Devices and methods for implantation at a native mitral valve. One embodiment of the device includes a valve support having a first region and a second region, and anchoring member having a longitudinal dimension with a first portion configured to contact tissue at the non-circular annulus, a second portion configured to be attached to the valve support, and a lateral portion transverse to the longitudinal dimension between the first portion and the second portion. The anchoring member and the valve support are configured to move from a low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration in which the first portion of the anchoring member at least partially adapts to the non-circular annulus of the native mitral valve and a shape of the first region of the valve support is at least partially independent of a shape of the first portion of the anchoring member.

A collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes a stent and a valve assembly. The stent has an annulus section with a relatively small cross-section, and an aortic section with a relatively large cross-section. The valve assembly, including a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, is secured to the stent in the annulus section such that the valve assembly can be entirely deployed in the native valve annulus and function as intended while at least a portion of the aortic section is held by the delivery device in a manner that allows for resheathing. The configuration of the prosthetic valve is such that the valve leaflets can fully coapt and the valve can function properly even when the stent and/or valve assembly become distorted upon deployment or use.

An elbow prosthesis is provided and may include a first stem component attached to one of a humerus and an ulna, a second stem component attached to the other of the humerus and the ulna, and a joint disposed between and coupling the first stem component and the second stem component to permit relative movement between the first stem component and the second stem component about a first axis. The elbow prosthesis may additionally include a condyle extending from the joint and including an axis of rotation that is eccentric from the first axis.

The present disclosure relates to methods of facilitating bone growth. The method may include positioning a device around at least a portion of a bone exhibiting a defect, the device capable of retaining bone segments and micro-structured particles. The method may also include applying micro-structure particles within the device to the defect, wherein each of the micro-structure particles include at least one pore therein. In addition, the method may include aligning at least a portion of the micro-structure particles and applying a polymer to the particles and solidifying the polymer.

A device for improving the function of a heart valve comprises a first loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a first side of the heart valve, and a second loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a second side of the heart valve opposite to said first side, whereby a portion of the valve tissue is trapped between the first and second supports. An outer boundary of the second support is greater than an outer boundary of the first support.

Thermoplastic composition and articles containing UV absorbers that protect the articles contents from harmful UV radiation are disclosed as well as methods for making the thermoplastic articles and methods for using the articles to contain and protect materials sensitive to UV radiation. The UV absorbers contain oxazolone and/or azine functional groups that absorb UV radiation and prevent its transmission into the article. Many of the compounds are novel compositions of matter. The generally clear thermoplastic articles of this disclosure are particularly useful for containing a variety of UV sensitive consumer products that would otherwise have to be packaged in opaque containers.

A ligand design allows compact nanoparticle materials, such as quantum dots (QDs), with excellent colloidal stability over a wide range of pH and under high salt concentrations. Self-assembled biomolecular conjugates with QDs can be obtained which are stable in biological environments. Energy transfer with these ligands is maximized by minimizing distances between QDs/nanoparticles and donors/acceptors directly attached to the ligands or assembled on their surfaces.

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 torque limiting device, particularly for power transmission elements, is provided. The torque limiting device includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member, which is connected rotatably to a driven element. The first connecting member includes a motor driving disk and the second connecting member includes a sliding disk, and further includes a pin supporting body which comprises a drum that is assembled on the second connecting member and includes a plurality of radial holes, each one of which accommodates a pin that is pressed, toward the center of the drum, by elastic means, and abuts, with at least one of its faces which is inclined with respect to the central rotation axis of the second connecting member, against at least one corresponding abutment face.

A rotational vibration damper includes a primary side (32) and a secondary side (46) which is rotatable with respect to the primary side (32) around an axis of rotation (A) against the action of a damper element arrangement (28). At least one damper element unit (42) of the first group (70) and at least one damper element unit (42') of the second group (70') are pre-loaded, and the primary side (32) and the secondary side (46) are pre-loaded in a basic relative rotation position with respect to one another. Proceeding from the basic relative rotation position of the primary side (32) with respect to the secondary side (46), a pre-loading path (V, V') of at least one pre-loaded damper element unit (42) is shorter than a maximum relative rotation path of the primary side (32) with respect to the secondary side (46).

