An electrowetting optical element, having a first electrode layer stack and a second electrode layer stack. Each layer stack has an electrode for applying a voltage to the electrodes for rearranging polar liquid relative to non-polar liquid. A containment space is formed between the first and second electrode layer stack. One or more cell walls extend between the electrode stacks for defining sides of the containment space forming cells. The electrowetting optical element further includes a retroreflective layer for reflecting incident light back through the element.

Electrowetting technology is based on modification of an energy balance between on one hand surface tension forces of liquids and wetting properties of a solid surface, and on the other hand electrostatic forces induced by an applied voltage over a capacitor arrangement comprising said boundary layer.
An electrowetting optical element, further referred to as electrowetting element, according to the state of the art may from bottom to top be comprised of respectively an electrode layer stack comprising a substrate and an electrode layer, an electrically insulating hydrophobic layer or an insulating layer having a hydrophobic surface on a side opposite to the other electrode layer, for interfacing to a polar liquid and a non-polar liquid immiscible with each other. From a viewing path, this stack, at the bottom of the element can be denoted as the second stack, comprising the second electrode layer.
The element may further comprise another electrode layer stack, which is opposite to the above described electrode stack and comprising an electrode layer which is electrically in contact with the polar liquid and a superstrate for supporting the electrode layer. This electrode layer may have a hydrophobicity that is lower than the hydrophobic interface surface of the second electrode layer stack. This stack, at the top of the element, can be denoted as the first stack, comprising the first electrode layer.
Cell walls attached to the electrode layer stack and extending from one electrode layer stack towards the other electrode layer stack, form a containment space between both electrode stacks and the cell walls. The cell walls thus form a barrier for the polar liquid between the electrowetting cell and adjacent electrowetting cells to keep the non-polar liquid from moving towards other cells.
An electrowetting element can thus form a picture element or pixel. A plurality of electrically controlled electrowetting elements can together form a display or part thereof comprising pixels, which can be used for displaying arbitrary images by appropriately controlling the electrowetting elements forming the display. Electrowetting elements can have arbitrary shapes determined by the shape of the electrodes, such that displays can be manufactured for specific purposes.
An electrowetting element is mainly transparent, except for the non-polar liquid in each of the cells formed by the cell walls. The non-polar liquid is often non-transparent or has a low optical transmission coefficient. The transmission coefficient of the non-polar liquid typically depends on the application of the electrowetting element. In a colour display, an electrowetting element comprising coloured non-polar liquids may be used.
The principles of operation of an electrowetting element are as follows. In an unpowered state, i.e. when no voltage is applied over the first and second electrode, the lowest energetic state of the system is where the non-polar liquid forms a boundary layer between the polar liquid and the hydrophobic surface of the insulating layer. This is because the polar liquid is repelled by the hydrophobic layer. The poor transmissibility of the non-polar liquid then forms an obstruction to light that penetrates the system.
When a voltage is applied over the electrodes, the lowest energetic state of the system becomes the situation wherein the (poorly conductive or insulating) non-polar liquid is pushed aside by the (conductive) polar liquid, and the polar liquid thereby being in direct contact with the insulating hydrophobic layer. Note that the voltage must be large enough for the electrostatic forces to overcome the repellent and surface tension forces that separate the polar liquid from the hydrophobic surface. In this situation, light that penetrates the system has rather unobstructed access to the insulating hydrophobic layer because of the well transmissibility of the polar liquid and the non-polar liquid being pushed aside. In the powered up state, when voltage is applied over the electrodes, the electrowetting element is thus transmissive. This working principle is used in electrowetting type displays and screens.
Digital billboards are known using Light Emitting Diodes, LEDs, which emit intense light, in order to compensate en overcome the daylight. This results in light pollution, in particular when the environmental light level drops, during the evening/night. Moreover, LED displays may emit at such levels, that it can be considered unsafe for road users as it causes distraction. Moreover, LED displays, in these dimensions needed for digital billboards consume high amounts of energy. Accordingly, there is a need for improved displays which are suitable for large dimension applications such as digital billboards.


A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having a number of gate lines, a gate driver having a number of gate channels, wherein the number of gate channels is different than the number of gate lines, and a timing controller to apply a gate shift clock signal to the gate driver, the gate shift clock signal having at least one dummy shift clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof that effectively adjusts to variations in size and/or resolution.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recent advancements in semiconductor technology have allowed development of a variety of electronics devices having small size, thin profile, light weight, low required voltage, and low power consumption. Accordingly, a need for flat panel display devices suitable for these new electronic devices has arisen. In particular, some of the developed flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panel (PDP) devices, and organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) devices. Of the flat panel display devices, the LCD devices have received the most attention as LCD devices can be made thin and light-weight with relative ease while having small power consumption and low driving voltages.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an LCD device of the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device of the related art has an LCD panel 110 on which images are displayed, a gate driver 120, and a data driver 130 for driving the LCD panel 110.
The LCD panel 110 has a front substrate and a rear substrate bonded together with a gap therebetween and a liquid crystal layer formed in the gap between the front substrate and the rear substrate. The front substrate is a color filter substrate. The front substrate typically includes red, green, and blue color filter layers for representing colors, a black matrix layer for shielding light between pixel regions, and a common electrode. The rear substrate is typically a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate. In particular, the TFT array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines 111, a plurality of data lines 112 crossing the gate lines 111, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed at respective pixels at which the gate lines 111 and the data lines 112 cross each other, and a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) for transferring image signals from the data lines 112 to the pixel electrodes, respectively.
The gate driver 120 sequentially supplies gate signals to the plurality of gate lines 111. The data driver 130 supplies data signals to the plurality of data lines 112 with picture data voltages allocated to each pixel. The data signals are transferred to the respective pixel electrodes through the data lines 112 and the TFTs that are turned on by the gate signals. Different voltage levels representing the images are applied to the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. The orientation of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is changed based on these voltage levels. Accordingly, images are displayed by controlling an amount of light that pass through the liquid crystal display panel depending on the changed molecular orientation.
LCD devices with various screen sizes and/or resolutions are required depending on the diverse applications. As the screen size and/or resolution changes, so does the number of the gate lines 111 formed in the LCD panel. Accordingly, the number of the gate channels 121 of a corresponding gate driver also changes. Therefore, in the related art, the design time and manufacturing unit cost increase as the number of the gate channels 121 formed in the gate driver must be changed according to the LCD panel.

Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof


A device for management of diabetes using a programmable microprocessor based unit having a display, keyboard, and memory. The keyboard is for inputting information concerning carbohydrates ingested by a user. The microprocessor is programmed to determine an amount of insulin to be used by a user based upon the carbohydrates ingested and the display is for displaying the amount of insulin to be used.

This invention relates to a device for diabetes management and more particularly to a hand-held electronic device for determining a proper insulin dosage based upon the content of carbohydrates in foods ingested by a user.
Control of certain health conditions typically involves the frequent monitoring of the health of a person. In order to monitor the health conditions the person is required to participate at a high and consistent level. One health condition which needs to be monitored is diabetes. For the care of diabetes it has been important to monitor the blood glucose level of the individual and to somehow record the level along with the date and time of the monitoring. Additionally, it is useful to be able to track diet, exercise, and medication of the diabetic in order to correctly and effectively determine if any change to the diabetic's therapy will be needed.
There have been some electronic devices which have been proposed and used in the past to monitor blood glucose which were inexpensive and easy to use. However, such devices are only able to monitor the blood glucose level and cannot monitor other conditions such as diet or exercise. Additionally, there have been developed microprocessor based blood glucose monitoring systems. However, such systems have several disadvantages. For example, such microprocessor based systems have only limited capability in being able to monitor what kind of meal was eaten prior to the blood glucose reading being taken.
In the management of diabetes it has been found that it is advantageous to monitor a patient's eating and exercise to determine the optimum insulin dosage required for that patient. With respect to monitoring a patient's eating it is extremely important to monitor the amount of carbohydrates which plays a critical role in determining the blood glucose level. Research has confirmed that if diabetic patients can control their blood glucose levels effectively they will reduce risk in developing many of the health complications well known in diabetes.
Controlling the diet is the cornerstone of diabetes management and in recent years greater attention has been focused on meals and the amount of carbohydrates consumed. This is because it has been recognized that the amount of carbohydrates consumed in a diet is the single largest contributor to the body's glucose level after a meal. The only method known to record such information has been by writing it down in a log book. Additionally, the recording of such information is very subjective and requires the user to guess at various amounts of carbohydrates actually eaten. Due to the subjective nature of this method, the proper insulin dosage may not be calculated accurately.
The present invention is designed to provide a diabetic patient with a reliable and accurate tool to measure the amount of carbohydrates prior to consumption of a meal. With such information the diabetic patient is able to calculate an appropriate insulin dose to administer prior to a meal. The present invention further serves as an educational tool to make a patient aware of the importance of carbohydrates consumed. The patient, with continued use of the device of the present invention, may be trained to evaluate carbohydrate content of foods so that the patient will in time have the ability to better understand dosage requirements based on diet. Additionally, health care professionals will be better able to assist their patients in complying with the patient's prescribed guidelines for diet management if the amount of carbohydrates consumed by the patient is known. The device also provides a record whereby diet and other components of care can be evaluated and modified by the health care professional as needed. The record or data which is stored within the device for diabetes management is capable of being downloaded to a remote site for access and review by a health care professional or physician. Additionally, other records are capable of being received by the device for diabetes management from a remote site for use by the diabetic patient. Moreover, the device for diabetes management of the present invention enables an individual to factor in other variables besides carbohydrate food content such as other factors being exercise and existing glucose levels which also impact glucose control. Additional other factors are, for example, variation of insulin sensitivity during the course of the day or the different effect on blood glucose levels by different foods of the same food category of equivalent caloric value. Foods from the same food group may nevertheless alter glucose levels in a differing manner can be said to have different glycemic indexes. The use of the glycemic index control on the device allows this variant to be considered when calculating carbohydrate intake or insulin requirements. The device of the present invention allows for more accurately determining the dosage of insulin for a diabetic.


