An assembly structure of an electronic control unit and a coil assembly of a solenoid valve for an electronic brake system connected to the electronic control unit having a printed circuit board and applying power to the solenoid valve. The coil assembly is penetrated to allow an upper portion of the solenoid valve to be fitted thereinto, and includes a cylindrical bobbin provided with a coil and a coil case. The electronic control unit is provided with a housing having an insertion groove and joined to the hydraulic control unit, the printed circuit board being disposed spaced apart from the coil assembly, and the housing is provided with an elastic member having one end contacting the printed circuit board and the other end contacting the coil case. The elastic member is configured with a coil spring to produce different elastic forces.

In a method for operating a fluid valve for controlling or regulating a fluid, having at least one movable valve component is displaceable with the aid of at least one electrical actuating signal which contains at least one first actuating signal portion which causes an oscillating valve motion of the valve component. Pressure oscillations generated in the fluid due to the oscillating valve motion are detected, and are used for regulation of the oscillating valve motion caused by the first actuating signal portion.

A direct acting solenoid actuator includes an armature and associated push pin that are suspended from certain fixed solenoid components, such as a pole piece and/or flux sleeve, by a fully floating cage of rolling elements. The fixed solenoid component may comprise a pole piece and/or a flux sleeve. The pole piece may include stops to limit movement of the cage of rolling elements in the axial direction.

A fluid control valve includes an inflow channel for introducing fluid, an outflow channel for discharging the fluid, a valve seat, a valve body for blocking/allowing communication between the inflow channel and the outflow channel in association with a movement thereof into contact with or away from the valve seat, and a solenoid configured to apply a magnetic force to the valve body, the magnetic force being generated in response to supply of electric power to the solenoid. The inflow channel is formed through the core of the solenoid so that the core and the fluid comes into contact with each other in the inflow channel.

A side valve having a lateral connector, comprising an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve that has an attachment section for attachment on the outer sleeve side, as well as a connector piece for connecting to a water supply. The outer sleeve and inner sleeve are connected with one another by way of a separate connection piece, onto which the connector is formed.

A solenoid valve, the magnet armature of which is designed to be movable relative to a first valve-closing element, for which purpose the first valve-closing element is accommodated telescopically in a coupling element attached to the magnet armature, wherein the coupling element is guided along the inner wall of a guide sleeve inserted in the valve housing in order to align the magnet armature precisely with the first valve-closing element in the direction of a second valve-closing element which is likewise accommodated in the guide sleeve.

Some implementations provide a structure that includes a first package substrate, a first component, a second package substrate, a second component, and a third component. The first package substrate has a first area. The first component has a first height and is positioned on the first area. The second package substrate is coupled to the first package substrate. The second package substrate has second and third areas. The second area of the second package substrate vertically overlaps with the first area of the first package substrate The third area of the second package substrate is non-overlapping with the first area of the first package substrate. The second component has a second height and is positioned on the second area. The third component is positioned on the third area. The third component has a third height that is greater than each of the first and second heights.

A land grid array (LGA) package including a substrate having a plurality of lands formed on a first surface of the substrate, a semiconductor chip mounted on a second surface of the substrate, a connection portion connecting the semiconductor chip and the substrate, and a support layer formed on part of a surface of a first land.

Maskless hybrid laser scribing and plasma etching wafer dicing processes are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a front surface with a plurality of integrated circuits thereon and having a passivation layer disposed between and covering metal pillar/solder bump pairs of the integrated circuits involves laser scribing, without the use of a mask layer, the passivation layer to provide scribe lines exposing the semiconductor wafer. The method also involves plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the scribe lines to singulate the integrated circuits, wherein the passivation layer protects the integrated circuits during at least a portion of the plasma etching. The method also involves thinning the passivation layer to partially expose the metal pillar/solder bump pairs of the integrated circuits.