Present invention discloses a dispenser having means to dispense desired number of pills from a bulk supply of pills contained in the dispenser. The dispenser comprises of storage compartment having bulk supply of pills and having a discharge port emptying into counting compartment The counting compartment contains first and second conveyors moving at first and second speed; wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed thereby enabling pill separation; the second conveyor discharges pills into dispensing compartment. Sensors are strategically placed along the conveyors to count pills discharged into dispensing compartment. A pill recovery system and apparatus is disposed inside the dispenser having means to recover pills remaining on conveyors upon completion of a dispensation cycle and deposit recovered pills back into the storage compartment for use in future dispensation cycles. A docking station having receptacles to accommodate dispenser is provided. Docking station has communication ports enabling two-way communication with personal computer.

The present invention relates to lithium salt-containing rare earth halide solutions in aprotic solvents, processes for production thereof and also use thereof.

Methods and compositions for the deposition of a film on a substrate. In general, the disclosed compositions and methods utilize a precursor containing calcium or strontium.

The rare-earth complex of the present invention has high luminous efficiency, since it has a structure represented by the following general formula (I):

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.

In one aspect, hollow nanoparticles are described herein. In some embodiments, a hollow nanoparticle comprises a metal shell and a cavity substantially defined by the shell, wherein the shell has a thickness greater than or equal to about 5 nm and the cavity has a curved surface. In another aspect, methods of making hollow nanoparticles are described herein. In some embodiments, a method of making hollow nanoparticles comprises forming a plurality of gas bubbles and forming a shell on the surface of at least one of the plurality of gas bubbles, wherein at least one of the gas bubbles is electrochemically generated. In another aspect, composite particles are described herein. In some embodiments, a composite particle comprises at least one nanoparticle and a polycrystalline metal shell substantially encapsulating at least one nanoparticle, wherein at least one surface of at least one nanoparticle is not in contact with the shell.

A generic route for synthesis of asymmetric nanostructures. This approach utilizes submicron magnetic particles (Fe3O4—SiO2) as recyclable solid substrates for the assembly of asymmetric nanostructures and purification of the final product. Importantly, an additional SiO2 layer is employed as a mediation layer to allow for selective modification of target nanoparticles. The partially patched nanoparticles are used as building blocks for different kinds of complex asymmetric nanostructures that cannot be fabricated by conventional approaches. The potential applications such as ultra-sensitive substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) have been included.

The invention relates to a glass item, at least one of the surfaces thereof having antimicrobial properties that are resistant to a temperature treatment, especially a temperature treatment in preparation of the subsequent tempering thereof. The glass item especially comprises an antimicrobial agent beneath the surface of the glass, and nanoparticles that are partially and/or totally incorporated into the mass of the glass close to said surface and consist of at least one inorganic component.

In some embodiments, an improved mechanical adhesion of copper metallization to dielectric with partially cured epoxy fillers is presented. In this regard, a substrate build-up film is introduced having epoxy material and a plurality of epoxy microspheres, wherein an interior of the microspheres is not fully cured. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Provided is a zinc-plated steel sheet for hot pressing having outstanding surface characteristics, comprising: a steel foundation plate comprising a metal surface diffusion layer of which the Gibbs free energy reduction per mole of oxygen during oxidation is less than that of Cr; an aluminum-rich layer containing at least 30 wt. % of aluminum formed on the surface diffusion layer, and a zinc plating layer formed on the aluminum-rich layer. In this way, a metal having a low affinity for oxygen is coated to an effective thickness prior to annealing and thus the creation of annealing oxides at the surface of the steel sheet is suppressed and a uniform zinc plating layer is formed, and alloying of the zinc plating layer is promoted during press-processing heat treatment. Cracking in the steel foundation plate during hot press molding is prevented.

