A method and apparatus for directing a pursuing vehicle, such as a torpedo, on an intercept trajectory from a launching vehicle to a target vehicle th evasion capabilities. Models of the pursuing vehicle and evading target provide proposed trajectories based upon various environmental considerations. A guidance system uses estimates of initial operating parameter solutions, such as gyro angle, alertment time and intercept time, to begin a convergent, iterative process that defines final operating parameter solutions from which the guidance parameters are determined and transferred to the pursuing vehicle at launch. During each iteration, the solution determines an alertment time and an alertment bearing from the target vehicle to the pursuing vehicle at the alertment time. A selected evasive strategy includes a turn that is calculated relative to the alertment bearing.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to trajectory control and more specifically to a method and apparatus for providing guidance parameters at launch that direct a pursuing vehicle from a launching vehicle to a target vehicle capable of evasive maneuvering after the target vehicle becomes alerted to the presence of the pursuing vehicle.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The trajectory control of a pursuing vehicle can be classified as post-launch or pre-launch control. In post-launch control, guidance information is sent from the launching vehicle to guide the pursuing vehicle to the target vehicle. The following U.S. Letters Patent disclose such post-launch trajectory control systems:
______________________________________ 3,260,478 (1966) Welti 3,643,616 (1972) Jones 3,784,800 (1974) Willoteaux 5,319,556 (1994) Bessacini ______________________________________
The Welti patent discloses the control of a first object in dependence upon a position of a second object for collision or anti-collision purposes. A regulator, that controls the travel and includes a travel control member for the first object, receives positional information of the first and second objects as a pilot magnitude and a reference magnitude. One of the positional informations is delayed in dependence upon a timing interval proportional to the time change of the quotient of the distance information of the two objects. The regulator subsequently supplies an output magnitude to the travel control member that represents the time differentials between the angular co-ordinates of the first and second objects modified by a disturbance magnitude.
The Jones patent discloses a method and apparatus for guiding a torpedo along a collision course to a moving target ship. A control system on the launching vehicle sends guidance parameters over a communication cable to maintain a predetermined, substantially constant lead angle with respect to the target ship by adjusting torpedo speed as the torpedo travels toward an anticipated collision.
In the Willoteaux patent a trajectory control system calculates the distance between a moving body and other moving or stationary objects by taking account of the speeds and direction of each. The control system simulates a series of hypothetical trajectories diverging on either side of the actual trajectory until a hypothetical trajectory is determined which satisfies various imperatives. The system then instructs the moving body control system to change the linear and or angular speed thereof so that the moving body follows the latter trajectory.
The Bessacini patent discloses an adaptive trajectory apparatus and method for providing, after launch, vehicle control commands to steer an underwater vehicle launch from a vessel toward a contact. As commands produced by this system transfer by between the launching vessel and the launched vehicle over a communications link.
As generally found in prior art post-launch control systems, a pursuing vehicle exits a launching vehicle. Control systems on the launching vehicle monitor the relative positions of the pursuing vehicle and a target vehicle or contact and control the pursuing vehicle by the transfer of information between the launching vehicle and the pursuing vehicle over a communications link. When the launching vehicle is a submarine and the pursuing vehicle is a torpedo, the communications link typically comprises a communications wire. If the pursuing vehicle is a missile the communications typically occurs over some radio link. In either case, post-launch control systems on the launching vehicle issue guidance parameters to guide the pursuing vehicle along some trajectory into a predetermined relationship with the target vehicle.
In a pre-launch system, the pursuing vehicle follows a predetermined trajectory after launch that may or may not be programmable prior to launch. However, with either type, the pursuing vehicle leaves the launching vehicle and travels along a trajectory that may be simple or complicated. With torpedoes, missiles and the like that may undergo pre-programmed maneuvers, the input guidance parameters may include gyro angles and time lapses, including, for example, the time lapse between the launch and the enablement of any instrumentation on the pursuing vehicle, such as an acoustic seeker on a torpedo.
In order to provide the most accurate pre-launch guidance parameters to the pursuing vehicle, it is necessary that the interval between the time a last estimate of target vehicle state is made and the time a pursuing vehicle is launched be quite short. It is during this interval that a prior art pre-launch system must produce the guidance parameters, and this interval has constrained the nature of the analysis required to produce such guidance parameters. For example, prior art pre-launch systems generally assume that the target will maintain a constant velocity even after the target becomes alerted to the presence of the pursuing vehicle. In actual practice, however, a target normally takes evasive action by turning, changing speed or both. Some prior art pre-launch systems take such actions into account by launching two or more pursuing vehicles along the calculated course and one or more offset courses.
The above-identified Bessacini et al. patent application Ser. No. 08/521,207 discloses a method and apparatus that overcome many of the foregoing problems and deficiencies. This method and apparatus provide pre-launch guidance parameters within a short time interval and take evasive action of a target vehicle into account. Models of the pursuing vehicle and target vehicle provide proposed trajectories based upon various environmental considerations and possible evasive tactics. A guidance system uses estimates of initial operating parameter solutions, such as gyro angle, alertment time and intercept time, to begin a convergent, iterative process that defines final operating parameter solutions from which the guidance parameters are determined and transferred to the pursuing vehicle at launch.
In accordance with the disclosed method and apparatus, an operator enters an evasive action as an initial parameter that can be independent of the tactical situation facing the target vehicle. That is, the selection of a particular evasive action is somewhat arbitrary or subjective because the selection is primarily dependent on the experience of an operator at the launching vehicle. While the operator may guess the general nature of an evasive action, the operator determines the evasive action without knowledge, for example, of the actual bearing from the target vehicle to the pursuing vehicle at alertment. However, in general, the target vehicle will base an actual evasive action upon that bearing. The evasive actions that the operator guesses and the target vehicle takes may be the same in general terms; for example, a turn of 90.degree.. However, the actual courses will differ if the base line for the operator's guess is not the bearing on which the actual evasive action is based. Moreover, in some situations, bearing from the target vehicle to the pursuing vehicle might actually dictate an entirely different evasive action from that selected by the operator on the launching vehicle even though only a small difference exists in the situation perceived by the operator in advance and at the target vehicle at alertment.

Method and apparatus for directing a pursuing vehicle to a target with intelligent evasion capabilities

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method for determining the oxygen surface exchange property of a material in a solid oxide fuel cell. The method begins by first receiving a data stream comprising of continuous weight measurements of the material and time measurements of when the continuous weight measurements of the material are taken. While receiving the data stream an oxygen concentration test is performed which involves: flowing a degradation gas flow onto the cathode material while simultaneously increasing the temperature of the primary gas flow to a set temperature, flowing the degradation gas flow onto the material at the set temperature, stopping the degradation gas flow and starting a primary gas flow at the set temperature, flowing the primary gas flow onto the material at the set temperature, and stopping the primary gas flow and starting a secondary gas flow at the set temperature. This data stream is then displayed analyzing the weight change of the material over time.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) provide an alternative way to convert fossil fuels or hydrogen into electrical power. They are more efficient than any combustion engines because they can generate electricity beyond the limitation of the Carnot Cycle. Their versatility lends them to a variety of applications, like supplying power to communities and extending the driving range of vehicles. Another advantage is that they generate power off the electrical grid by running on pipeline natural gas. The on-demand and on-site power generation by SOFCs could play a vital role in future energy generation markets.
The evaluation of cathode material performance usually involves multiple steps that are very time consuming. Oxygen surface exchange coefficient and bulk diffusion coefficient are key characteristics that contribute to the cathode performance. These properties can be measured using electrical conductivity relaxation, which monitors the electrical conductivity change and equilibration time during an abrupt change in oxygen partial pressure.
The method of electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) is a long and complex method where the cathode powder is first mixed with a small amount of binder and pressed into a special-steel bar mold. The bar-shaped sample is then placed in a high temperature furnace and allowed to sinter to full density. After cooling to room temperature, the electrical conductivity of the finished cathode bar is tested in another furnace at different temperature and oxygen partial pressure combinations using a standard four-point probe method. It is extremely difficult to achieve full density by high temperature sintering and any porosity in the sample will reduce its measured electrical conductivity. Moreover, over-sintering can result in evaporation of the more volatile elements. The total time required for the electrical conductivity relaxation method can be several days or a few weeks. Due to these drawbacks, there exists a need for a high throughput method that can rapidly screen cathode materials with high accuracy.

Evaluation of solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials


A system for locating stored information using an index includes a memory and processor. The memory stores an index which includes a plurality of index entries. Each of the index entries corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of terms associated with the stored information and has one or more location identifiers. Each of the location identifiers represents a location within the information at which the corresponding term is associated with the information. The processor searches the stored index to identify the location identifiers of at least two index entries which correspond to terms of interest. The processor also determines the locations within the information which are represented by the identified location identifiers and at which the terms of interest have a relationship as indicated by a particular operator (e.g. "and").

