A precast wall system and a method for constructing a high-rise building using the precast wall system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of interconnected precast panels. Each precast panel has a top end plate, a bottom end plate, a plurality of vertical bars disposed between and attached to the end plates and a cementitious material encasing the vertical bars and defining a plurality of sides of the respective panel. A first group of the interconnected precast panels are arranged vertically on a second group of the interconnected precast panels and the top end plate of each panel corresponding the first group is connected to the bottom end plate of a respective one of the panels corresponding to the second group. Methods for horizontally and vertically connecting the precast panels to each other are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to static building structures, and more particularly, to precast wall panels that may be interconnected to form a core or perimeter wall system for erecting or constructing a high-rise building or other walled structure.
High-rise buildings typically are constructed to have six or more floors or stories above ground level. The design of a high-rise building is usually governed by wind effects. One of the most efficient structural systems to resist wind loads for a high-rise building is an interior or core wall system. Conventional core wall systems for high-rise buildings are typically constructed from concrete (cast-in-place over rebar cages for reinforcement) for each story of the high-rise building. In certain markets, conventional core wall systems incorporate structural steel columns and floor beams erected prior to the construction of the cast-in-place core walls. In these conventional core wall systems, concrete is cast in place over the structural steel columns and floor beams. A concrete core wall system provides a number of benefits compared to a structural steel system. Concrete core walls have higher structural damping than structural steel systems, therefore reducing the amount of sway and drift due to wind loads. Concrete core walls provide increased safety and security for fire stairs, standpipes, and communications systems. Because of these reasons, following the events of Sep. 11, 2001, there has been even more emphasis on the use of concrete core walls systems for erecting or constructing high-rise buildings.
As previously noted, conventional concrete core systems used to erect a high-rise building have been constructed using cast-in-place reinforced concrete, including concrete cast-in-place over a previously erected steel structure. The disadvantages of cast-in-place concrete cores versus structural steel core frames is the labor intensity, extended construction schedule, miss-located embedded plates, and shrinkage and creep effects. Moreover, construction workers often cannot work on a floor or story of a high-rise building while concrete contractors are working on a story above the construction workers due to the risk of falling concrete. Thus, using cast-in-place concrete core wall systems to construct or erect a high-rise building often increases the time required to erect the building and adds costs if other construction workers are idled while the concrete contractors work to form the cast-in-place concrete core wall systems.
Conventional precast modular components (such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,952,471; 4,142,340; 6,076,319; 6,301,851; 6,457,281 and 6,493,996) have been used to construct volumetric enclosures such as low rise building structures, rooms, basements, cisterns, factories, retaining walls, and flood control dykes. However, these conventional precast components are not suitable for constructing or erecting a high-rise building. In particular, these conventional precast components, and structures built from such components, lack sufficient strength to resist and transfer wind and gravity loads as present in core wall systems of a high-rise building.
There is therefore a need for precast wall panels and a method of constructing a precast wall system that overcomes the problems noted above and enables the erection of core walls for a high-rise building.

Precast wall panels and method of erecting a high-rise building using the panels


An image processing apparatus disclosed in the present application includes a destination designation receiving unit that receives a designation of a destination to which image data is transmitted; a security information acquiring unit that acquires security information of the destination; and an image data transmitting unit that transmits the image data to the destination, using the security information acquired by the security information acquiring unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a recording medium having a computer executable program stored therein.
2. Description of Related Art
Some of typical image processing apparatuses of recent years include a data storage device, such as a hard disk, and are configured to store image data to be processed and image data after image processing, as well as image data that has been received from an external apparatus.
When using such image processing apparatuses, in some cases, it is not preferable that anyone can access the stored image data. Therefore, it has been proposed to provide a function with which a password is set to image data upon sending the image data from an external apparatus, and accessing the data is allowed only when the correct password has been inputted to the image processing apparatus that has received the data.
In addition, it has also been proposed that the password is set to a data storing region on the receiving side, and the storing of the data is allowed only when the correct password is inputted on the sending side.
In the above explained conventional art, when a password is set to data to be transmitted on the sending side, it is not possible to access the transmitted data if the password is not known on the receiving side. Further, when a password is set to a data storing region on the receiving side, if the set password is not known on the sending side, it is not possible to have the transmitted data be stored in the data storing region.
However, if the sending and receiving of the image data always requires a password that has been set on the other side, cumbersome work arises to separately notify the password, which is inconvenient.

Image data encryption apparatus, image data encryption method and recording medium having computer executable program stored therein

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A throttle body includes first and second intake conduits, first and second valves, and first and second gears. The first and second intake conduits are configured for respective placement in fluid communication with first and second cylinder housings of an engine. The first valve is associated with the first intake conduit and is movable to selectively adjust restriction of the first intake conduit to passage of fluid. The second valve is associated with the second intake conduit and is movable to selectively adjust restriction of the second intake conduit to passage of fluid. The first gear is attached to the first valve and the second gear attached to the second valve. The second gear is engaged with the first gear such that the first and second gears correspondingly rotate. Engines and saddle-type vehicles are also provided.

A conventional vehicle includes an engine and a throttle body provided in the schematic arrangement of FIG. 6. In particular, a V-twin engine includes first and second cylinders 119 and 121 which are arranged in a V-shape for receiving respective pistons. First and second intake conduits 124 and 128 are provided in respective communication with the first and second cylinders 119 and 121 to facilitate passage of fluid (e.g., ambient air) through respective passageways 126 and 130 and into the respective cylinders 119 and 121. Rotatable butterfly-type valves 150 and 152 are respectively provided in each of the passageways 126 and 130 to facilitate selective restriction of fluid flow to the cylinders 119 and 121. A linkage member 199 is attached to the butterfly-type valves 150, 152 in order that the butterfly-type valves 150, 152 pivot in correspondence with one another. A Bowden-type cable is then attached to a throttle control device and to one of the butterfly-type valves 150, 152 so that both of the butterfly-type valves 150, 152 can be controlled by the throttle control device.

Throttle bodies and saddle-type vehicles including valved intake conduits for engine


In one embodiment, a node comprises a first network interface and a second network interface. The node further comprises a first bus guardian that asserts a first bus guardian signal when the second network interface is allowed to transmit and a second bus guardian that asserts a second bus guardian signal when the first network interface is allowed to transmit. The first network interface is not allowed to transmit unless the second bus guardian asserts the second bus guardian signal. The second network interface is not allowed to transmit unless the first bus guardian asserts the first bus guardian signal.

Distributed, fault-tolerant communication systems are used, for example, in applications where a failure could possibly result in injury or death to one or more persons. Such applications are referred to here as "safety-critical applications." One example of a safety-critical application is a system that is used to monitor and manage sensors and actuators included in an airplane or other vehicle. Examples of protocols that are used to implement such fault-tolerant communication systems include time-triggered protocols (such the TTP/C, TTP/A, and FLEXRAY protocols) and the SAFEBUS protocol.
It is typically desirable to improve the integrity, reliability, and/or availability of such systems.