A method of controlling a vehicle, where the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a transmission having a neutral state and an engaged state, includes setting the state of the transmission. The state of the transmission is set as the neutral state or the engaged state based on a restart condition, where the restart condition is one of: (i) a no wheel torque restart condition, and (ii) a wheel torque restart condition. The method additionally includes starting the engine.

A transmission controller increases an indicated hydraulic pressure to a starting frictional engagement element to a normal hydraulic pressure, causes a hydraulic piston to stroke and executes a learning control of the indicated hydraulic pressure so that a time until the starting frictional engagement element starts generating a transmission capacity after the range is switched from the neutral range to the drive range becomes a target time when a range is switched from a neutral range to a drive range. The transmission controller further detects a driver's starting intention and increases the indicated hydraulic pressure to the starting frictional engagement element to a starting time hydraulic pressure higher than the normal hydraulic pressure and prohibits the learning control if the starting intention is detected before the starting frictional engagement element starts generating the transmission capacity.

A transmission includes an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms that are selectively engageable to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member. The transmission further includes one or more locking mechanisms that engage one or more of the plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms during a start/stop event.

The present invention relates to fusion proteins comprising an antibody, functional fragment or functional derivative thereof having specific binding affinity to either the extracellular domain of oncofetal fibronectin (ED-B) or at least one of the extracellular domains of oncofetal tenascin fused to a cytokine selected from the group consisting of IL-10, IL15, IL-24 and GM-CSF, functional fragments and functional derivatives thereof. The invention is also directed to the use of at least one of said fusion proteins for the manufacture of a medicament. In particular, the invention concerns the use of said medicament for the treatment of tumors or chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, arthritis and psoriasis.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

The invention concerns an apparatus for processing meat, in particular fish, comprising a processing tool, an actuating unit associated with the processing tool for moving the processing tool out of a starting position into a processing position and vice versa, and a control device which is operatively connected to the processing tool or actuating unit for control of the processing tool, which is distinguished in that the actuating unit comprises a cylinder unit having two pressure cylinders which are arranged one behind the other and connected to each other, wherein the processing tool is arranged on one of the two pressure cylinders of the cylinder unit and the two pressure cylinders can be controlled independently of each other. Furthermore, the invention concerns a corresponding method.

A slaughtered pig leg parts conveyor device is provided for conveying individual pig leg parts, wherein an individual pig leg part includes at least a portion of a pig leg and the pig foot. The conveyor device includes a track and one or more pig leg part carriers movable along said track, each carrier being adapted to carry an individual pig leg part. Each carrier has one pig foot retaining assembly adapted to engage on a single pig foot so as to retain the pig leg part in a position suspended from the carrier. The retaining assembly includes a pig foot aperture adapted to receive the pig foot.

A deboning system for an arm part of bone-in meat includes: a clamp; at least one forearm-bone incision making device; an olecranon incision making device; and a forearm-bone separation device, wherein the at least one forearm-bone incision making device includes a robot arm and a forearm cutter attached to the robot arm, and the olecranon incision making device includes a pair of olecranon cutters.

A portable plucking mechanism for birds, comprising a rotating head with a plurality of flexible protrusions operably connected to a motor, a plurality of arm members, and an attachment mechanism optionally comprising a trailer hitch receiver and an electrical connection to a power source. These components are connected with a plurality of articulable joints, allowing for optimal positioning of the rotating head (at the distal end of an arm member) in space relative to the position of the attachment mechanism (at the proximal end of another arm member). Thus, the user has convenient access regardless of terrain or obstacles, the ability to easily reposition the head, and the ability to manipulate the body of the bird with both hands, to frictionally engage a plurality of feathers with the rotating flexible protrusions, while minimizing damage to the meat of the bird.

