, 114 extending in parallel. The feed bars 114, 114 are provided with fingers (not shown) faced to each other for holding a work (not shown). By appropriately reciprocating the feed bars 114, 114 in a feed direction, a lift direction and a clamp direction, the work is sequentially transferred from the lower die 113 on an upstream side (the left side in FIG. 17) to the lower die 113 on a downstream side (the right side in FIG. 17). Incidentally, the feed direction means the direction in parallel with the work transfer direction, and motions in the feed direction include an advance motion (a motion from the upstream side toward the downstream side) and a return motion (a motion from the downstream side toward the upstream side). Further, the lift direction means vertical direction, and motions in the lift direction include a lift motion (a motion from the lower side to the upper side) and a down motion (a motion from the upper side to the lower side). Further, the clamp direction means a horizontal direction perpendicular to the feed direction (namely, the direction vertical to the paper surface in the FIG. 17), and motions in the clamp direction include a clamp motion (a motion for decreasing the distance between two feed bars 114) and a unclamp motion (a motion for increasing the distance between two feed bars 114).
Further, in the case of a three-dimensional transfer feeder, by repeating clamp operation, lift operation, advance operation, down operation, unclamp operation and return operation to the feed bar 114, the work is sequentially transferred to the lower die 113 on the downstream side.
A feed drive section 115 for moving the feed bar 114 in the feed direction is fixed on the lateral surface of the press frame 110 on the upstream side (or downstream side). A clamp drive section 116, which moves the feed bar 114 in the clamp direction, and a lift drive section 117, which moves the feed bar 114 in the lift direction, are provided on the bed 123 between the right and left uprights 121.
The feed drive section 115, the clamp drive section 116, and the lift drive section 117 respectively rotate a feed cam, a clamp cam and a lift cam with the rotating power fetched from a press main body, so that the feed bar 114 is driven by these cams to perform three-dimensional motion in the feed direction, the clamp direction, and the lift direction.
When performing die exchanging, the fingers also need to be changed so as to be suitable to the next dies. At this time, since the finger exchanging is performed by an external setup similar to the die exchanging, the fingers need to be mounted on the moving bolster 130 together with the feed bar 114 so as to be moved out from the work transferring area. The feed bars 114 can be split into a fixed part and a movable part, the fixed part being in a position to interfere with the uprights 121 while the feed bars 114 are being moved out from the work transferring area, the movable part capable of being mounted on the moving bolster 130 so as to be moved out from the work transferring area. When performing the die exchanging, the movable part is split from the fixed part, and only the movable part is moved out from the work transferring area along with the moving bolster 130 so as to perform the finger exchanging.
However, in the case of the movements in the feed direction, the clamp direction, and the lift direction are driven by the respective cams, to obtain a variable motion pattern of the feed bar 114, plural cams are needed according to the motion pattern, therefore not only the drive mechanism becomes complicated and expensive, but also the variable motion pattern is limited by the number of the cams. Thus recently there is a desire to easily obtain various motion patterns with a simple drive mechanism.
Thus a work transfer device is proposed, of which the feed drive section 115, the clamp drive section 116, and the lift drive section 117 are driven by respective servomotors, and the servomotors are controllable.
The feed drive section 115, the clamp drive sections 1 16, and the lift drive section 117, all these driving by means of servomotors, have the following configuration. The feed drive section 115 is provided with a ball screw mechanism, which uses a first servomotor as driving source, for reciprocating the feed bar 114 in the feed direction. The clamp drive section 116 is provided with a ball screw mechanism, which uses a second servomotor as driving source, for reciprocating the feed bar 114 in the clamp direction. The lift drive section 117 is provided with a rack and pinion mechanism, which uses a third servomotor as driving source, for reciprocating the feed bar 114 in the lift direction.
Further, as described in Patent Document 1, all of the feed operation, the clamp operation, and the lift operation of the feed bar also can be driven by linear motors. In such a work transfer device, the feed bar is suspended from a bracket fixed to the press main body. The linear motor is provided between the bracket and the feed bar, and the feed bar moves in the feed direction relative to the bracket so as to perform the feed operation. Also, the clamp operation and the lift operation are driven by respective linear motors provided on the lower surface of the feed bar.
Further, Patent Document 2 describes a work transfer device in which a fixed bar is provided with a first bracket which is driven by a linear motor so as to perform lift operation, the first bracket is provided with a second bracket which is driven by a linear motor so as to perform clamp operation, and the second bracket is provided with a third bracket with a work holder installed thereon, the third bracket being driven by a linear motor so as to perform feed operation.
Further, Patent Document 3 describes a work transfer device having a pair of lift beams arranged in parallel with the work transfer direction and capable of being freely moved in the vertical direction, a carrier provided on each lift beam and capable of being moved in the longitudinal direction of the lift beam by means of a linear motor, sub-carriers provided on the carrier and capable of being moved along a guide of the carrier in the carrier moving direction by means of a linear motor; and a cross bar spanning over the pair of oppositely facing sub-carriers and having a work holder. In such a work transfer device, the lift operation is performed by moving the lift beams by means of a servomotor. Further, the feed operation is performed by moving the carrier and the sub-carriers in the feed direction by means of a linear motor. Owing to the carrier and the sub-carriers, the moving range in the feed direction can be widened.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei10-314871 (Page 4 and FIG. 5)
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei11-104759 (Pages 2 to 3, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4)
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-205330 (Page 5 and FIG. 5)


The present invention relates to injection devices for injecting a medicament from a cartridge (600) through a needle cannula (510). The injection device (100) includes an actuator (330, 360) for driving a piston driver (310) and includes an end of stroke limiter (341, 611). When the piston driver (310) is arrested by the end of stroke limiter (341, 611) a shielding driver (370) is automatically triggered to actively shift the needle cannula (510) into a shielded state. The injection device may include a fluid dispensing interruption mechanism that automatically interrupts fluid flow when the piston driver has moved a predetermined stroke length. The injection device may also include a single pre-stressed spring acting exclusively in a linear compression mode or exclusively in a torsion mode and adapted to sequentially drive the device to enable fully automatic operation. The invention also relates to a method of sterilizing a needle cannula assembly.

In relation to some diseases patients must inject a medicament on a regular basis such as once weekly, once daily or even a plurality of times each day. In order to help patients overcome fear of needles, fully automatic injection devices have been developed that makes the use of an injection device as simple as possible. Such devices are typically designed such that a user shall position the injection device onto the injection site and activate the device. Such activation causes the device to insert a needle into the skin, eject a dose of the medicament and subsequently move the needle into a shielded position.
An example of such a device is shown in EP516473A1 which employs a powerful spring that, when released, thrusts forward the piston of a syringe to thereby project the needle of the syringe in the flesh of the patient and subsequently thrust forward the piston inside the syringe to expel the medicament. At the end of this phase the spring is automatically decoupled from the piston, leaving the syringe free to be acted upon by a relatively weak return spring, which urges the syringe to a retracted position to thereby shield the needle.
As identified in WO 03/097133, an injection device of the above type, have a problem with dosage delivery due to length tolerances of the syringe and due to the exact trigger point for triggering of the needle retraction being very much dependent on the length of the syringe. WO 03/097133 attempts to alleviate this problem by introducing a two part piston drive where the two parts of the piston drive are connected by means of a damper mechanism. This ensures that the piston is moved all the way to the needle end of the syringe before triggering the needle retraction sequence. However, due to the damping system is initiated upon the initial actuation of the device, the point in time where the needle retraction actually is initiated is not well defined relative to the point in time where the piston impacts the internal end walls of the syringe. This may still lead to inaccurate delivery and/or prolonged waiting time for an administration to be completed. In related auto-injectors such as disclosed in WO 03/092771 and WO 2008/029280 similar problems apply.
In other injection devices, such as the ones disclosed in WO 2006/062997, the piston stroke of a cartridge is mainly controlled by using a rear part of the cartridge to define both the start point for the piston and the end of stroke point where the expelling movement is interrupted. The disclosed injectors provide auto penetration and auto expelling features but require manual withdrawal of the needle from the skin subsequent to an injection.
When using injectors where the patient is responsible for manually removing the needle from the skin after the end of an injection, the patient is generally requested to leave the needle inserted for 6 to 10 seconds, or even longer after the end of stroke condition, to ensure that the complete desired amount of injectable fluid is actually injected. During this time, the system relaxes and a small amount of drug will be forced out through the needle. This effect is partly attributable to the fact that during the dosing procedure, the piston deforms, which results in the actual travelled distance of the front face of the piston being different than the travelled distance of the piston driver immediately after the piston driver has travelled the predetermined distance. After the piston driver has stopped its movement the piston will return to its original shape, thus ejecting the remainder of the medicament. This phenomenon is causing some inconvenience for the user. He needs to keep the needle in the skin for a relatively long time in order to fully receive the intended dose.
In a further reference, WO 2008/020023, the problem of drooling from the needle after an injection procedure is addressed by proposing to release the pressure on a piston rod of the device shortly after injection. In addition, this reference proposes to include a valve at the delivery opening of the device for preventing drooling at the end of a delivered dose. Both solutions result in unnecessary complex devices.
Having regard to the above-identified prior art devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide an injection device which minimizes the time that the needle need to be inserted into the skin, yet obtaining a large degree of dosing accuracy and automation.
For injection devices, in particular for single shot injectors, different references in the art proposes to incorporate injection needles of the type having a penetrable sterility sheath which encircles the needle cannula at least along a part of the extension of the cannula. The sterility seal of such injection needles enables penetration by the pointed tip of a needle cannula, when the sterility sheath is moved against the pointed tip. Such injection needles typically offer a minimum of required handling steps during the act of administering a dose. However, this kind of injection needles typically require that each injection needle, during manufacture, is handled separately from other injection needles in order not to accidentally penetrate the sterility sheath. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective sterilization and handling process for such injection needles.
Yet additional further objects of the invention are to provide measures for obtaining devices having superior performance and, at the same time, enabling manufacture at a reduced cost.


