The present disclosure provides binding agents that modulate the interaction between liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) and growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). Specifically, the present disclosure provides binding agents, such as LEAP2 peptides that bind GHSR and methods of their use to treat or ameliorate a neuroendocrine and/or metabolic disease or disorder such as obesity, diabetes, acromegaly, gigantism and/or Prader-Willi syndrome. The present disclosure also provides binding agents, such as antibodies, that bind LEAP2, and methods of their use to, e.g., treat or ameliorate a neuroendocrine and/or metabolic disease or disorder such as cachexia, anorexia, or other wasting syndromes, increase growth hormone levels, or increase GHSR activity.

Ghrelin, a peptide hormone, was originally discovered as an endogenous growth hormone (GH) secretagogue with potential utility in the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (Kojima, et al., 1999, Nature, 402:656-660). Ghrelin is produced by the stomach and is involved in gut-brain signaling, potently stimulating the release of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary. Ghrelin is multifunctional and plays a role in maintaining energy homeostasis, gastric acid release, gastric motility, stimulation of food intake, appetite and weight gain, reward-seeking behaviors and addiction, and suppression of insulin secretion (Kojima and Kangawa, 2005, Physiol. Rev., 85:495-522; Nakazato, et al., 2001, Nature, 409:194-198).
Growth hormone secretagogue receptor (also known as GHSR, GHS-R, GH-releasing peptide receptor, and ghrelin receptor) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed in many tissues throughout the body, including the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, hippocampus, gastrointestinal tract, and the vasculature including the aorta, coronary arteries, pulmonary arteries, arcuate arteries, and saphenous veins (Cruz and Smith, 2008, Vitam. Horm., 77:47-88). GHSR has at least two isoforms: GHSR isoform 1a (GHSR1a) and GHSR isoform 1b (GHSR1b). GHSR1b is believed to be a truncated, non-signaling ghrelin receptor that may influence ghrelin-induced GHSR1a-mediated signaling and/or influence the ability of GHSR1a to form oligomeric complexes with other receptors (Navarro, et al., 2016, JBC, 291:13048-13062).
GHSR is constitutively active in the absence of an agonist, providing a basal level of signaling required for the development of normal height. In addition, ghrelin and GHSR not only stimulate growth hormone release, but also appear to play a role in several aspects of energy homeostasis. Inverse agonists of GHSR are of interest for the treatment of obesity, and the ghrelinergic system has received considerable attention as a therapeutic target to reduce appetite in obesity as well as to stimulate food intake and feed efficiency in the treatment of wasting syndromes, anorexia, malnutrition, and cachexia (Howick, et al., 2017, Int'l. J. Mol. Sci., 18:273).
Several academic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies have developed synthetic molecules with agonist, partial agonist, antagonist, or inverse agonist properties toward GHSR for clinical and therapeutic applications in gastroenterology, oncology, and cardiology. For example, some GHSR agonists have appetite-stimulating and growth hormone-releasing effects, and are expected to be useful for the treatment of muscle wasting and frailty associated with old-age and degenerative diseases. On the other hand, GHSR antagonists have anorectic effects and are likely to be useful for the treatment of obesity (Moulin, et al., 2007, Chem. Med. Chem., 2:1242-1259; Holubova, et al., 2013, Physiol. Res., 62:435-444; Chollet, et al., 2009, 1 Pept. Sci., 15:711-730) or disorders of excessive growth hormone secretion (Nass, et al., 2011, Mol. Cell. Endocrinol., 340:10-14).
At least in part because supraphysiological levels of ghrelin are needed to induce food intake (Lippl, et al., 2012, Regul. Pept., 174:26-31), it has been suggested that the true physiological role of ghrelin may be to maintain viable blood glucose levels during chronic calorie restriction (Li, et al., 2012, J. Biol. Chem., 287:17942-17950; Zhang, et al., 2015, PNAS, 112:1226-1231; Zhao, et al., 2010, PNAS, 107:7467-7472). Under calorie-restricted conditions, maintaining blood glucose concentrations sufficient to support brain function is critical for survival (Cahill, 2006, Annu. Rev. Nutr., 26:1-22). Ghrelin is secreted in response to caloric restriction and stimulates growth hormone release, which promotes gluconeogenesis and maintains viable glucose levels (Li, et al., 2012, JBC, 287:17942-17950; Zhang, et al., 2015, PNAS, 112:1226-1231).
Although regulation of ghrelin production has been well studied, regulation of the interaction of ghrelin with GHSR has not been described. Furthermore, to date, the existence of an endogenous antagonist of GHSR has not been described. Such an antagonist could have favorable characteristics in some clinical settings.

Methods of treating a wasting syndrome, increasing growth hormone levels, and increasing GHSR activity with a LEAP2 antibody


A Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) system and method transform multimedia contents in a manner adaptive to the available data processing capability of the digital media renderer (DMR) of the DLNA network. A digital media server (DMS) and a digital media renderer (DMR) are discovered. A list of contents provided by the DMS is obtained. Information on a transport protocol and a data format of the DMR is obtained. Information on available data processing capability of the DMR is obtained. The transport protocol and the data format of the DMS are matched to those of the DMR. Transcoding and transrating schemes of the DMS are adjusted based on the available data processing capability of the DMR. A connection between the DMS and the DMR is established, and content stored in the DMS is transmitted to the DMR.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) system and, in particular, to a method for transforming multimedia contents adaptive to the available data processing capability of the digital media renderer (DMR) of the DLNA network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is an alliance of leading companies, including Microsoft (MS), International Business Machines (IBM), Hewlett-Packard (HP), Intel, Sony, Matsushita, Samsung, etc. in the consumer electronics, mobile, and personal computer industries. An aim of the alliance is to create industry standards that will allow products from all companies to be compatible with each other and to enable a network of electronic devices in the home.
Home networking technologies are now rapidly developing such that consumer electronics, mobile and PC devices are interoperating in a home to enhance and enrich user experiences with various services.
The DLNA defines a PC Internet Network wherein PC and PC peripherals such as a printer communicate. A mobile network of multimedia mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) 1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) players, laptop computers, and similar devices provide unparalleled connectivity and freedom of movement into and out of the home environment. A consumer electronics (CE) network includes set-top boxes and traditional consumer electronics.
To deliver interoperability in the digital home, the DLNA has focused on 1) industry collaboration, 2) standards-based interoperability, and 3) compelling products, and has developed the physical media, network transports, media formats, streaming protocols and digital rights management (DRM) on the basis of Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional DLNA system 100. As shown FIG. 1, the DLNA system 100 is implemented with a plurality of DLNA networks 101. Each includes a Digital Media Server (DMS) 103, a Digital Media Player (DMP) 105, a Digital Media Controller (DMC) 106, and a Digital Media Renderer (DMR) 107.
The DMS 103, DMP 105, and DMC 106 can be a Mobile-Digital Media Server (M-DMP), Mobile-Digital Media Player (M-DMP), and Mobile-Digital Controller (M-DMC), respectively. The M-DMS, M-DMP, and M-DMC can access the DLNA system 100 directly or through an Access Point (AP) 109. The AP is provided with a Mobile Network Connection Function (M-NCF) as the intermediate node for bridging the M-DMS and M-DMP.
The DLNA can be implemented as a home network on the basis of a wired network standard (IEEE 802.3) or a wireless network standard (IEEE 802.11).
The DMS 103, DMP 105, and DMR 107 are interconnected so as to form a wired (IEEE. 802.3) or a wireless network (IEEE 802.11). The digital appliances on the home network can exchange multimedia data such as video and audio data on the basis of IEEE 1394 standard.
The DLNA guidelines, e.g., Home Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines v1.5, are a standard for interconnection of home network appliances. The guidelines classify the DLNA devices into DMS, DMP, DMC, and DMR and define the conditions for connections between the DMS, DMP, DMC, and DMR.
DMS functions as a Media Server Device (MSD) of UPnP AV part, which provides media contents. The main object of the DMS is to enable the control point (CP) as a user interface (UI) application to retrieve digital media content items in the DMS such that the user can display or distribute the contents. The DMS is equipped with a broadcast signal receiver and middleware for broadcast. Some example of DMS includes Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs), Compact Disc (CD) players, Digital Video Disk (DVD) players, Motion Pictures Expert Group 1 (MPEG-1) layer 3 (MP3) players, set-top boxes (STBs), TV tuners, radio tuners, and personal computers (PCs).
The DMR plays content received after being setup by another entity. Some examples of DMR devices include a TV, an audio/video receiver, a video monitor, and remote speakers for music.
The DMP is a DMR or M-DMR including the CP and therefore finds content exposed by the DMS to provide playback and rendering capabilities.
The DLNA guidelines are not a new protocol, but are created by combining the published standards and common protocols. That is, the DLNA adopts IEEE 802.3 for wired communication and IEEE 802.11 for wireless communication as the physical layer. The wired Ethernet has already proved stable, and the use of wireless Ethernet, i.e., Wi-Fi for wireless home networking has become widespread.
DLNA is also implemented with the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) for network layer. TCP/IP is a basic network communication protocol used for the elements operating on the Internet and supports transparent data exchange for the application programs operated with various media. For example, PCs or STBs can transmit media contents to the TV located in the other room via an IEEE 802.11 AP which is connected through Ethernet cable. In short, DLNA devices can communicate with each other using TCP/IP through the Internet.
DLNA is, in addition, implemented on the basis of UPnP AV architecture, and on the basis of UPnP Device architecture which is used for locating and controlling devices across the DLNA network, i.e., automatically configuring the IP address and recognizing other devices on the network with reference to the IP address, as well as checking and managing services to be provided.
DLNA further features use of the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) for exchanging control messages and transporting files, the extensible markup language (XML) for text message, MPEG2 for video data format, and (Joint Photographic Experts Group) JPEG for still image data format.
One of the key technologies of the DLNA guidelines is UPnP. DMSs and DMPs are addressed and automatically recognized on the basis of the protocol specified in the UPnP device architecture. For example, the DMS providing a list of stored files and broadcasting the data is the UPnP Media Server.
The DLNA guidelines are based on the UPnP and specify the design architecture of digital information products in terms of products such as household appliances, PCs, and wireless devices sharing media content over the wired or wireless home network.
The DLNA guidelines aim for the interoperability among devices, so that systems and products can operate without burdening the user in connection with their operation. The need for interoperability is growing tremendously, and looms as an important factor in deciding the quality of the information devices. This is expressed in ever-growing realization that "The network is a computer."
When media content is shared by different devices in the DLNA system 100, they transcode/transrate in achieving interoperability. In the conventional DLNA system 100, however, the Media Interoperability Unit (MIU) of the DMS performs a transcoding or transrating scheme fixedly set by the manufacturer or developer of the devices. It is therefore infeasible to check the available capabilities of the devices (for example, DMP or DMR), which complicates optimizing the transcoding or transrating to the available processing capabilities of the devices. Assuring a given quality of service (QoS) of the media contents transmitted from the DMS to the DMR consequently becomes unreliable.