A multistage interconnect network (MIN) capable of supporting massive parallel processing, including point-to-point and multicast communications between processor modules (PMs) which are connected to the input and output ports of the network. The network is built using interconnected switch nodes arranged in 2 log.sub.b N stages, wherein b is the number of switch node input/output ports, N is the number of network input/output ports and log.sub.b N indicates a ceiling function providing the smallest integer not less than log.sub.b N. The additional stages provide additional paths between network input ports and network output ports, thereby enhancing fault tolerance and lessening contention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to computer networks, and in particular to a scalable multi-stage interconnect network 14 for multiprocessor computers.
2. Description of Related Art
Parallel processing is considered an advantageous approach for increasing processing speeds in computer systems. Parallel processing can provide powerful communications and computer systems which can handle complex problems and manipulate large databases quickly and reliably.
One example of parallel processing can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,285, issued Oct. 25, 1983, to Neches et al., incorporated by reference herein. This patent describes a system using a sorting network to intercouple multiple processors so as to distribute priority messages to all processors.
Further examples of parallel processing can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,171, issued Apr. 24, 1984, to Neches, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,630, issued Sep. 24, 1985, to Neches, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,979, issued Mar. 21, 1989, to Neches, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. These patents describe a multiprocessor system which intercouples processors with an active logic network having a plurality of priority determining nodes. Messages are applied concurrently to the network in groups from the processors and are sorted, using the data content of the messages to determine priority, to select a single or common priority message which is distributed to all processors with a predetermined total network delay time.
Communication within parallel processing systems such as those described above is typically classified as either tightly coupled wherein communication occurs through a common memory or loosely coupled wherein communication occurs via switching logic and communications paths. Various topologies and protocols for loosely coupled processors have been proposed and used in the prior art. These topologies tend to be grouped into two categories: static and dynamic.
Static topologies provide communication paths between processors which cannot be reconfigured. Examples of static topologies include linear arrays, rings, stars, trees, hypercubes, etc.
Dynamic topologies permit dynamic reconfiguration of communication paths between processors using switching elements within the network. Examples of dynamic topologies include single stage networks and multistage interconnect networks (MINs).
A single stage network has one stage of switching elements such that information can be re-circulated until it reaches the desired output port. A MIN has a plurality of switching element stages capable of connecting any input port of the network to any output port.
In general, MINs consist of several stages of switching elements or switch nodes that are wired together according to a regular pattern. Typically, each switch node is a small crossbar switch that usually has an equal number of inputs and outputs, e.g., a b.times.b switch node. Prior art MINs typically consist of log.sub.b N stages, wherein b is the number of input/output ports of a switch node, and N is the number of input/output ports of a network. Typically, such MINs are therefore constructed from the smallest number of links and switch nodes that allows any network input port to be connected to any network output port.
Prior attempts at implementing MINs suffer from several disadvantages. One disadvantage arises because each network input/output port pair typically has only one way to be connected, thereby making the MIN susceptible to internal contention. Internal contention occurs when two paths require the same link even though the paths may or may not be to the same network output port.
Another disadvantage is lessened reliability due to the number and complexity of components. If a fault occurs, it is often difficult to determine where the problem lies. Further, it may be impossible to reconfigure the system to exclude the failed component or service the system without shutting it down, thereby leaving the system inoperable until the problem is corrected.
Another disadvantage is complex, expensive, and time-consuming manufacturing and installation requirements. For large network configurations, cabling may be unmanageable due to the logistics of making sure every component is correctly cabled and plugged into the correct connector.
Still another disadvantage involves diminishing bandwidth. The bandwidth available to each processor tends to decrease as the system size grows.

Reconfigurable, fault tolerant, multistage interconnect network and protocol


A process for treating relatively deep formations of undesirable sub-epidermal tissue by heating water in the formations with a laser to denature proteins therein. In an exemplary embodiment, a laser beam is operated to irradiate a target region of highly vascularized dermal tissue in a blood-circulating living being, such as a human. The laser light preferably has a wavelength of about 1.45-1.68 .mu.m. This operating parameter provides the laser beam with a low enough water absorption coefficient to facilitate adequate penetration in to the target area while still providing enough energy to heat water to a temperature capable of spatially conforming vascularized tissue in the target area. Treatment pursuant to the invention may be applied to highly vascular regions of sub-epidermal tissue (such as strawberry hemangioma, spider veins, telangiectasia, karposi's sarcoma, and the like), as well as regions of dermis collagen mechanically damaged due to various reasons (such as frequent muscular contraction, burning, traumatic irritation, worsening of mechanical damage due to environmental exposure, etc.).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of lasers to transform undesirable sub-surface tissue in a living being, such as a human. More particularly, the invention concerns a method for transforming relatively deep sub-epidermal formations of undesirable tissue by heating water in the formations with a laser. This causes protein denaturing such as spatial protein conformation, without excessively damaging the unwanted tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of cosmetic surgery, one important concern is the treatment of highly vascularized tissues, such as capillary blood vessels, strawberry hemangiomas, spider veins, telangiectasia, and the like. In this respect, many known techniques are aimed at eliminating or reducing such tissue. Some of these techniques, for example, include surgical dissection, sclerotherapy, and electro-cuttering. With surgical dissection, the patient is first anesthetized and then a cutting device such as a scalpel is used to surgically remove the vascularized tissue. With sclerotherapy, an alcohol-based substance is injected into veins for clotting of the veins. With electro-cuttering, a high-voltage scalpel is used to effectively "cut out" the unwanted tissue while coagulating blood in the region. Usually, healing of the treated tissue occurs after formation of a lesion on the skin's surface at the treatment site.
Although these techniques may be satisfactory in some applications, they may prove inadequate in certain other circumstances. For instance, certain patients may object to the pain caused by these procedures. Additionally, some patients may experience excessive bleeding, internally and/or externally. Furthermore, these procedures may inflame the treated tissue in some cases, and lead to healing by second tension. Another potential drawback of known methods concerns the post-treatment healing time, which some may find excessive. Further, in certain cases these techniques have been known to leave scars or other noticeable marks. Although sclerotherapy may be effective for treating big veins, some may complain that sclerotherapy is not sufficiently effective for smaller vessels such as capillary blood vessels.
In contrast to the techniques described above, some physicians have employed lasers to remove vascularized tissue. In particular, Dye lasers have been used to remove such tissue by destroying blood vessels. In particular, the Dye laser process works by exploding red blood cells and consequently erupting blood vessels. The Dye laser produces wavelengths that have little water absorption and therefore generates relatively deep tissue penetration. On the other hand, the Dye laser produces wavelengths that have a substantial level of oxyhemoglobin absorption. As a result, the Dye laser causes hemoglobin in the erythrocytes to be exploded, causing blood vessel eruption. For some patients, this process may not be satisfactory. In particular, with small formations such as spider veins and telangiectasia, this approach typically provides only a short term cosmetic correction of the tissue. Moreover, even after extended periods of convalescence, many of these patients still experience significant scarring.
In contrast to the Dye laser approach, some physicians have used infrared laser at 1.9 .mu.m and greater, such as Tm:YAG, Ho:YAG, Er:YSGG, Er:YAG, CO, and CO.sub.2. These techniques often do not enjoy optimum results because of certain operating characteristics of the lasers. Chiefly, the laser is absorbed too readily by water in the patient's tissue, resulting in very poor penetration (e.g., 40-60 .mu.m) of the laser into the patient's tissue. As a result, significant damage occurs to skin surface overlying the tissue region of interest. A need therefore exists for a more effective, less destructive, long term method of destroying unwanted vascular tissue.

Transformation of unwanted tissue by deep laser heating of water


An improved teeter-totter has a pair of seats mounted at opposite ends of a longitudinal seat support member. The seat support member is suspended from overhead pivots by a pair of linkage arms to provide riders with a motion that combines the up-and-down arcuate motion of a conventional teeter-totter with a back-and-forth gliding motion, thus creating a more stable and balancing effect allowing users of different weights, to use the teeter-totter without other counter balance features.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of playground equipment and, more particularly, to an improved teeter-totter or seesaw.
2. Background
Teeter-totters (also referred to as seesaws) have been popular with children since before recorded history. In its simplest form, a teeter-totter may be constructed by merely placing a board over an object to serve as a fulcrum or pivot. Modern day playground teeter-totters are essentially the same, although the structural members are more typically steel for improved durability. Thus, a typical playground teeter-totter comprises a beam supported off the ground by a horizontal support member. The beam is coupled to the support member with a simple pivot assembly and has a seat mounted at each end thereof. Children in the seats experience generally up-and-down arcuate motion when playing on a teeter-totter.
On a typical teeter-totter, people of different weights have a harder time using the teeter-totter because the teeter-totter acts like a balance, thus causing the heavier person to settle in the lower position wherein they must push off the ground harder to create motion and get the other person down. The heavier person must use leg muscles to push and balance thus straining the legs and taking some of the enjoyment out of the playfulness of a teeter-totter. Some prior art teeter totters have a counter balance spring or weight to counter act the weight of the heavier person.
Gliders, both free-standing and suspended, are also widely popular. Their popularity is largely due to the relaxing back-and-forth motion of the glider. Gliders are not affected by different weights of users because the pivotal support is more stable and balancing. Heretofore, no known apparatus has successfully combined the up-and-down accurate motion of a conventional teeter-totter with the back-and-forth motion of a glider creating a more stable teeter totter that is not as sensitive to users of different weights.


A method includes transcoding a first block of a video. The first block is associated with a first block tree pattern defining a structure of splitting a block into smaller blocks. A bit string of bits for the first block tree pattern is included in an encoded bitstream for the video. The method determines that the first block tree pattern of the first block can be reused for a second block tree pattern of a second block and includes information in the encoded bitstream that indicates that the first block tree pattern is to be used to decode the second block from the encoded bitstream.