The present invention relates to a peptide comprising an epitope within the macrophage scavenger receptor B-I, a method of using the same, a nucleic acid encoding the same and an antibody that binds to the epitope.

Inflammation is a physiological condition characterized in the acute form by the classical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling and loss of function. Inflammation often accompanies diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), osteoarthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), SLE, type I diabetes (IDDM), atherosclerosis, encephalomyelitis, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, septic shock and others. In most cases, there is no effective cure for inflammation associated with such diseases and existing treatments are palliative and largely fail to control the underlying causes of tissue degradation.
Scavenger receptors (SRs) are cell surface proteins, which are typically found on macrophages and bind various types of chemically modified lipoproteins, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This family of trans-membrane receptors, which are highly varied in structure, are involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis, phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and bacteria, as well as cell adhesion. Since the massive receptor-mediated uptake of cholesterol from modified LDL can convert cultured macrophages into cholesteryl ester-filled foam cells, similar to those found in atherosclerotic plaques, it has been postulated that these receptors also function in deposition of LDL cholesterol of macrophages in artery walls during the initial stages of atherosclerotic plaque formation.
SRs are termed as such since they mediate the binding of a remarkably wide variety of polyanionic ligands, e.g., modified proteins, sulfated polysaccharides and certain polynucleotides. This property led to the hypothesis that these receptors form a part of an in innate immune response by serving as pattern recognition receptors that bind a wide variety of pathogen components.
SR-B1 (also referred to as SR-BI or CLA-I) is a macrophage scavenger molecule and a receptor for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) that mediates cholesterol uptake from cells. SR-B1 can also serve as a receptor for non-HDL lipoproteins and appears to play an important role in reverse cholesterol transport. In vivo experiments showed that this receptor is important for HDL metabolism in mice, and for the metabolism of LDL and HDL cholesterol in humans.
PCT Publication No. WO 2004/041179 teaches targeting of scavenger receptor SR-B1 (ClA-I) for the treatment of infection, sepsis and inflammation. This prior art teaches primarily targeting SR-B1 using amphipathic peptides, which compete with the amphipathic helices in apoliprotein ligands of SR-B1. PCT Publication No. WO 2004/041179 does not provide experimental results for treating autoimmune diseases such as IBD and multiple sclerosis by down-regulating activity or expression of SR-B1, nor does it teach the use of oligonucleotide technology (e.g., antisense, siRNA) and DNA vaccination for targeting SR-B1 and treating inflammatory diseases. Moreover, since PCT Publication No. WO 2004/041179 refers to amphipathic peptides, which are similar or derived from a portions of the apoliprotein ligands, these amphipathic peptides may be misleadingly targeted or bind also to other cell components or molecules, which natively interact with apoliprotein ligands, other than SR-B1.
There is thus, a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, novel highly specific agents and methods using the same for targeting SR-B1 and treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Epitope as a target for therapy of inflammatory autoimmune diseases and graft rejection

TECHNION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LIMITED


A hair clip for beauty shop, designed to clip hair to be cared and to maintain its shape. The hair clip comprises a finger installed to be able to rotate with the elasticity from an upper clip piece and so to support a pressing member toward a lower clip piece, and a soft pressing member installed to be connected to the upper clip piece and the finger. The hair clip can clip firmly hair positioned on the upper part of the lower clip piece and so prevent the hair from falling away from the hair clip in process of hair care.

In general, a hair clip having a long clip to hold selected hair is used to conduct such beauty work as cutting, dyeing of hair at home or in beauty shop.
Said hair clip(100) is divided into an upper clip piece and a lower clip piece, and taking the curve of our head into consideration like in an attached FIG. 1, the upper clip piece(110) has such a structure that a bracket(113) formed from the border line between the curvature portion(111) and the pressing plate(112) is formed in one united body with a pressing plate(112) having a curve-shaped curvature portion, a curvature portion(111).
Said lower clip piece(210) having a shape corresponding to the upper clip piece(110) has a structure formed in one united body with a curvature portion(211), a pressing plate(212) and a bracket(213) corresponding to the bracket(113) from the border line between the curvature portion(211) and the pressing plate(212).
A rivet(R) is installed through the connection hole passing through each of brackets(113), (213), and on the axis of the rivet(R) a torsion spring(S) is installed in order to impart the elasticity to the upper clip piece(110) and the lower clip piece(210) like at a conventional type of nipper.
On the other hand, the curvature portion(211) of the lower clip piece(210) get the bigger gap to the curvature portion(111) of the upper clip piece(110), the nearer it goes to the pressing plate(212), depending on the formation and installation of each of brackets (see the A part in Drawings).
Said conventional hair clip(100) has long curvature portions(111)(211) and so it has following problem in selecting and holding hair from the head.
In regard to the length of the curvature portions of the upper clip piece and the lower clip piece, an one end part of the curvature portion having good contact has good selection of hair, but the more it goes to the rear direction, the weaker the force holding hair becomes due to the shape of the brackets.
For this reason, one part of selected hair can fall away and so the hair become easily disheveled. After all, the conventional hair clip brings about difficulty when a worker trim or dye hair and then worker has to use another hair clip additionally to solve this difficulty.


A near field communication system can include a near field generator configured to generate a near field detectable information signal. The near field generator and supporting circuitry also produces incidental electromagnetic radiation. A masking signal transmitter is used with the near field generator and radiates a masking electromagnetic signal. The masking electromagnetic signal may substantially mask the incidental electromagnetic radiation.

Near field communication systems can prove useful in a variety of analog or digital information exchange applications such as audio transmission, data transmission, video transfer, and message signaling. For example, a near field communication system can be used to provide a wireless link between a headset and a radio, such as, a public service transceiver, military transceiver, cellular telephone, amateur radio transceiver, or the like. The radio may, for example, be worn on a belt while the headset allows for hand-free operation.
One advantage of such comparatively short range communication systems is increased security due to the reduced radiation emission levels. This security benefit makes short range communication systems valuable for wireless links where secure information is exchanged. However, while near field communication is inherently short range, eavesdropping may be possible. Accordingly, techniques to enhance the security of near field communications systems are desired.

Near field communications system having enhanced security


Air cleaner assemblies and components therefor are described and shown. Also methods of assembly and use are described and shown. Projection/receiver arrangements are described, for securing a filter cartridge in place within the housing. Also housing seal arrangements for the filter arrangements being sealed to the housing, and specific housing features and cartridge features are shown.

