A starting device of a spark-ignition multi-cylinder engine is provided. The device includes a multi-cylinder engine body having cylinders, fuel injection valves, ignition plugs, an intake valve drive mechanism for opening and closing intake valves, a hydraulic variable valve phase mechanism for changing a close timing of each intake valve, an engine-driven hydraulic pressure supply source for supplying a hydraulic pressure, and a start controller for controlling the fuel injection valves, the ignition plugs, and the variable valve phase mechanism. When the supplied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined pressure, the variable valve phase mechanism locks the close timing. When an engine temperature in an engine-start is high, the start controller retards a fuel injection timing of the cylinder on intake stroke at an engine stopped timing and retards an ignition timing thereof. The start controller does not retard the close timing of the intake valve until the engine-start completes.

A work hanging apparatus includes a hanger line continuously conveying hangers each having a hook, a robot that has a hand with which a work having a hole is held and transfers the held work to a hanging location set in the hanger line, a controller controlling a movement of the hand to catch the hook of one of the hangers with the hole of the held work at the hanging location, a hole deviation detector that detects a positional deviation of the hole of the work, an attitude deviation detector that detects an attitudinal deviation of the hanger, and a corrector that corrects the movement of the hand according to the positional and attitudinal deviations.

A device for inspecting submersed plant parts is particularly suited for ultrasonic inspection of screws in the core baffle of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. The device includes a remote-controlled underwater vehicle that is provided at its end face with a carrier that can be pivoted about a pivot axis oriented parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the underwater vehicle, and is provided with a holding device for an inspection head that is arranged on the carrier spaced apart from the pivot axis.

The flexible glove holder (1) includes a flat structure (13) with three branches (2, 3 and 4) forming an S-shape on which the glove is wound. The holder (1) is then pushed into the opening of the glove box. This rapid action method makes it possible to avoid knotting the gloves when they must be drawn toward the outside for an operation within the box and also allows the implementation of biological protection on the opening of the glove box as well as a protection of the agents against radiation.

The invention concerns a soluble pharmaceutical formulation comprising an insulin derivative wherein the formulation further comprises more than 4 zinc atoms per 6 molecules of the insulin derivative, and a citric acid monohydrate and/or a histidine compound used in an amount sufficient to increase the tendency of the insulin derivative to self-associate into dodecamers. The invention further comprises a process for preparing the soluble pharmaceutical formulation.

The present invention relates to a compound which is a polysaccharide derivative of GCSF, or of a GCSF like protein, wherein the polysaccharide is anionic and comprises between 2 and 200 saccharide units. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compounds, and methods for making the novel compounds.

The present invention relates to gastrin derivatives comprising gastrin or an analogue or fragment thereof and a derivatisation group and therapeutic use thereof.

The present invention relates to novel antibodies, particularly antibodies directed against deletion mutants of epidermal growth factor receptor and particularly to the type III deletion mutant, EGFRvIII. The invention also relates to human monoclonal antibodies directed against deletion mutants of epidermal growth factor receptor and particularly to EGFRvIII. Diagnostic and therapeutic formulations of such antibodies, and immunoconjugates thereof, are also provided.

An interactive television program guide system with program series reminder and recording capabilities is provided. The system allows a user to set a reminder or schedule a recording for a single episode or for each episode of a program series. In addition, other options may be provided that allow the user to determine, for example, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all channels on which the program airs or only on a selected channels, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for all episodes including reruns or only new episodes, whether to schedule reminders/recordings for network or syndicated episodes, and whether to schedule reminders/recordings for episodes on all days or only on selected days of the week. Before the scheduled broadcast time of each episode of each selected program series, the system sends a reminder message to the user that reminds the user of the program episode or sends a record command to a videocassette recorder to initiate recording of the episode. The system allows a user to view a list of all currently requested program reminders and scheduled program recordings. The user may update, change, or cancel any entry in either list or the system may automatically update the lists to match new broadcast schedule information. If the user sets a reminder or schedules a recording that conflicts with an existing reminder or recording, the system may inform the user of the conflict and allow the user to resolve the conflict or the system may resolve the conflict.

