A method for driving a PDP is disclosed, and is capable of suppressing an erroneous discharge during an address discharge and sustain discharge and of preventing deterioration in image quality, comprising: a reset period for initialization; an address period having a first half of the address period in which one of odd-numbered and even-numbered second electrodes are first scanned sequentially, and address pulses are applied to third electrodes, and a subsequent second half of the address period in which others of the odd-numbered and the even-numbered second electrodes are scanned sequentially, and address pulses are applied to the third electrodes; and a sustain discharge period in which sustain discharges are caused to occur, wherein the potential difference between the second electrode and the third electrode in the second half of the address period is set to a value larger than the potential difference between the second electrode and the third electrode in the first half of the address electrode.

The present invention relates to a plasma method for driving a plasma display panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for driving an AC-driven plasma display panel (referred to as an AC-driven PDP hereinafter) that has a three-electrode structure and performs memory display.
FIG. 1 is a diagram that shows the general structure of an AC-driven PDP.
A PDP 1 comprises a pair of substrates arranged opposite to each other and a discharge gas sealed therebetween. On one of the substrates, sustain electrodes (X1 to X3) and scan electrodes (Y1 to Y3) arranged in parallel to each other are provided, and on the other substrate, address electrodes (A1 to A4) arranged in the direction perpendicular to the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes and partitions 2 arranged in parallel to the address electrodes to define a discharge space are provided. Although only the three sustain electrodes, three scan electrodes and four address electrodes are shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity, many electrodes are actually used according to the resolution of the PDP 1.
A display line L is formed between a sustain electrode and a scan electrode adjacent to each other. In the example in FIG. 1, the X1 electrode and the Y1 electrode form a display line L1, the X2 electrode and the Y2 electrode form a display line L2, and the X3 electrode and the Y3 electrode form a display line 3. On the other hand, adjacent pairs of the sustain electrode and the scan electrode that form the display lines form a non-display line therebetween. In the example in FIG. 1, the non-display lines are formed between the Y1 electrode and the X2 electrode, and between the Y2 electrode and the X3 electrode. In order to prevent an erroneous discharge from occurring in the adjacent display lines L1 to L3, the interval between neighboring electrodes that form a non-display line is made wider than the interval between neighboring electrodes that form a display line. Moreover, a discharge cell is formed in an area defined by a pair of the neighboring sustain electrode and the scan electrode and the address electrode that is perpendicular thereto, and a phosphor is provided in the discharge cell in order to obtain visible light.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram that shows the general structure of the PDP apparatus shown in FIG. 5.
The PDP apparatus in FIG. 2 comprises the PDP 1, a data (address) driver 22, a sustain driver 23, a first (odd-numbered) scan driver 24a, a second (even-numbered) scan driver 24b, a scan pulse generation circuit 25 and an interface circuit 26 (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-39834).
The display data and the control signal from the outside of the apparatus are converted properly in the interface circuit 26 and supplied to the data (address) driver 22, the sustain driver 23, the first (odd-numbered) scan driver 24a and the second (even-numbered) scan driver 24b. The scan pulse and the sustain pulse to be applied to the scan electrode Y are generated in the scan pulse generation circuit 25 and their timings are controlled in the first (odd-numbered) scan driver 24a and the second (even-numbered) scan driver 24b by the signal from the interface circuit 26.
Similarly, the sustain pulse and the erasure pulse to be applied to the sustain electrode X are generated in the sustain driver 23 while being controlled by the interface circuit 26.
A description about a method for driving the above-mentioned AC-driven PDP is given below with reference to drawings.
A gradated display in the PDP 1 shown in FIG. 1 is performed by using the subfield driving method in which a frame is divided into a plurality of subfields and driven.
FIG. 3 is a diagram that shows the structure of a field in the PDP shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows an example of the subfield driving method in which a field is divided into eight subfields SF1 to SF8 for a gradated display. The luminance of each field is weighted by two to the n-th power and it is possible to perform a gradated display of any level by combining proper subfields.
In this method, each subfield is divided into a write period (address period), a sustain discharge period and an erasure period (reset period).
FIG. 4 is a diagram that shows the waveforms that illustrate the method for driving the PDP shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows the waveforms at the address electrode, the sustain electrodes X1 to Xn and the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn in an arbitrary subfield in a field, and each subfield is composed of the write period (address period), the sustain discharge period and the erasure period (reset period). When the scan electrode is scanned and display data is written during the write discharge period (address period), subsequent scanning is performed not to the next but the following scan electrode so that a write discharge (address discharge) is prevented from being caused to occur in the adjacent pixel successively with respect to time, and all the discharges are maintained at a time in the sustain discharge period for a light emitted display (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-13915).
As shown in FIG. 4, in the write action (addressing) in the first half of the write period (address period), a voltage Vx is applied to the odd-numbered X electrodes X1, X3, . . . , a voltage 0V is applied to the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, . . . , and a scan pulse voltage −Vsc is applied to the odd-numbered Y electrodes Y1, Y3, . . . At this time, the voltage 0V is applied to the even-numbered Y electrodes. In concurrence with this, an address pulse having a voltage Va is applied selectively to the address electrode and a first discharge is caused to occur between the address electrode and the Y electrode in the selected cell in the odd-numbered display lines (L1, L3, . . . ) to be lit. Then with this discharge serving as a priming, a second discharge is immediately caused to occur between the X electrode and the Y electrode. "Address discharge" is a general term for the first discharge and the second discharge. Due to this, wall charges that enable a sustain discharge to occur are accumulated on the X electrode and the Y electrode in the selected cell in the odd-numbered display lines. When the above action is performed as far as the last odd-numbered Y electrode (Yn−1), the writing (addressing) of the selected cells in the odd-numbered display lines is completed in the first half of the write address (address period).
Next, in the second half of the write period (address period), the voltage Vx is applied to the even-numbered X electrodes X2, X4, . . . , the voltage 0V is applied to the odd-numbered X electrodes Y1, Y3, . . . , and the scan pulse voltage −Vsc is applied to the even-numbered Y electrodes Y2, Y4, . . . , sequentially. In this way, the writing (addressing) of the selected cells in the even-numbered display lines is completed. As described above, the writing (addressing) of the selected cells in all of the display lines is completed in the first half and the second half of the write period (address period).
In the next sustain discharge period, a sustain pulse having a (alternating) voltage Vs is applied alternately to the Y electrode and the X electrode, a sustain discharge is caused to occur (only in the selected cells in the display lines in which the address discharge has been formed) according to the wall charges written (addressed) during the write period, as described above, and the image of a subfield in a field is displayed.
In the erasure period (reset period), an erasure pulse voltage VB is applied to all the sustain electrodes (X1 to Xn) to cause an erasure discharge to occur and the wall charges in the (lit) cells in the display lines, in which the sustain discharge has been caused to occur in the previous sustain period, are reduced or erased.
However, in the driving method described above, the address discharge is weak in the skipped display lines (even-numbered lines in this case). As a result, a problem occurs that the light emitted display in the display line flickers or the lines appear dim.
Concerning this problem, a description is given below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 is a diagram that shows how an address discharge is caused to occur when the driving method described in FIG. 4 is applied to the PDP shown in FIG. 1. For simplicity, only four sustain discharge electrodes and four scan electrodes are shown and the X1 electrode and the Y1 electrode form the display line L1, the X2 electrode and the Y2 electrode form the display line L2, the X3 electrode and the Y3 electrode form the display line L3, and the X4 electrode and the Y4 electrode form the display line L4 as shown schematically.
As described above, in the first half of the write period (address period), the first discharge is caused to occur between the address electrode and the Y electrode (Y1 and Y3) in the selected cell in the odd-numbered display lines (L1 and L3) to be lit, and with the first discharge serving as a priming, the second discharge is immediately caused to occur between the scan electrode Y and the sustain electrode X (between the X1 and the Y1 electrodes, and between the X3 and the Y3 electrodes).
However, as the above-mentioned address discharge propagates while extending along the address electrode, it may happen that an erroneous discharge (referred to as a first erroneous discharge hereinafter) is caused to occur in the X electrode (X2) in the adjacent display line L2 adjacent to the Y1 electrode during the period of the address discharge in the odd-numbered line L1 in the first half of the write period (address period), as shown by the dotted line in the figure.
As a result, the address discharge during the scanning of the even-numbered line L2 in the second half of the write period (address period), which follows the scanning of the odd-numbered line L1 in the first half of the write period (address period), becomes weak and unstable, therefore, a problem occurs that the light emitted display of the display line (the even-numbered line L2) in the subsequent sustain discharge period flickers or the line appears dim.
The reason may be that the wall charges, which tend to decrease the potential of the sustain electrode X2 with respect to the scan electrode Y2 and the address electrode, are formed on the sustain electrode X2 due to the erroneous discharge (the first erroneous discharge), the voltage between the scan electrode Y2 and the sustain electrode X2 in the even-numbered line L2 is reduced, and the address discharge during the scanning of the even-numbered line L2 becomes weaker than the address discharge during the scanning of the odd-numbered line L1.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-13915, a driving method has been proposed, as an improved method for driving an AC-driven PDP, in which the above-mentioned problems have been solved, the object of which is to stabilize the address discharge in the second half of the write period (address period) by increasing the voltage to be applied to the sustain electrode in the second half of the write period (address period) to recover the internal voltage that has been lowered due to the excessive wall charges caused to form by the erroneous discharge in the first half of the write period (address period), using a driving method in which either one of the odd-numbered lines and the even-numbered lines are scanned in the first half of the write period (address period) and the others are scanned in the second half of the write period (address period).
FIG. 6 is a diagram that shows the waveforms illustrating the method for driving the PDP shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows the driving method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-13915, described above, wherein a voltage Vy to be applied to the sustain electrodes (X2, X4, . . . ) during the scanning of the even-lines in the second half of the write period (address period) is set to a value larger than the voltage Vx (Vx<Vy) to be applied to the sustain electrodes (X1, X3, . . . ) during the scanning of the odd-numbered lines in the first half of the write period (address period).
As described above, when the scanning of the odd-numbered lines and the even-numbered lines is performed separately in the first half and the second half of the write period (address period), it is possible to compensate for the amount of decrease in the potential of the sustain electrodes (X2, X4, . . . ) due to the wall charges formed on the sustain electrodes (X2, X4, . . . ) in the even-numbered lines by the erroneous discharge of the address discharge during the scanning of the odd-numbered lines in the first half of the write period (address period) by increasing the potential of the sustain electrode X with respect to the scan electrode Y and the address electrode. In this way, the address discharge can stably be caused to occur during the scanning of the even-numbered lines.
FIG. 7 is a diagram that shows how the address discharge is caused to occur when the driving method described in FIG. 6 is applied to the PDP shown in FIG. 1.
As described above, the voltage Vy to be applied to the X2 electrode during the scanning of the even-numbered line L2 in the second half of the write period (address period) becomes larger than the voltage Vx to be applied to the X1 and X3 electrodes during the scanning of the odd-numbered lines L1 and L3 in the first half of the address period (Vx<Vy), therefore, the potential difference Vy+Vs between the X2 and Y2 electrodes in the even-numbered line L2 becomes larger than the potential difference Vx+Vs between the X1 and Y1 electrodes in the odd-numbered display line L1 and between the X3 and Y3 electrodes in the odd-numbered display line L3 (Vx+Vs<Vy+Vs). Due to this, the scale of the address discharge in the even-numbered line L2 becomes greater than that in the odd-numbered line L1 (by the amount of the potential difference Vy−Vx>0).
As a result, when the sustain discharge is caused to occur in the subsequent sustain discharge period, the scale of the sustain discharge in the even-numbered line L2 is increased by the alternating sustain pulse voltage Vs to be applied to cause the sustain discharge to occur in the selected cells in all of the display lines, and the discharge propagates to the odd-numbered line L3 adjacent to the Y2 electrode in the even-numbered line L2, as shown in FIG. 7 (a second erroneous discharge is caused to occur). This is because the wall charges, which tend to decrease the potential of the sustain electrode X3 with respect to the scan electrode Y3 and the address electrode, are formed on the sustain electrode X3 in the odd-numbered line L3 due to the second erroneous discharge, as is the same in the first erroneous discharge described above, the voltage between the scan electrode Y3 and the sustain electrode X3 in the even-numbered line L3 is reduced, and the sustain discharge in the even-numbered line L3 becomes weak and unstable. As a result, a problem occurs that the light emitted display in the display line flickers or the line appears dim.