A video transcoder transcodes and decodes video based on block tree patterns of blocks. FIG. 1 depicts an example of a frame 100 of the video that is divided into root blocks 102. As shown, frame 100 includes forty root blocks 102-1 to 102-N; however, a different number of root blocks may be used. The video transcoder splits each root block 102 into leaf blocks 104. A block tree pattern may describe how the root block is split. That is, the block tree pattern may include more branches that split a root block into more blocks. Some blocks are split into smaller blocks based on the content of the video. For example, the larger leaf blocks cover flat regions in the video that do not include complex information (e.g., an area that includes a single color) and the smaller leaf blocks cover more complex regions in the video (e.g., an area that includes a person's face). The smaller leaf blocks are used to convey the more complex information while flat regions include mostly the same information and can be compressed using a larger block size.
The transcoder generates a bit string of bits to represent the block tree pattern of how the root block is split into leaf blocks. A large and complex block tree pattern requires a large number of bits to represent the block tree pattern, which need to be transmitted from a transcoder to the decoder. FIG. 2 depicts an example of a bit string of bits 204 that needs to be transmitted for a block tree pattern. The transcoder decides on the block tree pattern at 201. A tree structure that represents the block tree pattern is shown at 202. This tree structure represents how larger blocks are split into smaller blocks from the root block. Each split divides a respective block into four smaller blocks. The transcoder then generates a bit string of bits 204 to represent the block tree pattern, and sends the bits in the bitstream for decoding by the decoder. The number of bits depend on the level of splitting that occurs. That is, if the root block is split into a large number of smaller blocks, then more bits are needed to represent the block tree pattern. The more bits that are included in the bitstream, the greater the overhead of the transcoding.

Reuse of block tree pattern in video compression


A hydrodynamic clutch device includes a clutch housing connected to a drive, a pump wheel connected to the clutch housing, and a turbine wheel connected to a takeoff, the turbine wheel and the pump wheel forming a hydrodynamic circuit. A bridging clutch which is essentially surrounded by the hydrodynamic circuit includes a piston and a friction surface which can be acted on by the piston to connect the drive to the takeoff independently of the hydrodynamic circuit, the piston having one surface facing a pressure space and an opposite surface facing the hydrodynamic circuit. A pressure circuit includes a first pressure medium line to supply the hydrodynamic circuit with clutch fluid and a second pressure medium line to supply the pressure space with clutch fluid. A seal at least reduces the exchange of fluid between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space, and a throttle allows a defined exchange of fluid between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a hydrodynamic clutch device of the type having a clutch housing connected to a drive; a pump wheel connected to the clutch housing, the pump wheel having a hub; a turbine wheel connected to a takeoff, the turbine wheel and the pump wheel forming a hydrodynamic circuit; a bridging clutch having a piston and at least one friction surface which can be acted on by the piston to connect the drive to the takeoff independently of the hydrodynamic circuit, the piston having one surface facing the friction surface; a pressure space for exerting fluid pressure on the piston; and a pressure circuit including a first pressure medium line to supply the hydrodynamic circuit with clutch fluid and a second pressure medium line to supply the pressure space with clutch fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,363 describes a hydrodynamic clutch device designed as a hydrodynamic torque converter, the clutch housing of which is attached for rotation in common in the conventional manner to a drive, such as an internal combustion engine. The clutch device comprises a pump wheel, which works together with a turbine wheel and a stator to form a hydrodynamic circuit. Whereas the turbine wheel is connected nonrotatably to a takeoff, such as a gearbox input shaft, the stator is mounted by way of a freewheel on a support shaft, which is provided radially between a pump wheel hub and the gearbox input shaft. In addition, the hydrodynamic clutch device also has a bridging clutch with a piston, which is connected nonrotatably but with freedom of axial movement to the clutch housing.
The hydrodynamic clutch device is designed as a two-line system, as a result of which the following pressure and flow relationships are created:
A first pressure medium line for supplying the hydrodynamic circuit is formed by thrust washers, one of which is located on each side of the freewheel of the stator, and each of which is provided with flow channels for clutch fluid. This first line is connected to a first flow route, which has flow channels, one of which is located radially between the pump wheel hub and the support shaft, the other radially between the support shaft and the gearbox input shaft. When the pressure in the hydrodynamic circuit is positive, the piston is pushed toward the adjacent housing cover of the clutch housing and is thus carried along rotationally by the clutch housing when the friction surfaces provided there engage. Conversely, this rotation in common stops when pressure medium is supplied through a second pressure medium line to a pressure space assigned to the piston and located axially between the piston and the housing cover. As a result of this supply of fluid, the pressure in this pressure space becomes greater than that in the hydrodynamic circuit, and the piston is thus shifted axially toward the hydrodynamic circuit. The second pressure medium line is connected to a second flow route, which leads through a central bore in the gearbox input shaft. Each of the two flow routes is connected to its own fluid reservoir.
The essential principle of this type of two-line system is that the bridging clutch serves as a separation point between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space. This arrangement also represents the essential disadvantage the two-line system for the following reason. The friction surface, at least one of which is provided, fulfills two different functions when the bridging clutch is engaged, namely, that of transmitting torque from the clutch housing to the takeoff so that the hydrodynamic circuit is bypassed, and also that of sealing the hydrodynamic circuit off against the pressure space, which is essentially pressureless in this operating state. If the sealing action is inadequate because of overgenerous grooving in the area of the friction surfaces, for example, an undesirably large volume clutch fluid will be discharged from the hydrodynamic circuit via the bridging clutch into the pressure chamber and thus out of the clutch housing, and this lost volume would have to be replaced from the fluid reservoir. Conversely, if the sealing action in the area of the bridging clutch is too effective because the grooving in the area of the friction surfaces is very limited or because there is no grooving at all, the problem would result that the friction surfaces will become glazed very quickly and thus the friction linings in the area of the friction surfaces will be destroyed, especially when the slippage between the piston and the clutch housing causes the temperature of the minimum of one friction surface to increase. It is therefore necessary to produce a precisely defined flow in the area of the friction surfaces, and for this purpose it is necessary to conduct extensive testing with grooving of different dimensions. But even if the grooving is correctly dimensioned, wear or manufacturing tolerances will make it impossible to maintain the exact, desired volume flow rate of clutch fluid.
To solve this problem, designs are known in which the grooving no longer determines the volume flow rate passing through the bridging clutch in the engaged state. Instead, at least one point of throttled flow performs this function, which, according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,804, is provided in the piston of the bridging clutch in the radial area of the minimum of one friction surface. This throttled flow serves to supply a precisely defined volume flow rate of clutch fluid to the grooving assigned to the minimum of one friction surface. Although this eliminates the need to perform complicated tests to determine the dimensions of the grooving, it has been found that bridging clutches with these types of throttled flows can provide only certain areas of the friction surfaces with a flow of fluid and that it is impossible to prevent with sufficient reliability certain other areas from becoming overheated.


A wrapping pipe for a bundle of hollow fibers comprises a plastic sheet welded at its opposing edges by ultrasonics and having no difference in level of the inner surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wrapping pipe for a bundle of hollow fibers and, more particularly, a tubular member for protecting a bundle of hollow fibers from breakage or contamination until the bundle of the hollow fibers is loaded into a housing or a cylindrical container of blood treatment devices used for hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration or the like.