Method for transforming contents in the DLNA system


An ultimate low k (k=1) gap structure for high speed logic devices in which the sidewalls fully or partially cover the gaps between the interconnects by dry etching the already formed aluminum interconnects after the photoresist has been stripped. This method is particularly useful for the subsequent deposition of silicon dioxide and for forming air gaps.

The present invention relates to integrated circuit structures and fabrication methods.
Background: Parasitic Capacitance of Interconnects
The performance of current interconnect systems is becoming limited by the system interconnect delay. This is recognized as being a major unresolved challenge to the semiconductor industry. A major component of this delay results from intralevel capacitance. Parasitic capacitance of conductors hurts performance in at least two ways: first, the distributed capacitive load on wiring will slow down the propagation of signals. Secondly, the capacitive coupling between adjacent lines can cause "cross-talk," where a pulse on one line is coupled into an adjacent line. This can lead to unpredictable logic errors.
Parasitic capacitance can be reduced by using insulation with a lower dielectric constant k. Currently, low k dielectric materials (e.g. HSQ k=2.8; parylene 2.4; aerogel 1.7 etc.) are used for gap fill and inter-metal dielectrics.
Background: Step Coverage and Void Formation
FIGS. 4A-4C show how undesired voids can be accidentally formed in the prior art. Since deposition tends to be more rapid on the exposed edges 402 of adjacent lines 400, the thicker accumulations of material 410 deposited on these edges 402 can eventually meet to enclose a void 404. This has long been recognized as a problem.
Background: Air Bridge Structures
"Air bridge" structures have been used in the past in microwave circuits, to minimize vertical capacitive coupling where one line crosses over another. However, there has been no way to adapt this technology to reduce capacitance between very long parallel signal lines. Air bridges are discussed, for example, in the following references, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference: Tsai et al., "Multiple arbitrary shape via-hole and air-bridge transitions in multilayered structures," 1996 IEEE MTT-S INTERNATIONAL MICROWAVE SYMPOSIUM DIGEST vol.2, p.707-10 (1996); Villeneuve et al., "Air-bridge microcavities, " APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol.67, no.2, p. 167-9 (Jul. 10, 1995); and Goldfarb et al., "The effect of air bridge height on the propagation characteristics of microstrip," 1 IEEE MICROWAVE AND GUIDED WAVE LETTERS 273 (October 1991).
Innovative Structure and Method
The present application discloses an ultimate low k (k=1) gap structure for high speed logic devices in which the sidewalls fully or partially cover the gaps between the interconnects by dry etching the already formed aluminum interconnects after the photoresist has been stripped. The present application also discloses a particularly surprising method of fabricating lateral air gaps using the insulating sidewalls which normally form on conductors during anisotropic plasma etching. This is done by using a sacrificial layer on which the sidewall is formed, and then removing the sacrificial layer, so that residual mechanical stress will cause the free standing portion of the sidewall layer to curve outward from the patterned conductor layer. Adjacent lines of such curling sidewall material will then form arches, which provide a partial template for subsequent deposition of an insulator, such as silicon dioxide, which will encapsulate the air gap between the adjacent conductors.
The innovative structure and method of the present invention provides the following advantages:
reduced parasitic capacitance between parallel conductors; PA1 no new equipment or process is required; PA1 better suited for narrower gaps; PA1 substantially no solid dielectric is formed on the sidewalls of the metal lines; PA1 air gap height is only slightly greater than that of the metal line, hence the interlevel dielectric layer thickness is not excessive; and PA1 air gap scales with reduction in metal pitch.

Method for air gap formation by plasma treatment of aluminum interconnects


Control circuitry and an associated method for a modified-user, wireless communications system, such as a cellular communication system wherein groups of mobile transceiver units are positioned to travel together. Circuitry is positioned to travel together with the group of mobile transceiver units and to generate common control requests to control operation of the entire group of mobile transceiver units. When embodied in a cellular communication system, a common hand-off request is generated for the entire group of mobile transceiver units, obviating the need for each transceiver unit to independently generate a hand-off request. If a mobile transceiver is operable pursuant to an air interface standard dissimilar to a fixed-site transceiver with which communications are to be effectuated, a converter converts communication signals so that the communication signals can be communicated therebetween.