The present invention provides a method for identifying Fc.gamma.RIIIA allelic pattern in a human patient. The present invention also provides methods for determining in a human patient a predisposition to autoimmune diseases and the relative capacity of a human subject to produce anti-tumor antibodies, antibodies directed against viral or bacterial pathogen, or to mount an effective immune response to a vaccine.

Fc receptors are membrane glycoproteins present on the surface of neutrophils, macrophages and other cell types, whose primary function is to bind and internalize immunoglobulins, immune complexes, and immunoglobulinopsonized viruses, bacteria, and other particles. Three distinct families of human receptors for the Fc domain of immunoglobulin G (IgG) have been identified on the basis of reactivity with monoclonal antibodies, cellular distribution, and cDNA sequences: Fc.gamma.RI, Fc.gamma.RII, and Fc.gamma.RIII. Within each of these three Fc.gamma. receptor families, distinct genes and alternative splice variants lead to a series of receptor isoforms that have striking differences in their extracellular, transmembrane, and intracellular regions. The salient features of the known classes of Fc.gamma. receptors are compiled in Table 1.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ Fcy Receptor Families Structural Isoforms FcyRI FcyRII Fcy RIII Distinct genes A B C A B C A B __________________________________________________________________________ Splice variants + (+) a1, a2 b1, b2, b3 Allelic variants + (+) (+) HR/LR (+) NA1 NA2 Membrane anchor TM TM (TM) a1:TM TM TM y/.eta./.zeta. GPI a2:secreted complex Cell Distribution Neutrophils (+) (?) + (?) + Monocytes/M.phi. + (?) + (+) (?) + .about.5% of donors Lymphocytes B cells (?) NK cells Mesangial cells of + kidney __________________________________________________________________________
In addition to diversity based on distinct genes and their splice variants, different isoforms may also exhibit allelic polymorphisms. In several cases, the different alleles have been defined at the level of DNA sequence, and functional differences between the allelic forms have been noted. For example, the two recognized allelic forms of Fc.gamma.RIIIB, NA1 and NA2, which differ by several amino acids and N-linked glycosylation sites, also differ in their capacity to mediate phagocytosis. In the case of Fc.gamma.RIIA, the known allelic variants, HR ("high responder") and LR ("low responder"), which differ at amino acid position 131, differ substantially in their capacity to bind and internalize IgG2 (Salmon et al., 1992, J. Clin. Invest., 89:1274). (In fact, Fc.gamma.RIIA-LR is the only human Fc.gamma.R that recognizes IgG2 efficiently.) Furthermore, allelic variants of Fc.gamma.RI have also been found, though the possible functional significance of these sequence variations is not yet clear. It is likely that more than two allelic forms exist for each Fc.gamma. receptor gene.
The present inventors have identified a functionally significant allelic polymorphism in the Fc.gamma.RIIIA gene, which results in the substitution of a valine for an phenylalanine at amino acid residue number 176 in the Fc.gamma.RIIIA polypeptide (primary translation product). This amino acid substitution correlates with a differing ability of the two Fc.gamma.RIIIA variants to bind IgG. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the distribution of the Fc.gamma.RIIIA isoform on monocytes, macrophages, mast cells, and, particularly, natural killer (NK) cells, as well as on kidney mesangial cells, means that this allelic polymorphism may affect the functioning of these cells in autoimmune diseases, tumor immunity, and antiviral and antibacterial immunity (and, in the case of mesangial cells, in mediating kidney disease). By contrast, an "expression polymorphism" was noted in one study that was interpreted as causing an apparent difference in the number (but not intrinsic binding capacity) of IgG binding sites on NK cells (Vance et al., J.Immunol. 151:6429, 1993).
Mononuclear phagocytes and NK cells lyse various target cell types via antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). In ADCC, Fc.gamma.RIIIA on the cytotoxic cell recognizes antibodies coating the surface of the target cells. Binding (and possibly aggregation) of Fc.gamma.RIIIA then triggers synthesis and release of cytokines (such as, in the case of mononuclear phagocytes, interferon-.gamma., and in the case of NK cells, interleukin-2) as well as exocytic release of granules containing cytolytic compounds that effectuate lysis of the adjacent target cell. NK cells are also involved in lysis of some tumor cells and virally infected cells and participate in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) reactions. Interestingly, occupancy of Fc.gamma.RIIIA on the surface of NK cells, coupled with exposure of the cells to interleukin-2, has also been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in NK cells (Ortaldo et al., J. Exp.Med. 181:339, 1995; Azzoni et al., J. Immunol. 154:491, 1995).
Because of the important role played by Fc.gamma.RIIIA-bearing cells in many types of immune responses, there is a need in the art for diagnostic tests that predict the relative capabilities of Fc.gamma.RIIIA-bearing cells in an individual to participate in Fc.gamma.RIIIA-mediated reactions. Furthermore, there is a need for reagents and methods for gene therapy to supplement the Fc.gamma.RIIIA polypeptides present on an individual's immune cells with alternate allelic forms of Fc.gamma.RIIIA that are more effective in immune surveillance, immune complex clearing, and other processes.

New York Society For The Relief Of The Ruptured and Crippled Maintaining The Hospital For Special Surgery


A wireless communication device and a method for adjusting a maximum number of accesses thereby are provided. The wireless communication device comprises a network speed providing module and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access number control module, wherein the network speed providing module is configured to provide a speed at a network side to a WLAN side; and the WLAN access number control module is configured to adjust a maximum number of accesses of a WLAN according to the speed at the network side provided by the network speed providing module. Through the disclosure, communication quality is ensured for an Internet user by adjusting a maximum number of user accesses of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi); and when the network gets worse, the access of an excess user is not allowed or some users are removed according to a user rule.

With the development and popularization of third generation (3G) mobile communication technology, a wireless network card is becoming popular. In the case of good network performance, a user can browse complex web pages, perform high-speed download, play online games, watch online videos and the like by using a wireless network card freely. Such operations are dependent heavily on a high network speed. In many cases, however, a network environment is not ideal, for example, when a network load is relatively high, or when the wireless attenuation of an environment where a user is located is relatively serious. Furthermore, some users may use a 2G network for surfing. At present, the basic situation of the 2G network is as follows: theoretical downlink speeds of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 1x, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data speed for GSM Evolution (EDGE) are 153.6 Kbps, 85.6 Kbps and 236.8 Kbps respectively. Opening any web will require traffic of hundreds of kilobytes (KB), so the GPRS can only meet general requirements of one user on traffic.
It is found in the test that a bandwidth allocated to each user is not balanced when multiple users perform downloading simultaneously, and specifically relates to the performance of devices of the users and other factors. In the case mentioned above, since the network speed is in a lower status for a long time, the surfing requirement cannot be met for some users due to very low speed allocated if the wireless network card supports the surfing of many users at the same time. At this moment, the quality of communications may be ensured by limiting the maximum number of user accesses allowed by the network card. When the network gets worse, the access of an excess user is not allowed or some users are removed according to a user rule, which cannot meet surfing requirements of users well and thus reduces the user experience. Furthermore, this function is usually used during the normal Internet services, and may be disabled if there is no requirement on data exchange or a network speed in a Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) used by users.