Systems, manufactures, methods and/or techniques for a merged fiducial for chip packages are described. According to some embodiments, an integrated circuit package may include a package substrate having a first side and a second side, a plurality of conductive traces coupled to the first side and a plurality of balls disposed on the second side. The balls may be adapted to electrically connect the laminate package to a circuit board. The integrated circuit package may include a plurality of ball pads disposed on the second side, the ball pads being adapted to electrically connect the plurality of balls to the plurality of conductive traces. One or more of the ball pads may be uniquely shaped when compared to the rest of the plurality of ball pads, optionally, to serve as a fiducial to designate an A1 pin or ball of the laminate package.

Described herein are methods and systems for providing corrective maintenance using global knowledge sharing. A method to provide corrective maintenance with a CM system includes performing a query to generate a ranking of fixable causes based on factors (e.g., symptoms, configuration, test). The ranking may be determined based on a fixable cause percent match with the factors. The ranking of fixable causes may be associated with one or more solutions for each fixable cause. The ranking can be updated based on performing tests or solutions.

Methods, systems, and structures for detecting residual material on semiconductor wafers are provided. A method includes scanning a test structure including topographic features on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. The method further includes determining, based on the scanning, that the test structure includes an amount of a residual material of a sacrificial layer that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

A base at least one principal plane of which is a nitride is prepared for use in epitaxial growth. The base is placed on a susceptor in an epitaxial growth reactor and heated to a predetermined temperature (step A). The heating is started with inactive, nitrogen gas being supplied into the reactor. Then, active, NH3 gas is supplied. Then, a growth step (step B) of a first nitride semiconductor layer is started without an intervening step of thermally cleaning the principal nitride plane of the base. In step B, the first nitride semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown on a principal nitride plane of a base without supply of an Si source material. Then, a relatively thick, second nitride semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown on the first nitride semiconductor layer by supplying an n-type dopant source material (step C).

A first impurity region is formed by ion implantation through a first opening formed in a mask layer. By depositing a spacer layer on an etching stop layer on which the mask layer has been provided, a mask portion having the mask layer and the spacer layer is formed. By anisotropically etching the spacer layer, a second opening surrounded by a second sidewall is formed in the mask portion. A second impurity region is formed by ion implantation through the second opening. An angle of the second sidewall with respect to a surface is 90°±10° across a height as great as a second depth. Thus, accuracy in extension of an impurity region can be enhanced.

Embodiments of a method for fabricating stacked microelectronic packages are provided, as are embodiments of a stacked microelectronic package. In one embodiment, the method includes arranging microelectronic device panels in a panel stack. Each microelectronic device panel includes a plurality of microelectronic devices and a plurality of package edge conductors extending therefrom. Trenches are formed in the panel stack exposing the plurality of package edge conductors. An electrically-conductive material is deposited into the trenches and contacts the plurality of package edge conductors exposed therethrough. The panel stack is then separated into partially-completed stacked microelectronic packages. For at least one of the partially-completed stacked microelectronic packages, selected portions of the electrically-conductive material are removed to define a plurality of patterned sidewall conductors interconnecting the microelectronic devices included within the stacked microelectronic package.

A method for producing a Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor having reduced threading dislocation is disclosed. A buffer layer in a polycrystal, amorphous or polycrystal/amorphous mixed state, comprising AlGaN is formed on a substrate. The substrate having the buffer layer formed thereon is heat-treated at a temperature higher than a temperature at which a single crystal of a Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor grows on the buffer layer and at a temperature that the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor does not grow, to reduce crystal nucleus density of the buffer layer as compared with the density before the heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the temperature of the substrate is decreased to a temperature that the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor grows, the temperature is maintained, and the Ga-containing group III nitride semiconductor is grown on the buffer layer.

A protective film to a polarizer including a cellulose acylate and satisfying the following requirement (1) or (2): (1): The surface of the film has a pH of from 3.0 to 4.5.(2): The surface of the film has a pH of more than 4.5 and at most 6.0, and the film has a moisture permeability of at least 2800 g/m2·day.