Utilization of multi-user, wireless communication systems to communicate telephonically has achieved wide popularity in recent years. Because a wireline connection is not required to effectuate telephonic communication, communication by way of a wireless communication system is possible at a location to which formation of wireline connection would be impractical or impossible.
Cellular communication systems having networks are exemplary of multi-user, wireless communication systems. Cellular communication networks, for instance, have been installed throughout significant portions of the world. Large numbers of subscribers to such cellular networks are able to communicate telephonically when positioned in areas encompassed by such cellular networks. Telephonic communication of both voice and data are permitted in such networks.
In a cellular communication system, fixed-site transceivers, referred to as base stations, are installed throughout a geographic region. Mobile transceivers, i.e., "cellular phones" or "subscriber units", positioned anywhere throughout the geographic area at which the base stations are installed, can communicate with at least one of the base stations. As a mobile transceiver travels through the geographic area, communication by the mobile unit is transferred, or "handed-off", to successive ones of the base stations. Continued communication by way of the mobile unit, without apparent interruption to the user is possible as the communication is handed-off between the successive ones of the base stations.
In some conventional, cellular systems, hand-offs are first initiated by a subscriber unit. The subscriber unit detects control signals generated upon selected control channels by the base stations. Comparisons are made at the subscriber unit between control signals received from various base stations. If communication between the subscriber unit and the cellular network by way of a first of the base stations is ongoing and the subscriber unit determines that communications can be better effectuated with the network by way of a another one of the base stations, the subscriber unit transmits a request that the ongoing communication be handed-off to the other base station.
Control circuitry, such as a mobile switching center, of the infrastructure of the cellular network typically controls the times in which a hand-off between two base stations is permitted. Responsive to the request transmitted by the subscriber unit, the control circuitry of the cellular network approves the hand-off, if such hand-off is possible.
If the hand-off request is approved, a channel at the other base station is allocated for communication with the subscriber unit, and instructions are sent to the subscriber unit instructing the subscriber unit to be re-tuned to the allocated channel. Communications by the subscriber unit thereafter continue with the cellular network by way of the succeeding base station. In such manner, ongoing communication is permitted without apparent interruption to the user of the subscriber unit.
Improvements in communication technologies have increased the convenience and affordability of usage of a cellular communication system. A concomitant increased number of users of the cellular communication systems increasingly utilize cellular communication systems to communicate therethrough. Other wireless communication systems have similarly exhibited increased usage. And usage of still other types of wireless communication systems is anticipated in the future.
Users, for instance, make use of cellular systems when positioned in motor vehicles. As many subscriber units are of sizes and weights permitting their carriage by a user, the subscriber units can be carried by a user and communication can be effectuated at any time. For instance, the user can communicate by way of the cellular system when positioned on a mass transit device.
When only a single user, or only a very small number of users, communicate pursuant to the cellular system while positioned on the mass transit vehicle, the additional loading to the cellular system is not significant. That is to say, when only a single or small number of users communicate by way of the cellular system when traveling together on the mass transit vehicle, only a single, or small number of, concurrent hand-off requests are made to the cellular network infrastructure as the mass transit vehicle upon which the user is situated travels through a geographic area.
However, when significant numbers of users positioned upon the mass transit vehicle utilize the cellular system, loading problems sometimes occur. Such loading problems can occur because the users situated on the mass transit vehicle are all positioned closely to one another to travel, together with travel of the mass transit vehicle, in the same direction, at the same speed, and at the same time.
Although each cellular phone is independently operable, all of the cellular phones receives the same, or similar, control signals from the base stations. And, even though each of the cellular phones is independently operable to determine when a hand-off request is made, because of the common positioning and movement of the cellular phones, each of the cellular phones substantially concurrently make hand-off requests to the cellular system network. Such concurrent requests can result in loading problems which might result in, e.g., inadvertent communication terminations.
Cellular communication systems have been constructed pursuant to various different cellular standards. The various different cellular standards are generally incompatible with one another. That is to say, a cellular phone operable pursuant to one cellular standard is typically unusable in a cellular communication system operable pursuant to a different one of the cellular standards. Some cellular phones, sometimes referred to as dual mode phones, have been constructed to permit their operation in two different cellular communication systems, such systems constructed pursuant two different cellular standards. However, the number of different cellular standards pursuant to which a cellular communication system might be constructed precludes, as a practical matter, the possibility that a portable, cellular phone might be constructed to permit its operation in every type of cellular communication system.
A cellular phone positioned upon a mass transit vehicle might be carried by the mass transit vehicle out of the geographic area encompassed by the cellular communication system in which it is operable and into a geographical area encompassed by a cellular communication system within which the cellular phone is incompatible. If communications are ongoing when the cellular phone passes beyond the coverage area of the cellular communication system in which the cellular phone is operable, communications are terminated. Communications are terminated even though communications would otherwise be possible if the cellular phone were operable pursuant to the cellular standard of the cellular communication system into whose coverage area the cellular phone travels. When a plurality of cellular phones are commonly carried upon a mass transit vehicle, numerous ongoing communications might be abruptly terminated as the mass transit vehicle carries the cellular phones out of the geographical area encompassed by one cellular communication system and into the geographical area encompassed by another cellular communication system.
A manner by which to reduce loading problems resulting when a plurality of users positioned to travel together at similar velocities during similar time periods would therefore be advantageous.
A manner by which to permit continued operation of a cellular phone as the cellular phone is carried out of a geographical area encompassed by one type of cellular communication system and into another type of cellular communication system would therefore also be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to multi-user communication systems, such as a cellular communication system, that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Communication control circuitry and method for a group of commonly-moving mobile transceiver units


An inverted pedestal crane has a base mountable to an underside of a horizontal support structure, such as for example a rig floor. A crane pedestal extends downwardly from the base, and a boom connects pivotally to the pedestal. The pedestal and the crane base rotate about a vertical axis, while the boom moves pivotally in relation to the pedestal. The crane has one main and a pair of auxiliary hydraulic rams for moving the boom during load handling operations. A robust slew bearing assembly mounted above the crane pedestal allows rotation of the base and the pedestal. The slew bearing assembly has a pair of parallel plates, a plurality of centering rollers and a plurality of stabilizing rollers mounted adjacent to an outer circumference of the parallel plates, between the plates. A winch assembly is mounted on top of the base, the winch assembly carrying a cable that extends over a pulley secured to a free end of the boom. A truss assembly secured to the pedestal and to an underside of the base resists overturning moments acting on the crane when the boom engages a load. An operator cab is mounted on a support plate adjacent a lower portion of the pedestal.

This invention relates to a pedestal crane and, more particularly to a crane designed for operations on offshore drilling and production platforms and other marine structures.
Conventionally, a number of exploration and completion operations are conducted with the use of independently air-powered and chain-operated hoists. These operations include blowout preventor handling, wellhead installation and maintenance, installation of topside components from jackup drilling units. Generally, two hoists are used in tandem; they perform a number of operations, for example raising and lowering of blowout preventors to and from the wellhead and transporting the blowout preventors to and from a storage location on the rig.
When the hoisting operations are conducted, other operations in the vicinity and on the drill floor are usually suspended, causing loss of productive rig time, creating a potential for hazardous conditions for the rig personnel, especially when heavy pieces of equipment are transported by overhead cranes.
Hoisting and handling of many components below the drill floor usually requires elaborate rigging with snatch blocks, slings and the like. Personnel on the rig floor and in the platform/cellar area usually communicate by radio or telephone, which adds to the complexity of performing a simple jacket topside operation.
In many cases, equipment delivered to an offshore platform is raised from the boat onto the deck with the deck cranes. The delivered equipment is then stored on deck, requiring additional maneuvering for installation in place. The double handling of the loads, particularly in jacket topside operations uses valuable rig time, increases the potential for damaging expensive equipment, creates potential hazard to the personnel and thus is not very efficient.
In view of the severe space restrictions, cranes for offshore facilities have to be compact. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,970 issued on Jun. 8, 1991 discloses a compact pedestal crane which is mounted on a drill rig floor. A dynamic load compensator absorbs sudden shock loads due to wave motions. However, despite the compactness of the design, this crane will still occupy valuable platform deck space.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,478 issued on Jan. 30, 1996 discloses a crane with an inverted kingpost. The crane has upper and lower bearings constructed of relatively soft bearing material that cooperates with relatively hard kingpost and upperworks structures. The design allows for access to conduct inspection or maintenance of components. Other U.S. patents, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,898,847; 3,949,693; 4,576,518 and 4,589,801 all teach offshore oil rig structures with cranes.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of a crane suitable for use on a jack-up drilling unit where it allows handling of loads from supply boats to the platform in an efficient manner, and other jacket topside load handling activities.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a hoisting mechanism for an offshore jackup drilling unit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inverted pedestal crane that can be suspended from the underside of the rig floor to allow topside operations to be conducted contemporaneously with drill floor operations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inverted pedestal crane that is hydraulically operated independently of a rig floor activity below the rig floor area.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a provision of an inverted pedestal crane that has a base mountable to an underside of a horizontal support structure, such as for example a rig floor. A crane pedestal extends downwardly from the base, and a boom connects pivotally to the pedestal. The pedestal and the crane base rotate about a vertical axis, while the boom moves pivotally in relation to the pedestal. The crane has one main and a pair of auxiliary hydraulic rams for moving the boom during load handling operations.
The crane uses no counterweights. The overturning moments are efficiently handled by the supporting truss work that is secured to the pedestal and to an underside of the base, resisting overturning moments acting on the crane during load handling. The truss work, in turn, houses an hydraulically driven, rotating pinion drive mechanism, which is engaged to an oversize base. The base carries the inverted crane components. The oversize base and the truss work further enhance functionality of the crane by offsetting any radial point loadings and transmitting the moment to the slew bearing.
A pin and yoke of the main hydraulic ram cylinder are located in close proximity to the outside circumference of the base, thereby improving the operation of a robust slew bearing assembly that is mounted above the crane pedestal. The slew bearing assembly has a pair of parallel plates, a plurality of centering rollers and a plurality of stabilizing Hillman-type rollers mounted adjacent to an outer circumference of the parallel plates, between the plates.
A winch assembly is mounted on top of the base, the winch assembly carrying a cable that extends over a pulley secured to a free end of the boom. A truss assembly secured to the pedestal and to an underside of the base resists overturning moments acting on the crane when the boom engages a load. An operator cab is mounted on a support plate adjacent a lower portion of the pedestal.
The crane is adapted for operation under conditions where space is at a premium, such as for example an offshore platform. Of course, the crane can be used in other applications, its main advantage being its capability to be suspended from an underside of a horizontal surface, the top of which can be used for other operations and structures.


A base station apparatus is disclosed. The base station apparatus includes a classification unit configured to classify mobile station apparatuses connected to a first cell into a CoMP target mobile station apparatus and a CoMP non-target mobile station apparatus, a first allocation unit configured to allocate a wireless resource to the CoMP target mobile station apparatus connected to the first cell, and a second allocation unit configured to determine the wireless resource to be allocated to the CoMP non-target mobile station apparatus connected to the first cell so as to reduce interference with a wireless resource allocated to a CoMP target mobile station apparatus connected to a second cell different from the first cell.

