Methods for producing antibody-based therapeutics with enhanced ADCC activity are disclosed. The enhanced ADCC activity is attributed to oligomannose-type N-glycans on the antibodies and Fc fusion proteins of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of using such antibody-based therapeutics for targeted killing of cells in a mammal, including therapeutic methods of treating cancers, autoimmune diseases and other diseases.

Antibody-based therapeutics, i.e., monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and Fc fusion proteins, have now "come of age" as therapeutics. There are at least eighteen mAbs and two fusion molecules on the market and more than 150 are currently in clinical trials (see, e.g., Holliger et al. (2005) Nature Biotech., 23:1126-1136 and Theillaud (2005) Expert Opin. Biol. Ther., 5 (Suppl. 1):S15-S27). Indications for these therapeutics are varied and include, e.g., organ transplantation (OKT3®, Simulect®, Zenapax®), oncology (Rituxan®, Panorex®, Herceptin®, Mylotarg®, Campath®, Zevalin®, Bexxar®, Erbitux®, Avastin®, HuMax-CD4™), infectious disease (Synagis®), inflammation and autoimmune disease (Humira®, Amevive®, Enbrel®), and allergic asthma (Xolair®). The therapeutic activity of such drugs may be mediated via different mechanisms of action, for example, by inhibiting signaling events in target cells, by direct induction of apoptosis, as well as by indirect immunologic mechanisms, such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) through binding to Fc receptors and complement-dependent cytotoxicity through binding to C1q (both mechanisms are termed collectively as "effector functions").
Mouse mAbs were first made by Köhler et al. in 1975 (Nature (1975) 256:495-497). The first mAb that was approved for clinical use is a murine antibody (OKT3®). However, the effector functions, immunogenicity, and the pharmacokinetic properties of mouse antibodies (most of them being IgG1 or IgG2a and, in some cases, IgG2b) are generally not satisfactory for therapeutic uses in humans. For example, when mouse antibodies are tested with cells of human origin, the level of ADCC is substantially lower than that with mouse cells. Further studies elucidated that the antibody Fc regions are responsible for effector functions, and that the reduced ADCC is due to a lower binding affinity of murine IgG Fc region to human Fcγ receptors as compared to human antibodies.
Much effort has been made to produce antibody-based therapeutics with decreased immunogenicity and optimized effector functions in humans. As a result, chimeric, humanized and fully human monoclonal antibodies and antibody-based fusion proteins have been developed. Most chimeric and humanized antibodies, as well as antibody-based fusion molecules, contain an Fc region derived from human IgG1, because this subclass exhibits characteristics (FcγRs binding, serum half-life) and functional properties (ADCC, phagocytosis, endocytosis, complement activation) desirable for certain types of immune intervention.
Although some antibody-based therapeutics may function without utilizing antibody effector mechanisms, others may need to recruit the immune system to kill the target cells. If immune system recruitment is desirable for a particular therapeutic, engineering the IgG Fc portion to improve effector function (e.g., improved binding to IgG receptors and/or complement) may be a valuable enhancement.
Several strategies have been explored to enhance immune system recruitment, including: bispecific antibodies, in which one arm of the antibody binds to an Fcγ receptor (see, e.g., Segal et al. (1999) Curr. Opin. Immunol., 11:558-562); cytokine-IgG fusion molecules (e.g., IL-10-Fc, IL-15-Fc); and mutation of amino acid residues responsible for binding to FcγRs (see, e.g., Shields et al. (2001) J. Biol. Chem., 276:6591-6604).
Glycosylation of immunoglobulins can be an essential determinant of effector functions. Therefore, another approach to modify the effector function of a particular IgG is to engineer the glycosylation pattern of the Fc region.
An IgG molecule contains an N-linked oligosaccharide covalently attached at the conserved Asn297 of each of the CH2 domains in the Fc region. The oligosaccharides found in the Fc region of serum IgGs are mostly biantennary glycans of the complex type. Variations of IgG glycosylation patterns include attachment of terminal sialic acid, a third GlcNAc arm (bisecting GlcNAc), a terminal galactosylation, and α-1,6-linked core fucosylation. Oligosaccharides can contain zero (G0), one (G1), or two (G2) galactoses (see FIG. 1A). The exact pattern of glycosylation depends on the structural properties of IgG subcomponents, in particular, CH2 and CH3 domains (Lund et al. (2000) Eur. J. Biochem., 267:7246-7257). The cell lines used to produce recombinant IgG mAbs or fusion molecules (most often derived from mouse and hamster cell lines) may also influence the synthesis of oligosaccharide chains.
The oligosaccharide moiety of glycoproteins is initially biosynthesized from lipid-linked oligosaccharides to form a Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-pyrophosphoryl-dolichol which is then transferred to the protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (see FIG. 1B). The oligosaccharide portion is then processed in the following sequence. First, all three glucose (Glc) residues are removed by glucosidases I and II to yield Man9GlcNAc2-protein. The Man9GlcNAc2 structure may be further processed by the removal of a number of mannose (Man) residues. Initially, four α1,2-linked mannoses are removed to give a Man5GlcNAc2-protein which is then lengthened by the addition of a N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residue. This new structure, the GlcNAcMan5GlcNAc2-protein, is the substrate for mannosidase II which removes the α1,3- and α1,6-linked mannoses. Thereafter, the other sugars, GlcNAc, galactose, and sialic acid, are added sequentially to give the complex types of structures often found on glycoproteins.
Several studies have investigated the relationship between IgG glycoforms and FcγRIII-dependent ADCC.
Galactose—Removal of most of the galactose residues from a humanized mAb IgG1 (Campath®) resulted in reduced complement lysis activity but had no effect on ADCC (Boyd et al. (1995) Mol. Immunol., 32:1311-1318). However, a highly galactosylated form of a human anti-RhD monoclonal IgG is more active in ADCC assays than the agalactosyl form (Kumpel et al. (1994) Antibodies Hybridomas, 5:143-151). Thus, the impact of galactosylation of IgG oligosaccharide on ADCC is controversial.
Sialic Acid—The terminal sialic acid seems to have no effect on ADCC (Boyd et al. (1995) Mol. immunol., 32:1311-1318).
N-acetyl-glucosamine—Several studies have focused on the role of bisecting GlcNAc in binding to FcγRIII and ADCC. The glycosylation pattern of a chimeric IgG1 antineuroblastoma antibody has been engineered in CHO cells transfected with β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnTIII) (Umana et al. (1999) Nature Biotech., 17:176-180; see also U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,684). This enzyme catalyzes the addition of bisecting GlcNAc residue to the N-linked oligosaccharide. The bisecting GlcNAc blocks the α-1,6-linked core fucosylation of N-glycans, since α1,6-fucosyltransferase cannot efficiently use bisecting N-glycans as substrates (Longmore et al. (1982) Carbohydrate Res., 100:365-392). IgG produced in this cell line exhibited an increased ADCC activity. However, the contribution of bisecting GlcNAc on effector functions as compared to core fucose remains controversial (Shinkawa et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem., 278:3466-3473).
Fucose—Humanized and chimeric IgG1 mAbs have been produced in a rat hybridoma cell line that expresses a lower level of α-1,6-fucosyltransferase, so that the secreted mAbs have lower fucosylated oligosaccharide than Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-produced IgG1 (Shinkawa et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem., 278:3466-3473; see also European Patent Appln. Pub. No. 1176195). These studies have shown that non fucosylated oligosaccharides play a more critical role in enhancing ADCC than bisecting GlcNAc oligosaccharides. This report is consistent with previous studies in which the fucose deficiency of IgG1 had no effect on C1q binding, but provoked an increased binding to human FcγRIIIA and allowed a higher ADCC activity (Shields et al. (2002) J. Biol. Chem., 277:26733-26740).
Attempts have been made to engineer cell lines that produce recombinant IgG with a well-defined pattern of glycosylation in the Fc region. For example, CHO cell lines expressing high levels of human β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (GT) and/or α-2,3-sialyltransferase (ST) have been made. The structure of IgG oligosaccharides produced in these cells shows a greater homogeneity as compared with control cell lines. Overexpression of GT reduces the amount of terminal GlcNAc, whereas overexpression of ST increases sialylation of oligosaccharides (Weikert et al. (1999) Nature Biotech., 17:116-1121).
There continues to be a need to optimize antibody-based therapeutics, and in particular, to develop methods for producing antibody-based therapeutics with enhanced ADCC activity.