Wireless communication device and method for adjusting maximum number of accesses thereby


A reagent dispenser is provided for dispensing multiple reagents particularly for use in analyzing biological specimens and the like. The dispenser includes a pair of reagent chambers with selected reagents therein, and a dual nib for hermetically sealing the reagent chambers. A portion of the dispenser is deformable to break or otherwise to displace the nib in a manner permitting the two reagents to flow together and mix within one of the reagent chambers. The deformable portion or the dispenser can then be squeezed to express the mixed reagents for delivery to contact a specimen to be analyzed. In a preferred form, the dispenser is cap assembly for removable mounting onto an open-ended tubular housing to cooperatively define a specimen chamber within the housing for receiving the specimen on a swab or the like.

This invention relates generally to improvements in medical test devices and kits used for collecting and analyzing biological specimens. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved reagent dispenser and related test kit of the general type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,266, with means for mixing and delivering multiple reagents for contact with a biological specimen in the course of performing a medical analysis or the like.
Medical swabs are generally known in the art for use in collecting biological specimens from a patient for further analysis. Such medical swabs commonly comprise a fibrous swab tip at one end of an elongated stick or shaft which is manually handled to contact the swab tip with selected tissue cells or other biological specimen obtained, for example, within the ear, nose or throat of a patient. As a result, some of the targeted biological specimen adheres to the swab tip which then can be contacted with one or more chemical reagents to indicate the presence of infection or other information regarding patient condition. Tests commonly performed with such patient specimens include, by way of example, fluorescent tests, enzymatic tests, monoclonal based tests, agglutination tests, and others.
In accordance with standard specimen collection and test preparation techniques, the biological specimen is normally transferred from the swab tip to a slide or other laboratory apparatus such as a test tube or the like for contact with the selected reagent and further analysis. However, it is frequently difficult to ensure transfer of a sufficient specimen quantity from the swab tip to the laboratory slide or test tube to ensure accurate test results. Moreover, in many instances, the collected specimen must be transported to an off-site medical laboratory for performance of selected assays, but delays between the time of specimen collection and actual test performance can result in partial or complete drying of the specimen, with a corresponding decrease in test reliability.
Various swab-type collection and test devices have been proposed in efforts to provide enhanced contact between a specimen and reagent, or, in the alternative, to sustain the specimen for post-collection transport to a medical laboratory. Such swab collection devices have been provided in the form of a compact kit including a fibrous-tipped swab together with one or more reagents for contacting a specimen collected on the swab tip. In some designs, the reagent is sealed within a frangible glass ampoule which is broken at the appropriate time to release the reagent for contacting the specimen on the swab tip. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,792,699; 4,978,504; 5,078,968; and 5,238,649. The glass ampoule, however, comprises an additional and relatively costly component to the collection device or kit. Moreover, the glass ampoule produces sharp fragments or shards when broken, wherein the collection device must be designed to prevent the glass fragments from contacting the collected specimen or medical personnel.
Alternative swab-type collection devices have envisioned reagent placement within a rupturable cell or compartment formed within a plastic swab housing. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,450. In these designs, the reagent cell or compartment is opened at the appropriate time to permit reagent release for flow into contact with a collected specimen on the swab tip. While this approach avoids the disadvantages associated with glass ampoules, the manufacture of plastic housings with liquid-filled compartments adapted for controlled rupture has been relatively difficult and generally unreliable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,266 discloses a further improved swab-type specimen test device, wherein a reagent is contained within a sealed compartment which is opened at the appropriate time by manipulating a break-off nib. This device beneficially avoids the use of glass ampoules and further provides for reliable and controlled reagent release in a cost-efficient design.
For some specimen analyses, it is necessary or desirable to mix multiple reagents together prior to contacting the specimen, wherein the mixed reagents are sufficiently unstable to require that they be maintained in separate sealed chambers until the test is to be performed. Prior swab-type specimen test devices have not satisfactorily addressed such applications.
The present invention is directed to an improved reagent dispenser device, particularly of the type having a break-off nib, for maintaining multiple reagents in separate chambers for convenient mixing and delivery at the appropriate time to contact a collected specimen.

Reagent dispenser and related test kit for biological specimens


An X-ray tube assembly having a cathode, an anode, and an electrode surrounded by a vacuum-enclosing frame. Electrons from the cathode strike a target surface on the anode. Some electrons produce X-rays which exit an X-ray transparent window portion of the frame. Other electrons are backscattered and go on to strike and heat the frame including the window region. The non-electron-emifting electrode typically has a negative electrical potential and is positioned to deflect the backscattered electrons away from the window region which reduces heating thereto and hence minimizes tube failure.

X-ray devices used in the medical field contain an X-ray tube which typically includes a cathode which is heated to emit electrons, a (typically rotating) anode having a target surface facing the cathode, and a surrounding glass and/or metal frame containing an X-ray-transparent window secured by a window mount. Some emitted electrons strike the target surface and produce X-rays, and some of the X-rays exit the frame as an X-ray beam through the X-ray-transparent window. Other emitted electrons do not produce X-rays and are backscattered when they strike the target surface. Many of the backscattered electrons go on to strike and heat the frame including the X-ray-transparent window and the window mount. The frame is also heated from within by other sources such as thermal radiation. The heated frame is typically cooled by a liquid coolant, such as oil or water, located between the frame and a surrounding casing.
The heating of the frame is uneven and often has a peak in the region of the X-ray-transparent window due to the backscattered electrons concentrated there. The dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion of the X-ray-transparent window and the window mount generate mechanical stresses which can cause tube failure. Additionally, high temperatures in the X-ray-transparent window itself can induce boiling of the adjoining liquid coolant. Such coolant boiling will degrade the quality of the X-ray beam which exits the frame through the X-ray-transparent window. Existing grounded metal frame tubes include those having high-cost components to mechanically join the window to the rest of the frame while reducing thermal stresses to acceptable levels. Some known tubes have enhanced cooling applied to the window region.
What is needed is an improved X-ray tube design which reduces heating of the X-ray-transparent window and the window mount.

X-ray tube having reduced window heating


Electronic apparatus such as a cordless phone, the electronic apparatus includes detection means for detecting the error of received data and at least two speech buffers as speech buffers for temporarily storing the received voice data. In case the electronic apparatus is in a position where it can communicate with a repeater and a base unit, the electronic apparatus stores the voice data transmitted from the base unit into one speech buffer and stores voice data transmitted from the repeater into the other speech buffer, and uses the voice data of a lower error rate. This maintains high speech quality. In case the electronic apparatus roams from a second wireless network formed around the repeater to a first wireless network formed around the base unit, smooth roaming is provided without degrading the speech quality by using the voice data of a lower error rate stored in either of the two speech buffers, even when the conversation state is gradually degraded and more errors are detected in the received data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electronic apparatus which is connectable to a network by using a radio wave and which performs data communications, voice communications and printing, and a wireless network system including the electronic apparatus.
2. Background Art
Recently, various specifications for wireless networks have been standardized and apparatus equipped with a variety of applications has been connected to a wireless network of the same specifications. For example, Bluetooth (trademark) is a specification which allows connection of a computer, computer peripherals such as a printer, a scanner, and electronic apparatus such as a facsimile, audio apparatus, and a cordless phone, to a wireless network.
In case a cordless phone is manufactured using the Bluetooth system, a piconet may be formed using the base set as a master and handsets as slaves, and a handset can move for conversation with in a range where a radio wave can reach (coverage area).
A network using a radio wave has a limited coverage area. For a cordless phone comprising a base unit and a plurality of handsets, in case the user carrying a handset has walked out of the coverage area of the wireless network network, a radio wave from the base unit does not reach the handset, which may result in breakdown of communications.
By providing a repeater conforming to the specifications of the same wireless network in the coverage area of a wireless network and forming a wireless network around the repeater, the coverage area of the wireless network where wireless network communications are available has been expanded. With this configuration, the voice data transmitted from a handset is relayed by the repeater, which prevents breakdown of communications wile the user of the handset is traveling.
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H11-225325/(1999) describes a mobile image transmitter capable of transmitting a quality image where repeaters receiving a radio wave from mobile communications apparatus for transmitting an image passes the image data received as well as field strength data and a base station displays the image coming from a repeater which has transmitted the highest field strength data.
According to the mobile image transmitter of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H11-225325/(1999), the field strength of the radio wave transmitted from the mobile communications apparatus is measured by the repeater and the measured result is transmitted to the base station for determination of the field strength. This requires a base station which manages all repeaters. A wireless network such as a Bluetooth-based network is composed of electronic apparatus each operating on a standalone basis, so that it cannot accommodate electronic apparatus corresponding to the base station. Therefore, it is impossible to apply the mobile communications apparatus according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H11-225325/(1999) to such a wireless network.