Coordinated Multi-Point transmission (CoMP) is known as one methods for uniforming a throughput in a mobile wireless system for performing communications between a base station apparatus (eNodeB) and a mobile station apparatus (User Equipment: UE). The CoMP enables the same signal to be transmitted in the same frequency bandwidth to the same mobile station apparatus from a plurality of adjacent cells. Alternatively, the CoMP enables avoidance of interference with the mobile station apparatus so that each of the plural adjacent cells stops outputting in a frequency resource for transmitting the signal to the mobile station apparatus from another cell. Thus, the CoMP is a scheme for improving a throughput by increasing SINR (Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio) in a specified mobile station apparatus through coordination of the plurality of cells. The cell coordination may be replaced by sector coordination.
Jing L I et al., "A Novel Transmission Scheme and Scheduling Algorithm for CoMP-MIMO in LTE-A System", Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing P.R. China, 100876

Base station apparatus, communication system, communication method


A system for determining a similarity between a name phrase and a comparison name phrase, for each name in the name phrase, scores the name. The scoring is based on the field frequency of the name in a name database, where the field frequency indicates a given name frequency and/or a surname frequency in the database. The system uses the scoring to determine a transition from a given name to a surname in the name phrase. The system determines a primary given name and a primary surname in the name phrase based on the scoring and the transition. The system uses the primary given name and primary surname to determine a similarity between the name phrase and a comparison name phrase, where the comparison name phrase comprises a comparison given name and a comparison surname.

The optimal approach to comparing two names of individuals requires knowledge of how the names being compared are parsed; which elements are given names, which are surnames, and what semantic role is played by each name element. For example, in Spanish names, the leftmost of two surname words is the individual's own family name; "Juan Beltran" is a good match for "Juan Beltran Cabrera," but "Juan Cabrera" is not, and these distinctions should be captured in comparison scores to avoid false positives. This requires either pre-fielded data or a pre-processing step to determine the parse. Pre-processing, however, adds time to run-time comparisons, or requires additional memory or storage space to retain the parsed output for later use. Therefore, it would be helpful to determine similarity between names without the need to parse the names prior to the comparison.

Scoring unfielded personal names without prior parsing

International Business Machines Corporation


Set of ancillary equipment for the implantation of acetabular cups (1) of hip prostheses, of the type having a substantially hemispherical corolla, consisting of expandable petals (2) which are provided with external barbs (5). The set comprises an obturator (7) for closing the petals, under elastic radial stress, in a position in which they are drawn together, elements (8, 9) for holding this obturator on the edges of the petals by connection with the bottom of the acetabular cup, an ancillary impaction device with which it is possible to impact the acetabular cup, freeing its petals by extraction of the obturator. The set also comprises a plate which expands the petals and which can be introduced into these petals after extraction of the obturator and release of the petals, and an ancillary device with which it is possible to drive the plate into the acetabular cup in order to bring about the radial expansion of the petals after impaction, so as to ensure the anchoring of the acetabular cup by penetration of the anchoring barbs into the osseous wall of the acetabulum.

Acetabular cups of the corolla type are known which are formed by an assembly of expandable petals whose bases join in the area of the polar cap of the acetabular cup. These petals exhibit a certain amount of elasticity which allows them to be substantially drawn together in the radial direction. On their external surface, these petals are equipped with barbs ensuring anchoring in the osseous wall of the acetabulum when the surgeon effects a radial expansion of the petals by means of a suitable instrument.
However, the impaction and the osseous anchoring of these corolla-type acetabular cups present certain difficulties, which it is the aim of the invention to overcome by means of a suitable set of ancillary equipment.

Set of ancillary equipment for the implantation of acetabular cups of hip prosthesis, and prosthetic acetabular cup assembly ready to be implanted


A panel comprises two confronting glass sheets 12, 14 that are hermetically sealed together by a solder glass 10, with the hermetic seal 18 comprising remelted solder glass.

Hermetic seals which are suitable for use in vacuum glazing typically involve the use of solder glass, which is also referred to as glass frit. The term "solder glass" refers to a glass which melts and softens at a lower temperature than the glass sheets of the glazing, but which has a coefficient of thermal expansion which closely matches that of the glass sheets. As such, a suitable solder glass will depend upon the glass used for the glass sheets of the vacuum glazing. A typical example of glass used for vacuum glazing is soda lime glass.
The use of solder glass has the advantage that, unlike other solders such as metal solder, it is "compatible" with the glass sheets. For example, bonds between the solder glass and the glass sheets can be formed by inter-diffusion. At the same time, the solder glass is impermeable so that a low pressure within the internal volume of vacuum glazing can be maintained indefinitely for all practical purposes.
To form an hermetic seal between two glass sheets of a vacuum glazing, solder glass, normally in the form of a viscous liquid paste containing solder glass powder, is provided around the edges of the glass sheets, which are positioned in a spaced apart relationship, e.g. by way of support pillars placed between the sheets. The entire structure is then heated to a temperature at which the solder glass melts and whilst in its molten state, flows by capillary action between the spaced apart sheets and diffuses into the atomic structure of the respective glass surfaces, forming a strong and leak free joint between them.
Although the temperature at which the edge seal process occurs is less than that at which the glass sheets soften and melt, it is in general necessary for the temperature at which the sealing process occurs to be such that the glass sheets are quite close to the point at which softening and distortion occur. In other words the influence of the heating on the glass sheets cannot be ignored for all purposes.
As an example, the temperatures necessary to form the seal with the process described above can result in a significant relaxation of internal stresses in the glass sheets. Treatment of the glass sheets at such temperatures for that purpose is commonly referred to as annealing. Although the annealing may result in the removal of unwanted stresses in the glass sheets for some applications, for other applications the removal of residual stresses during the formation of the solder glass seal is undesirable. As an example, it is often required that the glass in windows and doors should be tempered or heat strengthened. Tempered glass contains internal stresses which need to be retained to maintain the increased strength of the glass sheet.
Since a significant stress relaxation in the glass sheets cannot be avoided during the forming of the hermetic edge seal made from solder glass as described above, it has up until now been impossible to manufacture vacuum glazing which incorporates an hermetic edge seal made from solder glass and which utilise (fully) heat strengthened glass.


The present invention is directed to a system and method for dynamically managing cultural profiles within an information handling system. Cultural profiles may be created, modified, or deleted without having to reboot the information handling system. The cultural profile changes are immediately effective in the system. A user may dynamically change a program's cultural profile to a new or modified cultural profile without having to reboot the system. The system and method of the present invention enable programs to be globalized/localized to support many different countries and cultures. A user may define a new program profile based on an existing profile. This allows for substantial reuse of code, and saves time for the user because new cultural profiles do not have to be completely created from scratch. In addition, a user may modify or delete a currently existing program profile. The dynamic creation, modification, or deletion of cultural profiles is done by using a dynamically linked library, containing all system defined cultural profiles, in combination with a user locale file which is used to store newly defined cultural profiles, along with user modifications and deletions of existing cultural profiles.