A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product. Similarly, a viewer can navigate from national product to local product ad, or classified ad category to specific classified ad, or bulletin board topic category to specific posting. In another embodiment, the VOD content delivery system is used to deliver consumer-generated classified ads on TV. A web-based Content Management System receives consumer-generated content uploaded online in industry-standard file formats with metadata for title and topical area, and automatically converts it into video data format compatible with the VOD content delivery system indexed by title and topical area. A User Interface for the system delivers listings data to the viewer's TV indexed by title and topical area, and displays a requested classified ad in response to viewer selection.

The invention relates to the use of NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK) and related molecules for the modulation of signal activities controlled by cytokines, and some new such molecules.

This invention relates to compositions and methods comprising “lymphotoxin-β-receptor blocking agents”, which block lymphotoxin-β receptor signalling. Lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents are useful for treating lymphocyte-mediated immunological diseases, and more particularly, for inhibiting Th1 cell-mediated immune responses. This invention relates to soluble forms of the lymphotoxin-β receptor extracellular domain that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. This invention also relates to the use of antibodies directed against either the lymphotoxin-β receptor or its ligand, surface lymphotoxin, that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. A novel screening method for selecting soluble receptors, antibodies and other agents that block LT-β receptor signalling is provided.

Peptides having a structure characterized by the presence of two loops constrained in cyclic structure by the presence of covalent bonds between amino acid side chains, the amino acid sequences of the first and the second loop being substantially homologues to that of loop 1 (residues 29-38) and of loop 4 (residues 92-97) of NGF, respectively, displaying nerve growth factor (NGF) agonist or partial agonist activity.

A method for reducing or substantially preventing formation of a trisulfide derivative of a polypeptide in a liquid medium containing the polypeptide ijn question comprises stripping the liquid medium with a gas, suitably a chemically unreactive gas such as nitrogen or argon.

Compositions and methods for the treatment of asthma and inflammatory ocular disorders are disclosed.

The invention relates to compositions comprising vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or fragments thereof, and the use of such compositions in the treatment of kidney disease, in particular kidney fibrosis, and other associated conditions.

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 invention relates to human medicine and to the use of epidermal growth factor (EGF) for preparing a pharmaceutical composition which is administered by infiltration into the periphery of nerve ganglia and/or trunks for the morphofunctional restoration of peripheral nerves in painful sensory-motor neuropathy as well as manifestations of ischemic neuritis. The invention also includes a composition containing EGF which can be formulated together with anesthetics or analgesics or encapsulated in microspheres and to the use thereof for the morphofunctional restoration of peripheral nerves in painful sensitive-motor-type diabetic neuropathy and the manifestations of ischemic neuritis.

The present invention is relevant to human medicine, and, in particular, to the use of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in a pharmaceutical composition, said composition is administered through infiltration at the periphery of nerve trunks and/or ganglia, for the morphofunctional restoration of peripheral nerves in painful, sensory-motor neuropathy, as well as ischemic neuritis. It is also relevant to an EGF containing composition, where this molecule can be formulated together with anesthetic or analgesic drugs, or encapsulated in microspheres, and their use for the morphofunctional restoration of peripheral nerves in painful, sensory-motor neuropathy, as well as in ischemic neuritis.

Provided is an objective lens driving unit that prevents an electrical short circuit between very closely spaced second terminals in the objective lens driving unit. The objective lens driving unit is capable of being used in a slim-type optical disc drive.

A spreader (100) has a hopper or bin (1) for storing a spreadable material (2), a plurality of spinners (5, 6) adapted to receive the material from the hopper or bin and to spread the material (2) on the ground, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver (8) for sensing the position of the spreader (100) and providing an output signal indicative of a position of the spreader to a controller (7). The controller (7) calculates a required pattern and density of material (2) to be spread by the spinners (5, 6) based on a comparison of the actual position of the spreader (A) to a preferred position of the spreader (I), and controls the spinners (5, 6) in order to obtain the required pattern and density of spread material (2). A method of controlling the pattern and density of material spread by a spreader is also disclosed.