Wrapping pipe for a bundle of hollow fibers, method and device for production thereof


A method of producing a modified monocotyledonous plant having a desired character is provided. The method comprises isolating a gene containing a nucleic acid hybridizable to a nucleic acid indicated by SEQ ID NO. 1 under stringent conditions, and inhibiting expression of the isolated gene.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a character (e.g., a morphology and a yield) of monocotyledonous plants, and a transformed plant produced by controlling a character thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique of producing plants, particularly major cereals, having a desired character (e.g., a desired morphology and an increased yield) by controlling a character (e.g., a morphology) of the plant, is considerably useful in the agriculture field.
For example, if rice is modified into a short culm (semidwarf) morphology, abnormal elongation of stems or leaves of the plant due to supply of a fertilizer is suppressed. In this case, resistance to lodging due to physical force, such as wind or the like, is improved, resulting in resistance to a high level of fertilizer. Further, the proportion of fertilizers or anabolites distributed to stems and leaves is relatively decreased in association with the suppression of elongation, while the proportion of fertilizers or anabolites distributed to the growth of spikes is relatively increased. As a result, the growth of spikes is promoted in the modified plant, thereby increasing the yield. Alternatively, a variant of rice, which is modified to have erected leaves, has an improved level of light interception as compared to wild type rice. For such a variant rice, an area under an individual plant required for receiving a necessary amount of sun light can be reduced. As a result, the amount of cultivation per unit area can be increased.
However, when conventional methods are used to produce plants having such a morphology as erected leaf, short culm, and the like, the growth of spikes of the plant is inhibited, resulting in a reduction in yield.
To date, no method for producing a useful variety having a desired character, such as a beneficial morphology (erected leaf, short culm, or the like), no reduction in yields, and the like, has been known. Therefore, there is a demand for a method for producing useful plant varieties having a desired character, and plants, seeds, plant cells, and whole plants produced by the method.
As a plant hormone relating to control of the morphology of plants, brassinosteroid is well known. Brassinosteroid is a general term for plant growth regulatory hormones having a steroid lactone structure, including brassinolide.
In 1979, brassinolide was isolated as a novel plant growth-promoting factor from the pollen of rape (Brassica napus) and identified as a novel type of steroid lactone. It was thereafter found that brassinolide-like steroid compounds (referred to as brassinosteroid) occur at very low concentrations in all plant species examined (for review, see Mandava, Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 39 (1988), 23-52). Initial studies of the physiological action of brassinolide showed that this particular factor (i) accelerated the germination and growth of plant seedlings at low temperatures, (ii) promoted the increase of cell size and elongation by induction of a longitudinal arrangement of cortical microtubule and cellulose microfilaments on the surface of cells, (iii) promoted xylem differentiation by amplifying the tracheal elements, (iv) resulted in significant increase in the dry weight of plants and their fruits, (v) promoted leaf unrolling and enlargement, (vi) induced H+ export and membrane hyperpolarization characteristic for auxin induced cell growth, (vii) inhibited the division of crown-gall tumor cells and radial growth of stems, (viii) repressed anthocyanin production in light-grown plants, (ix) inhibited the de-etiolation induced, e.g. by cytokinin in the dark, (x) promoted tissue senescence in the dark, but prolonged the life-span of plants in the light, and (xi) induced plant pathogen resistance responses to numerous bacterial and fungal species (Mandava, Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 39 (1988), 23-52).
Following the initial isolation of and physiological studies with brassinolides, numerous brassinosteroid compounds, representing putative biosynthetic intermediates, were identified in different plant species. Because the in vivo concentration of these compounds was found to be extremely low, efforts had been made to develop methods for chemical synthesis of these compounds (for review, see: Adam and Marquardt, Phytochem. 25 (1986), 1787-1799).
In order to be able to demonstrate that brassinosteroids can indeed be used as potential growth regulators of plants and to exploit the possible advantages and potentials of these substances, genes involved in synthesis and signal transduction of brassinosteroid have been isolated and analyzed.
For example, a d61 mutant lacking OsBRI1, which is a brassinosteroid receptor-like gene, was isolated from rice. Useful characters, such as erected leaf, semidwarf, and the like, were observed for the d61 mutant or plants in which the function of OSBRI1 is suppressed by an antisense nucleic acid, though the number of grains per spike was reduced and the size of grains was reduced, and the like, i.e., adverse effects on yield was confirmed (FIG. 1).
It might be possible that mutation relating to synthesis and/or signal transduction of brassinosteroid can be compensated for by exogenous brassinosteroid (e.g., by spraying or applying brassinosteroid) to avoid the adverse effects of the mutation. However, since d61 has a mutation in OsBRI1 (a brassinosteroid receptor-like gene), it is not possible to compensate for the phenotype thereof with exogenous brassinosteroid.
As a modified plant responsive to exogenous brassinosteroid, for example, plants having a mutation in a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system may be illustrated. However, plants having a mutation in a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system have been believed to not be able to be used to produce a good character according to previous findings described below.
For example, the cpd gene encoding a cytochrome P450 protein involved in brassinosteroid synthesis in plants has been identified for Arabidopsis (WO97/35986). It was reported that when grown in soil under white light, the size of cpd mutant plants, which have mutation in the cpd gene, was 20 to 30-fold smaller than that of the same age wild type plants. It was also reported that exposure to light induced greening and chloroplast differentiation in the periderm of mutant roots and resulted in a further inhibition of cell elongation, leading to an overall reduction of the length of petioles, leaves, inflorescence-stems and flower organs.
Choe et al. reported that the size of Arabidopsis plants having a mutation in DWF4, which is a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase enzyme involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis, was several-fold smaller than that of wild type plants, i.e., superdwarfism, and that the plants are infertile (Sunghwa Choe et al., The Plant Cell, vol. 10, 231-243, February, 1998).
Choe et al. (The Plant Journal, vol. 26, 573-582, June, 2001) reported that the ratio of seed yield to plant height was not improved in the transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing the DWF4 gene. Therefore, according to the above-described results for Arabidopsis, it has not been believed that modification and/or overexpression of DWF4 can be used in order to produce modified plants having a useful character.
Hong et al. (Hong Zhi et al., Proceedings of the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists, p. 224) and Mori et al. (Masaki Mori et al., Proceedings of the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists, p. 225) reported that substantially no leaf sheath was formed in rice plants having a mutation in OsDWARF which catalyzes oxidation activity at position C-6 of brassinosteroid, i.e., superdwarfism was shown along with extreme deformity. Therefore, similar to Arabidopsis, it has not been believed that modification and/or overexpression of a gene for a brassinosteroid biosynthesis or signal transduction system can be used in order to produce modified rice plants having a useful character.
Accordingly, although brassinosteroid was known as a plant hormone for controlling the morphology of plants, no method for using a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system was developed to produce plants having a useful character.
The present invention provides a method of producing a plant having a useful character using modification and/or overexpression of a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system, contrary to previous findings. The present invention also provides a plant, a plant seed, a plant cell and plant tissue produced by the method.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a useful plant variety having a desired morphology, and a plant, a seed, a plant cell, and plant tissue produced by the method, and the progeny of the plant. In the current situation there is no method of producing a plant having a desired morphology (particularly, short culm and/or verticality leading to improved light interception) and having substantially no adverse effect (e.g., reduction of yields) due to modification by controlling a character (e.g., a morphology) of plants.
According to previous findings, it was not believed that modification of a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system and/or signal transduction system allows for production of a useful plant variety having a useful character, such as a desired morphology. On the contrary, it is known that if a mutation is introduced into a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system and/or signal transduction system, a resultant mutant plant has a superdwarf morphology or an adversely affected yield. Such an adverse effect on yields has not been believed to be able to be removed. It was not believed that overexpression of a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system and/or signal transduction system allows for production of a plant having a useful character, such as an increase in yield.
Thus, it was not believed that modification and/or overexpression of a gene for a brassinosteroid synthesis system and/or signal transduction system allows for production of a plant having a useful character.

Method of controlling character of monocotyledon by modification and/or overexpression of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene involved in brassinosteroid biosynthesis and monocotyledon modified by the gene

National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences

Bio-Oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution


An amount of filament voltage supplied by a reconfigurable ballast may be adjusted based on a lamp type with which the ballast is operating. The filament voltage may be reconfigured dynamically and/or may be reconfigured via a user-provided value. An electronic dimming ballast may include a control circuit configured to control generation of the AC filament voltage in accordance with a reconfigurable AC filament voltage value. Reconfiguring an electronic dimming ballast may include reconfiguring an AC filament voltage applied by the electronic dimming ballast to a filament of a lamp installed with the electronic dimming ballast. Reconfiguring the AC filament voltage may include computing a hot-to-cold cathode resistance ratio associated with the filament. Reconfiguring the AC filament voltage may include determining whether the computed hot-to-cold cathode resistance ratio is within a range specified for the electronic dimming ballast.