A clinical thermometer generally comprises an outer case, a flexible probe stem, a sensor cap, an inner base, an electronic processor, and a temperature sensor. The flexible probe stem has a front junction having several grooves. The inner base, which is made of a rigid material, is embedded into the front junction to almost stuff up its inside to provide it with sufficient strength for tight, secure connection with the sensor cap and make the sensor cap not easy to fall apart.

Generally speaking, most electronic clinical thermometers have rigid plastic sheath and may thus hurt the feeble patients. In particular, it is extra dangerous to probe the anus temperate of children.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,039, a clinical thermometer is characterized in that a flexible probe stem is connected to a sensor cap. In addition, the probe stem is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) to make the probe stem soft and flexible. However, the soft, flexible probe stem is unable to provide sufficient strength to connect with the sensor cap tightly due to the existence of flexion and deformation.


Mr. Kenneth Gill in Baileyton, Ala. introduces a cultivated seedling selection of Malus ‘Antoanovka’ named ‘Summer Wonder’ which offers the landscape industry a unique disease resistant purple-leafed crabapple with stable color in southern climates (zones 7b/8a) with pinkishreddish purple flowers and desirably small fruit for the urban landscape.

A new and distinct Malus tree named 'Summer Wonder' as herein described and illustrated being a genetic variation from an open pollinated seedling of the crabapple, Malus baccata×Malus pumila 'Antonovka', was discovered in the nursery production seedling row by the sole inventor, Mr. Kenneth Gill in Baileyton, Ala. on Jun. 5, 1998. This cultivar is of Russian origin and is used in the nursery industry as a hardy root stock for Malus cultivars. Seeds from this open pollinated cultivar were sown and cultivated in the field for use as budding root stock. The 'Antonovka' seed came from Quincy, Wash., 98848 collected from green leaf forms of 'Antonovka'. The new Malus cultivar named 'Summer Wonder' by the discoverer, Mr. Gill, has been observed and evaluated for six years as a landscape plant and has maintained its unique purple leaf characteristics. It has not been sold, shared or released and has not been made public in any publications. Summer Wonder crabapple has been successfully asexually propagated by budding in September and October on Malus domestica and 'Antonovka' open pollinated seedling rootstock in Cullman, Ala. at the inventor's nursery. Budding success rate has been consistent at about 80-90% success rate. The clonal progeny of the parent plant are identical to the parent and offer the same distinct characteristics. The clonal progeny of the parent plant are true to type, identical to the parent and offer the same distinct characteristics.


The present invention relates to a method for cell adhesion and wound healing with internal domains of βig-h3. Particularly, the present invention relates to the method of using recombinant proteins comprising one or more of 2nd or 4th internal domain of βig-h3 for cell adhesion and wound healing, wherein the 2nd or 4th internal domain of βig-h3 has aspartic acid and isoleucine essential for interaction with integrin which represent a high homology in base sequence of βig-h3 internal domains. The recombinant proteins comprising one or more 2nd or 4th internal domain of βig-h3 are effective for cell adhesion and wound healing by itself and can be used for developing cell culture medium and wound healing agent.