Electronic apparatus and wireless network system

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An air conditioner controller for an air conditioner is configured to obtain a first value of a performance value from a predetermined component of the air conditioner, and estimate a total cost. The controller is configured to estimate the total cost including an operation cost and a renewal cost of the air conditioner based on the first value of the performance variable obtained from the predetermined component of the air conditioner and a second value of the performance variable estimated by an operational model of the air conditioner. The total cost is a total cost of operating and renewing the air conditioner for a time period after a time at which the first value of the performance variable is obtained. The controller is configured to output the total cost via a user interface.

Costs for air conditioning may account for about 40% of building maintenance costs. Therefore, cost savings for air conditioning can highly impact cost savings of building maintenance costs. Some systems may use a technique that reduces energy consumption amounts and operating costs of an air conditioning facility by optimizing setpoint values of at least one air conditioner with respect to blowing air temperature, cooling water temperature of a refrigerator, and cooling water temperature at a cooling tower. Other systems may use a technique that determines an air conditioner system with reduced initial costs and running costs by calculating the initial costs and the running costs based on energy consumption amounts relating to electric loads and thermal loads. There is a need for an air conditioning controller which determines optimal times to provide maintenance and renewal (e.g., replacement) to the air conditioner to minimize costs.

Air condition management apparatus, system, and method

Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.