Software products must be flexible to adapt to the needs of the user. Software products developed in one country that seek an international presence must be modified to fit the needs of markets in other countries. For example, spreadsheets are used in many disciplines by users all over the world, but many spreadsheet programs are developed using underlying assumptions (i.e. monetary symbols, fractional representations) based on the country in which the program is developed. In order for a user in another country to use the spreadsheet program, the user must spend many hours customizing the program to meet her particular needs. Another example of programs that are typically culture-specific are help programs. Modifying a help program to be responsive to the needs of a user in another country involves much more than simply translating error messages.
Internationalization is the process of removing language and cultural dependencies from software applications. Localization is the process of reinserting a specific set of values for the language and cultural attributes removed during internationalization. Developers must be aware of the cultural dependencies in localizing their applications. How well a developer internationalizes and localizes its application may be the single biggest factor in determining the success or failure of an organization's products in other countries.
One issue involved in internationalizing and localizing an application is language translation. When translating an application, developers must be concerned with the accuracy of the translation, the introduction of defects during the translation process (i.e. the introduction of defects into an application that were not previously present), and maintenance for every translated version of the application.
However, language translation of applications alone is not enough to make an application internationalized. User interfaces are highly graphical and contain more than simple text strings. Graphical user interface systems have made applications easy to use, but have also made these same applications highly culturally dependent. For example, the color red may indicate "stop" or "warning" in one culture, and have an entirely different meaning, such as "go," in another culture. Thus, an application which uses a red icon as a warning flag, may need to use a different color icon in a different country.
The process of localizing an application for a different country or culture is simply too complex and time-consuming to do individually for each culture. What is needed is a process for simultaneously developing software for all cultural markets. It is important that this process remain consistent with modern software engineering standards for it to be effective. The internationalization process must be capable of being incorporated into current software development methodologies, such as object oriented development and functional decomposition.
Several prior art attempts have been made to arrive at a standardized procedure for solving internationalization issues. For example, one type of international product model enables all groups involved in internationalization to share a common understanding of the components that make up an international product. These components include an international base component, a user interface component, a market specific component and a country specific information component. The international base component contains an application's basic functional code, such as executable images, internal data files, and command procedures without text. The user interface component is language specific and is localized to meet the cultural requirements of the specific group of users. The market specific component meets the special requirements of a specific region and provides enhancement only. The country specific information component is a set of required documentation needed to meet regulations for selling a product in a specific country. One disadvantage of this prior art approach is that it places a large burden of internationalization/localization on local programmers and translators, rather than providing localized interfaces inside of the base operating system. This methodology requires that multiple translations be done for similar information by programmers writing applications for the same operating system.
Another approach is to use native language support (NLS), which provides developers with a library to aid in the internationalization/localization process. NLS includes a set of routines to replace the standard program libraries, along with a set of tools to assist in the construction of message catalogs and local databases. Message catalogs contain textual information that an application might require during localization. These catalogs are then further broken down into sets for ease of interaction. Applications make a request to the NLS system at run time. The NLS then returns a particular word or phrase in the current language. The disadvantage of this approach is that NLS applications require mapping of standard routines into NLS routines, and generation extraction of the messages catalogs. In addition, the NLS approach only allows for the localization of textual and numeric information. It does not handle graphical or auditory information.
A similar prior art NLS approach is used in windows-type systems, such as Microsoft Windows (Microsoft Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation). To help facilitate internationalization/localization in a windows environment, the window subsystem provides NLS application programmer interfaces (APIs) which give applications access to culturally correct string comparisons, collation tables for sorting different languages, date, time, and currency formatting functions, and functions to determine which locale is in effect and which other locales are present on the system. In a properly enabled window program, NLS must be isolated from other parts of an application. NLS function calls must be provided at all points where language dependent operations are required. Unfortunately, the windows application in internationalization/localization also only allows for the localization of textual and numeric information. It does not handle graphical or auditory information.
Another approach is used in the OS/2 operating system (OS/2 is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation). The OS/2 NLS approach consists of two phases, the first being function development and the second being translation. Function development allows a programmer to work in a standard language, such as double byte character set (DBCS) or Unicode characters having Unicode functions. However, the current approach in OS/2 is limited in that it urges programmers to separate localizable information into resource files. This means that localization teams must then repeatedly translate similar material, rather than having it be part of the base operating system.
Currently, there exists a notion of a locale object. Note that the locale object as it exists in the prior art is not a true object, because it does not encapsulate localization data with the operations that work on the data. The locale object contains support for formatting of time, date and currency information along with support for collation of strings. However, the prior art type of locale object is not readily extendable to allow for the addition of new cultural attributes. Prior art locale objects do not support graphical localization information such as icons, dialogues, menus, and colors, and also do not support sound localization information such as warning, success, and failure beeps. Moreover, prior art locale objects do not support textual localization information such as warning, success, and failure messages.
Finally, prior art locale objects can not be dynamically created. In addition, operating systems only allow one cultural profile to be used at any given time across the entire operating system. The system's cultural profile can not be dynamically changed. In order to change the system's cultural profile, the operating system must be rebooted.
Consequently, there is a need for a system and method which allows users of an information handling system to dynamically create new cultural profiles and modify existing cultural profiles. It would be desirable to allow the user to dynamically change the cultural profile of an application while the application is executing. In addition, it would be desirable to allow the user to individually change the cultural profile of each application in the system separately, so that each application may utilize a different cultural profile.

System and method for managing multiple cultural profiles in an information handling system


An acetabular socket of an artificial hip joint including an acetabular socket, a stem and a stem head, wherein the acetabular socket takes a form of a virtually inverted bowl-shaped shell or a hemispherical shell as a whole, the opening edge of the socket has outer flanges at regular intervals along the circumference thereof, and the outer flange has vertical and horizontal concave grooves on the surface thereof.. With this acetabular socket, the outer flanges provided along the opening edge and the vertical and horizontal concave grooves provided on the outer flanges increase the contact area between the socket and the cortex bone, thereby raising the strength for supporting the acetabular socket.. This disclosure also includes an acetabular socket, wherein a coating layer comprised of living body activation material, such as apatite, is coated on the outer flanges and the shell of the acetabular socket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acetabular socket (shell) for an artificial hip joint.
2. Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, an artificial hip joint comprises artificial members used to replace and restore a hip joint located between an acetabular bone H and a femur F. An acetabular socket A is fitted and seated in a concave socket receiving section R provided in the acetabular bone H. A stem head SH provided at the upper end of a stem S embedded in a canal of the femur F is rotatably fitted in the above-mentioned acetabular socket A via a seat C made of high-density polyethylene. The acetabular socket A, stem head SH, and stem S are made of materials non-harmless to a living body, either of metal such as titanium, titanium alloy, or cobalt-chromium alloy, or of ceramics such as alumina ceramics or zirconia ceramics. The acetabular socket A is fitted in and secured to the concave socket receiving section R of the femur F to rotatably support the stem head SH. The socket is positioned at the interface between the living body and the artificial member and plays a very important role in receiving the dynamic load applied to the femur F. The conventional-type acetabular socket A takes a form of an inverted bowl-shaped shell or a hemispherical shell, is fitted in the concave socket receiving section R, and secured to the acetabular bone H by using screws B as shown in FIG. 6. This conventional type has the following problems:
(i) Referring to FIG. 7, a cortex bone H1 located on the normal acetabular bone H is a hard layer and a cancellous bone H2 inside the cortex bone H1 is a soft layer. The former can support external force, but the latter cannot. In the case of the conventional type, since the opening edge a1 (see FIG. 2) of the acetabular socket A is on the hemispherical surface of the socket A, the main area of the socket A contacts the cancellous bone H2 under pressure as shown in FIG. 6. In addition, since the opening edge a1 does not contact the cortex bone H11 which functions as an opening edge a1 of the concave socket receiving section R, the area of the cortex bone H1 for sturdily supporting the socket A is insufficient.
(ii) Another problem with artificial hip joint is that, with the passage of time, the acetabular socket A gradually sinks into the acetabular bone H (what is called "migration") due to repeated hip joint movement and the effect of powder generated during such movement. This hinders the normal function of the hip joint or causes stress concentration at the hip joint, inducing secondary disease. One of the causes of this problem is the fact that the opening edge a1 has no structural relation to the cortex bone H11.

Acetabular socket for an artificial hip joint


An input device adopts a low cost and simple terminal design to replace the conventional grating and instruction switch structures that are costly and complicated. The input device includes a braced rotary member turnable, tiltable leftwards and rightwards, and movable upwards and downwards for selected displacements and an instruction mechanism located within the displacements to receive forces and be driven by the rotary member to generate instructions. The instruction mechanism has abutting mechanical terminals to contact with each other to generate instruction signal output.

In the scroll mouse now being commonly used, there is a wheel located between the left and the right keys to enable users to directly skip pages or text lines through rotation of the wheel when reading lengthy texts (such as novels or presentation data) without depressing the page down key on the keyboard or moving the mouse and cursor to the scroll bar on the right side of the screen and depress the left key to execute page down or line skip operation. Namely, the wheel can replace the scroll bar function on the right side of the screen to make user operation easier.
Refer to FIG. 1 for an improved mouse design proposed by Applicant. It provides an improved scroll bar function on the screen that not only has a longitudinal up and down movement on the right side, also has a scroll bar design on the lower side of the screen to provide leftward and rightward transverse movements. It is applicable to table listing software such as EXCEL or ACCESS or Web pages. However, for lengthy table fields, scroll bar operation and control cannot fully meet requirements. The general keyboard also does not have corresponding keys to provide transverse movement function. Users have to move the mouse to the scroll bar and depress the left key to operate. Such a design does not fully exploit the advantages of the wheel. Therefore the present invention aims to provide a design that directly uses the wheel of the mouse, and the left and right keys, and left and right direction keys to output switch ON/OFF signals to move the mouse cursor to a desired location for execution or viewing without moving the mouse
FIG. 2 shows another conventional design disclosed by Microsoft Co. It is a mouse equipped with a tilt wheel. The product includes a sway seat to couple with a wheel. The sway seat may be moved with the wheel to the left and right side to touch button switches located on two sides of the sway seat to output corresponding instructions. Adding the sway seat makes design and fabrication more complicated. And the size of the mouse cannot be shrunk because of addition of the sway seat and the button switches. It is suitable only for large mouse products.
Based on the two cited references mentioned above, it is clear that the industry at present still mainly focuses on the button switches to generate output signals. The button switch is more expensive. Moreover, with the prevailing product trend that requests lean and light, adding the button switch is against this trend in terms of the mouse size. Hence at present only the medium and large mouses adopt such a design. It also cannot be adapted to the keyboard or remote control device that also has a wheel. Because the location to accommodate the wheel is even more constrained on the keyboard and remote control device. Therefore to develop a small size, low cost and easy to fabricate wheel and instruction switch is one of the main design focuses in the industry.
There are other examples such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,564 which achieves picture scrolling function on the screen through pressure sensing. U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,389 adopts a grating switch to detect rotation of the wheel to scroll the picture. Those two references still employ the conventional design by using photoelectric switches. The cost is higher and the required space is larger. Thus they also do not coincide with the current trend that demands lean and light.


