Provided is an apparatus to lower a load, comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator having first and second ports, a manipulation device, a hydraulic circuit including meter-in and meter-out flow passages for the first and second ports respectively and a regeneration flow passage with a check valve, a control valve, a meter-out flow controller adjusting a meter-out flow rate according to the manipulation device, a back pressure valve, and a non-regeneration operation relief valve whose set pressure is not less than a sum of a minimum set pressure of the back pressure valve, an inlet-outlet pressure difference of the meter-out flow controller when the meter-out flow rate is maximum and a discharge flow rate of the hydraulic pump is maximum, and an actuator pressure difference for driving the hydraulic actuator with no load, and not less than a maximum set pressure of the back pressure valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic driving apparatus provided in a working machine, such as a crane, to drive a load, such as a suspended load, in the same direction as a self-weight falling direction, i.e., a direction along which the load falls by its self-weight.
2. Description of the Background Art
As an apparatus for driving a load in the same direction as a self-weight falling direction of the load, there is known, for example, a lowering drive apparatus for driving a winch which suspends a load by a wire rope, in a lowering direction. For this apparatus, it is important to prevent falling of a suspended load due to stalling of a winch motor caused by cavitation arising from a lowering in pressure on a meter-in side during a lowering drive mode.
As means to prevent such a reduction in pressure on the meter-in side, JP 2000-310201A discloses a technique of providing a so-called externally-pilot-operated counterbalance valve in a flow passage on a meter-out side. This externally-pilot-operated counterbalance valve is operable to narrow the flow passage on the meter-out side when the pressure on the meter-in side becomes equal to or less than a set pressure thereof to thereby prevent pressure on the meter-in side from its excessive lowering.
The externally-pilot-operated counterbalance, however, has a pressure measurement point and a pressure control point which are located on the meter-in side and on the meter-out side, respectively; in other words, it is subjected to control missing so-called co-location under the control theory in which positions of measurement and control points are different from each other, thus having a problem of being fundamentally unstable and likely to cause hunting.
As means to prevent the above hunting, there exists a technique of providing an orifice capable of giving large attenuation to a valve opening movement of the counterbalance valve, in a pilot fluid passage, however having a problem that the orifice prolongs a valve opening time of the counterbalance valve to thus deteriorate response of the counterbalance valve, and further generates a large flow resistance in the counterbalance valve until it is fully opened, to thereby cause an unnecessary boosted pressure.
As another technique for preventing the hunting, the JP 2000-310201A discloses a communication valve controlling fluid communication between the flow passage on the meter-in side and the flow passage on the meter-out side and a flow regulation valve controlling a meter-in flow rate so as to make a pressure difference between the two flow passages be smaller; however, this technique has difficulty in obtaining a stable lowering speed. Specifically, in a general lowering control circuit, there is generated a holding pressure corresponding to a weight of a suspended load, which makes a pressure difference between meter-out and meter-in sides be larger as the weight of the load becomes larger, this increase in the pressure difference involving an increase in an opening degree of the flow regulation valve on the meter-in side and thereby increasing the meter-in flow rate. In the above conventional apparatus, the lowering speed will be thus largely changed depending on the weight of the load.

Hydraulic driving apparatus for working machine


A ZIF connector is mounted on a tiny PCB that carries damping components and flying leads that are connected or soldered to locations of interest on a PCB. There may be one or many of such ZIF connector/connection accessories in any particular test set-up. A ZIF browser is connected to an active probe's tip by short flexible extended transmission lines that lead back to a small interconnect PCB having plated lands that are inserted into the ZIF connector. The ZIF connector is good for just a limited number of uses, but this is in agreement the a customer's usage model for an inexpensive ‘disposable’ part. Furthermore, the limited lifetime of the ZIF connector/connection accessory is apt to be mitigated in cases where several are in use at one time. The precision microwave connection of the ZIF browser to a potentially delicate and expensive probe tip need not be performed frequently for replacement of the ZIF browser, as the plating on the lands of the interconnect PCB is made thick enough to allow those lands to have a lifetime of 1,500 or more insertions, which is two to three times the amount research suggests is a typical customer expectation.

Users of certain types of electronic test equipment, such as oscilloscopes and logic analyzers are frequently faced with a dilemma. The connection to the DUT (Device Under Test) or SUT (System Under Test) must be made through a probe of some sort, but there is almost no room to allow it. For example, while one might connect the 50Ω front panel input of a high bandwidth oscilloscope to the 50Ω front panel output of some microwave signal generator using a length of suitable 50Ω transmission line, to get at some signal location on a densely populated PCB (printed circuit board) it is far more likely that a handheld active probe will be needed. These are expensive and delicate assemblies that generally have a 'probe pod' that connects to the front panel of the 'scope, while a cable carries power and a transmission line for the signal from the probe pod to a small handheld probe housing that encloses an amplifier that can drive the transmission line. Generally the amplifier is a differential one with + and − inputs. Sometimes fixed or moveable rigid pins are present for genuine moveable handheld probing at this location and the next. Other times there is no such luxury, as perhaps the PCB cannot be operated on a board extender, and when installed where it belongs there is another board (or a chassis wall) on either side (all on ½ inch centers!). In these cases the user of the 'scope resigns herself to removing the PCB, attaching short 'flying leads' to the probe's tip and then soldering the free ends of those leads to the locations to be 'probed,' and then carefully re-installing the PCB. This works, but gets to be a major aggravation mighty fast if there are many different locations to be observed during the analysis of some complicated situation.
It was in pursuit of a solution to this aggravation that the subject matter of the incorporated SIGNAL PROBE AND PROBE ASSEMBLY was developed. What is disclosed therein is a two part connector assembly, one part of which is coupled to the probe's input, and the other part to the location to be probed. The part that attaches to the probe input has what is known as a ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) connector. A ZIF connector is a (generally female) connector that includes a manually operated release mechanism for expanding the electrical contact elements of individual sockets or electrical receptacles so that they accept corresponding male pins or lands without noticeable (or at least appreciable) force. Once the male portions are fully inserted the action of the release mechanism is reversed (a lever is moved, a tab is slid, or a button released), and the force needed to bring the male and female contacts into good electro-mechanical contact is then re-applied within the female ZIF connector.
ZIF connectors are commonly used in situations where there are many pins (e.g., a large microprocessor that is to be replaceable in the field) and the cost and likelihood of damage using a standard connector is a prohibitive risk. It is not difficult to appreciate this when contemplating a microprocessor or other large IC (Integrated Circuit) that is two or three inches on a side with perhaps four hundred or more pins. The insertion force for any pin/socket with decent wiping action/gripping force means that, for such a large number of pins, a rather robust force would be needed to install the part. When done manually, the slightest mis-alignment will remain undetected until some pins are bent. Even with good alignment there is still the issue of damage to the PCB or cracking the substrate of the part. Then there is the issue of how to get the old part out. Should it pried out with a screwdriver at one end? Will that crack the socket? Obviating these concerns is what the notion of a ZIF connector is all about.
In the case of SIGNAL PROBE AND PROBE ASSEMBLY the issue is not so much the number of pins, but the mechanical delicateness of the probe tip and the lack of strength in the solder joints used to affix the flying leads to the PCB. (The trace widths on a PCB are often 0.050″ or less—not much to solder to.) The idea is to allow a user to attach as many inexpensive male 'connection accessories' with flexible flying leads as needed at any one time to different locations of the PCB. A (female) ZIF connector is hooked up to the probe tip with short flexible extended transmission lines supplied for the purpose. Then the ZIF connector is mated with the appropriate (if more than one) connection accessory and the measurement activity begun. To move the 'scope (or other type of test equipment in use) nothing needs to be unsoldered until all measurement activity is known with confidence to have been concluded.
That is, to perform measurements at other locations the ZIF connector is simply disconnected from one connection accessory and then connected to another. The flexibility of the extended transmission lines and of the flying leads acts as 'mechanical decoupling' between the tethering solder joints and the bulky parts of the active probe (cable from the probe pod and the housing for the amplifier), so that accidental movement of those bulky items will be less likely to break a solder joint between a flying lead and the PCB. A ZIF connector is preferred for this service to, well, 'gorilla-proof' the operation of disconnecting the probe from one connection accessory and then connecting it to another. Because of the high frequency nature of the signals and the apparatus needed to measure them, certain physical dimensions of things allowed to experience the signals are small, perhaps even tiny. (Some oscilloscope browsers will break under just a few ounces of applied pressure!) Bending over in bad light, hands extended beyond the focus of your glasses, off balance and standing on one foot, it is all too easy to accidently apply too much force to a regular connector and break something. So it is ZIF to the rescue, as it were.
As handy as the apparatus of SIGNAL PROBE AND PROBE ASSEMBLY is, we have found room for an improvement. The style of ZIF connector used in SIGNAL PROBE AND PROBE ASSEMBLY is rated for about twenty uses. After that, its ability to form a reliable connection is degraded. Twenty uses is, in many episodes of troubleshooting or analysis, not very many. Particularly so for something apt to be construed as attached "for the duration" to the business end of an expensive active probe for a wide band digital oscilloscope. Furthermore, attaching and detaching things to that probe is not a nonchalant operation with no risk; done carelessly (or if a gorilla is on the loose) it can damage the probe. We need to look at this problem through the other end of the telescope, as it were, and see what might be done.

