The invention provides a rolling forming method of wheel disc, which comprises the following steps: (1) Baiting a circular blank; (2) placing the circular blank in a cavity of a rolling explorator and adopting at least two rolling wheels symmetrically arranged along the circumferential direction of the rolling explorator to perform planar synchronous staggered rolling on the circular blank in the cavity of the rolling explorator; (3) performing trimming and sizing; and (4) stretch forming. The rolling forming method of wheel disc of this invention can precisely form various geometric sections with gradual deformation. The formed product has a uniform mass in the axial direction and the circumferential direction, and has a high dynamic balance precision. The invention can make the blank deform precisely, enhance the production efficiency, and reduce the cost, therefore the invention has good application and popularization prospect.

In prior art, the CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) spinning forming method is widely used to form the truck wheel discs at home and abroad, The method spins an equal-thickness blank into an equal-strength section with gradually reduced thickness. The technological process of spinning forming method is as shown in FIG. 1:
a. Baiting a circular blank and punching a positioning hole for spinning.
b. Spinning the blank into a wheel disc by the CNC spinning forming method on a tapered circular cylinder exploratory so as to meet the requirements of forming an equal-strength section which gradually becomes thinner.
c. Processing the excircle and the end surface of the spinning formed wheel disc in a dedicated vertical lathe in order to meet the requirement on the tolerance of the outer diameter and the requirement that the height of the wheel disc should be uniform. (This step aims at to attain the dimensional precision requirement of products, which the spin-forming technology can not achieve).
d. Punching a center hole and screw holes.
e. Punching hand holes (air holes) and then extruding the hand holes (air holes).
f. Reaming the spherical surfaces of the screw holes (or extruding the spherical surfaces of the screw holes).
g. Turning the center hole (or extruding the center hole).
h. Reshaping the flat surface and unifying the geometrical shape (for avoiding the out-of-roundness of the single air hole caused by irregular deformation during punching).
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the existing spinning technology performs spinning on a work piece (circular blank) R with a spinning wheel P. The larger the spinning angle (α1+α2) of the spinning technology, the larger the spinning gripping angle (α3+α4) of the spinning wheel. Furthermore, the smaller the gripping angle, the stronger the extrusion force, therefore the extrusion force of the existing spinning technology is smaller. In addition, because the spinning explorator Q is cylindrical, and the forming method on the spinning explorator Q is an open type forming way without deformation size limitations, the well extrusion effect can not be achieved. Besides, fewer limitations on the spinning forming method and nonuniformity of the materials will result in instability of the spinning wheel P along with the changes in resistance during the movements of spinning wheel P, which cause small deformation on hard portion of the material whereas large deformation on soft portion, so micro-uneven conditions in the axial direction and the circumferential direction of the wheel disc will be brought about, and consequently the unbalance of the wheel disc. On the other hand, turning of the excircle will generate turning eccentricity, which can also further increase the unbalance of the wheel disc, as a result the precision of the excircle of the formed product can not meet the matching dimensional precision, and the spinning ring is retained on the formed product, which makes excircle processing in the vertical lathe indispensable. Furthermore, because of the unevenness of the height of formed product due to the material nonuniformity, turning of the end surface is necessary. Thus it can be seen, the only way to improve the spinning efficiency is to increase the number of the vertical lathes and the number of staffs. However, the production cost is also increased.

SHANGHAI XINGPU SPINFORMING WHEEL CO., LTD.


An extendable conveyor includes a support structure, and at least one extendable unit that is supported in a cantilevered manner and that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position nested within the support structure. The extendable unit has at least one support roller for rollingly engaging at least one of another extendable unit and the support structure as the extendable unit is extended or retracted. The conveyor includes a braking device operable to limit rotation of at least one support roller via selective engagement of a braking element with the support roller. The braking device is activatable to disengage the braking element from the support roller in response to actuation of a user input. The braking element is biased to engage the braking element with the support roller when the braking device is deactivated.

Extendable loaders are often implemented at loading docks for trucks, trailers or the like. The gravity loaders are extendable into a truck/trailer and angled downward such that gravitational forces cause packages to move down the loaders along a plurality of rollers.
The loaders may be extended to reach further into the trailer, in order to minimize the manual lifting and carrying of the packages, and retracted to a stored position to minimize the space taken up by the loader when not in use. However, because of the substantial size and weight of these loaders, extension and retraction is often accomplished by powered extension and retraction systems, which are typically complicated and expensive devices. The powered extension and retraction systems are often used to stop and hold the loader at the desired degree of extension.


A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes a power supply, at least two connected-in-parallel LED lightbars coupled to an output end of the power supply, a power feedback assembly coupled to each of the LED lightbars, and an adjusting-power block coupled to the power feedback assembly. A reference end of the power feedback assembly receives a reference power, and the power feedback assembly receives an output power of each of the LED lightbars. The power feedback assembly obtains a difference value of the reference power compared with the output power of the LED lightbar, and the adjusting-power block adjusts the output power of a corresponding LED lightbar according to the difference value until the difference value is less than a preset threshold value.

A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) assembly includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a backlight assembly, where the backlight assembly uses a light emitting diode (LED) lightbar formed by a plurality of connected-in-series LED lamps to provide a light source for the LCD panel. A plurality of LED lightbars are used to drive a large size TFT-LCD assembly, where each of the plurality of LED lightbars is connected to each other in parallel, and an output end of each of the LED lightbars is connected in series with other circuit. Each of the LED lightbars is not completely same as each other, which causes the LCD panel to exhibit brightness differences.

LED backlight driving circuit and method for driving the LED backlight driving circuit


A system and method of using multiple service providers to provide subscriber services on a per call basis achieved by using H.323 capability in a gatekeeper to identify call signaling transfer addresses used for each call. Service subscription data is based on the address or alias being used to place or receive a call. Since telephones can have the ability to register multiple addresses simultaneously, the same phone can receive service from multiple providers simultaneously. In addition, it is possible that some of the addresses or aliases used may be part of a private address space such as, for instance, a private branch exchange (PBX) system. This would enable service from a provider that is not a registered public telephone service provider.

In current telephone networks, users receive service from a single, licensed monopoly telephone company service provider. This structure is primarily enforced through a physical association between the copper loop that provides network access and the telephone company's switching equipment. The present invention utilizes an IP network capable of supporting multiple service providers and their service offerings from a single terminal or access infrastructure.
The Telecom Reform Act of 1996 resulted in a government mandate to "unbundle" services within the telephone network. Multiple unbundling points were identified and defined including the copper loop interface at the main distribution frame in the central office and T1 channel bank or TR-303 systems. This gives competing telephone companies a means for providing services to subscribers using the monopoly telephone company's existing loop plant. The competing telephone companies achieve this by "swinging" lines (rewiring) to their equipment.
This solution has several shortcomings, however. It is subject to line scale granularity meaning the entire phone service for the local loop moves at once. Moving a line requires manual intervention in order to physically rewire connections. This can be prohibitively expensive, especially since it requires explicit cooperation from the incumbent telephone company. Moreover, service access is limited to those firms which are registered local exchange telephone companies.

System and method for providing service control to a single telephone end terminal from multiple service providers


A video signal brancher is provided which facilitates printing of image data of video signals having dissimilar parameters. Image data is branched and sent to data output terminals. Synchronizing data signals are branched and sent to synchronizing signal output terminals. Parameters consisting of image data and synchronizing signals are stored and image data is printed based on the stored parameters.

The present invention relates to a video signal brancher that is connected to a printer or the like.
The conventional constitution will now be described in conjunction with FIG. 9 which is a block diagram that illustrates a conventional video signal brancher.
In FIG. 9, the video signal brancher (1) is constituted by an image data input terminal (10), an image data branching circuit (11) connected to the image data input terminal (10), a first image data output terminal (12) connected to the image data branching circuit (11), a second image data output terminal (13) connected to the image data branching circuit (11), a synchronizing signal input terminal 14, a synchronizing signal branching circuit (15) connected to the synchronizing signal input terminal (14), a first synchronizing signal output terminal (16) connected to the synchronizing signal branching circuit (15), and a second synchronizing signal output terminal (17) connected to the synchronizing signal branching circuit (15). There are image data signal lines for each of the chrominance signals (R, G, B), and there are signal lines for each of the synchronizing signals (horizontal H, vertical V).
Operation of the above-mentioned conventional example will now be described in conjunction with FIG. 10 which is a block diagram illustrating the condition where the conventional video signal brancher (1) is being used.
In FIG. 10, a printer (2) is connected to the first image data output terminal (12) and to the first synchronizing signal output terminal (16) of the video signal brancher (1), a host computer (4) is connected to the image data input terminal (10) and to the synchronizing signal input terminal (14) of the video signal brancher (1) through a cable (3), and a CRT (6) is connected to the second image data output terminal (13) and to the second synchronizing signal output terminal (17) of the video signal brancher (1) through a cable (5).
There are many kinds of connectors at both ends of the cables (3) and (5), and the most suitable video signal brancher (1) is selected out of the corresponding plurality kinds of ones.
The types of connectors include DIN-type, D-subminiature-type, I-type, etc., and the pin numbers include 9 pins, 15 pins and so on.
A parameter of video signals produced from the host computer (4) is set by operation switches such as numeral keys that are not shown but that are provided in the printer (2) and is stored in the printer (2) such that the image data can be printed by the printer (2). This is done since the type of video signals produced by the host computer (4) vary depending upon the manufacturer.
The video signals include such types as analog and digital signals, interlace and non-interlace signals, and H.V composite and H.V separate signals. Furthermore, even the video signals of the same type have a parameter that is partly different depending upon the manufactures.
The image data branching circuit (11) branches into the CRT (6) the image data out of the video signals produced from the host computer (4), and further branches to the printer (2) the image data from the host computer (4) to the CRT (6).
The synchronizing signal branching circuit (15) branches to the CRT (6) the horizontal synchronizing signals and vertical synchronizing signals out of the video signals produced from the host computer (4), and further branches them to the printer (2) after having shaped their waveforms. FIG. 9 illustrates the case of the H.V separate signals.
As required, the printer (2) prepares output data and prints them based on a parameter that is set and input, based on image data that are input, and based on horizontal synchronizing signals and vertical synchronizing signals.
With the above-mentioned conventional video signal brancher, however, the video signals were simply branched. When video signals of dissimilar parameters were to be printed by the printer, therefore, the parameters of the video signals all had to be sent to the printer each time.


