The present invention relates to methods for producing a polypeptide having biological activity, comprising: (a) cultivating a fungal host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the fungal host cell comprises a first polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide operably linked to a second polynucleotide encoding a variant signal peptide or a variant prepropeptide; and (b) isolating the secreted polypeptide having biological activity from the cultivation medium.

Methods and systems for detecting azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (Aze) in food consumable by humans and animals are provided. Also provided are methods and systems for inactivating Aze in food and byproducts, as well as other methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disorders associated with Aze.

The present invention is related to the use of secretagogue peptides repeatedly administered as part of a pharmaceutical composition that prevent and eradicate the deposition of pathological fibrotic material in parenchymal tissues of internal organs like the liver, lungs, esophagus, small intestine, kidneys, blood vessels, joints, and other systemic forms of cutaneous fibrosis of any etiopathogenesis. Additionally, these peptides prevent and eradicate deposition of amiloid and hyaline materials in any of their correspondent chemical forms and tissue manifestations in the brain, cerebellum, blood vessels, liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, joints and the skin, among others. By this way, cellular, tissular and organ dysfunctions generated by these depositions are corrected. The peptides of the present invention are infiltrated or topically applied, contributing to prevent and eradicate keloids and hypertrophic scars in the skin, derived as sequelae of burns and other cutaneous trauma.

A method of treating cancer through use of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP). Cyclic GMP decreases the number of human breast cancer and prostate adenocarcinoma as well as small-cell and squamous lung cells in culture by 30% (1 μM), 84% (1 mM), 31% (1 μM), and 30% (1 μM), respectively. Cyclic GMP decreases DNA synthesis in human pancreatic, breast, and prostate adenocarcinomas as well as small-cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung at its 1 μM concentration by 51%, 54%, 56%, 50% and 52%, respectively. Cyclic GMP when infused for one week decreases the tumor volume of human pancreatic adenocarcinomas in athymic mice 95% compared to untreated animals with human pancreatic adenocarcinomas.

A method of treating a disease or condition in which up-regulating GAGs is therapeutically beneficial is disclosed, in particular osteoarthritis and skin diseases. The method comprises locally administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of down-regulating activity or expression of a component of the renin-angiotensin system.

The present inventors investigated the effects of anti-IL-6 receptor antibodies on improving the condition of infarcted areas in myocardial infarction, and on suppressing left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction. As a result, the administration of anti-IL-6 receptor antibodies significantly suppressed the increase of MPO activity in the infarcted area and suppressed myocardial MCP-1 expression in both the infarcted area and the non-infarcted area. Furthermore, echocardiography and histological examinations revealed that cardiac hypertrophy is also suppressed.

The present invention provides variable mass labeling reagents, a set of the variable mass labeling reagents, and a multiplexed set of variable mass labeling reagents.

The present invention provides for a bio-mimetic polymer capable of catalyzing CO2 into a carbonate.

The present invention provides processes for the manufacturing of polypeptide conjugates. In particular, the invention provides methods for the purification of polypeptide conjugates, which include at least one polymeric modifying groups, such as a poly(alkylene oxide) moiety. Exemplary poly(alkylene oxide) moieties include poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene glycol). In an exemplary process, hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is used to resolve different glycoforms of glycoPEGylated polypeptides.

A rotary element assembly structure in which a rotary element 53 is assembled to a tip side of a hollow shaft B1 provided upright on a pedestal 60. A cylindrical portion 53c for fitting with the hollow shaft is provided to a rotation center portion of the rotary element. In the cylindrical portion, a hook strut portion 53s that has a hook portion 53f overhanging in the radial direction at its tip side and that extends substantially in the fitting direction is arranged. A base end portion of the hook strut portion and a base end portion of the cylindrical portion are coupled with each other by a resin-made thin plate portion 53p. A small diameter portion B1s which is smaller in diameter than a hollow portion B1d of the hollow shaft is provided on the tip side of the hollow shaft. The radius of the overhang tip portion of the hook portion is set to be greater than the radius of the small diameter portion of the hollow shaft, and to be smaller than the radius of the hollow portion. By fitting the hollow shaft with the cylindrical portion of the rotary element, the hook portion on the tip side of the hook strut portion is pushed into the hollow portion via the small diameter portion on the tip side of the hollow shaft. Thereby, the hook portion engages with a stepped portion formed by the hollow portion and the small diameter portion.