Gas streams often carry particulate material therein. In many instances it is desirable to remove some or all of the particulate material from the gas flow stream. For example, air intake streams to engines for motorized vehicles or power generation equipment often include particulate material therein. The particulate material, should it reach the internal workings of the mechanisms involved, can cause substantial damage. It is therefore preferred, for such systems, to remove the particulate material from the gas flow upstream of the engine or other equipment involved. A variety of air cleaner arrangements have been developed for particulate removal.
There has been a general trend for the utilization of air cleaner arrangements that utilize, as a media pack, z-filter media constructions. In general z-filter media constructions can be characterized as comprising fluted media sheet material secured to a facing media sheet material, formed into a media pack configuration. Examples of z-filter arrangements are described in PCT Publication WO 97/40918, published Nov. 6, 1997; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,190,432 and 6,350,291; PCT application US 04/07927, filed Mar. 17, 2004; U.S. Provisional application 60/532,783, filed Dec. 22, 2003; PCT Publication 03/095068, published Nov. 20, 2003; PCT publication WO 04/007054, published Jan. 22, 2004; PCT publication WO 03/084641, published Oct. 16, 2003; and, U.S. Provisional Application 60/543,804, filed Feb. 11, 2004; the complete disclosures of each of these cited references being incorporated herein by reference.
With some arrangements, it has been desired to develop configurations in which the z-filter media is loaded into an air cleaner housing through a side (as opposed to an end) of the housing. Such arrangements are described for example in WO 03/095068, incorporated herein by reference.
Selected components described herein are improvements in such air cleaner arrangements as those described in U.S. Provisional Application 60/567,121, filed Apr. 30, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application 60/604,549, filed Aug. 25, 2004; U.S. Provisional Application 60/649,301, filed Feb. 1, 2005; and PCT Publication WO 05/107924, published Nov. 17, 2005. Each of these references is incorporated herein by reference.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Air cleaner arrangements; components thereof; and, methods


Light-sensing apparatuses may include a light sensor transistor and a switching transistor in a light-sensing pixel, the transistors being oxide semiconductor transistors. In the light-sensing apparatus, the light sensor transistor and the switching transistor in the light-sensing pixel may be adjacently formed on one substrate, the switching transistor including a channel material that is relatively less light-sensitive than the light sensor transistor and is stable, and the light sensor transistor includes a channel material that is relatively light-sensitive. The light sensor transistor may include a transparent upper electrode on a surface of a channel, and a negative voltage may be applied to the transparent upper electrode, whereby a threshold voltage shift in a negative voltage direction may be prevented or reduced.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to light-sensing apparatuses, methods of driving the light-sensing apparatuses, and optical touch screens including the light-sensing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An oxide semiconductor transistor is a transistor that uses an oxide semiconductor as a material for a channel. For example, an oxide semiconductor transistor may include a substrate, a gate disposed on the substrate, a gate insulating layer disposed on the substrate and the gate so as to cover a surrounding region including the gate, a channel layer formed of the oxide semiconductor and disposed on the gate insulating layer, and a source and a drain that are disposed to cover ends of the channel layer.
The oxide semiconductor transistor may be light-sensitive according to a material of the oxide semiconductor which is used as the channel layer. For example, oxide semiconductor materials which are light-sensitive may include a ZnO-based oxide semiconductor (e.g., ZnO, TaZnO, InZnO(IZO), GaInZnO(GIZO), and the like). In a case where a light sensitive oxide semiconductor material is used as a channel layer, the oxide semiconductor transistor may be used as a light-sensing device due to a characteristic that a threshold voltage and a drain current change according to a wavelength or an amount of an incident light. Due to the aforementioned characteristic, the oxide semiconductor transistor may replace a photodiode having a PN-junction structure which is widely used as a light-sensing device.
In particular, because an oxide semiconductor transistor may generate a larger photocurrent than a photodiode, if an oxide semiconductor transistor is used as the light-sensing device, it is possible to omit a capacitor that is generally used in a light-sensing pixel to accumulate photocurrent generated charges over a period of time. For example, the light-sensing pixel may include an oxide semiconductor transistor for sensing light and a switching transistor for outputting data. Thus, the oxide semiconductor transistor may be used in various apparatuses that sense light, for example, an image-capturing apparatus, an optical touch screen panel, and the like.
However, in an oxide semiconductor transistor that uses an oxide semiconductor as the material for the channel, due to stress caused by light and electricity, a threshold voltage is increasingly shifted in a negative voltage direction over time. In particular, as light-sensitiveness of the material for the channel increases, a threshold voltage shift in the negative voltage direction further increases. When the threshold voltage of the oxide semiconductor transistor is shifted in the negative voltage direction, the oxide semiconductor transistor may not normally perform ON/OFF operations, which may deteriorate an operational reliability of an apparatus that uses the oxide semiconductor transistor.

Light-sensing apparatuses, methods of driving the light-sensing apparatuses, and optical touch screen apparatuses including the light-sensing apparatuses


A device for checking the recording state of a magneto-optical recording disk includes a detector for detecting a s-polarized light component and a p-polarized light component from a reflected light reflected from the portion of the magneto-optical recording disk. One of the s-polarized and p-polarized light components is subtracted from the other to produce a difference signal and the s-polarized and p-polarized light components are added to produce an addition signal. The difference signal is divided by the addition signal to produce a normalized detection signal. The recording state is determined based on a level change of the normalized detection signal while data is being recorded onto the magneto-optical recording disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical disk recording apparatus, and in particular to method and device for checking or verifying the recording state of data.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a type of information recording technology, magneto-optical recording has been widely used to store a large amount of data onto a magneto-optical disk in which a laser beam is used to heat a small portion of the disk. The heating causes a weak magnetic field to change the orientation of the portion, thus recording onto the disk. The recorded data onto the disk is reproduced by using the magneto-optical Kerr effect which occurs when plane polarized light is reflected from the surface of the disk with slight elliptical polarization depending on the polarity of the reflecting portion on the disk. The magneto-optical Kerr effect is also used to check or verify the recording state of data.
There has been proposed a check method which can check the recording state while data is being recorded on the magnetic-optic disk in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 8-221911. According to this conventional method, when a recording beam produces a spot on the disk, s-polarized and p-polarized light components are detected from the reflected light at the spot and then a difference signal is produced by subtracting the one light component from the other. The amplitude of the different signal is initially increased and then decreased when the heating by the recording beam causes a decrease in the Kerr rotation angle. Since such an amplitude change of the difference signal ideally reflects the Kerr rotation angle, it can be used to check the recording state of data on the disk while data is being recorded.

System for checking the recoding state of data on a magneto-optical disk


A combined medical device and form (20) having a unitary substrate (22) which is divided into a medical device portion (24) and a form portion (26). The form portion (24) of the substrate includes an informational section (30, 32, 34), and form identification material (36). The medical device portion (26) is illustrated as a DBS packet for collecting blood samples. The medical device portion (26) also has medical device identification material (68) that is preferably identical to the form identification material (36). With identical identification materials, which are preferably machine readable, the occurrences of patient misidentifications are substantially reduced if not eliminated.

This invention relates to medical devices with accompanying forms and, more particularly, to combined medical devices and forms.
Every year millions of biological specimens are taken from test subjects for various purposes including HIV testing, insurance qualification, diabetic monitoring, infant blood screening, etc. It is critically important for all types of blood testing that the specimens are properly identified with the correct test subject, yet misidentifications occur all too frequently. Misidentifications are extremely difficult to find and often go undiscovered, and when one is found, another test must be performed.
Using infant blood screening as an example, dry blood spot (DBS) packets, which are considered medical devices by the FDA, are frequently used to take blood specimens. A medical care giver records necessary biographical information about an infant on at least one form and pricks the infant, usually on the heel. The medical care giver then applies blood from the prick to fill a plurality of designated circular areas on an absorbing blood application sheet of the DBS packet. To try and prevent misidentifications, the medical care giver applies duplicate identification stickers to the form and to the DBS packet. The DBS packet and the accompanying form are returned to a test lab for processing. All to frequently, the wrong stickers are applied to the form and DBS packet. Because the form is independent of the DBS packet, it is now impossible to properly match the specimen and the infant thus, requiring retesting.
If the blood screening of the tested infant reveals a need for further procedure or testing, the wrong infant may receive such procedure because the identification stickers were misapplied. Further, the infant needing the procedure may not receive it until additional symptoms are manifested. Clearly, even one misidentification is unacceptable.
The scope of the misidentification problem is not limited to infant blood screening. Misidentifications can and do occur in other contexts, and because the forms are independent of the packets and are numbered at different times during the production process, these misidentifications are also nearly impossible to find prior to specimen collection.
A problem encountered, specific to DBS packets, is contamination. A large majority of the rear of a DBS packet is left open, so that blood applied to the circular areas can dry. Thus, when the packet is set on a surface, the blood application sheet contacts that surface potentially contaminating the sample, and contamination leads to expensive and unnecessary retesting.
Thus, reducing the chances of contamination is desirable to avoid retests and associated costs. Further, reducing occurrences of misidentifications is desirable to enhance the quality of medical care and reduce the number of retests thereby cutting medical costs. It is also desirable to reduce the application of identification stickers by medical care givers to save time, increase identification accuracy, and reduce cost.


A hybrid module for a drive train of a vehicle, including a first disconnect clutch (2), an electric motor (4), and a second disconnect clutch (1). The first disconnect clutch (2) is disposed in the torque flow path between a combustion engine (3) in the drive train and the electric motor (4), while the second disconnect clutch (1) is disposed in the torque flow path between the electric motor (4) and a transmission (6, 7) in the drive train. The first disconnect clutch (2) and the second disconnect clutch (1) are disposed in a joint wet chamber.