A spreader assembly for a combine harvester, the assembly including a pair of disks configured to be rotated such that chaff material dropped onto the disks is spread about the combine harvester, wherein each disk is operably connected to its own motor and a spreader frame assembly. The spreader frame assembly includes a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester, a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, and at least one disk support configured to support at least one of the pair of disks. The spreader frame assembly further defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with the flow of windrowing material.

An intake feeder system having a stone separator mounted between a crop elevator and the mouth of a threshing mechanism disposed longitudinally in a combine harvester. The stone separator includes a rotary feed beater and a sump disposed beneath the feed beater. The feed beater serves to advance crop raised by the elevator along a crop flow path towards the mouth of the threshing mechanism and to propel stones in the crop into the sump. A duct is provided in parallel with the crop flow path for connecting a space above the rotary feed beater to the mouth of the threshing mechanism.

A combine side-shaking control system that includes a sieve for separating crop material from other material, located in a plane having an X dimension and a Y dimension and configured to move in a fore-aft direction in the X dimension, in a side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and in an up-down direction in a Z dimension. The system also includes a side-shaking assembly configured to move the sieve in the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension. The fixed arm is attached to the sieve and configured to move with the sieve in (i) the fore-aft direction in the X dimension, (ii) the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and (iii) the up-down direction in the Z dimension. The side-shaking coupling portion comprises a moving portion configured to move in a diagonal direction having a fore-aft component in the X dimension and an up-down component in the Z dimension.

A system and method for controlling spreader output from a harvester includes a distribution chamber for receiving an agricultural material removed from a field. The harvester includes a spreader system configured to distribute the agricultural material onto the field, and an opening configured to receive the agricultural material from the distribution chamber. Moreover, the distribution chamber includes a first panel rotatably coupled to a first side of the distribution chamber, and a second panel rotatably coupled to a second side of the distribution chamber. The first and second panels are configured to direct the agricultural material toward the opening of the spreader system. An angle of the first panel is independently adjustable to control a first amount of agricultural material directed toward a first inlet portion. An angle of the second panel is independently adjustable to control a second amount of agricultural material directed toward a second inlet portion.

A dehider tool has first and second blades arranged in contact with each other that rotate in opposite directions on a common blade axis. A drive assembly having a pneumatic motor and respective drive belts drives the blades in opposite directions about the common blade axis. The blades each have an outer cutting edge in the shape of a regular convex polygon, such as a decagon. The blades have an inner opening for coupling with a blade holder of the drive assembly. The inner opening has the shape of a regular convex polygon, such as a pentagon. The blades are covered with a hard surface coating to extend their service life.

Methods and systems for extending or stretching muscles on an animal carcass by separating a hip joint of the carcass. Hip joint separation may be carried out while the carcass is suspended from a conveyor system as part of a commercial meat processing operation.

A double function, hand operated meat tenderizer includes a handle with a blade segment clamped inside said handle; a generally flat plate attached to said handle by at least one slidably moving cylinder attached to a compressed spring, comprising at least one seat including a releasably attached spigot of the cylinder, wherein an end face of said plate is provided with a plurality of projections and flow-through slots aligned in evenly spaced relation, parallel to the spring axis, and wherein in a position of rest, ends of said blades are retracted in said flow-through slots.

A work hanging apparatus includes a hanger line continuously conveying hangers each having a hook, a robot that has a hand with which a work having a hole is held and transfers the held work to a hanging location set in the hanger line, a controller controlling a movement of the hand to catch the hook of one of the hangers with the hole of the held work at the hanging location, a hole deviation detector that detects a positional deviation of the hole of the work, an attitude deviation detector that detects an attitudinal deviation of the hanger, and a corrector that corrects the movement of the hand according to the positional and attitudinal deviations.