An optical disc device of the present invention comprises an insertion detection optical sensor which detects insertion of an optical disc based on light emitted from a first light emitting element to a first light receiving element being blocked, and an ejection detection optical sensor provided on the downstream side in the carry-in direction to the insertion detection optical sensor to detect ejection of the optical disc based on light emitted from a second light emitting element to a second light receiving element being blocked. The optical disc device is structured such that, in a state that the optical disc is attached onto the turntable, when the light of the first light emitting element is blocked and the light of the second light emitting element is not blocked, the optical disc device recognizes that a lens cleaner is attached onto the turntable as the optical disc, and the optical disc device performs a cleaning operation.

In an optical disc drive, a degradation of traveling performance of an optical pickup under hard acceleration or hard deceleration in a random access operation or the like results in a degradation of recording/reproducing performance. Groove structure is provided between two gears of a guide feed provided in an optical pickup, and the groove forms bending structure. Thus, the engagement state between a screw gear and the gears of the guide feed is stabilized. This makes it possible to prevent tooth jumping and step-out from occurring in the gears during the traveling of the optical pickup, achieving stable traveling. In consequence, the recoding/reproducing performance of the optical disc drive can be improved.

A data storage and retrieval system includes a head carriage unit adapted for rotational motion and having multiple heads disposed at a working surface. The system also includes a tape drive unit configured to move a tape media past the working surface of the head carriage unit, the tape media having a width approximately equal to a width of the working surface. As the head carriage unit rotates and the tape moves past the working surface, a first head is configured to write a data track to the tape and a second head is configured to thereafter read the data track, where data read by the second head is for use in verifying data integrity and performing error correction.

An optical disc device according to the present invention performs, in parallel, a first control to convey a first tray in the first optical disc drive group from the disc replacing position to the recording and reproducing position, and a second control to convey a second tray in the second optical disc drive group 40R from the recording and reproducing position to the disc replacing position. The second tray is opposed to the first tray.

A cartridge drive apparatus includes a holder, a lock plate, and a drive unit. The holder is configured to hold a cartridge inserted therein. The lock plate is attached with respect to the holder to be movable in one of an insertion direction and a discharge direction of the cartridge and includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the cartridge. The drive unit is configured to drive the holder and the lock plate in one of the insertion direction and the discharge direction of the cartridge.

A fixing structure of an optical component is composed of a device chassis; a holder holding an optical component; first and second plate parts for joint to the device chassis and a connecting part of both the plate parts are formed in the holder; a plurality of joint holes are formed in the second plate part; a U-groove into which the connecting part of the holder is fitted and a plurality of through-holes are formed in the device chassis; and an adhesive that is extended in a circular columnar shape and is made by inserting the holder into the U-groove of the device chassis, and applying a UV-curing adhesive in such a manner that the UV-curing adhesive is bonded to the first plate part of the holder and is continuous to the inside of the joint hole via the inside of the through-hole, and radiating UV light along the through-hole.

A disc drive including a tray, a housing configured to receive the tray, a pickup device installed on the tray, and a main circuit board installed on the tray and connected to the pickup device.

The disk-shaped information recording medium having an outer diameter and an inner diameter comprises a substrate having a predetermined thickness, a first side that is one side of the substrate, a second side that is the other side of the substrate, a cylindrical portion forming a through hole formed at a center of the substrate, and a thin portion formed so as to surround an outer diameter of the cylindrical portion. The thin portion is thinner than the predetermined thickness and includes a non-inclined surface and an inclined surface formed on an outer diameter side of the non-inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined at a predetermined angle to the non-inclined surface and is larger than the non-inclined surface in the thin portion.

Provided is an object lens driving device that includes a wire holder coupled to a support portion and on which an end of a plurality of suspension wires are fixed. The wire holder includes a first area supported on the support portion and a second area extending from the first area and on which the end of each of the plurality of suspension wires is fixed. In this example, a thickness of the second area is thinner than a thickness of the first area.

A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting “slide lock” and “snap lock” self-interconnection. The radio architecture includes improved push buttons employing 4-bar living hinge linkage and front loaded decorative trim buttons.