Antibody-based therapeutics with enhanced ADCC activity


An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus. The image forming system includes a feeding unit configured to store a plurality of sheets and successively feed the sheets; a stack unit configured to stack sheets processed by the post-processing apparatus; a state detection unit configured to detect a predetermined state of the stack unit; and a control unit configured to restrict the number of sheets fed from the feeding unit so that the number of sheets existing in a sheet conveyance path extending from the feeding unit to the stack unit does not exceed a predetermined number. The predetermined number is the number of sheets that the post-processing apparatus can receive from the image forming apparatus after detection of the predetermined state by the state detection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance control performed in an image forming system, which includes an image forming apparatus (e.g., copying machine, laser beam printer, etc.) and a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Print On Demand is a prospective technology and business process that can use advanced digital copying machines and relevant printing devices. To realize an image forming system suitable for the Print On Demand, a copying machine is arranged to be connectable with a plurality of large-capacity sheet feeding decks so that various types and different materials of sheets can be used and the sheet feeding operation can be continuously performed for a long time.
In general, an image forming apparatus is connected to a post-processing apparatus that performs insert processing for inserting cover/interleaf to a plurality of sheets output from an image forming apparatus. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus is connected to a plurality of post-processing apparatuses that perform staple processing, punching processing, bookbinding processing, stack processing, and other post-processing.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-147560, a conventional system detects a fully stacked condition of a discharge tray while sheets are discharged to the discharge tray. If the system detects a fully stacked condition of the discharge tray, the system switches the destination of discharged sheets to another discharge tray.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-116134, a conventional system continues stacking discharged sheets for a predetermined time after detection of a fully stacked condition of a discharge tray and then stops the operation performed by a post-processing apparatus.
However, if an image forming system includes a plurality of apparatuses, the length of a sheet conveyance path in the system is variable depending on the arrangement of respective apparatuses to be connected. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the maximum number of sheets existing in a conveyance path extending from a sheet feeding unit of an image forming system to a sheet discharge portion of a post-processing apparatus during an image forming operation (hereinafter, referred to as "maximum number of sheets") is variable depending on the system arrangement.
However, according to the conventional system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-147560 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-116134, the maximum number of sheets in the sheet conveyance path that may change depending on the system arrangement is not taken into consideration.
For example, according to a system arrangement illustrated in FIG. 11 including only a finisher and an image forming apparatus, all of sheets S (indicated by bold segments in FIG. 11) existing in a conveyance path can be discharged to a discharge tray even if the image forming apparatus stops image formation processing after detection of a fully stacked condition of the discharge tray. However, according to a system arrangement illustrated in FIG. 12 including a large-scale image forming system, all of sheets S existing in a conveyance path may not be completely discharged to a discharge tray after detection of a fully stacked condition of the discharge tray.
As described above, the number of sheets received by a finisher after detection of a fully stacked condition of a discharge tray is variable depending on the arrangement of respective apparatuses positioned at the upstream side of the finisher.
Therefore, a post-processing apparatus connected to a large-scale image forming system illustrated in FIG. 12 is required to surely receive all the sheets existing in a conveyance path after a fully stacked condition of a discharge tray is detected.
However, if the maximized arrangement of a system is taken into consideration, a small value is set as the number of sheets that identifies a fully stacked condition of the discharge tray. In this case, the determined number of stackable sheets is too small for another arrangement of the system which is not the maximized arrangement.
Furthermore, if the number of sheets that a post-processing apparatus can receive after detection of a fully stacked condition is set to a value comparable to the maximum number of sheets that can remain in a conveyance path, the scale and the cost of the system increase. Furthermore, when the current maximized arrangement is taken into consideration, the arrangement of a discharge tray applicable to the present system will be no longer effective for scale expansion of the system in the future.
Moreover, if the arrangement of an apparatus is determined considering the maximized system, it becomes an over-designed system and does not suit for a minimized system including only an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus.

Image forming system, including an image forming apparatus and post-processing apparatus, that performs sheet conveyance control and post-processing on discharged sheets


A liquid dispenser includes of a bottle for housing the liquid, a pumping mechanism for discharging liquid from the bottle, and a boss that is connected to and extends from the bottom of the bottle. The boss on the bottle mates with a socket in a base to selectively secure the bottle to the base and a countertop or wall mounted support. The boss and socket are shaped so as to allow for a single orientation of the bottle. The combination of the boss on the bottle and the socket in the base provides a counter-top mounting system to securely anchor the liquid dispensing device. The apparatus also allows the soap reservoir to be easily refilled and utilizes readily available pump components.

This invention relates generally to liquid dispensers and more particularly, to such dispensers which can be selectively secured to a countertop, wall or other surface.
A number of countertop mounted liquid dispensers are known in the prior art. These dispensers have typically included refillable soap reservoirs into which dip tubes are inserted. Dip tubes have typically included one or two check valves with a piston-type pump. These pump and valve arrangements for countertop mounted soap dispensers have traditionally been intended as permanent installations and over a period of time the valves and/or pumps often fail or become clogged such that no soap can be dispensed.
Counter-top liquid soap dispensers often have a problem with placement. The liquid soap dispenser must be placed on an already crowded counter adjacent the sink. In the past, these dispensers had no anchoring and were often tipped over or knocked into the sink. Counter-top dispensers are especially likely to be tipped over when they are low on liquid and are top heavy.
Many public bathrooms in business establishments such as offices and restaurants have soap dispensers that include soap-filled bottles mounted under the counter next to the sinks. The dispensers have spouts that are disposed above the counter and are attached to the under-mounted bottles so that soap can be pumped from the respective bottles. Typically, large holes are bored into the counter so that the spout and bottle can be securely attached to one another to form the dispenser assembly. There are several drawbacks to this type of dispenser assembly. First, it is difficult to determine when the under-mounted soap bottle is empty or running low on soap because the bottle is not visible above the counter. Typically, a person has to go underneath the counter and unscrew the bottle to determine the amount of soap in it, which is labor-intensive and can be unsanitary. Also, the soap bottles are typically not disposable and must be refilled with soap. The process of pouring soap into the bottles can also be labor-intensive and messy.
Many operators of public bathrooms have explored replacing the prior art soap dispensers as described above with new soap dispensers that do not have the noted drawbacks. For example, some operators have used stand-alone soap dispensers that rest on top of but are not affixed to the countertop. Those dispensers, however, are often stolen by consumers who use them in their homes. Further, when the prior art dispensers are replaced with new means for delivering soap, the hole in the counter from the prior art dispenser remains and can be very unattractive.
Commonly, the dispensers include a label for identification or other markings for promotional, informational or marketing purposes. Free standing dispensers are prone to misplacement and misorientation such that these labels and markings are not readily visible to the user requiring the user to grasp the dispenser for proper placement and orientation thereby potentially spreading germs and other contaminants onto the dispenser for possible transfer to subsequent users.
Accordingly, what is lacking in the art is a dispenser having a mounting system that makes it possible to selectively secure and anchor the liquid dispensing device in a consistent and proper orientation and still allow portability, so the dispenser can be transported and used in other areas, as needed. The design should also allow the reservoir to be easily refilled and utilize readily available pump components.