A typical fluorescent lamp includes a sealed glass tube containing a rare earth gas, and an electrode at each end for striking and maintaining an electric arc through the gas. The electrodes are typically constructed as filaments to which a filament voltage is applied to heat the electrodes, thereby improving their capability to emit electrons. This results in improved electric arc stability and longer lamp life.
Typical prior art ballasts apply the filament voltage to the filaments prior to striking the arc and maintain the filament voltages throughout the entire dimming range of the lamp. At low end, when light levels are lowest and, consequently, the electric arc is at its lowest level, the filament voltage helps maintain a stable arc current. At high end, when light levels are highest, and the electric arc current is at its highest level, the electric arc current contributes to heating the filaments.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example gas discharge lamp fixture 100. The fixture 100 includes a ballast 102, lamp sockets 104, and a housing 106. The ballast 102 and the sockets 104 may be fixed to the housing 106. The lamp sockets 104 may be sized and situated within the housing 106 to hold lamps 108. The ballast 102 may have wires 110 to connect the ballast 102 to the sockets 104 for driving the lamps 108 and for providing heating current, discussed above. In practice, the ballast 102 may be wired by a fixture supplier, as is common in new construction, or it may be wired by an on-site installer, as is common in retrofit projects.
A typical ballast may be configured for operation with a particular lamp type, for instance, a lamp from a particular manufacturer. The ballast may be configured, for example, at the time the ballast is manufactured or at the time the ballast is installed. For example, a ballast may be configured to apply a pre-determined filament voltage to the lamps, such that that the filaments of each lamp will be heated in accordance with an optimal range of filament heating temperatures associated with that lamp type. If too much or too little filament voltage is applied, the filaments of the lamps may be under heated or overheated, which may detrimentally affect the lamps, for example, by shortening the useful lives of the lamps.
Lamps from different manufactures typically have different optimal ranges of filament heating temperatures. Accordingly, if a ballast is configured to operate with a first lamp type, and then actually operated with a second lamp type, the ballast may not heat the filaments of the second lamp type within the optimal range for that lamp type.

Gas discharge lamp ballast with reconfigurable filament voltage


An optical filter having a laminated body which is laminated on a transparent substrate. The laminated body has at least a color filter layer. The laminated body has a minute concave-convex surface formed on a surface of the laminated body opposite from the transparent surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved optical filter capable of efficiently preventing reflection of the light between an optical filter such as a color filter substrate and a color converting substrate, and a light emitting part in various kinds of displays such as an organic electroluminescent (EL) display, in particular, capable of improving the light incident efficiency to the optical filter, and a display comprising the same, in particular, an organic EL display.
2. Description of the Related Art
The organic EL element, in principle, has a structure with an organic EL light emitting layer interposed in between an anode and a cathode. For providing an organic EL display capable of providing the color display using an organic EL element practically, there are (1) a method of arranging organic EL elements each emitting the three primary colors, (2) a method of combining an organic EL element for emitting a white light and a color filter layers of the three primary colors, and (3) a CCM method of combining an organic EL element for emitting a blue light and a color converting layer (CCM layer) for the color conversion from blue to green, and from blue to red, or the like.
In particular, in the (3) CCM method, since only one kind of the organic EL element to emit the same color is needed, there is no need of providing the organic EL elements of each color in an uniform property, as in the organic EL display of the method (1). Moreover, the disadvantage of the low white light utilization ratio when decomposing the color with color filters of the three primary colors, as in the organic EL display of the method (2), is solved so that the luminance of the display can be improved by heightening the conversion efficiency of the CCM layer, and thus it attracts the attention.
In the case of the method (2), a part of the output light form the organic EL element is reflected when being incident into the color filter layer in the display. And in the case of the method (3), in the display, a part of the output light from the organic EL element is reflected when being incident into the color conversion layer. Moreover, also in the case of the method (1), since a color filter layer is generally accompanied, apart of the output light from the organic EL element is reflected when being incident into the color filter layer in the display. These reflections lower the incident efficiency of the light into the color filter layer, or the incident efficiency of the light into the cover conversion layer.
For eliminating the reflection on the surface of the color filter layer or on the surface of the color conversion layer in the display, (a) roughing of the surface, (b) providing a reflection preventing layer comprising plural layers of different refractive indices, or the like can be considered. However, if a layer containing fine particles is laminated by coating or the like, for the purpose of (a) roughing, since a part of the light is lost due to the irregular reflection of the incident light, the incident efficiency from the display into the color filter layer or the color conversion layer is lowered. Moreover, management of the paint for obtaining a certain roughened surface is difficult. In the case of (b), plural layers should be laminated so that the number of processes for preventing the reflection is increased.
The applicant has proposed a reflection preventing film comprising a transparent layer made of a cured product of an ionizing radiation curing type resin composition, having a concave-convex part with an endless number of minute concave-convex formed on a transparent base material film by a pitch of the wavelength of the light or less. And furthermore, the applicant has proposed the prevention of the reflection of the external light by laminating or disposing a reflection preventing film on the surface of various kinds of displays (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-264520 (see page 3, FIG. 1)).
However, according to the above JP-A No. 2001-264520 (page 3, FIG. 1), the reflection preventing film is intended to apply on the surface of the display, that is, the part where image light from the display is finally output. The prevention of the reflection of the light deriving from the external light, that is, the interior illumination, or the like is intended in the reference, but not the reflection of the image light, and thus the incident efficiency of the light from the display into the surface of the color filter layer or into the color conversion layer is not intended.

Optical filter and organic EL display using the same


A side-emission type light-emitting diode including: a first substrate having a concavity formed in one of side surfaces of the first substrate, the concavity including an inner surface which is configured to be a first reflecting surface; an LED-element-mounting board of thin plate shape, arranged on the lower surface of the first substrate, the board configured to close the concavity at the lower surface of the first substrate; an LED element mounted on the board and arranged in the concavity; and a light-transmitting resin filled in the concavity and configured to seal the LED element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting diode (hereinafter, LED) of side-emission type, and a backlight unit using this LED.
2. Description of Related Art
Among generally known LEDs intended for a light source used in a backlight unit is a side-emission type LED in which an LED element is mounted on a substrate, a reflecting frame is disposed on the substrate and surrounds a peripheral edge surfaces of this LED element, and this frame has an opening which emit light from the LED element toward a peripheral edge surface of a light guiding plate (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-223082, p. 3-4, FIG. 1).
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an LED for use as a conventional backlight source. In FIG. 9, the numeral 50 represents an LED of side-emission type. The numeral 52 represents a substrate, 53a and 53b represent a pair of electrodes formed on the substrate 52, 54 represents an LED element, 55 represents a light-transmitting resin, 56 represents a reflecting frame, and 59 represents a wiring pattern disposed on a motherboard on which the LED 50 is to be mounted.
The LED element 54 is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate 52, which is provided with the electrodes 53a and 53b and a die-bonding portion 53c extended from the electrode 53a. The LED element 54 is electrically connected to the substrate 52 and sealed by a light-transmitting resin 55. A frame 56 of U shape is disposed on the peripheral edge surface of the light-transmitting resin 55, and an inner surface 56a, 56b, and 56c of the frame 56 are configured to be reflecting surfaces by metal plating, for example. Surrounded by the frame 56, and sealed with the light-transmitting resin 55, the LED element is configured to emit light through a light emission surface 55a, which is an opening of the frame and exposes a portion of the peripheral edge surface of the light-transmitting resin 55.
An anode and a cathode electrodes of the LED element 54 are electrically connected to the electrodes 53a and 53b at disposed respective ends of the substrate 52 by die bonding and wire bonding. Both the electrodes 53a and 53b are in electrical connection with the wiring pattern 59 of the motherboard.
In other words, the conventional LED 50 has an LED structure in which the light emitted from the LED element 54, which is mounted on the substrate 52, is reflected by the inner surface 56a, 56b, and 56c of the frame, and emitted outside through the light emission surface 55a with high efficiency.
However, in the conventional LED 50, the LED element 54 is mounted on the substrate 52, and the bonding wire is further extended from the upper surface of the LED element 54. The LED 50 therefore has a predetermined thickness, which gives rise to the following problems.
FIG. 10 is a partially sectional view showing the physical relationship between the conventional LED 50 and a light guiding plate 60. The thickness of the substrate 52 and the total thickness of the LED 50 will be designated by the numerals 61 and 64, respectively. A peripheral edge surface of the light guiding plate 60 facing the light emission surface 55a receives light emitted from the LED element 54.
Since the LED element 54 is mounted on the substrate 52, the center of the emitted light 65 from the LED element 54 is raised by an amount which accords with the thickness of the substrate 52. There has thus been a problem that a thickness of the light guiding plate 60 has to be large in accordance with a thickness of the substrate.
Since the center of the irradiation light 65 is raised by an amount which accords with the thickness of the substrate 52, there has been another problem that the amount of irradiation light drops in the lower part of the light guiding plate 60.