A wobble determining apparatus is provided with: a calculating device for calculating (i) a first time required until reaching a number of revolutions of a motor which allows a predetermined linear velocity, and (ii) a second time required to move an optical head to a position which allows the predetermined linear velocity, on the basis of the number of revolutions of the motor and the position of the optical head; a judging device for judging whether to keep the optical head in accordance with the calculated first time and the calculated second time; and a controlling device for controlling a moving device not to move the optical head if it is judged to keep the optical head, and for controlling the moving device to move the optical head to the position which allows the predetermined linear velocity if it is judged not to keep the optical head.

Provided is an optical disk drive including a carrying roller for carrying an optical disk in a first direction. The carrying roller includes a first roller portion and a second roller portion which are aligned in a second direction along the optical disk and orthogonal to the first direction and which are so disposed as to make contact with a surface on one side of the optical disk. An axis of the first roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the first roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward a central portion of the carrying roller. An axis of the second roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the second roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward the central portion.

There is provided a cartridge including a plurality of optical information recording media having unique information recorded thereon, an accommodation body configured to accommodate the plurality of optical information recording media, and an identification device configured to store the unique information of the plurality of optical information recording media and supply the unique information to a changer in a non-contact manner, the identification device being provided in the accommodation body.

There is provided a cartridge including a running portion which causes both end portions of a disc-shaped recording medium to run, and a pressing portion which presses one end portion of the disc-shaped recording medium to press the other end portion against the running portion. Static friction coefficients of a portion of the pressing portion coming in contact with the one end portion and a portion of the running portion coming in contact with the other end portion are different.

Provided is an optical pickup device that compensates for an aberration caused by a beam splitter. When a beam of light is reflected from a disc and proceeds towards a beam splitter, the beam splitter is designed to allow the reflected beam to pass therethrough. However, the beam splitter can cause an astigmatism in the reflected beam due to diffraction. According to various aspects herein, an optical pickup device may include a compensation device that generates an inverse astigmatism to compensate for the astigmatism generated by the beam splitter.

Provided is an optical disc drive including a tray disposed in a case of the optical disc drive. The tray includes a guide fixed to the case, and a rail connected with the tray. The guide guides the rail as the tray is moved in and out of the optical disc drive. The rail further includes a supporter that is configured to stably support the rail with respect to the guide to prevent derailment of the rail from the guide.

An optical disc drive (ODD) including a tray having a spindle motor, an optical pickup unit, and a transfer motor, may have first and second flat cables. The first flat cable may be connected to the transfer motor, and the second flat cable may have a first terminal part connected to the first flat cable and a second terminal part connected to a circuit board. The circuit board may be arranged at the front of the tray. The second flat cable may include a plurality of signal lines covered by an insulator. One or more exposure parts may be formed in the second flat cable to expose at least one of the plurality of signal lines. An electric actuator of a locking unit may be connected to the one or more of the plurality of signal lines through the one or more exposure parts.

An optical disc device includes: a loader body having a guiding recess formed of a linear portion and a sloped portion; a traverse chassis mounted in the loader body and having a protrusion that is guided along the recess; a turntable mounted on the traverse chassis, for mounting the optical disc; and a clamper which clamps the optical disc between the clamper and the turntable when the traverse chassis ascends relative to the loader body to a clamp position, in which when the traverse chassis is at a position lower than the clamp position, the protrusion is guided along the recess, and when the traverse chassis is at the clamp position, the protrusion is positioned inside the sloped portion.

There is provided a disk cartridge including a case body in which a plurality of disk-shaped recording media are configured to be able to be received in an axial direction of a central shaft in parallel, and a first shell having a base surface section parallel to a recording surface of the disk-shaped recording medium and a second shell having a basal surface section parallel to the recording surface of the disk-shaped recording medium are coupled and separated through separation and connection in the axial direction, and a presser spring having a section to be attached, which is attached to the case body, and a pressing section configured to come in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the disk-shaped recording medium and to press the disk-shaped recording medium. The presser spring is formed of a resin material.

A spindle structure for an optical disc and an optical disc drive employing the spindle structure are provided. The spindle structure includes a spindle motor having a rotation axis, a spindle that is coupled to the rotation axis, and a sliding cone coupled to the spindle and inserted into a center hole of the optical disc. The sliding cone includes a plurality of hook-shaped guide rods extended toward the spindle, and the spindle includes guide holes, to which the plurality of hook-shaped guide rods are inserted into and coupled.

A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.