The protection circuit includes a micro strip line whose length is equal to a fourth of the wavelength of an amplification signal frequency on a board and whose one side is connected to the input side of a low noise amplifier, a diode whose one side is connected to the other side of the micro strip line and whose other side is grounded, and a capacitor which is connected to the point where the micro strip line is connected to the diode and whose impedance is sufficiently small at the amplification signal frequency. In this configuration, the diode has virtually no effect to the amplification signal component because the impedance of the protection circuit for the amplification signal frequency viewed from the contact point becomes sufficiently high. In addition, for static electricity charged on the antenna connected to the input terminal, the diode is virtually connected directly to the input side of the low noise amplifier because the micro strip line is almost zero in resistance.

The present invention relates to a protection circuit for a low noise amplifier used, for example, in a receiver on the ground for receiving at the ground microwave signals from communication satellites, broadcast satellites, etc.
With the quick development of information network systems, the demand of satellite communication systems is sharply increasing and their frequency bands are going toward higher frequencies. As high frequency field effect transistors, Schottky barrier type field effect transistors (MESFET: MEtal-Semiconductor junction FET) using compound semiconductors such as GaAs, are put to practical use. In addition, in order to realize smaller, lower cost and higher performance systems, the first amplification stage of the down converter circuit, where high frequency signal is converted to low frequencies, has recently designed as an MMIC (Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuit).
GaAs-used FETs are superior devices, having low noises even at very high frequencies such as microwave bands, but they have a defect to be weak in electrostatic breakdown as compared with silicon devices. For a long time, efforts have been made to protect a circuit from such electrostatic breakdown. For a low noise amplifier, however, its noise figure is greatly governed by the noise figure of the input circuit. Therefore, there is no practical low noise amplifier with a protection circuit capability because adding an extra circuit to the input circuit may deteriorate the noise figure.
Moreover, it has so far been usual that such a low noise amplifier is connected to a parabolic antenna whose primary radiator mostly has a wave guide structure. Therefore, it has been possible to prevent the electrostatic breakdown only by carefully treating the low noise amplifier (or the circuit including it). This may be one reason why this kind of study has not been so active.
Meanwhile, flat antennas have begun to be put to practical use as ground antennas to receive microwave signals from communication satellites or broadcast satellites. A flat antenna, consisting of many antenna elements located in a flat plane, gathers signal power from each element via conductive wire and provides them as a single output. In the early stage, microwave reception flat antennas were greatly inferior to parabolic antennas both in cost and performance. These days, however, they have reached the level of practical use by flourishing study of micro strip antennas since the late 1970s as well as the improved performance of microwave-use printed circuit boards.
It is also expected that the advance of MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) technology will promote the spread of flat antennas because smaller antennas are preferred.
On the contrary, how to connect a flat antenna to a reception system has not necessarily been studied sufficiently. For example, there is a method based on a conventional technology in which a wave guide, which is an ordinary microwave propagation means, is used as a means for connecting them both. However, this method makes it difficult to achieve total miniaturization and weight reduction. Thus, advantages of the miniaturization of the reception systems and the flat shape of the antennas are not sufficiently utilized.
On the other hand, connecting a flat antenna directly to a reception system is difficult. This is because a flat antenna has an antenna pattern (metal) printed film sandwiched between insulators. Thus, the antenna may be charged greatly enough to damage the reception system. The present invention intends to solve such a problem.


An optical touchpad system is disclosed that may be easily integrated into a variety of applications. One feature of the optical touchpad system that may contribute to this versatility may be the ability of the optical touchpad system to function in the same manner independent from a topology and/or opacity of an interface surface of the optical touchpad system. This may enable the interface surface to be composed of any of a variety of materials. This may further enable the interface surface to include various topologies adapted for the application in which the optical touchpad system may be employed.

Generally, touchpad systems are implemented for a variety of applications. Some of these applications include, computer interfaces, keypads, keyboards, and other applications. Various types of touch pads are known. Optical touch pads have certain advantages over some other types of touch pads at least for some applications. Various types of optical touchpad systems may be used in some or all of these applications. However, conventional optical touchpad systems may include various drawbacks. For example, conventional optical touchpad systems may be costly, imprecise, temperamental, fragile, energy inefficient, or may have other weaknesses and/or drawbacks. Further, conventional systems may require that an interface surface (e.g. a surface that is engaged by a user) have a generally planar, or otherwise uniform topology. Some conventional optical touchpads may require that light reach the interface surface to enable an object in engagement with the interface surface to interact with the light. Thus some, conventional optical touchpad systems may require that the interface surface be either (i) predominantly transparent, or (ii) predominantly opaque. These limitations on topology and/or opacity may restrict the use of these systems with respect to some of the applications for touchpad systems. Various other drawbacks exist with known touchpads, including optical touchpads.

Optical touchpad system and waveguide for use therein


Provided is a system and method capable of automatically testing a website or application for an error in a user interface without human intervention. As an example, in a system for testing an error in a user interface of an application or website, a user interface system that includes a testable action recognizer that obtains a screenshot of a screen of the application or website, manages a layout and a test action based on user interface (UI) configuration and text recognition information from the screenshot, and a test action generator that receives the layout, selects a test scenario corresponding the layout, and performs a test action according to the test scenario, and in which the testable action recognizer manages whether or not a test is progressed for each screen layout according to the test scenario, is disclosed.

Before launching a new service or updating a new function, information technology (IT) companies that provide a service platform test functions in the platform to ensure all the functions work correctly.
Previously, a test was done by people with a development version of a platform according to various scenarios.
As competition among IT companies intensifies, the type of functions within a platform has varied, but the time spent for a launch or an update needed to be shortened. Thus, when testing a platform, there has been a problem of significantly increasing manpower, time and cost.
Accordingly, IT companies have outsourced humans to test the platforms individually or developed a separate test program to conduct automated testing.
However, human testing has a problem in that a deviation can occur in accuracy and time according to the skill level of the tester. In addition, as the function and application environment of a platform become complex, the cost increases exponentially.
In a method of developing a test program, the test program needs to be modified every time a change occurs in a platform, so the development period can increase. There are also many cases where a non-error is reported as an error due to a wrong implementation of the test program. Accordingly, such method is not practical and can be problematic.

System and method for user interface autonomous testing


Disclosed herein are the cDNA and polypeptide sequences of a novel cytoplasmic post-prolyl dipeptidase, QPP. QPP is expressed in T-cells and in neurons, and functions to protect quiescent cells from apoptotic death. Therefore, QPP can be used as a therapeutic to inhibit apoptotic cell death and as a target in screening for compounds that modulate cell death.

