A distributed switch buffer and method for switch buffer enlargement use standard switch chips as modules that are cascaded in multiples to provide arbitrarily large switch buffers for any number of inputs and outputs. Any type of packet switch chip may be used in any combination. A packet that enters the first switch chip in the cascade automatically gets transferred to other switch chips as part of an integrated buffering scheme. Every input of the switch is connected to all of the switch chips in the first stage of the distributed buffer. The queue of each output of the switch is then expanded by adding more stages of switch chips. All outputs of each switch chip go to the inputs of the same switch chip in the next stage of the distributed buffer so that all of the buffer space of all the cascaded switch chips is available to each input port. The queue may be expanded indefinitely by cascading more chips. In one embodiment, inputs are connected to all the cascaded switch chips for each output port so that each chip only needs to have one output. The number of inputs for each switch chip in the intermediate stages need not equal the number of outputs from that stage, and it is possible to use a different number of cascade stages for each switch output port.

In a packet switch fabric, a large buffer (queue) is generally desirable in order to minimize packet loss. Packet loss occurs particularly during periods of network congestion, when packets enter the switch faster than they can be sent to the output ports and the switch buffers therefore fill to capacity. It is possible for sufficient traffic on merely one channel to cause loss of packets from that channel due to overflow of the buffer for that particular destination output. As a consequence of buffer overflow, incoming packets are discarded until space in the buffer is made available by the departure of a packet for the switch output port.
Buffer overflow can even occur in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch having priority capability. When ATM cells contend for the same output port of the switch, the cells with a higher priority will be sent to the output first while the lower priority cells will be stored in the switch buffer. During heavy traffic it is possible for these lower priority cells to completely fill the buffer for a particular output port, leaving no room for incoming cells of any priority. Cells attempting to go to an output port once its buffer is full are permanently lost from the datastream. Cell loss will continue until the buffer is no longer full. It is obvious, therefore, that the larger the buffer available to an output port, the less likely it is that such cell loss will occur.
There is a limit, however, on how large a buffer will fit onto a standard switch chip. For an ATM chip, buffers with a capacity of 64 to 256 cells are common. The maximum buffer size is generally limited by the physical space available on the chip, with the size of the chip itself being limited by both space and manufacturing considerations. The larger and more complicated a chip is, the more likely it is that a manufacturing defect will occur that will force rejection of the whole chip. Manufacture of a large switch chip can therefore can be extremely expensive.
One of the problems imposed by the physical size limits of an ATM switch chip is that only a limited number of inputs and outputs can be made available. This problem has previously been addressed by interconnecting several such chips to provide switches with arbitrarily large numbers of inputs and outputs. For example, Shobatake et. al. use a multistage Clos network of 8.times.8 switch chips to create a 64.times.64 switch Shobatake, Y., Motoyama, M., Shobatake, E., Kamitake, T., Shimizu, S., Noda, M. and Sakaue, K., "A One Chip Scalable 8*8 ATM Switch LSI Employing Shared Buffer Architecture," IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 8, October 1991, pp. 1248-1254!. The purpose of interconnecting the switch chips in this device is clearly to expand number of inputs and outputs, not to expand the size of the switch buffer. Shobatake et. al. in fact indicate that "an interconnected ATM switch tends to show worse cell loss rate than a unit ATM switch itself because of the internal congestion" Id at 1284!.
The three-stage Clos network utilized by Shobatake et. al. has each input connected to only one of the chips in the first stage of the network. The outputs of this stage are then connected to various inputs of each of the chips in the second stage, with each first-stage chip output being connected to only one input of one second-stage chip, and with each first-stage chip being connected via its output ports to more than one second-stage chip. Each stage of the interconnected network therefore functions more as part of a switching matrix than as part of an expanded switch buffer.
It is clear from examination of the Shobatake et. al. switch that additional buffer space is not available to any input as a result of the three-stage architecture. The Clos interconnection does not expand the switch buffer size either per input or per output port. For example, if all 8 cells coming into a chip in the Shobatake et. al. switch are intended for output 1 of that chip, the interconnected switch will not be any more likely than a single switch chip to prevent buffer overflow because the input ports on the chip in question do not have access to any of the buffer space available on the other interconnected chips. Essentially, this means that cells coming into input port 1 will never be able to access buffers for input port 9 or higher. The Shobatake et. al. switch therefore does not increase the buffer size at all, merely the available number of inputs and outputs as well as the potential delay through the switch.
Kozaki et. al describe a 64.times.64 switch achieved using 8 32.times.32 switching boards and a 1024.times.1024 switch constructed in a three-stage network from 96 32.times.32 switching boards Kozaki, T., Endo, N., Sakurai, Y., Matsubara, O., Mizukami, M., and Asano, K., "32.times.32 Shared Buffer Type ATM Switch VLSI's for B-ISDN's," IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 8, October 1991, pp.1239-1247!. Again, these devices are solely directed to providing more inputs and outputs to a switch fabric than are available on existing ATM switch chips; no additional buffer capacity is provided. In both of these devices, a cell entering at a particular input is always sent to the same one of the switch chips, regardless of the output destination of the cell. If there is heavy traffic on that single input, or, alternatively, heavy traffic directed to a particular output, buffer overflow with resulting cell loss can occur even if the remainder of the inputs have no traffic and the remaining switch buffers are unused.
While creating switches with larger numbers of inputs and outputs has desirable aspects, and doing so via interconnecting smaller switch chips provides certain fabrication efficiencies and economies, it is of little practical value if packet loss counts or chip rejection rates commensurately increase. What has been needed, therefore, is a way to avoid the switch buffer size limitations that are imposed by the physical size limitations of switch chips.

Distributed switch buffer utilizing cascaded modular switch chips


Circuits and methods of implementing flip-flops in dual-output lookup tables (LUTs). A flip-flop is implemented by programming a dual-output LUT to include a first function implementing a master latch and a second function implementing a slave latch. An output of the master latch is provided at a first output terminal of the LUT, and an output of the slave latch is provided at a second output terminal of the LUT. The output of the master latch (the first output of the LUT) is coupled to a first input terminal of the LUT, where it drives both the first and second functions. The output of the slave latch (the second output of the LUT) is coupled to a second input terminal of the LUT, where it drives the second function. A clock signal is provided to both first and second functions via a third input terminal of the LUT.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are a well-known type of programmable IC that can be programmed to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the field programmable gate array (FPGA), typically includes an array of programmable tiles. These programmable tiles can include, for example, input/output blocks (IOBs), configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated random access memory blocks (BRAM), multipliers, digital signal processing blocks (DSPs), processors, clock managers, delay lock loops (DLLs), and so forth.
Each programmable tile typically includes both programmable interconnect and programmable logic. The programmable interconnect typically includes a large number of interconnect lines of varying lengths interconnected by programmable interconnect points (PIPs). The programmable logic implements the logic of a user design using programmable elements that can include, for example, function generators, registers, arithmetic logic, and so forth.
The programmable interconnect and programmable logic are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data into internal configuration memory cells that define how the programmable elements are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., from an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
A CLB typically includes one or more lookup tables (LUTs) that can be programmed to implement logic functions, as well as one or more flip-flops for storing LUT output signals. FIG. 1 illustrates one such CLB. CLB 100 of FIG. 1 includes four similar slices SLICE_0-SLICE_3. Each slice includes two lookup tables (LUTs). 101 and 102, a write control circuit 105, two multiplexers MUX1 and MUX2, and two output memory elements 103 and 104. The lookup tables, write control circuit, multiplexers, and output memory elements are all controlled by configuration memory cells MC1-MC7. Note that at least some of configuration memory cells MC1-MC7 represent more than one memory cell. Additional configuration memory cells and logic elements are omitted from FIG. 1, for clarity.
Each LUT 101, 102 can function in any of several modes. When in lookup table mode, each LUT has four data input signals IN1-IN4 that are supplied by the FPGA interconnect structure (not shown) via input multiplexers (not shown). (In the present specification, the same reference characters are used to refer to terminals, signal lines, and their corresponding signals.) When in RAM mode, input data is supplied by an input terminal RAM_DI_1, RAM_DI_2 to the DI terminal of the associated LUT. RAM write operations in both LUTs are controlled by write control circuit 105, which supplies one or more write control signals W to both LUTs based on RAM control signals provided by the interconnect structure.
Each LUT 101, 102 provides a LUT output signal to an associated multiplexer MUX1, MUX2, which selects between the LUT output signal and an associated register direct input signal Reg_DI_1, Reg_DI_2 from the interconnect structure. Thus, each LUT can be optionally bypassed. The output of each multiplexer MUX1, MUX2 is provided to the data input terminal D of an associated output memory element (103, 104 respectively). Memory elements 103 and 104 are clocked by a clock signal CK (e.g., provided by a global clock network) and controlled by various other register control signals (e.g., from the interconnect structure or provided by configuration memory cells of the FPGA). Each memory element 103, 104 provides a registered output signal Q1, Q2. The output of each LUT 101, 102 is also provided to an output terminal OUT1, OUT2 of the CLE. Thus, each output memory element can be optionally bypassed. The slice also includes output multiplexers (not shown) that select from among the various output signals of the slice and provide the selected signals to the FPGA interconnect structure. These output multiplexers are also controlled by configuration memory cells (not shown).
A LUT is commonly implemented as a series of multiplexers controlled by configuration memory cells, e.g., as shown in FIG. 2. The LUT circuit illustrated in FIG. 2 can be used, for example, to implement LUTs 101, 102 of FIG. 1. Input signals IN1-IN4 control transmission gates 201 to select one from a series of values stored in configuration memory cells M0-M15. As is well known, a transmission gate can include one N-channel transistor and one P-channel transistor coupled in parallel, with the N- and P-channel transistors being gated by complementary input signals. (The complementary input signals driving transmission gates 201 are not illustrated in FIG. 2, for clarity, but are indicated by the insertion of a bubble above or below two paired triangles. A bubble above the transmission gate indicates a gate that is "on" when the pictured input signal is low, and "off" when the input signal is high. A bubble below the transmission gate indicates a gate that is "on" when the pictured input signal is high, and "off" when the input signal is low.) In the illustrated embodiment, inverters 211-214 and 221 are also included, to buffer the signals as they pass from the memory cells M0-M15 to the output terminal OUT.
Programmable ICs benefit from the ability to implement a wide variety of designs. Therefore, the ratio of combinational logic to flip-flops in a design is not always one-to-one, as in the CLB of FIG. 1. For example, some designs may consume a larger number of flip-flops than LUTs. In such cases, it is not uncommon for some of the LUTs to go unused because of the lack of available flip-flops. It is desirable to provide methods and circuits that allow programmable elements in a programmable IC to accommodate such variations.


