Author: claimsbot

1. A method of simultaneously determining multiple parameters or a parameter distribution characterizing material properties of a volume of a subterranean formation under investigation using an inversion process of sparse measurements, the method comprising:
performing a potential field survey of the volume of the subterranean formation using sensors located around or within the volume;
defining a model of said volume and modifying said model by matching said multiple parameters or parameter distribution characterizing material properties with said measurements of the effects of the potential field using alternatingly an iterative inversion method and a probabilistic inversion method; and
determining said multiple parameters or parameter distribution characterizing material properties after one or more iterations of said alternating inversions wherein a pseudo-converged model obtained after one or more iterations of an inversion is transformed and the transformed model of the inversion is used as an input model for a successive inversion.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein after a probabilistic inversion, a most probable model of the probabilistic inversion is transformed and used as a starting model for the iterative inversion.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the most probable model is selected as the model having the maximum probability.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first switching condition is associated with the iterative inversion method to switch to the probabilistic inversion method and a second switching condition is associated with said probabilistic inversion method to switch to said iterative inversion method.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the iterations are terminated when a first termination condition is satisfied after the iterative inversion method and a second termination condition is satisfied after the probabilistic inversion method within one iteration of the alternating iterations.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of iterations of said alternating inversions exceeds 4.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of iterations of said alternating inversions exceeds 9.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternating inversions continue until both the iterative inversion method and the probabilistic inversion method converge.

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 valve assembly for an air brake system comprising:
a valve housing having a blind bore and a counter-bore;
a first valve member received in the blind bore having a first portion and a second portion forming an interference fit with the first portion; the first valve member comprising;
a check valve assembly interposed between the first and second portions and maintained in an assembled state within the first and second portions, the check valve assembly including a biasing member, a follower, and a check valve member; and
a second valve member received in the counter-bore of the valve housing, the first valve member and the second valve member in pneumatically operative communication with each other to provide a selected output from one of at least two pneumatic inputs.
2. A valve assembly for an air brake system comprising:
a valve housing having a bore;
a valve member received in the bore having a first portion and a second portion forming an interference fit with the first portion;
a check valve assembly interposed between the first and second portions and maintained in an assembled state within the first and second portions, the check valve assembly including a biasing member, a follower and a check valve member;
wherein the first portion includes a recess and the second portion includes protrusions extending therefrom and received in a friction fit engagement with the recess.
3. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the first portion of the valve member is formed from a non-metallic material.
4. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the second portion of the valve member is formed from a non-metallic material.
5. The valve assembly of claim 2 wherein the first portion of the valve member is formed from a non-metallic material and non-circular passages are provided therethrough to enhance flow.
6. A valve assembly comprising:
a housing having a blind ended bore formed therein and a counter-bore;
a first valve assembly dimensioned for receipt in the blind ended bore, the valve assembly including a first portion formed from a non-metallic material having at least one passage extending therethrough and having a recess formed at an open end thereof, and a second portion formed from a non-metallic material and including a surface dimensioned for interference fit with the recess, a check valve assembly received within the first and second portions including a spring, a spring follower, and a valve member disposed in abutting engagement within the first and second portions whereby the first valve assembly is maintained in assembled arrangement by the interference fit between the first and second portions allowing the first valve assembly to be easily inserted into the blind ended bore, and a second valve assembly received in the counter bore, the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly in pneumatically operative communication with each other.
7. A valve assembly comprising:
a housing having a blind opening formed therein;
a valve assembly dimensioned for receipt in the opening, the valve assembly including a first portion formed from a non-metallic material having at least one passage extending therethrough and having a recess formed at an open end thereof, and a second portion formed from a non-metallic material and including a surface dimensioned for interference fit with the recess, and a check valve assembly received within the first and second portions including a spring, a spring follower, and a valve member disposed in abutting engagement within the first and second portions whereby the valve assembly is maintained in assembled arrangement by the interference fit between the first and second portions allowing the valve assembly to be easily inserted into the blind opening; wherein the second portion includes raised protrusions disposed in spaced relation along the first portion for frictional engagement with the recess.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the second portion includes a circumferentially continuous shoulder dimensioned for receipt in the recess.