βig-h3 is an extracellular matrix protein whose expression is induced in various cell lines, including human melanoma cells, mammary ephithelial cells, keratinocytes, and lung fibroblasts, following signaling by active TGF-β (Skonier, J. et al., DNA Cell Biol. 13, 571, 1994). The βig-h3 gene was first isolated by differential hybridization screening of a cDNA library made from a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line that had been treated with TGF-β. βig-h3 gene encodes a 683-amino acid protein that is highly conserved between species. It contains an N-terminal secretory signal peptide and an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif at the C-terminus. The RGD motif is found in many extracellular matrix proteins modulating cell adhesion and serves as a ligand recognition sequence for several integrins (Stonier, J. et al., DNA Cell Biol., 11, 511, 1992).
According to several studies, βig-h3 is known to be involved in cell growth and proliferation, wound healing, and cell adhesion, although the underlying mechanisms for these functions are still unclear. However, βig-h3 seems to play an important role in the morphogenesis and interactions with cells and extracellular matrix proteins in various tissues.
Some evidence related to the role of βig-h3 in mediating cell attachment and detachment is provided by several studies. For example, purified βig-h3 protein is found to promote the attachment and spreading of skin fibroblasts while inhibiting the adhesion of A549, HeLa and Wi-38 cells in serum-free media. Particularly, βig-h3 is known to have inhibitory activity against tumor cell growth, and to affect colony formation and morphology. The inhibitory activity was demonstrated by the report in which transfection of βig-h3 expression plasmids into CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells led to marked decreases in cell proliferation and the ability of these cells to form tumors in nude mice. Further, a wound healing method was developed on the basis of the finding that application of a pharmaceutically effective amount of βig-h3 to wounds makes cells, especially fibroblasts, spread over and adhere to the wound site. Consequently, βig-h3, a cell adhesion molecule induced by TGF-β in various cell lines, plays a very important role in cell growth, cell differentiation, wound healing, morphogenesis and cell adhesion (Rawe, I. M. et al., Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 38, 893, 1997; Lebaron, R. G. et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 104, 844, 1995).
βig-h3 contains four 140 amino acid repeats with internal homology, namely fas-1 domains. The internal repeat domains have highly conserved sequences found in secretory proteins or membrane proteins of various species, including mammals, insects, sea urchins, plants, yeasts, and bacteria. Proteins containing the conserved sequence are exemplified by periostin, fasciclin I, sea urchin HLC-2, algal-CAM and mycobacterium MPB70. The conserved domain in these proteins (hereinafter referred to as "fas-1") consists of about 110 to 140 amino acids with two highly conserved branches, H1 and H2, of about 10 amino acids each (Kawamoto, T. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 1395, 288, 1998).
Four fas-1 domains are found in βig-h3, periostin, and fasciclin I, two fas-1 domains in HLC-2, and only one fas-1 domain in MPB70. Although the functions of the proteins are not elucidated clearly, some of them are known to act as cell adhesion molecules. For instance, βig-h3, periostin, and fasciclin 1 are reported to mediate the adhesion of fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and nerve cells, respectively. Also, it is disclosed that algal-CAM is a cell adhesion molecule present in embryos of the algae Volvox (LeBaron, R. G., et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 104, 844, 1995; Horiuchi, K. et al., J. Bone Miner. Res. 14, 1239, 1999; Huber, O. et al., EMBO J. 13, 4212, 1994).
At first, it was believed that the cell attachment activity of βig-h3 would be mediated by the C-terminal RGD motif. However, some research results revealed that the RGD motif is not necessary for promoting the spreading of chondrocytes and that the mature soluble βig-h3 whose RGD motif is deleted by carboxyl-terminus processing is able to inhibit cell adhesion, leading to the conclusion that the RGD motif of βig-h3 is dispensable for mediating the cell attachment activity of βig-h3. In addition, it has been recently reported that βig-h3 promotes the spreading of fibroblasts via integrin α1β1 whereas the RGD motif of βig-h3 is not necessary for mediating the cell adhesion property of βig-h3. According to a recent report, βig-h3 binds specifically to integrin to enhance the cell adhesion and spreading of cells irrespective of RGD motif (Ohno, S. et al., Biochm. Biophys. Acta 1451, 196, 1999). Further, the conserved peptides H1 and H2 of βig-h3 were found to have no influence on βig-h3-mediated cell adhesion. These results, taken together, indicate that amino acids indispensable for the cell attachment activity of βig-h3 exist somewhere other than the H1 and H2 regions. A computer search based on homologies not only among the repeated fas-1 domains of βig-h3 but also among fas-1 domains of other proteins revealed that there are a few highly conserved amino acids in addition to H1 and H2 peptides, suggesting the possibility of the involvement of the conserved amino acid sequences in the cell attachment activity.
Of the domains of βig-h3, known to play an important role in cell adhesion, either of the 2nd or 4th domain is identified as a minimum domain essential for the cell adhesion of the molecule in accordance with the present invention. Based on these findings, recombinant proteins containing the essential functional domains are also identified as being effective for wound healing, in accordance with the present invention.
Recent research for wound healing has been subdivided into cell biology and molecular biology and the promotion of wound healing has had increasing applications in various clinical fields. However, cell biological and molecular biological mechanisms of wound healing still remain unclear. According to findings disclosed thus far, wound healing is a tissue response to trauma, leading to tissue repair through complex biological processes, including chemotaxis, cell differentiation and replication, matrix protein synthesis, angiogenesis, and wound reconstitution (Steed, D. L., et al., Clin. Plast. Surg. 25, 397, 1998).
Growth factors are representative materials that appear in the early stage of the wound healing process and control the subsequent wound healing process. Having strong influence over all stages of wound healing, growth factors act to control the growth, differentiation and metabolism of cells and reorganize the environs of the wound by their chemotactic properties which attract various cells types that are involved in inflammation and tissue repair, cellular proliferation, stimulating angiogenesis and the synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix. PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor) attracts fibroblasts to the wound and stimulates them to proliferate, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) causes them to make collagen. PDGF is chemotactic for most cells involved in wound healing, stimulates angiogenesis, remodeling and contraction, and activates wound healing cells (Mustoe, T. A. et al., J. Clin. Invest. 87, 694, 1991; Lepisto, J. et al., J. Surg. Res. 53, 596, 1992). EGF (epidermal growth factor) stimulates keratinocyte migration, angiogenesis and granulation tissue development and activates mitogenesis of keratinocyets and fibroblasts (Franklin, J. D. et al., Plast. Recsonst. Surg. 64, 766, 1979; Buckly, A. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82, 7340, 1985). bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) stimulates angiogenesis, epithelialization, and collagenous fiber deposition, and associates with heparin in various forms to perform relevant functions (Tsuboi, R. et al., J. Exp. Med. 172, 245, 1990; Kinsnorth, A. N. et al., Br. J. Surg. 77, 409, 1990). IGF (insulin-like growth factor) enhances cell differentiation. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) increases vasopermeability and promotes endothelial mitogenesis.
Of the growth factors and cytokines involved in wound healing, TGF-β is the most representative. Existing in three forms (TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and TGF-β3) in mammals, the cytokine plays important roles in the growth and differentiation of various cells and has various complex functions, including control of cell growth, regulation of immune responses, stimulation of osteogenesis, induction of cartilage specific macromolecules, and promotion of wound healing (Bennett, N. T. et al., Am. J. Surg. 165, 728, 1993). Appearing in the ephithelium during wound healing, TGF-β is believed to stimulate the expression of integrin within keratinocytes during re-epithelialization. In recent research into TGF-β expression, it was revealed that TGF-β3 mRNA is expressed in the epithelia of normal skin and acute and chronic wounds, while TGF-β1 mRNA is not expressed in normal skin and chronic wounds, but expressed in the epithelial layer regenerated from acute wounds, and nowhere is expressed TGF-β2 mRNA (Schmid, P. et al., J. Pathol. 171, 191, 1993). Based on the effects, even though their mechanisms are not firmly established, TGF-β is expected to play a major role in re-epithelialization.
Expression of βig-h3 is up-regulated by TGF-β, suggesting that βig-h3 is involved in the mediation of some signals of TGF-β. CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells transformed with βig-h3 expression plasmids are reported to show decreased tumorigenic ability (Skonier, J. et al., DNA Cell Biol. 13, 571, 1994). In contrast, βig-h3 expression is down-regulated in dexamethasone-treated stem cells, some tumor cells and the fibroblasts cultured from the skin lesion sites afflicted with localized hyperostosis of melorheostosis. βig-h3 is also reported to serve as a negative regulator of osteogenesis (Genini, M. et al., Int. J. Cancer 66, 571, 1996; Schenker, T. et al., Exp. Cell. Res. 239, 161, 1998; Kim, J. et al., J. Cell Biochem. 77, 169, 2000). In addition to these functions, βig-h3, known as a cell adhesion molecule, promotes the adhesion and spreading of fibroblasts in the dermis. According to studies into the distribution of βig-h3 in eye tissues, it is reported that the adhesion molecule is expressed in corneal epithelia of normal adults, intracorneal fetal stromal cells, and the endothelial and stromal cells in the process of wound healing. In addition, βig-h3 is expressed in the juxtaglomerular apparatus and proximal tubules of the kidneys, and its expression is increased in diabetes mellitus. Further, it is found in subendothelial smooth muscles of the coronary arteries of normal persons, and its amount is increased in the endometria of blood vessels in the case of arteriosclerosis. However, the expression of βig-h3 in normal dermal tissues and dermal wounds has not yet been firmly established (Klintworth, G. K. et al., Am. J. Pathol. 152, 743, 1998; Munier, F. L. et al., Nature Genetics 15, 247, 1997; Streeten B. W. et al., Arch. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 38, 893, 1997). As mentioned above, the distribution and expression of βig-h3 in normal human tissues remains unclear. Particularly, there are no reports regarding expression patterns of βig-h3 in dermal wounds. However, some research groups have reported that βig-h3 functions to promote the adhesion and spreading of dermal fibroblasts, so that it is expected to make a contribution to the promotion of wound healing.

Method for cell adhesion and wound healing


An electronic instrument has a rotary switch with an extending shaft, a light source proximate to the shaft, and a knob attached to the shaft. The knob has a body with a rear face, an opposed front face, and side surfaces extending between the faces. The rear face defines a bore sized to receive a free end of the shaft. The body has a light-transmissive portion extending from a first surface portion of the rear face surrounding the bore, such that light from the light source enters the light transmissive portion regardless of the rotary position of the knob. The light-transmissive portion of the body extends to a window in the side surface or the front face.