In the prior art, it has been well known that computer systems can be used to manage indices to records of databases. Many techniques are known to parse, index and search databases. However, managing extremely large databases presents special problems.
In recent years, a unique distributed database has emerged in the form of the World-Wide-Web (Web). The database records of the Web are in the form of pages accessible via the Internet. Here, tens of millions of pages are accessible by anyone having a communications link to the
Internet
The pages are dispersed over millions of different computer systems all over the world. Users of the Internet constantly desire to locate specific pages containing information of interest. The information of the records or pages can be expressed in a number of different encoding modalities, such as hypertext, Java, video, Postscript and so forth.
Creating a "full text" index for the Web can result in an index having many millions of entries. For example, common English words such as "the," and "an" may occur at hundreds of millions of locations. The number of different unique "words" indexed can also number in the hundreds of millions.
It is also a problem to conduct a search of such a large index in a timely fashion, particularly if the index is accessed by tens of millions of users each day. In many cases it is necessary to store index structures on slow-to-access disk storage devices.
It is desired to provide a search mechanism which can operate on indices for large databases. In addition, it is desired that the index can be searched quickly using a minimal number of data processing resources.


Disclosed is a technique for classifying tissue based on image data. A plurality of tissue parameters are extracted from image data (e.g., magnetic resonance image data) to be classified. The parameters are preprocessed, and the tissue is classified using a classification algorithm and the preprocessed parameters. In one embodiment, the parameters are preprocessed by discretization of the parameters. The classification algorithm may use a decision model for the classification of the tissue, and the decision model may be generated by performing a machine learning algorithm using preprocessed tissue parameters in a training set of data. In one embodiment, the machine learning algorithm generates a Bayesian network. The image data used may be magnetic resonance image data that was obtained before and after the intravenous administration of lymphotropic superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

The present invention relates generally to tissue classification, and more particularly to classifying a pathological state of tissue based on image data.
Accurate detection of tissue metastases is essential in optimizing treatment for solid cancers. In particular, there is a need for non-invasive techniques for identifying such metastases. The following description will generally focus on detection of lymph-node metastases, but it should be understood that the present invention is not so limited, and can be applied to any type of tissue.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technique for providing images with excellent anatomical detail and soft tissue contrast, but is generally unsuitable for detection of lymph-node metastases. However, the quality of MRI can be improved by using different imaging agents and acquisition techniques. More particularly, the quality of MRI can be improved by the use of contrast agents, such as intravenous administration of lymphotropic superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Such techniques are described in M. G. Harisinghani, J. Barentsz, P. F. Hahn, W. M. Desemo, S. Tabatabaci, C. H. van de Kaa, J. de la Rosette, and R. Weissleder, "Noninvasive Detection Of Clinically Occult Lymph-Node Metastases In Prostate Cancer," N Engl J Med, vol. 348, no. 25, pp. 2491-2499, 2003; T. Shen, R. Weissleder, M. Papisov, A. Jr. Bogdanov, T J. Brady, "Monocrystalline Iron Oxide Nanocompounds (Mion):Physicochemical Properties," Magn Reson Med., vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 599-604, 1993; and M. Harisinghani and R. Weissleder, "Sensitive Noninvasive Detection Of Lymph Node Metastases," PloS Med 1(3), p. e66, 2004.
High quality MRI images, obtained using the techniques described above, may be used to detect lymph-node metastases using the following sequence of steps.                1. Detection        2. Segmentation        3. Classification; and        4. VisualizationDetection includes finding the location of a lymph node in the MRI images, and may be performed manually or using an automated algorithm. Detection is further described in M. Harisinghani and R. Weissleder, "Sensitive Noninvasive Detection of Lymph Node Metastases," PloS Med 1(3), p. e66, 2004). Segmentation includes separating the lymph node from the surrounding area in the image, and may also be performed manually or using an automated algorithm. Segmentation is further described in G. Unal, G. Slabaugh, A. Yezzi and J. Tyan, "Joint Segmentation And Non-Rigid Registration Without Shape Priors", SCR-04-TR-7495, Siemens Corporate Research (2004). In the detection and segmentation steps, several parameters are extracted from the image describing magnetic, geometric and spatial properties of the lymph-node tissue. These parameters, which will be discussed in further detail below, are used in the classification step to classify the pathological state of the lymph-node using a previously generated decision model. Finally, in the visualization step, the extracted and classified data of the lymph node are visualized, both in 2-dimensions and 3-dimensions, to allow for comprehensive description and support for a diagnosis. Further, the visualization may serve as a map to locate a malignant node during surgery.
The classification step is generally performed using machine learning techniques which operate under supervision provided by a known classification for each of a number of training examples. The goal of machine learning is to discover any structure in the data that is informative for classifying the data. Statistical classification is a type of machine learning that takes a feature representation of data (e.g., image parameters) and maps it to a classification label. A classification algorithm is designed to learn (to approximate the behavior of) a function that maps a vector of parameters (X1, X2, . . . XN) into one of several classes by looking at several input-output examples (training data) of the function. The training data consists of pairs of input objects (vectors) from clinical data, and the pathological proven class. The output of the function can be a continuous value or can predict a class label of the input object.
The direct approach for classification is a linear analysis of the parameters, for example as described in M. Harisinghani and R. Weissleder, "Sensitive Noninvasive Detection Of Lymph Node Metastases," PloS Med 1(3), p. e66, 2004. The aim is to find thresholds or cut-off values for the parameters, which discriminate best between the given classes based on a comparison with the proven class. A variety of methods exist for estimating these thresholds. However, the main drawback of this simple linear analysis is the fact that parameters can only be examined one at a time. We have found that no single parameter, by itself, has enough discriminatory power to accurately distinguish between benign and malignant lymph-nodes.

Method and apparatus for classifying tissue using image data


A wireless communication system provides a wireless communication service over a first frequency band class and a second frequency band class. The system monitors first and second communication loads on the first and second frequency band classes. The system receives a request for the communication service from a wireless communication device, and in response, determines if the wireless communication device can receive the wireless communication service over either one of the frequency band classes. If the wireless communication device can receive the wireless communication service over either one of the frequency band classes, then the system selects one of the frequency band classes based on the first and second communication loads. The system provides the wireless communication service to the wireless communication device over the selected frequency band class.

Wireless communication devices and base stations wirelessly communicate over frequency band classes. A frequency band class is a section of the frequency spectrum that is individually licensed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). In the past, wireless communication devices typically operated over a single frequency band class. At present, wireless communication devices are becoming available that can operate over multiple frequency band classes.
The wireless communication devices exchange signaling with base stations to obtain wireless communication services, such as telephony and Internet access. These wireless communication devices may be in active mode where the signaling is continuously exchanged, or the devices may be in idle mode where they are substantially dormant—only waking up periodically to briefly exchange signaling.

Load-based selection of a frequency band class for a wireless communication device


The present invention relates to a combinational logic circuit including at least a pair of inputs and an output line; at least a first module and a symmetrical module; the first module including a parallel cell and a series cell; the parallel cell including two switches controlled by the pair of inputs and in parallel between a supply terminal and an output terminal coupled with the output line; the series cell including two switches controlled by the pair of inputs and in series between the supply and the output line; the symmetrical module including two cells symmetrical to the cells of the first module, with respect to the output line, coupled with a second supply and controlled in phase opposition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the construction of combinational logic circuits, and more particularly to lookahead adder circuits.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventional combinational circuits, and particularly adders, are constructed with logic gates. These logic gates are often connected in a cascade arrangement, which increases calculating time, since the output of each gate is valid only when the outputs of its preceding gates are valid.
Generally, to construct an adder, elementary adders are connected in a cascade arrangement, where a carry input of each elementary adder is connected to a carry output of its preceding elementary adder. The carry calculating time is a critical parameter since the result of a cascade adder, including its carry output, is valid only when the preceding adder supplies it with a valid carry input.
The fastest adders, such as TTL circuits '83 and '283 (4-bit adders), perform an anticipated carry calculation (lookahead). In these adders, the carry output is calculated independently from the bit-to-bit additions, the circuit directly combining the inputs. Thus, the carry calculation is performed at essentially the same time as the bit-to-bit additions.
The calculating time for the carry is determined by the longest path traveled by the signals from the inputs to the carry output. This path includes logic gates arranged in a number of logic layers, one logic layer including elementary logic gates having their inputs supplied by the outputs of elementary gates from the preceding layer. Each logic layer brings in the propagation delay of an elementary gate. Adders '83 or '283 include four logic layers for the carry output. Their entire circuit is a complex circuit including 232 transistors.
The 8-bit or 16-bit adders are generally constructed with 4-bit adders connected in a cascade arrangement, since it is more advantageous than making an 8-bit or 16-bit lookahead circuit.