Side-emission type light-emitting diode and a backlight unit using the light-emitting diode


Human checkpoint huCDC34, huRAD9.sub.compA, and huRAD9.sub.compB cDNAs shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. A method for isolating a human checkpoint cDNA that is capable of restoring growth at a restrictive temperature in a yeast test cell, wherein the yeast test cell comprises a genome having a first gene that forms a DNA strand break at a restrictive temperature and a second gene that fails to induce a cell cycle arrest in response to the DNA strand break, whereby the growth of the yeast test cell is inhibited at the restrictive temperature, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a human cDNA library comprising a plurality of human cDNA clones; inserting the human cDNA clones individually into plasmid vectors comprising a selectable marker gene; transforming a culture of the yeast test cells with the plasmid vectors from the preceding step; selecting for yeast test cells transformed with the selectable marker gene; growing the selected transformants at the restrictive temperature and isolating a candidate transformant capable of growing at the restrictive temperature; and identifying the human cDNA carried by the candidate transformant as a human checkpoint cDNA by sequencing the human cDNA carried by the candidate transformant and determining that the human cDNA is less than 50% homologous with both the first gene and the second gene. Also yeast checkpoint RAD17, RAD24, MEC1, MEC2, and MEC3 cDNAs shown in FIGS. 4-8.

Cellular resistance to DNA damage and replication errors is critical to survival of cells, tissues, and organisms. Radiation induces DNA strand breaks. Failure to repair even one DNA strand break can be lethal in yeasts. Cellular resistance to DNA damage consists of separate processes for recognition of damage and repair Control mechanisms exist for arresting the cell division cycle (cdc) until DNA repair is completed. Delay can occur in different phases of the cell cycle depending on the type of DNA damage and the stage in the cell cycle at which the damage occurs. In particular, damage resulting from DNA strand breaks caused by ionizing radiation or topoisomerase inhibitors causes delay of the cell cycle in the G2 phase before entry into mitosis. The delay may be observed as a decline in the mitotic index of human or yeast cells approximately one hour post irradiation.
Several classes of mutations in yeasts have been defined that result in deregulation of the cell cycle. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations in yeast cdc genes can result in death at defined points in the cell cycle when strains are shifted to the non-permissive temperature, and lethality may increase in a temperature-sensitive manner (1). More than thirty-two different cdc genes have been identified in S. cerevisiae (2). One such mutant, cdc9-8.sup.ts, is a DNA ligase mutant in which the temperature-dependent increase in lethality presumably occurs because of a general failure in ligating chromosomal DNA Okazaki fragments following chromosomal DNA replication. The molecular activities of most cdc genes is largely unknown.
Recently a new class of cell cycle regulatory mutations has been identified and labeled checkpoint mutations (3). Checkpoints exist to ensure that DNA synthesis is completed before mitosis begins; that anaphase is delayed until all the chromosomes arrive on the metaphase plate; that centrosome duplication does not occur until DNA has been synthesized; and, that initiation of DNA synthesis is coordinated between different regions in a chromosome. In yeast, RAD9 is one such checkpoint gene of S. cerevisiae that mediates G2 delay after DNA damage. rad9 mutants have greatly increased radiation sensitivity (less than 0.1% survival at 8000 rads for rad9 yeasts vs. 30% for RAD+ yeasts) (4). Direct visualization of budding yeasts after irradiation shows that rad9 cells continue into mitosis despite potentially lethal DNA damage and die in subsequent generations. RAD9 protein is not required for DNA repair, and RAD9 is not an essential gene in the cell cycle. In the absence of DNA damage, rad9 cells display normal cell cycle kinetics but accumulate spontaneous chromosome loss at a higher rate than wild-type strains. Northern blot analyses of RNA from yeast in different parts of the cell cycle and from pre- and post-irradiated cells show a constant level of RAD9 MRNA. The yeast RAD9 gene has been cloned, and the translated open reading frame encodes 1309 amino acids that exhibit no significant homology to any other known proteins in the database (4). No human genes have been identified that mediate the G2 delay induced by DNA damage.
The simultaneous presence of both a rad9 checkpoint mutation and a cdc9-8 mutation (i.e., in a double mutant strain) substantially increases the rate of cell death when cells are shifted to the nonpermissive temperature (4). This increase in lethality is presumably due to DNA strand breaks resulting from incomplete DNA synthesis (cdc9-8) and failure to properly delay the cycle to repair the damage (rad9).
CDC34 (not to be confused with p34.sup.cdc2) is an essential gene in yeast required for the transition from late G1 to the initiation of DNA synthesis (5). Sequence analysis and enzymatic assays support the notion that CDC34 is an E2 ubiquitin ligase. The target protein ubiquitinated by CDC34 is unknown.
While it has been possible to study checkpoint genes in yeast, few of their human counterparts have been identified and it is not presently known whether events observed in yeast will be generally applicable to cell cycles of higher eukaryotes.

Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona


In a circuit for connection of at least two signal sources with at least one signal output, the signal sources are connected with a control unit. The control unit activates or deactivates the signal sources by transmission of control signals. Each signal source is connected with a blocking unit. Each blocking unit is connected with the control unit. The blocking unit can block or enable a connection between the signal source and the signal output, with the connection being automatically enabled when the signal source is activated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a circuit for connection of at least two signal sources with at least one signal output, the signal sources being connected to a control unit that activates or deactivates the signal sources via transmission of control signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the transmission of electrical signals from signal sources to a signal output that, for example, is connected to a signal evaluation unit, it is frequently necessary to selectively connect a number of signal sources with only one signal evaluation unit. This is in particular the case in magnetic resonance apparatuses where it is necessary to connect a large number of surface coils with a lesser number of preamplifiers. It is additionally necessary that only a few or only one single surface coil are/is active at the same time in order to prevent crosstalk from the other surface coils. The large number of surface coils is, for example, advantageous when a larger region of a patient is to be examined without intrusion into the examination space. The use of larger coils is disadvantageous because, in this case, the signal-to-noise ratio is significantly smaller in comparison to smaller coils. In most magnetic resonance apparatuses, the number of the preamplifiers that are connected with the surface coils is the limiting factor for the number of usable surface coils. Should a large number of smaller coils be used, these must be selectively connected with the preamplifier inputs.
A circuit is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,755 by means of which a number of coils can be connected with preamplifiers of a magnetic resonance apparatus. For this purpose, a switching matrix composed of radio-frequency switches is controlled via a control line by a switch controller, so the coils can be selectively connected with the preamplifiers. The coils can be activated or deactivated by a coil control unit. A disadvantage of this known circuit is its high circuit complexity.

Circuit for connection of at least two signal sources with at least one signal output


A programmed computer analyzes data from a mass spectrometer. A spectrum corresponding to an unknown sample is perturbed in various ways, and each perturbed spectrum is compared with the spectrum of a known or reference substance. The perturbed spectrum having the highest correlation with the known spectrum, and which is also physically plausible, is considered to be the best fit. The method indicates in what specific ways the unknown sample differs from, or is similar to, the known substance.

This invention relates to the field of mass spectrometry, and provides a method and apparatus for analyzing data obtained from a mass spectrometer.
Mass spectrometers have long been used for performing qualitative analysis of substances. A mass spectrometer can essentially reduce a test sample to a set of ionic components, and displays the mass, and relative abundance, of each such component. The mass spectrometer produces an output that can be represented as a graph showing the mass of each component (for example, on the horizontal axis) and the intensity, or relative abundance, of each component (for example, on the vertical axis). The graph generated by a mass spectrometer is called a "spectrum".
Examples of the use of mass spectrometry in the field of biological science are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,017,693 and 5,538,897, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
A major problem in the use of a mass spectrometer is in the analysis of the spectrum generated by the device. Typically, an unknown substance is to be evaluated and compared with the spectrum of a known substance. A simple visual comparison of the spectrum of the unknown substance with a known spectrum is often insufficient and unproductive, as the points of similarity between the spectra are often not apparent to the human observer.
Even numerical methods of comparison of spectra, known in the prior art, have been unsatisfactory. It has been known to calculate correlations between spectra, but such calculations have been cumbersome and impractical.
The present invention provides a computer-based method of analyzing spectra from a mass spectrometer. The method of the present invention enables the user to obtain information about the spectrum of a test sample, even where such information is not intuitively obvious or readily observable.