Electronic instruments such as Digital Oscilloscopes and other test and measurement equipment typically have an array of control knobs and buttons for selecting functions and adjusting parameters. Some such instruments have multi-function knobs that perform different functions in different circumstances. This permits the use of larger screen sizes on instruments of a given size, with smaller control panels.
When a knob is to perform multiple functions, it is useful to provide some kind of indication to the user about the current function. This has typically been achieved with adjacent illuminated annunciator labels, such as with light sources behind light-transmissive icons or text in a film on the instrument's front panel. However, with the increasing number of functions, the front panel may appear cluttered, may have inadequate space, or there may be confusion as to which label applies to which knob.
Illuminated knobs have been used in some applications, primarily for identifying the location or setting of a knob in a dark environment such as an automotive or aircraft instrument panel. Such knobs are employed with special switches to allow illumination through passages or light pipes. However, for sophisticated applications requiring controls meeting demanding electronic specifications, such illumination is impractical because such controls are not designed to transmit the needed light. Illumination techniques for such controls would generally lead to an unattractive or non-uniform result.
While a custom rotary switch having certain optical properties or configuration may be designed, this is often impractical for many applications where only small quantities are required (unlike the automotive industry) and where there is cost sensitivity (unlike the aerospace industry.) Thus, there is a need for a system that operates in conjunction with off-the-shelf switches.
The preferred embodiment addresses these needs in the following:

Instrument with illuminated control knob


When a predetermined anomaly has occurred in a digital multifunctional machine, the fact of the anomaly occurring is notified to the service center and the computer at the guardhouse. The service person sent out from the service center is issued with an entrance permit from the entrance permit issuing device at the guardhouse. Then, the service person can pass through the passage gates in the building using the information recorded in the entrance permit and reach the place where the digital multifunctional machine is installed.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system including an issuing terminal for issuing entrance permits, a service center and an image forming apparatus connected to the image issuing terminal and the service center.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Recently, digital multifunctional machines having scanner, facsimile and other functions in addition to the copier function have been known. During usage of a digital multifunctional machine, various kinds of anomaly conditions (errors) may occur. Examples of such errors include so-called paper jam or recording sheets becoming jammed inside the machine, toner end, and others.
At such cases, the digital multifunctional machine notifies the user of the occurrence of the anomaly condition. The user takes measures depending on the type of the error indicated to restore the digital multifunctional machine into the functional state.
However, there are cases the user cannot deal with, depending on the types of anomaly conditions. For example, a condition in which it becomes impossible to perform printing to the recording paper due to abnormal increase in the temperature of the fixing unit and another condition in which it become impossible to perform image reading due to malfunction of the CCD (charge coupled device) sensor inside the digital multifunctional machine apply to this case.
In general, when an anomaly condition that the user cannot handle has occurred, the user makes contact (a so-called service call) with the service center. After receiving a service call, the service center sends an engineer (service person) to the place where the digital multifunctional machine is installed to repair the machine.
Here, in companies and the like, it is a usual practice that all the people who enter or leave the company compound are checked and managed for security reasons. In general, an entrance management section such as a guardhouse or the like is placed at the entrance of the building or compound. When a visitor gives the destination of the visit, visit purpose and the like at the entrance management section, the visitor is issued with an entrance permit so as to be able to enter the building or compound.
Concerning such entrance management, there have been known technologies to control the visitors in a centralized manner using computers (e.g., see patent documents 1, 2 and 3 below).
Patent document 1:                Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2006-222741
Patent document 2:                Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 2004-86316
Patent document 3:                Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 11-202929.
When a service person visits a company etc., to repair a digital multifunctional machine as stated above, he/she visits the entrance management section such as guardhouse first, and gives his/her identity, the destination of the visit, visit purpose, etc. The entrance management section checks whether the service person has been scheduled to visit, and creates an entrance permit if he/she has been scheduled to come and gives the permit to him/her.
On the other hand, when the user of the digital multifunctional machine did not notify the entrance management section of the visit of the service person, the entrance management section makes an inquiry about the visiting service person to the user.
Then, the service person goes to the place where the digital multifunctional machine is installed based on the entrance permit, and then after completion of maintenance work, he/she needs to return to the entrance management section to report his/her leaving.
In the above way, if a service person visits a company in order to carry out the maintenance of a digital multifunctional machine, complex procedures need to be done until he/she obtains the entrance permit. Accordingly, there has been the problem that the service person cannot start maintenance work smoothly and promptly.
In particular, when the entrance management section has not been notified after a machine malfunction occurred, it could sometimes take a long time to obtain confirmation, hence a further time would be needed to start the maintenance work. Further, there occurs a time lag from the occurrence of a machine malfunction to when the service center and entrance management section receive its report. For these reasons, there has been the problem that the state of malfunction of the digital multifunctional machine becomes longer and the working ratio of the machine is lowered.

Image processing system and image forming apparatus


An electronically-controlled roll-up window shade that can easily be installed by a homeowner or general handyman is disclosed. The motorized shade includes an internal power source, a motor, and a communication system to allow for remote control of the motorized shade. One or more motorized shades can be controlled singly or as a group. In one embodiment, the motorized shades are used in connection with a zoned or non-zoned HVAC system to reduce energy usage. In one embodiment, the motorized shade is configured to have a size and form-factor that conforms to a standard manually-controlled motorized shade. In one embodiment, a group controller is configured to provide thermostat information to the motorized shade. In one embodiment, the group controller communicates with a central monitoring system that coordinates operation of one or more motorized shades. In one embodiment, the internal power source of the motorized shade is recharged by a solar cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motorized window shades.
2. Description of the Related Art
A roll-up window shade is well known. The shade can be moved manually up or down in front of a window to control the light level, room temperature, light flow, or to provide privacy. The known roll-up shade is relatively inexpensive and is easy to install. If the shade is damaged, a new shade can be replaced easily. These types of shades are sold in retail stores and do-it-yourself centers across the U.S. The shades are typically stocked in 3, 4, 5 and 6 foot widths. The shade can easily be cut to the proper width with a cutting device either at the point of sale or at installation time. The installer or homeowner can measure and install the shade on the same site visit.
The conventional roll-up shade has a first pin end and a second spring end with a rectangular barb extending outwardly. The pin end is inserted into a circular hole in a bracket. The spring end is mounted in a similar shaped bracket with a slot designed to keep the barb from rotating. The brackets are designed to be mounted inside a window frame i.e., inside the jamb, or along the outside of a window frame. The user pulls the roll-up shade down by a hem bar located along the bottom edge of the shade until the desired amount of shade material is showing. The user then eases up on the hem bar until the pawl mechanism in the spring end of the shade locks the shade into position. As the shade is being pulled down, the spring is being wound up.
When the user wants to put the shade up, the user pulls down on the hem bar slightly to disengage the pawl mechanism and then guides the hem bar upward as the spring pulls the fabric upward. If the user lets go of the shade as the shade is traveling upward the spring in the shade will cause the shade to travel upward out of control. The hem bar will continue to rotate around the roller until it stops. The setting of multiple shades at the same relative position can be a very time consuming process. The manually-operated shades are not capable of receiving inputs from time clocks, photo sensors, occupant sensors or infrared hand held transmitters.
It is known to replace the spring mechanism described above with a motor, typically a tubular motor, to allow the window shade to be rolled and unrolled (opened and closed) by remote control. Installation of these systems typically requires a skilled craftsman. The installer usually will need to make one visit to measure the window and another separate visit to install the system. In some systems, the hem bar located at the bottom of the shade travels in channels secured to the sides of the window opening, thus, decreasing the amount of light that can enter through the window when the shade is up. The motor is typically connected to a nearby power source with line voltage or low-voltage wiring.
A typical motorized roller shade is secured to the window opening with two mounting brackets. The single roller shade is custom made with a fabric of choice. The motor is installed inside the roller tube at the factory and line or low voltage wiring connects the motor to a nearby power source. If the unit fails, the unit must typically be returned to the manufacturer or a technician must visit the job site.
Multiple units can be grouped together by wiring the multiple units to each other or to a common control system. Installation of such wiring is beyond the capabilities of most homeowners, and thus, such units must be installed by a professional installer.
The prior art devices generally suffer from a number of disadvantages including the inability to communicate with other devices, lack of intelligent control, e.g. by a microprocessor, and thus, having inability to be programmed easily, bulky size causing difficulty in installation, an unattractive appearance and maintenance problems as well as inability to easily retrofit to existing manually actuated shades. These problems have severely limited the market for motorized rollup window shades.


Methods create restoration log records in a restoration log in a computer system which includes software and hardware resources and a data base containing software representations of the resources, which can be exposed to operations from a process associated with the data system or from an operations system for the data system. A restoration log record shall reflect an updating of a resource representation performed from the process or from the operations system. For enabling conditional creation of a log record in the restoration log in case of an operation directed towards the resource representation, each resource representation is provided with logging information indicating whether an updating of the resource representation shall be logged in the restoration log.