A method for treatment of neurodegenerative disease conditions stemming from multiple sclerosis, aging, autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. A compound effective to increase neuronal metabolism of histamine to a histamine H2 agonist is administered in an amount sufficient to stimulate production of cyclic AMP at a level which is sufficient to maintain myelin against undergoing self-degeneration. The compound is selected from the group consisting of histamine M-methyltransferase, monoamineoxidase-A, monoamineoxidase-A agonists and histamine H3 antagonists. The histamine M-methyltransferase may be administered to increase neuronal metabolism of histamine to tele-methylhistamine, whereas the monoamineoxidase-A or monoamineoxidase-A agonist may be administered so as to increase neuronal metabolism of telemethylhistamine to an H2 agonist. Separately or in conjunction with the others, the histamine H3 antagonist may be administered so as to inhibit metabolism of the telemethylhistamine to an H3 agonist, thereby increasing metabolism of the telemethylhistamine to an H2 agonist. The increased histamine H2 agonist levels reduce demyelination and the symptoms that are associated with these conditions.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for the treatment of neurological conditions, and, more particularly, to a method for alleviating/controlling symptoms associated with neurodegeneration and similar conditions stemming from multiple sclerosis, aging, autoimmune diseases and other causes, by administration of compositions which induce an increased presence of histamine H2 and cyclic AMP in the body.
b. Related Art
Neurodegenerative conditions, which include diseases of autoimmunity, strike an increasing number of individuals each year, and for many of these conditions conventional treatments offer little in the way of true relief. In some instances, the neurodegenerative conditions are more or less specifically associated with a particular disease, such as multiple sclerosis, while in other instances the conditions are associated more generally with aging or some other condition or process of the body, such as a genetic disorder or an autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, for example. As a group, however, these conditions are characterized by weakness and impaired physical functions, and, sometimes, impaired mental functions as well. Debilitation is often progressive, and, as stated, conventional treatments and therapies have been limited in their success.
For purposes of illustration the invention will be described below largely in the context of multiple sclerosis, which is a condition to which the invention has particular applicability; however, it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to neurodegenerative conditions, including autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, having any of a variety of sources, therefore it is not limited in scope to the treatment of multiple sclerosis alone.
As is known, multiple sclerosis (referred to from time-to-time hereinafter as "MS") is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, characterized by demyelination of the nerve axons. Symptoms include varying degrees of fatigue, numbness, tremors/muscle spasms and paralysis, coupled with a heightened susceptibility to heat and other environmental stressors. Currently, approximately 2,500,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. Onset of the disease usually occurs between 20 and 40 years of age.
It is recognized that MS occurs in at least two general types, i.e., "remissive-relapsive", in which acute exacerbations are separated by periods of partial recovery, and "chronic-progressive", in which the symptoms continue generally unrelieved and there is a progressive deterioration of the patient's condition that may eventually result in total debilitation.
Efforts at treatment of MS have heretofore concentrated almost entirely on the body's autoimmune response system. The prevailing theory has been that some agent causes the myelin sheath to be attacked by the immune system, resulting in destruction of the myelin and creation of lesions. It is also believed that certain viruses may play a role in causing or precipitating MS: In particular, the measles virus may be involved in the disease, in that studies have not only found that people suffering from MS almost invariably possess the measles antigen, but also that MS patients generally have higher than normal levels of measles antibodies in their serum and cerebrospinal fluid. One theory has been that the measles or other virus triggers the T-cells to attack and destroy the myelin sheath.
Proceeding on the theory that MS is the result of an autoimmune response triggered by measles or another virus, most conventional treatment techniques have involved the use of Betaseron, Avonex and/or other anti-viral substances, generally referred to collectively as "Interferon". The intended purpose of these materials is to impede the RNA-DNA transcription process in the T-cells, which is believed to be triggered by the virus attacking the myelin. While interferon has demonstrated some positive results when treating remissive-relapsive type MS, it has proven almost entirely ineffective against the chronic-progressive type.
Another treatment method that has yielded a limited degree of success involves the injection of adenosine monophosphate. This material is not readily absorbed, in part because it is ordinarily available only in an oil-based solution, and is not "friendly" to the patient's tissues. The tissues have a tendency to wall off the material and form a small abscess capsule around it, and with each injection the material becomes harder and harder to absorb. In order for the material to be absorbed, most patients must walk vigorously on a treadmill for 20-30 minutes or engage in other strenuous exercise, or else the material will simply remain at the injection site with the result that the patient becomes extremely sore and the symptoms do not improve. Most people suffering from MS, however, are not mobile and are simply incapable of engaging in such exercise. Consequently, while many individuals experience significant benefits at the beginning of adenosine monophosphate treatments, these results eventually fade as the person's body becomes unable to absorb the material.
As will be described in greater detail below, the present invention is not postulated on conventional autoimmune theories, and instead enhances neuronal metabolism of histamine to its H2 agonist in order to prevent/repair self-degeneration of the myelin. With the exception of experimental studies by Hinton D. Jonez, M.D. (Jonez, "Management of Multiple Sclerosis", Postgraduate Medicine, May 1952) and certain methods described in patents to John McMichael (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,521,405 and 4,705,685), histamine phosphate (which is most commonly employed for diagnosis of stomach conditions) has not been used in connection with multiple sclerosis and related disorders.
The work of both Jonez and McMichael is founded on conventional autoimmune response theories. Dr. Jonez's experiments in the early 1950's attempted to manipulate the body's allergic responses using histamine phosphate, and also used the material as a vasodilator to get more blood to the brain and other parts of the nervous system. In this context, it should be understood that the present invention employs histamine phosphate to mimic histamine H2, the functions of which are confined mainly to the central nervous system, whereas the primary agent in allergic reactions is histamine H1. At the time of Dr. Jonez's work, however, this distinction (between histamine H1 and histamine H2) was not fully appreciated.
McMichael's method involves the injection of a small amount of an "immunogen" consisting of viral fragments or other antigens (under the theory known as "provocative neutralization"), together with a small amount of histamine phosphate. McMichael identifies histamine phosphate as a vasodilator, and theorizes that the histamine phosphate reacts with the immunogen to form an "active complex" which affects absorption of the material. In any event, the amounts of histamine phosphate that are involved in McMichael's treatment are far too small to have any significant impact on overall levels of histamine H2 in the body.
As was noted above, many other neurodegenerative conditions besides MS are widespread in the population. Many of these conditions are associated with the aging process and are therefore becoming increasingly common as the numbers of elderly increase in the United States and many other countries. Some of these conditions have been conventionally approached on a similar basis to the autoimmune theories described above, and again with limited success. Most other approaches have been similarly disappointing, and in many instances progression of the neurodegenerative conditions has simply been accepted as inevitable.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a treatment method that effectively alleviates the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disease conditions. Furthermore, in the specific case of MS, there exists a need for such a method that provides an effective treatment for both the remissive-relapsive and chronic-progressive forms of the disease. Still further, there exists a need for such a method in which the treatment compositions are readily absorbed into the patient's body, without requiring resort to physical exercise for effective absorption. Still further, there exists a need for such a method that is sufficiently economical to be widely available to the large number of individuals who suffer from MS and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Method for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and effects of aging


A light-weight, low-profile socket wrench system includes a set of cylindrical thin-walled sockets, each having a through axial opening sufficiently large to allow a bolt engaged by a nut of a size corresponding to that of the nut-receiving opening to pass through the axial opening and extend beyond the nut, and a ratchet wrench releasably engageable with the socket for applying rotational torque directly to a peripheral surface of the socket. In a preferred embodiment, the socket has a round peripheral surface around which a multiplicity of teeth are distributed, and the head of the ratchet wrench has a circular cylindrical opening in which the socket is releasably maintained with its teeth directly engaged by teeth on a pawl.