9. A method of assembling a valve assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a housing with a blind bore and associated opening therein;
providing a first non-metallic valve member portion having an open end defining a recess;
providing a second non-metallic valve member portion having a shoulder dimensioned for receipt in the recess of the first portion;
inserting a check valve assembly between the valve member first and second portions; and
frictionally engaging the shoulder in the recess to encase the check valve member between the first and second valve member portions and define a sub-assembly, wherein the housing is adapted to receive the sub-assembly.
10. The method of claim 9 comprising the further step of sealingly inserting the sub-assembly into the blind bore in the housing.
11. The method of claim 9 including the steps of placing the check valve assembly into a cavity in the second valve member portion and advancing the first and second portions toward one another prior to the fictional engagement step.

1. A method of screening for an inhibitor of an active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor in a cell comprising:
(a) contacting a cell comprising an active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor with a candidate inhibitor; and
(b) detecting KIT activity by using a phosphotyrosine-specific antibody to determine the amount of KIT tyrosine phosphorylation in the presence and in the absence of said inhibitor,
wherein a decrease in KIT tyrosine phosphorylation in the presence of said candidate inhibitor in comparison to the KIT tyrosine phosphorylation in its absence identifies the candidate inhibitor as a KIT inhibitor.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said KIT tyrosine kinase receptor is constitutively active.
3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the constitutively active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor has a mutation in the phosphotransferase tyrosine kinase domain.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the mutation is in the activation loop of the KIT tyrosine kinase domain.
5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the constitutively active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor has a mutation in the juxtamembrane domain.
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the mutation is a deletion of amino acids 550-558 of SEQ ID NO:2.
7. The method according to claim 2 wherein the constitutively active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor has a mutation in the extracellular domain.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the mutation is a substitution mutation of AY502-503 in SEQ ID NO: 2.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the KIT tyrosine kinase receptor comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:2, 4, and 6
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the KIT tyrosine kinase receptor comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.
11. The method according to claim 4 wherein the KIT tyrosine kinase receptor comprises a substituted amino acid at position 816 of SEQ ID NO:2.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the substituted amino acid is selected from the group consisting of Valine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, or Glycine.
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the substituted amino acid is Valine.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cell comprising the active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor is bound to a solid support.
15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising detecting cellular morphology, cytoskeletal rearrangement, or nuclear staining of said cell in the presence and in the absence of the candidate inhibitor.
16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the phosphotyrosine-specific antibody is selected from the group consisting of a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody, a chimeric antibody, a humanized antibody, a single-chain antibody, and an antibody fragment.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the phosphotyrosine-specific antibody is pY823.
18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the phosphotyrosine-specific antibody binds to an auto-phosphorylation site of said KIT tyrosine kinase receptor.
19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the phosphotyrosine-specific antibody is detectably labeled.
20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the detectable label is a fluorophore or a radiolabel.
21. The method according to claim 1 wherein the detecting step comprises flow cytometry.
22. The method according to claim 1 wherein the active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor is expressed from a heterologous vector.
23. The method according to claim 1 wherein the active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor is endogenous to the cell.
24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the cell is isolated from a tumor.
25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the tumor is selected from the group consisting of a mast cell leukemia, mast cell sarcoma, a germ cell tumor, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, an acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), a sinonasal lymphoma, an ovarian tumor, a breast tumor, a small lung cell carcinoma, a neuroblastoma, and a melanoma.
26. A kit for screening for an inhibitor of active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor comprising a phosphotyrosine antibody and instruction for performing a screen according to claim 1 for said inhibitor.
27. A method of treating a condition selected from the group consisting of mastocytosis, mast cell leukemia, mast cell sarcoma, a germ cell tumor, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, an acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), a sinonasal lymphoma, an ovarian tumor, a breast tumor, a small lung cell carcinoma, a neuroblastoma, and a melanoma, comprising administering an inhibitor identified according to the method of claim 1.