The present invention relates to a hybrid module for a drive train of a vehicle, wherein the hybrid module is arranged between a combustion engine and a transmission.
A drive train of a hybrid vehicle comprises a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor and makes possible—for example, in densely populated areas—a purely electric operation with simultaneously adequate range and availability even for long-distance trips. In addition, there is the possibility of simultaneous driving by the combustion engine and the electric motor. Here, the electric motor of hybrid vehicles usually replaces the previously typical starters for combustion engines and the alternators, in order to reduce the added weight of the hybrid vehicle with respect to vehicles with conventional drive trains.
In addition, a first disconnect clutch could be arranged between the combustion engine and electric motor, in order to disconnect the combustion engine from the electric motor and the rest of the drive train of the hybrid vehicle. For purely electric travel, the first disconnect clutch is then opened and the combustion engine is turned off, so that the driving torque of the hybrid vehicle is applied just by the electric motor.
Furthermore, a second disconnect clutch could be arranged between the electric motor and transmission, so that also the electric motor could be disconnected from the rest of the drive train of the hybrid vehicle. If the first disconnect clutch and the second disconnect clutch are opened, then the combustion engine could be started by the electric motor, so that a separate starter for the combustion engine could be eliminated.
Just for the use of the first and second disconnect clutches in connection with an electric motor with necessarily large dimensions, the corresponding hybrid module has a comparatively large construction in contrast to conventional drive trains with a disconnect clutch and starter motor or with a double clutch and starter motor.

Hybrid module for a drive train of a vehicle


A method of fixation of hazardous waste materials is disclosed wherein the hazardous waste is admixed with materials capable of reacting in situ to form zeolites and the mixture subjected to conditions sufficient to form zeolites in which the hazardous material is part of the zeolite structure. The invention also relates to the resultant synthetic zeolite and to products formed by embedding the synthetic zeolites in a modified sulfur cement.

The present invention relates to the method of fixation of hazardous waste and to products that can be made therefrom.
Large amounts of hazardous wastes are generated by industrial and municipal procedures that require disposal, such as incinerator wastes. Such wastes are hazardous primarily because they contain heavy metals and salts thereof which are quite toxic. Presently, such wastes are placed into landfill disposal sites. Such has not proven to be desirable due to leaching from such sites into the subsoil, into water supplies, and, in some instances, the large costs involved in preparing such sites to prevent such leaking and contamination of water tables.
Further, incinerators are increasingly used as means of handling garbage and other wastes by municipalities and industries thereby increasing the amount of hazardous waste to be disposed thereby greatly increasing the costs due to the need to find additional disposal sites and in terms of preparing sites for storage of the same. This is particularly true as more and more communities are finding that the areas available for waste disposal, particularly hazardous waste disposal, are becoming more and more limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,153 discloses a highly suitable method for disposal of hazardous waste, but the amount of waste that can be so treated and immobilized by the invention set forth therein is quite limited, comprising only up to ten or so percent by way of the total weight of the composition formed to immobilize the waste.

Fixation of hazardous wastes and related products


Disclosed are various embodiments for automated vulnerability chaining. A vulnerability chaining engine receives data indicating that a plurality of vulnerabilities are present in at least one host. The vulnerabilities are individually assigned a respective default risk score. The vulnerability chaining engine determines that an exploitation of a combination of the vulnerabilities would result in a greater risk score for the host(s) than indicated by the respective default risk scores based at least in part on respective vulnerability types associated with the individual vulnerabilities. A chained risk score that is higher than the respective default risk scores is assigned to the individual vulnerabilities.

Managing computer system and network security for a large organization can be challenging. Monitoring agents and threat intelligence sources may automatically monitor systems and networks for security vulnerabilities and then present the results via a dashboard. Detected vulnerabilities may be scored according to a risk or severity level, for instance, low, medium, or high. In large organizations, security administrators may focus on vulnerabilities with a high severity level before addressing vulnerabilities with a low or medium severity level.


An aircraft and method of deterring avian species from the aircraft include a lighting system including a lighting assembly coupled to the exterior. The lighting assembly includes an ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting element that emits UV light outside of the aircraft.

Aircraft are used to transport passengers and cargo between various locations. Numerous aircraft depart from and arrive at a typical airport every day.
During takeoff and landing, birds may be in close proximity to an aircraft. In certain situations, an aircraft may inadvertently strike one or more birds during a flight, such as during takeoff and landing. As can be appreciated, bird strike potential poses a risk to birds, as well as to aircraft.

Avian-deterring lighting systems and methods for aircraft


This device is comprised of a paint tray, a handle, an attachable and removable paint screen, a canopy, and ladder step hooks. The screen attaches to the paint tray, which allows painters to roll off excess paint from their paint rollers. The excess paint will drip through the screen and drain to the deep end of the paint tray. The canopy, handle, and attachable paint screen provide painters with an alternative option of using the device in a vertical position rather than a horizontal position. The canopy additionally obstructs paint from spilling out when a painter is dipping the paint roller in the paint at the deep end of the paint tray and prevents any remaining paint in the tray from being contaminated with debris. The canopy and handle also provide painters with an option of holding the paint tray and a paint roller in each hand.

A. Field of the Invention
This relates to easily using and moving a paint tray. This device was originally contemplated to be used while painting with a paint roller but may also be used with a paint brush or any other tool for applying paint to a surface.
B. Prior Art
Paint trays have been in existence for almost a century. The first patent relating to a paint tray, Justus, U.S. Pat. No. 1,813,670, was filed in 1929. Justus disclosed a pan for holding paint and could be used to also keep brushes soft. Faust, U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,096, discloses a paint pan for use with roller type paint applicators. Fohl, U.S. Pat. No. 2,694,825, also discloses a paint tray that may be used with a paint roller. Since the 1950's there has been little innovation of the paint tray.
The typical paint tray today has an area used to hold paint, a downward slope from the front of the tray, which is the shallow end, to the back of the tray, which is the deep end where the paint is contained while in use. The tray is just wide enough so that a paint roller can roll down the slope towards the deep end of the tray. The painter reverses the direction and the roller can be removed to produce a smooth application when the paint is applied. Usually the paint tray will have various bumps along the slope of the tray that are intended to help remove the excess paint from the paint roller.
Although the development of the paint tray has proved to be valuable to the paint industry and to the everyday homeowner, there are two common problems associated with the use of the paint tray. First, after extended periods of use the bumps along the slope become slick with wet paint, which inhibits the paint roller from wiping or rolling off the excess paint. Second, when the deep end of the paint tray is full of paint it is difficult to move the tray without sloshing the paint out of the tray. Furthermore, it is very difficult to move or carry the paint tray with one hand and carry another object with the other.
The invention proposed in the present application aims to solve these two problems that have existed in the industry for decades.

Paint tray with removable paint screen and handle


Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for fault determination. A duration of time is determined for receiving an event. A plurality of events are received in a time period that is at least twice the determined duration. A plurality of factors are determined corresponding to the plurality of events. At least one factor is determined from the plurality of factors, wherein the at least one factor is a cause of at least one of the plurality of events.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system, and an article of manufacture for fault determination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Distributed networks, such as, storage area networks (SANs) and local area networks (LANs), may comprise a plurality of interconnected components. SAN components, such as, application hosts, fiber channel switches, and storage devices may form the networked environment of a distributed network. Faults in such networked environments are determined by monitoring characteristics of the components that comprise the networked environment and the connections between the components.
A single fault occurring in a distributed network may propagate failures from one component of the distributed network to another and a plurality of components in the distributed network may generate a plurality of events as a result of the single fault. A determination may be made of the plurality of events that occur in the distributed network.

Method, system, and article of manufacture for fault determination


The present invention is directed to the modulation of lipid rafts, caveolin proteins, or caveolar functions and processes by platinum(IV) compounds. Caveolae and/or lipid rafts are associated with cell transcription regulation, membrane and cellular transport, cell membrane receptor function, cellular trafficking, antigen presentation, cell differentiation and activation, cytokine modulation, membrane structure and function, and protein modulation. Caveolae, caveolin proteins and lipid rafts are known therapeutic targets for numerous biological functions. Diseases and disorders currently known to be therapeutically targeted through caveolae and/or lipid rafts include diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, pulmonary fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, viral and prion diseases, neuronal disorders, degenerative muscular dystrophies, and autoimmune disorders.