This invention relates generally to a reversible ratchet wrench and, more particularly, to a socket wrench system including a thin-walled socket and a ratchet handle which applies torque to an exterior surface of the socket to selectively drive it in opposite directions to either tighten or loosen a nut or bolt head engaged by the socket.
The reversible ratchet wrench, one of the most versatile wrenches in the toolbox, has long been utilized to selectively apply torque in either direction to tighten or loosen a nut or a bolt head. The wrench head conventionally includes a square driving lug that fits into a square drive opening at one end of a socket which at the other end typically has a 6-point hexagonal opening which engages the nut or bolt head. The square driving lug conventionally has a spring-loaded ball that fits into a recess formed in the square socket opening and keeps the socket and drive lug engaged during normal usage; a slight pull on the socket disassembles the connection.
The driving lug is carried on a rotatable toothed driver, and a pawl mounted on the head engages teeth on the driver to prevent rotation of the driver in one direction while permitting rotation in the other direction by a ratcheting operation. Most reversible ratchet wrenches have a reversing lever which operates a pawl disposed inside the head. Moving the lever in one direction causes the pawl to engage teeth on the driver and turn the socket; moving the lever in the opposite direction causes the pawl to slide over the teeth, permitting the handle to back up without moving the socket. This allows rapid turning of a nut or bolt head after each partial turn of the handle. With the reversing lever in one position, it can be used for tightening, and, with the lever in the other position, the handle can be used for loosening.
Conventional sockets are classified by size according to two factors: (1) drive size--the size of the square opening in which the driving lug is received, and (2) size of the nut-receiving opening. A typical toolbox may be outfitted with three sets of sockets respectively having 1/4-, 3/8-, and 1/2-inch square drive openings, and the nut-receiving openings are normally graduated in 1/16-inch increments. Also available in various drive sizes are sockets with deep nut-receiving openings adapted to fit over spark plugs and long bolt ends.
While the above described reversible ratchet wrench has long enjoyed wide acceptance without fundamental changes in construction, it has inherent design limitations which preclude its use in certain situations and contribute to higher than necessary weight and attendant increased manufacturing cost. For purposes of later comparison, a standard 6-point 3/4-inch socket with a 3/8-inch drive opening, for example, has a 1-inch outside diameter, an overall length of 11/2 inches, the square drive opening extends 5/8-inch inwardly from one end of the socket, the nut-receiving opening extends 1/2-inch inwardly from the other end, and weighs two ounces. Thus, unless the extension of a bolt beyond the nut is less than 1/2-inch, the socket could not engage the nut, and a deeper socket would be called for.
Moreover, conventional reversible ratchet wrenches are usually somewhat complex and relatively expensive to machine and thus are relatively expensive to manufacture.

Reversible ratchet wrench including thin-walled sockets


A conditioning device for harvesting products includes a casing having an inlet and outlet section, a transport rotor, a deflector defining a passage channel, and at least one comb having teeth which enter the passage channel through a slit in the deflector. The comb is connected to the deflector so that it can be placed in at least two different positions with respect to the deflector. The deflector is also connected to the casing so as to be able to be placed in at least two different positions with respect to the transport rotor so as to alter the passage section of the passage channel. A conditioning machine and a mower conditioner also include the conditioning device described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general technical field of conditioning harvested products such as fodder intended, in particular, for animal feed. Conditioning is often beneficial to harvested products intended for drying or ensilage because treating said products to some extent encourages the water contained in them, and especially in their stalks, to evaporate. Accelerated drying may thus occur.
The present invention more particularly relates to a device for achieving such conditioning. This device is often advantageously associated with a mower to constitute a mower-conditioner.
2. Discussion of the Background
The production of a conditioning device for harvested products, comprising:
a casing which has an inlet section and an outlet section for the products, PA1 a transport rotor provided with fingers and mounted in the casing on an approximately horizontal axis, PA1 a deflector arranged on the casing facing the transport rotor so as to define a passage channel for the products on the same side as the inlet section, said passage channel having a certain passage section, PA1 and a comb fitted outside the passage channel, said comb having teeth capable of entering the passage channel more or less deeply through at least one slit achieved in the deflector,
is already known.
Thus, document FR-A-2 107 042 discloses a machine for conditioning harvested agricultural products, which machine is equipped with a casing and a transport rotor. The latter acts on cut products or fodder as it enters the casing. The machine described also comprises a deflector facing the transport rotor to define a passage channel for the products or fodder. The rotor is equipped with transport tools of the finger type, which fingers interact with a comb mounted on the casing and the teeth of which can enter the passage channel. The teeth thus penetrate more or less deeply between the surfaces swept by the fingers. Such a machine does not seem able to adapt to the increasing diversity of agricultural products or fodder and harvesting conditions. This diversity entails a greater number of possibilities for adjustment, which are not achieved with the machine described in the state of the art.

Conditioning device, conditioning machine and mower-conditioner comprising such a device


DIR imaging of blood vessels by administering a series of DIR preparation pulse modules at a repetition interval short enough that at least two DIR preparation pulse modules generally occur within each RR interval, and by acquiring image data for a plurality of slices following each DIR module.

Atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Non-invasive atherosclerotic plaque assessment using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be feasible in vivo in the human aorta, carotid, and coronary arteries. Flow suppression (i.e., black blood imaging) is necessary for vessel wall visibility and for preventing flow artifacts, which can affect image quality and interpretation. Black blood techniques include spatial presaturation (Nayak et al., Real-time black-blood MRI using spatial presaturation, J Magn Reson Imaging 2001;13:807-12) and double inversion recovery (DIR) preparation pulse modules (Simonetti et al., "Black-Blood" T2-weighted inversion recovery MR imaging of the heart, Radiology 1996;199:49-57).
The DIR preparation pulse modules typically consist of two 180-degree radio frequency (RF) pulses and are applied prior to image acquisition. The first non-selective RF pulse inverts the magnetization of the whole volume. The second selective RF pulse restores the magnetization in ("reinverts") the slice of interest. After a time delay (inversion time, TI0), required for the magnetization of blood to reach the null point, the imaging slice is acquired (Simonetti et al.). The conventional DIR prepared two-dimensional imaging sequence acquires a few lines of k-space from one slice following each DIR module. Acquisition of multiple slices in this fashion results in long experiment times. For example, to acquire 20 slices with 256 lines and turbo factor of 9, a conventional DIR-RARE sequence would take 1160 RR intervals (the interval between two successive R waves of the heart), assuming triggering every other heart beat (repetition interval, TR, equal to two RR intervals). This DIR preparation in combination with a rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) readout has been successfully applied in vivo for vessel wall imaging of different vascular beds. Fayad et al., Clinical imaging of the high-risk or vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, Circulation Research 2001;89:305-316. Yuan et al., Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque: Noninvasive MR Characterization and Identification of Vulnerable Lesions, Radiology 2001; 221:285-99.
Improved DIR sequences to reduce examination time were recently developed. Song et al., Multislice double inversion pulse sequence for efficient black-blood MRI, Magn Reson Med 2002;47;616-20. Parker et al., Improved efficiency in double-inversion fast spin-echo imaging, Magn Reson Med, 2002;47:1017-1021. Yarnykh et al., Multislice double inversion-recovery black-blood imaging with simultaneous slice reinversion, J Magn Reson Imaging 2003;17:478-83.
Song et al. demonstrated a dual-slice DIR technique. The DIR preparation module was modified to include one non-selective and two slice-selective inversion pulses. Following the DIR preparation module, k-space lines from two slices were acquired. A single DIR preparation module was gated to each cardiac cycle (i.e., the repetition interval, TR, was equal to 1 RR interval). Song et al. suggested that data for additional slices could be acquired, but taught that the number of slices possible is limited by the time window during which blood magnetization is nullified. A later publication by Song et al. taught acquiring five slices after each DIR module, using a very short image acquisition sequence, and a DIR repetition interval equal to one RR interval. Song, Highly efficient double-inversion spiral technique for coronary vessel wall imaging, Proceedings of ISMRM 2002; 1566.
Parker et al. and Yamykh et al. taught that improved efficiency could be had by reducing the inversion interval (TI) for nulling the blood signal by administering a repetitive series of DIR modules (FIG. 1d) at a repetition interval short enough to put two DIR modules within each RR interval, but both publications taught that only a single slice of image data should be acquired after each DIR module. Parker et al. criticized the multislice technique proposed by Song et al. because "only one of the slices imaged will have the appropriate inversion time to null the signal from blood."

Rapid multislice black blood double-inversion recovery technique for blood vessel imaging


A surgical draping system (2), separates the sterile surgical field from the unsterile surgical table and isolates the patient so that sterile surgical procedures can be performed without chance of contamination. The components of the surgical draping system are provided folded and in sterile condition inside a sealed bag container. The sealed bag (4), is placed acres an operating table (8), prior to placement of the patient. Once the patient has been positioned on the operating table (8), the bag (4), is opened and the surgical drape (10), is extended. The draping system may include coverings for legs or arms and a top drape. The draping system isolates the operating field in a simple and sterile manner and can be discarded at the termination of the procedure.