The invention teaches the use of a surgical instrument for creating and preparing a cavity in a bony intervertebral body. Asymmetrical cutting structures selectively open a cavity which has a relatively large surface area in the vertical direction.

The human spine consists of a complex set of interrelated anatomic elements including a set of bones called vertebral bodies. Intervertebral discs separate most vertebral bodies. These discs includes a "spongy" nucleus pulpous surrounded by an annulus fibrosis "membrane." The annulus fibrosis connects the opposed endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies. All of these structures together with muscles act to provide motion, stability and protection for the spinal cord. When healthy, these structures effectively protect the spinal cord and allow for normal motion.
However, there are many disease states and aging processes that impact the patient. Osteoporosis and metastatic disease reduce the structural integrity of the vertebral bodies, predisposing them to fracture. Vertebral fractures can lead to loss of vertebral height, which can exacerbate existing neurological conditions or predispose the spine to other symptoms. Back pain often results from these conditions.
Vertebroplasty is an effort to stabilize these fractures and to alleviate this source of pain. Generally, if not treated, fractures and loss of height result in a cascade of injury which is undesirable. For this reason, various efforts have been directed at stabilizing and restoring the natural vertebral bodies of the back.
Many surgeon experts suggest that it is desirable to intervene and restore the height of the vertebral body and natural biomechanics of the spine, in addition to stabilizing the spine to provide pain relief. As an initial step to fracture reduction, which for vertebral compression fractures restores anatomic vertebral height, it may be desirable to cut a cavity that is approximately transverse to the vertical axis of the vertebral body. This cavity is intended to create a large, uniform, initial surface area for fracture reduction devices. The transverse cavity reduces contact stress in supporting bone and decreases the likelihood of cancellous compaction associated with prior art techniques. Thus, this step increases the likelihood that the fracture will be reduced rather than simply creating a large cavity within a bony structure. In general, it may be desirable to locate this transverse cavity near the fracture, which is generally located in the anterior portion of the vertebral body. It is important to create a shallow cavity at the correct location to minimize disruption of cancellous bone and to facilitate further therapeutic intervention.
The presently available techniques and devices expand along a path of least resistance within the cancellous bone. As a result, these devices do not expand in a predictable manner, often expanding vertically before expanding horizontally (transverse). Rather than consistently reducing the fracture, these techniques often crush the cancellous bone, creating an expanded cavity without necessarily reducing the fracture or restoring the natural anatomy.
Another reason for creating a narrow cavity is to impart known fracture zones in the bone. These fracture zones enable controlled movement of the bone during other therapeutic procedures. These fracture zones also create flow channels for various injectable materials that may be used in a further therapeutic intervention.


The method proposed by the present invention divide an image into a plurality of cluster regions, each has its own principle color. The method mentioned above includes the following steps. At first, acquire a three dimensional histogram of the image by counting the number of pixels of the image based on three dimensional color coordinate. Then smooth the three dimensional histogram by a numerical method to obtain a function. Next, define a plurality of cluster regions on the image. Subsequently, assign the color of each pixel of the image as a principle color of a first cluster region among the plurality of cluster regions. The principle color is equal to average of all pixels within the cluster region, the average is equal to A/B, wherein A is summation of color of pixels within the first cluster region, and B is equal to the number of pixels within the first cluster region. Each of the plurality of cluster regions has a corresponding principle color. Finally, joint an unclassified pixel to a cluster region of the plurality of cluster regions according to minimum distance from the unclassified pixel to the plurality of cluster regions. The unclassified pixel is outside the plurality of cluster regions before this joint step, after all pixels of the image have being jointed to one of the plurality of cluster regions, the image is divided into the plurality of cluster regions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for dividing image by descending number of color, and more particularly, to a method for dividing image in accordance with inflection on a distribution curve of image pixel versus color coordinate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a traditional technology is used to divide an image, pixels of similar color are classified into a cluster region, so an image can be classified into a plurality of cluster regions. Finally, if any pixel is not classified into one of the existed cluster regions, determine the distance between the color of the pixel and that of every existed cluster region. Then joint the pixel to the existed cluster that has the shortest distance of color to the pixel, in other words, the pixel is classified into the cluster. So the color of the pixel is replaced with the color of the color of the existed cluster that has shortest distance to the pixel mentioned above. So all the pixels of the image are classified into the plurality of cluster regions.
The color histogram of an image is frequently used in dividing an image into a plurality of cluster regions, especially the color of a region having a local maximum within the color histogram is assigned as the principal color of the cluster region. When dividing an image into several cluster regions, the relation between the image mentioned above and its color histogram is shown in FIG. 1. The image 1 includes a plurality of pixels, and the statistic for the number of pixel having a color on color coordinate acquires its color histogram 2. Then find a first local maximum value 3, and set up first threshold value 4. Next, by the same way, a second local maximum value 5, its second threshold value 6, the third local maximum value 7, its third threshold value 8, the fourth local maximum value 9, and its fourth threshold value 10. Every local maximum value is actually a value on the color coordinate. Subsequently, assign the color of the pixel having the local maximum value to be the color of the pixels of the cluster region enclosing the pixel having the local maximum value. In other words, the principle color of a cluster region is assigned to be the color of the pixel enclosed by the cluster region, which having the local maximum value. Next, calculate the distance from the color of the pixel beyond the plurality of cluster regions to the plurality of local maximum values. So a plurality of distance is acquired, then select a minimum distance from the plurality of distance. The principle color of the cluster region having the minimum distance to the pixel beyond the plurality of cluster regions is assigned as the color of the pixel beyond the plurality of cluster regions. Then it is defined that the pixel beyond the plurality of cluster regions is joint to a cluster region which having minimum distance to the pixel. Also, it is defined that, the pixel is classified to a cluster region. Proceeding with the steps mentioned above continuously until all the pixels of the image is classified into one of the existed cluster regions. Through the steps mentioned above, thus obtain a plurality of cluster regions which including all pixels of image 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first cluster region 13 in image 1 includes the pixels having the color the same as the principle color of the first local maximum value 3 illustrated in the color histogram 2. Similarly, the second cluster region 15 in image 1 includes the pixels having the color the same as the principle color of the second local maximum value 5 illustrated in the color histogram 2. The third cluster region 17 in image 1 includes the pixels having the color the same as the principle color of the first local maximum value 7 illustrated in the color histogram 2. The fourth cluster region 19 in image 1 includes the pixels having the color the same as the principle color of the fourth local maximum value 9 illustrated in the color histogram 2.
The colorful-image dividing method mentioned above is a technology utilizing a moving window to look for a local maximum value in the color histogram. Because the colorful-image dividing method mentioned above does not analysis the color histogram according to the feature of color distribution, thus the obtained principle colors does not fully match the color distribution of the image. Furthermore, the size of the moving window as well as the threshold values are the fixed values set up by the user, i.e., the window size and the threshold values are not set up according to the actual color distribution. So the exactly color distribution can not be obtained, and the resulted color division does not actually fit the color distribution of the colors on the image. Also, the division does not fit the actual color distribution, so the resulted principle color of the cluster region is not correct. In conclusion, the traditional method mentioned above can not properly reduce the number of color of the image.
According to the prior art mentioned above, the traditional method utilized to divide a pre-processed image utilize the manually determined threshold value as the criterion when dividing the image, so it is impossible to divide the image according to the characteristic of color distribution of the pre-processed image. Thus the traditional method can not divide the image correctly.
A purpose of the present invention is to avoid using the fixed threshold value to divide the image, instead, the present invention uses the convex portion of a function to obtain the plurality of cluster regions. The function mentioned above is obtained by a smoothed histogram of the image, so the cluster regions are acquired according to the characteristic of the distribution of color of the pre-processed image. The present invention is used to divide a pre-processed image into a plurality of cluster regions, such that all the pixels of the pre-processed image are classified into any one of the plurality of cluster regions. In other words, the pre-processed image is divided into a plurality of cluster regions.
According to the purpose mentioned above, the method used to divide an image is disclosed herein. The method divide an image into a plurality of cluster regions, each has its own principle color, and every pixel of the image is classified into one of the plurality of cluster regions. The method mentioned above includes the following steps.
At first, acquire a three dimensional histogram of the image by counting the number of pixels of the image based on three dimensional color coordinate. Then smooth the three dimensional histogram by a numerical diffusion method to obtain a function. The function can be a normal distribution probability function. Next, define a plurality of cluster regions on the image, thus the pixels within the plurality of cluster regions correspond to convex portion of the function. Subsequently, assign the color of each pixel of the image as a principle color of a first cluster region among the plurality of cluster regions. The principle color is equal to average of all pixels within the cluster region, the average is equal to A/B, wherein A is summation of color of pixels within the first cluster region, and B is equal to the number of pixels within the first cluster region. The color of the pixel is represented by the three color coordinate, and each of the plurality of cluster regions have a corresponding principle color. Finally, joint an unclassified pixel to a cluster region of the plurality of cluster regions according to minimum distance from the unclassified pixel to the plurality of cluster regions. The unclassified pixel is outside the plurality of cluster regions before this joint step, after all pixels of the image have being jointed to one of the plurality of cluster regions, the image is divided into the plurality of cluster regions.