An image forming method includes charging an image carrier for carrying an electrostatic latent image;. forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged image carrier;. developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner by contacting a toner layer on a surface of a toner carrier with a surface of the image carrier to form a toner image thereon;. copying the toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier onto a copy medium;. wherein the toner has toner particles containing at least a bonding resin, carbon black and an azo-based iron compound and inorganic fine powder;. the carbon black having an average primary particles size within a range of from 25 to 80 nm; and. the azo-based iron compound having a specific structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming method using the electrophotographic method, the electrostatic recording method, or the magnetic recording method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming method applicable to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine, for forming an image by copying a toner image onto a copy medium after forming the toner image on a photosensitive member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many conventionally known electrophotographic methods are generally based on a process comprising the steps of forming an electrical latent image on a photosensitive member by various means generally by the use of a photosensitive material, developing the electrical latent image with a toner into a visual image, transferring as required the toner image onto a transfer medium such as a sheet of paper, and then applying fixing heat or pressure, thereby obtaining a fixed image. In this process, the toner remaining on the photosensitive member, which is not transferred to the transfer medium after transferring, is cleaned off by various methods.
Known methods for visualizing the electrical latent image include the cascade developing method, the magnetic brush developing method, the non-magnetic one component developing method, and the pressurizing method. Further, a method known as the magnetic one component developing method is in use, which uses a magnetic toner, and causes an image to fly on an electric field between a photosensitive member and a sleeve by the use of a rotary sleeve having a magnetic pole arranged at the center.
LED and LBP printers primarily constitute the current printer market, and the technical tendency is toward a higher resolution, i.e., from the conventional 240 dpi or 300 dpi toward 400 dpi, 600 dpi or 1,200 dpi. A higher accuracy is accordingly demanded also for the developing method. General attention is attracted by the efforts to achieve a higher performance also in the area of copying machines, and the trend is directed toward more digitalized machines. Because a method of forming an electrostatic image by a laser is mainly adopted in the digital method, resolution is becoming higher, and accordingly, a developing method of a higher resolution and a higher accuracy in keeping with demands as in the area of printers is being realized.
Efforts are therefore directed toward achievement of a toner of a smaller particle size. A toner of a small particle size of a specific particle size distribution is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-112,253, No. 1-191,156, No. 2-284,6156, No. 2-284,158, No. 3-181,952, and No. 4-162,048.
There is at present proposed a method known as the contact one component developing method of conducting development with a configuration in which a semiconductive developing roller or a developing roller having a dielectric layer form on the surface thereof is pressed against a photosensitive surface layer.
When the photosensitive member is distant from the toner carrying member in the one component developing method, the electric force lines concentrate onto edge portions of the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, and the toner is developed along the electric force lines, thus leading to an increased decrease in grade of the image caused by an edge effect in which the image is developed with the toner partial to the edge portions of the image.
This edge effect is prevented by bringing the photosensitive member and the toner carrying member closer to each other. It is, however, difficult to mechanically set a gap between the photosensitive member and the toner carrying member, i.e., to achieve a gap smaller than the thickness of the toner layer on the toner carrying member.
The edge effect would therefore be prevented by using the contact one component developing method by pressing the toner carrying member against the photosensitive member. However, when the displacement speed of the toner carrying member surface is the same as the displacement speed of the photosensitive member surface, visualization of the latent image on the photosensitive member cannot provide a satisfactory image. In the contact one component developing method, therefore, a part of the toner on the toner carrying member is developed for the latent image on the surface of the photosensitive member by providing a difference in surface displacement speed between the photosensitive member and the toner carrying member, and another part of the toner is stripped off, thus resulting in a developed image, free from the edge effect, resulting in a developed image that is highly true to the latent image.
In the application of the contact one component developing method, it is essential to provide a configuration permitting rubbing of the photosensitive member surface by the toner and the toner carrying member. As a result, the use of such a method for a long period of time tends to cause deterioration of toner, deterioration of the toner carrying member surface, and deterioration or wear of the photosensitive member surface, resulting in degradation of durability. There has therefore been a demand for an improved method. For there reasons, the contact one component developing method has essential problems including the necessity of improving durability, and difficulty of achieving a higher speed because of a larger load on the equipment.
Studies on the contact one component non-magnetic developing method are reported in the Japan Hardcopy '89 Papers, pages 25-28, without reference to durability.
An overview of a printer using the one component contact developing method is reported in the FUJITSU Sci. Tech., 28, 4, pp. 473-480 (December 1992). There remains, however, room for improvement regarding durability.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 5-188,765 and 5-188,752 disclose techniques regarding a one component contact developing method, but does not disclose a technique for improving durability.
A toner image formed on the photosensitive member during the developing step is transferred, on the other hand, onto a transfer medium during the transferring step, while the toner remaining after transferring on the photosensitive member is cleaned during the cleaning step, and the toner is stored in a waste toner container. For the cleaning step, it has been the conventional practice to use a cleaning method such as blade cleaning, fur brush cleaning, or roller cleaning. All these cleaning methods comprise the steps of bringing a cleaning member into contact with the surface of the photosensitive member and mechanically scraping off the toner remaining from the photosensitive member, or damming up the residual toner and collecting the same into a waste toner container. As a result, for any of these cleaning methods, it has been inevitable to suffer the problems caused by the pressing of the cleaning member against the surface of the photosensitive member, for example, wear of the photosensitive member caused by the strong pressing of the cleaning member and the resultant shorter service life of the photosensitive member. From the point of view of equipment, incorporation of such a cleaning unit has naturally led to a large apparatus, and this has formed a bottleneck why trying to achieve a more compact apparatus.
From an ecological point of view, furthermore, a system not generating waste toner for effective utilization of toner, and a system having excellent fixability and offset resistance properties for energy saving have been demanded.
The disclosure of a technique conventionally known as development-simultaneous cleaning technique or cleanerless technique, as in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-2287, places a data point on a positive memory and a negative memory under the effect of toner remaining after transferring on an image. Now that electrophotography is widely in use, however, it is becoming necessary to transfer the toner image onto various transfer media, and in this respect, the disclosed technique does not satisfy the requirements of various transfer media.
The prior arts disclosing techniques relating to the cleanerless technique include Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 59-133,573, 62-206,182, 63-133,179 64-20,587, 2-302,772, 5-2,289, 5-53,482 and 5-61,383. None of these techniques describes neither a desirable image forming method nor a toner composition.
Further, for development-simultaneous cleaning essentially not having a cleaning unit, a configuration for rubbing the surface of the photosensitive member with the toner and the toner carrying member is required, this tending to cause deterioration of toner, deterioration of the surface of the toner carrying member, degradation or wear of the surface of the photosensitive member caused by the use for a long period of time, and deterioration of durability. As these defects were not sufficiently solved by the conventional technology, simultaneous satisfaction of fixability and durability properties has been demanded. Now that there is a demand for a higher speed of image formation in parallel with this, the conventional technology cannot sufficiently solve problems in charging control of residual toner after transferring before collection for achieving a higher collectivity of the residual toner in development, or in keeping stability of development when reusing the collected toner in development-simultaneous cleaning technique in an apparatus having a high process speed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-259,161 provides a non-magnetic, one component developing agent by setting forth a shape factors, a specific surface area, and a particle size. The developing agent defined in this prior art does not, however, provide sufficient durability properties.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-279,864 proposes a toner by setting forth values of shape factors SF-1 and SF-2. This prior art does not, however, describe copying apparatus. Moreover, a followup test of the examples revealed a low transferring efficiency and the necessity of further improvement.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-235,953 processes a magnetic toner spheroidized by a mechanical impact. This prior art achieves, however, only an insufficient transferring efficiency, leaving room for further improvement.
Recently, from the point of view of environmental protection, the contact charging method of conducting charging by bringing a charging member into contact with the surface of a photosensitive member in a primary charging step and a transferring step utilizing corona discharge used conventionally, and the contact transferring method performing transferring by bringing a transferring member into contact via a transfer medium with the surface of the photosensitive member are currently receiving the main attention in the industry.
Such a contact charging method and a contact transferring method are proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 63-149,669 and 2-123,385. These methods comprise the steps of bringing a conductive elastic roller into contact with the photosensitive member, uniformly charging the photosensitive member while applying a voltage to the conductive roller, then obtaining a toner image through subsequent exposure and developing steps, pressing another conductive roller applied with a voltage against the photosensitive member, passing a transfer medium between the photosensitive member and the conductive roller while pressing, and transferring a toner image on the photosensitive member onto the transfer medium, thereby obtaining a transferred image through a fixing step.
In the contact transferring method as described above, however, in which the transferring member is brought into contact via the transfer medium with the photosensitive member during transferring, the toner image is pressed during transferring of the toner image onto the transfer medium, thus causing a problem of a partially defective transfer known as a hollow character.
Further, as the particle size of toner becomes smaller, adherence of the toner particles to the photosensitive member (image force or van der Waals force) becomes larger as compared with the Coulomb force acting on the toner particles during transferring, thus tending to result in an increased residual toner after transferring.
The toner and the photosensitive member used in this image forming method have therefore been required to have excellent strippability properties. With a view to improving strippability of the toner from the photosensitive member and improving transferring property of the toner, use of a toner having a particle shape approximating a sphere, manufactured by the suspension polymerization method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-209,952 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,857).
The toner manufactured by the suspension polymerization method has been proposed some years ago (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 36-10,231). The suspension polymerization method comprises the steps of preparing a monomer composition by uniformly dissolving or dispersing a polymerizable monomer and a coloring agent (and as required, a polymerization initiating agent, a binder agent, a charge control agent, and other additives), dispersing the prepared monomer composition in a continuous layer (for example, an aqueous phase), containing a dispersion stabilizing agent by means of an appropriate stirrer, and causing a polymerizing reaction, thereby obtaining toner particles having a desired particle size.
In this suspension polymerization method, in which liquid drops of the monomer composition are generated in a dispersion medium having a large polarity such as water, components having polar groups contained in the monomer composition tend to be present in the surface layer portion forming the interface with the aqueous phase, and nonpolar components are nonexistent in the surface layer portion, thereby permitting manufacture of a spherical toner having a structure known as the core-shell structure or the so called "domain-matrix" structure.
The toner based on the polymerization method now permits simultaneous achievement of low-temperature fixability, blocking resistance, and high-temperature offset resistance, which are properties contrary to each other, under the effect of inclusion of the wax component serving as a release agent.
Use of such a toner provides an advantage that the coloring agent is hardly exposed to the surface and a uniform friction charging property can be achieved. Further, because it is possible to omit the classification step, there are available such remarkable cost curtailing effects such as energy saving, reduction of time, and improvement of process yield.
However, since the toner obtained by this method has substantially a true spherical shape, defective cleaning caused by passing-through of the toner particles occurs during cleaning, particularly during blade cleaning, and this may seriously damage the quality of the transferred image.
Especially in nonmagnetic one component, the amount of charge of the toner developed on the photosensitive member leads to a large adherence (image force) of the toner particles to the photosensitive member, resulting in an increasing tendency of residual toner after transferring. The amount of charge of the residual toner after transferring tends to become larger, causing the problem of easy occurrence of defective cleaning in cleaning because of an increased adherence of the toner particles to the photosensitive member.
Also in the development-simultaneous cleaning method of conducting the cleaning step for removing residual toner after transferring simultaneously with the developing step, when using a spherical toner, use for a long period of time causes the covering additive to easily be buried in the toner surface, leading to a decreased charging property of the toner, and hence to deterioration of the image quality in many cases. This phenomenon is particularly remarkable as the process speed of the developing roller becomes higher.
It is widely known to add carbon black as a black coloring agent into the toner. Dispersibility of carbon black is largely affected by physical properties such as primary particle size, specific surface area, structure and surface quality (functional group on the surface and the like). When adding carbon black to the toner, therefore, the selection thereof exerts an important effect on the toner properties.
For example, carbon black has a smaller primary particle size and a large specific surface area as compared with the other pigments, and is hardly dispersed because of a unique structure. Insufficient dispersibility of carbon black in toner particles impairs charging property of the toner, leading to an adverse effect of causing fogging during development. In addition, the decrease in coloring ability of toner particles results in another adverse effect of a lower image concentration or greater toner consumption.
Manufacture of a toner by the use of carbon black as a pigment in the application of the foregoing polymerization method causes further problems as follows.
First, because carbon black has a functional group impairing polymerizability of a monomer such as a quinone group on the surface, the manufacture of a toner by the polymerization method leads to a lower polymerization rate with a degree of polymerization not increasing sufficiently, results in instable particles during granulation, aggregations and bonding, thus making it difficult to take out particles.
Secondly, when preparing a monomer composition by uniformly dissolving or dispersing a polymerizable and carbon black (and further, as required, a polymerization initiating agent, a crosslinking agent, a charge control agent, and other additions), carbon black is hardly dispersed in the monomer composition. When manufacturing toner particles by suspension-dispersing the monomer composition in an aqueous medium, carbon black is maldistributed, or toner particles not containing carbon black are easily produced.
Thirdly, since carbon black is conductive, a charge on the toner surface easily leaks, thus exerting an important effect on charging property of the toner. Dispersion of carbon black content, dispersibility, and aggregation between the each toner particles causes dispersion of the charging property of the toner particles, and leads to a lower developing efficiency and more serious fogging.
Such variations in carbon black content, dispersion, and aggregation between the toner particles and localization within a particle result in generation of toner particles having a high charging amount far larger than the desired one and toner particles of a low charging amount, thus causing instable charging property of the toner. Particularly in nonmagnetic one component contact developing, the presence of more toner particles of a low charging amount leads to toner splashing without adhering to, or being retained by, electrostatically the toner carrying member and contaminates the interior of the apparatus and the image: easy occurrence of toner splashing or fogging of the image. Toner particles having an unnecessarily high charging amount results in a larger adherence (image force) to the photosensitive member, which tends to cause an increase of residual toner after transferring a higher charging amount of residual toner after transferring, thus leading to easier occurrence of defective cleaning during the cleaning step. This further cause a decrease in a charging amount for the toner as a whole through prevention of charging of the other toner particles, and tends to result in toner splashing and fogging.
It is also known to add an azo-based iron complex as a charge control agent to the toner.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-281,485 proposes use of a suspension-polymerized toner having a charging property improved by adding a specific azo-based iron complex to the toner in the non-magnetic one component developing method. This publication does not, however, describe consideration on carbon black, which has an important effect on polymerizability and charging property of the toner.
Further, in the image forming method based on development-simultaneous cleaning, no conventional art has ever solved sufficiently these problems encountered when using a toner containing carbon black.