The present invention relates to a sterile surgical draping system for use during surgical procedures. The system could be used, for example, in surgeries on the perineal area, including but not limited to the buttocks, vaginal area, anal area, and upper thighs, or on the torso and upper extremities, including the head and arms. Many procedures are performed in combination with abdominal surgery or solely surgical intervention of these areas, in which case the area requires a sterile, surgical field. Currently, after the patent is placed on the operating table appropriately for surgery, sheets are pushed under the patent which results in random sterilization and in adequate isolation of the patient from the surgical table. The system provides a method of surgery in which, instead of forcing a sheet underneath a patient's buttocks, shoulder, or head, for example, a drape according to the present invention is place under the patent prior to surgery, and extended to isolate the area of surgical interest from an operating table surface, including operating table extensions, such as leg, shoulder, or head boards.


A photographic processor having a circular processing drum is shown. The circular processing drum of the processor of the present invention includes a disk that is positioned inside the drum. In order to accommodate different types of film, the circular processing drum is adjustable to change the width and thereby, change a size of the film path within the circular processing drum.

The present invention is directed to a photographic processor having a circular processing drum, and more particularly, to a photographic processor having a circular processing drum with an adjustable width to accommodate different types of film.
Photographic processors come in a variety of shapes and sizes from large wholesale photographic processors to small micro-labs. As photographic processors become more and more technologically sophisticated, there is a continued need to make the photographic processor as user-friendly and as maintenance-free as possible.
Currently available photographic processors have one or more of the following shortcomings: (1) the film processing time is relatively high; (2) some photographic processors, because of their size, require a large amount of space, (3) some photographic processors may require an unacceptable amount of developing solution due to the design of the processing tank; and (4) some photographic processor generate an unacceptable amount of developing solution waste due to the design of the processing tank.
What is needed in the art is a portable photographic processor, which provides exceptional print quality while requiring a minimal number of tasks necessary for an operator to process a roll of film. What is also needed in the art is a portable photographic processor, which is designed to efficiently process a variety of films while minimizing the amount of waste generated during the photographic process.
The present invention addresses some of the difficulties and problems discussed above by the discovery of a novel, compact, and portable photographic processor having an internal drum design, which minimizes the chemicals required to process a roll of film and consequently minimizes the amount of waste generated per roll of film processing. The photographic processor is extremely user-friendly and low maintenance.
The present invention relates to a photographic processor which comprises an adjustable circular processing drum assembly having a first wall, a second wall, a perimeter wall member connecting the first wall to the second wall and extending around a perimeter of the drum, and a horizontally extending axis of symmetry, with the circular drum assembly further comprising a circular film path for film to be processed therein. The perimeter wall member comprises a first portion attached to the first wall and a second portion which overlaps the first portion and is attached to the second wall. A distance between the first and second walls is adjustable by changing an amount of the overlap between the first and second portions of the perimeter wall member between a first overlap amount to accommodate a first type of film in the film path and a second overlap amount which is less that the first overlap amount to accommodate a second type of film in the film path. The processor further comprises a disk positioned inside the processing drum in a plane parallel to both the first wall and the second wall with the disk comprising one or more sets of disk teeth along an outer perimeter of the disk for interengaging with holes along an edge of the first or second type of film.
The present invention further relates to a photographic processor which comprises: an adjustable circular processing drum assembly including a first wall, a second wall, a perimeter wall member connecting the first wall to the second wall and extending around a perimeter of the drum, and a horizontally extending axis of symmetry, with the circular drum assembly further comprising a circular film path for film to be processed therein. The perimeter wall member comprises an adjustable bellows which changes a distance between the first and second walls between a first distance to accommodate a first type of film in the film path and a second distance which is less that the first distance to accommodate a second type of film in the film path. The processor further comprises a disk positioned inside the processing drum in a plane parallel to both the first wall and the second wall. The disk comprises one or more sets of disk teeth along an outer perimeter of the disk for interengaging with holes along an edge of the first or second type of film.
The present invention relates to a photographic processor which comprises an adjustable circular processing drum assembly which includes a first wall, a second wall, a perimeter wall member connecting the first wall to the second wall and extending around a perimeter of the drum, and a horizontally extending axis of symmetry, with the circular drum assembly further comprising a circular film path for film to be processed therein. The processor further comprises a mechanism for adjusting a distance between the first and second walls between a first distance for accommodating a first type of film in the film path and a second distance which is smaller than the first distance for accommodating a second type of film in the film path; and a disk positioned inside the processing drum in a plane parallel to both the first wall and the second wall. The disk comprises one or more sets of disk teeth along an outer perimeter of the disk for interengaging with holes along an edge of the first or second type of film.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing a photographic film which comprises the steps of: changing a width of an adjustable circular processing drum to a first width in accordance with a first type of film to be processed, to accommodate the first type of film; inserting the first type of film into the adjustable circular processing drum; and supplying and discharging processing solution into and from the adjustable processing drum to process the first type of film.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing a photographic film which comprises the steps of: adjusting a width of a circular processing drum between at least first and second widths in accordance with a film to be processed to accommodate the film in a film path in the circular processing drum; inserting the film into the circular processing drum, and supplying and discharging processing solution into and from the processing drum to process the film.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended claims.

Photographic processor having an adjustable drum


A rod gripping device, having a support member with a locking pin hole and a rod receiving hole, where the bores of each hole are situated perpendicular to each other, but parallel to a given plane that bisects the support, and where the bores of the holes intersect to form a common area shared by both bores. When a rod is inserted into the rod receiving bore, so that the rod occupies the common area shared by the bores, a set of angled wedges are situated on either side of the rod, with the wedges being located in the locking pin hole bore. A first wedge has a smooth bore through it, with the second wedge having a threaded bore. A locking pin is inserted through the first smooth bore wedge, which can slide along the shaft of the locking pin to the locking pin handle edge, with the second threaded bore wedge receiving the locking pin's threaded shaft portion. When the locking pin is rotated, the second threaded bore wedge moves towards the first smooth bore wedge, until the wedges are prevented from moving together by the rod portion in the common area. The wedges press against the rod, with the angled sides forcing the rod upward within the bore it occupies to create three points of friction, being that between the rod and the rod bore and that between each of the wedges.

This invention relates to a means by which a solid cylindrical rod can be firmly held and positioned, using a single bolt and one or more tapered bushings/wedges. This invention is useful to fix the positions of guide rods, that are used with machinery, where the guide rods force cardboard sheets in position during the box manufacturing process.
Prior art failed to address the needs of current equipment adequately, in that when solid cylindrical rods were positioned, it was due to a tightening sleeve or bolt end that impacted directly against the side of the cylindrical rod. Such methods proved unstable, and either allowed the rod to move from its desired settings, or required undue effort to adjust the position of the cylindrical rod.
Examples of prior art are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,248 (Kilwer), in which an arrangement for attachments comprising a bolt and tapered bushings were used, where the tapered bushings and bolt were received through provided tapered openings. The tapered bushings impacted against the sides of the tapered openings, to keep the coupling secured. This invention does not address the problems involved with a solid cylindrical rod, having no such tapered openings provided.
Another example of a pin securing means is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,283 (Winberg et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,581 Continuation in Part (Womberg). These patents describe a non-threaded tool joint construction for a high torque drilling shaft, involving a cylindrical pin which urges a cone into a tapered opening that has a bore directly through the coupling pieces, with the bore of said hole extending from one side to the other. This invention does not have any ability to secure a solid cylindrical rod, unless said rod also has a bore through it.
A further example of prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,982 (See), in which an attaching means was described, which had the benefits of being resilient to shock and vibration. In this invention, a bolt having tapered sleeves was inserted through receiving holes, which went through a support member and a mounting portion. The tapered sleeves moved into position, as the bolt was tightened, with the tapered sleeves fitting against a corresponding surface shape. While this invention had advantages for mounting items on the tops of vehicles, it did not address the problems associated with securing solid cylindrical rods.
An example of efforts to secure a solid metallic rod is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,822 (Thun), in which a bicycle crank was fitted together using a shaft with a tapered flattened end, being engaged by a key, whose flattened surface pressed against the shaft's flattened end. As a nut was tightened, the flat areas pressed together, so that the shaft was fixed in position, allowing a stable crank. While this patent dealt with the fixing of solid metal shafts, it remained necessary for the shaft to have a specifically flat shaped end portion. The shaft was unable to be fixed at any other point along its length.
Existing methods of gripping rods generally comprise a split sleeve, that when compressed around a rod, grips the rod and holds it in position. There is a large amount of force required to grip the rod properly, and the split sleeves have a limited usable life before they fail to operate properly. Methods to attempt to overcome the drawbacks of these split sleeves, have included a key protrusion that extends outward from a rod, and fits within a channel located in the sleeve. This allows the rod to maintain position as to rotation, with the split sleeve gripping along the rod's length. The same problems, however, plague the split sleeve, when used in this manner, necessitating an apparatus that has a longer usable life, and can be used with smooth cylindrical rods, and those with key protrusions.