Selectively secured liquid dispenser, mount and associated method


In an optical amplifier, an input light is supplied to one end of an optical fiber connected to an output port, and the power of a light in an opposite direction which is input to the output port from the one end of the optical fiber, is measured, thereby obtaining a stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) occurrence threshold in the optical fiber based on the measurement result. Then, using the SBS occurrence threshold, a relation between the input light power and an occurrence amount of the self phase modulation (SPM) or the like in the optical fiber is obtained to be reflected on a control of the optical amplifier, so that an occurrence of the SPM or the like in the optical fiber is suppressed. As a result, it becomes possible to accurately measure, with a simple configuration, the nonlinear optical properties of the optical fiber actually connected to the output port of the optical amplifier, so that the optical S/N ratio degradation due to a nonlinear optical effect can be effectively suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for measuring the nonlinear optical properties of various types of optical fibers to be used for optical communications, and an optical amplifier and an optical transmission system, each of which uses the method of measuring the nonlinear optical properties to control an optical input level to an optical fiber, thereby suppressing an occurrence of a nonlinear optical effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an optical transmission system, an optical amplifier is used for compensating for a transmission loss in an optical fiber or a loss in an optical function device. In a long-distance trunk system, with an increase of communication demand due to the spread of the Internet, there is introduced a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system which applies the broadband property of the optical amplifier. Further, a WDM optical transmission system having a wavelength routing function is now being introduced together with the optical amplifier also in metropolitan ring networks.
As typical optical amplifiers, there are cited, for example, a rare-earth element doped optical fiber amplifier, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), an optical fiber Raman amplifier and the like. Further, as rare-earth elements for the rare-earth element doped optical fiber amplifier, there are known erbium (Er) for amplifying a light in 1525-1625 nm wavelength band, thulium (Tm) for amplifying a light in 1480-1510 nm wavelength band, praseodymium (Pr) for amplifying a light in a wavelength band in the vicinity of 1300 nm and the like. At present day, in the optical transmission system, an erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier (EDFA) is mainly used.
Furthermore, the above EDFA is broadly classified into a C-band EDFA of which amplification band is in 1530-1565 nm and an L-band EDFA of which amplification band is in 1570-1605 nm. The L-band EDFA has a feature of having an erbium-doped fiber longer than that of the C-band EDFA.
As described in the above, since the C-band EDFA as well as the L-band EDFA has the amplification band of about 35 nm, for example if a plurality of signal lights contained in a WDM light is arranged at 0.8 nm (about 100 GHz) spacing, it becomes possible to collectively amplify the signal lights of 40 or more waves. Moreover, the EDFA is excellent in view of high output power, and therefore, for example the optical output power of 200 mW or more can be easily obtained. Using such characteristics, the EDFA is applied to various WDM optical transmission systems.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of use of an optical amplifier in a typical WDM optical transmission system. In this WDM optical transmission system, optical signals of different wavelengths respectively output from a plurality of electric/optical (E/O) converters 111 are multiplexed by a wavelength multiplexer 112 to be input to a post-amplifier 113. In the post-amplifier 113, the input WDM light is collectively amplified to have a predetermined gain or an optical output power level, to be sent out to a transmission fiber 100. Then, the WDM light, which has been propagated through the transmission fiber 100 to be attenuated, is again amplified by a pre-amplifier 121 to have the predetermined gain or the optical output power level. The WDM light output from the pre-amplifier 121 is demultiplexed by a wavelength demultiplexer 122, and the optical signals of respective wavelengths are input to respective optical/electric (O/E) converters 123. Further, for the pre-amplifier 121, there is typically used a configuration in which a dispersion-compensating fiber (DCF) 121A for compensating for the chromatic dispersion occurred in the transmission fiber 100 is disposed, and this dispersion-compensating fiber 121A is arranged between optical amplifiers 121B and 121C of two-staged configuration.
In the WDM optical transmission system as described above, in order to improve an optical signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, it is desirable to increase the power of the transmitted WDM light as high as possible. However, a nonlinear optical effect occurred in the transmission fiber 100 or in the dispersion-compensating fiber 121A depends on the power of the light propagated through the optical fiber, and therefore, causes the noise or the waveform distortion to degrade transmission characteristics of the WDM light. Accordingly, an upper limit of an optical input level to the optical fiber is generally restricted by the nonlinear optical effect. As the nonlinear optical effects which degrade the above transmission characteristics, there are cited the self-phase modulation (SPM), the cross phase modulation (XPM), the four-wave mixing (FWM), the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and the like.
FIG. 8 shows examples of optical input levels at which the nonlinear optical effects occur in various types of optical fibers (to be referred to as "occurrence level of the nonlinear optical effect" hereunder). Incidentally, herein, the assumption is made on the optical transmission system corresponding to the WDM light of C-band and of 10 Gb/s.
It is known that the occurrence level of the nonlinear optical effect is determined according to an optical transmission system model (for example, the wavelength band, the number of wavelengths, the wavelength spacing, a transmission distance per one span, the number of spans and the like), and also, according to types of optical fibers used for the transmission path, the dispersion compensator and the like (for example, a single mode fiber (SMF), a dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF), a non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber (NZ-DSF), a dispersion-compensating fiber (DCF) and the like) and fiber parameters (for example, an effective core cross sectional area, the chromatic dispersion, the effective fiber length and the like). As shown in the examples of FIG. 8, the optical input level to the optical fiber is generally restricted by the self-phase modulation (SPM) except for the dispersion-shifted fiber in which the chromatic dispersion in 1550 nm is 0 ps/nm/km.
In order to avoid the occurrence of the nonlinear optical effect as described above, it is necessary to restrict the optical input level to the optical fiber to be used for the transmission path and the like, that is, the optical output power level of the optical amplifier. However, in an actual operation, there are variations in fiber parameters, a connector loss, a splicing loss and the like, resulting in a problem in that an occurrence level of the nonlinear optical effect cannot be exactly grasped. In order to cope with such a problem, how the nonlinear optical properties of the optical fiber to be actually used are accurately measured to reflect the measurement result on a control of the optical amplifier becomes a major issue.
As a conventional technology related to the measurement of the nonlinear optical properties, there has been known a measuring method as disclosed in "An optical measuring device for user engineers", edited by Toshiharu TAKOU, Tatsuatsu HONDA, enlarged and revised edition, 1998, pp. 102-126. Hereunder, the description will be made on the summary of the conventional measuring method of the nonlinear optical properties.
For example, the nonlinear refractive index of a silica-based optical fiber is about 2.2×10−20 m2/W. This nonlinear refractive index is relatively small compared with those of other nonlinear mediums. However, since a mold diameter thereof, which is a feature of optical fiber, is small (for example, about 10 μm) and a loss thereof is significantly small, (for example, about 0.2 dB/km in 1.55 μm), it is possible to observe nonlinear optical phenomena. Most of nonlinear optical phenomena occurred in the optical fiber are caused by the nonlinear refraction. These nonlinear optical phenomena occur because the refractive index n of the optical fiber depends on the intensity P of a light as shown in the following formula (1).n=nL+n2P  (1)In the above formula, nL is the linear refractive index of the optical fiber, n2 is the nonlinear refractive index depending on a material for the optical fiber, and P is the input power to the optical fiber.
If the refractive index depends on the optical intensity, there occur some nonlinear optical phenomena. Most widely studied ones from among the nonlinear optical phenomena are the self phase modulation (SPM) and the cross phase modulation (XPM).
The SPM means the phase shift which is caused by the light itself when the light is being propagated through the optical fiber. A phase shift amount φ thereof is expressed by the following formula (2).
                    ϕ        =                                            2                            π                        λ                                          L                                      (                                                n                  L                                +                                                      n                    2                                                      P                                            )                                                          (        2        )
In the above formula (2), the term depending on the optical intensity corresponds to a phase change due to the SPM, and if this term is φNL, φNL is expressed by the following formula (3).
                              ϕ                                                              NL                =                                            2                            π                        λ                              L                                                                          n            2                              P                                    (        3        )
In the above formula (3), L is the fiber length. However, if a proportional constant of the optical fiber in 1.55 μm is α considering the loss in the optical fiber, the effective fiber length Leff is expressed by the following formula (4).
                              L          eff                =                              (                          1              -                              ⅇ                                                      -                    α                                                                                L                                                      )                    α                                    (        4        )
Further, since the optical intensity in the optical fiber is distributed in a core direction of the optical fiber, it is necessary to define an effective core cross sectional area Aeff for a core of the optical fiber. The effective core cross sectional area Aeff can be approximated in accordance with the following formula (5), as a function of a mode field diameter MFD of the optical fiber.
                              A          eff                =                              π                                      (                              MFD                2                            )                                2                                    (        5        )
Based on the above formulas (3), (4) and (5), a nonlinear phase change amount φNLSPM due to the SPM can be expressed by the following formula (6).
                              ϕ          NL          SPM                =                                            2                            π                        λ                                                        L              eff                                      A              eff                                                                    n              2                        ·            P                                              (        6        )
If the SPM is generated, a wavelength of an input light is spread and at the same time, an optical spectrum waveform thereof is also changed. One example of the conventional SPM measuring system utilizing this phenomenon is shown in FIG. 9. In this measuring system, an output light from a light source (DFB-LD) 131 is amplified by an EDFA 132, and a light from which ASE is eliminated by an optical band-pass filter 133 is input to a measuring objective optical fiber 135 via an optical attenuator 134. The optical attenuator 134 is for varying the intensity of the input light to the optical fiber 135. An output light from the optical fiber 135 passes through a 0.1 nm narrow-band optical filter 136, so that the optical intensity thereof is observed by an optical power meter 137. The measurement of the SPM is performed such that the optical power near the center of optical spectrum of which band is restricted by the narrow-band optical filter 136 is detected while the intensity of an input light pulse being changed, and a change in the optical power near the center to the peak intensity of the input light pulse is measured.
The XPM means the nonlinear phase shift which occurs in one of lights of different wavelengths when the lights of different wavelengths are simultaneously propagated in a same direction. If the optical intensity for different wavelengths λ1 and λ2 are P1 and P2, the nonlinear phase shift to λ1 is expressed by the following formula (7).
                              ϕ          NL                =                                            2                            π                                      λ              1                                                                    L              eff                                      A              eff                                                                    n              2                        ·                          (                                                P                  1                                +                                  2                                                        bP                    2                                                              )                                                          (        7        )
Two terms on the right-hand side in the formula (7) are due to the SPM and the XPM. Accordingly, the nonlinear phase change amount φNLXPM due to only the XPM is expressed by the following formula (8).
                              ϕ          NL          XPM                =                                            4                            π                                      λ              1                                                                    L              eff                                      A              eff                                                      n            2                                          bP            2                                              (        8        )            In the above formula, b is a coefficient depending on polarization states of the wavelengths λ1 and λ2, and in the case where the input light is not polarized, b has a value of b=⅔.
One example of a conventional XPM measuring system is shown in FIG. 10. In this measuring system, a pumping light output from a pumping light source 142 which is intensity modulated in accordance with an output signal from an oscillator 141, is depolarized by a depolarizer 143, and this pumping light and a probe light output from a probe light source 144 are coupled by an optical coupler 145 to be supplied to a measuring objective fiber 146, so that the probe light is subjected to the phase modulation through the XPM. A frequency component generated by this phase modulation is received by a self-delayed heterodyne reception system 147, so that a phase shift amount of the probe light can be obtained.
Each of the SPM and the XPM described above is an elastic nonlinear optical phenomenon in which energy is not reciprocated between an electro-magnetic field and the optical fiber. Contrary to this, the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) are called stimulated inelastic scattering, since an optical energy as the electro-magnetic field excites an oscillation mode of silica glass to move to the optical fiber medium. A main difference between the SRS and the SBS is in that phonons in optical mode contribute in the SRS, whereas phonons in acoustic mode contribute in the SBS. Each of the SRS and the SBS is a phenomenon in which, when a light of high energy is incident on the optical fiber, a light of different wavelength (Stokes wave) is generated on a longer wavelength (low energy) side of the incident light. Due to a difference between the optical mode and the acoustic mode, the Stokes wave is generated mainly in a forward direction in the SRS, while being generated only in a backward direction in the SBS. A Raman gain spectrum in the silica-based fiber is very broad at about 30 THz, and a frequency shift amount of the Stokes wave is approximately 13 THz. Contrary to this, the Brillouin gain spectral width is very narrow at about 10 MHz, and the frequency shift amount of the Stokes wave is approximately 10 GHz which is smaller than that in the SRS.
On feature common to the SRS and the SBS is in that the SRS and the SBS show the behaviors as if they have thresholds. Namely, only when the optical intensity exceeds a certain threshold, energy conversion into the Stokes wave becomes significant. A threshold PSRSth of the SRS occurrence is expressed by the following formula (9).
                              P          SRS          th                =                  16                                                              A                eff                                            L                eff                                      ·                          1                              g                R                                                                        (        9        )
In the above formula (9), gR is a Raman gain coefficient and has a value of gR≅1×10−13 m/W in the case of the silica-based fiber. Further, a constant 16 on the right-hand side is a value in the case of forward pumping, and has a value of 20 in the case of backward pumping. A pumping wavelength for obtaining the Stokes wave of 1.55 μm band is 1.45 μm band taking the frequency shift of 13 THz into consideration. The effective fiber length Leff is Leff=13 km in accordance with the relation of the above formula (4), provided that, for example, the optical fiber length L=20 km, and α=0.2 dB/km in 1.45 μm band and 1.55 μm band. The effective core cross sectional area Aeff is Aeff=20 μm2, provided that, for example, the mode field diameter of the optical fiber is MFD=5 μm. The threshold PSRSth of the SRS occurrence in this case is 240 mW in the forward pumping while being 300 mW in the backward pumping, and accordingly, the significantly high optical intensity is needed.
Further, a threshold PSBSth of the SBS occurrence is expressed by the following formula (10), similarly to the above formula (9).
                              P          SBS          th                =                  21                                                              A                eff                                            L                eff                                      ·                          1                              g                B                                                                        (        10        )
In the above formula (10), a constant 21 on the right-hand side is a value determined according to the line width of a Brillouin gain, which is an approximation. Further, gB is a Brillouin gain coefficient and has a value of gB≅5×10−11 m/W in the case of the silica-based fiber. The (1/gB) item is smaller than (1/gR) in the case of the SRS by two digits. The threshold PSBSth of the SBS occurrence is 0.6 mW for when the effective fiber length Leff=13 km and the effective core cross sectional area Aeff=20 μm2, so that the SBS can be observed as a scattered light in the backward direction with the optical intensity lower than that in the SRS.
Further, the above formula (10) can be expressed by the following formula (11) taking the line width Δνs of the light source and the Brillouin gain line width Δνb into consideration.
                              P          SBS          th                =                  21                                                              A                eff                                            L                eff                                      ·                          1                              g                B                                      ·                                                            Δ                                                                                v                    b                                                  +                                  Δ                                                                                v                    s                                                                              Δ                                                                                v                  b                                                                                (        11        )            In the above formula, the line width Δνb of the light source is about several MHz in the DFB-LD typically used as a light source in the WDM optical transmission system. Further, the Brillouin gain line width Δνb has a value of about 100 MHz in a wavelength of 1.55 μm.
However, in the above described conventional measuring technology of the nonlinear optical properties, the significantly complicated measuring system as shown in FIG. 9 or FIG. 10 is needed. If such a measuring system is incorporated into a WDM optical transmission system using an optical amplifier as shown in FIG. 7 so as to grasp an occurrence state of the nonlinear optical effect in a transmission fiber or a dispersion-compensating fiber, and according to the occurrence state, the optical amplifier is controlled, thereby trying to suppress the degradation of the optical S/N ratio due to the nonlinear optical effect, there is caused a problem in that a configuration of the overall system becomes complicated to lead the rise of cost.