Image forming method featuring a residual charge control property resulting from a selected toner formulation


The invention concerns hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) variants that are resistant to proteolytic cleavage by enzymes capable of in vivo conversion of HGF into its two-chain form. The single-chain HGF variants, which preferably have an amino acid alteration at or adjacent to any of amino acid positions 493, 494, 495 and 496 of the wild-type human HGF sequence, retain their ability to bind the HGF receptor.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns amino acid sequence variants of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), methods and means for preparing such variants, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.
II. Description of Background and Related Art
HGF was identified initially as a mitogen for hepatocytes [Michalopoulos et al., Cancer Res. 44, 4414-4419 (1984); Russel et al., J. Cell. Physiol. 119, 183-192 (1984) and Nakamura et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 122:1450-1459 (1984)]. Nakamura et al., Supra reported the purification of HGF from the serum of partially hepatectomized rats. Subsequently, HGF was purified from rat platelets, and its subunit structure was determined [Nakamura et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83. 6489-6493 (1986); and Nakamura et al., FEBS Letters 224, 311-316 (1987)]. The purification of human HGF (huHGF) from human plasma was first described by Gohda et al., J. Clin. Invest. 81, 414-419 (1988).
Both rat HGF and huHGF have been molecularly cloned, including the cloning and sequencing of a naturally occurring variant lacking 5 amino acids designated "delta5 HGF" [Miyazawa et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 163, 967-973 (1989); Nakamura et al., Nature 342, 440-443 (1989); Seki et al, Biochem. and Biophys. Res. Commun. 172, 321-327 (1990); Tashiro et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 3200-3204 (1990); Okajima et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 193, 375-381 (1990)].
The mature form of huHGF, corresponding to the major form purified from human serum, is a disulfide linked heterodimer derived by proteolytic cleavage of the human pro-hormone between amino acids R494 and V495. This cleavage process generates a molecule composed of an .alpha.-subunit of 440 amino acids (M.sub.r 69 kDa) and a .beta.-subunit of 234 amino acids (M.sub.r 34 kDa). The nucleotide sequence of the hHGF cDNA reveals that both the .alpha.- and the .beta.-chains are contained in a single open reading frame coding for a pre-pro precursor protein. In the predicted primary structure of mature hHGF, an interchain S-S bridge is formed between Cys 487 of the .alpha.-chain and Cys 604 in the .beta.-chain (see Nakamura et al., Nature, supra). The N-terminus of the .alpha.-chain is preceded by 54 amino acids, starting with a methionine group. This segment includes a characteristic hydrophobic leader (signal) sequence of 31 residues and the prosequence. The .alpha.-chain starts at amino acid (aa) 55, and contains four Kringle domains. The Kringle 1 domain extends from about aa 128 to about aa 206, the Kringle 2 domain is between about aa 211 and about aa 288, the Kringle 3 domain is defined as extending from about aa 303 to about aa 383, and the Kringle 4 domain extends from about aa 391 to about aa 464 of the .alpha.-chain. It will be understood that the definition of the various Kringle domains is based on their homology with kringle-like domains of other proteins (prothrombin, plasminogen), therefore, the above limits are only approximate. As yet, the function of these Kringles has not been determined. The .beta.-chain of huHGF shows high homology to the catalytic domain of serine proteases (38% homology to the plasminogen serine protease domain) However, two of the three residues which form the catalytic triad of serine proteases are not conserved in huHGF. Therefore, despite its serine protease-like domain, hHGF appears to have no proteolytic activity and the precise role of the .beta.-chain remains unknown HGF contains four putative glycosylation sites, which are located at positions 294 and 402 of the .alpha.-chain and at positions 566 and 653 of the .beta.-chain.
In a portion of cDNA isolated from human leukocytes in-frame deletion of 15 base pairs was observed. Transient expression of the cDNA sequence in COS-1 cells revealed that the encoded HGF molecule (delta5 HGF) lacking 5 amino acids in the Kringle 1 domain was fully functional (Seki et al., supra).
A naturally occurring huHGF variant has recently been identified which corresponds to an alternative spliced form of the huHGF transcript containing the coding sequences for the N-terminal finger and first two kringle domains of mature huHGF [Chan et al., Science 254, 1382-1385 (1991); Miyazawa et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 197, 15-22 (1991)]. This variant, designated HGF/NK2, has been proposed to be a competitive antagonist of mature huHGF.
The comparison of the amino acid sequence of rat HGF with that of huHGF revealed that the two sequences are highly conserved and have the same characteristic structural features. The length of the four Kringle domains in rat HGF is exactly the same as in huHGF. Furthermore, the cysteine residues are located in exactly the same positions; an indication of similar three-dimensional structures (Okajima et al., supra: Tashiro et al., supra).
The HGF receptor has been identified as the product of the cMet proto-oncogene [Bottaro et al., Science 251 802-804 (1991); Naldini et al., Oncooene 6, 501-504 (1991)], an 190-kDa heterodimeric (a disulfide-linked 50-kDa .alpha.-chain and a 145-kDa .beta.-chain) membrane-spanning tyrosine kinase protein [Park et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 6379-6383 (1987)]. The c-Met protein becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine residues of the 145-kDa .beta.-subunit upon HGF binding.
The levels of HGF increase in the plasma of patients with hepatic failure (Gohda et al., supra) and in the plasma [Lindroos et al., Hepatol. 13, 734-750 (1991)] or serum [Asami et al., J. Biochem. 109, 8-13 (1991)] of animals with experimentally induced liver damage. The kinetics of this response is rapid, and precedes the first round of DNA synthesis during liver regeneration suggesting that HGF may play a key role in initiating this process. More recently, HGF has been shown to be a mitogen for a variety of cell types including melanocytes, renal tubular cells, keratinocytes, certain endothelial cells and cells of epithelial origin [Matsumoto et al., Biochem. Biochys. Res. Commun. 176, 45-51 (1991); Igawa et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 174, 831-838 (1991); Han et al., Biochem. 30, 9768-9780 (1991); Rubin et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 415-419 (1991)]. Interestingly, HGF can also act as a "scatter factor", an activity that promotes the dissociation of epithelial and vascular endothelial cells in vitro [Stoker et al., Nature 327, 239-242 (1987); Weidner et al., J. Cell Biol. 111, 2097-2108 (1990); Naldini et al., EMBO J. 10, 2867-2878 (1991)]. Moreover, HGF has recently been described as an epithelial morphogen [Montesano et al., Cell 67, 901-908 (1991)]. Therefore, HGF has been postulated to be important in tumor invasion and in embryonic development. Chronic c-Met/HGF receptor activation has been observed in certain malignancies [Cooper et al., EMBO J. 5, 2623 (1986); Giordano et al., Nature 339, 155 (1989)].
It would be desirable to better understand the structure-activity relationship of HGF in order to identify functionally important domains in the HGF amino acid sequence.
It would be particularly desirable to identify the amino acid residues which are responsible for the interaction of HGF with its receptor.
It would be also desirable to identify the amino acid residues which are responsible for HGF biological activity.
It would further be desirable to provide amino acid sequence variants of HGF that have altered (preferably enhanced) receptor binding affinity as compared to the corresponding mature, wild-type HGF.
It would also be desirable to provide HGF amino acid sequence variants which have retained or enhanced receptor binding affinity as compared to the corresponding wild-type HGF, but are substantially devoid of HGF biological activity. Such molecules could act as competitive antagonists of HGF action.
It would further be desirable to provide HGF amino acid sequence variants that have retained or enhanced receptor binding affinity and increased biological activity as compared to the corresponding wild-type HGF (HGF agonists).
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide HGF variants having retained or improved the receptor binding affinity of the corresponding mature wild-type HGF.
It is another object of the invention to provide HGF variants that have retained substantially full receptor binding affinity of the corresponding mature wild-type HGF and are substantially incapable of HGF receptor activation.
It is a further object to provide HGF variants that have retained substantially full receptor binding affinity of the corresponding mature wild-type HGF and have improved biological properties.
These and further objects will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Single-chain hepatocyte growth factor variants


