Author: claimsbot

1. A humidity sensor comprising:
a substrate;
a first insulating film formed over the substrate;
a first metal wiring layer disposed over the first insulating film;
a second insulating film formed over the first metal wiring layer;
a second metal wiring layer disposed over the second insulating film and formed with a plurality of unit cells, each comprising a first electrode and a second electrode which separately encompasses the first electrode in its entirety so as to have a capacitance between the first and second electrodes, and the first electrode being in electrical contact with the first metal wiring layer through the second insulating film; and
a humidity sensitive film formed over the first electrode and the second electrode.
2. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.
3. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells has a silicon nitride film as a protective film.
4. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have a barrier layer thereunder which contains less than 10% of nitrogen in terms of an atomic weight.
5. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein a capacitance of each of the unit cells can be measured.
6. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit cells are formed as a grid pattern.
7. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is in the shape of a square and the second electrode squarely encompasses the first electrode.
8. A humidity sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are shaped as projections which are interdigitized.
9. A semiconductor device, comprising:
the humidity sensor according to claim 1; and
an integrated circuit including a signal processing circuit, wherein the humidity sensor and the integrated circuit are disposed on the substrate.
10. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, further comprising a silicon nitride film as a protective film.
11. A semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the silicon nitride film on the integrated circuit is thicker than the silicon nitride film on the humidity sensor.

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 method of diagnosis of stroke or the possibility thereof in a subject suspected of suffering from stroke, which comprises determining the concentration of at least one polypeptide selected from Apo C-III, Serum Amyloid A, Apo C-I, Antithrombin III fragment and Apo A-I in a sample of body fluid obtained from the subject.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the polypeptide is differentially contained in the body fluid of stroke-affected subjects and non-stroke-affected subjects, and the method includes determining whether the concentration of polypeptide in the sample is consistent with a diagnosis of stroke.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein an antibody to the polypeptide is used in determining of the concentration of the polypeptide.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the body fluid is cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, serum, blood, tears or urine.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the concentration of the polypeptide is used to determine whether a diagnosed stroke is of the ischaemic or haemorrhagic type.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting a sample of body fluid obtained from the subject to mass spectrometry, to determine a test amount of the polypeptide in the sample, wherein the polypeptide is differentially contained in the body fluid of stroke-affected subjects and non-stroke-affected subjects; and determining whether the test amount is consistent with a diagnosis of stroke.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polypeptide is present in the body fluid of stroke-affected subjects and not present in the body fluid of non-stroke-affected subjects, whereby the presence of the polypeptide in a body fluid sample is indicative of stroke.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polypeptide is not present in the body fluid of stroke-affected subjects and present in the body fluid of non-stroke-affected subjects, whereby the non-presence of the polypeptide in a body fluid sample is indicative of stroke.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the mass spectrometry is laser desorptionionization mass spectrometry.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the sample is adsorbed on a probe having an immobilised metal affinity capture (IMAC), hydrophobic, strong anionic or weak cationic exchange surface capable of binding the polypeptide.
11. The method of claim 6, wherein the polypeptide is determined by surface-enhanced laser desorptionionization (SELDI) and time of flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS).
12. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of peptides is determined in the sample.
13-22. (canceled)
23. An assay device for use in the diagnosis of stroke, which comprises a solid substrate having a location containing a material which recognizes, binds to or has affinity for a polypeptide selected from Apo C-III, Serum Amyloid A, Apo C-I, Antithrombin III fragment and Apo A-I.
24. The assay device of claim 23, wherein the solid substrate has plurality of locations each respectively containing a material which recognizes, binds to or has affinity for a polypeptide selected from Apo C-III, Serum Amyloid A, Apo C-I, Antithrombin III fragment and Apo A-I.
25. The assay device of claim 23, wherein the material is an antibody or antibody chip.
26. The assay device of claim 25, comprising a unique addressable location for each antibody, thereby to permit an assay readout for each individual polypeptide or for any combination of polypeptides.
27. The assay device of claim 25, wherein the antibody comprises an antibody to Apo C-III.
28. The assay device of claim 25, wherein the antibody comprises an antibody to Serum Amyloid A.
29. The assay device of claim 25, wherein the antibody comprises an antibody to Apo C-I.
30. The assay device of claim 25, wherein the antibody comprises an antibody to Antithrombin III.
31. The assay device of claim 25, wherein the antibody comprises an antibody to Apo A-I.
32. A kit for use in diagnosis of stroke, comprising a probe for receiving a sample of body fluid, and for placement in a mass spectrometer, thereby to determine a test amount of a polypeptide in the sample, wherein the polypeptide is selected from Apo C-III, Serum Amyloid A, Apo C-I, Antithrombin III fragment and Apo A-I, or any combination thereof.
33. The kit of claim 32, wherein the probe contains an adsorbent for adsorption of the polypeptide.
34. The kit of claim 33, further comprising a washing solution for removal of unbound or weakly bound materials from the probe.