A method and system for enforcing the user of a proxy server within an enterprise communication system. The system includes an enterprise voice application server configured to act as a SIP proxy to client devices, and a private branch exchange configured to act as a SIP registrar. The client devices are configured to evaluate incoming SIP requests to determine whether they were received via the enterprise voice application server and, if not, to respond with a SIP 305 Use Proxy message referencing the enterprise voice application server in a Contact field. The 305 Use Proxy message forces the PBX or other intermediate SIP server to reroute the SIP request and any subsequent SIP requests in the dialog through the enterprise voice application server.

Many enterprises are moving towards using VoIP over their LANs and WLANs to interconnect various terminal devices for voice communications. Moreover, external voice communications with remote parties through, for example, the PSTN, may be converted to VoIP communications for routing within the enterprise communication system. A Private Branch exchange (PBX) typically acts as the interface between the PSTN and the internal enterprise communication system. The PBX provides conversion between digital circuit-switched calls and VoIP calls, and assists in routing calls to the correct terminal device. SIP signaling is commonly used to set-up, manage, and tear-down media paths for the VoIP calls.
In many enterprise communication systems, a proxy server may play a significant role in setting-up and managing calls involving terminal devices. One problem that arises in this regard is ensuring that the proxy server is included in any SIP signaling between a terminal device and other SIP entities, like the PBX.
Similar reference numerals may have been used in different figures to denote similar components.

Method and system for enforcing proxy use within an enterprise communications system


Travel guidance devices, methods, and programs acquire map data including a road network, a position of a vehicle, and a planned travel route of the vehicle. Based on the acquired information, the devices, methods, and programs determine whether there is a planned entry branch that the vehicle is projected to enter located ahead of the vehicle. When the planned entry branch is ahead of the vehicle, the devices, methods, and programs determine whether there is a no-lane-change zone between the vehicle and the planned entry branch. When the no-lane-change zone is located between the vehicle and the planned entry branch, the devices, methods, and programs set guidance content related to a lane change of the vehicle based on a position of the no-lane-change zone. The devices, methods, and programs generate guidance using the set guidance content and communicate the generated guidance to a user of the travel guidance device.

1. Related Technical Fields
Related technical fields travel guidance devices, travel guidance methods, and computer programs which perform guidance of vehicle-related travel.
2. Related Art
Recently, navigation devices that perform vehicle travel guidance so that a driver can reach a desired destination easily are often installed in vehicles. Here, a navigation device is a device which is capable of detecting the current position of a vehicle using a GPS receiver or the like, obtaining map data corresponding to the current position from a recording medium such as a DVD-ROM or an HDD, and displaying the obtained map data on a liquid crystal monitor. The map data including the current position of the vehicle are read from the recording medium or the like, and on the basis of the map data, a map image of the periphery of the current vehicle position is drawn and displayed on a display device. At the same time, a vehicle position mark is superposed on the map image, and as the vehicle moves, the map image is scrolled, or the map image is fixed on the screen and the vehicle position mark is moved. Thus, the current location of the moving vehicle can be learned at a glance. The navigation device above includes a route search function that, when a desired destination is set, searches for an optimal route from a departure point (e.g., the current vehicle position) to the set destination, and further includes a travel guidance function that provides guidance for traveling along the route found. In recent years, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers and the like often have functions similar to the navigation device above.
Moreover, when the navigation device and the like above perform vehicle travel guidance, such guidance takes into account a zone where the vehicle is prohibited from changing lanes (hereinafter referred to as a "no-lane-change zone"). For example, according to art described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2007-127416 (pages 8 to 11, FIG. 2), a position of a guidance target point for providing guidance, such as turning right or left at a guided intersection, is offset toward a near side by a distance that corresponds to the length of a no-lane-change zone if there is a no-lane-change zone between the guidance target point and the guided intersection.

Travel guidance device, travel guidance method, and computer program


A break away overcap is used for maintaining a closure in sealing engagement with the open end of a vial. The overcap is molded from a fracturable plastic and is provided with a pair of spaced, parallel score lines or V-grooves extending across the top wall of the overcap and downwardly of the cap skirt to the lower edge thereof on each side of the cap. Thumb and finger engaging portions are provided at the lower edge of the skirt adjacent the terminal ends of the score lines so that by pushing inwardly on the thumb and finger engaging portions, the overcap breaks into three pieces to thereby expose the closure for insertion of a syringe needle therethrough into the vial for removal of the vial contents therefrom.

In copending patent application Ser. No. 08/713,028 filed Sep. 12, 1996, owned by the same assignee as the instant application, there is disclosed an overcap assembly for a gear finish vial having a cap constructed and arranged to contain a stopper-type closure for the vial. A plurality of radially inwardly extending ribs are provided in the cap which cooperate with teeth on the gear finish to prevent turning of the cap assembly when in the sealing position on the vial. A plurality of inwardly extending tabs are provided on the lower end of the cap for engaging a shoulder on the vial neck for holding the overcap assembly downwardly in the sealed position on the neck of the vial.
The overcap of the present invention is an improvement on the above-noted overcap assembly in that the overcap assembly is now provided with a feature for easily and quickly removing the overcap from the sealed position on the vial, to thereby uncover the stopper-type closure, whereby a syringe needle can be inserted through the stopper into the vial for drawing the contents therefrom.


A bicycle rim examination device includes a body having a base and two upright side frames extend from the base. Each of the two side frames has a first cylinder, a second cylinder and a third cylinder connected to the top thereof. Each of the second and third cylinders is connected with a roller. A power supply device is located on one end of the body and has transmission shaft which has a roller and is driven by a motor. The transmission shaft is supported by two slides which are movable along two guide frames. A first detector with a first probe and a second detector with a second probe are connected to the body. The bicycle rim examination device examines the tension of the spokes and the roundness of the rim.

1. Fields of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bicycle rim examination device, and more particularly, to a bicycle rim examination device for providing a false damage tension to detect the bicycle rim.
2. Descriptions of Related Art
The bicycle rims affect the safety of operation of the bicycles and the conventional bicycle rim examination devices are disclosed in Taiwan Patent applications 148475, 166042, 335893, 1256922, M378851, and 200835911.
These disclosed examination devices are able to check the range of the deflection magnitude in axial and radial directions, however, they cannot examine the false tension that is released from the spokes.
Some examination devices are equipped with cylinders and each cylinder is connected with a roller which contacts the spokes, and the bicycle rim is rotated manually to detect the critical force that is able to damage the spoke. It is a time-consuming task to continuously rotate the rim by hands and the result may vary due to the uneven rotation of the rim.
The present invention intends to provide a bicycle rim examination device for providing a false damage tension to detect the bicycle rim so as to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above.


A method and system for authenticating and processing a transaction request using a vehicle based wireless system is provided. A vehicle may include a wireless tag or transponder, and a wireless system at a service station or fuel station can detect the presence of the wireless tag in a predefined general wireless service area. The wireless system can transmit vehicle information based on the detection of the wireless tag or vehicle. A user may enter an authenticator at a specific fuel dispenser within the general wireless service area. In response to entry of the authenticator, an authenticator processor may then associate a fueling authorization request with the specific fuel dispenser. In response to successful authorization of the transaction, a transaction authorization may be transmitted to the specific fuel dispenser where the authenticator was presented, which may be used to enable the specific fuel dispenser for use.