The disk-shaped information recording medium having an outer diameter and an inner diameter comprises a substrate having a predetermined thickness, a first side that is one side of the substrate, a second side that is the other side of the substrate, a cylindrical portion forming a through hole formed at a center of the substrate, and a thin portion formed so as to surround an outer diameter of the cylindrical portion. The thin portion is thinner than the predetermined thickness and includes a non-inclined surface and an inclined surface formed on an outer diameter side of the non-inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined at an angle greater than or equal to 25 degrees and less than or equal to 35 degrees with respect to the non-inclined surface.

Provided are apparatuses for grounding the objective lens driving unit of an optical pickup device. An optical pickup device includes an objective lens driving unit and a base that supports the objective lens driving unit, and wherein the objective lens driving unit includes a moving structure including an objective lens and a plurality of drive coils; a static structure comprising magnets corresponding to the plurality of drive coils, a yoke that supports the magnets, and a wire holder that has a plurality of wiring layers including a ground wiring layer; a plurality of suspension wires that connect the plurality of drive coils to the plurality of wiring layers; a supporting portion connected to the yoke and fixed to the wire holder; a projection extending from the supporting portion and disposed adjacent to the ground wiring layer; and conductive bonding material connects the ground wiring layer with the projection.

Provided is an optical disc drive that may discharge static electricity externally. The optical disc drive may include a step motor that is configured to move an optical pickup back and forth and a cover disposed below the optical pickup. In one aspect, the cover includes an electrostatic discharge mechanism for moving static electricity generated on the step motor through the cover.

A medium processing device may include a head which reads or writes data to a recording medium; and a flexible cable which is connected with the head. The flexible cable may be formed in a multilayer structure including a data signal layer formed with a data signal pattern and disconnection detecting signal layers which cover a front face and a rear face of the data signal layer and are formed with a disconnection detecting signal pattern. The flexible cable may also include a terminal connecting part formed with a through hole into which a signal terminal of the head is inserted and a terminal covering part folded to cover the terminal connecting part and fixed to the terminal connecting part.

The airflow through a harvesting machine is adjusted by calculating a G-factor at a first point on an upper chaffer to determine if it is greater than 1+n, where n represents a desired factor. A blower is adjusted to reduce an airstream if the G-factor is greater than 1+n. A MOG factor is calculated if the G-factor is less than 1+n. The blower is adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor is less than 1+x, where x represents a desired factor. A MOG-factor is calculated at a second point if the MOG-factor at the point is greater than 1+x and the blower is adjusted to reduce the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is greater than 1+y, where y represents a desired factor or adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is less than 1+y.

A method of manufacturing a helical bar concave from a flat, rolled laser cut arrangement that provides a net helical concave functionality. Laser cutting a flat metal sheet to form helical cutouts defining a percent open area having a helical geometry in combination with configurable rub bars mounted in a helical fashion results in a configurable helical bar concave in which the number or aggressiveness of the threshing surface on the inside radius of the grate may be changed and/or the rub bars may be moved to the outside of the grate to change the percent open area and hence the separation characteristics of the concave.

A flow distribution system for use with a combine spreader having an inlet opening at the top thereof for receiving crop residue, a pair of counter-rotating spreader paddles disposed generally side by side and forward of a back plate of the spreader, and a discharge opening below the spreader paddles. A flow guide element has an apex portion and a pair of opposed arm portions pivotally connected to the apex portion, the arm portions laterally extending to free end portions. An adjusting mechanism is operably connected to the arm portions to effect rotational movement of the arm portions about the apex portion, ends of spreader paddle members defining the outer swept diameters of the pair of spreader paddles and the crop residue flow surfaces of at least the arm portions defining clearance regions therebetween to controllably distribute crop residue in a desired pattern over a field.

A helical auger flight has an inner edge, an outer edge, an inner face, an outer face, and a leading extremity that includes a prominence and a leading edge that extends from the outer edge to the prominence. The prominence extends outward from the leading edge of the leading extremity to an outer end having an upturned jut. A wear plate is releasably connected to the inner face of the helical auger flight. The wear plate extends from the outer edge of the helical auger flight to the prominence. A front extremity of the wear plate extends forwardly of the leading edge of the helical auger flight so as to be in a shielding relationship with respect to the leading edge of the helical auger flight, and a nose of the front extremity of the wear plated is seated in direct contact against a contact surface of the jut.