ZIF connection accessory and ZIF browser for an electronic probe


For an electrical plug and socket connection with housing halves that can be locked together, for which a sleeve, which can be shifted in the longitudinal direction of the housing halves, is provided for cancelling the locking, it is proposed that the locking elements be constructed as latches, which grip behind the locking shoulder at the one half of the housing in order to lock the two halves of the housing together. For this purpose, the latches are provided with an inclined surface, which is acted upon by an edge of the sleeve to unlock the connection. When tension is applied to the sleeve in a direction opposite to the plug-in direction, the edge of the sleeve presses the latches out of the locking position.

The invention relates to an electrical plug and socket connection with housing halves that can be locked, the one half of the housing being provided with locking elements, which, in the assembled state of the two halves of the housing, lock these together and the housing half, which is provided with the locking elements, being provided with a sleeve, which can be shifted in the direction of the longitudinal axis and cancels the locking when shifted against the plug-in direction of the two halves of the housing, so that the two halves of the housing can be separated.
For such plug and socket connections, it is necessary to lock the two halves of the housing positively with one another in the plugged-in state in order to prevent the unintentional loosening of the two parts of the connector during the operation due to vibrations, that is, due to tensile forces acting on the cable (connector part).
It is well known to screw together such plug and socket connections, particularly circular plug and socket connections by means of union sleeves, which are provided with a screw thread. Likewise, union sleeves with bayonet type locking mechanisms are known. Furthermore, the German Offenlegungsschrift 29 07 051 discloses an electrical connector with housing halves that can be locked, for which the locking of the two plugged-together halves of the housing is brought about by V-shaped locking elements, which engage the one half of the housing behind a locking projection. The separation of the two halves of the housing is prevented by a movable sleeve, which in the locked position prevents the locking elements sliding over the locking projection. To separate the two halves of the housing, the sleeve is pushed into a position, in which the locking elements are released and then can slide away over the respective locking projection. However, this locking system for the plug and socket connection, which is satisfactory on the whole, has a sophisticated construction and therefore cannot be produced inexpensively.

Electrical plug and socket connection with housing halves that can be locked


A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film of the invention includes: a polarizing film; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the polarizing film, wherein the polarizing film includes a polarizer and a transparent protective film provided on only one side of the polarizer, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is provided on a side of the polarizer where the transparent protective film is absent, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is made of a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing a (meth)acryl-based polymer (A) and an alkali metal salt (B). The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer with an antistatic function and satisfactory durability and whose optical properties are less likely to be degraded.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film having a polarizing film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the polarizing film. The present invention also relates to an image display, such as a liquid crystal display, an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, or a plasma display panel (PDP), produced using the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film.
Description of the Related Art
The image-forming system of liquid crystal displays or the like requires polarizing elements to be placed on both sides of a liquid crystal cell, and generally polarizing films are bonded thereto. When the polarizing films are bonded to a liquid crystal cell, pressure-sensitive adhesives are generally used. Bonding between a polarizing film and a liquid crystal cell is generally performed with a pressure-sensitive adhesive in order to reduce optical loss. In such a case, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film including a polarizing film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer previously formed on one side of the polarizing film is generally used, because it has some advantages such as no need for a drying process to fix the polarizing film. In general, a release film is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film.
During the manufacture of a liquid crystal display, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film is bonded to a liquid crystal cell. In this process, static electricity is generated when the release film is peeled off from the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film. The static electricity generated in this manner may affect the orientation of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal display to cause a failure. The static electricity may also cause display unevenness when the liquid crystal display operates. For example, the static generation can be suppressed when an antistatic layer is formed on the outer surface of the polarizing film, but its effect is not high, and there is a problem in which static generation cannot be fundamentally prevented. To suppress static generation in a fundamental position, therefore, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is required to have an antistatic function. Concerning means for providing an antistatic function to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, for example, it is proposed that an ionic compound should be added to a pressure-sensitive adhesive used to form a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (Patent Documents 1 and 4). Concerning an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive for use in forming a polarizing film, Patent Document 1 discloses the addition of a lithium salt to such an adhesive, Patent Document 2 the addition of at least one of an alkali metal salt and an alkaline-earth metal salt to such an adhesive, Patent Document 3 the addition of an ionic compound having an organic cation and being solid at room temperature to such an adhesive, and Patent Document 4 the addition of an ionic solid containing an imidazolium cation and an inorganic anion to such an adhesive. There is also proposed a method of forming an antistatic layer between a polarizing film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer using a binder of a conductive polymer such as polythiophene. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film is also required to have durability in the adhering state.
Patent Document 1: JP-A No. 2010-189489
Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 2010-065217
Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 2010-066756
Patent Document 4: JP-A No. 2009-251281
Patent Document 5: JP-A No. 2003-246874

Pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film and image display


A dual fuel nozzle for a combustion turbine having a swirl cap that is adapted to securely mount with an atomizing cylinder proximate its discharge end. A nozzle tip that is adapted to removably mount with a liquid fuel pipe is provided. The atomizing cylinder comprises an outer wall having an inlet end and opposing discharge end, and flange portion formed proximate the inlet end. The flange portion is adapted to be securely coupled with the liquid fuel pipe to the combustion turbine. The outer wall and flange portion define a receptacle that extends from the inlet end and substantially downstream to the discharge end. The receptacle is adapted to removably receive the liquid fuel pipe and the nozzle tip. The liquid fuel pipe has an inlet end and discharge end with the discharge end adapted to removably receive the nozzle tip. The liquid fuel pipe defines a liquid fuel flow passage that extends from the inlet end and substantially downstream of the flange portion proximate the discharge end. The flange portion further defines an atomizing air supply channel. The liquid fuel pipe and nozzle tip are removably positioned within the receptacle of the atomizing air cylinder. An atomizing airflow passage is defined between the air cylinder and the liquid fuel pipe such that the airflow passage is in fluid communication with the atomizing air supply channel at one end and the swirl cap proximate the other end.

Dual fuel nozzles employed in the combustion section of a gas turbine are well known in the art. Dual fuel nozzles are employed to atomize a liquid fuel to enable a gas turbine to operate more effectively and improve the start-up reliability of the combustion turbine. The atomization of a liquid fuel consists of breaking down the liquid fuel into fine particles to form a spray that can be combusted after the mixture is ejected out through the nozzle.
In a dual fuel nozzle, high-temperature atomizing air is used in conjunction with the flow of a liquid fuel to start up the combustor. The liquid fuel is ejected through a nozzle as an atomizing air flow is directed at, and strikes, the liquid fuel at a relatively high-temperature and high-pressure. When the atomizing air impacts the liquid fuel, the liquid fuel is broken down into relatively smaller particles to form a combustible spray which is easily combusted in the combustor section of the gas turbine.
A conventional dual fuel nozzle assembly 20 coupled to a gas turbine 22 is shown in FIG. 1. The conventional dual fuel nozzle assembly generally comprises a main nozzle body 24, spacer collar 26, and unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel member 28. The main nozzle body 24 and unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel delivery member 28 are coupled together with the spacer collar 26 therebetween.
The main nozzle body portion 24 comprises a flange portion 30 and a gas supply portion 32. The flange portion 30 is adapted to be mounted to the gas turbine 22. The main nozzle body portion 24 defines a centrally disposed bore 34 that extends from the flange portion 30 and through the gas supply portion 32 for receiving the unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel member 28.
Referring to FIG. 2, the prior art unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel member 28 is shown in more detail. The unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel member 28 has a inlet end 36 and discharge end 38. The unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel delivery member 28 comprises a nozzle flange portion 40, outer wall 42, inner wall 44, liquid fuel pipe 46, nozzle tip 48, lap joint 50, and swirl cap 52. The nozzle flange portion 40 further defines an atomizing air supply channel 54.
The unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel member outer wall 42 is concentrically disposed about the inner wall 44. The outer wall 42 is spaced apart from the inner wall 44, thereby, defining an atomizing air flow passage 56 which is in fluid communication with the atomizing air supply passage 54. A conical end portion 60 of the outer wall 42 proximate to the discharge end 38 is adapted to securely receive the swirl cap 52.
The inner wall 44 defines a bore 62 for receiving the liquid fuel pipe 46. A portion of the inner wall 44 proximate to the discharge end 38 is adapted to securely receive the nozzle tip 48. The nozzle tip 48 is seated adjacent to the swirl cap 52, with the lap joint 50 therebetween.
When a turbine starts-up on a relatively heavy fuel, combustion air having a temperature of approximately 100.degree. F. surrounds the outer wall 42 of the unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel delivery member 28. The inner wall 44 of the air and fuel delivery member 28 is subjected to a flow of liquid fuel having a temperature of about 200.degree. F. The differences between these temperatures may cause the nozzle tip 48 to expand axially into the lap joint 50 and swirl cap 52, and over the axial extent of the tube, results in the loss of the lap joint 50 and damage to the swirl cap 52.
It would therefore, be desirable to provide a nozzle assembly that provides improved integrity.
Because unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel supply member 28 employed in dual fuel nozzle assemblies 20 cannot be disassembled, neither the nozzle tip 48 nor swirl cap 52 can be replaced or repaired when necessary. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a dual fuel nozzle that can be repaired.
Another problem that may arise during the operation of a dual fuel nozzle 20 is that the nozzle tip 48 may become clogged when a residuum of liquid fuel remains in the nozzle tip or liquid fuel passage 58 and is subjected to long periods of heat soaking. As the residuum is exposed to heat over a certain period of time, the residuum forms deposits of gums, carbon, and varnish. These deposits end up clogging the orifices in the nozzle tip 48, thereby, constricting the fluid flow through the nozzle tip 48. Once the fluid flow is constricted, however, the nozzle tip 48 cannot be replaced or repaired because the unitary atomizing air and liquid fuel delivery member 28 cannot be disassembled to gain access to the constricted area.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a dual fuel nozzle that is relatively easy to maintain.