Analysis of data from a mass spectrometer


A compression post for a shear wall includes a plate mounted to the bottom of an end post of a shear wall. The plate is sized to conform to the lower end of each end post. An extended portion (e.g., a cylinder) is positioned perpendicularly to the plate. The extended portion has a cross section sized to fit through a hole in a mudsill of the shear wall and has a length selected to conform with a thickness of the mudsill. When the shear wall is mounted on a structural support (e.g., a footing or foundation), forces applied to the end post pass through the plate and the extended portion to the structural support. The extended portion may be secured to the plate (e.g., by spot welding, press fitting, bolting, or threaded engagement) or the two portions may be independent. The two portions may also be a cast unitary body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of elements for use in construction, and, more particularly, is in the field of construction elements for reducing damage caused to structures during seismic events, severe wind events and other forces applied to structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
During a seismic event, such as an earthquake, or during a severe wind event, a structure may be subjected to large forces which can result in severe damage or total destruction of the structure. Conventional walls of a residential structure comprise a lower mudsill that rests on a concrete footing or other suitable foundation. An upper double top plate is spaced apart from the mudsill with a plurality of vertical studs which are generally evenly spaced (e.g., sixteen inches or twenty-four inches on center ("o/c")). The outer portion of a conventional wall is sheathed with plaster, siding or other suitable material, and the inner portion is covered with gypsum board, paneling or the like. Such a conventional wall cannot withstand the forces of seismic event or severe wind event because the shape of the wall distorts when the upper portion of the conventional wall moves laterally with respect to the mudsill. Even if the structure withstands the seismic event, the lateral movement of the wall causes cracks, broken windows and the like. In many cases, the wall does not return to its original shape after the seismic event or wind event is over.
In order to reduce the likelihood of structural damage during a seismic event or wind event, many residential structures are now constructed with shear walls. In particular, at least a portion of each of the inner and outer walls comprises a shear wall. A shear wall may comprise a specially constructed section of any wall which is constructed at a building site. Alternatively a shear wall may comprise a panel constructed separately and inserted into any wall at the building site. Both types of shear walls are included within the scope of the following description.
Unlike a conventional wall, a shear wall includes a solid structural sheet positioned over the outer surface or the inner surface. The solid structural panel of the shear wall may advantageously comprise one or more plywood sheets of suitable thickness. Alternatively, the shear wall may comprise a laminated panel of steel or another metallic material. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,841 to Swartz et al. for Wallboard Structure. Each end of the shear wall comprises a larger vertical member (e.g., an end post) to which the solid structural sheet is also attached. For example, the end posts may advantageously comprise a conventional 4×4 or larger post. During seismic events or severe wind events, the forces applied to the shear wall are coupled to the foundation via the end posts. Furthermore, the end posts are secured to the foundation via hold down devices, such as, for example, the hold down connector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,404 to Leek et al. for Holdown Structure.
The solid structural sheet of the shear wall inhibits the movement of the upper double top plate with respect to the mudsill when force is applied. Thus, the shear wall does not distort. By tying the remaining portion of any wall to the shear wall, movement of the entire wall is inhibited, and damage caused by the force is substantially reduced.
Although shear walls reduce the damage during seismic events, studies have shown that during very large seismic events or severe wind events, the forces applied to the shear wall and coupled to the end posts are sufficiently large to cause the lower ends of the end posts to compress the mudsill. The wood fibers in the compressed mudsill are crushed to reduce the thickness of the mudsill. The reduced thickness of the mudsill allows more movement of the shear wall, and thus may result in severe damage or destruction of the structure.
Because of the compression of the mudsill, building codes have been revised recently to require the mudsill of the shear wall to be constructed from larger material. For example, instead of allowing a contractor to use a conventional 2×4 or 2×6 material having a nominal thickness of 1.5 inches, the contractor is required to use a 3×4 or 3×6 mudsill having a nominal thickness of 2.5 inches to substantially reduce compression of the mudsill of the shear wall.
The additional thickness of the mudsill would appear to be a relatively straightforward way of reducing damage caused by seismic events and severe wind events; however, the thicker mudsill causes additional construction expenses for a contractor. For example, three-inch thick lumber is non-conventional. Thus, a contractor has to special order 3×4 or 3×6 lumber to construct the mudsill or create the mudsill at the construction site from larger material. In addition, the conventional studs between the mudsill and the double top plate have to be cut to be one inch shorter than conventional studs. Although this might appear to be a minor inconvenience, it should be understood that hundreds or thousands of studs are used at a large number of construction sites (e.g., at a new housing development or a new apartment complex). The additional time required to cut each stud rather than using the studs as delivered from the lumber supplier adds substantial cost and waste to a large construction project. Furthermore, since the required thickness of the 3×4 or 3×6 mudsill is 2.5 inches thick, the carpenters building walls with such mudsills must use larger nails to connect the mudsill to the bottoms of the studs. The larger nails are more expensive. In addition, the larger nails do not work with conventional nail guns. Since the economies of modern construction depend on the use of nail guns as well as other power tools to reduce construction time, the loss of the use of the nail gun for such repetitive work has a significant economic impact on the profit of the contractor or the cost to the owner of the finished structure. Thus, an alternative to the thicker mudsill is needed.

Compression post for structural shear wall


A tooth-bearing body having a first sequence (1) of teeth (2) and at least one second sequence (3) of teeth (4), wherein the teeth (2) of the first sequence (1), viewed in a rolling direction (5) of the tooth-bearing body, are arranged behind one another and the teeth (4) of the second sequence (3), viewed in the rolling direction (5) of the tooth-bearing body, are likewise arranged behind one another, and the first sequence (1) of teeth (2) and the second sequence (3) of teeth (4) are arranged in a transverse direction (6) orthogonal to the rolling direction (5), particularly exclusively next to one another, wherein the teeth (2) of the first sequence (1) are larger than the teeth (4) of the second sequence (3).

The present invention relates to a tooth-bearing body having a first sequence of teeth and at least one second sequence of teeth, wherein the teeth of the first sequence, when viewed in a rolling direction of the tooth-bearing body, are arranged one behind another and the teeth of the second sequence, when viewed in the rolling direction of the tooth-bearing body, are also arranged one behind another and the first sequence of teeth and the second sequence of teeth are arranged in a transverse direction that is orthogonal to the rolling direction, in particular exclusively, next to one another.
So-called double teeth systems in the form of tooth-bearing bodies with two sequences of teeth are known in the prior art. They are used, for example, in furniture fittings and in particular in the case of pull-out devices for movable furniture parts to synchronize the running of different rail arrangements with one another or to transmit a blocking function applied by means of a blocking mechanism onto the one rail arrangement of such a pull-out device also to the rail arrangement on the other side of the movable furniture part. The teeth of the first sequence, as a rule, are arranged offset to the teeth of the second sequence in the rolling direction, as a result of which one of the sequences is always completely engaged.


Novel substituted type peptides of WT1 wherein the cysteine residue is substituted with a defined amino acid residue, polynucleotides encoding said peptides, cancer vaccines using those peptides or polynucleotides in vivo or in vitro, or the like are provided.

A cysteine residue comprised in a peptide may be oxidized in a solution to produce a disulfide bond. A peptide comprising a reduced cysteine residue and a peptide comprising an oxidized one are drastically different each other in the structure, and, in the course of the use of them as cancer vaccines, CTLs specific for one of the peptides are not always reactive to the other (Immunity 1997; 6: 273-281). Thus, when a cancer antigen peptide comprising a cysteine residue is designed as a pharmaceutical composition of a cancer vaccine, it would be believed to provide an advantage that a peptide wherein a cysteine residue comprised in the cancer antigen peptide is substituted with another amino acid residue is developed in stead of the antigen peptide. However, a peptide wherein a cysteine residue is substituted with another amino acid residue does not necessarily function as a cancer antigen peptide, and such substituted type peptides provide largely different efficacy (J. Immunol., 1998; 161:6985-6992, J. Immunol., 1998; 160:2099-2106).
WT1235-243 (Cys-Met-Thr-Trp-Asn-Gln-Met-Asn-Leu; SEQ ID NO: 2), that is a peptide spanning in positions 235 to 243 of the cancer antigen protein, WT1 (SEQ ID NO: 1, Cell., 60:509, 1990), is a cancer antigen peptide having an activity to induce CTLs in HLA-A24-restricted manner (Clin. Cancer. Res. 8: 2626, 2002, and WO 00/06602). The altered peptide (Cys-Tyr-Thr-Trp-Asn-Gln-Met-Asn-Leu; SEQ ID NO: 3, hereinafter it may be referred to as WT1235-243 (2M→Y)) wherein the methionine at position 2 of WT1235-243 is altered to tyrosine has a higher binding activity to the HLA-A24 antigen than the natural type peptide (WO 02/079253, the international publication date: Oct. 10, 2002). The natural type peptide, WT1235-243, and the altered peptide, WT1235-243 (2M→Y), are both expected to become an active agent for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract: Peptides which comprise an amino acid sequence of the formula: X-Y-Thr-Trp-Asn-Gln-Met-Asn-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 4) wherein X represents Ser, Ala, Abu, Arg, Lys, Orn, Cit, Leu, Phe, or Asn, and Y represents Tyr or Met, and which has an activity to induce CTLs, polynucleotides encoding said peptides, cancer vaccines which comprise those peptides or polynucleotides as an active ingredient, and the like are disclosed.