Method for measuring nonlinear optical properties


A rebound-type exercise device is provided which allows an individual to perform a sit and bounce exercises that, among other things, stimulate the lymphatic circulation. The exercise device includes a support frame which supports a seat assembly by means of four springs. The support frame includes a pair of laterally spaced apart side support frames which are interconnected by a head tube. Each side support frame includes a generally horizontal ground-engaging base tube, a rearwardly disposed, generally vertical rear support tube extending upwardly from the base tube, and a generally L-shaped arm which interconnects a front portion of the base tube with the upper end of the rear support tube. The exercise device of the present invention may be advantageously utilized in an exercise methodology intended to stimulate lymphatic circulation, wherein an individual seated within the support frame on the seat assembly continuously moves upwardly and downwardly in vertical harmonic motion through a range of two to eight inches. Such bouncing-type motion utilizing the exercise device of the present invention allows an individual, in a seated position, to become more fit by improving his or her endurance, strength/toning and lymphatic circulation in a safe and secure manner.

This invention relates generally to rebound-type exercise equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exercise chair with which one may perform sit and bounce-type exercises, upper and lower body muscle toning and strengthening, and lymphatic circulation stimulation.
Regular, daily exercise is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise has many beneficial effects, including stress reduction, stimulation of blood flow, the building of muscle strength, and in some cases the stimulation of the lymphatic system.
Three of the best selling drugs in the United States are used to treat stress-related illnesses. Eighty to ninety percent of all visits to health care professionals are a result of stress-related illnesses and issues, and seventy percent of all accidents are stress related. Constant stress has been linked to many serious diseases and entire centers and clinics for stress reduction and stress management are becoming common in our busy world. Reducing stress can relieve pain in muscles and joints and improve mental stability. Regular exercise is a highly desirable means for managing stress.
The lymphatic system is a system of vessels which closely parallels the blood vascular system. The lymphatic system helps maintain the proper fluid balance in the tissues and the blood by returning the blood protein and tissue fluid leaked from the blood vascular system to the blood. As a way to provide cells with nutrients, blood proteins seep out of the capillaries of the blood vascular system and into the interspacial spaces between the cells. Once the blood proteins diffuse from the capillaries of the blood vascular system into the tissue, the blood proteins are unable to be reabsorbed back into the circulatory system through the capillaries. The lymphatic system provides a method of removing the blood proteins from the spaces between the cells and transporting the blood proteins back into the circulatory system. The capillaries of the lymphatic system absorb the blood proteins from around the cells and into the lymphatic system. The blood proteins are removed through the vessels of the lymphatic system wherein the blood proteins are returned to the blood vascular system through the blood venous system.
Unlike the blood vascular system which is controlled by the heart, the lymphatic system has no separate means to pump the lymph through the lymphatic system to the blood venous system. The lymph movement depends primarily on external forces such as muscular contraction, respiratory movement and gravity. Thus, to move the lymph, especially upward through the legs, the lymphatic system relies on a series of one way valves and compression of the valved lymphatic trunks by the surrounding leg muscles. Therefore, in order to keep the lymphatic fluid moving through the lymphatic system and thus remove blood proteins from around tissue cells, the muscles in a particular body area, such as the legs, must be kept active.
Normally, the lymph fluid circulates completely through the body approximately two times every twenty-four hours. The use of rebound-type exercise equipment can speed up the flow of the lymph fluid, increasing the body's ability to eliminate toxins and provide needed nutrients to the body's cells. Studies have shown that exercises performed with rebound-type equipment increase oxygen supply to the body, stimulate blood flow and improve circulation. Examples of rebound-type exercises include jumping up and down on a diving board or on a trampoline. It is believed that rebound-typeexercises advantageously stimulate the lymphatic system because at the top of the jump the body is in an essentially weightless condition. The lymphatic valves open at the top of the bounce, thereby permitting a greater flow of lymph fluids.
Although the advantages of rebound-type exercises are well-known, prior exercise devices are usable only by the most fit of possible beneficiaries. This fact is evident when one realizes that only relatively fit individuals are able to jump up and down on a trampoline or a diving board for a sustained period of time.
The Surgeon General, in the 1996 report on Physical Activity and Health, presents guidelines for "thirty minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on all, or most, days of the week." However, the report also points out that the most common health problems that have been associated with physical activity are musculoskeletal injuries, which can occur with excessive amounts of activity or with suddenly beginning an activity for which the body is not conditioned. Both endurance and resistance exercise is recommended at moderate levels. The universally ideal form of exercise would incorporate rebound, endurance and resistance-type exercise with easily controlled activity levels by the user.
Accordingly, there is a need for rebound-type exercise equipment which may be utilized by a far greater number of people than prior devices. Preferably a new piece of rebound-type exercise equipment would permit exercising while one is seated, and yet obtain all of the benefits associated with rebound-type exercise. Further, such an exercise device must be of simple construction, and easy to manufacture of readily available materials. Additionally, a novel exercise process is needed for stimulating lymphatic circulation. Such an exercise process must be a practical alternative to standard types of exercising for a vast majority of the population. Moreover, such a device and exercise process is needed which allows a user to incorporate rebound, endurance and resistance-type exercises, and for which the activity level is easily controlled by the user. The present invention fulfills these needs and provided other related advantages.


