Author: claimsbot

We claim:

1. A high quality reagent for testing male infertility, comprising a properly glycosylated sperm binding glycopeptide complexed to a detection agent.
2. A reagent as described in claim 1, wherein the glycopeptide is selected from the group consisting of: properly glycosylated rhZP3; properly glycosylated peptide comprising amino acid portion 310 to 345 of rhZP3; properly glycosylated peptide comprising amino acid portion 200 to 351 of rhZP3; properly glycosylated peptide comprising amino acid portion 14 to 351 of rhZP3; properly glycosylated peptide comprising at least one binding site for human sperm; properly glycosylated peptide comprising at least two binding sites for human sperm, properly glycosylated peptide comprising at least three binding sites for human sperm; rhZP3; rhZP3ZP2 complex; rhZP3ZP2 fusion protein prepared as a single gene product; and rhZP3ZP2ZP1.
3. A reagent as described in claim 1, wherein the detection agent is selected from the group consisting of: GFP; a fluor; an enzyme; beta galactosidase; alkaline phosphatase; horseradish peroxidase; an antigenic peptide; Alexa488; fluorophore-GFP conjugate, an antigenic peptide, a peptide that comprises HA, a peptide that comprises V5, a peptide that comprises Myc, and biotin.
4. A reagent as described in claim 1, wherein the properly glycosylated sperm binding glycopeptide is prepared by culture of a uterogenital origin cell line or a mammary cell line.
5. A reagent as described in claim 4, where in the cell line is PA-1 or 293.
6. A reagent comprising recombinantly produced ZP2 capable of forming a ZP2ZP3 complex upon incubation with ZP3.
7. A reagent comprising recombinant ZP2ZP3 complex capable of binding specifically to human sperm.
8. A reagent as described in claim 7, wherein the molar ratio of ZP3 to ZP2 is equal to or greater than 1.
9. A reagent as described in any of claim 1, wherein the ZP2 is human ZP2.
10. A composition comprising purified human ZP2ZP3 complex.
11. A kit for testing male infertility, comprising a reagent as described in any of claim 1, and at least a buffer salt or salt solution.
12. A method for detecting infertility of a male, comprising the step of contacting a reagent as described in any of claim 1 with a sperm sample of the male.
13. A method for detecting infertility of a male, comprising:
a) providing a high quality reagent as described in claim 1;
b) contacting a sperm sample of the male with the reagent for a period of time sufficient to allow binding between the glycopeptide and the sperm (note we define glycopeptide broadly to include proteins such as ZP3); and
c) detecting the detection agent bound to sperm.
14. A method as described in claim 13, further comprising the step of washing the contacted sperm sample of step b) before step c).
15. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the detection agent is an antigen, and detection step c) comprises incubating with a fluorescence labeled antibody to generate a fluorescence signal associated with bound detection agent.
16. A method as described in claim 15, wherein the fluorescence labeled antibody is Alexa 488 as well as other coupling dye coupled to an antibody that recognizes an antigenic site on the reagent.
17. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the reagent is ZP3GFP.
18. A method for determining infertility of a male, comprising detecting one or more substances released from a sperm sample upon induction of the acrosome reaction in sperm of the sample.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more substances are selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, acid phosphatase, protein, membrane fragment, phospholipid, cholesterol, peptide, lipoprotein, nucleotide, nucleoside and glycoprotein.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the substance is phospholipid.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the substance is acrosin and wherein the method further comprises incubating the sperm with an acrosin inhibitor.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the acrosin inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of a low pH solution, HCl, acetic acid, acidified amino acid and acidified glycine.
23. An acrosome scoring method for determining infertility of a male, comprising:
a) inducing acrosome reaction in a sample of sperm from the male;
b) detecting at least two different morphological types of acrosome reacted sperm; and
c) calculating a score based on differential weighting of the detected at least two different morphological types of acrosome reacted sperm.
24. An acrosome scoring method as described in claim 21, wherein at least three different sperm morphologies are detected and given differential weighting.
25. An artificial zona for detecting sperm binding, comprising a solid phase and at least one sperm binding agent comprising a minimum portion of rhZP3 that contains sperm binding site that binds sperm.
26. The artificial zona of claim 25, wherein the solid phase is a particle.
27. The artificial zona of claim 26, wherein the solid phase comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of agarose, Sephadex, acrylamide, latex, polystyrene, glass, gold and insoluble protein.
28. The artificial zona of claim 26, wherein the solid phase is between 25 and 250 microns in diameter.
29. The artificial zona of claim 25, wherein the sperm binding agent is selected from the group consisting of rhZP3, ZP2, ZP2-ZP3 complex, ZP1, ZP1-ZP3 complex, ZP1-ZP2-ZP3 complex, GFP-ZP3 and GFP-ZP3-ZP2.
30. The artificial zona of claim 29, wherein the sperm binding agent is attached to the solid phase in a manner that exposes a sperm binding portion of the sperm binding agent to the outside of the particle surface.