A camera using a film cartridge having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, the camera having an information reader for reading information from the information recording member during rotation of the same, a film feeder for feeding the film, and a controller for substantially starting the reading performed by the information reader after the film feeding performed by the film feeder has been stabilized.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a camera using a film cartridge having a recording disk which is rotatable integrally with a feed spool in the film cartridge and on which encoded information on the film is recorded.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,274 discloses a film cartridge in which information on the film (film speed, a specified number of frames, etc.) is recorded as a bar code on a member which moves integrally with film feeding. It is possible to automatically set film information in a camera by designing the camera so that the camera reads the information by an optical means such as a photoreflector during film feeding.
However, in the case of reading film information recorded as a bar code, a fluctuation in feeding speed may be so large that a read error occurs.
In cameras, the film feed speed or the rotational speed of a feed spool in a film cartridge of a camera, i.e., a member which is movable integrally with film feeding, fluctuates. This speed may be abruptly changed at particular times, that is,
1) in the case of driving a film feed means with a motor, during a period of time for increasing the motor speed for steady rotation after starting motor driving;
2) at a time before a film end portion is wrapped around a film take-up spool and for a time after the completion of the wrapping;
3) in the case of a camera having a magnetic head for writing or reading information and being movable along a plane parallel to a film surface in a direction perpendicular to a film traveling direction while allowing a magnetic recording portion of the film to slide thereover, a guide member constructed integrally with the magnetic head to limit the position of a widthwise end surface of the film with respect to the head, and an elastic member for bringing this guide member closer to the widthwise end surfaces of the film, at the time of contact of a film end portion with the guide member during passage over the guide member; and
4) in the case of a camera having a magnetic head allowing a magnetic recording portion of a film to slide thereover to write or read information, and a pressure contact means for bringing the magnetic recording portion of the film in pressure contact with the magnetic head, when a film end portion contacts the magnetic head or when the pressure contact means passes over the magnetic head.

Camera which reads information from a stabilized film cartridge


A borehole fishing tool, including a grapple for fixedly attaching to a fish in a borehole, a tool housing to which the grapple is connected, and at least one camera, mounted in the tool housing, to generate at least one image of the fish in the borehole. The borehole fishing tool also includes at least one light source, mounted in the tool housing, to illuminating a portion of the borehole between the at least one camera and the fish, a connector attached to the tool housing to connect the tool housing to a conveyor, and a telemetry transceiver to transmit at least one image of the fish through a telemetry channel in the conveyor to a computer system at an Earth's surface.

In the course of drilling and completing boreholes to produce oil and gas from subterranean reservoirs, or while stimulating and producing hydrocarbons from subterranean reservoirs, it is not uncommon for equipment to be dropped in to the borehole from the surface or for downhole tools and equipment to become separated from their conveyor. When this occurs, it is frequently necessary to retrieve the dropped equipment or separated downhole tools from the borehole before normal drilling, completing, stimulating or producing operations may continue. This process of retrieval is commonly called "fishing" and the equipment or tools to be retrieved are commonly called "fish".
Fishing, when conducted blindly with no real-time visual information about the shape, location or orientation of the fish, can be a costly and time-consuming procedure.


A lacrosse head comprising a frame, a plurality of vertical attachment projections, and a pocket. The frame includes a pair of sidewalls with each sidewall including an exterior surface and an interior surface. The vertical attachment projections are spaced along each sidewall wherein each vertical attachment projection is vertically attached to the interior surface of one of the sidewalls. The pocket is then attached to the vertical attachment projections.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that lacrosse is a fast growing sport. It will further be appreciated that lacrosse heads are essential to playing the game. A lacrosse head is a collection, catching, or basket-type, element that attaches to the end of a handle, or lacrosse stick. The lacrosse head is usually molded from polymers, such as duPont Xytel brand nylon. The lacrosse head has an open, or upper, side for catching and discharging a ball and a lower side to which a net or pocket is attached for holding the ball. A lacrosse head has a throat section that includes a ball stop for impacting a ball and a socket for receiving the handle. A pair of sidewalls is attached to the throat section proximate the ball stop and are joined distal from the throat section by a lip or scoop.
In the game of lacrosse, the head is used to catch the ball, hold the ball, and pass or shoot the ball. To this end, there have been several attempts to improve the lacrosse head to enhance the playing of lacrosse.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,037,841, 4,270,756, and 6,561,932 disclose the use of cushioning materials placed on the internal surfaces of a lacrosse frame near its base at the ball stop.
Prior art attempts have been made to reconfigure the sidewalls and the ball stop area to improve the performance of a lacrosse head. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,935,026 and 5,651,549 issued to Dill et al disclose a lacrosse head in which the majority of the head, all the head except for the portion of the head proximal to the throat, lies on a plane below the stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,925 discloses an upper wall and a lower wall in which both the upper wall and lower wall curve away from the plane, have a curved base, and then curve back toward the plane.
Some players desire a lacrosse head that is narrower at the opening than at the pocket area such as lacrosse head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,549. Other players desire a lacrosse head where the open side of the lacrosse head is larger than the net side of the lacrosse head such as the lacrosse head disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,066,056 and 6,561,932. The '932 patent also discloses a recessed ball stop that creates an angular shoulder along the lower side. However, this angular shoulder causes some people to believe that the shoulder holds the ball too well and illegally impedes the ball from rolling out of the head. Further, a ball dynamically contacting the shoulder will do so on either a flat portion or an edge. Dynamic contact with the flat portion does not direct the ball into the net or pocket. Dynamic contact with the edge causes the ball to act in a less controllable and less predictable manner. Further, the '932 patent discloses sidewalls that are essentially vertically-flat until they curved outwardly between the middle and upper portion thereby creating a substantially flat section in the middle to lower portion. When the ball dynamically contacts this flat portion, the ball is directed toward the opposite sidewall.
Other prior art patents have tried to focus on the attachment between the pocket and the frame of a lacrosse head. These patents normally focus on the movement of the various crosspieces, shooting strings, and runners of the pocket through the openings in the frame. Most of these prior arts attempts fail to appreciate various orientations of the tabs or protrusions extending from the frame to which the pocket is attached.
What is needed then is an improved lacrosse head having improved attachment design for the pocket to attach to the frame of a lacrosse head. This lacrosse head can improve the response of the pocket based upon the orientation of the attachment pieces to which the pocket connects to the head. This needed lacrosse head is presently lacking in the art.

Lacrosse head with vertical pocket attachments


An electro-mechanical character or figure such as a toy animal that can replicate realistic grasping and standing positions of animals and other creatures while they are supported on a surface as well as when they are perched on a bar or other supporting elements by coordinating the positioning and movement of specific body parts. To this end it is regarded that through observation of live animals, the mechanism can be seen to exhibit a grasping action around a perch to achieve a fully supported free-standing position. Birds in particular can readily be shown to exhibit a grasping action in their talons. The grasping members and support members include a front portion and a rear portion that facilitate a pivoting action on a center portion to a closed position when grasping and an open position when standing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mechanical toys with movable body parts. More particularly, the invention relates to a realistic electro-mechanical toy that can replicate lifelike grasping and standing positions of animals and other creatures while they are supported by bar or perch as well as when they are free-standing on horizontal surfaces by coordinating the positioning and movement of specific body parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
The toy industry has seen an evolution of technology in recent years which has coincided with a consumer demand for more and more realistic toys and games. Several sectors of the toy industry have used technological advancements to make toys and games more realistic and lifelike. For example, video games are more realistic and lifelike than anyone could have imagined, and dolls can now speak, walk, and even roller skate. As technology continues to improve, consumers want toys that have more capabilities or that are more realistic.
Consumer driven evolutions in the industry is found in toys embodied as creatures, animals, dolls and various other life forms real or imagined. To provide a more realistic and interactive doll or toy, the toy industry has generally employed relatively inexpensive motors and linkage assemblies to provide realistic mechanical dolls and toys. However, although such dolls may provide some realistic movable body parts, the dolls do not exhibit realistic limb movements and postures while supported through grasping a bar or perch or free standing positions on a horizontal surface.
Recent attempts to increase the realism of a doll or toys' grasping ability focus on either support through grasping a bar or perch or a free-standing position on a horizontal surface. An appendage system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,638 entitled "Manually Activated Figure Toy" to Emerson et al., issued Oct. 12, 1999, incorporates a bird with a trigger mechanism. The bird's talons are disclosed in the '638 patent as initially in a closed position. When the trigger is pulled, the talons enter an open position. If the bird is put onto a bar and the trigger released, the closing talons will hold the bird onto the bar.
Another attempt to simulate a doll or toy support through grasping a bar or perch using an appendage system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,138 entitled "Animated Action Toy Bird" to Holahan et al., issued Jan. 1, 1981, which incorporates a bird with grasping abilities. The '138 patent grasping ability occurs in two ways. One, by pulling a plunger on the back of the bird, the talons of the bird can be opened and closed around a bar or perch. The second, a button on the palm of the talon can be depressed causing the talons to enter a closed grasping position, preventing the bird from obtaining a free-standing position.
Other attempts to simulate a doll or toy with contracting appendages focus on a doll in a free-standing position that when manually activated has appendages that contract in a grasping manner as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,419 entitled "Figure Toy With Gripping Legs Assembly" to Droller et al., issued May 19, 1987, incorporates a doll, capable of a free-standing position. Necessary to the '419 is a button located on the dorsal side of the figure, when compressed, the appendages contract inward. By releasing the button, the appendages are return to their original positions.
Another attempt to simulate a doll or toy in a free-standing position that when manually activated has appendages that contract in a grasping manner is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,188 entitled "Tendon and Spring for Toy Actuation" to Clark et al., issued Jan. 3, 1995. The '188 patent incorporates a doll, capable of a free-standing position. When the doll's torso is compressed, the upper appendages curl inward and the lower appendages rise upwards, removing the dolls free-standing ability. By releasing the doll, the upper and lower appendages are motivated to their original positions.
A need exists for a limb or appendage system to coordinate realistic limb movements and postures where the doll or toy is supported by grasping a bar or perch or where the doll or toy is free-standing on a horizontal surface. Moreover, a need exists for a doll or toy that can be readily transferred from a grasping position to a free-standing position while maintaining realistic limb movements and postures.