The amount of time spent refueling transportation vehicles has a large impact on the cost of transportation, both for vehicle owners and service station owners and operators. Refueling time may vary greatly depending on a variety of factors including required processing time for a fuel sale and/or transaction. Typically, a driver of a transportation vehicle must enter a refueling station, park the vehicle, exit the vehicle, enter authorization and/or payment information for the transaction at a point-of-sale system and wait for approval before starting to refuel.
Vehicle-based radio frequency identification (RFID) tag systems may be deployed to increase the efficiency and throughput of a fueling station. In such systems, tag readers are positioned at each fueling pump of a service station and read vehicle information from tags on or in vehicles that approach the pump for refueling. However, the pumps and service stations at which the tag readers are deployed must be designed with care to ensure that an RFID tag associated with a first vehicle is not inadvertently read during the fueling operation of a second vehicle, resulting in an erroneous assignment of the second vehicle's fuel cost to the first vehicle's tag. Additionally, deployment of RFID tag readers at each fueling pump within a fueling station is expensive, especially if retrofitted or installed after the construction of the fueling pumps and/or the fueling station.
Additionally, consumers remain very price-conscious when it comes to the purchasing of fuel. Recognizing this price-consciousness, many fueling station operators have entered into loyalty agreements with other goods and services providers, such as supermarkets, convenience stores, discount stores, and other retailers. A common implementation is to offer consumers "points" for completing purchases and other transactions within a loyalty agreement network. These "points" may be exchanged at a fueling station for a discount on fuel (usually offered as a percentage or per-unit price reduction). For various reasons, such loyalty programs are usually managed and operated by a retailer other than the fueling station or its operator. For example, a supermarket chain may offer "points" only to consumers that exclusively use the supermarket chain's discount card, and the supermarket chain may only assign "points" to the supermarket chain's card. Another implementation increasing in use is one of "integration," wherein a supermarket or membership-based discount chain may own and/or operate a service station, usually located in the parking lot of the retailer's store. Cost savings are realized by capable management of the distribution and logistical costs of the service station and integrating such costs into the costs of the retailer's primary line of business within the store. Recognizing the price-consciousness of their consumers, these owners and/or operators may desire to "pass on" cost savings achieved through such "integration," but would prefer to do so only to customers who frequently shop at the associated retail store (e.g., are signed up for the retail store's discount program and/or are paying members in the membership-based discount chain).
The discount cards used to deploy these programs are typically unassociated with a payment method, given their simple design and the ease with which they can be misplaced. Therefore, in order to redeem "points," or otherwise authenticate that a user is a member of a membership program and/or loyalty-program, the consumer must present two pieces of information to the fueling station: a loyalty card or membership card, which may contain their redeemable "points," as well as a payment method to actually purchase the desired fuel. This increases the average length of time to complete a loyalty or membership-based transaction, thereby decreasing efficiency.

Processing a fueling transaction based on entry of an authenticator at a fueling pump


A desk stand for a hand-held computer allows both variation in viewing angles of the computer display, and the ability to connect the computer to external, peripheral devices. The stand allows clearance for the computer to mate with a docking port which in turn connects to peripheral devices such as a modem or a printer. Thus, the capabilities of the computer are greatly expanded. In addition the computer can be positioned on the stand to allow easier access to its input tablet. Thus, both right-handed and left-handed persons can position the computer so that data entry is more convenient. Moreover, the computer can be positioned in a manner that reduces glare on the computer display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to portable computers; in particular, this invention relates to a stand that allows a hand-held computer to be propped up for the user's convenience to view the computer display and to be easily connected to peripheral devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for computer stands has long been apparent. Such stands allow computer displays to be adjusted to accommodate the user's height and viewing angle. Furthermore, stands allow computers to be adjusted in position to accommodate cables that connect the computer to other devices, and thus allow computers to be located apart from the display. For this reason, stands permit office space to be used more efficiently and computers used ergonomically.
In the past, computer stands have been developed both for desk-top computers (as distinguished from lap-top computers), which can interface with external peripheral devices, and for pen-based computers. Lap-top computers as a rule do not require a stand since the display is designed to be adjustable in terms of angle. Computer stands for desk-top computers are bulky and, in order to allow connections to external devices, are often merely horizontal platforms which can rotate in only one plane. The stands for the pen-based computers allow more movement, but either to better protect the computer or to allow the computer to be carried about easily, these stands employ designs which typically do not allow the computer to be connected to external peripheral devices.
Pen-based computers are portable computers which allow for information input by e.g. a light or electromagnetic pen to, respectively, a light- or electomagnetically-sensitive tablet. Their small size renders them portable, but does not allow inclusion of a keyboard. Their advantage lies in their ability to quickly input data, and for this reason they have become popular with salesmen, technicians, and delivery personnel. An example of a commercially available pen-based computer is the Stylistic 1000 from Fujitsu Personal Systems, Incorporated. Pen-based computers are generally held in the user's hand or strapped to the user's arm. They are planar devices: when not held in the hand, they generally lie flat upon a surface. Thus, because the user must position himself almost directly over the display to see it, viewing is difficult when the computer is lying on a surface. Accordingly, stands for these computers have been developed to prop the computer up to make viewing easier.
For example, Prete et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,266 describes a pen-based carrying case which doubles as a computer stand. FIG. 1 of Prete et al., also FIG. 1 herein, depicts a pen-based computer 20 whose viewing angle may be adjusted by tilting the computer at various angles about its base 36. The computer is supported by the computer carrying case at 12 and 14, and is attached by securing means (in one embodiment this is VELCRO, which is attached to both the computer and the carrying case) at 32 and 42. The carrying case doubles as a stand, and its ends 12, 14, and 16 form a protective covering. This covering makes it difficult to attach other devices to the computer. Furthermore, because the stand uses fastening strips such as VELCRO to angle the computer, it may not easily support a heavier, more powerful computer or a pen-based computer with a port replicator (docking port) that allows it to quickly connect to peripheral devices. Finally, the stand in Prete et al. allows the user to position the computer at only one orientation and only one angle. Such a position may be inconvenient, for example, for a left-handed person when the data-entry portion of the computer display is on the right-hand side; such a position may also be inconvenient when glare from overhead lights shines on one side of the computer display.


Provided is a method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor having an M-plane main surface. The method employs a sapphire substrate having a main surface which is inclined by 30° with respect to R-plane about a line of intersection Lsapph-AM formed by R-plane and A-plane perpendicular thereto. R-plane surfaces of the sapphire substrate are exposed, and a silicon dioxide mask is formed on the main surface of the substrate. AlN buffer layers are formed on the exposed R-plane surfaces. A GaN layer is formed on the AlN buffer layers. At an initial stage of GaN growth, the top surface of the sapphire substrate is entirely covered with the GaN layer through lateral growth. The GaN layer is grown so that the a-axis of the layer is perpendicular to the exposed R-plane surfaces of the sapphire substrate; the c-axis of the layer is parallel to the axis direction Lsapph-AM of the sapphire substrate; and the m-axis of the layer, which is inclined by 30° from the a-axis thereof, is perpendicular to the main surface (inclined by 30° from the exposed R-plane surfaces) of the sapphire substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor having a so-called wurtzite structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for producing, through epitaxial growth, a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor having an M-plane main surface. The present invention also relates to a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor device including a wafer having an M-plane main surface, and a layer having an M-plane main surface. In a wurtzite structure (i.e., hexagonal crystal structure), M-plane is represented by a Miller index of (1-100). As used herein, the bar line which is conventionally provided above a component of a Miller index is denoted by the symbol provided immediately before the component.
As used herein, "Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor" encompasses a semiconductor represented by the formula AlxGayIn1-x-yN (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦x+y≦1); such a semiconductor containing a predetermined element so as to attain, for example, an n-type/p-type conduction; and such a semiconductor in which a portion of a Group III element is substituted by B or Tl, or a portion of the Group V element is substituted by P, As, Sb, or Bi.
2. Background Art
Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting devices have been widely used, and many attempts have been made to improve characteristics of the devices. In general, a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device is produced through epitaxial growth of a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor on a substrate made of a material different from Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor (hereinafter the substrate may be referred to as a "hetero-substrate"); for example, a sapphire substrate. In a most common epitaxial growth process, a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor is grown so that the thickness direction of the semiconductor is along the c-axis, and the semiconductor has a C-plane main surface.
As has been known, when, in a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device, for example, layers having a multiple quantum well structure are stacked in a c-axis direction (i.e., the interface between stacked layers is parallel to C-plane), a piezoelectric field is generated by strain in the light-emitting device, and quantum efficiency is reduced. Generation of such a piezoelectric field attributed to internal strain is also undesirable in the case of formation of a device other than a light-emitting device (e.g., HEMT).
In view of the foregoing, attempts have been made to develop a technique for epitaxially growing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor so that the thickness direction of the semiconductor is not along the c-axis. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2006-036561 (filed by the present applicant) discloses a technique for preventing growth of a crystal in an undesirable growth axis direction through formation of a mask.

