1. An endoscope, having:
an image pick-up unit provided in a distal portion;
a light guide for transmitting light to the distal portion; and
a first connector that is connected to a second connector of an endoscope processor device and that performs electric power reception, control signal communication, and image signal communication in a non-contact manner between the endoscope and the endoscope processor device in order to drive the image pick-up unit, wherein the first connector has a hollow structure determining an internal space and includes a power receiving unit that receives electric power from a power supply unit in a non-contact manner, an image signal transmission unit that transmits an image signal of the image pick-up unit in a non-contact manner, and an endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit that transmits and receives a control signal for controlling the image pick-up unit in a non-contact manner, the power receiving unit, the image signal transmission unit, and the endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit being disposed in the hollow structure,
wherein the first connector includes a first connector case and a second connector case disposed in order from a side of the second connector, and a division line between the first and second connector cases includes an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to an insertion direction of the first and second connectors.
2. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the division line includes a vertical portion that is perpendicular to the insertion direction.
3. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein an air and water supply connector and a suction connector are disposed on one side of the first connector case,
the power receiving unit, the image signal transmission unit, and the endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit are disposed in the hollow structure on the other side of the first connector case, and
the inclined portion of the division line becomes closer to the second connector toward the other side from the one side.
4. The endoscope according to claim 2,
wherein an air and water supply connector and a suction connector are disposed on one side of the first connector case,
the power receiving unit, the image signal transmission unit, and the endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit are disposed in the hollow structure on the other side of the first connector case, and
the inclined portion of the division line becomes closer to the second connector toward the other side from the one side.
5. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of an auxiliary water supply connector and a balloon connector.
6. The endoscope according to claim 2,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of an auxiliary water supply connector and a balloon connector.
7. The endoscope according to claim 3,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of an auxiliary water supply connector and a balloon connector.
8. The endoscope according to claim 4,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of an auxiliary water supply connector and a balloon connector.
9. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of a ventilation connector and an S connector.
10. The endoscope according to claim 2,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of a ventilation connector and an S connector.
11. The endoscope according to claim 3,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of a ventilation connector and an S connector.
12. The endoscope according to claim 4,
wherein the second connector case has at least one of a ventilation connector and an S connector.
13. The endoscope according to claim 5,
wherein the first connector comprises a third connector case disposed on an opposite side to the first connector case with respect to the second connector case, and
the third connector case has at least one of an S connector and a ventilation connector.
14. The endoscope according to claim 6,
wherein the first connector comprises a third connector case disposed on an opposite side to the first connector case with respect to the second connector case, and
the third connector case has at least one of an S connector and a ventilation connector.
15. The endoscope according to claim 7,
wherein the first connector comprises a third connector case disposed on an opposite side to the first connector case with respect to the second connector case, and
the third connector case has at least one of an S connector and a ventilation connector.
16. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the first connector has a reduced diameter portion toward the other side from one side of the second connector.
17. The endoscope according to claim 16,
wherein the division line is formed so as to be closer to the second connector than the reduced diameter portion is.
18. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the power supply unit is a primary coil connected to a power source, and the power receiving unit is a secondary coil electromagnetically coupled to the primary coil.
19. The endoscope according to claim 1,
wherein the power receiving unit is disposed so as to be closer to the second connector than the image signal transmission unit and the endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit.
20. The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising:
a circuit board on which the image signal transmission unit and the endoscope side signal transmission and reception unit are mounted.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A substantially pure, isolated or recombinant polypeptide which is selected from the group consisting of:
a) the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1;
b) a derivative having one or more amino acid substitutions, deletions or insertions relative to the amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1; or
c) a fragment of a polypeptide as defined in a) or b) above, which is at least ten amino acids long.
2. A polypeptide as claimed in claim 1 which is provided as part of a fusion polypeptide.
3. A polypeptide as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fusion polypeptide is Selected from the group consisting of Green Fluorescent Protein and DsRed Fluorescent Protein.
4. An isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule which is selected from the group consisting of:
a) the DNA sequence shown in FIG. 1 or its RNA equivalent;
b) a sequence which is complementary to the sequences of a);
c) a sequence which codes for the same polypeptide, as the sequences of a) or b);
d) a sequence which shows substantial identity with any of those of a), b) and c); and
e) a sequence which codes for a derivative or fragment of an amino acid molecule shown in FIG. 1.
5. A vector comprising one or more nucleic acid molecules as defined in claim 4.
6. A host cell transformedtransfected with a vector as defined in claim 5.
7. A method of screening for andor diagnosis of breast cancer in a subject which comprises the step of detecting andor quantifying the amount of a polypeptide as defined in claim 1 in a biological sample obtained from said subject.
8. An antibody, which binds to a polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or to a fragment of such a polypeptide.
9. An antibody as claimed in claim 8 which binds specifically to said polypeptide.
10. An antibody as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 which is conjugated to a therapeutic moiety.
11. An antibody as claimed in claim 10 wherein the therapeutic moiety is selected from a second antibody, a fragment thereof, a derivative thereof, a cytotoxic agent and a cytokine.
12. A pharmaceutical formulation comprising at least one active agent selected from a polypeptide as defined in claim 1, a fragment thereof, at least one nucleic acid molecule as defined in claim 4, and at least one antibody to said polypeptide, optionally together with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, carriers or diluents.
13. A pharmaceutical formulation as claimed in claim 12 comprising a vaccine.
14. A pharmaceutical formulation as claimed in claim 13 whherein said vaccine includes one or more suitable adjuvants.
15. A method for the prophylaxis andor treatment of breast cancer in a subject, which comprises administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of at least one active agent as defined in claim 12.
16. A method of screening for compounds that modulate, ie up-regulate or down-regulate, the expression of a polypeptide as defined in claim 1, which comprises the step of determining the presence or absence andor quantifying at least one polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or at least one antibody as defined in claim 8 or claim 9 in a biological sample.
17. A method for monitoringassessing breast cancer treatment in a patient, which comprises the step of determining the presence or absence andor quantifying at least one polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or at least one antibody as defined in claim 8 or claim 9 in a biological sample obtained from said patient.
18. A method for the identification of metastatic breast cancer cells in a biological sample obtained from a subject, which comprises the step of determining the presence or absence andor quantifying at least one polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or at least one antibody as defined in claim 8 or claim 9.