Realistic grasping and standing movements in mechanical toys


A collision detection device detects a probability of whether a vehicle will collide with a detected moving object. An ECU determines a high-risk region measured by a predetermined distance in a forward moving direction of the vehicle from a farthest feature point obtained from a farthest-located obstacle object detected on a road's shoulder. When the moving object is detected in the high-risk region, the ECU reduces a collision detection time-period within which the vehicle must detect whether the vehicle would collide with the moving object. The reduced collision detection time-period is shorter than a collision detection time-period to be used when the moving object is detected outside of the high-risk region.

A collision detection device mounted on a vehicle detects a probability of whether the vehicle will collide with a detected object, detected by an object detection sensor mounted on the vehicle, within a predetermined collision detection time period. The predetermined collision detection time period is a time period necessary to perform the collision detection. The collision detection device determines a high-risk region around an obstacle object such as a stopped vehicle, etc. on a shoulder of the road on which the own vehicle drives. When detecting a moving object within the high-risk region, the collision detection device determines whether the own vehicle will collide with the detected moving object within the predetermined collision detection time period. This predetermined collision detection time period is shorter in time than a collision detection time period necessary when the moving object is outside of the high-risk region.
When detecting stopped vehicles located in a forward moving direction of the own vehicle on the road, the collision detection device determines, as the high-risk region, behind the stopped vehicle when viewing in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle. Accordingly, when there are two stopped vehicles (as obstacle objects which become obstacles to correctly detecting a moving object) on a shoulder of the road, which are located in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle, the collision detection device reduces the high-risk region of the stopped vehicle separated from the location of the own vehicle by more than the high-risk region of the other stopped vehicle close to the own vehicle. As a result, when a pedestrian as a moving object is rushing out, from the shoulder of the road behind the stopped vehicle away from the own vehicle, crossing the road in front of the stopped vehicle, the collision detection device cannot reduce the collision detection time period because the pedestrian is present outside of the high-risk region.
In order to avoid this, when extending the high-risk region toward behind the stopped vehicle, the collision detection device detects a pedestrian, who is visually and easily recognized by the driver of the own vehicle in the extended high-risk region. This case provides an unnecessarily-reduced collision detection time period.


To provide a producing method of conjugated diene rubber which can be used as a starting material of cross-linked rubber which is used for such as tire tread and can enhance low fuel consumption performance.

Conjugated diene rubber (e.g. a styrene-butadiene copolymer) produced by means of an emulsion polymerization method has been known as rubber used for automobile tires. In recent times, there are expectations for on improvements in low fuel consumption performance of automobiles, various types of conjugated diene rubber capable of ensuring excellent low fuel consumption performance have been proposed.
As an example, there is a proposal of a conjugated diolefin a (co)polymer rubber (in Patent Document 1) which has features of (1) being a (co)polymer rubber of conjugated diolefin(s) or a copolymer rubber of a conjugated diolefin and an aromatic vinyl compound; (2) having primary amino groups and alkoxysilyl groups binding to a (co)polymeric chain; and features that (3) monomers having bifunctionality or more are copolymerized in a (co)polymeric chain and/or a coupling agent having bifunctionality or more is coupled to at least part of a (co)polymeric chain.
As another example of such rubber, there is a proposal of modified diene polymer rubber (in Patent Document 2) which is obtained through a process step 1 of producing an active polymer with an alkali metal terminal by polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer or a conjugated diene monomer with an aromatic vinyl monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst and a process step 2 of producing modified polymer rubber by allowing the active polymer to react with a compound represented by a specific formula.
Additionally, as a method of producing a modified polymer capable of promoting interactions with silica and carbon black and improving fracture characteristics, abrasion resistance and low exothermic properties, there is a proposal of a method (Patent Document 3) in which a primary modification reaction is performed by allowing a polymer having organometallic active sites in its molecule to react with a hydrocarbyloxysilane compound at the active sites, and then a secondary modification reaction is performed by subjecting the hydrocarbyloxysilane compound to reaction via condensation reaction between hydrocarbyloxysilyl groups.

Process for production of modified conjugated diene rubber, modified conjugated diene rubber, and rubber composition

Abstract: The method of producing modified conjugated diene rubber, comprising: a process step (a) wherein a conjugated diene polymer with an alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal active terminal, which polymer is obtained from polymerization of a conjugated diene compound or polymerization of a conjugated diene compound with an aromatic vinyl compound, is allowed to react with a hydrocarbyloxysilane compound having in its molecule at least one or more of each of the following functional groups (I): a hydrocarbyloxysilyl group and (II): a nitrogen-containing group formed by substituting one protective group for one hydrogen atom of a secondary amine, a tertiary amino group, an imino group, a pyridyl group to obtain a modified conjugated diene polymer with the functional group (II), and a process step (b) wherein the modified conjugated diene polymer produced in the process step (a) is mixed with an onium-forming agent.


An integrated circuit, for use as a cache subsystem, implements a cache static random access memory (SRAM) storage array, a central processor unit (CPU) bus interface and a main memory bus interface. The CPU bus and main memory bus interfaces include multiplexers, buffers, and local control for optimizing burst read and write operations to and from the CPU bus. These circuits allow a full cache line to be read or written in a single access of the SRAM array. Control logic is utilized within the CPU bus interface for controlling CPU bursts in the order defined by the CPU. The memory bus interface includes internal buffers used in performing memory bus reads, write-throughs, write-backs and snoops. Tracking logic is employed for determining the appropriate internal buffer to be utilized for a particular memory bus cycle. Additionally, a data path is included for transparently passing data between the CPU and memory bus interfaces without disturbance of the SRAM array.

Historically, the demands of microprocessor technology have been increasing at a faster rate than the support technologies, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and programmable transistor-transistor-logic (TTL). Recent tends are further aggravating this mismatch in the following ways. First, microprocessor clock rates are rapidly approaching, and in some cases exceeding, the clock rates of standard support logic. In addition, the clocks per instruction rate is rapidly decreasing, putting a very high bandwidth demand on memory. Newer designs such as reduced-instruction-set-computer (RISC) architectures, are demanding evermore memory bandwidth to accomplish the same amount of work. The memory bandwidth demand has been further aggravated by the need for direct memory access (DMA) by devices such as co-processors and multi-processors. Finally, the rate at which new devices are being introduced into the market place is accelerating--further exacerbating all of the above.
As a result of these trends, two severe performance bottlenecks have emerged that continue to influence the way that systems are designed. Memory bandwidth, as a performance limiter, has already forced the use of cache memories in many microprocessors systems. By way of example, the use of cache memories is commonplace in the 80386.TM. generation of microprocessors manufactured by Intel Corporation. Also, Intel's 80486.TM., i860.TM. and i860XP.TM. microprocessors include on-chip caches for enhanced performance. It is clear that further changes in the memory hierarchy (primary cache, secondary cache, DRAM architectures, etc.) will be required to sustain performance increases in future generations. (Note that "Intel", "80386", "80486", "i860" and "i860XP" are all trademarks of Intel Corporation.)
Another performance bottleneck is the clock rate and input/output (I/O) timings. It has become apparent that the investment required to continue increasing the microprocessor clock rate (and the resulting I/O timings) cannot be sustained across all components in the system. Even if one could afford the investment, the schedule impact of treadmilling, coordinating and the potentiality for multi-vendors, could easily make such an architecture non-competitive. These factors have already forced the use of asynchronous interfaces to isolate the frequency scaling problem to a subset of the system components. In the future, it is clear that high speed CPU interfaces will need to be designed around an even more tightly controlled specification in order to reach the desired level of performance.
Typical of the drawbacks characteristic of past approaches is the inability to support concurrent operations at both the CPU and memory interfaces. That is, for every access to the read/write storage array, only one piece of data gets transferred. This means that the cache static-random-access-memory (SRAM) array needs to be accessed repeatedly to obtain each piece of the cache line, blocking access from the other interface. Alternatively, a wide bank of SRAMs could be employed along with corresponding external multiplexers, but only at the considerable expense of additional complexity and cost.
Another common drawback of prior art cache memories is that every transfer is required to be synchronized. In other words, before data arriving from the memory bus can be transferred to the CPU bus, a handshake must occur synchronous with the microprocessor clock. This process must be repeated for each data transfer from the memory bus. Note that this is simply another way of stating that the transfer of data between the memory and CPU buses requires synchronous operation. Such operation presents a serious burden on the computer system's performance, especially with increased CPU clock rates.
As will be seen, the present invention discloses an integrated cache memory employed within a CPU/cache core architecture that is intended to overcome the performance bottlenecks described above. When utilized in conjunction with microprocessors such as the 80486, the numerous features of the invented cache solution is capable of linearly scaling the performance of these CPUs to previously unrealized speeds (e.g., >50 MHz).