Method for producing group III nitride-based compound semiconductor, wafer, and group III nitride-based compound semiconductor device


The use of a turbulent contactor to absorb a selected gas component from a gas stream. The invention particularly applies to a method of distributing a liquid into a gas stream which comprises providing a liquid to an annulus at the periphery of a pipe in which a gas stream is flowing, the gas flow drawing the liquid into a film along the inner surface of the pipe to a sharp edge at the end of the pipe at which point the liquid breaks off the surface of the pipe and mixes intimately with the gas.

Conventional systems for the mixing of fluids in different phases employ columns which may be packed columns, plate columns or bubble-cap columns, or columns with some other form of contact medium. In these systems, the various fluids generally flow countercurrently.
The prior art systems suffer the disadvantage that in order to achieve a significant degree of gas/liquid contact, the columns have to be large and their operation is hampered by excessive foaming. Also the turn-down ratio of countercurrent contactors is limited due to flooding. In addition, any subsequent stripping section which might be required to remove the gas from solution must also be large, to handle the large volume of solvent or reagent used. Since the operation may well be carried out under high pressure and since the fluids involved may be highly corrosive, the capital costs of the large columns and subsequent stripping section are high. Furthermore, operating costs and maintenance costs are high.
Conventional systems for the absorption of acid gases employ a liquid solvent; typical solvents include amines such as methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), monoethanolamine (MEA) and diethanolamine (DEA). Mixtures of solvents can also be used. These solvents may be contacted with the sour gas mixture (gas mixture including acid gases) in a column such as that described above. The same problems with the size of the column and the volume of solvent required as described above still apply.
Alternatively, the liquid reacting irreversibly (also called scavenger liquid), may be simply injected into the gas or passed through some form of nozzle (e.g. 0.2 mm wide) to try to break up or atomise the liquid and increase the surface area of liquid in contact with the gas. This liquid performs an irreversible reaction with the gas and is not stripped for subsequent re-use. This system suffers the disadvantage that the size of the nozzle required to atomise the liquid to an acceptable level is very small and easily blocked. It is also very difficult to atomise viscous liquids such as the scavenger solvents referred to above at decent turn-down ratios of the liquid flow rate (low liquid flow rates). A nozzle also only gives a point distribution of liquid which gives only localised mixing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the problems referred to above and to provide a means for improved dispersed distribution of liquid into the gas over a wide range of liquid flow rates.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of selectively absorbing a fluid component from a fluid mixture with a high degree of efficiency and more economically (lower chemical consumption to overcome the specification prescribed) than in existing methods. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of selectively removing a selected gas component from a gas stream with a high degree of efficiency.


A self-contained transportable life support system for resuscitation, stabilization, and transport of a patient has an environmentally controlled housing for receiving and supporting a patient and a plurality of medical devices disposed within the housing. A control circuit attached to the housing has at least a portion thereof extending to an external surface of the housing for regulating operation of the medical devices and environmental conditions of within the housing in response to monitored life support conditions of the patient.