The present invention is interferon-inducible protein 10 and fragments and analogs of interferon-inducible protein 10 as inhibitors of angiogenesis. The present invention is also the use of interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) as well as fragments and analogs of IP-10 as potent inhibitors of angiogenesis. IP-10 profoundly inhibited basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced neovascularization in immunocompromised mammals. In addition, IP-10, is useful in a dose-dependent fashion in suppressing endothelial cell differentiation into tubular capillary structures.

Human interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) is a member of the .alpha. chemokine family characterized by a CXC motif (cysteines separated by an amino acid) which include platelet factor 4 (PF-4), IL-8, human protoncogene Gro/melanocyte growth-stimulating activity, .beta.-thromboglobulin, neutrophil-activating protein 2, and neutrophil activating protein from epithelial cells (ENA-78). IP-10 was initially described as an immediate early gene induced by IFN-.gamma. in the histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937 (19). Activated human mononuclear cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and T cells also express the IP-10 gene (19). Both the human IP-10 gene and the presumed murine homologue, crg-2, code for a secreted mature protein with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 8.6 and 8.7 kD, respectively (20,21). Originally thought to be involved in inflammatory processes because of its inducibility of IFN-.gamma. and structural similarity to PF4 and .beta.-thromboglobulin, IP-10 appears to be multifunctional. It inhibited in vitro colony formation by human bone marrow hematopoietic cells (22) and exerted a potent antitumor effect in vivo (23). Recently, IP-10 was reported to be a chemoattractant for human monocytes and activated T lymphocytes, and to promote T cell adhesion to endothelial cells (24).
Angiogenesis, the process of generating new blood vessels leading to neovascularization, is essential during reproduction, embryonic development, tissue and organ growth, and wound healing (1). Unbalanced neovascularization is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of certain disease states, such as arthritis, psoriasis, hemangiomas, diabetic retinopathy and retrolental fibroplasia, and to allow tumor growth and metastasis to occur (1). Tumor cells must attract new vessels to expand locally and produce metastasis (1,2).
Several compounds have been reported to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation in various experimental systems, including TGF-.beta. (3), thrombospondin (4), IL-1 (5), .gamma. and .alpha. IFN (6), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) (7), platelet factor 4 (PF4) (8), protamine (9), fumagillin (10) and angiostatin (22).
Fumagillin, a product of Aspergillus fumigatus fresenious (10), AGM-1470, a synthetic homologue of fumagillin (10), thrombospondin (4), a matrix glycoprotein secreted by a variety of cell types, and the recently identified angiostatin, a fragment of plasminogen (25), have all been shown to potently inhibit endothelial cell proliferation in vitro and to suppress angiogenesis in vivo. IFN .alpha. and a fumagillin derivative, AGM-1470, have reached clinical testing as angiogenesis inhibitors (2). IFN-.alpha. has produced beneficial results in the treatment of certain hemangioendotheliomas (26), but the mechanisms by which it acts are poorly understood. A multistep and complex process such as angiogenesis is likely to be under multiple regulatory controls. Inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo by a drug may or may not be the result of a direct inhibition of endothelial cell growth. Curiously, TGF-.beta., a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation in vitro, does not inhibit, and perhaps stimulates, angiogenesis in vivo (3,15).
One of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to be identified was PF4 (8), a member of the .alpha. chemokine family. In vitro, PF4 is a potent inhibitor of growth factor dependent endothelial cell proliferation (HUVEC), albeit at high (.about.25 .mu.g/ml) concentrations. PF-4 has also been shown to inhibit growth of solid tumors in vivo (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,086,164 and 5,112,946). In contrast, another member of the .alpha. chemokine family, IL-8, was reported to stimulate umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation in vitro and to be potently angiogenic in vivo (27,28). Thus, inhibition of angiogenesis is not a property shared among members of any of the recognized subsets of the chemokine superfamily.
Using an experimental athymic mouse model, it has been shown that regression of human Burkitt's lymphoma is induced by intratumor inoculation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized human B cells (11). Extensive central necrosis associated with endothelial cell damage and intravascular thrombosis often distal to the necrotic tumor tissue is typical of regressing tumors (11). This suggested that tissue ischemia may be central to tumor regression, and raised the possibility that unbalanced angiogenesis might be responsible for regression of Burkitt's lymphoma in this system (11). Analysis of murine cytokine expression showed that IL-6, TNF.alpha., and IP-10, but not other cytokines, are expressed at higher levels by regressing tumors compared to progressing tumors (11). However, the biological functions of IP-10 were not discerned.
The present invention demonstrates the role of IP-10 in regulation of angiogenesis in inflammation and tumor development.