This invention relates to a novel cytoplasmic post-prolyl dipeptidase, and its role in regulating apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD).
Apoptosis is a physiological form of cell death, and it shapes a number of diverse biological processes, such as development and homeostasis. It occurs in response to diverse stimuli which fall into two categories. The first is activation induced cell death following specific stimulation; and the second is death by neglect after withdrawal of a life-promoting stimulation, such as a growth factor, serum or cell-cell contact. While these two types of PCD take place under very different circumstances, both depend on the activation of caspases, a family of cysteine proteases which are present in the cytoplasm of cells as inactive proenzymes.
Apoptotic stimuli lead to the activation of certain caspases by specific proteolytic cleavage, enabling them to activate other caspases through a proteolytic cascade, which eventually leads to cell death. Studies of activation-induced cell death through the Fas/TNF receptors have implicated the death effector domain containing protease FLICE (caspase 8) in the initiation of the caspase cascade. However, while most cells contain all the components of the apoptotic machinery, and are susceptible to PCD by neglect, no caspase-cascade regulator induced under these conditions, has been identified.
With respect to apoptosis in the nervous system, recent studies have shown that neuronal cell death resulting from degeneration or trauma occurs by the process of apoptosis, the biochemical hallmarks of which include cytolemmal membrane blebbing, cell soma shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA laddering. Thus, given the role of apoptosis in neural degeneration, it would be highly desirable to have a process for identifying compounds that modulate this apoptosis. Such compounds could be effective as therapeutic agents in the treatment or prevention of neural conditions associated with inappropriate neural degeneration. However, one of the fundamental technological problems associated with the identification of these compounds is the lack of suitable targets to use in screening for regulators of apoptosis. Thus, there is a need to identify new enzymatic targets as a first step in developing new therapeutic compounds.
We have discovered a novel, cytoplasmic post-prolyl dipeptidase, which has similarities to, but is distinct from, the membrane-bound T-cell serine protease CD26. This enzyme is expressed in quiescent, non-cycling T-cells and in neurons, and is called quiescent cell post-prolyl dipeptidase (QPP; previously termed DPIVb).
In a first aspect, the invention features a substantially pure, recombinant quiescent cell post-prolyl dipeptidase polypeptide (QPP), wherein the polypeptide inhibits quiescent cells from undergoing apoptosis. Preferably, the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO 6.
In a second and related aspect, the invention features a substantially pure nucleic acid molecule encoding a QPP polypeptide, wherein the nucleic acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO 5, or a sequence that is complementary to a sequence that hybridizes to SEQ ID NO 5 under stringent hybridization conditions encoding a QPP polypeptide, or encodes a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6.
The invention also features a host cell, for example, yeast, E. coli, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), or fibroblast, transformed or transfected with a transgene that includes a nucleic acid molecule encoding a QPP polypeptide, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a regulatory sequence, and wherein the nucleic acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO 5, or a sequence that is complementary to a sequence that hybridizes to SEQ ID NO 5 under stringent hybridization conditions, or encodes a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6.
In a related aspect, the invention features a method of producing a QPP polypeptide including transforming or transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid molecule encoding a QPP polypeptide, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a regulatory sequence, and further wherein the nucleic acid sequence comprises SEQ ID NO 5, or a sequence that is complementary to a sequence that hybridizes to SEQ ID NO 5 under stringent hybridization conditions, or encodes a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6; culturing the cell under conditions for expressing the nucleic acid; and isolating the QPP polypeptide.
The purified QPP sequences of the invention have a number of utilities. The invention features methods for: 1) identifying a therapeutic candidate compound that modulates a QPP effect in quiescent cells, which includes contacting a recombinant QPP polypeptide, preferably, the QPP polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6, or a transformed or transfected cell encoding and expressing a recombinant QPP polypeptide, with the compound and measuring QPP biological activity; 2) inhibiting apoptosis in a quiescent cell, which includes contacting the cell with a recombinant QPP polypeptide, preferably, the QPP polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6, in an amount sufficient to protect the cell from death when an apoptosis stimulus is administered; and 3) treating a mammal for a condition related to quiescent cell death, that includes administering to the mammal a recombinant QPP polypeptide, preferably, the QPP polypeptide of SEQ ID NO 6, in an amount sufficient to inhibit the cell death. Preferably, the condition is a neurodegenerative disorder or an immune system disorder, and the QPP polypeptide may be administered by transplanting a host cell into the mammal, wherein the host cell is ex vivo transfected with a transgene comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a QPP polypeptide, wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a regulatory sequence and is expressed in the transplanted host cell.
The recombinant QPP sequences can also be used to make antibodies (polyclonal, monoclonal, or recombinant) using conventional methods, involving immunization of, e.g., rabbits, mice, or human volunteers. The antibodies can be used in standard ELISA assays to measure QPP levels in patients being tested for diseases which potentially involve increased or decreased QPP levels; for example, HIV patients, who have lost QPP-containing T-cells, will exhibit decreased QPP levels, with the QPP concentration being diagnostic of the stage of the disease. Generally, because QPP is a cytoplasmic enzyme, the assay is carried out on peripheral blood lymphocyte samples which have first been treated to lyse T-cells to release the enzyme.
By xe2x80x9csubstantially purexe2x80x9d is meant a polypeptide or nucleic acid that has been separated from components which normally accompany it, or which accompany it upon recumbent expression. An enzyme is substantially pure when it is at least 60%, by weight, free from the proteins and naturally-occurring organic molecules with which it is naturally associated. Preferably, the preparation is at least 75%, more preferably, at least 90%, and most preferably, at least 99%, pure QPP by weight. Purity can be measured by any appropriate method, e.g., column chromatography, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, or by HPLC analysis.
By xe2x80x9capoptosisxe2x80x9d is meant the process of programmed cell death wherein a dying cell displays a set of well-characterized biochemical hallmarks which include cytolemmal membrane blebbing, cell soma shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA laddering.
By xe2x80x9cstringent hybridization conditionsxe2x80x9d is meant incubation conditions that destabilize mismatched heteroduplexes. Conditions for high stringency hybridization, such as for PCR, Northern, Southern, in situ hybridization, or DNA sequencing, are described, for example, in F. Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y., 1994.
By xe2x80x9ctransformedxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctransfectedxe2x80x9d cell is meant a cell in which foreign nucleic acid molecules have been introduced. Lipofection, DEAE-dextranmediated transfection, microinjection, protoplast fusion, calcium phosphate precipitation, retroviral delivery, electroporation, and biolistic transformation are just a few of the methods known to those skilled in the art which may be used. For example, biolistic transformation is a method for introducing foreign molecules into a cell using velocity driven microprojectiles such as tungsten or gold particles. Such velocity-driven methods originate from pressure bursts which include, but are not limited to, helium-driven, air-driven, and gunpowder-driven techniques. Biolistic transformation may be applied to the transformation or transfection of a wide variety of cell types and intact tissues including, without limitation, intracellular organelles (e.g., and mitochondria and chloroplasts), bacteria, yeast, fungi, algae, animal tissue, and cultured cells.
By xe2x80x9capoptotic stimulusxe2x80x9d is meant any chemical or physical treatment which initiates apoptosis as defined above. For example, nerve growth factor withdrawal, hypoxia, exposure to staurosporine, and cerebral ischemia are stimuli capable of inducing apoptosis in neurons.
The xe2x80x9cquiescent cellxe2x80x9d is meant a non-cycling cell in a non-replicative or resting state.
By xe2x80x9cQPP effectxe2x80x9d is meant QPP""s VbP-sensitive protection against apoptosis in quiescent cells.
By xe2x80x9ctest compoundxe2x80x9d is meant a chemical, be it naturally-occurring or artificially-derived, that is surveyed for its ability to modulate cell death, by employing one of the assay methods described herein. Test compounds may include, for example, small molecules, peptides, polypeptides, synthesized organic molecules, naturally occurring organic molecules, nucleic acid molecules, and components thereof.
By xe2x80x9ctherapeutic candidate compoundxe2x80x9d is meant a compound that modulates a QPP effect, and is, therefore, a candidate for use as a therapeutic to inhibit cell death in quiescent cells.
By xe2x80x9cmeasuring QPP biological activityxe2x80x9d is meant analyzing the effect of a test compound, whether the effects be chemical or physical. The material being analyzed may be an animal, a cell, a lysate or extract derived from a cell, or a molecule derived from a cell. The analysis may be for the purpose of detecting a change in QPP biology such as altered RNA stability, altered protein stability, altered protein levels, altered enzymatic activity, or an altered rate of QPP-mediated apoptotic death. The means for analyzing may include, for example, antibody labeling, immunoprecipitation, substrate cleavage assays, and methods known to those skilled in the art for detecting nucleic acids.
By xe2x80x9cmodulatesxe2x80x9d is meant changing, either by decrease or increase.
By xe2x80x9coperably linkedxe2x80x9d is meant that a gene and a regulatory sequence are connected in such a way as to permit expression of the gene product under the control of the regulatory sequence.
By a xe2x80x9ctransgenexe2x80x9d is meant a nucleic acid sequence which is inserted by artifice into a cell and becomes a part of the genome of that cell and its progeny. Such a transgene may be partly or entirely heterologous to the cell.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the claims.

Quiescent cell dipeptidyl peptidase: a novel cytoplasmic serine protease


An image processing apparatus stores data for a series of images associated with a range including a heart and diaphragm of an object. A temporal change in a moving amount of the diaphragm and a temporal change in a moving amount of the heart are generated from the series of images, and a ratio of (a) the moving amount of the heart to (b) the moving amount of the diaphragm is calculated.

When a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus captures an image of coronary arteries, in particular an image of the coronary artery distribution of the whole heart (Whole Heart MRCA), the apparatus uses a method of imaging under natural aspiration using a 3D ssfp (steady state free precession) sequence. At this time, the apparatus performs imaging while correcting the movement of the heart due to respiratory movement by using the RMC (Real-time Motion Correction) method. The RMC method detects the position of the diaphragm by using an NMR signal, and corrects respiratory movement while moving the imaging slab position of a heart portion in real time based on the detected information, thereby performing imaging.
In practice, however, there are variations between the moving amount of the diaphragm and the moving amount of the heart. The variations also change in accordance with respiratory phases, and also differ among individuals with different physiques and the like. It is therefore impossible to specify such variations as eigenvalues. This makes it very difficult to prevent a deterioration in image quality.


An efficient, technically straightforward and inexpensive process for generating conjugates of phospholipids with biologically important molecules is described.