This patent application contains a microfiche appendix which contains a program listing for the computer program used in the practice of this invention, and a set of (40) microfiche cards.
The present invention relates generally to medical devices utilized to treat intensive care patients and more particularly to a self-contained transportable life support system which is utilized in the resuscitation, stabilization, and transport of medical patients such as heart attack victims, stroke victims, accident victims and battlefield casualties.
The need to transport medical patients and persons suffering from various medical emergency conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, etc. is well-known. Medical personnel speak of a xe2x80x9cgolden hourxe2x80x9d within which such a medical patient must be transported to a medical facility so that proper medical care can be provided therefor. The survival rate for such medical patients is greatly enhanced if they are transported to the medical facility within the golden hour.
However, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, it is often difficult to transport a patient to a remotely located medical facility in a timely manner, particularly within the golden hour. Frequently accidents occur at remote locations and thus require a substantial amount of time to transport the medical patient to a distant hospital. Also, in battlefield situations, it is frequently impossible to transport a casualty immediately. In either instance, a hospital may be located hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from a hospital, thus necessitating several hours of transport time. As such, it is frequently beneficial to perform various emergency medical procedures at the site of the medical problem, and then to attempt to provide ongoing medical care during transport. By providing such early emergency medical care and by continuing medical treatment during transport to a remote hospital, the mortality rate of such transported medical patients is substantially reduced.
It is well-known to use various different medical devices in the field, i.e., at locations remote from a medical facility, so as to enhance a medical patient""s chance of survival. For example, it is well-known to use an ECG and a defibrillator upon heart attack victims, so as to monitor the condition thereof and so as to provide medical treatment therefor in the field.
Typically, the medical patient is placed upon a stretcher and then various different medical devices are used thereupon, as necessary. During transport the medical devices may either be temporarily disconnected from the patient or, alternatively, may be hand carried along therewith by additional personnel. However, disconnection of the medical devices from the patient results in the undesirable disruption of medical monitoring or treatment therefor. Hand carrying the medical devices along with the patient requires extra personnel, which may not be available, or for which there may not be adequate room within the transport vehicle.
As such, it is desirable to provide a system for transporting a medical patient wherein the medical devices are carried along with the stretcher. In an attempt to provide such a system for transporting a medical patient while facilitating the continuous use of medical devices thereupon, the Mobile Intensive Care Rescue Facility (MIRF) was developed by the Royal Australian Army Medical Corp. The MIRF is intended to provide sufficient medical equipment to have the capabilities of an intensive care hospital ward. The MIRF is designed so as to facilitate the removal and replacement of the various pieces of medical equipment therefrom for maintenance. The MIRF is specifically designed to accommodate two major roles: the transfer of critically ill people from one point to another, such as from a ward to an x-ray room or from one hospital to another; and the bringing of life support systems quickly to the scene of an accident or other medical emergency.
The MIRF can be configured to include a blood pressure cuff, an invasive blood pressure monitor, a body temperature sensor, a heart rate sensor (finger clip sensor), an oxygen saturation sensor, an exhaled air carbon dioxide sensor, and an electrocardiograph, so as to facilitate medical monitoring of a patient. Further, the MIRF can include a ventilation system, a volumetric infusion pump, a syringe pump, a suction unit, and a defibrillator so at to facilitate medical treatment.
However, since the various medical devices of the MIRF are not integrated with the housing thereof, the inclusion of all of the medical devices results in a system having substantial weight. Further, since the various medical devices of the MIRF are not integrated with the housing thereof, the volume occupied thereby and the electrical power consumption of the medical devices thereof are not optimal.
As such, it would be desirable to provide an integrated system which utilizes a single power supply and which eliminates redundant components, so as to achieve a substantial reduction in weight, volume, and power consumption.
Another contemporary system is the MOBI described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,121, issued to Icenogle et al. on Sep. 18, 1990. The MOBI is similar to the MIRF in concept. That is, like the MIRF, the MOBI utilizes off-the-shelf medical devices which are contained attached to housing thereof, so as to be transportable therewith, thus eliminating disruptions in the medical care provided thereby during transport.
However, also like the MIRF, the MOBI is not an integrated system and thus possesses substantially greater weight, volume, and power consumption than desirable.
Further examples of such contemporary life support systems include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,584,989; 4,352,991; 4,691,397; 3,304,116; and 3,341,246.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,989 discloses a life support stretcher bed adapted to accommodate patients in intensive or cardiac care units in hospitals. The life support stretcher bed is broadly adapted for electrical medical devices, medical supplies and features an under carriage including a support structural, wheels, a patient housing with a mattress, an electrical power source and supports for mounting the medical equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,991 teaches a life support system adapted for field use in a vehicle with available power and includes electrically operable life support units, means for supporting the life support units, a patient stretcher, and a dc power source adapted for battery or remote power source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,397 teaches a device for carrying the life supporting devices of a bedridden patient including a table like means for supporting the devices, an IV holder, wheeled transport means and a hospital bed footboard securing means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,116 teaches a multiple purpose wheeled carriage capable of supporting a stretcher carrying a patient, adapted with four castered wheels, a fifth wheel, a rectangular frame, a fluid pressure actuated means for vertical adjustment, operating and control means and patient support means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,246 teaches a hospital stretcher adapted broadly with a litter structure having telescopic post elements and other means for manipulating the patient to various positions.
It is frequently desirable to isolate a medical patient from the environment during transport thereof to a medical facility. It is also frequently desirable to isolate the medical patient from care givers and other personnel. Isolating the medical patient from care givers and other personnel may be desirable when the medical patient has a suppressed immune system, open wound, or when the presence of a contagion is suspected among the care givers and/or other personnel. It is desirable to isolate the patient from the environment when the environment contains substances which may be detrimental to the medical patient. For example, if the patient has suffered severe blood loss or is experiencing difficulty breathing, then it is desirable to prevent the patient from breathing dust, engine exhaust, smoke, etc. It is also desirable to isolate the medical patient from the environment when bacteriological, chemical and/or radiological hazards are present, as may occur during battlefield conditions.
It may be desirable to isolate the care givers from the medical patient in instances where the medical patient is suspected of having a contagious disease, or has been exposed to bacteriological, chemical or radiological contamination. As such, it is desirable to provide a means for isolating the patient from the environment and care givers, as well as isolating the care givers from the patient.
As discussed above, increased transit times make the initial preparation of the medical patient substantially more crucial. This may include resuscitation, and in any event must be sufficient to avoid causing further injury to the medical patient during transport. It is generally also necessary to provide continuous care, i.e., stabilization, for the patient during transit.
Proper care during transit frequently includes ventilation, suction, fluid infusion and possibly defibrillation. Further, it is highly desirable to monitor blood pressure, temperature and respiration. It may also be desirable to monitor ventilation gases for pO2 and pCO2, and also to monitor O2 saturation, cardiac output and local blood flow. By providing such care and monitoring, the probability of survival for the medical patient is greatly enhanced. Variations in the monitored parameters may signal the need for an immediate change in the medical care being provided.
Further, such longer transit times make environmental protection for the medical patient even more desirable. For example, increased transit time makes loss of body heat a much greater concern. Thus, protection from cold and rain is desirable.
Although, as discussed above, various different mobile intensive care systems have been proposed, such contemporary mobile intensive care systems are not suitable for transport via military vehicles having standard NATO stretcher holders. Such military vehicles require that the stretcher or other housing upon which the medical patient rests, along with the medical patient, fit within a well defined and rigid envelope so as not to interfere with adjacent vehicle structures and/or other patients and stretchers. No contemporary mobile intensive care system is known which fits with this envelope. Thus, such prior art mobile intensive care systems cannot be efficiently carried via such military vehicles. This means that fewer such battlefield casualties can be transported via a particular military vehicle when such contemporary mobile intensive care systems are utilized, thus inherently causing undesirable delays in transport and also undesirably increasing the risk of mortality.
The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, the UH-1 Huey helicopter, the HumVee ambulance, the C-130 Fixed Wing aircraft, and the C-141 Fixed Wing aircraft all utilize standard NATO stretcher holders such that a plurality of such NATO stretchers, having battlefield casualties laying thereupon, can be efficiently carried thereby. For example, in the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, such stretchers are mounted to a vertical bulkhead carousel in a stacked configuration, such that the number of battlefield casualties so carried is maximized.
In order to facilitate evacuation of a medical patient from the battlefield to a remote hospital, a number of such military vehicles are commonly used. For example, a HumVee may be utilized to transport the medical patient to a helipad where the medical patient is then transported via a UH-60 Blackhawk or UH-1 Huey helicopter to an airfield. From the airfield the medical patient is then transported, typically, via C-130 or C-141 fixed wing aircraft to an airport near the remote hospital. As mentioned above, all of these military vehicles presently have stretcher holders which are specifically configured to hold the NATO standard stretcher.
In order to be carried via such military vehicles, a life support system must fit within the standard stretcher holders of such vehicles and still leave enough room for the medical patient resting thereon. Of course, the support system must not interfere with adjacent, e.g., stacked, medical patients and/or life support systems. However, to date, no such life support systems are known which are specifically configured to be compatible with such standard stretcher holders.
Since contemporary mobile intensive care systems are not configured for transport via military vehicles utilizing standard NATO stretcher mounts, it is frequently necessary to remove the medical patient therefrom, so as to facilitate such transport. Such removal of the medical patient from a contemporary mobile intensive care system may require disconnection from or disruption of desirable medical treatment, thus increasing the risk of mortality. Further, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, removing a medical patient from a mobile intensive care system, such that the medical patient can be placed upon a stretcher for transport aboard a military vehicle utilizing standard NATO stretcher mounts, tends to exacerbate existing injuries and thus tends to further increase the rate of mortality for such battlefield casualties.
As such, it is desirable to provide a single mobile intensive care system upon which the medical patient is placed at the battlefield and upon which the medical patient remains throughout the entire trip to the remote hospital.
Further, such contemporary mobile intensive care systems require skilled operators having extensive training to assure that proper care is provided to the medical patient. Although mobile intensive care systems requiring such extensive training are generally suitable for use in civilian applications, it is highly desirable to minimize the amount of skill and training required for use in battlefield situations. This allows medics or medical care givers to be trained in a minimum amount of time. It also facilitates use of the life support system when trained personnel are not available (as is often the case in battlefield situations). Thus, it is desirable to provide a mobile intensive care system which requires minimal skill and training for such battlefield applications.
Further, since the individual medical devices of contemporary mobile intensive care systems are not integrated with one another, the medical care provided thereby is not optimized. This lack of integration further enhances the requirement for trained personnel. Additionally, such lack of integration necessitates constant monitoring of the medical patient during transport. Constant monitoring of the medical patient is often either difficult or impossible, since skilled medical personnel are generally either not available or are highly taxed during such evacuation procedures.
As such, it is desirable to provide means for preparing a medical patient for a lengthy transport, i.e., stabilizing the medical patient, and for providing the necessary medical care during such transport. It is also desirable to provide medical devices which are integrated so as to mitigate the skill and training required for the proper operation thereof, and so as to facilitate automated operation thereof such that minimal attention of a care giver is required during transport. It is also desirable to provide a mobile intensive care system wherein the medical devices thereof cooperate with one another so as to optimize medical care provided thereby. Further, it is desirable to provide a mobile intensive care system which protects the medical patient from the environment, so as to mitigate the detrimental effects thereof.
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-mentioned deficiencies associated with the prior art. More particularly, the present invention comprises a self-contained transportable life support system for resuscitation, stabilization, and transport of a patient. As used herein, the terms medical patient and patient are defined to include patients and/or victims of any accident and/or medical condition resulting in the need for emergency medical care. Thus, the term medical patient includes victims of heart attacks and strokes, as well as victims of accidents and wartime casualties. The system comprises an environmentally controlled housing for receiving and supporting a patient, and a plurality of medical devices disposed within the housing. A control circuit is attached to the housing such that at least a portion of the control circuit extends to an external surface of the housing. The control circuit regulates operation of the medical devices and environmental conditions within the housing in response to monitored life support conditions of the patient.
The control circuit is programmably controllable to regulate operation of the medical devices and life support conditions of the patient independent of operator intervention. The control circuit preferably comprises a closed-loop control system.
The medical devices preferably comprise a ventilator, suction device, fluid infuser, defibrillator, oxygen enricher/generator, electrocardiograph, electroencephalograph blood pressure monitor, temperature sensor, respiration volume and rate monitor, ventilator gas monitor, O2 saturation monitor, and a cardiac rate and cardiac output and local blood flow monitor, and a device for performing blood chemistry analysis.
A heater is preferably disposed within the housing and in electrical communication with the control circuit, for heating an interior portion of the housing so as to maintain the interior portion above a predetermined minimum temperature.
Similarly, a cooler is preferably disposed within the housing and in electrical communication with the control circuit, for cooling an interior portion of the housing so as to maintain the interior portion below a predetermined maximum temperature.
An air filtration system is preferably disposed within the housing and in electrical communication with the control circuit, for filtering air within the housing.
The medical devices comprise at least one medical monitoring device for monitoring at least one life support condition of the patient and at least one medical treatment device for providing medical treatment to the patient. The medical devices providing treatment are regulatable by the control circuit in response to signals from the medical monitoring devices.
A communication circuit attached to the housing provides communications between the control circuit and a remote location. The communication circuit preferably comprises a transmitter for transmitting information representative of patient life support conditions and patient physiological status and a receiver for receiving externally generated remote control signals. The control circuit is responsive to the remote control signals, such that patient life support conditions are regulatable in response to the remote control signals. The control circuit preferably comprises a general purpose microprocessor.
The housing has an interior portion which is configured to receive and engage a stretcher. An exterior portion is configured to engage vehicular mounted stretcher supports.
The housing preferably comprises four stretcher retention members disposed within the housing for receiving and engaging a stretcher within the housing. Each of the stretcher retention members comprises a stretcher engagement mechanism operative to provide locking engagement to the stretcher solely in response to placement of the stretcher upon the stretcher engagement mechanism.
The control circuit preferably comprises first and second battery sections. A charging circuit selectively charges either one of the first and second battery sections or both sections simultaneously. The control circuit is operative to alternately charge the first battery section from an external power source while maintaining the second battery section ready to power the medical devices during an interruption of external power. Then the charging control circuit is operative to charge the second battery section from the external power source while maintaining the first battery section ready to power the medical devices during an interruption of external power. Thus, while each battery section is being charged, the other battery section is in a stand-by mode, such that it serves as a backup power source and takes over operation of the medical devices in the event that the external power source which is providing electrical power to the medical devices fails.
The medical devices preferably comprises a temperature monitoring system connectable to a patient for monitoring a body temperature of the patient and a temperature control system connectable to the patient for controlling the body temperature of the patient. The temperature control system alternatively comprises an extracorporeal blood temperature controller for regulating the blood temperature of the patient in response to the temperature monitoring system. Alternatively, the temperature control system comprises a temperature controlled water jacket.
The temperature monitoring system preferably comprises either an indwelling rectal temperature probe, an infrared eardrum temperature sensor, an axillary temperature sensor, or an intraesophageal temperature sensor.
Two invasive pressure sensors are preferably provided, so as to facilitate simultaneos measurement of blood pressure and intracranial pressure, for example.
According to one preferred configuration of the present invention, the temperature control system directs temperature controlled air about the patient in response to the temperature monitoring system, so as to maintain the temperature of the patient within a desired range.
The housing is preferably sealable so as to isolate the patient therein from chemical, biological and radiological conditions existing external to the housing. A pressure regulating mechanism disposed within the housing and in electrical communication within the control circuit regulates pressure within the housing so as to facilitate such isolation.
The control circuit preferably comprises an audio/visual device disposed external to the housing and in electrical communication with the control circuit, for displaying patient life support conditions. The audio/visual device preferably displays treatment instructions in response to patient life support conditions.
The control circuit preferably comprises a power regulator for regulating application of electrical power to the medical devices in accordance with an assigned priority status of the medical devices. The controller is preferably operative to modify the assigned priority status of medical devices in response to the patient support conditions in order to preserve the limited battery resource.
The control circuit is preferably operative to simulate a plurality of life support conditions, to monitor an operator""s utilization of the medical devices in response to the simulated life support conditions, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the operator""s utilization of the medical devices.
The housing preferably comprises a hyperbaric chamber and a hypobaric chamber, preferably formed of a lightweight, durable polymer or composite material.
The control circuit preferably comprises. a medical data reader for receiving medical data from a medical data storage device. The control circuit is operative to regulate operation of the medical devices in response to the received medical data. The medical devices preferably comprise a xe2x80x9cdog tagxe2x80x9d having medical data stored therein, an identification card having medical data stored therein, or a data storage device implanted beneath a patient""s skin.
These, as well as other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description and drawings. It is understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Self-contained transportable life support system