Interferon-inducible protein 10 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A panel support structure for supporting a flat display panel capable of reducing the weight of the panel support structure while a sufficient structural strength is maintained and capable of preventing the display performance of the flat display panel from being lowered by a change in an ambient temperature. A flat display panel is fixedly supported by an X-character shaped supporting member via dampers fitted in the four corners of the flat display panel by the flat panel fixing parts of the supporting member. The supporting member is disposed along diagonal lines extending between the four corners of the flat display panel and has a rectangular cross section whose longer side is directed in the thickness direction of the flat display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reinforced support structure for supporting a display panel, a panel display device supported by the support structure and having a supporting member, and an image forming apparatus using the panel display device.
2. Related Background Art
A flat plane image forming apparatus has been used for the image display on televisions and computers, advertisement media, sign boards and the like. Flat plane image forming apparatuses include those image forming apparatuses using a display panel using electron emitting elements, a display panel using plasma discharge, a display panel using liquid crystal, and the like. A wall hanging type, a wall embedded type, a desktop type, a floor type and the like are known as display panel mount types.
An example of a conventional mount structure for an image forming apparatus with a display panel using plasma discharge is shown in FIG. 6. The main components of this structure are constituted of: a front cover (bezel) 81 for protecting a display panel 82 using plasma discharge; a flexible flat cable 83 for transferring electrical signals to the display panel; a chassis 84 for supporting the display panel, the chassis being made of iron-based material and formed through sheet plate work; mount members 85 for mounting the front cover 81, the mount members being formed at the peripheral area of the chassis; screw threading members 86 for fixing an electronic component mounting board 87, the screw threading members being formed through cutting and bending the chassis 84 and the electronic component mounting board 87 being used for processing externally input electrical signals and supplying them to the display panel; a rear cover 89 having a reinforcing plate 88 for mounting the image forming apparatus on an external wall hanger or desktop stand (not shown); and a cable 90 for electrical connection of the electronic component mounting board 87 to an external power source and tuner (not shown).
FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing a partial area of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, a pit inserting screw 85-a and a boss 85-b of the front cover 81 into which the screw is inserted, are illustrated.
The detailed descriptions of the function and aspects of this mount structure will be further given. The display panel 82 is made of two glass substrates adhered together with a space being provided therebetween. This space is filled with specific rare gas and thereafter hermetically sealed. The inner surfaces of the opposing two glass substrates are formed with an electrode film, an insulating film, a fluorescent film, and a shielding film. Electrical signals supplied from the electronic component mounting board 87 via the flexible flat cable 83 are applied to the electrode film (X, Y matrix patterns) to drive a pixel element. As a predetermined voltage is applied to the pixel element, rare gas near the pixel element emits ultraviolet rays which excite the fluorescent film to emit light. Each pixel of the fluorescent film is divided into red, green and blue areas in chromaticity to thereby realize a color image.
The chassis 84 is used for supporting the display panel 82 in the housing of the image processing apparatus, the chassis 84 and display panel 82 being fixed together by using a both-side adhesive tape (not shown). The material of the chassis 84 is made of a rigid metal plate (such as a galvanized steel sheet) in order to reliably support the display panel 82. The mount members 85 with a small through hole are provided at the peripheral area of the chassis 84 in order to mount the front cover 81 by using the screws 85-a threaded into the bosses 85-b of the front cover 81. On the back side of the chassis 84, the screw threading members 86 with a screw hole 86 are provided in order to mount the electronic component mounting board 87 by using screws.
On the inner side of the rear cover 89, the reinforcing plate 88 is fixed in order to mount the image forming apparatus on an external wall hanger or desktop stand by using screws which are threaded into the reinforcing plate 88.
The invention provides a novel panel support structure.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a panel support structure for supporting a panel for displaying an image is provided, which comprises a holding member for holding the panel which astride an edge of the panel.
With this structure, the panel is supported at peripheral two contrary surfaces thereof. Therefore, even if there is a size error or change between the panel and the support structure, it is still possible to support the panel. For example, the panel can be supported even if expansion or contraction by a temperature change (an ambient temperature change or a temperature change caused by a heat generation change of the panel) affects the size error or change. In this case, a substantial overlap amount between the holding member and the two contrary surfaces of the panel is determined under consideration of the degrees of thermal expansions of the panel and the panel support structure. The substantial overlap amount is, for example, an overlap amount between a damper and the surface of the panel, if the panel support structure holds the panel by using the holding member, with the damper to be described later being interposed therebetween.
The holding member may be provided at the four corners of the panel. A deflection of the panel can be suppressed more reliably if a holding portion is provided not only at the corner of the panel but also at the whole side of the panel or at a plurality of positions of the panel. It is not necessary to provide the holding portion at all the four sides. It is however preferable to provide the holding portion at least at the opposing two sides of the panel.
With this structure, a plurality of holding members may be provided to support the panel at a plurality of positions and to couple the holding members to a supporting member. The holding member and the supporting member may be formed integrally or separately.
The holding member may be provided with a damper at a position where the panel becomes or possibly becomes in contact with the holding member. The damper may be made of rubber. The rubber hardness is preferably 50 (JIS-A) or higher.
It is preferable to use as the material of the supporting member a material other than glass, such as metal.
If the supporting member is made of a rod-like member, the weight thereof can be reduced. Wherein, rod-like member includes an elongated plate member. The supporting member may be a combination of a rod-like members and a plate member. It is preferable that a length of the rod-like member along a longitudinal direction is longer than a length of a longer side of the panel. A plurality of rod-like members may be used. The rod-like members may be crossed each other. For example, the rod-like members are disposed in an X-character shape. If the rod-like members are crossed each other, it is preferable that they are fixed at the cross points. The supporting member with the cross points may be formed integrally or separately. The rod-like member has a rectangular or circular cross section. It is preferable that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is longer than a length of the cross section along a direction parallel to a surface of the panel. While it may be reversed, when the supporting structure is to be thinner. It is also preferable (in the earlier case) that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is 1/80 or longer than a diagonal line of the panel.
The thermal conduction of the panel differs at respective positions where it is in contact with the supporting member or not in contact. If a difference of the thermal conductivity may pose some practical problem, it is preferable that the supporting member is made in contact with the panel only at a portion of the supporting member or not in contact with the panel. A heat insulating member or a protective buffer may be inserted between the panel and the supporting member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a panel support structure for supporting a panel for displaying an image is provided which comprises a supporting member having a rod-like member made of a material different from a material of the panel, wherein a length of the rod-like member along a longitudinal direction is longer than a length of a longer side of the panel.
This panel support structure may take various configurations similar to the holding member. As described earlier, the panel may be supported at its corner or at its side.
As the material of the supporting member, metal may be used if the panel is made of glass. A plurality of rod-like members may be used. The rod-like members may be crossed each other. For example, the rod-like members are disposed in an X-character shape. If the rod-like members are crossed each other, it is preferable that they are fixed at the cross points. The supporting member with the cross points may be formed integrally or separately. The rod-like member has a rectangular or circular cross section. In this case, it is preferable that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is longer than a length of the cross section along a direction parallel to a surface of the panel. It may be reversed, when supporting structure is to be thinner. It is also preferable (in the earlier case) that a length of the cross section of the rod-like member along a thickness direction of the panel is 1/80 or longer than a diagonal line of the panel (particularly when the rod-like members are disposed along diagonal lines of the panel).
The thermal conduction of the panel differs at respective positions where it is in contact with the supporting member or not in contact. If a difference of the thermal conductivity may pose some practical problem, it is preferable that the supporting member is made in contact with the panel only at a portion of the supporting member or not in contact with the panel. A heat insulating member or a protective buffer may be inserted between the panel and the supporting member.
The panel support structure according to each of the aspects of the present invention may have the following configurations.
The panel support structure may be used as an electrical ground. For example, the panel support structure may have a mount portion for mounting a cover which accommodates at least a portion of a panel display device including the panel and the panel support structure. In this case, if the inner surface of the cover is made conductive by coating a conductive film on the inner surface through plating or painting, the cover and the panel support structure may be electrically connected at the mount portion to ground the cover.
The panel support structure may be partially provided with a mount portion for mounting a circuit board for controlling or driving the panel. A ground level wiring line (pattern) of the circuit board may be connected to the panel support structure via the mount portion.
If the panel support structure and the cover are made in contact with each other on flat surfaces, the reliability of the electrical connection can be improved. As a means for mechanically coupling the panel support structure to the cover, screws may be used. Similarly, if the panel support structure and the circuit board are made in contact with each other on flat surfaces, the reliability of the electrical connection can be improved. Also, as a means for mechanically coupling the panel support structure and the cover, screws may be used.
An installing member such as a desktop stand or wall hanger is sometimes used for installing a panel display device including the panel and panel support structure. In this case, it is preferable that the panel support structure has a mount portion for mounting the installing member. If the mount portion is provided near at an end of the panel display device, the panel device can be installed more stably. If the mount portion is provided near at a center of the panel or the center of gravity of the panel, it becomes easy to adjust the direction and angle of the panel display is device and the display screen becomes hard to be fluctuated by external vibrations.
The invention also includes the following configurations.
A panel support structure for supporting a panel for displaying an image which comprises a mount portion for mounting an installing member for installing a panel device including the panel and the panel support structure.
A panel support structure for supporting a panel for displaying an image wherein at least a portion of the panel support structure is conductive and electrically grounded.
The invention also includes a panel display having the panel and the panel support structure described above.
The invention also includes an image forming apparatus using the panel display device.
The present invention can solve at least some of the following problems which the panel support structure shown in FIG. 6 cannot solve.
1. The chassis 84 for supporting the display panel 82 in the housing of the flat plane type image forming apparatus is generally made of an iron-based plate formed through sheet plate work. Therefore, the weight of the image forming apparatus increases and transportation thereof becomes difficult, or it becomes necessary to reinforce a wall itself on which the wall hanger is mounted.
2. Since the materials of the display panel 82 and chassis 84 are different, a difference between the sizes of these two devices becomes large as an ambient temperature changes so that the display panel 82 may be deformed and the display performance thereof may be degraded.
3. In order to suppress electromagnetic radiation noises to be generated from the display panel 82 and electronic component mounting board 87, it is necessary to form a conductive film on the surfaces of the front cover 81 and rear cover 89 and electrically ground the conductive films. In this context, however, when the pit inserting screw 85-a is heated and inserted into the boss 85-b of the front cover 81, resin of the material of the front cover is melted and the flat surface of the boss 85-b is formed with a swelled resin region which unstabilizes the surface contact with the screw mounting member of the chassis 85. Therefore, leakage of electromagnetic radiation noises may occur.
4. Under the condition that the flat plane image forming apparatus is mounted on the external wall hanger or desktop stand, the reinforcing plate 88 supports the heavy display panel 82 and chassis 84 via the rear and front covers. Therefore, when a user wants to change the direction of the display screen, it is not easy to fix the direction because of this mount structure or because the display screen may fluctuate when there is a vibration even if it is small.
5. Heat generated by the display panel 82 directly transmits to the chassis 84 and thermally affects the electronic component mounting board 87, or conversely, heat generated by the electronic component mounting board 87 thermally affects the display panel 82 via the chassis 84. Therefore, the display performance of the display panel 82 may be deteriorated or the electrical characteristics of the electronic component mounting board 87 may be affected.
6. Since the power source and tuner are not built in the flat plane type image forming apparatus mounted on the wall, another mount space for the power source and tuner is required and the cable 90 is required to be connected to the power source and tuner. Therefore, the mount site of the flat plane type image forming apparatus is limited to particular areas.
7. Since the both-side adhesive tape is used for adhering the display panel 82 and chassis 84, materials of the apparatus are difficult to be separated when the apparatus is dumped.