Phospholipids are recognized as one of the most important classes of biological molecules. They are typically composed of a glycerol backbone which is acylated with fatty acids at the C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 positions and phosphorylated at the remaining terminus. The fatty acids may or may not be identical, and they may vary in degree of unsaturation. In one sub-class of phospholipids, the ether lipids, an ether linkage with an aliphatic chain is formed at the C.sub.1 position. Phospholipids are also typically esterified with head groups on the phosphate. Some of the commonly occurring head groups include ethanolamine (phosphatidylethanolamine), choline (phosphatidylcholine), glycerol (phosphatidylglycerol), serine (phosphatidylserine), and inositol (phosphatidylinositol).
Phospholipids have been shown to perform various indispensable cellular functions. They are the major structural components of cell membranes which separate the cytoplasm of the cell from the extracellular medium. Phosphatidylinositol has additionally been shown to be involved in both intracellular and intercellular signal transduction (Hawthorne, J. N., in Phospholipids: Biochemical, pharmaceutical and analytical considerations; I. Hanin and G. Pepeu, Ed.; Plenum Press: New York, 1990; pp 233-240). Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine is an essential component of the pulmonary surfactant which reduces the surface tension in the alveolar membrane (B. Lachmann, ibid., pp 185-196). Platelet activating factor, an ether lipid, plays an important role in inflammation and asthma (Handley, D. A. and R. N. Saunders, Drug Dev. Res. 1986, 7, pp 361-375, and Snyder, F., Med. Res. Rev. 1985, 5, pp 107-140.). Furthermore, phospholipids have found widespread uses in food and cosmetic industries.
Various conjugates of phospholipids with other biologically active molecules have been described in the scientific literature. The phospholipid moiety generally imparts greater hydrophobicity to the conjugate and in some cases, promotes the incorporation of the conjugate onto or the transfer of the conjugate across the cell membrane. It is well known, for example, that muramyl tripeptide-phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE) is active in vivo and is found in various organs 24 hours after injection whereas the parent peptide, muramyl dipeptide, shows activity in vitro and is excreted out of the body 60 minutes after injection (Fogler, W. E., R. Wade, D. E. Brundish, I. J. Fidler, J. Immunol. 1985, 135, pp 1372-1377, and Phillips, N. C., J. Rioux, M.-S. Tsao, Hepatology 1988, 8, pp 1046-1050). These results suggest that the absorption of the peptide is enhanced by conjugation to a lipophilic moiety. Other agents that have been coupled to phospholipids include acyclovir (Welch, C. J., A. Larsson, A. C. Ericson, B. Oberg, R. Datema, J. Chattopadhyaya, Acta Chem. Scand. 1985, B39, pp 47-54), ganglioside G.sub.M1 (Pacuszka, T., R. M. Bradley, P. H. Fishman, Biochemistry 30, pp 2563-2570), oligosaccharides (Childs, R. A., K. Drickamer, T. Kawasaki, S. Thiel, T. Mizuochi, T. Feizi, Blochem. J. 1989, 262, pp 131-138), serum transferrin (Azelius, P., E. J. F. Demant, G. H. Hansen, P. B. Jensen, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1989, 979, pp 231-238), biotin, and fluorescent reagents.
Phospholipids are amphiphilic in nature and have a propensity to form micelles and bilayers in an aqueous medium. The bilayers also form closed vesicles called liposomes which have been used to encapsulate molecules of biological interest, including drugs, proteins, vitamins and dyes. Functionalized liposomes are being actively investigated as vehicles for targeted drug delivery. Galactosylated phospholipids, for example, have been incorporated in liposomes and used to deliver the liposomes specifically to asialoglycoprotein receptors of the hepatic system (Haensler, J. and F. Schuber, Glycoconjugate J. 1991, 8, pp 116-124). Immunoliposomes, constructed by covalent conjugation of antibodies to the phospholipid moieties on the liposomal surface, have also shown promise in targeting liposomes to specific cell tissues (Nassander, U. K., P. A. Steerenber, H. Poppe, G. Storm, L. G. Poels, W. H. De Jong, D. J. A. Crommelin, Canc. Res. 1992, 52, pp 646-653, and Pinnaduwage, P. and L. Huang, Biochemistry 1992, 31, pp 2850-2855).
Various methods have been described for derivatizing phospholipids to facilitate their conjugation with other molecules or moieties (for review, see Heath, T. D. and F. J. Martin, Chemistry and Physics of Lipids 1986, 40, pp 347-358). However, each of these methods suffers from various difficulties in practical application. For example, one method comprises glutaraldehyde activation of phosphatidylethanolamine and ultimate conjugation to amines by reductive amination. The problem of dimerization both between the phospholipids and between proteins has made this method less than ideal. An alternative method comprises amide formation between phosphatidylethanolamine and the carboxyl terminus of a peptide or protein. However, this method suffers from low yields and formation of byproducts.
In yet another approach, the phospholipid and the protein are first activated and then reacted to form the conjugate. For example, Hutchinson et. al. describe a method in which a phosphatidylethanolamine is activated with N-succinimidyl-S-acetyl-thioacetate (SATA) and treated with a hydroxylamine to yield a phospholipid-thiol derivative. The protein of interest is also activated with maleimide and then treated with the phospholipid derivative to form a stable conjugate via a thioether (Hutchinson et. al., FEBS Lett. 1986, 234, pp 493-6). In a variation of this protocol, the phosphatidylethanolamine is activated with a maleimido moiety and the lysine residue of a protein is activated with a protected thiol (Loughrey, H. C. et. al., J. Immun. Methods 1990, 132, pp 25-35). In practice, protocols employing these approaches are cumbersome to perform and the cost of the derivatizing agent is prohibitively expensive for scales above multigram quantities.
Phospholipid conjugates have also been formed by functionalizing phosphatidylethanolamine using a crosslinking reagent (e.g. dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate)) and reacting this intermediate with a lysine-containing protein so that the succinimidyl moiety is displaced by the amino group of the lysine residue (Afzelius, P., Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1989, 979, pp 231-8). However, crosslinking reagents are not economically feasible for producing phospholipid conjugates, particularly on a large scale. In yet another method, phosphatidylethanolamine may be coupled to glycosylated proteins via the protein carbohydrate chain. For example, glycans can be oxidized with sodium periodate to give reactive aldehydes which can then be coupled to phosphatidylethanolamine via reductive amination with sodium cyanoborohydride (Heath, T. et. al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1980, 599:42). This method is limited in its application only to glycoproteins and is often associated with low yields and byproduct formation.
None of the heretofore described methods offer a simple, generally applicable, efficient and economical (i.e. practical) means for generating phospholipid conjugates.

Phosphatidylalkanolamine derivatives and their use in generating phospholipid conjugates


A vehicle seat assembly having a seat mounted on a knee action suspension mechanism and hand controls for the operation of the vehicle that are mounted on the same suspension mechanism as a seat. More particularly, a seat assembly for a vehicle including a seat having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The seat assembly includes a knee action suspension mechanism mounted under the seat and resiliently supporting the seat for resilient movement such that the rearward portion of the seat is vertically movable and the forward portion of the seat is generally pivotable about a longitudinal axis adjacent the forward portion of the seat. The seat assembly has an armrest assembly supported for movement with the seat, the armrest assembly has a forward end and a hand control is connected to the forward end of the armrest assembly. The suspension mechanism includes a generally horizontal plate, the plate forms a unitary rigid support structure for the seat and the armrest assembly such that the seat and the armrest assembly move together. The armrest assembly is connected to and supported by the plate for movement with the seat. The armrest assembly is pivotally connected to the plate for pivotal movement with respect to the seat. The armrest assembly includes an armrest and a hand control carrier for supporting the armrest and the hand control for selective forward and rearward movement of the hand control and armrest with respect to the seat.

Seats of various vehicles such as skid steer loaders or logging machines are subject to substantial vibration as the vehicles travel over rough road and off road surfaces. A majority of seats now made for operators of such vehicles include a vibration compensating suspension mechanism beneath the seat. Such suspension mechanisms are in addition to the vehicle suspension systems which interpose the wheels of the vehicle and the vehicle bodies.
One type of suspension mechanism is the knee action suspension mechanism of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,149. An improved type of knee action suspension mechanism is the floating knee pivot suspension mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,930.
This suspension mechanism takes its name from a pivoting of the seat about the front of the seat during vibration. The pivoting is in the area of the knee of the seat occupant. Such pivoting is desirable because it minimizes movement of the lower leg during vibration. The knee of the seat occupant flexes as the seat pivots, maintaining foot contact with vehicle controls. The seat also improves the quality of the ride of the occupant by eliminating the tendency of the upper body of the occupant to strike the back of the seat during rebound from vibration.
Vehicles such as skid steer loaders or logging machines are also often operated through the use of hand controls, such as joy stick, or control levers. Such controls are commonly mounted on a separate suspension from the operating seats in the vehicle.
In such operating configurations, when vibration occurs, it is often difficult for the operator to maintain adequate hand contact with the hand controls for operation of the vehicle. Additionally, extra space is taken up by mounting the hand control and seat separately.


Monomeric units useful in reducing the modulus of hydrogels are disclosed. Silicone hydrogels including the subject monomeric units are especially useful in the formation of biomedical articles such as silicone hydrogel contact lenses. ##STR1## wherein: A is an activated unsaturated group;. R and D independently are alkyl, alkylene or haloalkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms wherein said carbon atoms may include ether linkages therebetween; PA1 R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from: alkyl or haloalkyl groups wherein ether linkages may be included between carbon atoms; siloxane groups, and carbocyclic ring groups having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms; PA1 m is an integer from 1 to 500; n is an integer from 1 to 20; x and y are 0 or 1; PA1 z is 1 or 2; and x+y+z=3; PA1 so long as at least one of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