International Institute of Cancer Immunology, Inc.


A compact comprising a base (1) has a recess (3) for a dish (4) of makeup (5), an external cylindrical periphery, an intermediate plate (7) and a cover (2) articulated on the base (1) and is provided with an internal mirror (2'). The recess in the base (1) comprises an external cylindrical periphery provided with a plurality of screw ramps that are equally angularly spaced. The intermediate plate (7) has a recess in which is rotatably disposed a gripping disk (10) covering at least partially the intermediate plate (7), this gripping disk being provided with a cylindrical collar (11) provided internally with a plurality of screw ramps (12) arranged to coact with the screw ramps (6) provided on the external periphery of the recess (3), so as to grip the intermediate plate (7) against the base (1).

In a known case of this type (FR-A-2 581 849), the axis of articulation of the intermediate plate on the base is common to the axis of articulation of the cover, the makeup (or makeups) being carried by the intermediate plate, the base being adapted to contain an applicator such as a sponge or a powder puff, whilst the interior of the cover comprises a mirror. The use of such a case is impaired by the fact that the withdrawal of the sponge or the powder puff requires swinging of the intermediate plate. Moreover, if the base must be kept sealed, the seal must be carried out between the cover and the base, which is difficult to provide because of the presence of the intermediate plate between the cover and the base.
Thus, there are known cases in which the seal is obtained between the cover and the base, the case comprising an internal resilient cover ensuring the seal with an upper wall of a recess of the base (see EP-A-0 614 629). The cover comprises a rotatable ring, mounted fixed against translation in the case and having on its internal cylindrical surface portions of female screw threads spaced angularly, adapted to coact with male screw thread portions spaced regularly on the external cylindrical wall of the recess of the base. During rotation of the ring, the male and female screw thread portions coact to close in a sealed manner the case, which is opened by rotating the ring in the opposite direction.
There is also known from JP-A-08 238 122, a case whose base receives a makeup cartridge provided with a bottom and a cover coacting with each other by complementary screw-threaded portions. When the cartridge is mounted in the case, the cover of said cartridge is secured to the cover of the case and has a portion projecting from said cover of the case which, when it is rotated in one direction, permits opening the case and the cartridge and, when it is rotated in the opposite direction, permits sealed closing of the case.
The document JP-A-08 150016 provides a case in which a closure disk is mounted secured to the cover of the case and coacts with the cylindrical external wall of a recess in the base of the case such that, during rotation of the disk, the screw-threaded elements carried by the disk are operated and by the engagement with each other open or close the case.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,561, the case comprises a base provided with a wall projecting upwardly delimiting a recess for a product and provided, on its external surface in the form of a cylinder of revolution, screw means coacting with complementary screw means provided on an internal cylindrical wall which is a figure of revolution, on the cover, said cover being provided in its base with a material suitable to ensure sealing against the upper surface of the recess of the base. The cover is articulated on the base of the case by means of a ring surrounding the external wall of said cover between means limiting the base and whose axial length is greater than its thickness, this ring permitting the emplacement and removal of the cover on and from the base by screwing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,295, the case has an articulation between the base and the cover of which one of the elements is mounted fixedly on the cover whilst the other element is mounted driveably in rotation on the upper surface of the base of the case.
Such structures do not permit providing an intermediate plate.
To solve the problems of sealing resulting from the use of makeup with volatile components, there has been proposed (see FR-A-2 576 496) the use of an internal cover pivoting or enclosed, ensuring solely the sealing of the base containing the makeup. Such a solution is cumbersome and its use is complicated.
There has also been proposed (FR-A-2 686 784) that the intermediate plate be an interchangeable platform that snaps into the base. Such a solution does not permit in a simple manner, using an applicator such as a sponge or a powder puff.
There has also been proposed a case (JP-A-08 242 937) in which sealing is ensured with the help of an intermediate plate articulated on the base in a manner perpendicular to the articulation of the cover of the case.
The base of said case comprises a recess in which is received a dish of makeup and which has on its periphery a rotatable frame having snap-in projections. The intermediate plate has projecting tongues on its surface turned toward the base of the case, said tongues extending along the rotatable frame when the plate rests on the base. These tongues are provided with snap-in projections adapted to coact with the complementary projections of the rotatable frame when the latter is rotated. The cover also comprises a snap-in nose coacting with a projection of the rotatable frame.
Thus, the rotatable frame permits locking the intermediate plate disposed on the base and the closing of the cover by simple rotation of said frame to cause coaction between the snap-in projections with the projections of the tongues of the plate and the snap-in nose of the cover.
There is provided a spring in the device for rotating the rotatable frame, to open the case such that it is difficult to obtain a differentiated opening of the case and then an unlocking of the plate. Because of this, when desired, in the case of a case provided with a mirror, to have access only to said mirror without using the makeup, the unlocking of the intermediate plate also takes place, thereby destroying the seal itself in a case in which this is not useful.


The invention relates to a method for determining the threshold value of screens which enable an evaluation of a sound coupling during the ultrasound testing of a series of spot welding joints of a selected type. Initially, a geometrical minimal thickness dMin is established for the spot welding joints. At least one echo of the front surface (entrance echo) is received in addition to one echo of the first reflection on a rear wall of the spot welding joint (first rear wall echo) and at least one further (n-th) rear wall echo. The propagation time tMin of the ultra sound pulse is defined for the path to the front surface to the rear wall and back to the front surface at a minimal thickness dMin and a propagation time tT for the total thickness. A first screen (B1) is set for the signal of the rear wall echo, starting at a moment in time t1S=tE+tMin−tSA and ending at a moment in time t1T=tE+tT+tSE, whereby tSA and tSE are additional small security measures. An n-th screen is correspondingly determined for the n-th rear wall echo. The testing head is oriented differently.

The invention generally relates to a method for ultrasound testing of a series of spot welding joints of a selected type and is directed to improvement within such type testing methods, namely to determining threshold values for gates which permit to evaluate the quality of a sound coupling. The invention is primarily concerned with determining temporal threshold values and also proposes amplitude threshold values.
Methods for ultrasound testing of spot welding joints are well known, the reader being referred in this context to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,208,917; 4,265,119 and 5,537,875.
The known methods may be divided into methods in which ultrasound testing is performed substantially concurrently with the making of the spot welding joints and into such methods by which an already made spot welding joint is tested subsequently by means of ultrasound. The invention only relates to the second type of method, meaning to subsequent testing.
The ultrasound testing of spot welding joints is based on the evaluation of the echo sequence of an ultrasound signal emitted into the spot welding joint, preferably of a pulse. Typically, a sequence of pulses is emitted. Heavily damped transmit/receive transducer probes or heads, which usually make use of film resonators and have a frequency typically ranging from 15 to 20 MHz, are utilized. The diameters of the transducers are approximately within the range of the diameter of the spot welding joints. Coupling typically occurs through a preliminary water stretch that is often sealed against the outside by a thin membrane. Direct contact of the water with the metal sheets is thus avoided.
Presently, ultrasound testing of spot welding joints is still mainly carried out by hand. Automation of testing is being strived for. The invention is intended to both simplify manual testing and to indicate ways for automatic testing.

Method for determining temporal and amplitude threshold values of gates during ultrasound testing of spot welding joints