Panel support structure, display panel supported by panel support structure, and image forming apparatus using display panel


An image forming apparatus includes a printer having a sheet discharge tray, a scanning device disposed above the printer, a resin-made support member supporting the scanning device on the printer and defining a sheet discharge space above the sheet discharge tray between the printer and the scanning device, a metal-made first reinforcement plate fixed to the printer and the support member, and a metal-made second reinforcement plate fixed to the scanning device and the support member. The support member has a notched part formed to communicate the sheet discharge space with an outside in a direction intersecting a sheet discharge direction on the sheet discharge tray. The first reinforcement plate extends at least in a vertical direction along the notched part. The second reinforcement plate, which is not coupled with the first reinforcement plate, extends at least in the vertical direction along the notched part.

An image forming apparatus of the so-called internal sheet-discharge type, which has a scanning device provided at an upper part of a printer, is known. In the image forming apparatus or the like, the scanning device is supported by a support member made of resin.
In recent years, in the internal sheet-discharge type image forming apparatus, a configuration in which a part of the support member configured to support the scanning device is notched so as to easily take out a sheet internally discharged is adopted.
When a part of the support member is notched, a support area for the scanning device is reduced, so that coupling strength between the scanning device and the printer is lowered. For this reason, when the image forming apparatus is dropped upon transportation, for example, the scanning device is likely to be deformed due to shock. As a result, a document plate formed of glass or the like of the scanning device may be damaged.


A notebook computer having a flip screen which slides and pivots about a horizontal axis to position a pen input and display side of the screen in an inclined position between a keyboard portion and a frame portion. The flip screen fits within the frame portion and is equipped with left and right pivot pins. The frame portion has corresponding channels for receiving the pins and holding the screen in place.

The present invention relates to notebook computers and computer screens, and more specifically to a flip screen for notebook computers.
Portable notebook computers are well-known in the art. They typically include a keyboard portion having most of the parts required by a computer, and a display portion which is hinged to the keyboard section.
Pen computing capability is rapidly becoming desirable for all types of portable computers, including notebook computers. However, incorporating pen computing capability into notebook computer displays would not provide an ergonomic writing surface.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mechanism for flipping the screen of a notebook computer outwards so as to provide an ergonomic writing surface when the notebook computer is closed.

Notebook computer having flip screen which pivots and slides within a frame


One or more transformation functions can be used in connection or together with one or more compression/decompression techniques. A transformation function can transform data (e.g., a data object) into a form more suitable for compression and/or decompression. As a result, data can be compressed and/or decompressed more effectively. In addition, multiple data objects can be associated with various transformation functions and/or compression/decompression techniques. As a result, different approaches can be taken with respect to compression and decompression of data objects in an effort to find an optimum approach for compression of data objects that may vary significantly from each other and change over time. It will be appreciated that the objects can be associated with transformation functions in a dynamic manner to accommodate changes to data. Also, an extendible and/or extensible system can allow for growth and adaption of new data in forms not currently present or expected.

Data can be an abstract term. In the context of computing environments and system, data can be generally encompassing of all forms of information that can be stored in a computer readable medium (e.g., memory, hard disk). Data and in particular, one or more instances of data can also be referred to as data object(s). As is generally known in the art, a data object can for example, be an actual instance of data, a class, type, or form data, and so on.
Data compression can play an important role in various computing environments and computer systems that are presently in use today. Generally, data compression can reduce the storage space needed to store data in a computing environment or system. In addition, network and Input/output (I/O) bandwidth can be improved by compressing data in a compressed form and using the compressed form to, for example, read, write and/or exchange data over a network.
As such, the importance of data compression is well recognized. This importance is further evidenced by the large number of data compression techniques (or methods or functions) that are widely known and used today.
One example of a computing environment or system where compression can be highly useful is a database environment or system which will be described in greater detail below since it may be more instructive to demonstrate the demonstrate the even increasing need for compression of data.
The term database can refer to a collection of data and/or data structures typically stored in a digital form. Data can be stored in a database for various reasons and to serve various entities or "users." Generally, data stored in the database can be used by the database users. A user of a database can, for example, be a person, a database administrator, a computer application designed to interact with a database, etc. A very simple database or database system can, for example, be provided on a Personal Computer (PC) by storing data on a Hard Disk (e.g., contact information) and executing a computer program that allows access to the data. The executable computer program can be referred to as a database program or a database management program. The executable computer program can, for example, retrieve and display data (e.g., a list of names with their phone numbers) based on a request submitted by a person (e.g., show me the phone numbers of all my friends in Ohio).
Generally, database systems are much more complex than the example noted above. In addition, databases have been evolved over the years and some databases that are for various business and organizations (e.g., banks, retail stores, governmental agencies, universities) in use today can be very complex and support several users simultaneously by providing very complex queries (e.g., give me the name of all customers under the age of thirty five (35) in Ohio that have bought all items in a list of items in the past month in Ohio and also have bought ticket for a baseball game in San Diego and purchased a baseball in the past 10 years).
Typically, a Database Manager (DM) or a Database Management System (DBMS) is provided for relatively large and/or complex databases. As known in the art, a DBMS can effectively manage the database or data stored in a database, and serve as an interface for the users of the database. A DBMS can be provided as an executable computer program (or software) product as is also known in the art.
It should also be noted that a database can be organized in accordance with a Data Model. Notable Data Models include a Relational Model, an Entity-relationship model, and an Object Model. The design and maintenance of a complex database can require highly specialized knowledge and skills by database application programmers, DBMS developers/programmers, database administrators (DBAs), etc. To assist in design and maintenance of a complex database, various tools can be provided, either as part of the DBMS or as free-standing (stand-alone) software products. These tools can include specialized Database languages (e.g., Data Description Languages, Data Manipulation Languages, Query Languages). Database languages can be specific to one data model or to one DBMS type. One widely supported language is Structured Query Language (SQL) developed, by in large, for Relational Model and can combine the roles of Data Description Language, Data Manipulation language, and a Query Language.
Today, databases have become prevalent in virtually all aspects of business and personal life. Moreover, database use is likely to continue to grow even more rapidly and widely across all aspects of commerce. Generally, databases and DBMS that manage them can be very large and extremely complex partly in order to support an ever increasing need to store data and analyze data. Typically, larger databases are used by larger organizations. Larger databases are supported by a relatively large amount of capacity, including computing capacity (e.g., processor and memory) to allow them to perform many tasks and/or complex tasks effectively at the same time (or in parallel). On the other hand, smaller databases systems are also available today and can be used by smaller organizations. In contrast to larger databases, smaller databases can operate with less capacity.
A popular type of database is the relational Database Management System (RDBMS), which includes relational tables, also referred to as relations, made up of rows and columns (also referred to as tuples and attributes). Each row represents an occurrence of an entity defined by a table, with an entity being a person, place, thing, or other object about which the table contains information.
In view of the ever increasing need to store more and more data in various computing environments and systems, compression techniques are very useful today and are likely to become even more useful in the future.

Transformation functions for compression and decompression of data in computing environments and systems


The occlusion is faithfully expressed even in the binocular vision in the AR display by a head mounted display apparatus or the like. A head mounted display apparatus 10 includes a lens 12, a lens 13, a camera 14, a camera 15, and a control processor 16. A CG image for a right eye is displayed on the lens 12. A CG image for a left eye is displayed on the lens 13. The camera 14 captures an image for the right eye. The camera 15 captures an image for the left eye. The control processor 16 generates the CG image for the right eye in which occlusion at the time of seeing by the right eye is expressed and the CG image for the left eye in which occlusion at the time of seeing by the left eye is expressed, based on the images captured by the cameras 14 and 15 and projects the generated CG image for the right eye and CG image for the left eye onto the lenses 12 and 13. A center of a lens of the camera 14 is provided at the same position as a center of the lens 12. A center of a lens of the camera 15 is provided at the same position as a center of the lens 13.

In recent years, various services using AR have been proposed. The AR is a technology for displaying an image created by a computer, a portable computer, or the like so as to be superimposed on an entire screen or a part of a real image.
In a three-dimensional space, there is a front-back relationship in addition to an up-down relationship and a left-right relationship. Therefore, a state in which an object on the far side is hidden behind an object on the near side to be invisible, that is, the occlusion occurs.
In the AR display, in order to provide the user with an AR image that does not give a sense of discomfort, it is important to faithfully express the above-mentioned occlusion by processing a three-dimensional video or the like.
As an AR image processing technology that takes this kind of occlusion into consideration, for example, a technology in which a CG (Computer Graphics) image region hidden behind a real object when expressing the occlusion is cut out in an elliptical shape to perform occlusion processing has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).


For a new transmission time interval, respective weights are assigned to queues. The queues are ranked as a function of the weights assigned to them. The first queue according to the ranking is selected. A quantity dependent on the radio conditions in respect of the radio terminal to which the said radio session relates, and on a number of packets already transmitted within the context of the said session is calculated for each session within the context of which it is required to transmit data packets placed in the selected queue. Communication resources are allocated to some of the sessions so as to transmit a number of data packets placed in the selected queue, depending on the weight assigned to the selected queue, the said sessions being determined as a function at least of the said quantities calculated. Once the selected queue has been served, and if there are still resources available for the transmission time interval, we pass to the next queue in the ranking so as to serve it.