A method and a system for separating the spinal column from a carcass middle part, comprising the steps of providing a digital representation of an outer surface of the carcass middle on the basis of, e.g., an optical scan, determining a cutting path (1c) for a cutting device for the separation of the spinal column from the carcass middle on the basis of digital processing of the scan, and subsequently separating the spinal column from the carcass middle by causing a relative movement between the middle and the cutting device and simultaneously causing the cutting device to engage the carcass middle, wherein the relative movement between the middle and the cutting device during the spinal column separation to achieve a cut along the predetermined cutting path (1c).

A portable portable game carcass hanger including two mounting strap with fastening devices to secure to a vertical support beam such as a tree trunk. A mounting bracket with a first leg, a second leg perpendicular to the first leg and support member are provided. A first hook is disposed on the second leg. There is a triangular hanger with an apex and a bottom end opposite the apex. The apex removably engages the second leg first hook. The bottom end of the triangular hanger has at least one second hook provided to hang at least one game carcass thereon.

Method and apparatus are provided for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device or processing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package and wherein the organ or organs are separated from the organ package. The organ package is spatially oriented by the processing device without notably breaking tissue connections in the package, and in a preselected order so as to cause the harvesting of organs from the package to occur in a preselected sequence that depends on the location of the organ package in the processing device or processing line.

A casing brake assembly for applying a frictional force to a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing arranged on a filling tube of an apparatus used for filling and closing said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and for limiting the movement of said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing at least while being filled, wherein the filling tube has a circular cross-section, the casing brake assembly comprising a housing and at least a first brake body and at least a second brake body, wherein at least the second brake body is reversibly movable relative to the first brake body between a releasing position and a braking position about said common central axis wherein, in releasing position, the brake bodies are forming a ring, which has an open segment, wherein the filling tube is pivotable through the open segment, and wherein, in braking position, the brake bodies are forming a substantially closed ring.

The meat cutting cabinet provides an apparatus for automatically cutting and slicing meat using laser beams. The cabinet includes a motor disposed in the interior top thereof. The motor is connected to a winch or spool that pays out or reels in a steel cable. A steel hanger adapted for holding meat is suspended from the steel cable. Interior sidewalls of the cabinet have elongate standards extending from the upper portion to a lower portion proximate the cutting area of the cabinet. The steel hanger is slidably attached to the elongate members via channels formed in the standards. A laser carrier is disposed along an interior periphery of the cabinet and holds laser heads that can move via translation inside the carrier. This laser arrangement forms the cutting area through which the suspended meat can travel under control of a control panel connected to the spool motor.

The present invention relates to a device for processing carcasses of livestock such as cattle, pigs and sheep, comprising: at least two dressing tools for performing a dressing process on livestock carcasses, and a robot arm carrying the dressing tool. The invention also relates to a method for processing carcasses of livestock using such a device.

Method and apparatus are provided for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device or processing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package and wherein said organ or organs are separated from the organ package. The organ package is spatially oriented by the processing device without notably breaking tissue connections in the package, and in a preselected order so as to cause harvesting of organs from the package to occur in a preselected sequence that depends on the location of the organ package in the processing device or processing line.

A device for use in suspending an animal carcass in an elevated condition includes a device body having an upper section which is integral with a lower section by way of a compound bend. The upper section is formed with a protrusion and the lower section includes a plurality of arms. The animal carcass includes a pelvic bone and the device is constructed and arranged to be positionable within the animal carcass such that the protrusion engages the pelvic bone in order to suspend the animal carcass in the elevated condition.

The invention concerns a fish transporting apparatus for automatically feeding fish to a fish processing machine. The fish transporting apparatus can include a transport device with a bottom element for receiving the fish and lateral boundary elements for guiding the fish as well as a vibrating member for vibratory driving of the transport device, which is distinguished in that the bottom element is constructed as a grid plate with rectangular apertures. Furthermore, the invention concerns a device for aligning fish in a head/tail orientation with such a fish transporting apparatus.

Fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cell polymer electrolyte membranes are provided comprising bound anionic functional groups and polyvalent cations, such as Mn or Ru cations, which demonstrate increased durability. Methods of making same are also provided.

A modular, intrinsically-safe power module assembly is provided. The assembly includes a rigid conduit adapter configured to mount to a conduit of a field device. A housing, having an interior, is operably coupled to the rigid conduit adapter and is physically supported by the rigid conduit adapter. At least one non-rechargeable battery is disposed within the housing. Intrinsic safety circuitry is coupled to the at least one non-rechargeable battery, and is coupled to a connector that mates with a cooperative connector in the rigid conduit adapter.