Cache subsystem for microprocessor based computer system with synchronous and asynchronous data path


The present invention relates to a non-invasive diagnosis method of endometriosis by detecting biochemical marker in serum or peritoneal fluid, in particular alpha 1-antitrypsin, fragments of alpha 1-antitrypsin, or a combination of both. The diagnosis of endometriosis is performed with observing in serum specimens of a patient the concentration and change of the biochemical marker, in particular molecules related to alpha 1-antitrypsin, and comparing with a predetermined baseline level of the biochemical marker contained in serum. Statistical analysis can be performed to evaluate the baseline level indicating the occurrence of endometriosis. Therefore, the present invention can provide an auxiliary guideline for the diagnosis of endometriosis. The present invention also relates to usage of the biochemical marker.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new diagnosis method of endometriosis by detecting biochemical marker in serum, in particular alpha 1-antitrypsin, fragments of alpha 1-antitrypsin, or a combination of both.
2. Description of the prior art
Endometriosis has been a disease which is most frequently found in women at reproductive age [Guarnaccia et al. 1997]. Many pre-menopausal women suffer from endometriosis over a long period of time. The most common symptom is menstrual pain whereas in serious cases endometriosis may cause woman's infertility [Giudice et al., 2004]. Researchers have been making efforts in realizing the aetiology of endometriosis. Although its treatment have become easier, the mechanism leading to endometriosis is not clear so far. With respect to women without any disease symptoms the prevailing rate of endometriosis is 2%-22%. With respect to women with disease symptoms (e.g. menstrual difficulties, menstrual pain) the prevailing rate of endometriosis is.40%-60% [Farquhar, 2000; Kyama et al., 2003]. Among the women who suffer from menstrual pain during their menstrual period there are 13%-33% that suffer from infertility [D'Hooghe, et al., 2003]. Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue at ectopic sites, i.e. glands and stroma cells of endometrium which should grow inside the uterus grow at sites outside the uterus, preserving the same physiological form of a normal endometrium. Human uterine wall consists of three layers: endometrium, myometrium, and porous layer (from inside toward outside). Endometrial cells at ectopic sites also exhibit periodic changes due to influence of hormones, e.g. proliferation, degradation, bleeding, etc. If the nidus occurs at myometrium, it is called as adenomyosis. If the nidus occurs in the ovary, it is called chocolate cyst. If the nidus occurs at the pelvic cavity, it is called as pelvic endometriosis [Sampson et al., 1921].
In the diagnosis endometriosis is usually discovered based on the pain during patient's menstrual period and physiological inspections of abdominal cavity. Serious pain may be accompanied by pain of the rectum, even resulting in fever. However, if only symptoms are considered, the discovery may be delayed, leading to more serious condition. Therefore, the diagnosis of endometriosis has to be based on a combination of a variety of many observations and scientific inspection methods, including filtering symptoms, analyzing disease history, inferring according to clinical information. With help of palpation and methods such as ultrasonic diagnosis conjecture can be made about condition of the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity. Nevertheless, the gold standard of the diagnosis still depends on laparoscopy, in order to confirm the occurrence of endometriosis.
Although laparoscopy provides the gold standard of endometriosis, its acceptance is quite low because of the need of invasive procedure. Furthermore, laparoscopy in which endometriosis is to be observed optically has drawbacks such as difficulties in discovering the nidus at some sites, e.g. back sites of the pelvic cavity, sites surrounding intestines and stomach. On the other hand, vaginal ultrasonic method and nuclear resonance imaging (MRI) are taken to observe endometriosis occurring at the abdominal cavity and the ovary. These two techniques are more sensitive with respect to fibroid or chocolatecyst of more than 2 centimeter, but their sensitivity with respect to endometriosis is still very low. Barbieri in 1986 first proposed that CA125 in serum of a patient with endometriosis increases [Barbieri, 1986]. It is to be noted that an increase of CA125 usually relates to several physiological and pathological conditions, e.g. arrival of menstrual period, pregnancy, inflammation of the abdominal cavity, intimal arteritis, breast cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, etc. The sensitivity is only about 15% to endometriosis. Because especially in the early stage of endometriosis CA125 shows almost no increase, the practical use of CA125 as a marker is limited. Only for cases in which CA125 has increased before the operation, it can be taken as a trail for reference. It is still to be noted that ovary tumor is found in patients of endometriosis as well as ovary cancer. CA125 increases in both cases that can not be differentiated in spite of performing specific Doppler-ultrasonic inspection on the blood stream. In general, CA125 in patients of endometriosis is usually about 100 U/ml and hundreds or even thousands times higher in patients of ovary cancer. During the operation of a patient of chocolate cyst whose CA125 is above 500 U/ml, laparascopical inspections should be performed carefully. Very careful inspection and cytological analysis of ascites can not be left out to find suspicious nidus indicating ovary cancer and endometriosis that should be further pathologically analyzed [Acien et al., 1989; Kennedy et al., 1990]. In fact, in the diagnosis application of CA125, the level of CA125 in a patient's serum is measured monthly when menstrual sign begins. This helps to diagnose depth endometriosis. When the baseline level of CA125 in serum is set to be 25 U/ml, the sensitivity and specificity with respect to endometriosis are respectively 67% and 90%. Therefore, CA125 is now taken by some doctors as a help of diagnosing endometriosis. For the moment, ultrasonic and blood inspection can be taken as a reference for diagnosis. The ultimate determination still depends on high invasive inspection methods such as laparoscopy. Be assisted with the image taken by an endoscope, a clinical doctor can inspect in detail within the abdominal cavity, the uterus, the oviduct, the ovary, and intrusion of uterus sacrum's ligament. During the inspection the doctor can use electric burning or perform excision to remedy. But there are many empirical differences in laparoscopic observations. For endometriosis there can be small nidus or large cyst which may be dark brown, black, or even white or yellow due to thick walls. When in serious situation of endometriosis a cyst is broken and chocolate-like liquid flows out, adhesive and grey scare tissues, black granular, even bubble-formed or tear-formed cyst as flame-like nidus can be seen everywhere in the abdominal cavity. Only a very experienced doctor can make a correct diagnosis and performs the remedy at the same time.
Proteomic approaches are now adopted by scientists to detect occurrence of diseases or biochemical markers for cancer. Proteomics as a research field on biochemical markers has developed better and better. As related to dealing with specimen, analysis with uni- or two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, analysis of images, and mass spectrometry analysis there have been lots of reported researches[Anderson, 2002; Adkin et al., 2002; Chan et al., 2004 Chen et al., 2005, Zhou et al., 2004; Zhou et al., 2005].
In human serum alpha 1-antitrypsin is one of the proteins contained significantly in the serum. Its molecular weight is about 52 kDa. Alpha 1-antitrypsin is called as protease inhibitor (Pi) due to its action mechanism, belonging to the supergene family. Its main function is to reduce neutrophil elastase that is secreted by leukocytes in the immune system. Neutrophil elastase is a protease which assists human immune system in protecting from bacteria and foreign harmful materials. As to the structure alpha 1-antitrypsin exhibits three isoforms of differences in glycosylation, as characterized by three different structures formed with different amounts of oligosaccharide group and sialic acid [Carrell, 1982].

Diagnosis method of endometriosis by detecting biochemical markers and usage of these biochemical markers


The present invention provides a polytetrafluoroethylene molded article, particularly a PTFE molded article for high-frequency insulation, which is excellent in various electric properties and mechanical properties in a high frequency range of 3 to 30 GHz. The present invention also provides PTFE fine powder, which is excellent in extrusion moldability and capable of providing the molded article, and a process for preparing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder having a standard specific gravity of 2.180 to 2.225, which is obtained by contacting polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder having a standard specific gravity of 2.180 to 2.225 with a fluorine radical source, wherein tanδ at 12 GHz of a film comprising the powder, which is obtained by cooling at 5 to 50° C./second after baking, is at most 2.0×10−4.