The present invention relates to the allocation of resources in a communication system. It relates more particularly to the allocation of resources among a set of resources shared in a radiocommunication system.
Numerous methods of allocating resources are known. Among them may be mentioned, by way of example, the "round robin" method in which the resources are allocated to serve various users in turn.
A method of allocation such as "round robin" may make it possible to distribute the resources equitably between the various users, by assigning them one and the same priority level. Thus, the same quantity of data will be transmitted to each user over a transmission time period.
Such a method, well suited to wire networks, cannot however be applied satisfactorily in a radiocommunication network. In such a network, in fact, the propagation channels vary continuously, as a function of the radio conditions, so much so that it is very difficult to ensure a constant throughput for a user, and a fortiori, equity in the quantity of data transmitted to the various users over a transmission time period.
Specifically, if the radio link of a given user is very degraded, the data transmitted over this link will not be able to be decoded correctly when they are received by this user. Equity will then no longer be complied with. Furthermore, communication resources will have been used needlessly, whereas they could have been exploited to transmit data destined for a user furnished with a radio link of better quality.
Other methods of allocating resources are also known and are used in radiocommunication networks. These methods take account of the quality of the radio links, basing themselves for example on a signal-to-interference (C/I) ratio.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary allocation according to such a method. The upper part of the figure depicts data packets D1-D4 to be transmitted to four respective users U1-U4. Thus, the data D1 will be required to be transmitted to the first user U1, the data D2 to the second user U2, D3 to U3 and D4 to U4.
The same priority level is assigned to each user. On the other hand, the users have radio links of different quality. To simplify the example, it is considered that the quality of a radio link is represented by a parameter indicating the number of data packets that can be received by the corresponding user during a transmission time interval. In this example, it is considered that this parameter has a value Q1=5 for the user U1, this signifying that U1 will be able to receive five data packets D1 at most, at each transmission time interval. Likewise, the parameters Q2-Q4 corresponding respectively to the quality of the radio links associated with the users U2-U4, have the following values: Q2=2, Q3=6 and Q4=3.
The lower part of FIG. 1 represents the data transmitted, as a function of the resources allocated, for each transmission time interval. The number of data packets that can be transmitted at each interval has been fixed at 8 in this example. U3 has the radio link of better quality, 6 communication resources will therefore be allocated to the said user by priority, during the first transmission time interval t1, so that 6 data packets D3 can be transmitted to this user, that is to say the maximum number of packets for the latter, by virtue of the quality on the corresponding link (Q3=6). The 2 remaining resources for this interval t1 will be allocated to U1 who has the second best quality link (Q1=5). During the subsequent transmission time intervals t2, t3 . . . , the same allocation of resources will be made, as illustrated in FIG. 1, as long as the parameters Q1-Q4 remain unchanged and as long as there are still data to be transmitted to the users U1 and U3.
It is therefore noted, in this example, that only the users U1 and U3, who benefit from a radio link of good quality, can receive data over a certain time period. Furthermore, although the quality of the links associated with the users U1 and U3 differs little (Q1=5 and Q3=6), U3 receives three times as much data as U1 over the same time period.
Such a method of allocating resources, which favours the users furnished with a radio link of good quality, is not satisfactory either, since it is greatly prejudicial to certain users, who would yet be able to receive a substantial quantity of data, in favour of a restricted number of other users.
Furthermore, other constraints are sometimes neglected in certain known methods of allocating resources. This includes for example the number of resources actually available at the radio transmitter level, the type of data transmitted (identical processing of the first transmissions and of the retransmissions may be damaging in certain cases), or else the reception capabilities of the user terminals (certain terminals may not receive data at each transmission time interval for example).
An object of the present invention is to limit the abovementioned drawbacks, by allocating the resources according to an effective compromise between a certain level of equity between the users and the taking into account of the radio conditions existing on the corresponding radio links.
Another object of the invention is to propose an allocation of the resources that is well suited to radiocommunication systems comprising a set of resources to be shared between various users.
Yet another object of the invention is to improve the effectiveness of the allocation of resources, by taking account of other constraints neglected in the currently known methods of allocation.

Method of allocating resources in a radiocommunication system and base station for implementing the said method


A trailer mounted, self contained solar power system having a plurality of solar panel sections that are arranged to fold about the sides and top of the trailer. The panel sections unfold and lock together through slide rams that are contained within a rack structure supporting the panel sections to form a planar array that is easily deployable at a desired angle to the horizontal. The planar array pivots about a hinge along one side of the trailer top, and the panel sections are asymmetrically arranged so that positioning of the planar array can be easily accomplished.

Solar power systems that employ photovoltaic cells to convert the radiant energy of sunlight directly into electrical energy are well known in the art. Such systems find particular use in remote locations and during emergency situations in which conventional electrical sources have been disrupted. The systems are typically employed to power communications equipment, to supply field hospitals and aid stations, to provide emergency lighting, and for other similar purposes.
Portable, trailer mounted, solar power systems are also known, and one such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,943. That system utilizes solar panels that are pivotally mounted to a base so that the panels may be deployed in any position between horizontal and vertical. The panels are arranged so that they may be stored inside the base when not in use or during transport of the system.
Folding, solar panel arrays have been used in a number of specialized applications. One such application is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,943 in which a foldable solar panel is arranged to function as a portable power supply for a computer or similar electronic device. Another folding, solar panel array is described in a patent to Grayson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,596. The Grayson patent shows a solar collector array that is used to power a portable refrigerator or heated storage chest. The solar panel assembly folds around the chest for transport, and is pivotally mounted so that it can be adjusted to be perpendicular to the direction of the sun.
Folding, solar cell panel arrays are also commonly used in space applications to supply power for satellites and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,747 depicts one such system. The patent describes a series of solar panels that are stowed in a folded configuration for launch. Upon reaching the desired orbit, the panels are deployed into an extended planar configuration. Solar panel arrays that are designed for use in space are not satisfactory for terrestrial applications as the deployed array is quite fragile and not designed to withstand normal weather conditions.


A handheld atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma source is provided without the use of an arc. The plasma is induced using a radio frequency signal. An LC resonator in the handheld source with a gain of about 10 at 13.56 MHZ improves the power transfer from a power supply and tuner to the plasma chamber which is capable of producing stable plasmas in Ar, He and O.sub.2 mixtures.

Atmospheric pressure (hot) plasmas caused by a DC arc have been known since the dawn of man. A common example is lightning. An industrial application of a DC arc plasma is a plasma gun, which is used in various manufacturing environments for forming coatings (typically ceramic materials).
Low pressure, glow discharge type (cold) plasma processes have been known for over a hundred years. As a matter of fact, most of current microelectronic material processing techniques use some form of low pressure plasma as their working environment.
In contrast, the present source provides a glow discharge atmospheric pressure (cold) plasma. Laboratory examples of such systems can be found in the literature: (1) Hideomi Koinuma et al "Development and application of a microbeam plasma generator" in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 60, p. 816-817, Feb. 17, 1992; and, (2) Kiyoto Inomata et al "Open air deposition of SiO.sub.2 film from a cold plasma torch of tetramethoxysilane-H.sub.2 --Ar system" in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 64, p. 46-48, January 1994. In the above referenced cases, the plasma is obtained by a continuous capacitive discharge at high voltage. Due to the small capacitance and very high impedance of the discharge tube, matching the load to a power supply with a typical matching network is difficult to realize. The conditions for enabling the production of a glow discharge plasma described in these papers are forced and to some degree, undesirable. To achieve a glow discharge a cabling configuration was designed which utilized a commercially available tuning network and boosted up power without very efficient power coupling.
The patent literature includes: U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,482 to Villeco et al. which discloses an electron beam discharge device which has an LC circuit formed by the secondary coil 30S of the Tesla coil 30 and the distributed capacitance 40A. This LC combination is located at the electron discharge gun 24.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,013 to Turchi et al. discloses a cold plasma-gun which has inductors 35, 50, 64 and capacitors 56, 30, 70 at the beam discharge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,330 to Ahonen discloses an ion beam gun which discharges a cold plasma and which has an inductor 230 and capacitor 324 (see FIG. 4) at the beam discharge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,046 to Hansz discloses an ion deposition source which has a pair of LC circuits (16a, 20a; 16b, 20b; see FIG. 4) driving the plasma discharge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,700 to Reed discloses an electron beam gun which has an LC resonator (see FIG. 1) formed by inductor 7S and capacitor 5 driving the electron gun 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,675 to Mull discloses an ion beam gun which discharges a cold plasma and which has an inductor 2 and capacitor 15 (see FIG. 2) at the beam discharge; and,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,940 to Gagne et al. discloses a cold plasma generating torch which has an LC resonator formed by an inductor 28 and capacitors 66, 70 driving the discharge.

Handheld atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma source