Author: claimsbot

1. An apparatus for facilitating organization of selected message data at an electronic device, said apparatus comprising:
a message information organizer configured to organize stored message data representable as a plot of message-information density as a function of alphanumeric identification; and
a display generator configured to cause generation of a display comprising at least a portion of the plot into which said message information organizer organizes the message at a selected magnification level.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display generator is further configured to be provided with an indication of the selected magnification level.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said display generator is further configured to be provided with an indication of a plot-portion of interest and wherein said display generator is configured to cause generation of the display comprising at least the plot-portion of interest.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display generator is configured to cause generation of a plurality of displays, each display comprising at least a portion of the plot, and each display of a portion of the plot at a selected magnification level.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein different ones of the plurality of displays of the portions of the plot caused to be displayed by said display generator are displayed at different selected magnification levels.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display screen configured to display the display caused to be generated by said display generator.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an input element configured to receive an input selection that defines the selected magnification level.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the input element is further configured to receive an input selection of a plot-portion of interest and wherein said display generator is configured to cause generation of the display comprising at least the plot portion of interest.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the message data comprises e-mail message data and wherein said message information organizer is configured to organize stored email data.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said message information organizer is configured to organize stored email message data representable as a plot of message information density as a function of email address name indicia.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the email message data representable as the plot of message data, further is representable as a plot of alphabetical identification of the email address name indicia.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a selector configured to provide for selection of a more detailed display of a portion of the at least the portion of the display caused to be generated by said display generator.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein, for each plotted alphabetical identification, the plot further comprises a listing of email messages having an associated alphabetical identification.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a selector configured to provide for selection of more detailed display of the listing of the email messages having the associated alphabetical identification.
15. A method for facilitating organization of selected message data at an electronic device, said method comprising:
organizing stored message data representable as a plot of message-information density as a function of alphanumeric identification; and
causing generation of display comprising at least a portion of the plot, organized during said organizing, at a selected magnification level.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving selection of the selected magnification level.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving selection of an indication of a plot-portion of interest and wherein said causing generation comprises causing generation of the display comprising at least the plot-portion of interest.
18. A method for searching for a message of a plurality of stored messages, said method comprising:
displaying a plot representative of the plurality of messages, the plot comprising listings of messages plotted as a function of alphanumeric identification;
magnifying a selected portion of the plot; and
displaying the selected portion, once magnified.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said magnifying and said displaying are iterated at least one time.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising selecting the message from the selected portion of the plot displayed during said displaying the selected portion.

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 reagent for measuring amylase activity which is measured by an enzymatic method, wherein at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support.
2. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 1, wherein the support is an organic or inorganic carrier that is water-insoluble.
3. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the support is a thin film.
4. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 3, wherein thickness of the thin film is 100 m500 m.
5. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 3, wherein the thin film is in white color.
6. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 3, wherein diffused reflection of the thin film is controlled.
7. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the modified oligosaccharide carried on the support is that which corresponds to the amount obtained by dipping the support into a solution containing 2 mmolL500 mmolL of the modified oligosaccharide substrate for about 1 to 5 minute(s).
8. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 1, wherein the modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is an oligosaccharide selected from G2, G3, G4, G5, G6 and G7, and the reducing end is modified by chromogen.
9. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 8, wherein the chromogen is selected from 4-nitrophenol (PNP), 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol (CNP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (Cl2P).
10. The reagent for measuring amylase activity according to claim 1, wherein the modified oligosaccharide is selected from the followings;
2-chloro-4-nitrophenol-4-O–D-galactopyranosyl maltoside (hereinafter, referred to as GAL-G2-CNP), GAL-G4-CNP, GAL-G5-CNP, G5-CNP, G6-CNP, G7-CNP, G5-PNP and G7-PNP.
11. A method for measuring amylase activity, comprising contacting a reagent for measuring amylase activity,where at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support, to a biological sample containing amylase, and measuring a labeling substance which is liberated from the substrate.
12. The method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 11, wherein the biological sample is human saliva, blood or a material derived therefrom.
13. The method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 11, comprising measuring the color reaction of the labeling substance, which is liberated from the substrate, by a color discriminating sensor.
14. The method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 11, comprising measuring the reflected light from the support or the transmitted light through the support is measured.
15. The method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 13 or 14, wherein a light-emitting body as a light source is a light-emitting diode.
16. The method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 13, wherein an angle for measuring the reflected light is 045, distance from the object to be measured is 10 mm30 mm and spot diameter is 1 mm5 mm.
17. An apparatus for measuring amylase activity used for the method for measuring amylase activity according to claim 16.
18. An apparatus for measuring amylase activity, which carries the following functions;
(1) color reaction of a labeling substance liberated from the reagent for measuring amylase activity where at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support is measured by a color discriminating sensor.
(2) reflected light from the support or transmitted light from the support is measured.
(3) light-emitting body as a light source is selected from light-emitting diode, laser, halogen lamp and tungsten lamp.
(4) angle for measuring the reflected light is 045, distance from the object to be measured is 10 mm30 mm and spot diameter is 1 mm5 mm.
19. A method for testing stress level of a subject, comprising measuring amylase activity in human saliva by a method for measuring amylase activity that comprises contacting a reagent for measuring amylase activity, where at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support, to a biological sample containing amylase, and measuring a labeling substance liberated from the substrate.
20. An apparatus for measuring stress, comprising light-emitting means for irradiating light to a reagent for measuring amylase activity where at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support, a light-receiving means for receiving the reflected light from the reagent for the measurement, a color-discriminating means for discriminating color development of the reagent for the measurement on the basis of the received reflected light, and a stress-detecting means for detecting degree of stress on the basis of the result of the color discrimination.
21. The apparatus for measuring stress according to claim 20, where said light-emitting means emits light of a single or plural color(s) and said color-discriminating means carries out discrimination of color development on the basis of the intensity of the reflected light upon irradiation of the light in each color to said reagent for the measurement.
22. The apparatus for measuring stress according to claim 21, where the light emitted from said light-emitting means comprises light with a complementary color of that developed by the reagent for the measurement or with a color that is near the complementary color.
23. An apparatus for measuring stress, comprising a light-emitting means for irradiating to a reagent for measuring amylase activity where at least a modified oligosaccharide which is a substrate is carried on a support, a light-receiving means for receiving the reflected light from the reagent for the measurement, a first memory means for memorizing the information to define the relation between intensity of the received reflected light and degree of the stress, and a stress information producing means for producing an information showing the degree of the stress by referring to the intensity of said received reflected light and the information memorized in said first memory.
24. The apparatus for measuring stress according to claim 23, where the information memorized in said first memory is a conversion table where the intensity of the said received reflected light is corresponded to the degree of the stress.
25. The apparatus for measuring stress according to claim 23, where the information memorized in the said first memory is arithmetic process information for calculating the degree of the stress on the basis of the intensity of said received reflected light.
26. The apparatus for the measuring stress according to any of claims 23 to 25, comprising further equipping with a temperature sensor which detects outside temperature, wherein said stress information producing means corrects said degree of the stress on the basis of the detected temperature.
27. The apparatus for measuring stress according to any of claims 23 to 26, comprising further equipping with a time measuring means for measuring a reaction time of said reagent for the measurement, wherein said stress information producing means correct said degree of the stress on the basis of the measured reaction time.
28. The apparatus for measuring stress according to any of claims 23 to 27, where said light-emitting means emits the light of a single or plural color(s), and said first memory means memorizes the information to define the relation between intensity of the reflected light of the received light in each color and the degree of the stress.
29. The apparatus for measuring stress according to claim 28, wherein the light emitted from the above-mentioned light-emitting means comprises light with a complementary color of the color developed by the reagent for the measurement or with a color that is near the complementary color.
30. The apparatus for measuring stress according to any of claims 20 to 29, comprising equipping with a second memory means which memorizes an information for said degree of the stress as measured history information.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminated switching device, comprising: a case; a switch section having switch terminals protruding out of the case; a printed-circuit board with which the switch terminals are connected; and a lamp having a pair of lamp terminals connected with the printed-circuit board; the lamp terminals being retained and supported on the case.
2. An illuminated switching device according to claim 1, wherein the lamp terminals are provided with a crank-like bent portion, which is retained and supported in a groove portion provided in the case; and free ends of the lamp terminals are inserted in through holes formed in the printed-circuit board.
3. An illuminated switching device according to claim 2, wherein the groove portion provided in the case is formed in a side end face on the upper surface side of the case.
4. An illuminated switching device according to claim 1, wherein the free ends of the pair of lamp terminals are spaced wider than the other ends of the lamp terminals on the lamp side.
5. An illuminated switching device according to claim 2, wherein the free ends of the pair of lamp terminals are spaced wider than the other ends of the lamp terminals on the lamp side.

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 pressurized metered dose inhaler having a housing for holding a container with a pressurized medium, a spray nozzle for aerosolization of the medium to be inhaled, and a metering valve with a rotatable valve member for controlling fluid communication between the container and the nozzle, characterized in the metering valve having at least one metering cavity, the valve having a seal between the valve member and valve housing for sealingly connecting the valve with an output of the pressurized container, the valve member being rotationally positioned in a valve housing, for, the valve member in a first position, receiving a dose of the medium into one of the at least one metering cavities, and in a second position enclosing the metering cavity, and a third position, discharging a dose of the medium from the metering cavity.
2. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the metering cavity is incorporated in the rotatable valve member.
3. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the metering cavity is incorporated in the valve housing.
4. A metering valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve rotor is built into the structure of a pressurized canister.
5. An inhaler according to claim 1, for the valve member in said first position, the pressure from a pressurized medium applied to the valve outlet will deflect the sealing and valve member, thereby facilitating filling of said container.
6. A procedure for filing of a pressurized metered dose inhaler having a housing for holding a container with a pressurized medium, a spray nozzle for aerosolization of the medium to be inhaled, and a metering valve with a rotatable valve member for controlling fluid communication between the container and the nozzle, characterized in the metering valve having at least one metering cavity, the valve having a seal between the valve member and valve housing for sealingly connecting the valve with an output of the pressurized container, the valve member being rotationally positioned in a valve housing, for, the valve member in a first position, receiving a dose of the medium into one of the at least one metering cavities, and in a second position enclosing the metering cavity, and a third position, discharging a dose of the medium from the metering cavity, comprising the steps of: partially inserting the valve member in a first state into the valve housing, filling of said container, followed by producing of a second state, where the valve member is fully inserted into the valve housing and seals the filled container from the environment, whenever the valve member is kept in a stationary position.
7. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the said rotational valve is rotationally symmetrically shaped.
8. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that a further one-way valve is arranged between the valve rotor and the outlet, where the one-way valve prevents a medium, such as atmospheric air or vapor, from flowing into the metering chamber through the outlet.
9. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that a valve rotor shaft is connected to a visual dose indicator, said visual dose indicator displaying the approximate number of doses left in the said container.
10. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that a valve rotor is connected to locking means, said locking means comprising a locking spring, said locking spring interacting with a backwards locking ratchet in order to ensure a one-way rotation of the valve rotor.
11. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that a valve rotor is connected to mechanical transmission means, said mechanical transmission means connected to activation means for generating a rotational movement of the valve rotor, when said activation means are activated.
12. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the inhaler comprises an activation means, such as a button or the like, said activation means connected to actuating means.
13. An inhaler according to claim 12, characterized in that the said activation means comprises a breath actuated member, said member connected to trigger means for controlling the said actuating means.
14. An inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the inhaler comprises means for controlling the number of doses or sub-doses for each inhalation, which controlling means ensures that the valve rotor stops rotating after a defined number of doses or sub-doses.
15. A procedure for operating an inhaler having a housing for holding a container with a pressurized medium, a spray nozzle for aerosolization of the medium to be inhaled, and a metering valve with a rotatable valve member for controlling fluid communication between the container and the nozzle, characterized in the metering valve having at least one metering cavity, the valve having a seal between the valve member and valve housing for sealingly connecting the valve with an output of the pressurized container, the valve member being rotationally positioned in a valve housing, for, the valve member in a first position, receiving a dose of the medium into one of the at least one metering cavities, and in a second position enclosing the metering cavity, and a third position, discharging a dose of the medium from the metering cavity comprising the following operational steps:
an initial step, where a metering chamber is connected to a volume containing a medium under pressure,
a second step, where the valve rotor is rotated to enclose the metering chamber, and
a third step, where the valve rotor is further rotated so the medium in the metering chamber is connected to the outlet nozzle.
16. A procedure for operating an inhaler according to claim 15 further comprising the following steps:
an activation step initiated by a userpatient,
an inhalation step where the userpatient inhales and where the valve rotor is rotated in given number of turns, in such a way that at least one metering chamber is emptied a given number of times in order to deliver a predetermined dose of medicine to the userpatient.