A clamp assembly for interengaging a wall with a stanchion of a scaffold assembly. The clamp assembly includes a pair of jaws pivotally secured to each other for clamping the stanchion of the scaffold assembly. Each of the jaws has an opening. A rod is provided for engaging the wall to secure and couple the scaffold assembly to the wall. The clamp assembly further includes a bolt with an eyelet wherethrough the rod passes. The bolt passes through each of the openings of the two jaws of the clamp assembly. The rod, while being engaged in the eyelet of the bolt, is stationarily affixed against one of the jaws simultaneously with securedly engaging and clamping the two jaw members around the stanchion. A method for stabilizing a scaffold assembly next to a wall.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a clamp assembly for coupling and/or interengaging a scaffold assembly with a wall of a building. More specifically, this invention provides a clamp assembly and method for stabilizing a scaffold assembly next to a wall or roof of an edifice so that the scaffold assembly will not inadvertently tip over.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A patentability investigation was conducted and the following U.S. Patents were discovered:
U.S. Pat. No.: 27,053--titled: SCAFFOLD HOLDER, Capozzi et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 529,745--titled: SCAFFOLD AND SCAFFOLD CLAMP, J & J. G. McIntyre PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 596,151--titled: LADDER SCAFFOLD, Funcke PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 1,211,868--titled: SCAFFOLDING, Pettigrew PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 1,890,029--titled: SCAFFOLD, Delfs PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 2,854,291--titled: SCAFFOLD APPARATUS, Riblet PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 3,372,771--titled: SCAFFOLD HOLDER, Capozzi et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No.: 3,468,399--titled: SCAFFOLD LEDGER SUPPORT, Lloyd PA1 a) providing a scaffold assembly with a stanchion; PA1 b) securing a rod to a wall member that is generally in close proximity to the stanchion of the scaffold assembly; PA1 c) passing the rod of step (b) through an eyelet of a bolt member; PA1 d) generally surrounding the stanchion with a clamp assembly comprising a first jaw member having a first opening and a second jaw member pivotally connected to the first jaw member and having a second opening; PA1 e) passing the bolt member of step (c) through the first opening of the first jaw member and through the second opening of the second jaw member; PA1 f) engaging the bolt member of step (e) with a nut member; and PA1 g) tightening the nut member on the bolt to cause the first jaw member and the second jaw member to securely clamp the stanchion simultaneously with securely flushing the rod against the first jaw member. PA1 a) providing a scaffold assembly with a stanchion; PA1 b) securing a rod to a wall member; PA1 c) disposing the stanchion of step (a) between a first jaw member and a second jaw member; PA1 d) providing a means for forcing the first jaw member and the second jaw member towards each other and against the stanchion to clamp the stanchion between the first jaw member and the second jaw member; PA1 e) releasably engaging the rod of step (b) to the means for forcing of step (d); PA1 f) forcing with the means for forcing of step (d) the first jaw member and the second jaw member towards each other and against the stanchion, simultaneously with forcing the rod against the first jaw member, to clamp the stanchion between the first jaw member and the second jaw member and to affix the rod against the first jaw member in order to stabilize the scaffold assembly next to the wall member.
U.S. Pat. N0. Re. 27,053 to Capozzi et al that teaches a scaffold holder which is formed by a cylindrical housing having a threaded cylindrical housing portion for threadably receiving a threaded portion of a screw. The cylindrical housing is also provided within an adjustable support. The support includes a plurality of holes which are for receiving an adjustment pin for securing a chain adjustment panel within the support.
U.S. Pat. No. 529,745 to McIntyre et al teaches an improved clamp which is attached to the front end of a log such that the clamp may be secured to an upright member.
U.S. Pat. No. 596,151 Funcke discloses a ladder scaffold vertically arranged. A supporting-arm is secured to the ladder and is braced to prevent lateral movement. Each of the disclosed ladders are properly coupled to the face of a wall of a building by suitable connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,211,868 to More et al discloses a scaffold consisting of a plurality of spaced uprights and a plurality of channel bars extending horizontally from the uprights to a building wall in order to support a floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,890,029 to Delfs teaches bars secured to a scaffold ladder by hooks. The bars are for properly spacing the scaffold ladder from a building. The scaffold ladder is secured to the building by an anchor boat which is adapted to be driven into a wall of the building. A chain-turnbuckle combination couples the anchor boat to the scaffold ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,291 to Riblet teaches a scaffold apparatus wherein rods couple the scaffold to a wall by passing through a box like structure which is slidable on an upright portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,771 to Capozzi et al is the same scaffold holder which was previously described in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 27,053 to Capozzi et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,399 to Lloyd discloses and describes a ledger support member having a wall penetrating threaded point at one end which screws directly into a structure of a building by rotating the entire member. The other end of a ledger support member is secured to an element that surrounds an upright member.
None of the foregoing U.S. Patents teach or suggest the clamp assembly and method of the present invention.

Apparatus and method for stabilizing a scaffold assembly


A man-machine interface comprises a sensor having first and second ends. The sensor carriers four transducers oriented therearound such that the sensor is responsive to flex in two directions. An affixing mechanism, such as a glove or cloth strap, is provided for affixing the man-machine interface to a patient's body. A first mounting mechanism is provided for rigidly mounting the first end of the sensor to the affixing mechanism. A second mounting mechanism is provided for slidably mounting a second end of the sensor to the affixing mechanism. In that manner, flex in two directions can be sensed without adding any tensile forces to the sensor as a result of the joint being flexed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to man-machine interfaces and more particularly to such an interface for measuring the mobility of human joints.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Devices and systems have been proposed to measure relative joint motion between two jointed skeletal segments. A number of systems are presently commercially available. Those systems are typically either glove-based systems of the type disclosed in U S. Pat. No. 4,414,537 to Grimes or exoskeletal systems of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,280 to Marcus, et al. Each of those systems has its limitations.
In the patent to Grimes, groups of sensors are fixed to the back of a glove which sensors are responsive to the flexing of various joints. Because the sensors are rigidly fixed to the glove, they are precisely located, but they are also subject to tensile forces whenever the joint is flexed. The tensile force added as a result of the flexing of the joint introduces an error into the signal produced by the sensor. Thus, the sensor does not provide an accurate signal representative of the degree of flex of the joint.
The device disclosed in Marcus, et al. is an exoskeletal device which is cumbersome to work with. Although that device does not suffer from the inaccuracies created by tensile forces acting on the sensors, the device of Marcus, et al. must be precisely positioned and rigidly strapped to the patient such that in certain cases involving injury or trauma, a device of that type simply cannot be used.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved system for measuring human angular joint, limb, and body motion which substantially reduces or overcomes the foregoing problems. A more specific object of the invention is to provide the medical and scientific communities with a human body motion analysis input system that has the accuracy and data production speed useful for their needs and which has a man-machine interface that is accurate, easy to set up, calibrate, and use.

Man-machine interface for a joint measurement system


A compound of formula I or a salt thereof[ML1L2]2+  (I)where M is selected from the group consisting of platinum(II), palladium (II) and copper(II); L1 is an intercalator moiety; and L2 is a bidentate ligand, provided that when L2 is other than a bidentate ligand containing an aryl or phenyl group, L2 is a chiral bidentate ligand.

The platinum coordination complex cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)) is widely prescribed for the treatment of a variety of tumours (eg advanced testicular cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and cancers of the bladder, head, neck, oesophagus and lung). Carboplatin (cis-diammine(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum (II)) has similar antineoplastic activity and may also be used in bone marrow therapy or peripheral stem cell rescue. U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,263, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes methods of treating cancer with cisplatin and cisplatin analogues.
Cisplatin is classified as an alkylating agent. It is believed to kill cancer cells by covalently binding to DNA and interfering with its repair mechanism, eventually leading to cell death. After the cisplatin molecule enters the cell membrane, the first step is for a molecule of water to replace one of the chloride ions of the cisplatin molecule. The resulting complex can then bind to a nitrogen on a DNA nucleotide. The second chloride ion is then replaced by another water molecule and the platinum binds to a second nucleotide. Cisplatin has a preference for nitrogen 7 on two adjacent guanines on the same strand. It also binds to adenine and to a lesser extent across strands. The resulting distortion in shape of the DNA prevents effective repair.
Another covalent binder, oxaliplatin ([Pt(I)xalato (1R),(2R)-diaminocyclohexane] complex) is prescribed for treating the same type of cancers, more particularly cancers of the ovaries, as well as cancers of the colon, of the upper respiratory tracts and epidermoid cancers. Oxaliplatin belongs to the class of platinum(II)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane complexes.