Provided is a switching liquid crystal panel and a display device that have novel structures that are capable of preventing luminous regions from appearing in the light transmitting parts, in the vicinities of boundaries thereof with the light shielding parts. The switching liquid crystal panel includes a pair of substrates (26a, 26b) having a twisted nematic type liquid crystal layer (24) interposed therebetween, and a plurality of light shield forming electrodes (30) that are formed on at least one of the pair of the substrates (26a, 26b) and that form light shielding parts (40) of a parallax barrier (16) in cooperation with a counter electrode (34) when a voltage is applied, the counter electrode (34) being is opposed to the light shield forming electrodes (30) with the liquid crystal layer (24) interposed therebetween. A rubbing direction for an alignment film (36a) provided on the substrate (26a) side on which the light shield forming electrodes (30) are formed is at an angle of 45° or less to a lengthwise direction of the light shield forming electrodes (30).

A liquid crystal display element disclosed includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first transparent electrode provided at a display region of the first substrate; and a second transparent electrode provided at a display region of the second substrate, at least one of d1 and d2 being not larger than 60 nm, where d1 represents a thickness of the first transparent electrode and d2 represents a thickness of the second transparent electrode.

Provided is a liquid crystal display including, on an insulation substrate having a polygonal display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area a first signal line, a second signal line crossing the first signal line, a plurality of switching elements connected to the first signal line and the second signal line and disposed in the display area, a plurality of pixel electrodes each connected to the switching element and disposed in the display area, and a shielding conductor disposed in the peripheral area and extending along at least one side of the polygonal display area.

Provided is a back plate component having reflective sheet reinforcing structure. The back plate component includes: a frame, a reflective sheet and a plurality of supporting film sheets. The frame includes a plurality of lateral beams and vertical beams, and at least one hollow part is included between the lateral beams and the vertical beams. The reflective sheet is attached to the frame, and includes a reflective surface and a back surface corresponding to the reflective surface. A portion of the back surface covers the whole hollow part. The plurality of supporting film sheets is attached to the back surface at a region corresponding to the hollow part, and includes a material the same as that of the reflective sheet. A liquid crystal display device is further disclosed herein.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first electrode on the first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a second electrode on the second substrate. The second electrode corresponds to the first electrode. The liquid crystal display device also includes a liquid crystal structure between the first electrode and the second electrode. The liquid crystal structure includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and at least one movement control member. The movement control member in the liquid crystal structure restricts a movement of the liquid crystal molecules.

The present invention provides an optical compensated bending (OCB) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises the following steps: forming alignment layers on substrate, respectively; forming a liquid crystal layer between the alignment layers to form a liquid crystal cell; applying an electrical signal across the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating light rays to or heating the liquid crystal cell, so as to form a first polymer alignment layer and a second polymer alignment layer, respectively. The present invention can reduce a phase transition time of liquid crystal molecules from a splay state to a bent state.

A liquid crystal display being capable of improving the contrast ratio in the front direction thereof is provided. A liquid crystal display 100 of the present invention includes, in sequence: a light source device 14 that emits a parallel light beam; a back surface-side polarizer 16; a liquid crystal cell 13; a display surface-side polarizer 11; and a light diffusion layer 15. The liquid crystal display 100 further includes: a selective light-shielding layer 12 between the display surface-side polarizer 11 and the light diffusion layer 15 so that the selective light-shielding layer 12 shields light that is generated by being depolarized and scattered in the liquid crystal cell 13 and travels in a direction that is different from a direction in which the parallel light beam travels.

There is provided an optical laminate which comprises: a polarizing film wherein a thin polarizing layer is laminated on one main surface of a substrate; and an optical element (lens array). The thin polarizing layer has a thickness of 8 μm or less. The substrate has a thickness of 20 μm to 80 μm. The optical element is a pattern retardation plate including a plurality of regions having different slow axis directions.