Atomizing dual fuel nozzle for a combustion turbine


A method, computer readable medium and computer system for repairing a failed network connection between a client system and a network is disclosed. In a first aspect, the method preferably includes collecting real time connectivity information by the client system and utilizing the real time connectivity information by the client system to establish a connection with the network. In a second aspect, a computer system coupled to a network includes at least one network adapter for monitoring and collecting real time connectivity information from the network, memory for storing the real time connectivity information, and a processor coupled to the memory and to the at least one network adapter, where the processor is configured to execute program instructions for utilizing the real time connectivity information to repair a failed network connection between the computer system and the network.

Despite advances in hardware and software technology, computer users frequently encounter situations in which they cannot establish a connection to a service provider or network. What is meant by establishing a connection in the context of the present application is either creating a first connection to a network or repairing a connection to a network. Repairing a connection to a network can be the result of an improperly installed or configured software program or device driver, or the device being used to attempt the connection may simply be disabled. In the case of a wired connection, the problem may be caused by a defective interconnect cable, or in the case of a wireless connection, a bad transmitter or antenna connection. In addition to such defects, other problems in the network can prevent the user from getting connected. For example, in the case of an Ethernet network, the failure of the network's Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, or DHCP server, can prevent the user from getting connected to the network.
Because the majority of these problems are not communicated to the user, the user cannot determine the cause, and sees the problem as simply "no connection." Moreover, even if the user was able to determine the source of the problem, e.g., through an error message generated by the system, he or she would most likely not know how to resolve the problem.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for determining the cause of a connectivity problem and repairing the connection. The system and method should be automatic and transparent to the user. The present invention addresses such a need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for establishing network connections

International Business Machines Corporation


A wireless communications control system includes: a data server; a base station; and a plurality of wireless terminals, each exchanging data communications with the data server by establishing wireless communications with the base station. Each wireless terminal includes a control section for generating property information representing own property and a wireless communications section for transmitting that property information to the base station. The property information includes at least one of information indicating operating status of the wireless terminal, information identifying the wireless terminal itself, and information identifying the user of the wireless terminal. The data server includes a communications section for receiving the property information from the respective wireless terminals by way of the base station and a control section for choosing, by reference to the property information received, one of the wireless terminals to exchange the data communications with. The control section of the data server exchanges the data communications with the wireless terminal chosen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communications control technology and more particularly relates to a control technology for maintaining data communications efficiently in a wireless communications environment where a number of terminals share a limited band.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of wireless communications such as mobile telecommunications over a wireless LAN or a cellphone network, a number of terminals keep up data communications by sharing a certain wavelength band. In such a wireless communications environment, the average communication speed (i.e., the rate at which each of those terminals can get transmission or reception done) is usually lower than a situation where a single terminal exchanges data communications by itself. This is because if a number of terminals need to maintain data communications concurrently with each other, those terminals should share a limited band in accordance with the wireless communications access control method defined.
Hereinafter, a telecommunications technique using a wireless LAN will be described as a specific example.
FIG. 11 outlines the CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidation) control system, which is an exemplary wireless LAN access control system. Suppose a situation where one wireless terminal 1111 is transmitting frame data (A1) 1112 to a base station 1101, while another wireless terminal 1121 is going to establish communication with the base station 1101. In that case, the wireless terminal 1121 cannot establish communication until the wireless terminal 1111 has transmitted the frame data (A1) 1112 completely. After the frame data (A1) 1112 has been transmitted, the wireless terminal 1121 starts to transmit another frame data (B1) 1122 to the base station 1101. And when the transmission of the frame data (B1) 1122 is complete, the wireless terminal 1111 starts to transmit next frame data (A2) 1113 to the base station 1101 again. In this manner, even if multiple terminals are attempting to keep up data communications concurrently, all wireless terminals other than the one that is communicating with the base station must wait until it gets ready to establish communication. As a result, the average communication speed of the wireless terminals will decrease, which is a problem.
Furthermore, in a wireless LAN, the link rate between the base station and each wireless terminal could vary according to the distance from the base station to the wireless terminal and/or the status of radio waves. For example, according to the IEEE 802.11g standard (which is one of wireless LAN telecommunications standards that were defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in the United States), the link rate between a base station and each wireless terminal should be one of 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6 Mbps, and the link rates could be different between any two of the wireless terminals. In that case, if one tries to establish communications at a relatively high link rate and at a relatively low link rate concurrently, then even the average data communication speed of a wireless terminal with the relatively high link rate would be determined by that of another wireless terminal with the relatively low link rate. That is also a problem.
To overcome such a problem, according to a conventional method, a band control technique is adopted. As for a wireless LAN, for example, the IEEE 802.11e standard was set up to define how to implement the QoS (Quality of Service) technique for ensuring a certain communication speed by reserving a band for a particular type of communications. By using a combination of a base station and wireless terminals that are compliant with the IEEE 802.11e standard, data communications between the base station and a particular one of the wireless terminals can be controlled preferentially. Another conventional technique proposed uses a base station that has the ability to exchange data with a particular wireless terminal while controlling access by the other wireless terminals with lower link rates than the current one (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-74193, for example).
According to a wireless LAN implementation that uses a base station to which such a band control technique has been introduced in advance, however, normally only limited band control functions are available, among which not every wireless LAN user can find his or her desired band control function. Also, if a base station to which none of those band control functions available is introduced is used, then such a base station cannot provide the band control function that the user of the wireless LAN needs.
For example, suppose the user needs such a band control function for controlling the sum of the amounts of time it has taken for multiple wireless terminals, all of which have requested to establish data communication in a wireless LAN communications network that does not require real-time communications, to get their communications done. FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate the amount of time it has taken for each of wireless terminals #1 and #2 to get data communications with the base station done by itself. Specifically, it has taken an amount of time Ta for the wireless terminal #1 to get frame data A1 through A4 transmitted completely, while it has taken an amount of time Tb for the wireless terminal #2 to get frame data B1 through B4 transmitted completely. In this case, the minimum sum of those amounts of time taken is Ta+Tb, theoretically speaking.
Suppose these two wireless terminals have the same data communication rate and require the same amount of collision avoidation process time by CSMA/CA control for the sake of simplicity. Also, each of those frame data A1 through A4 and B1 through B4 to transmit is supposed to have the same data size and the wireless terminals #1 and #2 are supposed to have link rates of 48 Mbps and 24 Mbps, respectively.
If their actual communication speeds are as high as their link rates, the amount of time Tb it will take for the wireless terminal #2 to get the frame data B1 through B4 transmitted will be exactly twice as long as the amount of time Ta it will take for the wireless terminal #1 to get the frame data A1 through A4 transmitted. FIG. 12C shows the total amount of time it will take for these two wireless terminals to establish data communications with a base station with no band control capabilities in a situation where the communications need to be done on an equal opportunity basis. In that case, the frame data A1 will be transmitted first, the frame data B1 next, and then those two wireless terminals will alternately communicate with the base station on a frame data basis. That is why the total amount of time Tb1 it will take until the wireless terminal #2 gets the last frame data B4 transmitted will be Ta+Tb. Meanwhile, the total amount of time Ta1 it will take until the wireless terminal #1 gets the last frame data A4 transmitted is obtained by subtracting the amount of time it will take to transmit the frame data B4 from the total amount of time Tb1. Consequently, the sum of those amounts of time Ta1+Tb1 is given by (Ta+Tb)+(Ta+Tb−the amount of time it takes to transmit the frame data B4). Thus, a band control technique for reducing that total amount of time to the theoretical minimum sum Ta+Tb is required.
In the case of wireless LAN communications, even if the communications started at a constant link rate, the link rate could still change after that during the communications due to a variation in the status of radio waves, for example. That is why if the user needs a band control technique for keeping up communications using a wireless terminal with the highest link rate preferentially, then the wireless terminals to which a top priority is given should be changed during the communications. Also, even though some user may want to maintain communications until a wireless terminal that has once opened up a communication gets that communication done, another user may want to interrupt such a communication that has been once opened up by some wireless terminal but that has not been done yet and switch to a communication by another wireless terminal with a higher priority.
Furthermore, in some situation, the user may happen to change his or her mind and want to switch from the band control technique for minimizing the total amount of times it will take for multiple wireless terminals to get their communications done into the one for giving a top priority to communications by a particular wireless terminal.
As described above, if the band control technique required may be different from one user to another, it is usually difficult to get a base station in which all of those different band control functions are incorporated in advance.