Hydrogels represent a desirable class of materials for many biomedical applications, including the formation of contact lenses. Hydrogels are hydrated, cross-linked polymeric system that contain water in an equilibrium state. Silicone hydrogels are a well known class of hydrogel and are characterized by the inclusion of silicone. Silicone hydrogels generally have a water content greater than about 5 weight percent and more commonly between about 10 to about 80 weight percent. Such materials are usually prepared by polymerizing a mixture containing at least one silicone-containing monomer and at least one hydrophilic monomer. Either the silicone-containing monomer or the hydrophilic monomer may function as a crosslinking agent (a crosslinker being defined as a monomer having multiple polymerizable functionalities) or a separate crosslinker may be employed. Applicable silicone-containing monomeric units for use in the formation of silicone hydrogels are well known in the art and numerous examples are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,250; 4,153,641; 4,740,533; 5,034,461; 5,070,215; 5,260,000; 5,310,779; and 5,358,995. Specific examples of applicable silicone-containing monomeric units include:
(a) bulky polysiloxanylalkyl (meth)acrylic monomers, commonly referred to as "TRIS" monomers, including for example: methacryloxypropyl tris(trimethylsiloxy)silane; PA1 (b) poly(organosiloxane) monomeric units; PA1 (c) silicone containing monomers includes silicone-containing vinyl carbonate or vinyl carbamate monomers such as; 1,3-bis4-vinyloxycarbonyloxy)but-1-yl!tetramethyldisiloxane; 3-(trimethylsilyl)propyl vinyl carbonate; 3-(vinyloxycarbonylthio)propyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane!; 3-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl! propyl vinyl carbamate; 3-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl! propyl allyl carbamate; 3-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl!propyl vinyl carbonate; t-butyldimethylsiloxyethyl vinyl carbonate; trimethylsilylethyl vinyl carbonate; trimethylsilylmethyl vinyl carbonate. Other examples of applicable silicone-containing monomers are well known in the art. PA1 R and D independently are alkyl, alkylene or haloalkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms wherein said carbon atoms may include ether linkages therebetween; PA1 R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from: alkyl or haloalkyl groups wherein ether linkages may be included between carbon atoms; siloxane groups; and carbocyclic ring groups having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms; PA1 m is an integer from 1 to 500; n is an integer from 1 to 20; x and y are 0 or 1; PA1 z is 1 or 2;and x+y+z=3; PA1 so long as at least one of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms. PA1 R and D independently are an alkyl, alkylene or haloalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms wherein said carbon atoms may include ether linkages therebetween; PA1 R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from: alkyl or haloalkyl groups, (including both unsubstituted alkyl groups e.g. groups having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and substituted alkyl groups e.g. halogen substituted alkyl and hydroxy substituted alkyl), wherein ether linkages may be included between carbon atoms; siloxane groups; and carbocyclic ring groups having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, e.g. cyclohexyl or phenyl groups which may include alkyl side groups; PA1 m is an integer equal to 1 or greater but is preferably less than 500, and more preferably from 1 to about 10, and still more preferably from 1 to 3; PA1 n is an integer from 1 to 20 but is preferably from 1 to 6; PA1 x and y are 0 or 1; PA1 z is 1 or 2;and x+y+z=3; PA1 R' and R" independently are an alkyl or alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms wherein the carbon atoms may include ether linkages therebetween; PA1 R.sub.8 through R.sub.17 are independently selected from monovalent hydrocarbon radicals or halogen substituted monovalent hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms which may include ether linkages therebetween, but preferably are chosen from the groups described with reference to R.sub.1 though R.sub.4 ; PA1 a is an integer equal to or greater than 1; PA1 b and c are integers equal to or greater than 0; and PA1 a+b+c equals an integer from 1 to 1000. PA1 D' is an alkyl or alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms wherein said carbon atoms may include ether linkages therebetween; PA1 M' is hydrogen, fluorine, or alkyl group (e.g. an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms) but preferably hydrogen or fluorine; and PA1 s is an integer from 1 to 20, preferably 1 to 6. PA1 d+e equals an integer from 2 to 1000, preferably 2 to 100, PA1 f+g equals an integer from 2 to 1000, preferably 2 to 100, PA1 wherein e and g are preferably integers from about 20 to about 50, and PA1 h is an integer from 1 to about 20. PA1 each R.sub.18 independently denotes hydrogen or methyl; PA1 each R.sub.19 independently denotes a lower alkyl radical or a phenyl radical; and PA1 h is 1 to 10. PA1 R.sup.Si denotes a silicone-containing organic radical; PA1 R.sub.20 denotes hydrogen or methyl; PA1 d is 1, 2, 3 or 4; and PA1 q is 0 or 1. PA1 e is 1 to 200; PA1 n' is 1, 2, 3 or 4; and PA1 m' is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. PA1 D denotes an alkyl diradical, an alkyl cycloalkyl diradical, a cycloalkyl diradical, an aryl diradical or an alkylaryl diradical having 6 to 30 carbon atoms; PA1 G denotes an alkyl diradical, a cycloalkyl diradical, an alkyl cycloalkyl diradical, an aryl diradical or an alkylaryl diradical having 1 to 40 carbon atoms and which may contain ether, thio or amine linkages in the main chain; PA1 * denotes a urethane or ureido linkage; PA1 a is at least 1; PA1 m' is at least 1; and PA1 p is a number which provides a moiety weight of 400 to 10,000; PA1 each of E and E' independently denotes a polymerizable unsaturated organic radical represented by Formula XII: ##STR15## wherein: R.sub.23 is hydrogen or methyl; PA1 R.sub.24 is hydrogen, an alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a --CO--Y--R.sub.26 radical PA1 R.sub.25 is a divalent alkylene radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; PA1 R.sub.26 is a alkyl radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; PA1 X denotes --CO-- or --OCO--; PA1 Z denotes --O-- or --NH--; PA1 Ar denotes an aromatic radical having 6 to 30 carbon atoms; PA1 w is 0 to 6; PA1 x is 0or 1; PA1 y is 0 or 1; and PA1 z is 0 or 1. PA1 E is hydrogen or methyl, PA1 G is (CH.sub.2)rC(O)OSi(V).sub.3 or hydrogen, PA1 V is methyl, ethyl or propyl, PA1 q is an integer form 1 to 15, PA1 r is an integer form 1 to 10, PA1 q+r is an integer form 1 to 15, hereinafter referred to as NATA. PA1 R.sub.30 and R.sub.31 are independently selected from methyl of cyclohexyl radicals.
Silicone-containing monomers may be copolymerized with a wide variety of hydrophilic monomers to produce a variety of silicone hydrogel products. For example, silicone hydrogels are particularly useful in a variety of biomedical applications including the formation of shaped articles and coatings such as; membranes, films, artificial ureters, diaphragms, intrauterine devices, heart valves, vessel substitutes, surgical devices, catheters, mouth guards, denture liners, intraocular devices, prosthetic devices, and especially contact lenses.
Suitable hydrophilic monomers for use in silicone hydrogels include: unsaturated carboxylic acids, such as methacrylic and acrylic acids; acrylic substituted alcohols, such as 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate and 2-hydroxyethylacrylate; vinyl lactams, such as N-vinyl pyrrolidone; and acrylamides, such as methacrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide. Still further examples are the hydrophilic vinyl carbonate or vinyl carbamate monomers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,215, and the hydrophilic oxazolone monomers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,277. Other suitable hydrophilic monomers will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
In particular regard to contact lenses, the fluorination of certain monomers used in the formation of silicone hydrogels has been indicated to reduce the accumulation of deposits on contact lenses made therefrom, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,954,587, 5,079,319 and 5,010,141. Moreover, the use of silicone-containing monomers having certain fluorinated side groups, i.e. --(CF.sub.2)--H, have been found to improve compatibility between the hydrophilic and silicone-containing monomeric units, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,662 and 5,321,108.
Many silicone hydrogels possess relatively high moduli (Young's modulus of elasticity), e.g. often in excess of 300 g/mm.sup.2 as measured by ASTM test method D1938. For many biomedical applications, it is desirable to provide hydrogels having reduced moduli, e.g. in the range of about 20 g/mm.sup.2 to about 150 g/mm.sup.2, and more preferably from about 30 g/mm.sup.2 to about 100 g/mm.sup.2. This is particularly important in the formation of soft contact lenses, as the modulus of lens material can have a significant impact upon lens "comfort." Lenses possessing high moduli often have a perceived stiffness and undesirably high elastic recovery resulting in an unnatural feeling when worn upon the eye.
The use of bulky polysiloxanylalkyl methacrylates, e.g. methacryloxypropyl tris (trimethylsiloxy) silane, referred to above as "TRIS", are known to reduce the modulus of one class of silicone hydrogels, i.e. polyurethane-polysiloxane hydrogel compositions. See for example; Lai, Yu Chin, The Role of Bulky Polysiloxanylalkyl Methacrylates in Polyurethane-polysiloxane Hydrogels, Proceedings of the American Chemical Society Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering, Vol 72, pg. 118-119, (1995). The use of TRIS compounds in silicone hydrogels is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,995. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,321,108 and 5,387,662, a TRIS-type compound is disclosed which includes at least one fluoro substituted end group including a terminal hydrogen. Such materials are described as providing increase compatibility as between silicone-containing and hydrophilic monomeric units.
Unfortunately, the aforementioned TRIS-type fluorinated compounds have relatively high boiling points, and as such, are not distillable through conventional techniques. As a consequence, purification of such materials can be difficult. For this same reason, these materials can also be difficult to analyze, e.g. by way of gas chromatography.
Thus, silicone hydrogels are sought which maintain acceptable oxygen permeability while possessing reduced moduli and which are more easily synthesized, purified, and analyzed. Furthermore, in many applications, such hydrogels must be optically clear, manufacturable (e.g., capable of being molded, machined, etc.) into such products as contact lenses, biocompatible, and less prone to deposit formation.

Monomeric units useful for reducing the modulus of silicone hydrogels


A vehicle operating system and a method of controlling the vehicle operating system, the vehicle operating system including an electric power generation module that is configured to generate electric power; a battery, the battery being chargeable by using the electric power generated by the electric power generation module; a battery management system that controls the chargeable battery; and a cooler that is configured to cool the battery, wherein the battery management system is configured to cut off the electric power supplied to the battery when the battery is fully charged, and when the battery management system cuts off the electric power supplied to the battery, the cooler is configured to consume the electric power generated by the electric power generation module.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a vehicle operating system and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike primary batteries that are unable to be recharged, secondary batteries may be recharged. Secondary batteries may be used in a single battery form and in a battery module form (in which a plurality of batteries are connected to each other and bound in one unit) according to types of external devices to which the secondary batteries are to be applied.
A lead battery has been used as a power supply for starting engines of vehicles. Recently, an Idle Stop & Go (ISG) system to improve gas mileage has been considered. A power supply that supports the ISG system, e.g., an idling stop device, may have a power characteristic for outputting high power for starting an engine.