A counter substrate for liquid crystal display includes a transparent substrate, a black matrix, and stripe transparent electrodes. The black matrix divides a plane surface of the transparent substrate into pixel or sub-pixel unit to form a light-shielded area and openings above the plane surface. The stripe transparent electrodes are formed into the pixel unit or the sub-pixel unit above the plane surface. The black matrix includes a frame pattern including two sides facing each other in parallel in the pixel or the sub-pixel unit, and a linear central pattern which is parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and is formed at a midsection of the pixel or the sub-pixel unit. The transparent electrodes are each parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and the central pattern and are located symmetrically to the central pattern.

A transverse electric field type liquid crystal display panel includes a pair of substrates opposed with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A plurality of sub-pixels having at least one curved portion in a display area are provided in a matrix on one side of the pair of substrates, and a pair of electrodes having at least one curved portion are formed in the plurality of sub-pixels. A light shield layer shielding a non-display area positioned on an outer peripheral side of the display area and between the plurality of sub-pixels is formed on the other side of the pair of substrates. The light shield layer of the non-display area is formed in a shape in which the outermost peripheral side of the display area is rectangular.

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels each having a reflecting section and a transmitting section, the pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels resulting from alignment division, the liquid crystal display device including: an element layer formed on a substrate; an insulating film formed on the substrate so as to cover the element layer; a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film so as to be connected to the element layer; a gap adjusting layer formed on the insulating film on the element layer including a region of connection between the element layer and the pixel electrode; and a dielectric formed on a connecting part for making an electric connection between the sub-pixels.

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display element including a first alignment film and a second alignment film and a liquid crystal layer that is provided between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, wherein the first alignment film includes a compound in which a polymer compound that includes a cross-linked functional group or a polymerized functional group as a side chain is cross-linked or polymerized, the second alignment film includes the same compound as the compound that configures the first alignment film, and the formation and processing of the second alignment film is different from the formation and processing of the first alignment film and when a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the first alignment film is θ1 and a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the second alignment film is θ2, θ1>θ2.

The present invention provides a display device substrate, a display device substrate manufacturing method, a display device, a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device manufacturing method and an organic electroluminescent display device that allow suppressing faults derived from occurrence of gas and/or bubbles in a pixel region. The present invention is a display device substrate that comprises: a photosensitive resin film; and a pixel electrode, in this order, from a side of an insulating substrate. The display device substrate has a gas-barrier insulating film, at a layer higher than the photosensitive resin film, for preventing advance of a gas generated from the photosensitive resin film, or has a gas-barrier insulating film, between the photosensitive resin film and the pixel electrode, for preventing advance of gas generated from the photosensitive resin film.

The disclosed technology discloses an array substrate and a liquid crystal display panel. The array substrate comprises: a base substrate; a gate line and a data line formed on the base substrate, the gate line and the data line defining a plurality of pixel regions; and a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer formed in each pixel region; and an insulating layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The first electrode layer, the insulating layer and the second electrode layer are laminated on the base substrate in this order. The first electrode layer is provided with a plurality of first apertures therein, and the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of first electrode portions located between the plurality of first apertures.

A pixel structure comprises a plurality of pixel regions, and each of the pixel regions includes first and second electrodes that are overlapped with each other, the first electrode is disposed above the second electrode, and each of the pixel regions is divided at least into a first to fourth domain display regions; strip-shaped first electrodes in the first to fourth domain display regions make first to fourth angles with a reference direction; the sum of the first angle and the second angle is 180 degrees, the sum of the third angle and the fourth angle is 180 degrees, and the first, the second, the third and the fourth angles are different from one another.

Apertures are formed in the common electrode or in the pixel electrode of a liquid crystal display to form a fringe field. Storage capacitor electrodes are formed at the position corresponding to the apertures to prevent the light leakage due to the disclination caused by the fringe field. The apertures extend horizontally, vertically or obliquely. The apertures in adjacent pixel regions may have different directions to widen the viewing angle.