Wireless communication control system and method thereof


An attenuator circuit having three cascaded attenuator stages which become active, one at a time, as an input signal strength increases. In the highest gain state, the three attenuator stages are active. As the input signal increases, the attenuator stages become inactive sequentially starting with the last stage.

Ampitude linearity must be preserved in amplitude modulated video signals, such as NTSC television signals, to offer pleasing picture quality. When NTSC television signals are amplitude modulated onto a carrier and transmitted over a power line, it is desirable to transmit the carrier at relatively high levels (i.e. signal voltages) to overcome the ambient noise level and high propagation losses due to impedance mismatching at the transmitted frequencies. These impedance mismatches can lead not only to signal power losses but also to actual voltage rises due to impedance transformation on the power line.


An apparatus for adapting drill bits and similar tools to a power tool includes a drive shaft which includes a threaded end portion which is connected to a chuck. An intermediate portion of the drive shaft supports a pair of ball bearings which are located in a first cavity, formed in a collar which encircles the drive shaft. The drive shaft has a second end portion which projects into a second cavity formed in the collar. The second cavity includes a threaded portion for connection to a power tool and the second end portion has a hexagonal cross-section.

This invention relates generally to the field of power tools and, more particularly, to an adapter for power tools to convert a power tool from one use to another.
The prior art related to power tool adapters includes the following apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,719 to S. E. Kivela shows an adapter which converts the rotary motion of a power source into a reciprocating motion. A tool holder is provided as part of this apparatus to hold a saw blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,475 to A. W. Kuder shows an adapter for a coaxial drive fastener gun which includes a planetary gear set and which is capable of driving a high speed reamer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,610 to A. D. Burt shows an adapter which utilizes a cam to convert the rotary motion of a hand-held drill to combine reciprocating and rotary motion for the purpose of driving a sheet metal cutting tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,578 to K. C. Chagnon, et al. shows an adapter for converting a rotary power tool such as a rotary screw gun to a rotary cutter for cutting gypsum wall board. The adapter includes a plurality of rotatable gears and shafts to enable the cutting bit to turn at a speed preferably six times greater than the speed of the screw driving bit of the screw gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,463 to Y. Chen shows an adapter which utilizes a spiral gear set and an eccentric strut to convert the rotary motion of a hand-held drill to reciprocating motion in order to operate a saw blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,589 to R. W. Povieski shows an attachment for a rotary drill which utilizes a drive shaft and a gear set to drive a circular saw or power sander.
The apparatus in the prior art utilizes relatively complex gear drives and is directed to conversion of rotary motion into reciprocating motion for driving saw blades or to modification of the speed of the input motion in order to drive reamers or cutter tools.


A method and system are provided for identifying a current user of a terminal device from a group of possible users. The method includes providing a database containing multiple user input pattern profiles of prior user inputs to the terminal device. Each of the possible users of the group are associated with at least one of the user input pattern profiles. Current input patterns from use of the terminal device are detected. The current input patterns are combined and then dynamically matched with one of the user input pattern profiles, and the possible user associated with the matched user input pattern profile is selected as the current user. The system for identifying a current user of a terminal device from a group of possible users includes a database containing multiple user input pattern profiles of prior user inputs to the terminal device. Each of the possible users is associated with at least one of the user input pattern profiles. The system detects current input patterns from use of the terminal device, and then combines the patterns and dynamically matches the patterns with one of the user input pattern profiles. The system selects the possible user associated with the matched user input pattern profiles as the current user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to monitoring the activity of users of client terminal devices and, more particularly, to a method and system for identifying unique users from user behavioral data.
2. Description of Related Art
Various systems are available for profiling users of client terminal devices. Profiling typically involves determining demographic and interest information on users such as, e.g., age, gender, income, marital status, location, and interests. User profiles are commonly used in selecting targeted advertising and other content to be delivered to particular users. Delivery of targeted content is advantageous. For example, targeted advertising has been found to be generally more effective in achieving user response (such as in click-through rates) than advertising that is generally distributed to all users.
Client terminal devices are commonly used by multiple individual users. For example, a home computer or a household television set can typically be expected to be used by various different family members at different times. Each particular user is likely to have a very different profile from other possible users, making delivery of targeted content ineffective. A need accordingly exists for distinguishing between various possible users at a given client terminal device.

Method and apparatus for identifying unique client users from user behavioral data


An object is to provide an exhaust-gas treatment apparatus capable of realizing a dissolved-salt spray method easily and at low cost. An exhaust-gas treatment apparatus that removes SO2and SO3contained in combustion exhaust gas includes a desulfurization apparatus based on the lime-gypsum method. Desulfurizing effluent, containing dissolved salt, from the desulfurization apparatus is sprayed to an upstream side of the desulfurization apparatus to remove SO3. A wet electrical dust precipitator may be provided downstream of the desulfurization apparatus. Furthermore, effluent from the wet electrical dust precipitator may be made to merge with the desulfurizing effluent from the desulfurization apparatus.

Combustion exhaust gas including sulfur oxides, such as SO2 and SO3, is emitted from a combustion furnace in which fuels containing at least 0.5 wt % sulfur content, such as heavy fuels or coal fuels, are combusted.
SO3 is produced as a result of partial oxidation of SO2 at high temperatures. Therefore, the presence of SO3 is about a few percent relative to SO2. Nevertheless, the concentration of exhaust SO3 should be controlled below a few ppm because SO3 not only causes air heaters to clog or erode or chimney flues to erode but also causes blueish smoke to occur when cooled and discharged from a chimney.
Whereas well-known methods for removing SO3 include the ammonia injection method in which ammonia gas is blown into combustion exhaust gas, the present inventors have proposed a method for spraying desulfurizing effluent including a dissolved salt, such as Na2SO4, into combustion exhaust gas (hereinafter, referred to as the "dissolved-salt spray method") as a technique for removing SO3 easily and at a low cost (refer to Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1:
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2006-326575

Exhaust-gas treatment apparatus and exhaust-gas treatment method

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING CO., LTD.


An expandable and rotatable power strip includes a power cord having configured to deliver electrical current to a distal end. A plurality of primary socket modules is electrically connected to the power cord and to one another, each of the plurality of socket modules having a housing with a socket outlet configured to receive a power plug and to deliver current thereto. Each primary socket module includes a male conduction assembly electrically connected to and extending from a first side of the housing and a female conduction assembly electrically connected to and extending from a second side thereof. A respective male conduction assembly of one primary socket module is rotatably coupled to a respective female conduction assembly of an adjacent primary, the respective male conduction assembly and the respective female conduction assembly configured to transmit current therebetween. The distance between adjacent socket modules is length adjustable.

This invention relates generally to electrical outlet devices and, more particularly, to a power strip that is length adjustable and in which individual socket modules may be rotatably articulated relative to adjacent socket modules.
Power strips having multiple socket outlets have long been used to enable multiple electric devices to be plugged in where there is an insufficient number of wall electrical receptacles to plug into. Traditional power strips include a generally long and rectangular housing with a short power cord. For instance, a power strip is useful beneath a computer desk so that the power cords of a computer, monitor, printer, modem, lamp, and the like may be plugged in and then powered using only a single wall receptacle.
While this configuration may be effective when a multitude of electrically powered devices are located in close proximity and can all plugged into the power strip, the traditional power strip is not as effective when the electric devices are displaced from one another or have relatively short power cords themselves. Further, the traditional power strip often does not fit into crowded spaces or around obstacles. For instance, multiple extension cords must be used to join more than one power strip to reach a wall receptacle, such as in a bedroom where alarm clocks, lamps, and stereos on night stands on either side of the bed have only a single wall receptacle for use.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a power strip having multiple individual socket modules that are length adjustable such that the power strip can be elongated to accommodate electric devices that are spaced apart. Further, it would be desirable to have a power strip having multiple individual socket modules that can be rotatably articulated around obstacles or to fit in crowded spaces.


In a system for superplastic forming and diffusion bonding of metal layers, an inlet fitting is employed which includes a threaded barrel and a headed threaded male connector. The latter is threadingly received within the threaded barrel and creates a positive sealing relationship between the inlet fitting and a sandwich sheet undergoing processing. The inlet fitting has an axial bore formed therethrough to allow evacuation and pressurization of a manifold groove formed between the two sandwich sheets undergoing processing.