Vehicle operating system and method of controlling the same


A method and apparatus are provided for performing adaptive streaming according to a streaming environment based on information about a plurality of elements for determining qualities of a plurality of media data with respect to the same content.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments related to adaptively streaming media data according to fluctuations in a streaming environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a method of transmitting media data through a network include a downloading method and a streaming method. In the streaming method, a server transmits media data in real time, and a client reproduces the received media data in real time.
Unlike the downloading method that starts to reproduce media data after transmitting and receiving all of the media data, the streaming method involves reproducing the media data by transmitting and receiving the media data in real time through a logical channel set between the server and the client, so that a method and apparatus are required to maintain a Quality of Service (QoS) for reproduction of the media data by addressing fluctuations in the streaming environment.

Method and apparatus for adaptive streaming based on plurality of elements for determining quality of content


Methods of identifying a patient having an altered immune status involve determining an immune status index for the patient and comparing it to the immune status index in healthy individuals. In general, an immune status index is the ratio of the amount of a protein that varies significantly in a patient with an altered immune status to the amount of another protein that is substantially invariant in both healthy and immune-altered individuals. Variable proteins can be TCR subunit proteins, T lymphocyte signal transduction pathway proteins, polynucleotide binding proteins or biological response modifiers (BRM). In addition, the ratio of a TH-1-type BRM to a TH-2-type BRM, the ratio of cytoplasmic to nuclear levels of polynucleotide binding proteins, the pattern of protein binding to an oligonucleotide probe that comprises the protein binding region of a gene for a BRM, or the pattern of distribution of T lymphocytes in a density gradient following density gradient centrifugation are also suitable as an immune status index. The methods are useful in identifying patients exhibiting immunosuppression, hyperimmunity and autoimmunity, as well as in assessing the immune status of a patient undergoing organ transplant.

