All The Claims

1. (canceled)
2. A method of treating type 1 diabetes in a subject, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective dosage of an ATP signaling inhibitor to the subject.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is a P2X7R signaling inhibitor.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is a P2X7R-Ig fusion protein.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is a P2X7R soluble protein.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is a P2XR soluble protein.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is a purinergic receptor inhibitor.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is CE-224535, AZD9056, GSK1482160, or oATP.
9. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is an inhibitor of ATP exogenous to beta cells.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor is an ATPase on a cell surface.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cell is a T cell, nerve, dendritic or cardiomyocyte cell.
12. The method of claim 2, wherein the subject is human.
13. (canceled)
14. The method of claim 2, wherein the inhibitor degrades ATP.
15.-20. (canceled)
21. A composition, comprising:
a P2X7R-Ig fusion protein or a P2XR soluble protein; and
a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
22. The composition of claim 21, wherein the P2X7R-Ig fusion protein is a soluble protein with the ectodomain of a P2X7R receptor bound to the Fc portion of an IgG molecule.
23.-26. (canceled)
27. The composition of claim 22, wherein the fusion protein has the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO.: 1.
28.-40. (canceled)
41. A method of treating lung fibrosis in a subject, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective dosage of an inhibitor of ATP signaling to the subject.
42.-49. (canceled)

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A thin film transistor structure in which, on a substrate, formed are a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; an active layer; a gate wiring connected to the gate electrode; and an insulating polymer film in which at least a trench is formed,
wherein said trench formed in said insulating polymer film accommodates said gate wiring constituted of a conductive layer, so that said gate wiring is self-aligned with said insulating polymer film.
2. The thin film transistor structure according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of said gate wiring is set to 2 micrometers to 15 micrometers, and an aspect ratio of said gate wiring ranges from 0.3 to 3.
3. The thin film transistor structure according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said insulating polymer film is subjected to a treatment for adjusting an optical property thereof.
4. The thin film transistor structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said insulating polymer film includes a plurality of polymers.
5. The thin film transistor structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said insulating polymer film includes a silicone-containing polymeric substance.
6. The thin film transistor structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said gate wiring is constituted of the conductive layer forming a seed layer deposited by electroless plating and the conductive layer deposited by electroplating.
7. The thin film transistor structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said thin film transistor is constituted as a bottom gate type thin film transistor or a top gate type thin film transistor.
8. The thin film transistor structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said insulating polymer film comprises photosensitivity resin or photosensitive resin composition.
9. A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor structure in which, on a substrate, formed are a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; an active layer; a gate wiring connected to said gate electrode; and an insulating polymer film in which at least a trench is formed, comprising the steps of:
forming the source electrode, the drain electrode, the gate electrode and the active layer;
forming the insulating polymer film on said substrate;
patterning said insulating polymer film to form the trench; and
depositing a conductive layer in said trench to form said gate wiring in self-alignment with said insulating polymer film.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said gate wiring is formed by the step of depositing a conductive layer forming a seed layer by use of electroless plating, and by the step of depositing a conductive layer different from said seed layer by use of electroplating.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of forming said gate wiring includes a step of controlling a current amount and a duration for said electroplating.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of forming said gate wiring includes: the step of forming, by use of the electroplating, the conductive layer different from the conductive layer to form said seed layer; and the step of making a level of the conductive layer formed by use of said electroplating equal to that of said insulating polymer film.
13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, further comprising the step of subjecting said insulating polymer film to a treatment for adjusting an optical property thereof.
14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein said insulating polymer film contains a silicone-containing polymeric substance.
15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein said insulating polymer film is made of phtosensitive resin or photosensitive resin composition.
16. A display device including a thin film transistor structure in which, on a substrate, formed are a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; an active layer; a gate wiring connected to said gate electrode; and an insulating polymer film in which at least a trench is formed, and said trench formed in said insulating polymer film accommodates said gate wiring constituted of a conductive layer so that said gate wiring is self-aligned with said insulating polymer film.
17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein a thickness of said gate wiring is set to 2 micrometers to 15 micrometers, and an aspect ratio of said gate electrode ranges from 0.3 to 3.
18. The display device according to one of claims 16 and 17, wherein said insulating polymer film is subjected to a treatment for adjusting an optical property thereof.
19. The display device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said insulating polymer film contains phtosensitive resin or photosensitive resin composition.
20. The display device according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein said insulating polymer film contains a silicone-containing polymeric substance.