28. A method for designing a treatment regimen for a patient with a mast cell disorder comprising:
(a) isolating a cell from said patient, wherein said cell comprises an active KIT tyrosine kinase receptor;
(b) contacting said cell with a KIT inhibitor identified by the method of claim 1;
(c) detecting KIT activity in said cell using a phosphotyrosine-specific antibody to determine the amount of KIT tyrosine phosphorylation in the presence and in the absence of said inhibitor; and
(d) designing a treatment regimen for said patient which includes administration of the KIT inhibitor that specifically inhibits KIT activity in said patient.

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 stent comprising:
a body portion having an exterior surface defined thereon, said body portion being expandable from a first position, wherein said body portion is sized for insertion into said lumen, to a second position, wherein at least a portion of said stent is in contact with said lumen wall, wherein the body portion is formed of an alloy including about 11 to about 18 wt. % chromium, about 5 to about 12 wt. % nickel, at least about 15 wt. % iron, and about 5 to about 50 wt. % platinum.
2. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the alloy further comprises up to about 3.0 wt. % molybdenum.
3. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the alloy further comprises carbon in a concentration of less than about 0.030 wt. %.
4. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the stent is an intravascular stent adapted for treating a vessel wall, the body portion being
a generally tubular structure having an exterior surface defined by a plurality of interconnected struts having interstitial spaces therebetween, said generally tubular structure expandable from a first position, wherein said stent is sized for intravascular insertion, to a second position, wherein at least a portion of said stent contacts said vessel wall, said expanding of said generally tubular structure accommodated by flexing and bending of said interconnected struts, wherein the generally tubular structure is formed from the alloy.
5. The stent as recited in claim 4, wherein the alloy further comprises up to about 3.0 wt. % molybdenum.
6. The stent as recited in claim 4, wherein the alloy further comprises carbon in a concentration of less than about 0.030 wt. %.
7. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the stent has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the stent comprises:
a first undulating band comprising a series of alternating first peaks and first troughs, the first peaks oriented in a distal direction, the first troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the first undulating band having a first wavelength and a first amplitude; and
a second undulating band comprising a series of alternating second peaks and second troughs, the second peaks oriented in a distal direction, the second troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the second undulating band having a second wavelength and a second amplitude, the second amplitude different from the first amplitude, the second wavelength different from the first wavelength.
8. The stent as recited in claim 7, wherein the stent has a thickness that is less than about 0.005 inches.
9. The stent as recited in claim 7, wherein the alloy further comprises up to about 3.0 wt. % molybdenum.
10. The stent as recited in claim 7, wherein the alloy further comprises carbon in a concentration of less than about 0.030 wt. %.
11. A biocompatible composition having a greater absorption of X-ray radiation than type 316 stainless, said biocompatible composition comprising:
between about 11.0 weight percent and about 18.0 weight percent Chromium;
between about 5.0 weight percent and about 12.0 weight percent Nickel;
at least about 15 weight percent Iron; and
between about 2.0 weight percent and about 50.0 weight percent Platinum.
12. A composition as recited in claim 11, wherein said composition further comprises Molybdenum and the weight percent of said Molybdenum is between about 2.0 and about 3.0.
13. A composition as recited in claim 11, wherein said composition further comprises Carbon and said Carbon is less than about 0.030 weight percent.
14. A composition as recited in claim 11, further comprising Manganese in an amount that is greater than zero and less than about 2.0 weight percent.
15. A composition as recited in claim 11, wherein said composition further comprises Phosphorus and said Phosphorus is less than about 0.008 weight percent.
16. A composition as recited in claim 11, wherein said composition further comprises Sulfur and said Sulfur is less than about 0.004 weight percent.
17. A composition as recited in claim 11, further comprising Silicon in an amount that is greater than zero and less than about 0.75 weight percent.
18. An intravascular biocompatible composition having a greater absorption of X-ray radiation than type 316 stainless, said intravascular biocompatible composition comprising:
between about 11.0 weight percent and about 18.0 weight percent Chromium;
between about 5.0 weight percent and about 12.0 weight percent Nickel;
at least about 15 weight percent Iron;
between about 2.0 weight percent and about 3.0 weight percent Molybdenum; and
between about 2.0 weight percent and about 50.0 weight percent Platinum.