The present invention relates to methods of identifying a patient who has an altered immune status compared to a normal status. The methods involve determining an immune status index for the patient and comparing the value of the index to the immune status index in healthy individuals. A significant variation between the patient's immune status index and the immune status index for healthy individuals indicates that the patient's immune status is altered. The present invention is used to identify patients with immunosuppression, hypersensitivity or autoimmunity as well as to monitor the immune response in general to facilitate medical treatment. The immune status index is used to stage or evaluate the progress of cancer therapy including chemotherapy, immunotherapy or surgery. The immune status index is used to evaluate a patient undergoing organ transplant and to evaluate the effect of ongoing therapy for autoimmune diseases or allergies.
The immune system is comprised of a complex array of precisely regulated cell types and the soluble molecules which these cells secrete. The immune response in a healthy individual involves recognition of a pathogen, other foreign material, or tumor cell followed by the elimination of the pathogen or other foreign material from the organism. Broadly speaking, the immune response can be divided into two categories, the innate responses and the adoptive responses. As a result of interactions among the components of the immune system, however, most immune responses comprise a variety of innate and adoptive mechanisms.
The innate responses are generally mediated by an important group of leukocytes known as phagocytic cells which include monocytes, macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils. In general, these cell types act as a first line of defense against infection because they utilize non-specific recognition systems to bind microorganisms, internalize them and destroy them.
Central to the adoptive responses of the immune system are the lymphocytes. Lymphocytes specifically recognize individual pathogens whether they are inside host cells or outside cells in blood or in tissue fluids. Lymphocytes are generally divided into two groups, T lymphocytes (also called T cells) and B lymphocytes (also called B cells). The B cells release specific antibodies that combat extracellular pathogens and their products by binding to specific target molecules. T cells, on the other hand, have a wider array of responsibilities. Certain T cells interact with phagocytic cells to help the phagocytes destroy pathogens they have taken up. Other T cells recognize aberrant cells or cells infected by virus and destroy them. Still other T cells control B cell development and antibody production.
A definitive T cell marker is the T cell antigen receptor designated TCR. Among T cells in the blood, generally more than 95% of them are classified as TCR-2 and the remainder are TCR-1. TCR-1 and TCR-2 are distinguished on the basis of Ti subunits. The Ti subunits of the TCR-2 are two disulfide-linked polypeptides known as .alpha. and .beta.. TCR-1 is structurally similar to TCR-2, but the TCR-1 Ti subunits are the .gamma. and .delta. polypeptides. Both TCR-1 and TCR-2 are associated with a complex of polypeptides which comprise the CD3 complex.
The TCR found on the surface of all T cells is composed of at least six different subunits which can be divided into three distinct subgroups of proteins. Klausner (1990). The heterodimers .alpha..beta. or .gamma..delta. within the receptor complex are responsible for ligand binding. Another subgroup of proteins which comprise the TCR are the CD3 chains which encompass at least four distinct, but closely related subunits. These subunits are .gamma., .delta., .epsilon. and .zeta.. Koning (1990); Blumberg (1990). Diversification of receptor types is the result of segregation of chains of the TCR complex into multiple subunits. Incompletely assembled complexes are degraded, resulting in the surface expression of only completely assembled receptors. Klausner (1989).
T cells that are TCR-2 are subdivided into a subset of cells which carry the CD4 marker and another which carries the CD8 marker. The CD4.sup.+ subset (TH) mainly induces immune responses while the CD8.sup.+ subset (Tc) is largely composed of cytotoxic/suppressor cells. The CD4.sup.+ subset is subdivided into those cells which positively influence the response of T cells and B cells. Another CD4.sup.+ subset of cells induces the suppressor/cytotoxic functions of CD8.sup.+ cells.
The CD4.sup.+ subset is further subdivided into TH-1 and TH-2 type cells. TH-1 and TH-2 type cells are distinguished on the basis of the spectrum of lymphokines they secrete. TH-1 cells have been found to secrete interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IFN-.gamma., while TH-2 cells have been found to secrete IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10. TH-1 and TH-2 cell types are thought to be derived from a common precursor population termed a TH-0 cell. In contrast to the mutually exclusive cytokine production of all or most of TH-1 and TH-2 cells, TH-0 cells produce all or most of these lymphokines. Treatment of TH-0 cells with IL-12 results in the production of TH-1-type cells. IL-12 is produced by macrophages and B cells.
TH cells appear to control and modulate the development of immune responses. TH cells play a major role in determining which epitopes become targets of the immune response and selection of effector mechanisms. The antigen-presenting cells (APCs) present processed antigen-to TH cells which recognize certain epitopes and thus select those which act as targets for the relevant effector functions. The TH cells then select and activate the appropriate effector cells including B cells that produce antibody and modulate the actions of other effector cells, Tc cells, natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, granulocytes and antibody dependent cytotoxic (K) cells.
The release of different cytokines by TH cells may play a role in selection of effector mechanisms and cytotoxic cells. TH-1 cells secrete IL-2 and IFN-.gamma. which tend to activate macrophages and cytotoxic cells. In contrast, TH-2 cells secrete IL-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10 and tend to increase production of eosinophils and mast cells as well as enhance production of antibody including IgE and decrease the function of cytotoxic cells. Once established, the TH-1 or TH-2 pattern is maintained through production of a cytokine that inhibits production of the other subset. The IFN-.gamma. produced by TH-1 cells inhibits production of TH-2 type cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10 while the IL-10 produced by TH-2 inhibits production of TH-1 type cytokines such as IL-2 and .gamma.IFN.
In addition to determining which epitopes are to be the targets of the immune system, the immune system must also select the appropriate effector mechanisms for each infection. Effector mechanisms which can be selected include 1) cytotoxic T cell, 2) antibody plus mast cells and eosinophils or 3) macrophage activation and delayed hypersensitivity. Activation of inappropriate effector mechanisms can lead to enhanced susceptibility rather than protection.
The molecular mechanism by which T cell clones become restricted to express only certain lymphokine genes has remained obscure, although it has been reported that cAMP, or a labile regulatory protein, can inhibit expression of IL-2 in TH-2 cells. Novak (1990), Munoz (1989). Human B cell lines are capable of producing endogenous .gamma.IFN and this gene expression correlates, at least in part, with the methylation status of a SnaB 1 restriction enzyme site (TACGTA) present between the CAAAT and TATA box in the human .gamma.IFN promoter. Pang (1992). The SnaB 1 enzyme is methylation sensitive as it does not cleave DNA if the C is methylated at the 5 position, but does cleave DNA if the C is not methylated. Yang (1990). In a human B-cell line that expresses .gamma.IFN spontaneously, and in a murine T-cell line stably transfected with the human .gamma.IFN genomic DNA, this site was totally hypomethylated and completely cleaved by SnaB 1. Pang (1992).
Tc cells, also known as killer T cells, are effector cells which play an important role in immune reactions against intracellular parasites and viruses by lysing infected target cells. Cytotoxic T cells have also been implicated in protecting the body from developing cancers through an immune surveillance mechanism. Under certain conditions, CD8.sup.+ T cells have also been shown to function as cells able to suppress the immunologic activity. This is mediated by the production of the raw factors produced by the TH-2 cells; i.e. IL4, IL10. T suppressor cells block the induction and/or activity of T helper cells. T cells do not generally recognize free antigen, but recognize it on the surface of other cells. These other cells may be specialized antigen-presenting cells capable of stimulating T cell division or may be virally-infected cells within the body that become targets for cytotoxic T cells.
Tc/Ts cells usually recognize antigen in association with class I Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) products which are expressed on all nucleated cells. Helper T cells, and most T cells which proliferate in response to antigen in vitro, recognize antigen in association with class II MHC products. Class II products are expressed mostly on antigen-presenting cells and on some lymphocytes.
In summary, the process of activation of the humoral (antibody and complement) or the cellular arm of the immune response and the regulation of such response appear to be controlled by the production of cytokines by T-cells and monocytes. Thus, it is likely that alterations in this regulation could result in the abnormal function of the immune response. This abnormal function could either be a decreased immune response resulting in immunosuppression, or alternatively in an abnormally increased response against one's own normal tissues in what is known as autoimmunity.
Determining the status of the immune response has mainly been done by clinical means. An "opportunistic infection," that is, the presence of an infection by a microorganism that normally is not pathogenic, suggests an immunosuppressed state. Alternatively, the presence of rheumatoid arthritis suggests an autoimmune process. Once the clinical findings occur, specific laboratory tests can confirm these findings. These laboratory tests mainly confirm that an altered immune system exists, for example, the antinuclear antibody test demonstrates the presence of autoantibodies in the serum of lupus patients, or the isolation of an opportunistic microorganism confirms the presence of an immunosuppressive process. However, there are no adequate tests to monitor the function of the immune system. Present immune tests on immune function include:
(1) Cell number: White blood cell count, CD4.sup.+ /CD8.sup.+ ratio. PA1 (2) Cell response: Proliferation index to tetanus toxoid. PA1 (3) Antibody levels in serum. PA1 (4) Lymphokine production: Tests absolute levels of lymphokines in serum. PA1 1. a. a kit for cell separation including a column to eliminate B cells, granulocytes and monocytes; PA1 2. a. a kit for cell separation including a column to eliminate B cells, granulocytes and monocytes;
None of these tests take into account the fact that the immune response is a balance between TH-1 and TH-2 responses. Considering the complex number of different specialized cell types that comprise the immune system, as well as the subtle control networks that exist among these cell types, it is not surprising that even small perturbations in this system can lead to serious illness in the patient. Many diseases are characterized by the development of an impaired or altered immune response. Progressive immunosuppression has been observed in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), sepsis, leprosy, cytomegalovirus infections, malaria, cancer and the like. The mechanisms responsible for the down-regulation of the immune response, however, remain to be elucidated.
Deficits in T cell function have been proposed to play an important role in the immune impairment seen in cancer patients and tumor-bearing mice. Mizoguchi (1992) describe alterations in the signal transduction molecules in T cells from MCA-38 tumor-bearing mice that indicate these changes represent the molecular basis for functional impairments observed in splenic T cells isolated from these animals.
An imbalance in the immune system is evident in autoimmunity which is characterized by the production of autoantibodies and autoreactive T cells. The auto-immune disease may be organ-specific in the case of thyrotoxicosis or pernicious anaemia, or non-organ-specific in the case of scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. Other diseases which result from the establishment of an autoimmune response include lupus and autoimmune thyroiditis.
On the other hand, hypersensitivity occurs when an immune response occurs in an exaggerated or inappropriate form causing tissue damage. Hypersensitivity reactions are no more than a beneficial immune response acting inappropriately, thereby leading to inflammation and tissue damage. Certain types of hypersensitivity reactions are antibody-mediated while others are mediated primarily by T cells and macrophages.
In Type I hypersensitivity an IgE response is directed against innocuous environmental antigens such as pollen or animal dander. The acute inflammatory reaction with symptoms such as asthma or rhinitis is caused by the release of pharmacological mediators by IgE-sensitized mast cells. Antibody-dependent cytotoxic hypersensitivity or Type II hypersensitivity occurs when antibody binds to either self antigen or foreign antigen on cells. Type III hypersensitivity occurs when immune complexes are formed in large quantities or cannot be cleared adequately by the reticulo-endothelial system. Type IV hypersensitivity is most seriously manifested when antigens are trapped in a macrophage and cannot be cleared. T cells are then stimulated to elaborate lymphokines which mediate a range of inflammatory responses.
T cell recognition events apparently lead to signal transduction and appropriate biochemical signals that control cellular responses. The ability of TCR to transduce signals to multiple biochemical cascades is a central event of immune cell activation. The details of this signal transduction pathway, however, are poorly understood. One or more tyrosine (Tyr) kinases likely have an essential role in T cell activation. Klausner (1991). At least two signal transduction pathways are activated upon stimulation of TCR by an antigen or by monoclonal antibodies directed against either CD3 or the .alpha..beta. heterodimer.
Stimulation of TCR activates a tyrosine kinase. Samelson (1986); Patel (1987); Hsi (1989). Phosphorylation of several proteins with tyrosine residues is induced within seconds of TCR stimulation. June (1990). None of the TCR chains possesses intrinsic kinase activity. A member of the Src family of tyrosine kinases designated Fyn, however, coprecipitates with the CD3 complex. Samelson (1990). A T cell specific member of the Src family of tyrosine kinases, Lck, is tightly, but non-covalently, associated with the cytoplasmic domain of either a CD4 or CD8 molecule. The extracellular domains of CD4 and CD8 bind to MHC class II and class I molecules, respectively. Upon binding of TCR to an antigen-MHC complex on a presenting cell, the TCR is believed to be brought into close proximity with either a CD4 or CD8 molecule that is capable of independently binding to an appropriate MHC molecule.
TCR also activates a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C which leads to hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bis-phosphate. Weiss (1984); Imboden (1985). This leads to the liberation of two second messengers: 1) inositol-1,4,5-tris-phosphate which is responsible for transient Ca.sup.2+ mobilization; and 2) diacylglycerol which is a potent activator of protein kinase. Berridge (1989).
Another set of proteins that is related to signal transduction is the NF-.kappa.B/rel transcription factors, also known as the Rel-related protein family. Members of the Rel-related protein family all have similar primary amino acid sequences and bind to an array of homologous decanucleotide sequences with varying affinities. The NF-.kappa.B transcription activator is a multiprotein complex. The NF-.kappa.B transcription activator appears to be specialized in the organism to rapidly induce the synthesis of defense and signalling proteins upon exposure of cells to a wide variety of agents including cytokines, double-stranded RNA, T cell mitogens, DNA damaging agents, protein synthesis inhibitors, parasites, viruses and viral transactivators. A common denominator of the agents that activate NF-.kappa.B is that they either signal or represent a threat to cells and the organisms.
NF-.kappa.B is particularly suited to rapidly activate gene expression because (1) it does not require new protein synthesis, (ii) a simple dissociation reaction triggers activation, (iii) NF-.kappa.B actively participates in cytoplasmic-nuclear signalling and (iv) it is a potent transactivator.
NF-.kappa.B is involved in the inducible expression of the T cell growth factor IL-2, as well as the inducible expression of a component of IL-2 high affinity receptor, suggesting that NF-.kappa.B is a growth regulator. There is indeed a good correlation between the proliferative state of T cells and the state of NF-.kappa.B activity.
Three protein subunits, I.sub..kappa. B, p50 and p65 control the biological functions of NF-.kappa.B. Members of the I.sub..kappa. B protein family display multiple homologous amino acid stretches (ankyrin repeats) that specifically interact with NF-.kappa.B/Rel proteins. IA includes a 35-43 kDa subunit which inhibits the DNA-binding of NF-.kappa.B and serves to retain NF-.kappa.B in an inducible form in the cytoplasm of unstimulated cells. Upon stimulation of cells, I.sub..kappa. B dissociates from the inactive complex with p65 and p50. The released p50-p65 complex heterodimer then migrates into the nucleus and trans-activates genes. Constitutive expression of the IL-2 receptor .alpha. gene in hybrids between a T-cell and myeloma cell line depends solely on the presence of the heterodimer. Only p65 appears to bind I.sub..kappa. B. Within cells, I.sub..kappa. B is released by modification of either I.sub..kappa. B, p65 or both.
Rel proteins are capable of recognizing .kappa.B motifs. The I.sub..kappa. B-family and Rel-family therefore comprise related proteins which are known to be involved in cytoplasmic/nuclear signalling. Other information on the NF-.kappa.B transcription activator and its relationship to the rel proteins may be found in Baeuerle (1991).
The present invention addresses limitations in the art for detecting and monitoring the immune status of a mammal as well as identifying appropriate treatment modalities. The present invention provides improved methods for evaluating the status of a patient's immune system. More specifically, the present invention provides improved methods for identifying, monitoring and evaluating the degree of immunosuppression, hyperimmunity or autoimmunity in a patient.
A need exists for effective methods of measuring the progression of immunosuppression so that attempts at augmenting the immune system in an immunosuppressed patient can be effectively timed. A need also exists for a method by which a patient's level of immunosuppression is estimated and used to accurately predict the likelihood of a patient's response to therapy. A need exists for a method to determine how much to suppress the immune response of a patient with autoimmunity. The patient's therapy can then be developed in a systematic fashion. A method is needed by which a clinician can determine whether a patient's T lymphocytes will be capable of activation and, thus, whether autologous adoptive immunotherapy will likely be efficacious. A need also continues to exist for a method of screening for immunosuppressive agents and agents that reverse or inhibit immunosuppression.
There is a need to detect tumors, in particular early in the development of a tumor, so that treatment effectiveness is enhanced. Also, improved methods for staging of cancer would facilitate choice of the most appropriate treatment modalities. There is also a need to test the effectiveness of treatment modalities prior to clinical trials, and as adjuncts to clinical trials.
There is a need for methods for detecting and measuring the degree of hyperimmunity or autoimmunity in the patient. In addition, improved methods for staging of the progression of hyperimmunity or autoimmunity would facilitate choice of the most appropriate treatment modalities as well as monitor the effectiveness of treatment modalities.
There is a need for methods of monitoring and evaluating the immune status of the patient receiving bone marrow or tissue transplants. Methods for monitoring and evaluating the immune status of the graft recipient, prior to the procedure, as well as after receipt of foreign tissue, are needed to effectively determine when immunosuppressive drugs should be administered.
The present invention addresses limitations in the art for evaluating, monitoring and predicting the status of a patient's immune system thereby providing a means to more effectively diagnose and treat patients with an altered immune status.