The present invention relates to a method for creating restoration log files in a restoration log in a data system that includes software and hardware resources and a data base containing software representations of the resources, said resource representations containing data in associated attributes, and being able to be exposed to operations from a process associated with the data system or from an operations system for the data system. By a restoration log file is here meant something that shall reflect a resource representation updating performed from the process or from the operations system.
All computer systems associated with a process interact with the process as well as with operators and/or other operations systems. Examples of such systems are digital telecommunication switches, supervising systems for power distribution, and different types of manufacturing support systems. All these types of systems have a software representation of resources in the process. Such a resource representation can e.g. consist of a resource object in an object oriented system. The resource representation can be affected by an updating request from the process to the system. It can also be affected by an updating request from the operator and/or other systems. Later on the software representation can be affected due to an updating request from the process as well as from the operator.
In a telecommunication system subscribers are regarded as part of the process and their invoking of services is regarded as updating requests from the process to the switch. Services created from an operations support central are regarded as updating requests from another system/operator.
Common principles for system backup are that instant copies of all resource representations in a system are created with determined intervals, said instant copies being intended to be used for reloading in case of a system crash. Thereafter a restoration log is created with all updating commands from the operations system to the system. Normally, the restoration log contains no updatings originating from the process. In certain rare cases the initiator of an updating must create a restoration log record reflecting updating of the resource representation.
If the system does not support logging from a process one disadvantage of this principle is that certain or all updatings from the process are missing or erroneous depending on how well the initiators of the updating requests have followed the rule to create a restoration log record. The agreement between the restoration log and real updatings of the resource representations depend on a correct design by the initiator. Lack of correctness may turn out to be not visible until the restoration log shall be used for restoration of the system after a crash.
Another disadvantage is that the restoration log used for restoring will contain all updating requests from the operations system although only certain of these can be of value for a restoration.
Obviously it is therefore a great risk that a restoration can result in non-agreement between resource representations and the resources in the process.
EP 516,900 describes data backup and restoration in a data process system. The object is to eliminate the disadvantage of a great and unmanageable restoration log. A backup copy is taken of at least a part of stored data when this part is available for updating. Restoration of the data base is performed by introducing the backup copy and applying updatings in the log records done after a restoration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,031 relates to restart of a data system after an interruption by means of resource managers including a restoration log.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,744 describes a method for restarting a fault tolerant operation in a data base system without charging the system log. According to the method only a minimum amount of information is logged. All transaction oriented changes are written to the log for supporting a restoration in case of an interruption.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,474 discloses system restart while using a restoration log and describes restoration in a plurality of steps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,678 relates to data availability in restartable data base systems. A method is presented for switch over between a backup processor and an active processor after supervising of the log records of the active processor. When the active processor fails the backup processor performs the necessary restoration process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,611 describes restoration of a data base after an error while using a log.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,501 relates to multiple level transaction restoration in a data base system. By operation logging the data base can manage plurality level restoration with very few restrictions with regard to the timing of updatings and log record.

Method for determining the contents of a restoration log


A communication system 100 for determining the optimum direction (206) for transmitting and receiving a signal in a radio comprises a receiver for receiving a carrier signal being a time divided signal having an instruction signal, a transmitter for transmitting a time divided signal, a directional antenna (10) coupled to said receiver and transmitter, and a steering device (28) for changing the phase of the carrier signal in accordance with the instruction signal.

The tremendous growth in the use of cordless telecommunications systems has increased the demand for a system having high capacity, high quality communications and small, inexpensive subscriber units. The basis for these characteristics is primarily low power digital transmission and small micro-cells. As low power technology advances, the limitations will be the transmit power and/or the feasibility of smaller cells. Of course, these limitations have inherent problems as well as inherent benefits.
If the transmit power in a portable subscriber unit is reduced, the likelihood of decreased range and cell size naturally follows. Use in densely populated areas such as urban and indoor environments results in greater multipath effects. This would limit the data rates available for use within the system. Decreased cell size would result in more base station sites, greater infra-structure, and an increased number of handoffs between cells. Other system problems may exists as well, including the ability to implement a portable controlled handoff, and compensating for an unexpected propagation environment (e.g., irregular cell shapes, moving objects, etc.). Therefore, a need for compensating for these limitations exists.
Using a directional antenna provides increased system gain in a limited direction by reducing the system gain in other directions. The use of a plurality of antennas and/or a means of steering a given number of antennas in addition to measuring signal quality (in a given direction) would allow the selection of a particular direction to achieve improved system gain. Antenna arrays are typically used to steer an antenna beam electronically. The array typically consists of antenna elements such as dipoles or slots, waveguides or horns, and microstrip antennas or other configurations. These arrays can be electronically steered by phase shifting the reception or transmission signal. Of course, other means of steering an antenna (including mechanically rotating) would be within contemplation of the present invention.

Telecommunications system using directional antennas


Animals have been domesticated and kept as a source of milk for tens of thousands of years. When humans keep animals for their ability to produce milk, the animals are usually kept in confined spaces. As a result of this confinement the animals are exposed to high levels of urine and fecal matter which originated with the animals which are being kept. This exposure contaminates the animal and in particular the udder and teats of the animal, with bacteria. In the milking process this bacteria can further contaminate the milk which is destine for human consumption. The bacteria can further cause mastitis in the bovine. The above set forth problems are eliminated in the subject invention wherein the udder and teat areas of the bovine are sanitized with a solution which contains both Cl+ and I+ ions wherein the I+ ion is produced by the oxidation of a solution of a dry iodine salt, without an N-chloro organic compound. The iodine salt may be an alkali metal iodide, an exemplary oxidizer is tricholormelamine.

Bovines and in particular cows have been milked for thousands of years. Because the udder and teats of a cow are located on its underside they are easily contaminated with bacteria. In the milking process this bacteria can easily contaminate the resulting milk. In addition this bacteria can spread to the mammary tract of the cows utter causing infections which are referred to as mastitis. These infections can severely restrict the amount of milk produced by the cow, and hence the economics of the dairy in question.
In the past efforts have been made to sanitize the teats and udder areas of a bovine prior to the milking process. Past attempts to sanitize the udder and teats consisted of washing with soap, and water and washing with solutions of iodine based compounds.
These prior art attempts to sanitize the udder and teats of a bovine have proved to be ineffective and/or troublesome.
This application relates to sanitizing the udder and teats of an animal prior to the milking process. While this application primarily refers to sanitizing the udder and teats of a bovine, it is understood by one skilled in the art, that the process of this invention is applicable to any milk giving animal.

Bovine teat cleaning process using dry powder reagents


The present invention establishes the fact that the degradation of SP to SP(1-4) by endogenous NEP in BM stroma can be a mediator of hematopoietic stimulation by stem cell factor (SCF) and induce the production of TGF-β and TNF-α in BM stroma. The present invention establishes that compositions containing the SP(1-4) polypeptide, or NEP genetic elements, can be used to slow and or stop the rapid growth of stem and progenitor cells thus protecting them from the deleterious effects of cancer therapy. Hence, the polynucleotides and proteins of the present invention may be used to protect stem cells from the toxic effects of chemo- and radio-therapy, in those undergoing, or about to undergo such cancer related treatments. Also provided are compositions containing NEP antisense sequences and antibodies used for the increased proliferation and differentiation of stem and/or progenitor cells in those whom have already undergone chemo- and/or radio-therapy.