Development in communication means using electromagnetic waves is remarkable. Along with the increase in the amount of transmitted information, the electromagnetic waves tend to increasingly be used in a high frequency range. For example, for wireless LAN and cellular phones, UHF up to a frequency of 300 MHz is used. However, for high frequency wireless LAN, satellite communication and cellular phone base stations which are central to future development, microwaves of 3 to 30 GHz are used.
When using such high frequency, electric properties such as stable and low dielectric constant (εr) and low dielectric loss tangent (tanδ), ease in mold processing and heat resistance to plating and soldering are required in material used for electric parts such as a connector and communication equipment such as casing and a coaxial cable. Therefore, fluororesin, which is excellent in electric properties, is conventionally used.
Examples of fluororesin used in communication equipment are polytetrafluoroethylene (homopolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to as TFE)) and a copolymer obtained by copolymerizing TFE and a small amount of a fluoromonomer (so-called modified PTFE, hereinafter also referred to as PTFE), which cannot be melt processed, and a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (hereinafter referred to as HFP) (content of FEP and HFP at least 6.9% by mole) and a copolymer of TFE and perfluoro(alkylvinylether) (hereinafter referred to as PAVE) (content of PFA and PAVE at least 1.5% by mole), which can be melt processed.
Although depending on the type of initiator, the fluororesin mentioned above have a group such as —CF2H, —CH2OH, —CH3, —COF and —COOH in the terminal. These terminal groups are thermally unstable and may impair water repellency. The method of fluorinating in order to stabilize the unstable terminal groups is already known (JP-B-46-23245, JP-A-10-147617, JP-B-2921026).
However, it is not known that electric properties such as high frequency properties are improved by fluorinating the unstable terminal groups.
The present invention solves the above problems. The unstable terminal groups were found to influence electric properties, particularly high frequency properties such as tanδ in a high frequency range. As a result of intensive studies, not only thermal stability but also processability and high frequency properties such as tanδ were found to improve, by fluorinating the unstable terminal groups of PTFE fine powder, which has a particular standard specific gravity and cannot be melt processed, among fluororesin. Furthermore, the high frequency properties and mechanical properties of the molded article obtained therefrom were also found to improve and the present invention was achieved.

Polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder of particular specific standard gravity, polytetrafluoroethylene formed article prepared from the same and method for preparation of the same


The present invention provides a substantially purified nucleic acid molecule encoding a p/CIP polypeptide, which regulates the activity of CBP/p300-dependent transcription factors. The invention also provides a substantially purified p-CIP polypeptide and active fragments thereof. In addition, the invention provides methods of identifying an effective agent that alters the association of a p/CIP polypeptide with a second protein. Further provided herein are methods of selectively inhibiting signal transduction pathways using an active fragment of a p/CIP polypeptide or a nucleic acid molecule encoding such an acive fragment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to molecular biology and biochemistry and more specifically to a coactivator protein, p/CIP, which is involved in regulating gene expression by CBP/p300-dependent transcription factors, and to methods of using the coactivator protein to selectively regulate gene expression.
2. Background Information
Regulation of gene expression is mediated by sequence-specific transcription factors that bind to target genes and activate or repress transcription. Many of these factors are controlled by extracellular signals that switch the factors between inactive and active states. Such signals can result in post-translational modification as observed, for example, with the members of the STAT family of transcription factors, or can result in ligand-induced conformational changes as observed, for example, with members of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors.
Coactivator proteins have been identified that are recruited to the active forms of such transcription factors and are required for their transcriptional effects. The coactivators, CBP and p300, for example, serve essential roles in transcriptional activation by several classes of regulated transcription factors, including nuclear receptors, STAT factors, AP-1 proteins, NF-κB and CREB. In addition, a more recently discovered family of proteins, termed nuclear receptor coactivator (NCoA) proteins, can interact with various nuclear receptors in a ligand-dependent manner and also can interact with CBP and p300.
Two members of the NCoA family of proteins, NCoA-1 and NCoA-2, appear to have relatively selective roles in mediating the transcriptional effects of nuclear receptors. Evidence indicates, however, that additional factors are required for the transcriptional activities of many CBP-dependent transcription factors, including STAT 1, AP-1 and CREB, and that complexes containing such coactivators, for example, CBP/p300 and NCoA, are involved in transmitting an activation signal to the promoter. Since CBP and p300-containing complexes appear to be limiting in cells, antagonistic interactions between signaling pathways can be due, at least in part, to competition for these complexes. Thus, a need exists to identify different classes of transcription factors that are regulated by a CBP-containing complex and to identify the coactivator proteins involved in such complexes. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages as well.

Transcription factor coactivator protein, p/CIP

The Regents of the University of California


The projection zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a third lens group, a positive fourth lens group, a fifth lens group, and a positive sixth lens group. The lens system is nearly telecentric on a reduction side. During zooming, the second to fifth lens groups are moved while the first and six lens groups remain stationary. The third lens group includes a positive lens LP having a convex surface directed to a magnification side, and a negative lens LN having a concave surface which is directed to the reduction side and has a curvature stronger than a magnification-side surface of the negative lens LN. The conditional expression of 5.0≦|fG3/RLN-2| is satisfied. Here, fG3 denotes a focal length of the third lens group, and RLN-2 denotes a radius of curvature of the reduction-side surface of the negative lens LN.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a projection zoom lens system having a six-group configuration and a projection type display apparatus having the projection zoom lens system. In particular, the invention relates to a projection zoom lens system configured to project and magnify onto a screen, rays which contain image information and are generated from a light valve such as a liquid crystal display device or a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) display device, and a projection type display apparatus having the projection zoom lens system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, beam projectors (projection display devices) using light valves such as transmissive or reflective liquid crystal display devices or DMD display devices have come into widespread use and have become sophisticated. Particularly, as a resolution of the light valves increases, a demand for improvement in resolution of the projection lens system has increased.
Furthermore, considering improvement in a degree of freedom at the time of setting a distance to a screen and installability in a small room, a demand for mounting a wide zoom lens system or a high-power zoom lens system having compactness and higher performance onto a projection type display apparatus has also increased.
To meet the demands mentioned above, JP 2003-337283 A has proposed the following projection zoom lens system. This zoom lens system is configured so as to improve an optical performance in the whole zooming range from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end by increasing the number of moving groups in the zoom lens system. However, there arise such problems that fluctuation of the spherical aberration accompanied by zooming is large and that a marginal ray tends to be largely under especially at the telephoto end.
Then, as described in JP 2005-84455 A, there has been proposed a projection zoom lens system configured to reduce fluctuation of the spherical aberration accompanied by zooming by providing a surface having a strong negative refractive power in a third lens group of the zoom lens system having six groups.
However, in the projection zoom lens system described in JP 2005-84455 A, fluctuation of the spherical aberration accompanied by zooming decreases, but a problem arises that the astigmatism increases.

Projection zoom lens system and projection type display apparatus


A method and system identify assistance offerings that are likely to be relevant to users of a data management system. The method and system utilize a multivariate random forest regression machine learning process to train an assistance offerings recommendation model to recommend relevant assistance offerings to users of the data management system. The multivariate random forest regression machine learning process replaces zero values in the training set data with negative numbers to increase the accuracy of the machine learning process.

Many people utilize data management systems to assist in the management of various kinds of data. For example, people utilize data management systems to assist in managing aspects of their finances. Accordingly, data management systems assist users in bookkeeping, tax return preparation, financial transaction monitoring, budgeting assistance, and many other kinds of data management.
However, many users are not fully aware of all of the ways that data management systems can assist users to manage their data. Users may use one service or product provided by a data management system but are wholly unaware of other products and services offered by the data management system that would be very beneficial to the users. Users that remain unaware of the full extent of available products and services offered by data management systems may suffer adverse consequences when they do not manage their data in an optimal manner. In the case of financial management systems, users may suffer adverse financial consequences because they are not aware that many other helpful products and services of the data management system are available to them.
Some traditional data management systems provide users with assistance offerings in the form of advertisements or notifications while the users utilize the services of the traditional data management systems in order to make users aware of valuable products and services. However, these traditional data management systems often provide the same assistance offerings to each user without regard to the personal preferences or needs of the users. In other cases, traditional data management systems cycle through assistance offerings or present them to users at random. While this is an improvement over traditional data management systems that provide no assistance offerings at all, the static and inflexible assistance offerings that are the same for all users still represent a gross underutilization of the opportunity to inform millions of users of valuable products and services provided by the data management systems.
One reason that traditional data management systems provide the same static assistance offerings for all users is because traditional data management systems are not able to overcome the technical difficulties in identifying and selecting assistance offerings targeted to be relevant to individual users in real time based on the preferences of the user without simultaneously expending tremendous amounts of processing, memory, and communication bandwidth resources. Currently, when users access services of traditional data management systems, the traditional data management systems are unable to efficiently provide personalized assistance offerings in real time. The result is that users may become frustrated at repeatedly seeing the same irrelevant assistance offerings. Users may also become frustrated at a perceived lack of relevant services offered by the data management systems and may abandon the data management systems.
Accordingly, there exists a technical problem of efficiently and effectively providing real time personalized assistance offerings to users of data management systems. What is needed is a system and method that can provide a technical solution to the technical problem of inefficient and inadequate assistance offering messaging.