The process of superplastic forming and diffusion bonding of metals is well known in the art. A summary of such a process and a system for accomplishing such a process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,350 to Paez, et al., issued Dec. 8, 1981, to the present assignee. The present invention deals with an improvement of an inlet assembly, as will be discussed hereinafter.
Briefly, the process of superplastic forming and diffusion bonding has the advantages of forming complex shapes and permitting deep drawing of metallic parts. At the temperatures involved the deformation stresses are relatively low, which permits the forming of complex parts under pressures which keep tool deformation and wear at a minimum.
Diffusion bonding which is used in conjunction with superplastic forming refers to the metallurgical bonding or joining of metal by the steps of applying heat and pressure for periods of time sufficient to cause comingling of the metal atoms at the places where the surfaces are joined.
The superplastic forming and diffusion bonding process is particularly useful in the aerospace industry in the formation of wings, frames, and the like. The process is particularly useful in forming strengthening members used in aerospace structures referred to as frames and stringers.
Generally speaking, the process begins with cleaning the metal sheets to be used in the sandwich. The sheets are then selectively coated with a material commonly referred to as "stop-off" which typically is boronnitride, yttria, or some rare earth or other very inert material. The purpose of the "stop-off" is to prevent diffusion bonding of the sandwich-like material where the stop-off material has been applied. The areas coated with "stop-off" can be formed into a desired shape by the application of gas pressure applied to the inside of the metallic sandwich. Prior art systems have not been reliable for commercial production. In some prior art practices, an inlet tube was inserted between the sandwich layers to be used to evacuate the space between the sandwich layers and to thereafter supply gas under pressure to the spaces between the sandwich to form the sandwich into the desired honeycomb shape by superplastic forming.
In prior practices, after inserting the tube between titanium sandwich layers, the sandwich construction sometimes was welded around its periphery to form a unitary structure or was bonded during the superplastic forming, diffusion bonding cycle to form an assembly sometimes called a bag. Typically, this was accomplished by seam welding or under heat and pressure by diffusion bonding. In many operations there were more than one such inlet tubes.
One problem that has arisen as a result of these prior art practices where the inlet tube extended into the sandwich was that, while welding the peripheries of the sandwiched sheets, one or more of the inlet tubes would be pinched closed and rendered inoperable. Where this occurred, the subsequent operations were severely adversely affected, sometimes resulting in complete failure to form the desired assembly.
In another approach a tube was welded to the bag. The weld is susceptible to cracks that could break the seal which should exist between the inlet tube and the sandwich construction which also would adversely affect the superplastic forming operation.
In the previously identified U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,350, an improved system and process relating to titanium sheets is disclosed. That invention includes upper and lower die members which receive the sandwich assembly. The die members include passageways adapted to direct gases to and from the sandwich assembly. One of the die members has a recess in which is positioned a hollow metal pin preferably made of stainless steel. One end of the hollow pin is in sealing relationship within an opening in the bottom layer or sheet of the sandwich. The other end of the hollow pin has a knife-like edge and is in sealing relationship with a washer-like member within the recess. A feature of the invention is that the stainless steel tube is directed to the sandwich in a direction perpendicular to the sandwich rather than parallel to the sandwich.
In operation, the hollow pin is press fitted in the hole in the bottom sheet of the sandwich. The sheets are then cleaned and stop-off, preferably boron-nitride, selectively applied to the sheets to determine the shape of the structural article and the areas of diffusion bonding of the sheets.
The titanium sandwich sheets are then seam welded around the periphery to form an assembly. The assembly is placed in a cavity formed by dies and a seal effected between the hollow stainless steel pin and the die in which it is located. The dies are brought together to apply a squeezing pressure to that portion of the assembly to be diffusion bonded. The assembly is heated to about 1650.degree. F. and the sandwich is subjected to an inert gas, preferably argon, to prevent contamination of the sandwich surfaces. Thereafter, the assembly is heated for a prolonged period at about 1650.degree. F. while inert gas under pressure is directed to the interior of the sandwich assembly to form a structural assembly.

Pressurization system inlet assembly for superplastic forming and diffusion bonding


The present invention provides novel methods for diagnosing a state of health based on the determination of specific miRNAs that have altered expression levels in different conditions, e.g. disease states compared to healthy controls.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a recently discovered class of small non-coding RNAs (17-14 nucleotides). Due to their function as regulators of gene expression they play a critical role both in physiological and in pathological processes, such as cancer (Calin and Croce 2006; Esquela-Kerscher and Slack 2006; Zhang, Pan et al. 2007; Sassen, Miska et al. 2008).
There is increasing evidence that miRNAs are not only found in tissues but also in human blood both as free circulating nucleic acids (also called circulating miRNAs) and in mononuclear cells. A recent proof-of-principle study demonstrated miRNA expression pattern in pooled blood sera and pooled blood cells, both in healthy individuals and in cancer patients including patients with lung cancer (Chen, Ba et al. 2008). In addition, a remarkable stability of miRNAs in human sera was recently demonstrated (Chen, Ba et al. 2008; Gilad, Meiri et al. 2008). These findings make miRNA a potential tool for diagnostics for various types of diseases based on blood analysis.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide (Jemel, Siegel et al. 2008). Its five-year survival rate is among the lowest of all cancer types and is markedly correlated to the stage at the time of diagnosis (Scott, Howington et al. 2007). Using currently existing techniques, more than two-thirds of lung cancers are diagnosed at late stages, when the relative survival rate is low (Henschke and Yankelevitz 2008). This reality calls for the search of new biomarkers that are able to catch lung cancer while it is still small and locally defined.
Multiple sclerosis (MS, also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Causing MS appears to be a combination of immunological, genetic and environmental factors. It is a chronic demyelinating disease, which primarily affects young adults and is characterized by a highly variable course. The heterogeneous presentation of MS is characterized by a variety of clinical problems arising from multiple regions of demyelination and inflammation along axonal pathways. The signs and symptoms of MS are determined by the location of the affected regions.
Mostly, the disease begins in the third or fourth decade of life. Its initial course is characterized by acute episodes of neurological dysfunction, such as decreased vision, followed by subsequent recovery. This course is known as relapsing-remitting MS. Over time, the improvement after attacks may be incomplete and the relapsing-remitting course may evolve into one of increasing progression of disability, termed secondary progressive MS.
The diagnosis of MS generally relies on the presence of a neurological problem that remits and then returns at an unrelated site. This is confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or functional evidence of lesions in a particular pathway by abnormal evoked potentials. The histological hallmark of MS at postmortem exam is multiple lesions at different sites showing loss of myelin and infiltration by a characteristic complement of inflammatory cells.
The key to identifying predictive markers is a deeper understanding of the factors that underlie the therapeutic response. Identification of biomarkers will in turn allow for stratification of MS patients for their response to a specific treatment, ultimately leading to improved therapeutic benefits and a personalized treatment approach for MS patients.
Identification of reliable biomarkers in MS sclerosis patients bears the potential for an improved MS diagnosis, monitoring the disease activity and progression and also to evaluate response to treatments. The field of biomarker discovery has gradually shifted from the aim to find the perfect surrogate marker to the construction of composite markers with higher performances, taking advantage of technologies allowing unbiased screening, including microarray analyses. However, suitable biomarker sets allowing for a non-invasive diagnosis of MS based on peripheral profiles have not been detected, so far.
The three most common skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin), so a tumor is usually clearly visible. This makes most skin cancers detectable in the early stages. Melanoma is less common than basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, but it is the most serious. Non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common skin cancers, and the majority of these are basal cell carcinomas (BCC). These are usually localized growths caused by excessive cumulative exposure to the sun and do not tend to spread. Basal cell carcinomas are present on sun-exposed areas of the skin, especially the face. They rarely metastasize, and rarely cause death. They are easily treated with surgery or radiation. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are common, but much less common than basal cell cancers. They metastasize more frequently than BCCs. Even then, the metastasis rate is quite low, with the exception of SCCs of the lip, ear, and in immunosuppressed patients. Melanomas are the least frequent of the 3 common skin cancers. They frequently metastasize, and are deadly once spread.
Malignant melanoma represent the most aggressive form of skin cancer. The number of melanoma cases continues to increase in incidence, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) faster than that of any other type of cancer. Melanoma accounts for about 4% of skin cancer cases but for as many as 74% of all skin cancer deaths. The probability of surviving 5 years after the diagnosis drops to as low as 5% for advanced melanomas, or to even complete fatality (stage IV).
Currently, there is no promising standard therapy available for the treatment of melanomas in advanced stages. In order to improve prognosis and have a significant impact on decreasing mortality rates it is crucial to recognize this malignancy in its earliest forms. Considering metastasis to distinct organs happens very early in the progression of this disease, current research focuses on the development and improvement of early detection strategies. Only early surgical removal of the primary tumor increases the chance for the recovery of patients suffering from melanoma.
Thus, although various markers have been proposed to indicate specific types of disorders such as cancer, MS or melanoma such as malignant melanoma, there is still a need for more efficient and effective methods and compositions for the diagnosis of diseases.