Cells in the body are continually replaced. This can occur over a period of several hours up to many months. The presence of stem cells of various tissue types are present to grow and differentiate as a source of replacement cells for those cells that die. For example, the majority of blood cells are destined to die within a period of hours to weeks, depending on the specific blood cell type, and so must be continuously replaced. Bone Marrow (BM) is the major source of blood cells, including both white (lymphocytes, i.e., immune cells) and red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the adult.
Among the various cells that constitute the BM are primitive hematopoietic pluripotent stem cells, progenitor cells and stromal cells. Hemopoietic stem cells are a class of cells that have been defined functionally by the characteristics of extended self-renewal and the capacity to mature into one or more differentiated forms of blood cells, such as, lymphocytes, granulocytes, erythrocytes, megakaryocytes and stromal cells. Hence, an important property of stem cells is their ability to both proliferate, which ensures a continuous supply throughout the lifetime of an individual, and differentiate into the mature cells of the peripheral blood system.
Hematopoietic stem cells are present at about 0.01% of the bone marrow and serve as a source of replacement blood cells. When necessary, a pluripotent stem cell can begin to differentiate, and after successive divisions become committed, thus losing the capacity for self-renewal, to a particular line of development. A pluripotent hemopoietic stem cell, such as long term culture initiating cells (LTC-IC), can differentiate into either a lymphoid stem cell or a myeloid stem cell. The LTC-IC cells are one of the most primitive of cells and can potentially differentiate in any hematopoietic lineage.
Lymphoid stem cells can differentiate into a B-cell progenitor or a T-cell in the thymus. The B-cell progenitor formation is induced by Interleukin-7 (IL-7) or other differentiation factors, and is inhibited by TGF-β or Interleukin-4 (IL-4). The lymphoid stem cell can also differentiate into a T-cell progenitor cell that moves to the thymus wherein it differentiates into a pre-T-cell, followed by differentiation into a specific T-cell.
Myeloid stem cells may differentiate into a burst-forming unit-erythroid followed by a colony forming unit-erythroid or by further differentiation into a red blood cell induced by erythropoietin. Alternatively, a myeloid stem cell can differentiate into a colony forming unit-megakaryocyte followed by differentiation into a megakaryocyte that can then form platelets. Myeloid stem cells can also differentiate into a colony forming unit granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM), which are the progenitors of monocytes and macrophages, colony forming unit eosinophil (CFU-E) or a colony forming unit basophil (CFU-B), which can then differentiate into eosinophils or basophils, respectively, under the control of GM-CSF/IL-3 or IL-3, respectively, and CFU-C cells. On the other hand, both TNF-α, TGF-β and TGF-β1 efficiently inhibit myeloid cell development (Zipori et al., 1986 and Broxmeyer et al., 1986) and TGF-β1 restricts lymphocyte proliferation (lee et al., 1986) and is a potent inhibitor of several proliferative activators for myelocytes and lymphoblasts including IL-3, G-CSF, GM-CSF (Masatsugu et al., 1987).
Virtually all of the circulating blood cells, including erythrocytes, leukocytes or lymphocytes, granulocytes and platelets originate from various progenitor cells that are themselves derived from precursor stem cells such as lymphoid and myeloid cells. Stem cells may also differentiate in to the supporting cells of the hemopoietic bone marrow matrix, such as stromal cells, that function in the formation and makeup of the hematopoietic microenvironment, which supports growth and differentiation of other hematopoietic stem cells into the various types of lymphoid and myeloid cells under the control of cytokines (described below).
Besides providing support these cells can also secrete multiple cytokines that have effects on the growth and/or differentiation of the lymphoid and myeloid progenitor cells. In addition, other cytokines (such as colony stimulating factors) can bind to stem cell growth supporting stromal cells and influence the types and concentrations of growth and/or differentiation factors secreted by the stromal cells.
Hematopoietic stem cell production, proliferation and differentiation occur in direct proximity to osteoblasts, a major component of the bone matrix, within the bone marrow cavity. The development of the bone marrow cavity is a coordinated process in which blood precursors migrate and colonize spaces carved out of embryonic bone and cartilage. Stromal cells like osteoblasts in the bone marrow, through adhesion events mediated by cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), such as integrins and selecting, provide the structural scaffolding for hematopoiesis, and also produce several of the soluble factors (cytokines) critical to the development of blood cells. Hence, the direct interaction of hematopoietic cells with osteoblasts stromal cells is important for maintaining hematopoiesis. Stromal cell-associated cytokines are expressed due to this interaction and stimulate blood cell proliferation and are involved in controlling the specific growth and differentiation of hematopoictic stem cells into the specific blood cell types.
The morphologically recognizable and functionally capable cells circulating in the blood include erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells including both B and T cells), non B- and T-lymphocytes, phagocytes, neutrophilic, eosinophilic and basophilic granulocytes, and platelets. These mature cells are derived, on demand, from dividing progenitor cells, such as erythroblasts (for erythrocytes), lymphoid precursors, myeloblasts (for phagocytes including monocytes, macrophages and neutrophils), promyelocytes and myelocytes (for the various granulocytes) and megakaryocytes for the platelets. As stated above, these progenitor cells are themselves derived from lymphoid and myeloid precursor stem cells.
Many different proteins regulate cell viability, growth and differentiation of different hematopoietic cell lineages and play various roles in the molecular basis of abnormal cell development in blood-forming tissues. These regulators include cytokines such as colony stimulating factors and interleukins. Different cytokines can induce cell viability, multiplication and differentiation. Hematopoiesis is controlled by a network of interactions between these cytokines. This network includes positive regulators such as colony stimulating factors and interleukins and negative regulators such as transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and tumor necrosis factors α and β (TNF). The functioning of this network requires an appropriate balance between these positive and negative regulators.
Hence, a complex network of cytokines as well as inter- and intra-cellular interactions regulate the proliferation and differentiation of a finite pool of hematopoietic stem cells. As described above, cytokines are protein growth factors that function as intercellular signals that regulate hematopoiesis, as well as local and/or systemic inflammatory responses, and include colony stimulating factors, interleukins and other growth factors having such activity.
Cytokines modulate target cells by interacting with cytokine receptors on the target cell. Principal cell sources of cytokines in vivo include T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, macrophages, monocytes, platelets and stromal cells. While cytokine specific receptors are specific for a given cytokine, cytokine receptors are grouped into families based on shared features. The first group of cytokine receptors is the hemopoetin group which are present on cells including immune system cells that bind IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-7. A second receptor family is the TNF receptor family which bind both TNF-α and TGF-β. A third family is the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily receptor family, which contain an Ig sequence-like motif and includes human IL-1 and IL-6 receptors.
Proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells are regulated by hormone-like growth and differentiation factors designated as colony-stimulating factors (CSF) (Metcalf, D. Nature 339, 27–30 (1989)). CSF can be classified into several factors according to the stage of the hematopoietic cells to be stimulated and the surrounding conditions as follows: granulocyte colony-stimulation factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulation factor (GM-CSF), macrophage colony-stimulation factor (M-CSF), and interleukin 3 (IL-3).
Small amounts of certain hematopoietic growth factors account for the differentiation of stem cells into a variety of blood cell progenitors, for the tremendous proliferation of those cells, and for their differentiation into mature blood cells. For instance, G-CSF participates greatly in the differentiation and growth of neutrophilic granulocytes and plays an important role in the regulation of blood levels of neutrophils and the activation of mature neutrophils (Nagata, S., "Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology", volume "Peptide Growth Factors and Their Receptors", eds. Sporn, M. B. and Roberts, A. B., Spring-Verlag, Heidelberg, Vol.95/1, pp.699–722 (1990); Nicola, N. A. et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 58, pp.45–77 (1989)). It is also reported that G-CSF stimulates the growth of tumor cells such as myeloid leukemia cells. (Nicola and Metcalf, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81, 3765–3769 (1984); Begley et al., Leukemia, 1, 1–8 (1987). Other growth factors include, erythropoietin (EPO), which is responsible for stimulating the differentiation of erythroblasts into erythrocytes and Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (M-CSF) responsible for stimulating the differentiation of myeloblasts and myelocytes into monocytes.
Growth factors are part of the cytokine family of chemical messengers. As stated above, cytokines are among the factors that act upon the hematopoietic system to regulate blood cell proliferation and differentiation and they are also important mediators of the immune response being secreted by both B and T cells, as well as other various lymphocytes. Cytokines encourage cell growth, promote cell activation, direct cellular traffic, act as messengers between cells of the hematopoietic system, and destroy target cells (i.e., cancer cells). Among the various components involved in the modulation and regulation of the hematopoietic system that cytokines play a role in modulating are the tachykinins.
The tachykinins are immune and hematopoietic modulators that belong to a family of peptides encoded by the preprotachykinin-I (PPT-1) gene (Quinn, J. P., C. E. Fiskerstrand, L. Gerrard, A. MacKenzie, and C. M. Payne. 2000. Molecular models to analyze preprotachykinin-A expression and function. Neuropeptides 34:292–302). The tachykinins can be released in the BM and other lymphoid organs as neurotransmitters or from the resident BM immune cells (2–6). In the BM, PPT-I and other hematopoietic growth factors regulate expression of each other through autocrine and paracrine activities. It is believed that various cytokines induce the expression of the PPT-I gene in BM mesenchymal cells (Rameshwar, P. 1997. Substance P: A regulatory neuropeptide for hematopoiesis and immune functions. Clin. Immunol. Immunopath. 85:129–133.). The tachykinin family of peptides exerts pleiotropic functions such as neurotransmission and immune/hematopoietic modulation.
PPT-1 peptides exert both stimulatory and inhibitory hematopoietic effects by interacting with different affinities to the G-protein coupled receptors: NK-1, NK-2 and NK-3 (Krause, J. E., Y. Takeda, and A. D. Hershey. 1992. Structure, functions, and mechanisms of substance P receptor action. J. Invest. Dermatol. 98:2S-7S). NK-1 and NK-2 expression has been reported in BM cells (Rameshwar, P., A. Poddar, and P. Gascon. 1997. Hematopoietic regulation mediated by interactions among the neurokinins and cytokines. Leuk. Lymphoma 28:1–10). NK-1 is induced in BM cells by cytokines and other stimulatory hematopoietic regulators. NK-2 is constitutively expressed in BM cells that are unstimulated or stimulated with suppressive hematopoietic regulators. NK-1 and NK-2 are not co-expressed in BM cells because NK-1 induction by cytokines is correlated with the down regulation of NK-2. In BM cells, NK-1 expression requires cell stimulation whereas its expression in neural tissue is constitutive (Rameshwar, P. 1997. Substance P: A regulatory neuropeptide for hematopoiesis and immune functions. Clin. Immunol. Immunopath. 85:129–133, Yao, R., P. Rameshwar, R. J. Donnelly, and A. Siegel. 1999. Neurokinin-1 expression and colocalization with glutamate and GABA in the hypothalamus of the cat. Mol. Brain Res. 71:149–158, and Abrahams, L. G., M. A. Rerutter, K. E. McCarson, and V. S. Seybold. 1999. Cyclic AMP regulates the expression of neurokinin 1 receptors by neonatal rat spinal neurons. J. Neurochem. 73:50–58.). It is believed that a particular cytokine discriminates between the expression of NK-1 and NK-2, which directs the type of BM functions: stimulatory vs. inhibitory (Rameshwar, P., A. Poddar, and P. Gascon. 1997. Hematopoietic regulation mediated by interactions among the neurokinins and cytokines. Leuk. Lymphoma 28:1–10).
Substance P (SP), the major tachykinin released in the BM, stimulates hematopoiesis through interactions with the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor, which is resident on BM stroma, immune cells and other lymphoid organ cells. Hence, the expression of NK-1 determines the hematopoietic response of the tachykinins. NK-2 inhibits hematopoiesis by interacting with neurokinin-A, another tachykinin encoded for by the PPT-I gene. Recently, the present inventors have discovered that the stimulatory effects mediated by NK-1 can be changed to hematopoietic inhibition in the presence of the amino terminal of SP, a fragment found endogenously in the BM due to enzymatic digestion of SP by endogenous endopeptidases. Further, dysregulated expression of the PPT-1 gene has been associated with different pathologies such as cancer (Bost et al., 1992b; Henning et al., 1995; Ho et al., 1996; Michaels, 1998; Rameshwar et al., 1997a).
Under normal circumstances, the BM is able to respond quickly to an increased demand for a particular type of cell. The pluripotential stem cell is capable of creating and reconstituting all the cells that circulate in the blood, including both red and white blood cells and platelets. As stated, progenitor cells that derive from stem cells can replicate and differentiate rapidly. On average, 3–10 billion lymphocyte cells can be generated in an hour. The BM can increase this by 10 fold in response to need. However, in the throes of a diseased state, the BM may not produce enough stem cells, may produce too many stem cells or various ones produced may begin to proliferate uncontrollably.
Lymphoproliferative syndromes consist of several types of diseases known as leukemia and malignant lymphoma, which can further be classified as acute and chronic myeloid or lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These diseases are characterized by the uncontrollable multiplication or proliferation of leukocytes (primarily the B-cells), myelocytes and tissue of the lymphatic system, especially lymphocyte cells produced in the BM and lymph nodes.
Traditional methods of treating these leukemia related malignancies includes chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The theory behind chemo- and radio-therapies is that they take advantage of a cancerous cell's unnatural and vastly increased cell growth cycle. Once adulthood is reached, the majority of cells within the body grow and proliferate for the purposes of replacing old and dying cells. As a consequence of this, the majority of the body's terminally differentiated cells are either not in a growth phase in their cell cycle or if they are it is at a slow rate. Hence, for example, cells of the skin and liver have a very slow growth rate, while cells of the kidneys grow so slow in the adult as to be non-existant. Cancerous cells, on the other hand, have a very rapid growth rate in which large amounts of DNA is synthesized and the cell's membrane becomes more permeable to extracellular elements. Due to this rapid growth and increased cell-surface permeability, cancerous cells are more susceptible to the effects of DNA degrading chemo- and radio-therapeutic agents that disrupt DNA synthesis and cause cell death. Because most cells of the body grow, if at all, at a slower rate they are not as susceptible to the toxic effects of chemo- and radio-therapy.
Problems arise however with regard to those cells of the body that naturally have increased rates of proliferation such as stem cells, progenitor cells and the many different hemopoietic cells of the immune system. Chemo- and radio-therapeutic agents do not distinguish between the aberrant cancerous cells and the rapid growing, but normal stem and immune cells. Hence, both tumor and healthy stem and immune cells are killed off by the administration of chemo- and radio-therapeutic toxic agents. This leads to a drop in blood count, suppression of the immune response, and to an increased risk of bacterial and/or fungal infection, which can lead to death.
Because stem and progenitor cells, like cancer cells, have an increased sensitivity to the toxic effects of chemo- and radio-therapy, and because chemo- and radio-therapeutic agents are indiscriminate when they assault cells of the body, leading to a compromised immune system, there has been, and continues to be, a long felt need for a way to protect the healthy stem and progenitor cells of the body from the toxic effects of chemo- and radio-therapy.
The present invention includes novel compositions and methods for slowing, and or turning off, stem and progenitor cell growth in a subject, specifically, in a subject about to undergo toxic cancer treatment, thus protecting these cells from the highly toxic effects associated with chemo- and radio-therapy. The Applicants have discovered that neutral endopeptidase (NEP) utilizes Substance P (SP) to produce a tetrapeptide, SP(1-4), that inhibits proliferation of lymphoid-myeloid stem and progenitor cells. It has been determined, through its interactions with TGF-β and TNF-α, that SP(1-4) can be used as an effective treatment to shield both stem and progenitor cells from the toxic effects of chemo- and radio-therapy thereby protecting a subject's immune system from being compromised and reducing the risk of bacterial or fungal infection, allowing for a greater dosage of chemo- and/or radio-therapy to be administered and/or over a longer administration period, as well as shortening the recovery period required for new stem cell growth and terminal blood cell replenishment.