A heat dissipating system provides a fast heat dissipating airflow stream inside a desktop computer and thereby greatly enhances the heat dissipating efficiency of the desktop computer. The computer heat dissipating system includes a computer chassis which has a circular opening bored on its front plate, a motherboard which has a thermal module including a front cooling fan and a set of chipsets heatsink module installed on its top surface, and a power supply with a cooling fan. The thermal module, the chipsets heatsink module, and the power supply are aligned along a single heat dissipating airflow stream. The external low temperature air first passes through the thermal module and removes the heat generated by the central processing unit, further flows into the chipsets heatsink module and removes the heat generated by the MCH chipsets and ICH chipsets, and finally enters into the power supply and removes the heat generated by the power supply. The cooling fan of the power supply further facilitates the exhaust of the heated airflow.

The present invention relates in general to a heat dissipating system for a desktop computer, and more particularly, to a heat dissipating system which is capable of forming a fast heat dissipating airflow stream inside a desktop computer and thereby greatly enhances the heat dissipating efficiency of the desktop computer.
Various electrical instruments nowadays, and especially the desktop computer, are crowded with different electrical components and peripheral devices, such as the Central Processing Unit (CPU), the interface card, the hard drive, the disk burner, and the power supply. Those electrical components and peripheral devices each generate different levels of heat during their respective operations. The CPU because of its high processing speed, in particular, generates a large amount of heat. Nonetheless, the computer chassis of the average desktop computer is closed. Accordingly, the inner temperature of a desktop computer is very high. Therefore, one or more heat dissipation modules are installed inside the computer chassis to remove the heat generated by the electrical components and peripheral devices. The removal of this generated heat helps to ensure that the inside of the computer chassis maintains a moderate operating temperature.
The conventional heat dissipation system for desktop computers nowadays has a circular opening bored in its rear plate and a corresponding cooling fan installed in that circular opening. Further, some heat dissipating modules are consisted of modules that have a heat dissipating fin and cooling fan assembled onto a high temperature electrical component. This conventional heat dissipation system is barely able to complete its work. Heat dissipation is also hindered in the conventional arts because the exhaust airflow is hindered by internal electrical components. The inner airflows created by the conventional heat dissipating system interfere with each other. This happens when some of the heated air is re-circulated into the cooling fan which is assembled on an electrical component. Some heated air re-circulates into the cooling fan assembled on an electrical component, and therefore reduces the heat transfer capability of the heat dissipating module. Furthermore, the electrical components and peripheral devices will continue to evolve and new components will need to be integrated. The current heat dissipation system is unable to satisfy the future demand of a new generation of computer systems.


A method and solid-state storage device are disclosed for validating erasure status of data blocks on a solid-state drive. The method includes assigning each data block of a plurality of data blocks on the solid-state drive, a block identifier and an erasure status, the block identifier being system data, user data, or unmapped data, and the erasure status being erased or not erased.

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a solid-state storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store date, for example, using flash member. A solid-state drive (SSD) includes a high-speed interface connected to a controller chip and a plurality of storage, or memory, elements. The controller chip translates a high speed protocol received over the high speed interface into the protocol required by the storage elements, which include solid-state memory devices (for example, semiconductor devices). The controller controls the occurrence of read and erase events in the storage elements. The storage elements in the SSD comprise a plurality of blocks, which are the smallest erasable units in the memory. The blocks are subdivided into pages, which are the smallest readable units of the memory, and pages are subdivided into sectors. Each of the sectors, for example, has at least 512 bytes. In addition, each byte generally have 8 consecutive bits. In program and erase cycles (or write and erase), all the pages in a block are erased and then some, if not all, of the pages in the block are subsequently programmed (e.g., written with data).
Solid-state drives can have reliability issues as a result, for example, relatively high gate voltages applied to the storage elements during program and erase cycles, which can cause cumulative permanent changes to the storage element characteristics. For example, a charge may become trapped in the gate oxide of the storage elements through stress-induced leakage current (SILC). As the charge accumulates, the effect of programming or erasing a storage element becomes less reliable and the overall endurance of the storage element decreases. Accordingly, methods to prolong the SSD can include, for example, distributing the program and erase cycling equally among all storage elements in the SSD so that all storage elements wear at similar rates.
In addition, there is also an industry concern, particularly in government and other security conscious spaces, over the ability (or inability) to securely erase a solid-state storage device (SSD). For example, there has been a history of manufacturers not properly overwriting data when explicitly instructed to do so through firmware based secure erase/sanitization commands as well as incomplete erasures as a result of improper overwrites coupled with a lack of consideration for over-provisioned areas. Thus, there is a need for a method and system that validates the erasure status of each data block on the solid-state drive (SSD).

Method and system for validating erasure status of data blocks


This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99. The present variety is similar to the varieties xe2x80x98Commanderxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98San Juanxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Ana Mariaxe2x80x99. The present variety is fully everbearing, and is further distinguished from xe2x80x98Commanderxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98San Juanxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Ana Mariaxe2x80x99, in particular, by its flat globose habit, strong interveinal blistering, weak leaf glossiness, rounded terminal leaflet shape of base and teeth, sparse petiole pubescence, dense to very dense stolon pubescence, a position of inflorescence above the foliage, larger calyx diameter relative to the corolla, a semi-erect attitude of the fruiting truss at first picking, predominantly conical fruit, very slight to slight differences between shapes of primary and secondary fruits, very narrow to narrow band without achenes, very weak unevenness of surface of the fruit, weak to medium glossiness of the fruit, spreading to reflexed pose of the calyx segments, even flesh color of the fruit, and absent to small hollow center size.

The new variety, xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99, originated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plants xe2x80x9833xc3x97257xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98L2xe2x80x99 (both unpatented varieties of Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc.) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in a controlled breeding plot in Monterey County, Calif. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons at a Nursury in McArthur, Shasta County, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot in Monterey County, Calif., where the variety was identified and selected for further evaluation in May 1996. The new variety, xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99, was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing in the Monterey Bay area in California for five years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and are retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99. The varierty is botanically identified as Fragariaxc3x97ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-4.
The varieties that we believe to be similar to xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99 from those known to us are xe2x80x98Commanderxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,024), xe2x80x98San Juanxe2x80x99 (U.S. plant application Ser. No. 09/524,581), and xe2x80x98Ana Mariaxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,035). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by, xe2x80x98Commanderxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98San Juanxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Ana Mariaxe2x80x99. The new variety is fully everbearing and has a flat globose habit, strong interveinal blistering, weak leaf glossiness, rounded terminal leaflet shape of base and teeth, sparse petiole pubescence, dense to very dense stolon pubescence, a position of inflorescence above the foliage, larger calyx diameter relative to the corolla, a semi-erect attitude of the fruiting truss at first picking, predominantly conical fruit, very slight to slight differences between shapes of primary and secondary fruits, very narrow to narrow band without achenes, very weak unevenness of surface of the fruit, weak to medium glossiness of the fruit, spreading to reflexed pose of the calyx segments, even flesh color of the fruit, and absent to small hollow center size.

Strawberry plant named xe2x80x98Sonoraxe2x80x99


The present invention concerns compounds comprising, within short sequences from a specific regions of the 7TM receptor, that can modulate 7TM receptor-associated signal. The present invention further concerns methods for stimulation angiogenesis by administration of peptides derived from the EDG3 7TM-receptor.