Metal complexes and therapeutic uses thereof


A technique for transmitting data (504) from a first station to a second station on a contention-based radio channel is described. As to a method aspect of the technique, the first station obtains a transmit identifier (506) for the first station from a set of transmit identifiers; transmits control information (502) including the transmit identifier (506) to the second station; and transmits the data (504) to the second station according to the control information (502), wherein the data includes a station identifier (508) for the first station, the station identifier (508) or a combination of the station identifier and the transmit identifier (506) being indicative of the first station.

For conventional cellular Radio Access Technologies (RATs) such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) according to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the base station (e.g., the evolved Node B or eNB) defines a frame structure in the time domain and is responsible for allocating radio resources by transmitting Downlink Control Information (DCI) to wireless devices (e.g., User Equipments or UEs) in Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state with the eNB. Each UE in the RRC connected state is assigned a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) that eNB and UE use in their communication. The DCI includes a scheduling grant for allocating uplink radio resources and a scheduling assignment for allocating downlink radio resources.
Modern cellular RATs also use contention-based radio channels, i.e. channels requiring a contention-based radio access to a shared medium. Contention-based radio channels allow spectral coexistence of different RATs, which is used, e.g., by LTE in unlicensed spectrum, LTE License-Assisted Access and MulteFire. For LTE downlink, the eNB determines the time occasions when to transmit to the UE. These occasions are known to the UEs by means of the DCI. The eNB indicates which UE is addressed by encoding the DCI with a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) value that is scrambled with the RNTI of the UE that the eNB addresses. This solution is an efficient way to indicate the UE identity of the intended downlink receiver. An alternative solution could have been to let the DCI comprise the RNTI, which would have been less spectral efficient. For LTE uplink, all transmissions are scheduled by the eNB and, hence, the UE identity of each uplink transmission is known to the eNB. Therefore, the UE identity is not indicated in the uplink transmissions that the UE performs.
Non-cellular RATs such as Wi-Fi according to the standard family IEEE 802.11 use unscheduled contention-based access for both downlink and uplink. Each data transmission is preceded with control information that indicates the encoding format of the subsequent data transmission. The MAC address of the transmitting station is comprised in the data frame to indicate the station identity. Consequently, soft-combining of multiple data transmissions is not possible, since the receiving station (e.g., an Access Point) does not know which transmissions to combine.
Contention-based radio channels are particularly suitable for certain machine-type communication (MTC), e.g., for stations that transmit intermittently or sporadically small amounts of data compared to the channel capacity. Using contention-based radio channels can reduce latency, radio resource consumption and energy consumption. Furthermore, unscheduled contention-based access allows to largely increase the number of wireless stations per base station. However, including a CRC value scrambled with a station identifier in the control information (e.g., analogously to the DCI in LTE) is not feasible, since the number of CRC attempts at the receiving station as well as the rate of control information accidentally associated with an arbitrary station increases, as the station density increases. Including the identity of the transmitting station as explicit bits in the control information would reduce the spectral efficiency.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,964,658 B2 teaches that an eNB transmits contention-based configuration information and an uplink contention-based grant to a UE. The UE derives a plurality of transmission opportunities from the uplink contention-based grant and, in response, transmits uplink contention-based data via one of the transmission opportunities.
However, this conventional access requires a bidirectional negotiation with the eNB before the UE can start its uplink transmission. Furthermore, this conventional access imposes a scheduling grant mechanism in addition to the contention-based access. Thus, the latency of the uplink data transmission can be insufficient for online activities, cloud-based services and MTC.
In order to reduce the overall latency of a contention-based transmission, document U.S. Pat. No. 8,964,658 B2 further teaches eliminating a separate phase of contention resolution in that the uplink transmission radio resource carriers both the uplink contention-based data and UE-selected signature information.
However, this conventional uplink transmission excludes soft-combining at the eNB, since the eNB is unable to determine the UE from which an initially not decodable data transmission originates.

Data transmission technique for a contention channel


Various directional coupler arrangements are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus includes first, second, and third conductive patterns disposed on a substrate. Each of these conductive patterns includes a first end and an opposite second end. Moreover, each of these conductive patterns includes a first protrusion at its first end and a second protrusion at its second end.

Directional couplers are devices that couple a portion of a signal's power in a transmission line to a port that is often called the coupled port. Also, directional couplers typically include an input port and a transmitted port associated with the transmission line, and an isolated port that corresponds to the coupled port.
Various characteristics are used in evaluating the performance of couplers. One of these characteristics is the coupling factor, which is the ratio of signal levels between the input port and the coupled port. Another characteristic is isolation, which is a ratio of signal levels between the input port and the isolated port. A further characteristic, directivity, is a ratio of signal levels between the coupled port and the isolated port. Alternatively, directivity may be expressed as a ratio between the isolation and the coupling factor.
Generally, high isolation and high directivity values are desirable. In contrast, low values typically indicate deficient performance. For instance, as isolation decreases, the amount of power that is "leaked" from the input to the isolated port increases. Also, as directivity decreases, small mismatches on the transmission line can cause variations in coupled power levels.
Existing coupler design techniques result in a prohibitive trade-off between size and performance. For instance, typical couplers providing suitable performance characteristics are large in size (e.g., on the order of a quarter wavelength). Thus, these couplers are too large for applications, such as cellular handsets. Also, despite being somewhat suitable, such large couplers have excessive path lengths, which can cause unwanted losses and undesirable system efficiency.


A system for presenting video and methods for manipulating and delivering the video are presented. An interface may be implemented to access data related to the creation and animation of the video, a reference to the creation data stored with the video itself. Upon selection a portion of the video, using the references stored with the video, the tools needed to edit the selected portion of the video may be presented. The objects and illustration assets utilized to animate a scene may be stored in a memory device such that the objects and assets may be retrieved using a hierarchy of references initially accessed via the reference stored with the selected portion of the video. According to an embodiment, the selected portion may be a frame or a pixel and the reference stored with the frame metadata, pixel value, or image channel or image layer.

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to the field of video production, and more specifically to the creation of computer generated images.
In the field of computer graphics and animation for film and television production thousands of individual elements of data contribute to producing the imagery seen in the final product. For example, to produce a scene, several objects may have been rendered using multiple processes and each object may have been created using several assets. For example, an object in a scene may have associated geometries and curves. To create the object, multiple geometries and assets may have been utilized, and to illustrate motion, an object may be associated with a curve, along which the motion of the object will be animated. For example, a tree in a forest consisting of hundreds of trees will have several assets including leaf objects, each having an associated geometry, and assets, including randomization algorithms for the patterns of the leaves on the tree, and curves representing motion of the tree due to wind.
A media file for storing the scene may include a series of frames, each frame having a grid of pixels. Each pixel will have an associated value usually meant for the sole presentation of an image. However, the process of creating that pixel may have been the result of a very complex hierarchy of data that may include modeling, rigging, animation, lighting and rendering of objects in a scene. Additionally, this hierarchy may have been created and modified by multiple users along the production pipeline. Therefore, when accessing the final product, generally an image file, there is no sure way to know which assets were utilized to create the objects in the image. In order to adjust an object in the scene, a user would need to identify which object needs adjustment and all the assets used to make up that object. Such identification is conventionally done manually, is difficult to predict, and often takes a significant amount of time. In some cases it is impossible, for example, functions that produce a random, non-repeatable output often contribute to the final product.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system that provides direct access to the assets that make up a scene such that access to the assets is straightforward and predictable.

Mapping pixels to underlying assets in computer graphics


A method and apparatus are provided for constructing a composite image within an image space of a webpage. The method includes the steps of displaying a plurality of source images within a content area of the webpage and dividing the image space of the composite image into a plurality of subspaces. The method further includes the steps of designating a10 subspace of the plurality of subspaces for receipt of a selected image of the plurality of images and resizing the selected image to fit the designated subspace of the composite image.

Computer networks, in general, and the Internet, in specific, have become a vast resource of information. With the aid of a personal computer (PC) and web browser, a user may connect and retrieve information on virtually any subject matter.
Using the browser, a user can locate and access any of a number of search engines through the Internet. From the search engines, a webpage may be downloaded for the entry of search terms. Through the proper entry of search terms, any range of images and text may be located and downloaded to a user.
Once downloaded to a user, the user may review the information on-line or print it out. Alternatively, the user may store the information to disk.
While the information downloaded from the Internet is useful, it typically downloaded under a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP). While HTTP is useful for storing and printing, it is not particularly easy to manipulate and combine files. Other protocols, such as XML, are available, but have not been developed into useful applications. Accordingly, a need exists for applications which allow for the easy manipulation and combining of web based documents.

Method of constructing a composite image