Method and system for recommending assistance offerings using multivariate random forest leveraging negative samples


To provide a storage circuit that can readily and stably read memory data, in storage circuits that are used mainly in program circuits. A storage circuit that is equipped with a flip-flop having a first terminal and a second terminal, a storage section having a first ferroelectric capacitor and a second ferroelectric capacitor for storing specified data, a control section that supplies a driving voltage to the flip-flop, and controls potentials on the first terminal and the second terminal based on the specified data, thereby retaining the specified data at the flip-flop, and a latch circuit that latches the specified data retained by the flip-flop based on potentials on the first terminal and the second terminal.

The present invention relates to storage circuits, semiconductor devices, and electronic apparatuses. In particular, the present invention relates to storage circuits with a simple structure and whose operation is stable, semiconductor devices and electronic apparatuses equipped with the storage circuits.
A conventional memory cell is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 64-66899 (Patent Document 1). The memory cell disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 is equipped with a static cell having two internal nodes, and a nonvolatile section having two ferroelectric capacitors. Then, by applying a voltage to the ferroelectric capacitors to the extent that the ferroelectric capacitors causes polarity inversion, a voltage on one of the internal nodes rises slightly higher than a voltage on the other of the internal nodes. By this, data is transferred from the nonvolatile section to the static cell. Japanese Laid-open Patent Application SHO 64-66899.

Storage circuit, semiconductor device, and electronic apparatus


A compound represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein X is a spacer group. The compound is useful for conjugating a compound having an alcohol group or an amine group to a compound having a thiol group. The compound can be used to conjugate a biologically active group such as an antigen to a protein such as an enzyme to provide an enzyme-labeled antigen for use in enzyme-amplified immunoassay methods for analytes or metabolites in sample fluids. The compound can also be used to immobilize a material such as a protein to a solid support.

The application is directed to novel maleiimido compounds and conjugates made therefrom.
Progress in immunochemistry has required the preparation of numerous protein-protein or protein-hapten conjugates for analytical and preparative techniques. For a review of protein modifications see Means, G. E. and Feeney, R. E., Bioconjugate Chem., (1990), 1, 2-12 and M. Brinkley, Bioconjugate Chem., (1992) 3, 2-13. The attachment of cytotoxic drugs to tumor-localizing monoclonal antibodies (immunotoxins) is an approach to chemotherapy which is rapidly gaining acceptance. See Koppel, G. A., Bioconjugate Chem., 1990, 1, 13-23. Many reagents for the preparation of such conjugates have been disclosed and studied extensively. See Kitagawa et al, Chem. Pharm. Bull., 29(4), 1130-1135 (1981) and references cited therein. The so-called crosslinking reagents which have been developed are typically designed to have specific reactivity with functional groups contained in each reactant. Both homoand heterobifunctional reagents are known with the latter being most desirable. Since heterobifunctional crosslinkers possess two selectively reactive groups which can be used to link proteins or other moieties in a stepwise and specific manner, the occurrence of unwanted side reactions such as the formation of homo-protein polymers is desirably avoided.
A common type of heterobifunctional crosslinker contains an amine reactive group (e.g., N-hydroxysuccinimide esters) and a sulfhydryl reactive group (e.g., maleiimide, haloacetyl functions and reactive disulfides) connected by a spacer group. However, there are instances where a hapten and/or a peptide does not contain one of the common functional groups such as an .epsilon.-amino-lysine residue and linking such materials to proteins becomes increasingly more difficult. Conventional crosslinkers are inadequate for this purpose. One approach is to chemically modify the material, but this technique is not satisfactory in all instances since this often changes the desired biological or chemical behavior of the compound. While the compound of interest may lack a linkable amino group it may contain a hydroxyl group. Known crosslinking materials may be used with such compounds but the resulting ester-linked derivatives typically suffer from the stability limitations inherent in the ester moiety. See, for example, Hermentin, P. et al. Bioconjugate Chem., 1990, 1, 100-107. Crosslinking chemistry which typically provides more stable hydroxyl linking such as in the formation of a urethane bond from an isocyanate and an alcohol group is always preferred. See, for example, Lynn, K. R. et al, J. Phys. Chem., 1972, 69, No. 2, pp. 687-689 and Adams, P. et al., Chem. Rev., 1965, 65, 567.
Accordingly as the state of the art advances there is a continuing demand for new materials to perform these functions.
It is therefore the object of this invention to provide novel heterobifunctional compounds.
It is another object to provide heterobifunctional compounds which can link a compound having an alcohol group or an amine group with a compound having a thiol group.
A further object is to provide heterobifunctional compounds which have a terminal isocyanate group and a terminal maleiimido group.


A wideband end-fire array including columns or sub-arrays of flared notch radiating elements spaced along an end-fire axis and fed by a true-time-delay corporate feed network. The feed network includes a corporate feed manifold and a plurality of cables connected between a respective manifold port and a balun comprising a corresponding radiating element. The plurality of cables have corresponding electrical line lengths adapted to provide progressive time delays to signals carried between the radiating elements and the feed manifold so as to equalize the time delays due to spacing of the elements along the axis.

Conventional end-fire Yagi arrays using dipoles and parasitic elements fed by a series feed are relatively narrow-banded (typically less than 15%), because the radiating elements and the series feed have limited band-widths. This drawback becomes even more pronounced when the end-fire array is longer than about 8 elements.
It would therefore represent an advance in the art to provide an end-fire array having a wide bandwidth.


A cable system, and a method for configuring a path of a cable system, wherein the group delay caused by one or more amplifiers having diplex filter networks is substantially equalized over all frequencies within a predetermined band by the use of one or more all-pass delay equalizers. A method of configuring a path includes steps of determining a delay versus frequency characteristic of the path within the predetermined frequency band, and providing from one to a plurality of all-pass delay equalizers in the path, wherein a collective delay versus frequency characteristic of the all-pass delay equalizer(s) within a predetermined frequency band is a mirror image of that caused by the amplifier(s), such that all frequencies within the predetermined frequency band are delayed by substantially the same amount and hence all frequency components of a signal arrive at a receiver at substantially the same time.

This invention relates to wired networks for transmission of data, and particularly relates to cable television (CATV) networks for data transmission.
Cable television (CATV) systems generally comprise a head end facility from which a plurality of trunks or main distribution lines emanate in a hub-and-spoke arrangement. Each trunk serves one or more local distribution networks each of which serves a relatively small number (e.g., about 100 to 250) of end users. Each end user is connected with one of the trunks via a feeder line that taps into the main trunk at a feeder tap location.
As CATV services have expanded from simple unidirectional services in which signals are sent only from the service provider to the end user, but not vice versa, to bidirectional services in which signals are also sent from the end users back to the service provider, the demands for high performance of the cable system have also expanded. In particular, when digital signals are sent from the end users to the service provider, it is important to maintain a low bit error rate for these signals so that the information encoded in the signals is accurately transmitted to the service provider.
One factor that can lead to higher incidence of bit errors in the return path (i.e., the path from the end user to the head end facility) of a cable system is so-called group delay, wherein one or more frequency components of the return signal arrive at the head end facility at a slightly different time than one or more other frequency components that were transmitted by the end user at the same time. Group delay can be introduced into the return path, for example, by diplex filters that are commonly employed in the distribution amplifiers of cable systems for separating the forward and return signals. Amplifiers with diplex filters inherently cause some frequencies to be delayed more or less, by tens or hundreds of nanoseconds, than other frequencies.

All-pass network for data transmission over a CATV system


In order to reduce noise on twisted metallic pair signal conductors, circuits are disclosed in which the signal balance between the wires of the pair is significantly improved, thereby reducing the line's susceptibility to external electromagnetic interference and equally reducing its ability to radiate signals into the surrounding medium. Further, the common mode impedance of the wire pair as seen at or close to the junction with the terminating equipment is controlled in order to reduce the ability of signals external to the wire pair to couple into the wire. This reduces noise in the line, as perceived by connected equipment, leading to an increase in the data carrying capacity of the line and the usable length of the line carrying such data.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a technology that enables broadband signals, providing services such as high speed internet access, video-on-demand and real time video conferencing, to be transmitted over ordinary telephone lines from the providers' centrally located DSL Access Module (DSLAM) to DSL modems located at the customer premises.
However, since the inception of DSL, a major limitation on its performance has been the presence of noise in the telephone line over which it operates. Noise combines with the wanted DSL signal and reduces the ability of the receiving modem to demodulate the incoming signal.
Shannon's law (C=W log 2(1+S/N), where C is the channel capacity in bits per second, W is the bandwidth in hertz, and S/N is the signal-to-noise ratio, shows that any increase in noise decreases the data carrying capacity of the signal. Therefore, the inverse is also true; any device or method which reduces the amount of noise in the line or in any of the metallic connectors that make up the connection between the DSLAM and modem, will improve the ability of the system to transfer data.
Noise has several sources, both external and internal to the telephone line over which the wanted signal is transmitted. Since it is normal practice to gather the individual conductor pairs together into a cable bundle, a major cause of noise is the cross coupling of the signal in one pair within the cable into other pairs in the same cable. This is the phenomenon known as crosstalk. Also, external electromagnetic noise will be coupled into all the pairs in the cable. A third source of noise is that which occurs within the customer premises and is sometimes caused by the operation of household appliances, air conditioners, etc. This noise is known as "impulse" noise.
Within the DSL community, noise has been accepted as endemic and little attempt has been made to reduce its presence in the conductor wires. In fact, much time, money and ingenuity has gone into finding ways to make DSL operate more efficiently in the presence of noise. There remains a need however for a system that provides a means whereby noise in the wire pairs may be substantially reduced, thereby improving the transmission of data, according to Shannon's law.