miRNA fingerprint in the diagnosis of diseases


A method and apparatus for admitting an additional node into a communications network that uses a scheduled communications protocol. Specifically, the node detects the presence of a network, establishes a communication link with a node already present on the network using a unicast messaging protocol, and then communicates pre-admission information to the node on the network. After pre-admission is complete, the new node is admitted to the network.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a communications network and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for admitting a node to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional network is comprised of nodes and a router, typically arranged in a hub and spoke formation. A node communicates to another node by transmitting the data to the router, and the router then forwards the data to the destination node. The nodes are unaware of the presence of all the other nodes present on the network, but the router is aware of the presence of all the nodes on the network. The router stores the physical address of all the nodes on the network and facilitates the transmission of data from one node to another.
A node is added to a conventional network by connecting the node to a router. Once the router detects the presence of the new node, the router stores the physical address of the node its memory. The nodes on the network communicate with the newly added node in a conventional manner: data addressed to the new node is transmitted to the router, and the router forwards the data to the physical address stored in memory that is associated with the new node.
In a multi-base station network, where a plurality of user nodes may wirelessly communicate with a base station, the communications protocol is generally a scheduled protocol. Using a scheduled protocol, the base station organizes the communications with each of the user nodes. When a new node requests a connection to the base station, the scheduled communications may be interrupted to process the request. Such an interruption may impact network throughput. In addition, the process to negotiate the admission of a new node may introduce latency into the communication experienced by the existing nodes of the network.
A mesh network differs from a conventional network because there is no central switching point, i.e., a router, to distribute the data within the mesh network. The nodes are aware of the presence of other nodes on the mesh network, and data is transmitted across the mesh network by passing the data through interconnected nodes. Since there is no central switching point to direct traffic on the mesh network, a node must join the mesh network by connecting to nodes that are already a part of the mesh network.
The nodes of a mesh network communicate with one another using specific time slots and communications protocols, i.e., the communications within the network are scheduled. A new node that is to be admitted to the network is unsynchronized with the network and must repeatedly request admission until a node that is currently part of the network recognizes the admission request. Consequently, a new node may wait an inordinate amount of time before being admitted to the network. Furthermore, the existing nodes of the network must interrupt their scheduled communications to process the admission request of a new node. Such interruption can impact the throughput of the network.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for admitting a node to a communications network.

Method and apparatus for pre-admitting a node to a mesh network


A speaker device that comprises a cabinet and a speaker unit. The speaker unit is attached to an opening portion formed in a front surface of the cabinet. The speaker unit has a back surface frame, a front surface frame, a first magnetic circuit, a second magnetic circuit, an edge, a damper, a diaphragm, a voice coil bobbin, and a voice coil. A non-magnet member which is a portion of the diaphragm, the first magnetic circuit, and the second magnetic circuit play a role as a negative stiffness mechanism to suppress an influence of an acoustic stiffness, thereby achieving a small-size speaker device capable of reproducing low-frequency sound.

Conventionally, audio devices are becoming more digitalized, and players for reproducing music sources are becoming smaller and more portable. However, speaker devices for eventually reproducing sounds require large cabinets so as to sufficiently reproduce sounds in a low frequency region included in music sources. Therefore, speaker devices carried in the small-size or portable players have small-volume cabinets, so that an acoustic stiffness exhibited by the cabinet is large, and therefore, it is difficult to achieve low-frequency sound reproduction to a sufficient extent.
Therefore, a speaker device has been disclosed in which a limit of low-frequency sound reproduction which is determined by the volume of a cabinet is improved (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Hereinafter, the speaker device will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Note that FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a structure of the speaker device.
In FIG. 14, the conventional speaker device comprises a cabinet 101 and a speaker unit 102. The speaker unit 102 has a frame 103, an edge 104, a cone-shaped diaphragm 105, a dust cap 106, a voice coil bobbin 107, a damper 108, a voice coil 109, a magnet 110, a center pole 111, a magnetic plate 112, a movable magnet 113, and a fixed magnet 114.
In FIG. 14, the speaker unit 102 is attached to an opening portion on a front surface of the cabinet 101. The magnet 110 is in the shape of a ring. A back surface of the magnet 110 (a surface of the magnet 110 closer to a back side of the cabinet 101) is fixed to a front side of the center pole 111. Aback surface of the magnetic plate 112 is fixed to a front surface of the magnet 110. The voice coil 109 is wound around an outer circumferential surface of an end portion of the voice coil bobbin 107 closer to the back side of the cabinet 101. The voice coil 109 is inserted in a magnetic gap formed between an outer circumferential surface of a convex of the center pole 111 and an inner circumferential surface of the magnetic plate 112. The frame 103 has a sound hole 103h and is fixed to a front surface of the magnetic plate 112. An outer circumference of the damper 108 is fixed to the frame 103 to support the voice coil bobbin 107. The cone-shaped diaphragm 105 is fixed to an end portion closer to the front surface of the voice coil bobbin 107. The edge 104, fixed to the flame 103, supports an outer circumference of the cone-shaped diaphragm 105. The dust cap 106 is fixed to a center portion of the cone-shaped diaphragm 105. The movable magnet 113 is in the shape of a ring, and an inner circumferential surface of the movable magnet 113 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the voice coil bobbin 107. The movable magnet 113 is disposed between the cone-shaped diaphragm 105 and the damper 108, in the voice coil bobbin 107. The fixed magnet 114 is in the shape of a ring, and an inner circumferential surface of the fixed magnet 114 faces an outer circumferential surface of the movable magnet 113, forming a gap. The movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 are magnetized to the same polarity in a thickness direction (vibration direction).
Next, an operation of the conventional speaker device thus configured will be described. When an electrical signal is applied to the voice coil 109, a driving force is generated. The cone-shaped diaphragm 105 fixed to the voice coil bobbin 107 is vibrated by the driving force. Sound is generated by the vibration of the cone-shaped diaphragm 105. The above-described operation is an operation of a typical electrokinetic speaker. The conventional speaker device largely differs from typical speakers in an interaction between the movable magnet 113 fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the voice coil bobbin 107, and the fixed magnet 114 disposed facing the movable magnet 113. The cone-shaped diaphragm 105 is vibrated by the driving force generated by the voice coil 109. In this case, the movable magnet 113 is vibrated together with the voice coil bobbin 107 inside of the fixed magnet 114. The movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 are magnetized to the same polarity in the vibration direction. Therefore, when the movable magnet 113 is displaced, a magnetic field in which the movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 repel each other is formed. Therefore, when the movable magnet 113 is displaced from a position where the movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 are magnetically balanced (hereinafter referred to as a balanced position), a force which allows the movable magnet 113 to escape from the balanced position acts on the movable magnet 113. Specifically, the movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 act to apply a negative stiffness to a vibration system of the speaker unit 102 at a position deviated from the balanced position. In other words, the movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 constitute a mechanism for generating a negative stiffness. Hereinafter, the mechanism for generating a negative stiffness is referred to as a negative stiffness generating mechanism.
The negative stiffness acts on the vibration system of the speaker unit 102 so that an acoustic stiffness of the cabinet 101 is reduced. As a result, a minimum resonant frequency of the speaker device decreases. In other words, in the conventional speaker device, even the small-size cabinet can reproduce low-frequency sound as if the speaker unit were mounted in a large-size cabinet.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-308174
However, in the conventional speaker device, the movable magnet 113 which serves as a negative stiffness generating mechanism is provided in the voice coil bobbin 107. As a result, in the conventional speaker device, the weight of the vibration system of the speaker unit 102 increases, so that a level of an output sound pressure of the speaker unit 102 decreases.
In addition, if the size of the movable magnet 113 is reduced to decrease the weight of the vibration system, a magnetic field formed by the movable magnet 113 and the fixed magnet 114 is affected. Specifically, if the size of the movable magnet 113 is reduced, a force which gives the negative stiffness generated by the magnetic field decreases. Therefore, in the conventional speaker device, it is difficult to reduce the weight of the vibration system while keeping the force which gives the negative stiffness. Therefore, in order to increase the output sound pressure level of the speaker unit, it is conventionally necessary to reduce the weight of the vibration system and increase the driving force.


A reduced oil rubber composition includes (a) a silica filler, (b) a N-substituted polyalkylene succinimide derivative, and (c) a rubber matrix. In certain embodiments, the composition may comprise a reduced amount of oil, especially a reduced amount of aromatic oil or even no aromatic oil. Rubber articles manufactured from such composition, such as tires and power belts, have improved properties such as reduced rolling resistance, improved wet/snow traction and winter softness, improved dynamic stiffness, improved tensile strength, easy handling, and/or compatibility with higher environmental standard, among others.