Amino terminal substance P compositions and methods for using the same

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey


A composition that employs a coupling agent with a fluoropolymer processing aid to address melt-processing issues related to the use of interfering components in melt-processable polymeric binders.

Fluoropolymers are often utilized as processing aids in the melt processing of polymeric materials, such as polyolefins. The polymeric materials possess certain viscoelastic characteristics that, when melt processed, may result in undesirable defects in the finished material. This is particularly evident in extrusion processes for a given extrudable polymer where there exists a critical shear rate above which the surface of the extrudate exhibits melt defects. The melt defects may be present as a rough surface on the extrudate, commonly referred to as melt fracture. Melt fracture is primarily a function of the rheology of the polymer and the temperature and speed at which the polymer is processed. Melt fracture may take the form of "sharkskin", a loss of surface gloss, that in more serious manifestations appears as ridges running more or less transverse to the extrusion direction. The extrudate may, in more severe cases, undergo "continuous melt fracture" where the surface becomes grossly distorted.
Fluoropolymers are capable of alleviating melt fracture in many polymeric materials. The fluoropolymers are incorporated into the polymeric materials in an amount generally of about 2% by weight or less.
Melt processable polymeric materials, hereinafter referred to as polymeric binders, are often combined with certain fillers or additives to both enhance the economics and to impart desired physical characteristics to the processed material. The fillers may include various organic material or inorganic material mixed throughout the polymeric host material. For example, wood flour or wood fibers are often included with certain hydrocarbon polymers to make a composite that is suitable as structural building material upon melt processing.
The incorporation of conventional fillers and additives may adversely affect the efficacy of the fluoropolymers incorporated into the melt processable mixture as a processing aid. Such fillers can interfere with the ability of the fluoropolymer to reduce melt fracture. Thus, melt fracture may occur at processing speeds that are undesirably low. Additionally, an increase of the amount of processing aid in the polymeric mixture does not reduce the melt fracture of the polymeric material to acceptable levels. For purposes of the present invention, the fillers and additives hereinafter will be referred to as interfering components.

Compositions and method for improving the processing of polymer composites


The present disclosure provides a tessellation data processing method, system, media, and vector graphics processing device. The method includes: according to specified coordinates of intersections, creating different levels of cache tables, wherein the intersections result from vector lines generated by tessellation intersecting lines parallel to an x-axis or y-axis; storing in a content table addresses of information tables in memory, storing in a lowest level cache table an address of the content table in the memory, and storing an address of the lowest level cache table in the memory in a cache table one level higher than the lowest level cache table. The tessellation data processing method, system, media, and vector graphics processing device of the present disclosure store effective data in multi-level lookup tables based on coordinates of intersections, effectively reduce memory footprint, support multi-channel tessellation processing, and enhance the performance of vector graphics rendering.

In the field of vector graphics, lines generated by tessellation may intersect with a certain line parallel to the y-axis, thereby creating intersections, and data associated with the intersections need to be stored in memory. After a current vector graph is processed by tessellation, the intersection data stored in the memory is retrieved. Afterward, a coverage value of each pixel in the vector graph is calculated according to Fill Information and Position Information of the intersections, and then the entire vector graph is redrawn according to filling rules.
Conventionally, the memory used in tessellation stores Fill Information and statistics of all the pixels of the entire vector graph, and therefore tessellation usually generates a large amount of memory footprint. In addition, a large amount of memory footprint makes it difficult for hardware to realize multiple parallel tessellation processes, limiting the hardware's performance.
Further, after the entire vector graph is processed, the data structure in the existing technology requires retrieving all the data in the memory according to their corresponding positions on the vector graph, from top to bottom and from left to right, in order to find all the intersections and perform rendering. The above memory data retrieving method has the following shortcomings:
(1) The bandwidth of the system is relatively large;
(2) It takes a long time to find the intersections, which means an increased bubble time for vector graphics filling, which seriously affects rendering performance.
In addition, in order to reduce interaction with the memory, a cache memory is usually added to cache a part of the data. The hit rate for the conventional cache is low, resulting in large bandwidth required by the system, which decreases performance, and increases power consumption.

Tessellation data processing method, system, medium and vector graphics processing device

VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

VeriSilicon Microelectronics (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.


A digital system includes a non-volatile calculating register having a set of latches configured to perform a calculation. A set of non-volatile storage cells is coupled to the set of latches. Access detection logic is coupled to the calculating register and is operable to initiate a calculation of a next value by the calculating register each time the calculating register is accessed by an accessing module. The access detection logic is operable to cause the next value to be stored in the set of non-volatile storage cells at the completion of the calculation as an atomic transaction. After a power loss or other restore event, the contents of the calculating register may be restored from the non-volatile storage cells.