What is claimed is:

1. Quick connection for the removable join of two pipes, said connection comprising a first and a second elements adapted to fit in each other along a principal axis of the connection, the first element comprising at least one ramp for receiving a radially projecting part of the second element, with a view to locking these elements when the connection is in configuration of passage, wherein said ramp is formed in or fast with a ring, mounted on one of these elements, being free to rotate and fixed in translation along the said axis, wherein the ramp forms at least one seat for locking the projecting part when the connection is in configuration of passage and wherein said ramp forms a second seat, offset axially with respect to said first seat in a sense of opening the connection, for locking said projecting part in configuration of decompression of the downstream pipe of the connection.
2. The connection of claim 1, wherein said ramp is delimited by surfaces inclined with respect to said axis and disposed axially opposite hollows forming seats or stops for receiving andor reorienting said projecting part.
3. The connection of claim 1, wherein said ramp is provided with an opening for entrance of said projecting part and with an opening for exit of said part, said openings being oriented () with respect to said axis in two distinct radial directions.
4. The connection of claim 3, wherein it comprises two ramps and two projecting parts, said projecting parts being substantially diametrally opposite, while the inlet opening of a ramp is superposed with the outlet opening of the other ramp.
5. The connection of claim 1, wherein the entrance and exit of said ramp are constituted by a single zone for passage of said projecting part.
6. The connection of claim 1, wherein said ramp comprises an inlet zone converging in the direction of a first passage oriented in the direction of a stop zone corresponding to a configuration of fit of said elements, said stop zone being disposed opposite a surface for guiding said projecting part in the direction of said locking seat when the connection is in configuration of passage.
7. The connection of claim 6, wherein said ramp comprises a second stop zone disposed axially opposite a surface for guiding said projecting part in the direction of said second locking seat.
8. The connection of claim 1, wherein said ramp is equipped with a non-return device compatible with the advance of said projecting part from an inlet zone towards an outlet zone of said ramp in one direction.
9. The connection of claim 1, wherein said ramp is delimited, near its exit, by a nose opposing a direct axial introduction of said projecting part towards a hollow forming stop for said projecting part in said ramp.
10. The connection according to claim 1, wherein said ramp is formed on the internal radial surface of a ring which is mounted free to rotate and fixed in translation within the female element of the connection, and said projecting part is fixed to the male element.
11. The connection according to claim 1, wherein said ramp is formed on the internal radial surface of a body of the female element of the connection and said projecting part is fixed with a ring mounted free to rotate and fixed in translation around the male element.
12. The connection according to claim 1, wherein said ramp is formed on the external radial surface of a ring mounted free to rotate and fixed in translation around the male element of the connection and said projecting part is fixed with respect to the female element and protrudes radially towards the internal volume of this element.
13. The connection according to claim 1, wherein said ramp is formed on the external radial surface of the male element of the connection and said projecting part is fixed with a ring which is mounted free to rotate and fixed in translation within the female element, said projecting part protruding radially towards the internal volume of this element.

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 hybrid drive system for integrated stability control, comprising:
a multi-wheeled vehicle originally configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine capable of driving at least one wheel of said multi-wheeled vehicle, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises remaining wheels not driven by said internal combustion engine;
a drop-in electric drive motor adapted to independently drive at least one remaining wheel on said multi-wheeled vehicle, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to drive a first remaining wheel and a second remaining wheel on the same axle but in opposite rotating directions; and
a master controller coupled to said drop-in electric drive motor for controlling speeds of remaining wheels driven by said drop-in electric drive motor to provide propulsion and overall stability management for said multi-wheeled vehicle.
2. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to independently drive said first and second remaining wheel, wherein said master controller controls speeds of said first and second remaining wheels to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.
3. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, further comprising:
a battery coupled to said drop-in electric drive motor for providing electrical energy to said drop-in electric drive.
4. The hybrid drive system of claim 3, wherein said battery is scalable in size to match the power output of said internal combustion engine.
5. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply more power to said first remaining wheel to provide said propulsion and said overall stability management.
6. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller directs said drop-in electric drive motor to apply regenerative braking to said first remaining wheel to provide said overall stability management.
7. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller controls speeds of wheels driven by said internal combustion engine and said drop-in electric drive motor to provide said overall stability management.
8. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises two wheels.
9. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said multi-wheeled vehicle comprises at least four wheels.
10. The hybrid drive system of claim 1, wherein said master controller selectively turns-off said internal combustion engine in preference to keeping on said drop-in electric drive motor.
11. The hybrid drive system of claim 9, further comprising:
a stability control manager for determining proper speeds of said remaining wheels depending on encountered driving conditions to provide said stability control management.