The present disclosure is generally related to a rubber composition. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to a rubber composition comprising a silica filler, and a N-substituted polyalkylene succinimide derivative. The addition of the N-substituted polyalkylene succinimide derivative allows for a reduction in the amount of processing oil required in the rubber composition. The composition is useful in manufacturing rubber articles such as tires with reduced rolling resistance, improved wet/snow traction and winter softness, improved dynamic stiffness, improved tensile strength, easy handling, and/or compatibility with higher environmental standard, among others.
Various imide compounds have been used in rubber compounding. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,336 to Machurat et al. teaches that a minor amount of an alkenyl succinimide may be incorporated into a filled/plasticized natural or synthetic rubber, to enhance the compatibility between reinforcing filler such as silica and plasticizer such as oil. The alkenyl succinimides were prepared by reacting anhydrides such as tetrapropenyl succinic anhydride and polyisobutenyl succinic anhydride with amines including tris(3-oxa-6-aminohexyl)amine, 1-10-diamino-4,7-dioxadecane, ethylene diamine, para diamino benzene, bis-hexamethylene triamine, and tetraethylene pentamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,552 to Lawrence discloses some imide compounds in rubber composition such as N-(morpholinothio)-succinimide, N-(piperidinothio)-succinimide, N-(morpholinothio)-maleimide, N-(dibenzylaminothio)-maleimide, N-(morpholinothio)-glutarimide, and N-(2,6-dimethylmorpholinothio)-glutarimide. The imide compounds are used as sulfur donors to increase the state of vulcanization or to permit the use of lesser amounts of free sulfur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,792 to Wideman et al. discloses a rubber composition comprising from 0.1 to 10 phr of a sulfur containing bis-succinimide of the formula:
wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyls having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and x is an integer of from 1 to 8. In exemplified embodiments, tetrathiodisuccinimide was prepared from the reaction between N-chlorosuccinimide and red-colored tetrasulfide dianion, which was formed by mixing sodium sulfide nonahydrate and sulfur in distilled water at elevated temperature. The use of sulfur containing bis-succinimide with a silica coupler resulted in higher modulus, E′ (stiffness), hardness properties (at room temperature) and rebound values.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,981,662 and 6,174,989, both to D'Sidocky et al., disclose some rubber compounds containing polymeric bis-succinimide polysulfides such as poly N,N′-m-Xylylenebis(3-methylsuccimimide)polysulfide. Rubber compounding results showed improvements in retention of modulus during overcure and with increasing cure temperature, improvements in retention of tensile strength, improvements in retention of hardness and improvements in retention of rebound properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,781 to Harrison et al. discloses a lubricant composition comprising an alkali metal borate dispersed in a polyalkylene succinic anhydride and a metal salt of a polyisobutenyl sulfonate. The polyalkylene succinic anhydride is selected from polyalkylene succinic anhydride, non-nitrogen containing derivatives of polyalkylene succinic anhydride, and mixtures thereof. The lubricant composition is described as useful in high load conditions such as occur in the gears of automobile transmission and differentials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,309 to Cherpeck discloses the use of a polyisobutenyl succinimide derivative in combination with a nonvolatile paraffinic or naphthenic carrier oil as a fuel additive. The derivative is prepared by reacting ethylenediamine or diethylenetriamine with a polyisobutenyl succinic anhydride.
The technology described herein provides a new class of N-substituted polyalkylene succinimide derivative used together with silica filler in rubber compositions. Rubber articles such as tires made from such composition can exhibit unexpected properties such as reduced rolling resistance, improved wet/snow traction and winter softness, improved dynamic stiffness, improved tensile strength, easy handling, and/or compatibility with higher environmental standard, among others.

Reduced oil rubber compositions including N-substituted polyalkylene succinimide derivates and methods for preparing such compositions


A method of forming a hermetically sealed electrodless lamp envelope includes: (1) forming an envelope blank; (2) depositing a gas and light generating expedient material in an interior of the envelope blank; (3) arranging a window on an open end of the envelope blank; and (4) using an ultra-short pulse laser system to locally heat the axial end of the envelope blank and the window to seal the window on the envelope blank without degrading the contents deposited in an interior of the envelope or damaging or cracking the envelope blank and/or window.

This disclosure is directed to an electrodeless lamp envelope although it could be applied to other lamp and ampule configurations. In an electrodeless lamp system, the power required to generate the light from the electrodeless lamp envelope is transferred from outside the lamp envelope to the gas inside the lamp envelope via an electric or magnetic field. An interior of the envelope may be filled with a gas capable of producing a desired emission of light energy, such as neon, xenon, or argon. There may also be trace materials added to the interior of the envelope such as mercury or metal halides to help ignite the gas of the lamp and create a desired emission of light energy. In particular, the disclosure is related to methods of hermetically sealing the envelope. In one aspect, the disclosure is related to methods of hermetically sealing an envelope formed from sapphire. This disclosure is also related to deposition of dielectric coatings on surfaces of the envelope and forming desired geometric surfaces on portions of the exterior of the envelope for focusing the light energy emitted from the lamp and/or to generate other desired optics.

Method of manufacturing an electrodeless lamp envelope


A pressure controller for a fluidic bladder has in sequence a pump, a first fluid line, a supply pressure sensor, a second fluid line, a bladder having an inlet coupled to the second fluid line, a bladder outlet coupled to a third fluid line of substantially equal length to the second fluid line, a return pressure sensor, and a fourth fluid line coupled to the return pressure sensor and returning fluid from the pump to the reservoir. A pressure estimate is formed by averaging the supply pressure and return pressure. The pressure controller receives a setpoint pressure as a command and data over a wireless channel, and computes a head pressure offset by turning the pump off and measuring the supply and return pressures.

Measurement of fluidic pressure in a fluid-carrying bladder can be readily performed at the bladder using a pressure gauge or pressure sensor. However, when there is a circulating fluid through the bladder and the pressure sensor is remotely located from the bladder, several errors are introduced. A first error is an offset error associated with the fluid density and elevation difference between the bladder and pressure sensor. When the objective of the bladder is compression of a wearable cuff, the fluid used to pressurize the bladder can be air, in which case the added pressure from the elevation difference between bladder and sensor is a negligible 0.0323 Pascals (Pa) per mm. However, when the objective of the bladder is compression and also cooling of an encircled limb, water or other fluid with greater density and greater thermal transfer characteristics may be used. Where fluid is used as a coolant, the added fluid pressure from the vertical (elevation) difference between the bladder and pressure sensor measurement point, known as "head pressure", increases at the rate of 9.8 Pa per mm of vertical separation, or head height. In an example where the bladder pressure is 50 mmHg (6.67 kPa), and the pressure sensor is 750 mm below the bladder, the head pressure from the water in the lines from the bladder to the pressure sensor is 7.3 kPa, in excess of the intrinsic 6.67 kPa pressure to be measured. Further, when it is desired to measure the fluid pressure in the presence of fluid flow, the problem becomes yet more complicated by the pressure drops across the lines from turbulent flow in the fluid supply and return lines.
It is additionally desired to provide a reliable method for wireless control of pressurized fluid which travels through a bladder such that the pressure control may be performed locally to the cooling device and pressure commands can be issued over a wireless interface without risk of loss of pressure control or loss of regulation.
It is desired to provide a method and apparatus for measurement of fluidic pressure where a fluid is circulating through a bladder with a height difference between the bladder and the pressure sensor.

Wireless pressure control of a fluidic bladder with head pressure compensation


The present invention relates to nucleotide sequences of FHIT genes and amino acid sequences of their encoded proteins, as well as derivatives and analogs thereof, and antibodies thereto. The FHIT gene sequence is mutated in diseases involving cell overproliferation, particularly malignancies of the digestive tract. The present invention further relates to the use of FHIT genes and their encoded proteins as diagnostic and therapeutic reagents for the detection and treatment of disease states associated with cell overproliferation.