Both platinum(II) and platinum(IV) compounds have been recognized to be useful as cancer chemotherapeutics since Rosenberg's (and colleagues') discovery in 1965 (Rosenberg, 1965). Cisplatin, cis-diaminodichloroplatinum(II), FDA-approved in 1978; and carboplatin, cis-diaminocyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid platinum(II), FDA-approved in 1989, continue to be widely prescribed. Both of these platinum(II) compounds form DNA-adducts, primarily responsible for their anticancer properties. Dose-limiting side effects include nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, neurotoxicity and bone marrow damage; carboplatin exhibits comparatively reduced toxicities, while transplatin (the trans-diaminodichloroplatinum(II) isomer) has been demonstrated to be relatively ineffective for cancer (Kelland, 1994; Singh, 1988). Cisplatin and its analogues have been useful in treatments of testicular, prostate, ovarian, bladder, head and neck, cervical, lung, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. While some undesired effects are reversible, myelosuppression (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia) as well as inherent and acquired resistances are more prohibitive. Newer platinum complexes have been explored, intending to circumvent resistance and reduce toxicities (Kelland, 1999). The approach has largely been towards Pt(IV) prodrugs, reducing to their active Pt(II) analogues through biological reductants, then forming DNA adducts (Hall, 2004); platinum-DNA adducts consistently account for these antitumor activities. Since toxicities have partly been associated with Pt(II)-protein and -sulfur conjugates (Townsend, 2002), Pt(IV) prodrugs can serve to limit these by minimizing serum exposure to the active (+2) form.
Some platinum(IV) complexes, however, have demonstrated unique interactions. Among these are inhibitors of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT) proteins, cytoplasmic transcription factors controlling cellular proliferation, differentiation, development, inflammation, and apoptosis in response to cytokines and growth factors (Turkson, 2004; Kortylewski, 2005). STATs are activated by tyrosine phosphorylation leading to dimerization; dimers translocate to the nucleus, bind to specific DNA response elements, and activate gene expression. Seven STATs have been identified in humans. Of these, STAT3 aberrant activity has been detected in both solid and hematological human tumors (Yu, 2004; Bromberg, 2001; Bromberg, 2002) and describes a new therapeutic target as well as a novel platinum mechanism.
Recently, another novel cellular target has been identified, selective to a subgroup of platinum(V) complexes. This target is localized within cellular membranes—as opposed to nucleotides or the nucleus—and is composed of caveolae and lipid rafts, identified targets for multiple diseases and key regulators of numerous cellular processes (Tamaskar, 2008; Frank, 2007; Medina, 2007; Silva, 2007; Jasmin, 2006; Medina, 2006; Fine, 2005; Williams, 2005; Williams, 2004; Dhillon, 2003).
Caveolin proteins act either as positive or negative regulators for primary tumor growth, depending upon cell type (Williams, 2005), and thus determine potential therapeutic benefit of platinum(IV) compounds Tumor metastasis, on the other hand, largely relates to reduced caveolin-1 activity together with increased secretions of invasive matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (Williams, 2005) such that therapeutic benefits as a cotherapy for reducing metastasis may be useful for most cancer types. Thus the unique activities in modulating caveolae and lipid rafts for a subset of platinum(IV) compounds identifies specific therapeutic applications for cancers—such as multiple myeloma (Podar, 2006)—different from the indiscriminate DNA-alkylating actions of platinum(II)'s currently in use.
Interactions with caveolae have also been noted for other metals and compounds. Ferrous (Fe(II)), but not ferric (Fe(III)), iron is capable of modulating key cellular signaling proteins by interacting with caveolae (Chen, 2007). Arsenic(III) has also recently been reported to induce increased caveolae/caveolin expressions (Straub, 2007), although the mechanism for this is not clear. Pervanadate and vanadate have both been reported to alter caveolae functions in endothelial cells (Aoki, 2007), while orthovanadate altered caveolin-2 proteins, leading to changes in caveolar activity (Botos, 2007). While no publications appear to identify selenium in caveolae, its activities oppose those of a known caveolae inhibitor, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (Iyengar, 2005), while acting upon proteins known to interface with caveolins (Park, 2007) and thus imply the possibility of another active subgroup of metals affecting caveolae.
Caveolin-1 is one of three known caveolin proteins found in caveolae and in lipid rafts, and is a major decision point in cellular functions. Loss of caveolin-1 function is related not only to certain types of cancer, but to many other human diseases, including those of immune dysfunction, pathogenic infections, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and others (Thomas 2008; Cohen 2004; Cohen 2003).
Caveolae, Lipid Rafts, and Caveolins
Lipid rafts are ordered membrane lipid microdomains containing glycosphingolipids and cholesterol. They are characterized (as are caveolae) by their insolubility in cold nonionic detergents. Their involvement in cellular processes is highlighted not only by the co-localization of numerous regulatory proteins, but by the widespread presence of these structures across mammalian cell types. Studies indicate that the plasma membrane is maintained by an active cytoskeleton, whereby the membrane raft hypothesis proposes specific lipids may dynamically associate to form platforms for membrane protein sorting and formation of signaling complexes (Simons, 1997). Their association with membrane receptors involves them in cellular activation and transformation processes, immune synapses (Langlet, 2000), and transport processes.
Caveolae include a number of detergent-insoluble 50-100 nm compositions within a cell membrane, detached vesicles, the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and other organelles. These may take the form of rafts, tubules, grapes, or vesicular invaginations, composed of sphingolipids, phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins. The key distinction between caveolae and lipid rafts is the presence of oligomeric caveolin proteins in the former—three, plus their isoforms have been identified—although caveolin proteins also associate in lipid rafts preceding assembly (Hurtado, 2008). Like lipid rafts, caveolae are profoundly involved in human health and diseases (Benarroch, 2007; Michel, 2007; Patra, 2007). In the presence of caveolin proteins, flask or tear-shaped structures are most prevalent, and these tend to be associated with fully differentiated, mature cells. In contrast, the absence of caveolin results primarily in lipid rafts. Caveolae have been associated with most cell types including endothelial and muscle cells, adipocytes, lung epithelial and glial cells, and astrocytes. Of particular significance, they are also present in effector cells of the immune system, including neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, and dendritic cells (Ohnuma, 2007; Li, 2005; Harris, 2002; Werling, 1997); although some studies identify caveolae-related domains (devoid of caveolin proteins) in hematopoietic cells (Parolini, 1999). Important to vision and retinal diabetes, caveolin proteins and caveolae have been identified in the retina (Berta, 2007). In some cases, caveolin were detected to associate in plasmalemmal and vesicular caveolae (Liu, 2002; Cohen, 2004; Williams, 2004).
The three caveolin proteins (21-24 kD), caveolins-1, -2, and -3, may form homodimers, heterodimers (caveolin ½), or larger oligomeric assemblies. Caveolin-1 is the most prevalent of these, being found in most cells, while caveolin-3 had formerly been thought to be restricted to only muscle and heart cells, but is now also recognized to be found in glial cells (Ikezu, 1998; Silva, 2007). Caveolin-2 has been previously described to require caveolin-1 (Parolini, 1999), but its expression and localization within lipid droplets (Fujimoto, 2001) may suggest unique functions; caveolin-2 may also be indicative of basal-like carcinomas (Savage, 2007). Known caveolin functions include lipid and membrane trafficking, membrane structure, and signal transduction. Caveolin-1 is considered fundamental to cholesterol transport (Ikonen, 2004).
Signaling Domain
Caveolae are known to serve as organizational locations for association of intracellular signal transduction proteins (Isshiki, 2002). A growing number of key regulatory proteins have been shown to associate with caveolin-1 through its scaffolding domain (residues 82-101), identified by either sequence *xxxx*xx* or *x*xxxx* (where *=an aromatic residue−tryptophan, phenylalanine or tyrosine and x=any other residue), located in the juxtamembranous region of the N-terminal domain (Couet, 1997). This is part of the "caveolin-1 scaffolding domain hypothesis" (Okamoto, 1998). A partial list of signaling molecules containing this motif and shown to associate with caveolin proteins include: G proteins; Ha-Ras, cNeu and s-Src/Fyn (Src family kinases); endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), tyrosine kinase A (TrkA); protein kinase C (PKC); mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade (MEK/ERK) (Engelman, 1998); protein kinase A (PKA); alkaline phosphatase; phosphofructokinase as well as receptors endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR); platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR); p75 nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR); estrogen receptor; androgen receptor (Cohen, 2004; Park, 2005); Erb B receptors (Dobrowsky, 2005); transforming growth factor beta receptors (TGFR) types one and two (Santibanez, 2008); vitamin D receptor (Norman, 2006); insulin receptor (Ishikawa, 2005) and others. Caveolins may categorically inhibit kinases (Couet, 1997), since the scaffolding binding motif is contained within a highly conserved subdomain IX of both tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases. Interestingly, the interaction of signaling proteins with caveolin is predominantly a negative regulation, disallowing constitutive activations often associated with cell transformation, viral infection, and cancer.