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 particle inspection apparatus comprising:
an irradiation unit configured to apply a light beam onto each of front and back surfaces of an object to be inspected, the object including a transparent member;
a first detection unit configured to detect scattering light from the front surface;
a second detection unit configured to detect scattering light from the back surface;
a calculation unit configured to conduct a particle inspection on the front and back surfaces on the basis of outputs from the first detection unit and the second detection unit; and
a control unit configured to control the irradiation unit, the first detection unit, the second detection unit, and the calculation unit,
wherein the irradiation unit includes a light-shielding selection unit configured to selectively block the light beam applied to the front surface or the light beam applied to the back surface, and
wherein the control unit causes the light-shielding selection unit to simultaneously apply the light beam onto the front and back surfaces, determines whether the light beam should be selectively applied onto the front surface or the back surface based on outputs made by the first detection unit and the second detection unit corresponding to simultaneous application of the light beam, causes the light-shielding selection unit to selectively apply the light beam onto the front surface or the back surface when it is determined that the light beam should be selectively applied, and causes the calculation unit to conduct the particle inspection based on outputs made by the detection unit corresponding to selective application of the light beam.
2. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via an original, the apparatus comprising:
the particle inspection apparatus according to claim 1, the transparent member is the original.
3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the object includes a pellicle.
4. A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
exposing a substrate with the exposure apparatus according to claim 2; and
developing the exposed substrate.

1. A method for controlling a supply of power to a refrigeration system comprising a switch, the method comprising:
measuring an output voltage of a first power source connected to the refrigeration system and comparing the measured output voltage to a predefined threshold voltage,
in case the measured output voltage is smaller than the predefined threshold voltage, determining that the switch is in a closed state, and in case the measured voltage is larger than or equal to the predefined threshold, determining that the switch is in an open state, and
controlling the supply of power in accordance with the determined state of the switch.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises connecting the refrigeration system to a second power source outputting a voltage which is measurably different from the measured output voltage of the first power source.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of at least substantially continuously measuring an input voltage supplied to the refrigeration system, and determining, based on said measurement, whether the switch is in an open or a closed state.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
measuring a temperature in a refrigeration compartment and comparing the measured temperature to a predefined threshold temperature, and
in case the measured temperature is higher than the predefined threshold temperature, supplying power to a compressor connected to a refrigeration circuit for providing refrigeration to the refrigeration compartment.
5. A refrigeration system comprising:
a control unit for controlling a supply of power to an electrical circuit comprising a switch, the control unit comprising:
a first power source connected to the electrical circuit,
means for measuring an output voltage of the first power source,
means for comparing the measured output voltage to a predefined threshold voltage, and for generating a corresponding output signal,
means for determining whether the switch is in an open or a closed state based on the generated output signal, and
means for controlling the supply of power according to the determined state of the switch, and