Reduction of noise in a metallic conductor signal pair using controlled line balancing and common mode impedance reduction


Adaptive recoloring of displayed digital content automatically pursues specified active color palette goals while adhering to specified active color palette constraints. Source code editors, word processors, and other programs are enhanced by adaptive recoloring. Recoloring rules may specify coloring roles, colors, tolerances, color spaces, metrics, and other criteria. Recoloring may be triggered by a zoom or another change in user focus, by a brightness change, a screen size change, by notice of a user perception change, or by another event. Recoloring improves text legibility, assists user focus, compensates for differences in color perception and emotional impact, and increases color availability without degrading usability, for example. Transitions between words or other display items can be heightened. Branding colors may be preserved, in logos and text. Automatic selections may be overridden by a user command or by interactive tuning, with warnings given as appropriate.

Programs for creating, modifying, or otherwise editing documents were among the first software tools created, and such editors have undergone many changes over time, including many improvements. Some editing tools accept input not only in the form of characters typed on a keyboard, but also in the form of data sent from a mouse, pen, touch pad, touch screen, microphone, or other device. Many editors provide a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) user experience, so that an appearance of a document onscreen in the editor closely resembles a result of printing the document. Some editors support integration of graphic images into a document, or provide a user with access to graphics editing tools within a document editing session.
The range of "text" operated upon by an editor was originally limited mostly to alphabet letters, numbers, and punctuation. But over time, the text one can edit with a program has expanded to include at least mathematical symbols, geometric shapes, music and other notational systems, logographic and syllabic scripts, and many other written symbols. As of the present time, the Unicode® technology standard for encoding, representing, and handling text covers over 150 modern and historic scripts, including over 140,000 characters (mark of Unicode, Inc.).
Some editors are specialized for particular knowledge areas or fields of practice, such as video editing, still image editing, sound editing, or software source code editing. In particular, some source code editors provide integrated functionality for syntax checking, autocompletion, indentation, brace matching, and easy access to a compiler, interpreter, or debugger.
Despite these advancements, improvements are still possible in the field of tools for editing source code or other documents that contain text or other visual content.


In a force cutting type paper cutter, a movable blade includes a pair of right and left edges having a V shape. These right and left edges are intersected and brought into pressure contact with a linear cutting edge of a fixed blade. The movable blade also includes a pair of right and left elastic pieces formed by a lateral slit and a division slit provided in the movable blade. These elastic pieces are held in an inclined state to the side of the fixed blade and such that the edges overlap with each other. During a cutting stroke, the elastic pieces are held a state in which the edges of the movable blade always make point contact with the edge of the fixed blade and uneven abutment is prevented.

1. Cross-Reference to Related Applications
This application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2004-044669, filed Feb. 20, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apaper cutter, for example, suitable to cut paper accumulated in roll shape to an arbitrary length in a small printer, etc.
3. Description of the Related Art
Force cutting type paper cutters in which a plate-shaped fixed blade and a movable blade are arranged to oppose across a paper transfer path wherein the movable blade is reciprocated with respect to the fixed blade, and wherein at the time of a forward movement, paper sandwiched between both the blades is cut, are known. There is a method in which the movable blade of such paper cutter is constructed so that an edge of the movable blade has a symmetrical V shape. The V shape juts from the center toward both ends in a direction of the forward fixed blade. During a cutting operation, its edge makes pressure contact with an edge of the fixed blade side while intersecting with the edge of the fixed blade side (for example, refer to JP-B-8-22517 and JP-A-10-296681). In this case, it is critically important to generate "action by a structure of scissors" in which the edges of both the blades mutually slide in a point contact state to provide good sharpness. Therefore, in order to implement such a structure, a method in which one blade is bent so as to form a convex in a direction of the other blade using a mount is proposed in JP-B-8-22517 and a method in which a blade is previously molded in a bend state is proposed in JP-A-10-296681, respectively.


Disclosed herein are a battery device for preventing danger caused by battery overheating in a mobile terminal, and a method of operating the battery device. In the battery device, a battery state sensor periodically monitors a change in the state of a battery during operation or charging of the battery, and outputs a predetermined signal corresponding to the monitored state change, a controller senses a battery overheating-caused danger from the signal received from the battery state sensor and outputs a control signal, and an automatic locker separates the battery from the mobile terminal according to the control signal received from the controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a battery device in a mobile terminal and an operating method thereof, and in particular, to a battery device for use in a mobile terminal, for automatically detaching a battery from the mobile terminal to prevent an accident caused by battery overheating, and a method of operating the battery device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals for providing mobile communication services, such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), PCS (Personal Communications Service), and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) phones, are provided with detachable batteries for supplying standby power or operational power. The detachable batteries allow users to carry the mobile terminals conveniently and use them at any place. A mobile terminal is typically provided with such a battery on one side thereof, for power supply, and the battery will have a different size according to its capacity.
The mobile terminal needs DC (Direct Current) power to operate. The DC power is externally provided to the mobile terminal and, at the same time, it is converted to a predetermined current through a predetermined control and charges the battery. The battery is a typically rechargeable, generally of a NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride) or Li Ion (Lithium-Ion) type.
Mobile terminals have much circuitry, often include many devices, and emit much heat during a call. A NiCD or Li Ion battery is usually used for the mobile terminal. If a call lasting a long time is made through the mobile terminal, the battery will heat up and, in turn, will heat the mobile terminal. This heat from the battery, along with the heat generated inside the terminal, can cause malfunction or communication failure and, at worst, a battery explosion.
When an abnormal condition such as an overcurrent condition overheats the battery, the overheating may occur while the battery is installed in the mobile terminal, which includes a risk of the battery exploding.
Since the battery should be portable and easily carried in view of the nature of its use, batteries for mobile terminals are typically made as thin and lightweight as possible. As a result, there is a probability that the battery may be damaged or even may explode due to heat from the chemical reaction among electrolytes or due to external shock-incurred mixing of the electrolytes during charging/discharging of the battery. Hence, there is a need for a system that senses a change in temperature inside the battery and ensures the safety of the battery by providing a control signal that corresponds with the temperature change.

Battery device in a mobile terminal and operating method thereof


The present invention is based on the seminal discovery that BTLA agonist fusion proteins modulate an immune response. Specifically, the present invention provides fusion proteins that bind BTLA enhancing BTLA signaling. The present invention further provides methods of treating cancer and immune and inflammatory diseases and disorders with a BTLA agonist fusion protein as described herein.

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM; TNFRSF14) is a focal point for manipulation by viral pathogens, and mutation in cancers and autoimmunity. In humans, HVEM interacts with the TNF superfamily cytokines, LIGHT and Lymphotoxin α, and the immunoglobulin (Ig) family containing receptors B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) and CD160. Membrane associated LIGHT, BTLA, and CD160, all activate NF-κB signaling downstream of HVEM following receptor engagement, while HVEM activates the receptors BTLA and CD160 resulting in bi-directional signaling between neighbor cells. Cells co-expressing HVEM and BTLA or CD160 can also form cell-intrinsic complexes of these proteins that prevent accessibility of these receptors to extracellular ligands due to steric hindrance.
BTLA mediated inhibition has been shown to regulate a number of different cellular pathways, including antigen receptor signaling in T and B cells. In T cells, BTLA was first shown to engage inhibitory signaling pathways including the activation of SH2-domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatases (SHP)-1 and 2. Recently BTLA has been shown to regulate toll-like receptor signaling in dendritic cells, and IL-7 signaling in γδ T cells. However, in human natural killer (NK) cells HVEM can also promote cytolytic and pro-inflammatory pathways through CD160 as a host counter measure to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Additionally, recent work describing CD160-deficiency in mice confirms its pro-inflammatory function in NK cells.
There is a large unmet need for novel therapies designed to inhibit lymphocyte activity In patients suffering from immune mediated pathology such as in graft versus host disease or autoimmune diseases. In many types of these diseases there is a limited array of approved treatments, or some individuals fail to respond to available treatments. An attractive target for novel therapies is agonistic activation of inhibitory receptors expressed by pathogenic lymphocytes that are the cause of autoimmune disease. Attempts to develop antibody-based therapy designed to activate human inhibitory receptors have largely met with failure despite promising results in animal models.

BTLA fusion protein agonists and uses thereof

SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS MEDICAL DISCOVERY INSTITUTE