The present invention discloses a tape substrate for chip on film structure of a liquid crystal panel. The tape substrate is provided with plural package units of chip on film structures arranged along its longitudinal direction, and the package unit has a driver chip, input leads and output leads. The longitudinal direction of the driver chip is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tape substrate, and the input leads and the output leads are located at the two opposite sides of the driver chip. Each package unit is set up with a short side and a long side, and the input leads are formed at the short side, while the output leads are formed at the long side. In the package units adjacent to each other, the short side of one package unit joins the long side of a next package unit. This invention further discloses a liquid crystal panel having the tape substrate.

A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a display region with first and second electrodes, TFTs, scanning signal lines connected to the TFTs, a counter substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT and counter substrates, and sealed by a sealant, scanning line leads connected to the scanning signal lines and formed outside of the display region, video signal line leads connected to the video signal lines and formed outside of the display region and a shield electrode formed on the TFT substrate covering the scanning line leads but not the video signal line leads. The second electrode is connected to one of the TFTs, and liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are driven by an electric field, which is generated between the first and second electrodes. The shield electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode and overlapped with the sealant in plan view.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device with high transmittance or viewing angle characteristics. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate (10) which includes a pixel electrode (30); a second substrate (20) which includes a counter electrode (25); and a liquid crystal layer (21) and a spacer (40) which are provided between the first substrate (10) and the second substrate (20). The pixel electrode (30) includes a first portion which is formed by a plurality of first branch portions (34A) extending in a first direction, a second portion which is formed by a plurality of second branch portions (34B) extending in a second direction, a third portion which is formed by a plurality of third branch portions (34C) extending in a third direction, and a fourth portion which is formed by a plurality of fourth branch portions (34D) extending in a fourth direction. The spacer (40) is provided at a position in the pixel (50) which is surrounded by the first to fourth portions of the pixel electrode (30) when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a plane of the first substrate (10).

In a conventional bistable liquid crystal device, switching characteristics fluctuate among panels and there is a problem in mass productivity. As an intermediate layer, an uneven film is inserted between a low anchoring layer and ITO. The uneven film has an average surface roughness of 2 nm or less, which is measured by an atomic force microscope. In this manner, the low anchoring layer is not affected by the surface shape of the ITO film which differs among panels, and the switching characteristics are stabilized.

An optical switch for performing high extinction ratio switching of an optical signal includes a beam polarizing element and one or more optical elements. The optical elements are configured to direct an optical signal along a first or second optical path based on the polarization state of the optical signal as it passes through the optical elements. The optical switch performs high extinction ratio switching of the optical signal by preventing unwanted optical energy from entering an output port by using an absorptive or reflective optical element or by directing the unwanted optical energy along a different optical path.

A liquid crystal display panel, including: a pixel electrode formed on a first substrate; an alignment layer formed on the pixel electrode, wherein the alignment layer includes an alignment layer material and aligns first liquid crystal molecules in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pixel electrode; and a photo hardening layer formed on the alignment layer, wherein the photo hardening layer includes a photo hardening layer material and aligns second liquid crystal molecules to be tilted with respect to the pixel electrode, wherein the alignment layer material and the photo hardening layer material have different polarities from each other.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device which has a wide viewing angle and less color-shift depending on an angle at which a display screen is seen and can display an image favorably recognized both outdoors in sunlight and dark indoors (or outdoors at night). The liquid crystal display device includes a first portion where display is performed by transmission of light and a second portion where display is performed by reflection of light. Further, a liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal molecule which rotates parallel to an electrode plane when a potential difference is generated between two electrodes of a liquid crystal element provided below the liquid crystal layer.

A liquid crystal display capable of realizing a high transmittance while maintaining favorable voltage response characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate arranged to face each other with the liquid crystal layer in between; a plurality of pixel electrodes provided on a liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate; and an opposite electrode provided on the second substrate to face the plurality of pixel electrodes. One or both of a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the pixel electrode, and a face on the liquid crystal layer side of the opposite electrode includes a concavo-convex structure.