One of the largest families of receptors in the human genome is that of the 7 transmembrane receptor (7-TMR) superfamily, also known as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), numbering approximately 2000. G-protein coupled receptors regulate a large number of important physiological processes. At least 40% of the prescription drugs that have been developed have actions related to these receptors. Most of these drugs work by interfering with the ligand binding to the receptor that occurs outside of cells. G-proteins are important effectors of cell activation.
There is now an effort in the scientific community to define compounds that block the intracellular interaction between the receptor and its signal transducing partner, the G-protein.
The second intracellular loop of the 7TMR receptors are known to play an important role in the signal transduction as mutations in this region cause a disturbance in the 7TMR-associated signal transduction.
There has been an attempt (Benovic et al., Br. J. Clin. Pharmac., 30:3s-12s (1990) to interfere with the β2-adrenoreceptor signal transduction by administration of peptides corresponding to the full second loop of this receptor. However, these results were extremely unsatisfactory as the sequence corresponding to the long 2nd loop was virtually inactive in modulating signal transduction with an IC50 of about 240 μm.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate is formed in cells in response to diverse stimuli, including growth factors, cytokines, G-protein-coupled receptor agonists, antigen, etc. Its production is catalyzed by sphingosine kinase, while degradation is either via cleavage to produce palmitaldehyde and phosphoethanolamine or by dephosphorylation. Sphingosine 1-phosphate can also bind to members of the endothelial differentiation gene (EDG) G-protein-coupled receptor family [namely EDG1, EDG3, EDG5 (also known as H218 or AGR16), EDG6 and EDG8] to elicit biological responses. These receptors are coupled differentially via G(i), G(q), G(12/13) and Rho to multiple effector systems, including adenylate cyclase, phospholipases C and D, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and non-receptor tyrosine kinases. These signaling pathways are linked to transcription factor activation, cytoskeletal proteins, adhesion molecule expression, caspase activities, etc. Therefore sphingosine 1-phosphate can affect diverse biological responses, including mitogenesis, differentiation, migration and apoptosis, via receptor-dependent mechanisms. Additionally, sphingosine 1-phosphate has been proposed to play an intracellular role, for example in Ca(2+) mobilization.
The term "angiogenesis" (also referred to at times as "neovascularization") is a general term used to denote the growth of new blood vessels both in normal and pathological conditions.
Angiogenesis is an important natural process that occurs during embryogenesis, and in the adult healthy body in the process of wound healing, and in restoration of blood flow back into injured tissues. In females, angiogenesis also occurs during the monthly reproductive cycle to build up the uterus lining and to support maturation of oocytes during ovulation, and in pregnancy when the placenta is formed, in the process of the establishment of circulation between the mother and the fetus. The healthy body controls angiogenesis through the interactions of angiogenesis-stimulating growth factors, and angiogenesis inhibitors, and the balance between the two determines whether angiogenesis is turned "on" or "off".
In the therapeutic field, there has been in recent years a growing interest in the control of angiogenesis. By one aspect, the aim was to control or diminish excessive and pathological angiogenesis that occurs in diseases such as cancer, diabetic blindness, age related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and some additional 70 conditions. In these pathological conditions the new blood vessels feed the diseased tissue, for example the tumor tissue, providing it with essential oxygen and nutrients thus enabling its pathological growth. In addition the pathological angiogenesis many times destroys the normal tissue. Furthermore, the new blood vessels, formed for example in the tumor tissue, enable the tumor cells to escape into the circulation and metastasize in other organs. Typically, excessive angiogenesis occurs when diseased cells produce abnormal amounts of angiogenetic growth factors, overwhelming the effect of the natural angiogenesis inhibitors present in the body.
Anti-angiogenetic therapies developed today, are aimed at preventing new blood vessel growth through the targeting and neutralization of any of the stimulators that encourage the formation of new blood vessels.
A contrasting indication of regulating angiogenesis is the stimulation of production of neovascularization in conditions where insufficient angiogenesis occurs. Typically, these conditions are diseases such as coronary artery diseases, stroke, and delayed wound healing (for example in ulcer lesions). In these conditions, when adequate blood vessels growth and circulation is not properly restored, there is a risk for tissue death due to insufficient blood flow. Typically, insufficient angiogenesis occurs when the tissues do not produce adequate amounts of angiogenetic growth-factors, and therapeutic angiogenesis is aimed at stimulating new blood vessels' growth by the use of growth factors or their mimics.
The main goal of the angiogenesis therapy is to produce a biobypass—i.e. to physically bypass diseased or blocked arteries, by tricking the body into building new blood vessels.

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem


The present invention relates to a melanoma antigen peptide comprising the amino acids sequence selected in the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4 or SEQ ID NO:5 or a function-conservative variant thereof. Moreover the invention also relates to a melanoma antigen peptide according to the invention for use in the prevention or the treatment of melanoma in patient.

In antitumor immune responses, CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) have been identified as the most powerful effector cells (Vesely M D et al., 2011). As a consequence, most previous anti-cancer vaccines use class I HLA-restricted peptides derived from tumor antigens in order to stimulate CTL responses. However, the clinical impact of peptide-based cancer vaccines remains still modest, even if a recent gp100-derived peptide vaccination was shown to increase patient survival in melanoma (Rosenberg S A et al., 2004 and Schwartzentruber D J et al., 2011). In addition to a variety of immune suppressive mechanisms originating from the tumor itself, suboptimal design of vaccines used so far may explain this failure. In particular, short epitopic peptides, could induce vanishing CTL responses or tolerance towards targeted antigens (Bijker M S et al., 2007 and Toes R E et al., 1996). In the meanwhile, CD4 helper T cells have gained interest in anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy. Indeed, tumor-reactive CD4+T helper 1 T cells (Th1) produce several cytokines (such as IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2) essential for the induction of cell-mediated immunity against tumors. One widely accepted model demonstrates the ability of CD4+ T cells to 'license' dendritic cells (DCs) for efficient CD8+ T cell priming through the interaction of costimulatory receptors (Bennett S R et al., 1998 and Smith C M et al., 2004). The cytokines secreted by CD4+Th1 cells also exert direct antitumor and antiangiogenic effects. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated in a mouse model that only tumor-reactive CD4+ T cells have been found to ensure efficient effector CTLs recruitment at the tumor site. In a clinical standpoint, a high density of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ Th1 cells has been recently shown as a good prognostic marker in colorectal cancer patients emphasizing the role of these cells in cancer immunosurveillance. In melanoma, tumor-reactive CD4 T cells have also been associated with a good clinical outcome (Robbins P F et al., 2002), and more recently the same group showed that tumor specific CD4 T cells were present in at least 20% of metastatic melanomas, and suggested that the infusion of TIL populations containing CD4 specific T cells could enhance the efficacy of adoptive cell therapy (Friedman K M et al., 2012). In the same line of thought, it has been demonstrated in a melanoma patient that the adoptive cell transfer of CD4 T cells specific for NYESO-1 antigen induces durable clinical remission and led to endogenous responses against non-targeted tumor antigens, suggesting the stimulation of immune responses by transferred CD4 T cells (Hunder N N et al., 2008).
In the field of peptide vaccination, it has been documented twenty years ago, in a mouse model that the generation of a strong CD8 response against a LCMV-derived peptide depended on the presence of CD4 helper T cells (Fayolle C et al., 1991). These results have been more recently confirmed in a clinical setting by the use of synthetic long peptides (SLP) in colorectal cancer, using P53 derived SLP (Speetjens F M et al., 2009), in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (Kenter G G et al., 2009) and cervical cancer patients (Welters M J et al., 2008) using HPV16-derived SLP. In the case of vulvar neoplasia, clinical responses appeared to be correlated with the induction of strong HPV16 specific immune responses. Synthetic long peptides containing immunogenic CD8 and CD4 tumor epitopes are therefore attractive tools to implement therapeutic cancer vaccine.
One of the main issues in the field of long peptide vaccination in solid tumors is to identify immunogenic long peptides derived from relevant tumor associated antigens. Target antigens should be widely expressed, and able to induce robust CD8 and CD4 anti-tumor T cell responses. In melanoma, the Melan-A antigen fulfills these requirements and the inventors recently reported the efficiency of a Melan-A modified SLP, to cross-prime human tumor-reactive T cells (Chauvin J M et al., 2012). Another attractive target for melanoma vaccination would be the MELOE-1 antigen (46 amino acids), specifically overexpressed in melanoma. Indeed, the inventors previously reported that the infusion of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) specific for the MELOE-1 antigen was associated with a prolonged relapse-free survival for HLA-A2 melanoma patients who received TIL therapy (Godet Y et al., 2008). Furthermore, they documented the presence of a large and tumor reactive CD8 T cell repertoire in HLA-A2 melanoma patients (Godet Y et al., 2010) and the presence of two class II epitopes in the vicinity of the class I epitope, located at the C-terminal end of the polypeptide (Rogel A et al., 2011).
Despites these results, the identification of additional melanoma antigens with a documented immunogenic potential remains a major issue to address for melanoma immunotherapy.

Melanoma antigen peptide and uses thereof

INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE)

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)