Trafficking and Transport
Another function of caveolae is endocytotic trafficking. Broadly, there are two mechanisms for endocytosis—those of clathrin-coated pits and those of caveolae. The former mechanism typically includes fusion with lysosomes, where content degradation occurs. The latter appears to bypass lysosomal processes, routing directly to the endoplasmic reticulum (e.g., cholesterol) (Anderson, 1998) or nucleus (i.e., hormones) (Hirata, 2007). Extracellular molecules, ions, and proteins may employ various caveolae-mediated transducers ("transcytosis") to gain functional access to intracellular sites (Ortegren, 2007). This sequence is suspected of transporting microorganisms and infectious components (such as proteins) of viral, parasitic and bacterial diseases and is evidenced by examples of Escherichia coli accessing mast cells (Shin, 2001) or Newcastle disease virus infection of host cells (Cantin, 2007), among others. Associations between GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol) anchors, extracellular domains, and caveolae may serve as docking sites for cognate receptors facilitating this uptake, while some pathogens may express lipid rafts themselves, participating in infectivity (Campbell, 2004).
Yet another function of caveolae involves assembly and cellular export. Budding processes in the assembly of viral components at lipid raft domains have been observed by several investigators (Nguyen, 2000; Campbell, 2001; Ono, 2001). Limited interactions are known at this time, although coexpression of caveolin-1 with HIV-1 was reported to block viral production (Llano, 2002). HIV Gag protein has also been shown to be targeted to the membrane during assembly and release (Ono, 2004). Prions, amyloid and viral proteins utilize lipid rafts to confer protein conformational changes imperative to their activations (Fantini, 2007).
Caveolae and lipid rafts associate with p-glycoproteins which affect drug uptake into cells. Increased caveolin expression can decrease multi-drug resistance mechanisms, facilitating therapeutic treatments (Storch, 2007; Cai, 2004; Lavie, 2001)
Any of the caveolin-scaffolding proteins can be affected by changes in caveolae. For example, Fyn is a src-family tyrosine kinase. It participates in T-cell receptor signaling and adhesion-mediated signaling, and demonstrates functionalities in fyn (−/−) mice that have myelin defects (Resh, 1998). Decreased caveolin protein functionality would therefore be expected to affect fyn protein activities, for example.
Oncogenesis and Tumor Growth
Caveolin-1 has been associated with cell transformation, oncogenesis, and metastasis, and has been identified as a candidate tumor suppressor (Fiucci, 2002; Wiechen, 2001; Capozza, 2003). Caveolin-1 is often mutated in breast cancer (Lee, 2002), with several isoforms attributed to disease-related dysfunction. Caveolin-1 null mice (Cav-1 (−/−)) showed a 10-fold increase in tumor incidence, a 15-fold increase in tumor number per mouse (multiplicity), and a 35-fold increase in tumor area per mouse, as compared with wild-type littermates following a 16-week exposure to dimethylbenzanthracene (Capozza, 2003). Thus, gene expression of Cav-1 may protect against oncogenesis in certain tumors.
Metastasis
Ras-homology-subfamily GTPases (guanine triphosphate hydrolase enzymes) are involved in actin cytoskeleton rearrangement during cell migration; RhoC GTPase is associated with highly aggressive and metastatic tumors (del Peso, 1997). Along with other Rho-subfamily members, this GTPase contains a caveolin-1 binding domain. In pancreatic adenocarcinomas, caveolin-1 negatively regulates RhoC activation and inhibits cellular migration/invasion associated with metastasis (Lin, 2005).
Many tumors show loss of caveolin-1 expression; when re-expressed, cells lose anchorage-independent mechanisms of growth (Engelman, 1997). Growth of normal cells proceeds through signaling pathways such as Erk (extracellular signal-related kinase), Phosphoinositol kinase (PI3-K), and Rac (a GTPase) that require integrin-mediated cell adhesion, and are therefore, anchorage-dependent. Loss of anchorage-dependent growth is associated with tumor growth and metastasis (Fiucci, 2002). Integrin-mediated cell adhesion binding sites are located within caveolae and transport is facilitated by caveolin-1. In the absence of caveolin-1, GM1 ganglioside remains on cell surfaces where Rac, Erk and Akt (serine-threonine kinase) lose their adhesion-dependence and regulation. Basal GM1 internalization appears to proceed through multiple endocytotic pathways but studies show that internalization induced by detachment is specific to caveolae and caveolin-1 (del Pozo, 2005). These mechanisms demonstrate a role for caveolin-1 in suppression of anchorage-independent growth.
Downregulation of both MMP-2 and MMP-9 (Williams, 2004) have recently been associated with increased presence of Cav-1. These matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are also related to loss of anchorage-independent growth, or metastatic potential, as observed in mammary and lung models. MMPs degrade extracellular matrices critical to cell migration, participate in cell proliferation and angiogenesis.
Receptors
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in several types of cancer. Under oxidative stress, EGFR is aberrantly phosphorylated by Src kinase and localizes with caveolin-1 to the plasma membrane; later, it transports via caveolar endocytosis to a perinuclear compartment in an active state. This leads to prolonged activation of the receptor and relates to oncogenic potential (Khan, 2006).
EGFR and HER2, ErbB family transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases, and their ligands are consistently implicated in human (and rodent) breast cancers, including invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Additionally, estrogen and progesterone receptors associate with caveolin-1 (Park, 2005). Both receptors are negatively regulated through their interaction with the caveolin-1 scaffolding domain (Okamoto, 1998).
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR-1) has been shown to be related to caveolae. In cells deficient of lipoproteins, and thus low in membrane cholesterol, reduced cell surface expression of TNFR-1 and CD36 were observed in conjunction with the absence of caveolae. Since TNF-alpha mediates apoptosis, without TNFR-1, this apoptotic pathway can be blocked (Ko, 1999). Thus caveolae mediate cell surface receptors affecting cellular apoptosis.
In adipocytes, insulin reception is directly linked to caveolin-1. Tyrosine phosphorylation is specific for insulin and can be blocked by reducing cholesterol content in the membrane (with beta-methyl-cyclodextrin), essentially eliminating functional caveolae. Metabolic changes, altered free fatty acid and triglyceride levels, and decreased leptin in caveolin-1 null (−/−) mice are similar to prediabetic conditions in humans. Cav-1 null mice also express 90% fewer insulin receptors in adipose tissue (Cohen, 2004). Regulation of caveolin-1 expression is considered an important mechanism for insulin sensitivity (Oh, 2006), while caveolae may have fundamental roles in obesity, diabetes and metabolic disorders (Ortegren, 2007).
Cardiovascular Function
Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent chemokine of the vascular system. Two enzymatic producers of this chemokine, eNos and nNos, contain the scaffolding motif. Reduction of a broad range of inflammatory cytokines through caveolar control such as macrophage inflammatory proteins and monocyte chemoattractant proteins as well as vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1), cholesterol and fatty acid transport, Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, cluster of differentiation (CD)40, and haptoglobin may reduce a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. Caveolin-1-null mice develop cardiac disease similar to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in humans (Frank, 2004; Cohen, 2003).
Diabetes
Adipocytes are currently known to express the greatest number of caveolae. Given the direct interaction between the insulin receptor and caveolin proteins, as well as effective localization of at least two insulin-responsive elements to caveolae (insulin receptor and GLUT4), a role of caveolae in diabetes as well as metabolic regulation is likely to provide therapeutic utility (Cohen, 2003). Membrane-localized caveolin-1 protein is decreased in diabetic kidneys. Diabetes-mediated alterations in eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) and caveolin-1 expression are consistent with the view of decreased bioavailability of renal eNOS-derived NO (Komers, 2006). The dissociation of insulin receptor from caveolin-1 is proposed to cause pathogenic signaling in adipocytes (Kabayama, 2007).
Structure