The present invention provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device using the backlight module. The backlight module includes: a backplane (2), a light guide plate (4) arranged in the backplane (2), a backlight source (6) arranged in the backplane (2), an optic film assembly (8) arranged above the light guide plate (4), and a reflection plate (9) arranged between the backplane (2) and the light guide plate (4). The backlight source (6) includes a PCB (62) and a plurality of LED lights (64) mounted on and electrically connected to the PCB (62). The backplane (2) includes a bottom plate (22) and a plurality of side plates (24) perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate (22). The bottom plate (22) of the backplane (2) includes a snap-engagement structure (220) formed thereon. The PCB (62) is snap-fit into and retained by the snap-engagement structure (220). The reflection plate (9) is directly positioned on and supported by the PCB (62).

The liquid crystal display device includes an island-shaped first semiconductor film 102 which is formed over a base insulating film 101 and in which a source 102d, a channel forming region 102a, and a drain 102b are formed; a first electrode 102c which is formed of a material same as the first semiconductor film 102 to be the source 102d or the drain 102b and formed over the base insulating film 101; a second electrode 108 which is formed over the first electrode 102c and includes a first opening pattern 112; and a liquid crystal 110 which is provided over the second electrode 108.

The liquid crystal display device includes an island-shaped first semiconductor film 102 which is formed over a base insulating film 101 and in which a source 102d, a channel forming region 102a, and a drain 102b are formed; a first electrode 102c which is formed of a material same as the first semiconductor film 102 to be the source 102d or the drain 102b and formed over the base insulating film 101; a second electrode 108 which is formed over the first electrode 102c and includes a first opening pattern 112; and a liquid crystal 110 which is provided over the second electrode 108.

It is an object of the present invention to apply a sufficient electrical field to a liquid crystal material in a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display device typified by an FFS type. In a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display, an electrical field is applied to a liquid crystal material right above a common electrode and a pixel electrode using plural pairs of electrodes rather than one pair of electrodes.

A liquid crystal display device is provided, which includes a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer having an opening, a light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer between the thin film transistor and the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal layer. One of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a pixel electrode layer which is electrically connected to the thin film transistor, and the other of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a common electrode layer. The light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer is overlapped with the pixel electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor.

According to one embodiment, a first gene encodes a reporter protein. The first gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter. A second gene is disposed at the downstream of the gene promoter and encodes a replication origin-binding protein. An internal ribosome entry site is disposed between the first gene and the second gene. The transcription termination signal sequence encodes a signal for terminating the transcription of the first gene and the second gene. A replication origin sequence is recognized by the replication origin-binding protein.

Disclosed are new members of a class of non-lipid small molecule inhibitors which interfere with the interaction between phosphoinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) and pleckstrin homology (PH) domains. These molecules target a broad range of PIP3-dependent signaling events in vitro and exert significant anti-tumor activity in vivo, with improved activity and selectivity toward particular PH domains. The small molecule inhibitors of the invention can be used alone or together with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) or other cancer medicament to treat cancer. Small molecule inhibitors of the invention act synergistically in combination with TRAIL and with other Akt inhibitors in treating cancer. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating cancer are provided.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) having thyroid stimulating activity (TSAb), especially full or considerably agonistic activity, or thyroid blocking activity (TBAb), which are obtainable by genetic immunization of mice, or fragments (F(ab')2, Fab or Fv) or humanized forms of such monoclonal antibodies or single chain forms (SCA; scFv) of such fragments, which antibodies, or their fragments, compete with bovine TSH for epitopes of the human TSHr, compete with autoantibodies from sera from Graves' patients as well as with autoantibodies from sera from patients harboring blocking autoantibodies for epitopes of the human TSHr, bind to conformational epitopes of the human TSHr located in the first 281 amino acids of the human TSHr, and usually also bind to TSFR receptors (TSHr) from different animals. Various uses of such antibodies, or of peptides corresponding to variable regions of such antibodies, are also described and claimed.

Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides and recombinant DNA constructs particularly useful for altering agronomic characteristics of plants under nitrogen limiting conditions, compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs, and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter functional in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide encodes an LNT1 polypeptide.