All The Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of inhibiting expression of a target allele in a cell comprising at least two different alleles of a gene, the method comprising administering to the cell an siRNA specific for the target allele.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target allele is correlated with a disorder associated with a dominant gain of function mutation.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the disorder is selected from the group of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
4. A method of treating a subject having a disorder correlated with the presence of a dominant gain of function mutant allele, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an siRNA specific for the mutant allele.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the siRNA is targeted to the gain of function mutation.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the disorder is selected from the group of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the allele is SOD1.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mutant allele comprises a point mutation.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the point mutation is a guanine: cytosine mutation.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the mutation is G256C.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the mutation is G281C.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein the siRNA comprises a sequence as set forth in FIG. 1A.
14. An siRNA comprising a sequence as set forth in FIG. 1A.
15. A p10 mutant siRNA comprising the sequence as set forth in FIG. 1A.
16. A p9 mutant siRNA comprising the sequence as set forth in FIG. 1A.
17. A G93A SOD1 shRNA comprising the sequence as set forth in FIG. 3A.
18. An expression construct comprising the shRNA of claim 13.
19. A therapeutic composition comprising the siRNA of claim 10-11, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
20. A therapeutic composition comprising the shRNA of claim 13, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

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 single use hypodermic syringe with a retracting needle system comprising:
a cylindrical body element for containing a fluid;
a needle assembly comprising a needle holding member and a hollow needle, the needle holding member repositionable between an injecting position wherein the needle projects axially outward from the body element and a pre-use and post-use position wherein the needle is retracted and contained completely within the body element;
a plunger rod reciprocally received into the body element forming a fluid chamber between the cylindrical body element, the plunger and the needle holding member,
and whereby positive and negative pressure forces are generated by adjustment of the plunger within the body element whereby fluid is drawn into, and expelled from, the body element through the hollow needle;
a retraction mechanism comprising:
a spring between the needle holding member and the axial end of the cylindrical body element through which the needle member projects and which generates an axial pressure on the needle holding member;
at least one retaining member engaging the needle holding member and retaining the needle holding member against the axial force of the spring;
at least one activating member within the needle holding member responding to positive fluid pressure within the fluid chamber to release the retaining member from the needle holding member;
whereby the needle is automatically deployed into the injecting position by depression of the plunger prior to drawing fluid into the fluid chamber and is automatically retracted within the body element at the completion of an injection stroke of the plunger and which retraction renders the syringe safe for handling and disposal.
2. The hypodermic syringe of claim 1 wherein said activating member comprises an activating ring with pistons attached cooperating with an activating release slide, whereby positive fluid pressure within the fluid chamber pushes the activating ring piston against the activating release slide which in turn releases the retaining clip from the needle holding member.
3. The hypodermic syringe of claim 1 wherein the spring is conical helical spring.
4. The hypodermic syringe of claim 3 wherein the spring is a twin conical helical spring.
5. The hypodermic syringe of claim 4 wherein the twin conical helical spring includes a spring separation member.
6. The hypodermic syringe of claim 1 wherein the spring are received between a pair of spring retaining cups.
7. The hypodermic syringe of claim 6 wherein one of spring retaining cups is integrally formed with the needle holding member.
8. The hypodermic syringe of claim 1 wherein a plurality of activation members are equidistantly spaced around the needle holding member, each activation member cooperating with a corresponding retaining member.
9. The hypodermic syringe of claim 8 wherein a slide member is located between each activation member and each corresponding retaining member.
10. The hypodermic syringe of claim 5 wherein the twin conical spring and the spring separation member cooperate to deflect the hollow needle from axial alignment when in the post-use position.