Methods of identifying patients having an altered immune status

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services


A circuit with electrical interconnect for external electronic connection and sensor(s) on a die are combined with a laminated manifold to deliver a liquid reagent over an active surface of the sensor(s). The laminated manifold includes fluidic channel(s), an interface between the die and the fluidic channel(s) being sealed. Also disclosed is a method, the method including assembling a laminated manifold including fluidic channel(s), attaching sensor(s) on a die to a circuit, the circuit including an electrical interconnect, and attaching a planarization layer to the circuit, the planarization layer including a cut out for the die. The method further includes placing sealing adhesive at sides of the die, attaching the laminated manifold to the circuit, and sealing an interface between the die and fluidic channel(s).

Current cartridges for biological or chemical analysis do not handle liquid reagents in an efficient manner. For example, the fluidic path is long, going from the reagent storage area through a conventional manifold to the die, the die including semiconductor sensor(s). The arrangement may slow the analysis and results in large volumes of wash reagent used for each cycle.
Therefore, there is a need for a more efficient fluidic path design.


A medical device having a time-controlled start function and a control unit, which enables user-friendly operation of the medical device, is described. The medical device has a control unit, which is equipped for automatic start-up of the medical device at a predetermined point in time and for checking on whether, after start-up of the medical device, a predetermined event has occurred, and has a display screen for display of information when the check reveals that the event has not occurred. Furthermore, a corresponding process for user-friendly operation is described.

Medical devices regularly require one or more actions that must be carried out before treatment of a patient can begin. To reduce the workload for the operator of the machine or to permit good utilization of equipment, medical devices have a time-controlled start function (auto-on).
After a predetermined period of time has elapsed or at a predetermined point in time, for example, a certain time of day, the machine starts automatically and automatically carries out at least one action. Automatic here is to be understood to mean that this action takes place without interaction by an operator.
Such an auto-on function is known, for example, for hemodialysis machines in which before the treatment, the liquid system through which water and/or dialysate flows during the treatment (hydraulic system) is cleaned.
This action may involve, for example, a cleaning process with which a liquid circulation of a hemodialysis machine can be cleaned before the treatment. Such a process is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,467 A.
It has been found that this auto-on function can be simplified with regard to use.

Medical device with time-controlled start function


A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric film on a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric film; forming a refractory metal film in the opening; performing a nitriding process to the refractory metal film; removing a nitride of the refractory metal film formed on a side wall of the opening; and depositing tungsten (W) in the opening from which the nitride is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device, for example, a semiconductor device in which a contact plug to connect a device portion to a wire such as a copper (Cu) wire is arranged and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device.
2. Related Art
In recent years, a new micropatterning technique is developed with advancing of the integration density and performance of a semiconductor integrated circuit (LSI). In particular, recently, in order to achieve the advancing of the high-speed performance of an LSI, an action that replaces a wire material from a conventional aluminum (Al) alloy into low-resistance copper (Cu) or a Cu alloy (to be collectively referred to as Cu hereinafter) is gaining. With recent micropatterning of the semiconductor integrated circuit described above, a contact hole to connect a Cu wire to a substrate diffusion layer and a contact hole to connect a Cu wire to a source, a drain and a gate electrode of a transistor decrease in diameter. Accordingly, aspect ratios of the contact holes increase. For this reason, an increase in contact resistance in a contact plug becomes serious.
For example, a conventional contact plug is formed as follows. Titanium (Ti) is deposited on a substrate surface, a contact hole wall surface, and a contact hole bottom surface. Titanium silicide (TiSi2) is formed on a silicon (Si) substrate on the bottom surface. On the other hand, Ti on the contact hole wall surface is nitrided to form titanium nitride (TiN). Thereafter, the contact hole is buried with a tungsten (W) film to form a contact plug (for example, see Published Japanese Translation No. 2001-523043 of the PCT International Publication).
In this case, when the W film serving as a plug is formed, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method which supplies a tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) gas, hydrogen (H2) serving as a reducing gas, and the like is used. At this time, if a barrier metal layer is not formed, fluorine (F) of WF6 performs F-attack the contact hole bottom surface during film formation of the W film to damage a contact interface and to influence the characteristics of the device. For this reason, as described above, the barrier metal layer is formed in advance to prevent the F attack. Furthermore, from this viewpoint, by a thermal CVD method using an organic Ti material, a thermal CVD method using titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) serving as an inorganic material, and the like, formation of a TiN film on a Ti film or further growth of a TiN film after the Ti film is nitrided are also attempted.
On the other hand, with advancing of the integration density of a recent semiconductor integrated circuit, a contact hole decreases in diameter. Although the contact hole decreases in diameter, when a TiN film serving as a barrier metal is formed to have the same thickness as that used when a contact hole has a large diameter, a volume of a W film for a contact plug reduces. For this reason, a ratio of the volume of the high-resistance TiN film to the volume of the W film increases, and a contact resistance disadvantageously increases accordingly.

Method for fabricating semiconductor device and semiconductor device


To provide a stereoscopic video receiver that generates a stereoscopic video with a sense of stereoscopy and a powerful impression even when a left-eye screen and a right-eye screen are displayed on a small-sized display, a left-eye screen and a right-eye screen shot by a stereo camera to be displayed on a display having a width narrower than that of a virtual display are displayed so as to be displaced in a direction of separating these screens away from each other, and left and right fields of vision are matched with each other at a position away from the display and a distance between left and right corresponding points of an infinite distance subject image is set to be shorter than an interpupillary distance of a viewer.

As a conventional technology of this type, a stereoscopic video receiver has been known in which a left-eye screen and a right-eye screen shot by a stereo camera are displayed on a small-sized display to form a stereoscopic video, the stereoscopic video is generated so that it can be viewed so as to have a size equivalent to the size of a video displayed on a large-sized display (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-17207).
In the stereoscopic video receiver described above, the stereoscopic video is present on a virtual display D0 as depicted in FIG. 5, and is formed by separately viewing the left-eye screen and the right-eye screen displayed on a display of a television, a personal computer, or the like having a width dimension shorter than that of the virtual display D0 by using left and right eyes. A distance between a left image and a right image of an infinite distance subject image, that is, a distance between left and right corresponding points of the infinite distance subject image, is adjusted so as to have a distance equal to a distance between left and right pupils of a viewer, that is, an interpupillary distance.
When the left-eye screen and the right-eye screen displayed on the display are viewed, it is normally desired to view the screens a distance (a recommended viewing distance Dr) thirty times to fifty times as long as an interpupillary distance BS of a viewer away from the virtual display D0. In particular, when moving pictures are viewed, it is desired to set the distance forty times as long as the interpupillary distance BS of the viewer. For example, an average value of interpupillary distances BS (58 mm to 72 mm) of viewers is set at approximately 65 mm, the recommended viewing distance is approximately 2500 mm. Also, while a screen width W0 of the virtual display D0 can be freely set to some extent, if the screen width W0 is extremely narrow, a powerful impression at the time of viewing is lost, and therefore a screen width on the order of 1800 mm is required.
When the screen video on the virtual display D0 as depicted in FIG. 5 is displayed on a display D1 formed with a width dimension W1 narrower than that of the virtual display W0 as depicted in FIG. 6, the width dimensions of a left-eye screen DL and a right-eye screen DR are reduced according to a ratio in width dimension between the display D1 and the virtual display D0, and therefore a distance J between left and right corresponding points PL and PR of an infinite distance subject image P is also reduced. For example, when the virtual display D0 having a width of 1800 mm is represented by the display D1 having a width of 345 mm, if the interpupillary distance BS of the viewer is set at 58 mm, the distance J between the left and right corresponding points PL and PR of the infinite distance subject image P is 345/1800×58=11.12 mm, which is shorter than the lower limit of the interpupillary distance BS of a general viewer, that is, 58 mm.
An observation distance L of the display D1 as depicted in FIG. 6 is 2500×345/1800=approximately 479 mm. When a viewer having an interpupillary distance of 58 mm tries to view the infinite distance subject image P via this display D1, a depth N of the stereoscopic video is merely 479/((58/11.12)−1)=113.5 mm on the display D1 of 15.5 inches. That is, the depth is merely 113.5 mm away from the display D1 even for a furthest subject, other subjects are viewed toward the front, and therefore only a stereoscopic video with a less sense of stereoscopy may be disadvantageously obtained.
In the display disclosed in the patent gazette described above, to mitigate this problem and provide a sense of stereoscopy to the stereoscopic video, the left-eye screen and the right-eye screen are displayed so as to be significantly displaced in a direction of separating these screens away from each other in the display having a limited width dimension to enlarge the distance between the left and right corresponding points of the infinite distance subject image so that this distance is equal to the interpupillary distance of the viewer. With this, the left-eye screen and the right-eye screen are superposed on each other with respect to the width dimension of the display to decrease an area where the screens are to be actually displayed. This may disadvantageously deprive the stereoscopic video of a powerful impression.
To address the problem, there is a need to develop a stereoscopic video with a sense of stereoscopy and a powerful impression even when the left-eye screen and the right-eye screen are displayed on a small-sized display. An object of the present invention is to solve this problem.