Many portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, digital cameras/camcorders, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, and video games operate on batteries. During periods of inactivity the device may not need to perform processing operations and may be placed in a power-down or standby power mode to conserve power. Power provided to a portion of the logic within the electronic device may be turned off in a low power standby power mode. However, presence of leakage current during the standby power mode represents a challenge for designing portable, battery operated devices. Data retention circuits such as flip-flops and/or latches within the device may be used to store state information for later use prior to the device entering the standby power mode. The data retention latch, which may also be referred to as a shadow latch or a balloon latch, is typically powered by a separate 'always on' power supply.
A known technique for reducing leakage current during periods of inactivity utilizes multi-threshold CMOS (MTCMOS) technology to implement a shadow latch. In this approach, the shadow latch utilizes thick gate oxide transistors and/or high threshold voltage (Vt) transistors to reduce the leakage current in standby power mode. The shadow latch is typically detached from the rest of the circuit during normal operation (e.g., during an active power mode) to maintain system performance. To retain data in a 'master-slave' flip-flop topology, a third latch, e.g., the shadow latch, may be added to the master latch and the slave latch for the data retention. In other cases, the slave latch may be configured to operate as the retention latch during low power operation. However, some power is still required to retain the saved state. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,639,056, "Ultra Low Area Overhead Retention Flip-Flop for Power-Down Applications".
Some systems are now operated on harvested energy, in which case they may be active when power is available and then turn off when no power is available. Energy harvesting, also known as power harvesting or energy scavenging, is the process by which energy is derived from external sources, captured, and stored for small, wireless autonomous devices, such as those used in wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks. Harvested energy may be derived from various sources, such as: solar power, thermal energy, wind energy, salinity gradients and kinetic energy, etc. However, typical energy harvesters provide a very small amount of power for low-energy electronics. The energy source for energy harvesters may be present as ambient background and is available for use. For example, temperature gradients exist from the operation of a combustion engine; there is a large amount of electromagnetic energy in the environment because of radio and television broadcasting, etc.
System on Chip (SoC) is now a commonly used concept; the basic approach is to integrate more and more functionality into a given device. This integration can take the form of either hardware or solution software. Performance gains are traditionally achieved by increased clock rates and more advanced process nodes. Many SoC designs pair a microprocessor core, or multiple cores, with various peripheral devices and memory circuits.
Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

Computing register with non-volatile-logic data storage


A method for three-dimensional measurement of coordinates of a set of N predetermined points of the surface of a mechanical part to be measured, relatively to a predetermined reference system, and the direction cosines of the theoretical normals thereto at the theoretical points corresponding to the N predetermined points are known, and including a preparatory phase, in which the coordinate points, corresponding to the N predetermined points of a first mechanical part taken as a standard part, are measured; an initialization phase, in which displacement measurements (along the normals are read on the N points of the standard part; a measurement phase, in which N linear displacement measurements performed on the N points of the part to be measured corresponding to the N points of the standard part, are read; and a computation phase, in which the coordinates of the N points of the part to be measured are computed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to three-dimensional measuring machines (3D CMMs) used in metrology for measuring precision mechanical parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
These machines include a numerical control system of the type fitting out numerical control machine-tools (NCMTs), for numerically controlling a jointed arm. The arm bears a comparator and a feeler which is put into contact onto points of the surface to be measured, thereby located in a rectangular coordinate system of the theoretical reference system, or of the machine.
In order to perform the measurement or the inspection of a part; it is clamped on the measurement platen fitting out the CMM, and this accurately with respect to the machine or mechanical reference system. This reference system is embodied by a device of the platen, for example a reference surface, sphere or other surface, on which, during an initialization phase of the machine, the machine reference system is made to coincide with the reference system of the part to be measured before making it perform the measurements.
The feeler is then automatically and successively positioned by the machine on the points to be measured, and an operator simultaneously and manually notes down on the comparator the corresponding deviations with respect to the theoretical coordinates of these points.
This method is well suited for simple inspections of not very complex parts, when there are a few points to be checked or measured and when the number of parts to be measured is not too large.
However for complex parts such as blades of turbine engines, measurements are lengthy and the number of parts to be measured is significant. In this case, the method proves to be very costly.

Three-dimensional machine with simultaneous measurements


A system includes a display control module, a cursor control device, a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of graphical control elements such as sliders, and a human interface device with keys. A mapping of individual keys or simultaneously selected combinations of keys to sliders is stored by the display control module. A slider is adjustable by the cursor control device while the key mapped to the slider is activated and is disassociated from the cursor control device when the mapped key is deactivated. A computer program product embodiment includes a computer readable medium having computer usable program code for mapping a slider to a corresponding key, activating the slider for adjustment, adjusting the slider with a cursor control device while maintaining a key or combination of keys in the active state, and terminating adjustment of the slider by placing the key in an inactive state.

The present invention relates generally to user adjustment of input parameters for a system having a display and a cursor control device, and more particularly to user adjustment of graphical control elements in a graphical user interface.
Some electronic devices are controlled by entering text commands on a keypad on the device or a keyboard connected to the device. It may be difficult for a user to remember all of the text commands needed to operate an electronic device, the syntax of each command, and the best command to use for a particular operation. Furthermore, typing a string of text characters to enter a command into an electronic device is subject to typing errors and may divert a user's attention from other, more urgent or more important matters. For example, persons who interact with complex process control systems by entering text commands into keyboards may concentrate so intently on entering commands correctly that they fail to notice that the process or system they should be monitoring is not performing optimally.
A user may prefer to interact with an electronic device by adjusting graphical control elements presented on a display rather than by entering text commands into a keyboard or keypad. A user interface which includes graphical control elements on a display is sometimes referred to as a graphical user interface (GUI). Changing a graphical control element in a GUI may cause corresponding changes in a system parameter associated with the graphical control element. A user of an electronic device with a GUI need not remember the underlying system commands the GUI outputs to control the electronic device. A GUI may be arranged so that only those graphical control elements related to a particular operation are visible at one time on a display, making it simpler for a user to learn and remember how to interact with an electronic device.
A cursor control device such as a mouse, touchpad, trackpad, multidirectional cursor key, touch input system on a display, digitizing tablet, or joystick may be used to select and modify a graphical control element in a GUI. To adjust an input parameter associated with a graphical control element, it may be necessary to use the cursor control device to precisely position a cursor over or in close proximity to a selected graphical control element. For example, in some systems, it is necessary for the outer perimeter or outline of the cursor to at least partially overlap the outer perimeter or outline of the selected graphical control element. Then, pressing a button on the cursor control device, often referred to as "clicking", selects the graphical control element for adjustment. Further motion of the cursor control device, sometimes referred to as "dragging", causes a corresponding adjustment of the graphical control element and its corresponding system parameter. Sometimes clicking and dragging are performed simultaneously to adjust a graphical control element. Another "click" may be required to deselect the graphical control element and disassociate further motion of the cursor control device from the graphical control element.
Adjusting a graphical control element by clicking and dragging part of the element is relatively simple when the graphical control elements are large enough and spaced far enough apart to enable a user to quickly and easily select an element with a cursor control device. However, in some systems it may be preferable to view many graphical control elements at the same time so that relationships between individual parameter settings may easily be observed or so that related parameters may be set quickly without paging from one display screen to another. Presenting too many graphical control elements simultaneously on one display may cause the graphical control elements to be so small that it becomes difficult to manipulate a cursor control device precisely enough to select and adjust each graphical control element. Partitioning a related set of graphical control elements onto more than one screen image so that each graphical control element is large enough to view and control easily may require a user to move from one screen image to another by paging or scrolling. Paging or scrolling to view and operate graphical control elements may be inconvenient, slow, cause user confusion, or may have other undesirable effects on user interactions with an electronic device. Locating graphical control elements on pop-ups or pull-downs or resizing graphical control elements with twisties or other resizing controls may also interfere with a user's interactions with a GUI.

Adjustment of multiple user input parameters

International Business Machines Corporation


An optical condenser device has light sources (10, 20) and an optical combiner (30). Each light source (10, 20) includes a semiconductor laser array stack (12, 22), collimator lenses (16, 26), and beam converters (18, 28). Since the optical combiner (30) combines the beams from one (12) of the stacks and the beams from the other (22), a laser beam with high optical density is generated. The optical combiner (30) has transmitting portions (32) and reflecting portions (34), each of which preferably has a strip-like shape elongated in the layering directions of the stacks (12, 22). In this case, the beams emitted from the active layers (14, 24) will be received and combined appropriately by the optical combiner (30) even if positional deviation of the active layers (14, 24) occurs.

Semiconductor laser array stacks are known as laser elements with high output. Examples of semiconductor laser array stacks are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 9-181376 and Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-9385.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a semiconductor laser array stack. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a front end surface (light-outputting surface) of a semiconductor laser array. As shown in FIG. 2, a semiconductor laser array stack 12 has a structure wherein a plurality of semiconductor laser arrays 11 and a plurality of heat sinks 13 are positioned alternately. Heat sinks 13 cool laser arrays 11. As shown in FIG. 3, in each semiconductor laser array 11, a plurality of active layers 14 are aligned in parallel in the horizontal direction.
In laser array stack 12, due to laser arrays 11 being layered in the vertical direction, the plurality of active layers 14 are positioned in a matrix-like manner. Each active layer 14 emits laser light. The laser light emitted from these active layers 14 form a single beam. By positioning active layers 14 at a high density, a beam with high optical density is obtained. However in recent years, further improvement of the optical density is being desired.