a refrigeration circuit for providing refrigeration to a refrigeration compartment, the refrigeration circuit comprising a compressor and an evaporator, the compressor being connected to the control unit.
6. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, further comprising a second power source, and wherein the controlling means comprises means for connecting the second power source to the electrical circuit.
7. The refrigeration system according to claim 6, wherein the first power source has an internal impedance which is sufficiently high to provide a measurable lowering of the measured output voltage when the switch is moved to the closed state.
8. The refrigeration system according to claim 7, wherein the first power source has an internal impedance within the interval 100 k\u03a9 to 1000 k\u03a9.
9. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, wherein the control means comprises a microcontroller.
10. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, wherein the electrical circuit comprises a lamp connected in series with the switch.
11. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, further comprising a lamp positioned in the interior of the refrigeration compartment, the lamp forming part of the electrical circuit.
12. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned in the interior of the refrigeration compartment for measuring the temperature in the interior of the refrigeration compartment, and wherein the control unit is adapted to control the compressor in response to a temperature measurement by the temperature sensor.
13. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, wherein the refrigeration compartment comprises access means operable to be in an open position providing access between the interior of the refrigeration compartment and the exterior and in a closed position in which such access is prevented, and wherein the switch is in an open state when the access means is in a closed position, and the switch is in a closed state when the access means is in an open position.
14. The refrigeration system according to claim 5, wherein the refrigeration system is battery driven.

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 system, comprising: a mobile station, including: a first level 1, a first level 2, and a first level 3 protocol for a licensed wireless service having a licensed wireless channel serviced by a telecommunications network; and a second level 1, a second level 2, and a second level 3 protocol for an unlicensed wireless service activated when said mobile station is within an unlicensed wireless service area; an indoor base station operable to communicate with said mobile station through an unlicensed wireless channel; and an indoor network controller coupled to said indoor base station and adapted to exchange signals with said telecommunications network; wherein said indoor network controller is configured to convert said second level 1, said second level 2, and said second level 3 protocol into a standard base station controller interface protocol recognized by said telecommunications network; wherein said indoor base station operates transparently to said second level 3 protocol; wherein said mobile station and said indoor network controller are configured to establish a communication session on said unlicensed wireless channel, said indoor network controller using said standard base station controller interface protocol to communicate with said licensed network; wherein said second level 3 protocol comprises a radio resource sublayer adapted for said unlicensed wireless system, wherein an access mode switch is triggered to utilize a mobility management sublayer and a call management sublayer shared with said first level 3 protocol.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunication network comprises a mobile switch center for voice data.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile station is configured to register its location with said indoor network controller subsequent to detection that it is within said unlicensed wireless service area.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises a wireless local area network protocol.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises 802.11 IEEE wireless standard protocol.
7. A method of establishing communication between a licensed wireless communication system and an unlicensed wireless communication system, the method comprising: with the licensed wireless communication system, servicing a licensed wireless channel of a mobile station, wherein the mobile station has a first level 1, a first level 2, and a first level 3 protocol for a licensed wireless service; with the mobile station, establishing a communication through an unlicensed wireless channel when the mobile station is within an unlicensed wireless service area, said communication utilizing a second level 1, a second level 2, and a second level 3 protocol for an unlicensed wireless service; at an indoor network controller, converting said second level 1, said second level 2, and said second level 3 protocols into a standard base station controller interface protocol recognized by the licensed wireless communication system; and exchanging signals between the indoor network controller and the licensed wireless communication system, wherein the indoor network controller is coupled to an indoor base station that services the unlicensed wireless service area and communicates through the unlicensed wireless channel with the mobile station, said indoor base station operating transparently to said second level 3 protocol, wherein said second level 3 protocol comprises a radio resource sublayer adapted for said unlicensed wireless system; triggering an access mode switch to utilize a mobility management sublayer and a call management sublayer shared with said first level 3 protocol.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said licensed wireless communication system comprises a mobile switch center for voice data.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
configuring said mobile station to register its location with said indoor network controller subsequent to detection that it is within said unlicensed wireless service area.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises a wireless local area network protocol.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein said second level 1 protocol comprises 802.11 IEEE wireless standard protocol.