A shoulder blade removal device of bone-in meat includes: a bottom holder which is configured to be in contact with a lower side of the bone-in meat such that the lower side of the bone-in meat is lifted upward and moved in a horizontal direction; a support member for bending the bone-in meat in cooperation with the bottom holder such that an end of the shoulder blade; and a chuck unit attached to a robot arm and gripping the tip part of the shoulder blade in cooperation with the robot arm. The chuck unit includes: a base member fixed to the robot arm; a grip member; and a lock member supported by the base member such that the lock member can be advanced or retracted toward or away from the lateral plate part, the lock member pinching the shoulder blade in cooperation with the lateral plate part.

A transportable note pad holder that includes a main body having a note pad well for carrying a note pad. The main body is adapted to be removably carried within a sheath. The sheath includes a means for attachment to an article, illustrated as a pair of resilient arm clips that may be used to attach the sheath to a back pack strap or the like. To remind the user that a note carried within the main body is to be reviewed, the main body is provided with an alarm. Preferably, the alarm is connected to a lamp that will draw the attention of the user to the note pad holder. The lamp may also be arranged to illuminate the interior of the main body in order to allow a user to read any notes carried thereby.

The PB Reader solves the problem that the e-reader presents: the e-reader has a non-paper screen and printed documents need assembly, binding, and page turning via hands. This is an electronic, mechanical device that can quickly search, review and print documents and that has text-to-speech and remote control functionality. The unit is rectangular in shape similar as a traditional book, including a viewing window for reading and printing. The unit is fed by two paper-belt rollers, across which images and printed text are displayed. The two paper-belt rolls, which are held by two square axles that are driven by the stepping motor through multiple reduction gears. A pattern of round dots is printed on the bottom side of the paper belt, which can be decoded by a photoelectric sensor to take action of reeling pages. The signals control the stepper motor, allowing the reader to reel the page forward or backward, or jump directly to a specific position.The second component of this invention is the designated printer. Its body shape is rectangular. The said printer can print any text files and photos from a computer directly onto the blank paper belt in the PB Reader by means of sensing the code on the paper belt. This way, electronic files are transformed into physical paper files that are readable by the invention to ensure quick search, review and as well as safe storage.The invention also has a wireless remote control function, which will allow people who are disabled (or users who for whatever reasons do not have free use of their hands) to make use of the reader.

A position detection encoder includes a scale and a detection head and has position detection circuits which are capable of outputting respective pieces of position information on Xf, Xs two tracks. The displacement detection encoder includes: a speed detection circuit which is provided in the detection head and detects a relative speed Xf, Xs relative to the scale; and a delay generation circuit which provides a time difference between two output request signals, the time difference being provided on the basis of a fine adjustment time tadj based on the relative speed Xf, Xs and the respective pieces of position information Xf, Xs on the two tracks, the output request signals St1, St2 urging the first and second position detection circuits to output the pieces of position information on Xf, Xs the two tracks.

A magnetic head according to one embodiment includes a module, the module having first and second transducers of different transducer types positioned towards a media facing side of the module, wherein the different transducer types are selected from a group consisting of data reader transducers, servo reader transducers, write transducers, piggyback read-write transducers and merged read-write transducers; a first protection structure for protecting the first transducer; and wherein the second transducer has either no protection or is protected by a second protection structure that is different than the first protection structure.

A slider includes a substrate having a trailing edge, a leading edge opposite the trailing edge, and an air bearing surface connecting the trailing edge with the leading edge; a read/write transducer formed at the trailing edge; and a coat layer attached on the trailing edge and covering on the read/write transducer. The slider further includes a protection layer for shielding the read/write transducer thereby preventing the read/write transducer from damaging during a laser soldering process. The present invention can prevent the read/write transducer from damaging during the laser bonding process and, in turn improve the reading and writing performance of the slider. The invention also discloses an HGA and a disk drive unit.

A slider and microactuator elements are disposed on a gimbal portion of a flexure. A tongue of the gimbal portion has a first tongue portion, a second tongue portion, and a hinge portion. A leading-side portion of the slider is movably disposed on the first tongue portion. A trailing-side portion of the slider is secured to the second tongue portion. The hinge portion is formed between the first tongue portion and the second tongue portion. The gimbal portion is provided with a damper member includes a viscoelastic material layer and a constrained plate. The damper member comprises a first damper and a second damper. The hinge portion is exposed between the first damper and the second damper. A dimple on a load beam contacts the hinge portion at a point of contact.

The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising polylactide and, based on the weight of this polymer, from 17 to 25 wt % of a chain modifier, from 30 to 55 wt % of an elastomeric polymer and from 20 to 45 wt % of a plasticizer. The invention also relates to the method of preparing said composition as well as to the method of manufacturing an article starting from said composition and the article per se.

A grader blade mounted to a support frame has an auger-grinder mounted ahead of the grader blade. The auger-grinder has a first helical vane fixed to a rotatable axle with a plurality of teeth attached to and protruding outwardly from the auger. A shroud above and partially surrounding the auger-grinder has an inner shroud end wall, an outer shroud end wall and bearings in which the axle is journaled transverse to the direction of travel. A beater is fixed to the axle between an inner end of the helical vane and the inner wall. The beater has a plurality of paddles extending outwardly from the axle. An inner barrier wall is attached to the inner shroud wall and extends forward of the auger-grinder. A drive link is connected to the axle for connection to a prime mover for driving the axle in rotation.

A paver for laying down a strip of concrete and inserting therein dowel bars parallel to the strip. A dowel bar inserter orients the bars and places them into the concrete. A pair of transport chains transverse to the travel direction extends across a width of the inserter. Pairs of generally L-shaped opposing cups hold the bars so that they can drop downwardly from the cups towards the strip. The chains move in a single direction. A dowel bar holding magazine, above the chains, stores bars, and gravitationally moves the bars towards the chains for pick-up by cups as the chains move the cups past a bar loading station. Elastic bands extend about a bar engaging surface defined by a wheel and resiliently bias the bars moving along the chain turn-around section against the wheel.

A telescopic chalk holder for drawing upon a drawing surface and including an outer cylinder having a tip at one end, a chalk stick received within the outer cylinder, the tip in radial receipt of the chalk stick, a push rod received by a second end of the outer cylinder and extending at least a portion of the chalk stick through the tip, and a push rod providing pressure to the chalk stick as the tip is manipulated over the drawing surface.

A computer-implemented method and computing system for identifying, using one or more computing devices, an appointment scheduled for at least one user. Some embodiments may include determining, using the one or more computing devices, a present location for the at least one user and generating, using the one or more computing devices, a reminder for the appointment based upon, at least in part, the present location.

A backlight module includes a carrier plate, a plurality of light sources, a plurality of circular Fresnel lenses, and a plurality of cylinder Fresnel lenses. The circular Fresnel lenses are arranged in an array form on the carrier plate. The light sources correspond to the circular Fresnel lenses, and are located in a side away from the carrier plate. One cylinder Fresnel lens is set between every two adjacent circular Fresnel lenses. A length direction of each cylinder Fresnel lens is parallel to an extending direction of adjacent column of the circular Fresnel lens. The circular and cylinder Fresnel lenses are used to reflect a light incident into their surfaces, and to increase an emission angle of the reflected light.

A method and apparatus for treating ocular disorders such as blepharitis, meibomitis, and dry eye syndrome. The method includes using an electromechanical device to move a swab relative to the eye to create cyclical movement that impacts debris present at the eyelid margin and effectively removes the debris from the eye to encourage healing and prevent further digression of the health of the eye. The apparatus is an electromechanical device that includes a mechanical drive unit operatively connected to a swab to create a precise relative movement of the swab to the eye to remove debris present therein.