1. A communication system providing tandem protection in a ring network, the system comprising:
a hub network element having a transceiver transmitting and receiving a signal on said ring network in multiple directions to define a clockwise signal and a counter-clockwise signal and a protection transceiver transmitting and receiving a protection signal on said ring network in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction;
at least one remote network element in communication with said hub network, said remote network element including a clockwise transceiver and a counter-clockwise transceiver;
said remote network element including a selector for selecting a signal from one of said clockwise transceiver and said counter-clockwise transceiver for transmission to a service interface;
said remote network element including a protection component for transmitting and receiving said protection signal generated by said protection transceiver;
said protection component operating in a loop back mode when said transceiver of said hub network element is operational, said protection component coupling said protection signal to said clockwise transceiver and said counter-clockwise transceiver when said transceiver is not operational providing 1:N protection.
2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein:
said hub network element includes a hub selector selecting one of said clockwise signal and said counter-clockwise signal for reception at said transceiver.
3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein:
said protection signal has a protection wavelength different than a wavelength of said signal.
4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein:
said protection component includes an optical add-drop multiplexer for selecting said protection wavelength.
5. The communication system of claim 4 wherein:
said optical add-drop multiplexer includes an optical-to-electrical converter and input switch coupled to an input of said clockwise transceiver and to an input of said counter-clockwise transceiver.
6. The communication system of claim 4 wherein:
said optical add-drop multiplexer includes an electrical-to-optical converter and an output switch coupled to an output of said clockwise transceiver and to an output of said counter-clockwise transceiver.
7. The communication system of claim 6 wherein:
said protection component includes a multiplexer disposed between said output of said clockwise transceiver and said output counter-clockwise transceiver and said output switch.
8. A method for providing tandem protection in a ring network, the method comprising:
transmitting and receiving a signal on said ring network in multiple directions to define a clockwise signal and a counter-clockwise signal and transmitting and receiving a protection signal on said ring network in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction;
at a remote network element, selecting one of said clockwise signal and said counter-clockwise signal for transmission to a service interface;
at said remote network element, transmitting and receiving said protection signal, said protection signal being looped back when one of said clockwise signal and said counterclockwise signal is present, said protection signal being transmitted to said service interface when said clockwise signal and said counter-clockwise signal are not present providing 1:N protection.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
said protection signal has a protection wavelength different than a wavelength of said clockwise signal and said counter-clockwise signal.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
performing an optical-to-electrical conversion prior to transmitting said protection signal to said service interface.
11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
receiving a signal from said service interface and transmitting said signal on said protection signal;
performing an electrical-to-optical conversion prior to transmitting said signal on said protection signal.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
multiplexing multiple signals from said service interface on said protection signal.

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. An escalator or moving walkway, comprising:
a support structure; and
a soffit plate, the soffit plate being bounded by a plurality of soffit plate side edge regions, the plurality of side edge regions comprising opposing first and second side edge regions, the first and second side edge regions being fixedly connected to the support structure, the soffit plate being biased between the first and second side edge regions by a biasing tensioning force and increasing a stiffness of the support structure.
2. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the plurality of side edge regions further comprising third and fourth side edge regions, the third and fourth side edge regions being not fixedly connected to the support structure.
3. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the support structure comprising first and second support structure modules, the soffit plate being a first soffit plate, the first and second side edge regions of the first soffit plate being fixedly connected to the first support structure module, the biasing force being a first biasing force, the escalator or moving walkway further comprising a second soffit plate, first and second side edge regions of the second soffit plate being fixedly connected to the second support structure module, the second soffit plate being biased between the first and second edge regions of the second soffit plate by a second biasing force.
4. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 3, further comprising a butt joint between the first and second soffit plates, the butt joint being arranged in a region of a transverse strut.
5. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 3, the first soffit plate being biased in a length direction of the support structure or of the support structure module.
6. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 3, the support structure or the support structure module further comprising a reinforcing element.
7. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, a vibration-damping layer being arranged between the first or second side edge region and the support structure.
8. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 7, the support structure comprising first and second side parts, the first and second side parts being connected by transverse struts, the vibration-damping layer being arranged at bottom chords of the first and second side parts and at the transverse struts.
9. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 7, the vibration-damping layer comprising a polymer material strip.
10. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 7, the vibration-damping layer comprising an oil-resistant adhesive or sealant applied around the plurality of side edge regions.
11. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the soffit plate having a thickness of 0.5 millimeters to 2.5 millimeters.
12. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the soffit plate having a thickness of 0.8 millimeters to 1.0 millimeters.
13. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the soffit plate having a square form.
14. The escalator or moving walkway of claim 1, the soffit plate having a rectangular form.
15. A method comprising:
fixedly connecting a first side edge region of a soffit plate to a support structure for an escalator or for a moving walkway;
clamping a second side edge region of the soffit plate to the support structure, the clamping biasing the soffit plate with a predetermined tension biasing force; and
fixedly connecting the second side edge region to the support structure.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising arranging a vibration-damping layer between the soffit plate and the support structure.
17. The method of claim 15, the clamping device comprising: at least one of a threaded spindle and a hydraulic unit; and a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.
18. The method of claim 15, the predetermined biasing force being 10 kN to 140 kN.
19. The method of claim 15, the predetermined biasing force being 35 kN to 55 kN.