Two mutations in the human CAV-3 gene result in an autosomal-dominant form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy; mutations on the CAV-3 gene lead to rippling muscle disease (Cohen, 2004). Caveolin-1 is also critical to liver proliferation, lipogenesis, liver regeneration, and lipid metabolism (Frank, 2007; Mayoral, 2007; Fernandez, 2006).
Immunological Response and Antigen Presentation
Cells of the immune system arise from pluripotent stem cells through two main lines of differentiation, the lymphoid lineage and the myeloid lineage. The lymphoid lineage produces lymphocytes, such as T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells, while the myeloid lineage produces monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils and other accessory cells, such as dendritic cells, platelets, and mast cells. Lymphocytes circulate and search for invading foreign pathogens and antigens that become trapped in secondary lymphoid organs, such as the spleen and lymph nodes.
Antigens are taken up by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The interaction between T cells and APCs triggers several effector pathways, including activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and stimulation of T cell production of cytokines. Major histocompatibility compound (MHC) molecules present antigens on the cell surface of antigen-presenting cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes then recognize MHC molecules and their associated peptides and attack the associated target cell. Antigens are processed according to their origin—intracellular or extracellular. Intracellular antigens are presented by class I major histocompatability (MHC) molecules to CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes, effector cells derived from pluripotent stem cells of lymphoid lineage. These are important in resisting pathogens and cancer, and allograft rejection. A distinct route for extracellular antigens use class II MHC molecules, presented to CD4+ helper T cells on the cell surface of APCs such as macrophages.
Caveolae were not originally attributed to cells or lymphatic origin, but this view has changed in the last decade. They have since been identified in human, murine, and bovine neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, lymphocytes, and antigen-presenting cells (APC) (Harris, 2002; Li, 2005; Ohnuma, 2007). Now, the fundamental role of caveolin proteins and caveolae for immunological response is becoming clearer. For instance, caveolin-1 has been identified to activate thymus cells (T-cells) through the cell surface glycoprotein CD26, leading to activation of nuclear factor kappa beta (NF kappa beta) and T-cell proliferation (Ohnuma, 2007). The mechanism includes upregulation of CD86 expression, a guanylate-kinase-like molecule, CARMA1 and I kappa beta kinase (IKKbeta). CD26, preferentially expressed on the CD4+ memory T-cell subset, binds to caveolin-1 on APCs through the caveolin-scaffolding domain (Ohnuma, 2004). Caveolin-1 has been reported to act as a potent immunomodulatory molecule in macrophages (Wang, 2005). Recent hypotheses also emphasize the critical role of lipid rafts in "immunsynapses" between APCs and T-cells; APCs and B-cells; and B-cells with T-cells (Dustin, 2001; Bromley, 2001). Caveolae and lipid rafts participate in antigen-presentation (Khan, 2007; Sigal 2004; Werling 1999). Hence, these are identified as possible targets of immune-modulation and of immunotherapy (Matko, 2002).
Macrophages are now known to express caveolin-1 (Li, 2005). Loss of caveolin-1 impairs macrophage phagocytosis in Cav-1 knockout mice, suggesting a role in innate immunity, regulation of inflammatory responses and development of autoimmune disease.
Activated Helper T-cells proliferate and secrete a variety of interleukins. However, inadequately-activated T-cells, receiving only one signal in the absence of co-stimulation, become anergized, leading to tolerance (Mueller, 1995).
Murine splenic B-lymphocytes (bone-derived) express caveolin-1. Their activation is dependent upon a Tec family tyrosine kinase known as Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). This kinase has a caveolin-1 scaffolding domain which, when obstructed, prevents B-cell development, differentiation and signaling (Vargas, 2002). Bmx is a human Tec family tyrosine kinase also containing the scaffolding domain.
Two of the most highly expressed Src-family nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases are p53/p56lyn and p56lck. Both are involved in the transduction of signals for proliferation and differentiation of monocytes, B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes (thymus-derived), respectively. These have been identified in low-density Triton-insoluble caveolar-like subfractions in leukemic cell lines and granulocytes. Other factors identified in the same subfractions include src (rous sarcoma-like kinase), hck (hemopoietic cell kinase), CD4, CD45, G-proteins, and CD55. These observations lead to the hypothesis for a role of these vesicles in signal transduction mechanisms for hemapoietic cells (Parolini, 1996).
HIV and Other Pathogens
Myristoylation is a signature of caveolar-directed proteins, including Nef protein—present in both HIV and SIV (human and simian immunodeficiency viruses). It is no great surprise to learn that viral proteins seek to hijack cellular signaling, including transduction pathways, associated with caveolar scaffolding. Viruses deficient in functional Nef fail to establish high viral loads or progress into disease. Additionally, Nef protein is sufficient to cause AIDS-like symptoms, and leads to production of inflammatory cytokines which further fuel viral replication and infection (Olivetta, 2003; Hanna, 2006). Downmodulation of both CD4 and MHC1 (major histocompatability-1) result from distinctive endocytotic rerouting in the presence of Nef (Marsh, 2000). Loss of CD4 exposes a cell to reinfection; loss of MHC1 prevents antigen-presentation by the infected cell to the immune system.
Of great significance, Hovanessian et al. (2004) identified a conserved caveolin-1 binding domain in gp41 (glycoprotein-41) of HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV. Both gp120 and gp41 are viral transmembrane envelope glycoproteins that interact with CD4 and a chemokine receptor to gain viral entry into permissive cells. The binding motif 623WNNMTWMEW631 preferentially uses W over F or Y in all of the 862 HIV-1 isolates from most of the HIV clades (Dong, 2001). Immunoprecipitation of gp41 from HIV-infected MT4 cells produced a gp41/caveolin-1 compound, confirming direct interaction during infection. Furthermore, development of a vaccine using a 16-residue synthetic peptide to this gp41 region in rabbits led to inhibition of HIV-1, but not HIV-2, infectivity in primary CD4+ T-lymphocytes (Rey-Cuille, 2006). Clearly, the interaction of virus with caveolin-1 is critical to infectivity.
Pathogenic endocytosis through cellular caveolae is proposed to relate to the localization of their cognate receptors within caveolae of the host cell (Shin, 2001). Pathogens currently identified using this pathway include, but are not limited to: Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae toxin, Simian Virus 40, respiratory syncytial virus, Newcastle disease virus (Cantin, 2007), Japanese encephalitis virus, Echovirus 7, Enterovirus 70, Marburg and Ebola viruses (Bavari, 2002); Mycobacterium bovis, Campylobacter jejuni, Toxoplasma gondi, Plasmodium falciparum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycobacterium kansasii, pneumocustis carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, Clostridium septicum toxin, Enterobacterial lipopolysaccharide, Aeromonas hydrophila toxin, Helicobacter pylori toxin and Scrapie prion protein.
Some pathogens are known to assemble within caveolae or lipid rafts. Budding and export are linked with vesicular transport and localize pathogens to vital resources such as cholesterol and signaling pathway proteins. Examples of pathogens currently identified include, but are not limited to: HIV (Nguyen, 2000; Campbell, 2001; Holm 2003); Semliki Forest virus (Lu, 2000); Measles virus (Manie, 2000) and prions (Taylor, 2006).
AIDS (auto immune deficiency syndrome) is characterized by abnormal cytokine levels including interleukin-6 (IL-6); inflammatory protein-10 (IP-10); interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma); and IL-10; as well as monocyte chemoattractant proteins (MCPs); macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIPs); matrix metalloproteinases (e.g., MMP-9 and -2) (Webster, 2006; Kumar, 1999; Conant, 1999); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and others. These factors have been associated with immunological malfunction, virus-infected cell migration, dementia (leading cause of HIV-1 related death), infection and progression of disease. Cytokines affect production of HIV-1 from primary mononuclear phagocytes (Koyanagi, 1988). Reducing overexpression of select cytokines, such as using MMP inhibitors, have inhibited HIV-associated symptoms such as neurotoxicities (Johnston, 2001).
Cancers of Viral Origin
An estimated 30% of cancers have viral origins, some of which are listed in Table 1.
TABLE 1Cancers of Viral OriginVirusType of CancerEpstein-Barr virus (EBV)Burkitt's lymphomaNasopharyngeal carcinomaB-cell lymphomaHodgkin's diseaseBreast cancer (suspected)Hepatitis B virus (HBV)Liver cancerHepatitis C virus (HCV)Splenic lymphomaLiver cancerHuman herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)Kaposi's sarcomaPrimary effusion lymphomaMulticentric Castleman diseaseHuman papillomavirus (HPV)Cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile,anal, skin oropharyngealHuman T-cell lymphotrophic virusAdult T-cell leukemia/lymphomatype 1 (HTLV-1)Simian virus 40 (SV40)MesotheliomaNon-Hodgkin's lymphoma, brain andbone tumors, and B-cell lymphomas(suspected)