In accordance with this invention a binder composition for treating particulate material to form a solid aggregate matrix is prepared by providing a urea formaldehyde precondensate; a polar solvent; additional urea; an acid or salt thereof, the acid or salt thereof being selected such as to render the pH of the binder composition to a value from 2.0 to 5.3; providing a sugar; providing a binding promoter for enhancing the binding between the binder composition and the particulate material; and mixing the above so as to form a binder composition. The binder composition is mixed with particulate material and allowed to set into a solid aggregate matrix over a period of longer than 30 minutes from being mixed with the said particulate material.

When a molded fabric body (X) is impregnated with a powder (K) of a predetermined material, there are performed a first step of dispersing the powder (K) in a liquid to prepare a slurry, and a second step of burying the molded fabric body (X) made of fiber bundles in the slurry and vibrating the slurry by use of a predetermined vibrator (M). Furthermore, in the second step, the vibrator (M) is moved along a surface of the molded fabric body (X). As a result, it is possible to improve the rate of impregnation of the powder (K) more than that in the conventional cases, irrespective of the shape of the molded fabric body (X).

A processing system decodes packetized program information including ancillary program specific information comprising a plurality of hierarchically ordered information tables. The ancillary information is used in acquiring and decoding packetized program information to provide a video program for display. The processing system employs a method involving detection of a mismatch between a version number of a first table of the program specific information (e.g. a virtual channel table (VCT), or channel information table (CIT)) and a corresponding version number of the first table conveyed in a second table (e.g. a master guide table (MGT)). If a mismatch is detected, the first and second tables are forced to contain a compatible first table version number. The packetized program information is decoded to provide a video program for display using the program specific information including the first and second tables including the forced compatible version number. A detected mismatch may also be disregarded to enable the decoding of the packetized program information and a User's channel line-up may be edited to remove channels associated with a detected mismatch or other program specific information error condition.

A cutting tool holder has a holder body and upper and base jaws. An insert receiving pocket is defined between the upper and base jaw, for receiving a cutting insert therein. A resilience recess allows the upper jaw to deflect toward the base jaw. An upper jaw coolant channel has an upper jaw inlet, opening out to the resilience recess, and an upper jaw outlet, opening out to a front end of the upper jaw. A holder body coolant channel has a holder body outlet, opening out to the resilience recess, spaced apart from the upper jaw inlet. A compressible tool coolant plug, made of compressible material, is inserted into the resilience recess. The plug has a plug coolant channel opening out toward the upper jaw inlet and the holder body outlet, forming a fluid path from the holder body coolant channel to the upper jaw coolant channel.

An adjustable drill is provided comprising a drill body having at least one face surface with a plurality of serrations provided therewith. The drill further has at least one cartridge having a cooperating plurality of second serrations, to be driven with the drill body when assembled therewith. The at least one cartridge includes at least one insert pocket, and at least one insert is releasably affixed in the insert pocket provided in the cartridge. In further examples, the adjustable drill may have a central cutting system in combination with the adjustable cartridge type system, wherein the central cutting system may be modular. There may also be provided a modular type of holder arrangement to provide flexibility to adapt the system for various applications.

An articulated work holder for a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle including a base member and first, second and third, support arms having multiple degrees of rotational movement and a vise member carrying vehicle engagement pads for supporting a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle between the vise engagement pads.

A rotating cylinder includes and a main body, a piston head, a piston rod and a guide assembly. The piston head slidably is received within the main body. The piston rod partially received within the main body, the piston head is fixed to the piston head, the piston rod defines one or more guiding groove adjacent to the piston head, the guiding groove includes a straight portion, a first helix portion and a second helix portion, the straight portion extends axially toward the piston head, the first helix portion curvedly extends away from the straight portion toward the piston head, the second helix portion curvedly extends from an end of the first helix portion toward a direction away from the piston head and the straight portion. The guide assembly is mounted on the main body and includes one or more guiding member slidably engaged with the guiding groove.