11. A single use hypodermic syringe with a retracting needle system comprising:
a cylindrical body element for containing a fluid;
a needle assembly comprising a needle holding member and a hollow needle, the needle holding member repositionable between an injecting position wherein the needle projects axially outward from the body element and a pre-use and post-use position wherein the needle is retracted and contained completely within the body element;
a plunger reciprocally received into the cylindrical body element forming a fluid chamber between the cylindrical body element and the needle holding member, and whereby positive and negative pressure forces are generated by adjustment of the plunger within the body element whereby fluid is drawn into, and expelled from, the cylindrical body element through the hollow needle;
a retraction mechanism comprising:
a spring between the needle holding member and the axial end of the cylindrical body element through which the needle member projects and which generates an axial force on the needle holding member, wherein the spring is a twin conical helical springs and include a spring separation member and is received between a pair of spring retaining cups, both spring retaining cups being integrally formed with the needle holding member;
at least one retaining member engaging the needle holding member and retaining the needle holding member against the axial force of the spring;
a plurality of activating members within the needle holding member equidistantly spaced around the needle holding member moulded on a ring, responding to positive fluid pressure within the fluid chamber to release a corresponding retaining member from the needle holding member, and a slide member located between each activation member and each corresponding retaining member;
whereby the needle is automatically deployed into the injecting position by depression of the plunger prior to drawing fluid into the fluid chamber and is automatically retracted within the cylindrical body element at the completion of an injection stroke of the plunger and which retraction renders the syringe safe for handling and disposal.
12. A needle retraction mechanism for a single use hypodermic syringe having a cylindrical body element for containing a fluid and a plunger reciprocally received into the body element forming a fluid chamber between the cylindrical body element and the needle holding member, and whereby positive and negative pressure forces are generated by adjustment of the plunger within the cylindrical body element whereby fluid is drawn into, and expelled from, the cylindrical body element through the hollow needle, comprising:
a needle assembly comprising a needle holding member and a hollow needle, the needle holding member repositionable between an injecting position wherein the needle projects axially outward from the body element and post-use position wherein the needle is retracted and contained completely within the cylindrical body element;
a spring between the needle holding member and the axial end of the cylindrical body element through which the needle member projects and which generates an axial force on the needle holding member;
at least one retaining member engaging the needle holding member and retaining the needle holding member against the axial force of the spring;
at least one activating member within the needle holding member responding to positive fluid pressure within the fluid chamber to release the retaining member from the needle holding member comprising:
an activating ring piston cooperating with an activating release slide, whereby positive fluid pressure within the fluid chamber pushes the activating ring piston against the activating release slide which in turn releases the retaining clip from the needle holding member.
13. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 12 wherein the spring is a conical helical spring.
14. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 13 wherein the spring is a conical helical spring.
15. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 14 wherein the twin conical helical spring includes a spring separation member.
16. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 12 wherein the spring is received between a pair of spring retaining cups.
17. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 16 wherein both spring retaining cups are integrally formed with the needle holding member.
18. The retraction mechanism of claim 12 wherein a plurality of activation members are equidistantly spaced around the needle holding member moulded on a ring, the activation member cooperating with a corresponding retaining member.
19. The needle retraction mechanism of claim 18 wherein a slide member is located between each activation member and each corresponding retaining member.
20. A needle retraction mechanism of claim 15 wherein the twin conical spring and the spring separation member cooperate to deflect the hollow needle from axial alignment when in the post-use position.

1. A portable computer comprising a main body, and a display part having a tablet allowing a user to input information with a pen, and displaying a picture based on a video signal transmitted from the main body, the portable computer comprising:
a pen-mounting portion to which the pen is detachably attached;
an attachmentdetachment sensor for detecting whether the pen is attached to or detached from the pen-mounting portion; and
a controller for controlling the display part to have a portrait display mode when the attachmentdetachment sensor detects that the pen is detached from the pen-mounting portion, and controlling the display part to have a landscape display mode when the attachmentdetachment sensor detects that the pen is attached to the pen-mounting portion.
2. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a microcomputer generating a predetermined key code on the basis of the detected result of the attachmentdetachment sensor, and a video driver changing the display mode in correspondence to the key code generated by the microcomputer.
3. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the attachmentdetachment sensor comprises a switch for outputting high and low signals according to the attachment or detachment, respectively, of the pen.
4. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the attachmentdetachment sensor comprises a switch for outputting low and high signals according to the attachment or detachment, respectively, of the pen.
5. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the display part further comprises a tablet that accepts inputs from the detached pen when the display is in portrait display mode.
6. A method of controlling a portable computer comprising a main body, and a display part having a tablet allowing a user to input information with a pen, and displaying a picture based on a video signal transmitted from the main body, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting the attachment and detachment of the pen; and
controlling the display part to have a portrait display mode on the basis of detecting the detachment of the pen and to have a landscape display mode on the basis of detecting the attachment of the pen.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step further comprises the steps of:
generating a predetermined key code on the basis of the detected result of the attachmentdetachment sensor; and
changing the display mode in correspondence to the generated key code.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensing step further comprises outputting high and low signals according to the attachment or detachment, respectively, of the pen.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensing step further comprises outputting low and high signals according to the attachment or detachment, respectively, of the pen.
10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of accepting inputs from the detached pen when the display is in portrait display mode.

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 comprising:
providing secure data;
providing a host image;
decomposing the host image into a plurality of color images;
selecting portions of the decomposed host image to embed the secure data; and
embedding the secure data.
2. The method of claim 1, where decomposing comprises decomposing the host image into a plurality of layers.
3. The method of claim 2, where the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of color layers.
4. The method of claim 3, where decomposing the host image comprises converting the host image into several layers using a color model.
5. The method of claim 4, the color model comprising a RGB (red, green, blue) model, a YCbCr (luminance, chrominance blue, chrominance red) model, a YIQ (luminance, intensity, chrominance) model, a HSV (hue, saturation, value) model, a CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) model, or a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) model.
6. The method of claim 2, where selecting portions of the host image comprises selecting a layer from the plurality of layers of the host image to embed the secure data.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising categorizing the selected layer of the host image.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of least significant bit layers.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising selecting one of least significant bit layers from the plurality of least significant bit layers.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising modifying the selected least significant bit layer.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the secure data.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein compressing the secure data comprises decomposing the secure data into a binary format.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a pseudo-noise sequence for encrypting the binary format.
14. A computer program, comprising computer or machine-readable program elements translatable for implementing the method of claim 1.
15. A method comprising:
providing a cover image;
converting the cover image into a binary bit stream;
decomposing the binary bit stream into a plurality of segments;
generating a binary sequence based on a first key;
generating a code matrix based on all combinations within the binary sequence;
determining a distance between the code matrix and each of the plurality of fixed length segments to develop a second key;
combining the first key and second key to produce a compressed and encrypted image of the cover image.
16. The method of claim 15, where converting the cover image comprises:
decomposing the cover image into color layers;
decomposing each color layers into a combination of various binary layers; and
reformatting the various binary layers into a single binary vector.
17. The method of claim 15, where generating a binary sequence comprises generating a binary sequence with M-sequence or a Gold codes.
18. The method of claim 15, where generating a binary sequence comprises generating a binary sequence with low redundancy.
19. The method of claim 15, where decomposing the bit stream comprises decomposing the binary bit stream into a plurality of fixed length segments or varying length segments.
20. A method comprising:
providing a cover image;
converting the cover image into a binary bit steam;
decomposing the binary bit stream into a plurality of segments;
classifying each of the plurality of segments into classes using a redundancy of bits based on a first key to generate a plurality of redundant and non-redundant segments;
compressing the redundant segments;
compressing the non-redundant segments with low redundancy based on a second key;
combined the compressed redundant segments and non-redundant segments to form a compressed image of the cover image.
21. The method of claim 20, where compressing the non-redundant segments comprises:
generating a code matrix based on all possible combinations within the binary bit stream;
determining a distance between the code matrix and each of the plurality of segments to develop a third key; and
combining the first, second, and third keys to form compressed and encrypted segments.
22. The method of claim 20 further comprising transforming the plurality of segments based on a fourth key.
23. The method of claim 20, further comprising error correcting encoding the determined distance and each of the plurality of segments to develop the third key.