Lipid raft, caveolin protein, and caveolar function modulation compounds and associated synthetic and therapeutic methods


A property of a signal may be detected by sampling a signal and determining a scalar indicator of the samples. The samples can be transformed to create a transformed signal. A scalar indicator of the transformed signal may be determined and compared to the scalar indicator of the sample. If the comparison yields a number greater than a selected threshold value then the signal that was sampled may be deemed to include the property. A property indicator signal may be driven low or high to indicate that the signal has the property. The time and duration of time that the signal is deemed to include the property may be recorded. The recorded data may be reviewed and appropriate action may be taken.

Prior attempts at automated control may be based on sampling data relatively fast. Controllers may have a tendency to modulate actuators too frequently or turn equipment on and off more than is necessary, thus wearing down actuators and other equipment that is moving more often than it needs to. This increase in powering actuators on and off can also increase energy wastage. These problems may be caused by non-optimal values programmed into the controller. Some buildings utilize hundreds of these control loops, thus making the energy wastage and premature part wear quite costly.


Amusement apparatus which permits unusual compactness and easy transportation comprises a vehicle for accommodating users, the vehicle being suitable for following a path in space which comprises a component due to oscillation about a center of instantaneous rotation and a component due to rotation about an axis oriented variously in space. The vehicle is supported on a support structure comprising two rails the shape of which defines the shape of the component due to oscillation of the vehicle.

In the field of amusement apparatus, there is a particular need to maintain compactness and to simplify transportation and installation, particularly for mobile structures.
There are known amusement apparatuses in which the oscillatory movement of a vehicle is brought about by means of a complex structure formed by lattice members which define the centre of oscillation of the vehicle and on which the vehicle is substantially suspended by means of at least one arm. A combination of an oscillatory motion and of a rotational motion about an axis extending through the centre of oscillation is obtained by setting in rotation the arm on which the vehicle is suspended.
As is known, amusement apparatuses as described above are particularly bulky and complex and are difficult to transport and to fit in restricted spaces, particularly because of the presence of the lattice structure on which the vehicle is suspended.
The object of the present invention is to devise and to provide an amusement apparatus which satisfies the above-mentioned need and which at the same time overcomes the disadvantages discussed above.


A magnetic tool holder includes a generally elongate body member having a first surface and a second surface and having a longitudinal channel running along at least a portion of the first surface; a receiving magnet, disposed in the longitudinal channel; and detent structure provided on the receiving magnet and the longitudinal channel, whereby the receiving magnet is held in place in the longitudinal channel when the detent structure on the receiving magnet and the longitudinal channel are engaged. A mounting magnet is disposed on the second surface, whereby the tool holder can be magnetically mounted to a metallic work surface. The detent structure may preferably include at least one indentation disposed along at least one side of the receiving magnet, and at least one projection disposed along at least one inner side surface of the longitudinal channel for engaging the indentation of the receiving magnet.

The invention relates to the tool industry and, particularly, to a magnetic tool holder for holding metallic tool elements such as sockets for socket wrenches and the like, which tool holder can be magnetically affixed to a desired ferrous metallic surface to allow convenient selection of tool elements.
Numerous devices are known in the art for storing tools. Such devices are as varied as the tools for which they are intended.
The use of magnets to store such tools and to position the device is also generally known as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,230 to Winnard.
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,230 also possesses several of the drawbacks common to the prior art devices. Namely, it is designed specifically for a particular type of tool (sockets for socket wrenches), and it involves complicated production caused by the cover member of non-metallic binding material having embedded magnetic particles, and the body member which requires numerous bore holes of different size for tool elements.
It is desirable to provide a tool holder possessing the advantages of magnetic positioning and holding for tools, which holder is not limited to a specific tool type.
It is further desirable to provide such a device which is simple in manufacture and well suited to automated production in large volumes.
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tool holder which is "universal" in that it can be used to store or carry any type of metallic tool or the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a magnetic tool holder which is simple in manufacture so as to be well suited to automated manufacture in high volumes.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow.


A system and method for detecting unauthorized access to a CATV system at a site, including inserting a cable fraud detection unit into the site drop, periodically obtaining a first sample of a content signal from the site with the detection unit so as to determine if the site is accessing the content signal, storing the first sample in the detection unit, periodically obtaining a second sample of the content signal from the CATV system with the detection unit to serve as a reference for the first sample, and storing the second sample in the detection unit. The stored samples may be transmitted to the CATV system in response to a control signal or may be transmitted to a portable unit.

A cable system (community access television or CATV system) consists of a head end which transmits a plurality of signals with entertainment and informational content simultaneously to customer sites through a tree-like cable plant. Some content signals may be available to all cable customers. Other content signals, such as pay-per-view and premium programs, should only be accessed by sites which have authorized equipment, such as a cable box, and for which appropriate remuneration has been arranged.
Sites exist which posses equipment, often called a "black box", for accessing unauthorized signals. The use of such equipment for accessing unauthorized content signals constitutes fraud, and results in loss of income for CATV system operators.
Traditionally, detecting sites fraudulently accessing CATV content signals has required an eye witness account of the activity. This is usually difficult since someone must be inside the site to view the unauthorized programming.
Current technological solutions to detecting cable access fraud require interrupting the cable system drop before it enters the site, inserting equipment capable of determining to which signal receivers in the site are tuned, recording the information, and interrupting service again to remove the equipment. Several problems arise from this process. First, the cable service must be disconnected just prior to measurement, alerting anyone viewing the unauthorized signal. Second, the manual nature of the process makes it difficult to establish a pattern of fraud at the site.
What is needed is an automated approach to detecting cable fraud. The approach should minimize the number of service interruptions as well as record data over an extended period of time.


A window drape includes a face panel and a liner having marginal portions secured to a back side of the face panel and an intramarginal portion carrying plural lengths of shirring tape oriented to extend vertically between top and bottom marginal portions of the liner and a plurality of guide elements arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. The face panel includes a pair of laterally opposed marginal portions folded against laterally opposed marginal portions of the liner and secured along respective vertically extending lines to define a pair of finished lateral edges for the drape, a lower marginal portion folded against the bottom marginal portion of the liner and secured along a laterally extending line to define a finished lower edge for the drape, and an upper marginal portion folded against the top marginal portion of the liner and secured along a pair of first and second laterally extending parallel lines to define an upper hem between a finished upper edge of the drape and the first line of securement and a rod pocket between the first line of securement and the second line of securement. The intramarginal portion of the liner is not secured to the face panel so that only marginal portions of the liner transmit lifting forces to the face panel thereby permitting arrangement of the window drape in a plurality of free-hanging and gathered styles without detracting from the overall appearance of the drape. Preferably, a plurality of loops and/or fasteners are affixed to a back side of the upper hem to define points of attachment for rings and/or tabs, respectively, without detracting from the look of the window drape when rings and tabs are not used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to window drapes and, more particularly, to a window drape capable of being selectively arranged in a number of styles.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Window drapes are commonly used in homes to cover all or part of a window in a decorative manner. The drapes are typically supported on rods secured to the top of the window casing or to the wall adjacent the top of the window casing, with an upper portion of the window drape either being provided with rings or straps that encircle and slide upon the supporting rod, or with the upper portion of the window drape defining a loop or pocket through which the rod is passed before being attached to supporting brackets.
Most popular styles of window drape are commercially available in a variety of colors and fabrics, with standard widths and lengths to fit a wide range of window sizes. Thus, if a homeowner or decorator knows what type of style would look best for a particular application, they may purchase that style of drape, and any necessary supporting hardware, and thereafter install the window drape without much difficulty. If, however, the homeowner or decorator is unsure which style would look best, they must engage in a method of trial and error whereby they purchase a window drape of a first style, along with any necessary hardware, install the drape and then evaluate the appearance or suitability of the drape in the context of their decorating plans. If the style of drape is found to be unsuitable, the drape must be removed from the window, often with the hardware, and returned or discarded so that a window drape of a second style can be installed and evaluated. This process can be time consuming and frustrating, with repairs often being required to patch holes formed in the window casing or walls where supporting hardware was removed.
Even if the homeowner or decorator knows what style of window drape they desire at the time of purchase, it is not uncommon for a homeowner to grow tired of a particular look or for their taste to change thereby necessitating removal of the old window drape and installation of a new one. It is expensive and time consuming to continually purchase and discard window drapes, and many people are thus prevented from updating the look of their windows to achieve greater satisfaction and comfort in their homes.

Window drape with selectively adjustable appearance


Users have to assign labels to a ticket to route to right domain expert for resolving issue(s). In practice, labels are large and organized in form of a tree. Lack in clarity in problem description has resulted in inconsistent and incorrect labeling of data, making it hard for one to learn/interpret. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that identify relevant queries to obtain user response, for identification of right category and ticket logging there. This is achieved by implementing attention based sequence to sequence (seq2seq) hierarchical classification model to assign the hierarchical categories to tickets, followed by a slot filling model to enable identifying/deciding right set of queries, if the top-k model predictions are not consistent. Further, training data for slot filling model is automatically generated based on attention weight in the hierarchical classification model.

Helpdesk is a key component of any large IT organization, where users can log a ticket about any issue they face related to IT infrastructure, administrative services, human resource services, etc. Normally, users have to assign appropriate set of labels to a ticket so that it could be routed to right domain expert who can help resolve the issue. In practice, the number of labels are very large and organized in form of a tree. It is non-trivial to describe the issue completely and attach appropriate labels unless one knows the cause of the problem and the related labels. Sometimes domain experts discuss the issue with the users and change the ticket labels accordingly, without modifying the ticket description. This results in inconsistent and incorrectly labeling data, making it hard for supervised algorithms to learn from.

Systems and methods for conversational based ticket logging