Cancer remains one of the most severe health problems in America, accounting for substantial fatality and health costs in society. Tumorigenesis in humans is a complex process involving activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (Bishop, 1991, Cell 64:235–248). Tumor suppressor genes in humans have been identified through studies of genetic changes occurring in cancer cells (Ponder, 1990, Trends Genet. 6:213–218; Weinberg, 1991, Science 254:1138–1146).
There is a close association between particular chromosomal abnormalities, e.g., chromosomal translocations, inversions, and deletions, and certain types of malignancy, indicating that such abnormalities may have a causative role in the cancer process. Chromosomal abnormalities may lead to gene fusion resulting in chimeric oncoproteins, such as is observed in the majority of the tumors involving the myeloid lineage. Alternatively, chromosomal abnormalities may lead to deregulation of protooncogenes by their juxtaposition to a regulatory element active in the hematopoietic cells, such as is observed in the translocation occurring in the lymphocytic lineage (Virgilio et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9275–9279). Deletions may cause loss of tumor suppressor genes, leading to malignancy.
Nonrandom chromosomal translocations are characteristic of most human hematopoietic malignancies (Haluska et al., 1987, Ann. Rev. Genet. 21:321–345) and may be involved in some solid tumors (Croce, 1987, Cell 49:155–156). In B and T cells, chromosomal translocations and inversions often occur as a consequence of mistakes during the normal process of recombination of the genes for immunoglobulins (Ig) or T-cell receptors (TCR). These rearrangements juxtapose enhancer elements of the Ig or TCR genes to oncogenes whose expression is then deregulated (Croce, 1987, Cell 49:155–156). In the majority of the cases, the rearrangements observed in lymphoid malignancies occur between two different chromosomes.
The TCL-1 locus on chromosome 14 band q32.1 is frequently involved in the chromosomal translocations and inversions with the T-cell receptor genes observed in several post-thymic types of T-cell leukemias and lymphomas, including T-prolymphocytic leukemias (T-PLL) (Brito-Babapulle and Catovsky, 1991, Cancer Genet. Cytogenet. 55:1–9), acute and chronic leukemias associated with the immunodeficiency syndrome ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) (Russo et al., 1988, Cell 53:137–144; Russo et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:602–606), and adult T-cell leukemia (Virgilio et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9275–9279).
In 1979, a large Italian-American family in Boston was observed to be transmitting a constitutional reciprocal t(3;8)(p14.2;q24) chromosome translocation (Cohen et al., 1979, N. Engl. J. Med. 301:592–595; Wang and Perkins, 1984, Cancer Genet. Cytogenet. 11:479–481) which segregated in the family with early onset, bilateral and multifocal clear cell renal carcinoma (RCC). Follow-up cytogenetic studies in several familial tumors demonstrated that the tumors had lost the derivative 8 chromosome carrying the translocated 3p14-pter region; consequently, the tumors were homozygous for all loci telomeric to the 3p14.2 break (Li et al., 1993, Annals of Internal Medicine 0.118:106–111). It was suggested that the translocation affects expression of a tumor suppressor gene (Cohen et al., 1979, N. Engl. J. Med. 301:592–595) and several investigators have sought candidate suppressor genes. We had suggested the protein tyrosine phosphatase gamma gene (PTPRG) as a candidate tumor suppressor gene (LaForgia et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:5036–5040), and that the majority of clear cell RCCs exhibit loss of heterozygosity of a 0.5 Mb region flanking the translocation (Lubinski et al., 1994, Cancer Res. 54:3710–3713; Druck et al., 1995, Cancer Res. 55:5348–5355), although we did not observe aberrations in the remaining PTPRG gene. The 3p14.2 region is also included in deletions in numerous other tumor types, including nasopharyngeal carcinomas (Lo et al., 1994, Int. J. Oncol. 4:1359–1364).
The t(3;8) translocation breakpoint was cloned and a 3 kb transcript of a candidate tumor suppressor gene was detected using a probe from near the breakpoint (Boldog et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:8509–8513); further details concerning this transcript have not been reported in spite of a later publication from this group relating to this subject, and reporting a YAC contig of approximately 6 Mb DNA spanning the 3p14.2 3;8 translocation breakpoint (Boldog et al., 1994, Genes, Chromosomes & Cancer 11:216–221). It has also been suggested that there may not be a suppressor gene at 3p14.2, that in fact the t(3;8) translocation was a mechanism for losing the von Hippel-Lindau gene, a tumor suppressor gene at 3p25 (Gnarra et al., 1994, Nature Genet. 7:85–90).
Another cytogenetic landmark in chromosome region 3p14.2 is the most common of the constitutive aphidicolin inducible fragile sites, FRA3B, which is cytogenetically indistinguishable from the t(3;8) translocation (Glover et al., 1988, Cancer Genet. Cytogenet. 31:69–73). Fragile sites, of which over 100 have been described in human (for review, see Sutherland, 1991, Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 8:1616–166), are regions of the human genome which reveal cytogenetically detectable gaps when exposed to specific reagents or culture conditions; several folate sensitive, heritable, X-linked and autosomal fragile sites have been localized to unstable CCG or CGG repeats (Yu et al., 1991, Science 252:1179–1181; Kremer et al., 1991, Science 252, 1711–1714; Verkerk et al., 1991, Cell 65:905–914; Fu et al., 1991, Cell 67:1047–1058), and for one of these, the FRA11B at 11q23.3, the CCG repeat is within the 5′ untranslated region of the CBL2 gene, a known protooncogene (Jones et al., 1995, Nature 376:145–149). Also this fragile site, FRA11B, is associated with Jacobsen (11q-) syndrome, showing a direct link between a fragile site and in vivo chromosome breakage (Jones et al., 1994, Hum. Mol. Genet. 3:2123–2130). Because the induced fragile sites resemble gaps or breaks in chromosomes, it has frequently been speculated that fragile sites could be sites of chromosomal rearrangement in cancer (Yunis and Soreng, 1984, Science 226:1199–1204). Previously identified fragile sites have also been shown to be hypermethylated (Knight et al., 1993, Cell 74:127–134); thus methylation of a fragile site in a tumor suppressor gene regulatory region might cause loss of transcription of the suppressor gene, serving as one "hit" in the tumorigenic process, as pointed out previously (Jones et al., 1995, Nature 376:145–149). These authors also suggested that an important contribution of fragile site expression in tumorigenesis might be to increase the incidence of chromosome deletion during tumorigenesis.
The FRA3B region has been delineated by studies of several groups using rodent-human hybrids; hybrid cells retaining human chromosome 3 or 3 and X, on a hamster background, were treated with aphidicolin or 6-thioguanine (to select hybrids which had lost the X chromosome) and subclones selected. Subclones retaining portions of chromosome 3 with apparent breaks in region 3p14–21 were characterized for loss or retention of specific 3p markers to determine the position of 3p14–21 breaks (LaForgia et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:5036–5040, LaForgia et al., 1993, Cancer Res. 53:3118–3124; Paradee et al., 1995, Genomics 27:358–361).
Alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been described, the most frequent target being alterations of p53 (Takahashi et al., 1989, Science 246:491–494; Chiba et al., 1990, Oncogene 5:1603–1610; Mitsudomi et al., 1992, Oncogene 7:171–180) and retinoblastoma (Harbour et al., 1988, Science 241:353–357; Xu et al., 1994, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 86:695–699) genes and allelic deletions of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p) (Kok et al., 1987, Nature 330:578–581; Naylor et al., 1987, Nature 329:451–454; Rabbitts et al., 1989, Genes Chrom. Cancer 1:95–105). In addition to cytogenetically visible deletions (Whang-Peng et al., 1982, Science 215:181–182; Testa et al., 1994, Genes Chrom. Cancer 11:178–194), loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at loci on 3p has been reported in nearly 100% of SCLC (Kok et al., 1987, Nature 330:578–581; Naylor et al., 1987, Nature 329:451–454; Brauch et al., 1987, N. Engl. J. Med. 317:1109–1113; Yokota et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 84:9252–9256) and in 50% or more of NSCLC (Brauch et al., 1987, N. Engl. J. Med. 317:1109–1113; Yokota et al., 1987, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 84:9252–9256; Rabbitts et al., 1990, Genes Chrom. Cancer 2:231–238; Hibi et al., 1992, Oncogene 7:445–449; Yokoyama et al., 1992, Cancer Res. 52:873–877; Horio et al., 1993, Cancer Res. 53:1–4), strongly suggesting the presence of at least one tumor suppressor gene in this chromosomal region.
However, the observation that allelic losses often involve most of the 3p has hampered the isolation of the involved gene(s). Candidate loci have been identified such as the von-Hippel Lindau gene, located at 3p25, which was subsequently found to be rarely mutated in lung cancer cell lines (Sekido et al., 1994, oncogene 9:1599–1604). Other loci located in a region within 3p21 were reported to be sites of recurrent homozygous deletions in SCLC (Daly et al., 1993, Oncogene 8:1721–1729; Kok et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:6071–6075; Kok et al., 1994, Cancer Res. 54:4183–4187). In addition, transfer of subchromosomal fragments of the region 3p21.3–21.2 to tumor cell lines has suggested tumor suppressor activity (Killary et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10877–10881; Daly et al., 1993, Oncogene 8:1721–1729). More proximal deletions in the 3p12–14 region have also been reported (Rabbitts et al., 1989, Genes Chrom. Cancer 1:95–105; Rabbitts et al., 1990, Genes Chrom. Cancer 2:231–238; Daly et al., 1991, Genomics 9:113–119).
Lung cancer is a major cause of mortality worldwide and the overall survival rate has not improved significantly in the last 20 years. Despite the success achieved by primary prevention, lung cancer is still an overwhelming medical and social problem. Even in the cohort of ex-smokers lung cancer incidence remains high for several years, as a consequence of the accumulated damage, and there is an objective need for strategies aimed at reducing cancer mortality in individuals who have stopped smoking.
There remains an unfulfilled need to isolate and characterize the genes associated with digestive tract and other cancers for use as a diagnostic and therapeutic/prophylactic reagent in the detection, treatment, and prevention of such cancers.
Citation of a reference hereinabove shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is prior art to the present invention.

FHIT proteins and nucleic acids and methods based thereon