A conveying apparatus has a conveying path to supply a plurality of products for consumption having soft parts and intended for processing to a processing device. A conveying intermediate space has conveying surfaces that face one another and receive the products for consumption between them while applying pressure thereto. A first conveying surface comprises a flexible surface-deformable conveying cover and a row arrangement of pressure elements that are arranged next to one another in a row extending transverse to the conveying direction, each having a pressure-applying transverse profile extending transverse to the conveying direction, and are held to be displaceable in the height dimension direction of the conveying intermediate space against a restoring force such that each pressure element co-operates with the surface-deformable conveying cover during the passage of the products for consumption through the conveying path in order to form a variable conveyor cross-section.

An energy storage composite particle is provided, which includes a carbon film, a conductive carbon component, an energy storage grain, and a conductive carbon fiber. The carbon film surrounds a space. The conductive carbon component and the energy storage grain are disposed in the space. The conductive carbon fiber is electrically connected to the conductive carbon component, the energy storage grain, and the carbon film, and the conductive carbon fiber extends from the inside of the space to the outside of the space. The energy storage composite particle has a high gravimetric capacity, a high coulomb efficiency, and a long cycle life. Furthermore, a battery negative electrode material and a battery using the energy storage composite particle are also provided.

Positive electrode active material particles for lithium ion secondary batteries include: a core particle including a first olivine-structured, lithium-containing phosphate compound which includes Fe and/or Mn and Li; and a shell layer attached to the surface of the core particle. The shell layer includes a second olivine-structured, lithium-containing phosphate compound which includes Fe and/or Mn and Li. At least the core particle includes a phosphorous compound represented by the formula (1): MemPnOp, where Me is Fe and/or Mn, 0

A system for producing energy that includes infusing porous carbon particles produced by pyrolysis of carbon-containing materials with an off-eutectic salt composition thus producing pore-free carbon particles, and reacting the carbon particles with oxygen in a fuel cell according to the reaction C+O2=CO2 to produce electrical energy.

For a memo pad, many sheets 1 are bound at a back face as bound sheets using gum. The memo pad is provided with a cover paper on the top and a mounting paper on the bottom. The sheets 1 are printed from a central area of the sheet surface to over an outer peripheral area, with a decorative pattern. Outer peripheral non glued edges of the memo pad have a rugged shape modeled after the decorative pattern in a direction of the sheet surface and in a direction of the bound sheet thickness, such that even if the sheets 1 are turned up one by one or removed, a three dimensional decorative pattern reappears from the surface of the remaining sheets 1 to over the outer peripheral edge.

A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion. At least a part of the central portion is directly adhered by the adhesive to the slip without intervening release coating between the adhesive and the slip or the central portion. Individualized indicia, such as an address, may be printed on a label area of the top face of the central portion, while other individualized indicia, such as the content of a package, may be printed on the back face of the slip. Masking indicia is preferably provided on one of the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner to inhibit viewing of the content indicia until the slip is removed from the package.

Nanoparticles of a compound are produced by spraying a solution of the compound into a heated chamber. The resulting product comprises a free flowing mixture of nanoparticles of the compound.

A system and method may provide sets or packets of playing cards for forming part or all of a hand of playing cards. Each set or packet may be formed before starting to form another set or packet. Sets or packets may be formed in respective playing card receiving compartments. The playing cards may be withdrawn from a plurality of playing card receiving compartments of an intermediary playing card receiver in random or pseudo-random fashion, which may, or may not, be based at least in part on the selected payout or house odds and/or house advantage.

A magnetic storage medium is formed of magnetic nanoparticles that are encapsulated within nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes).

A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a main pole and at least one coil for energizing the main pole. The coil(s) have a number of turns. The magnetic transducer also includes at least one shunt coupled to at least one of the number of turns. At least one remaining turn of the number of turns carries a current. The shunt(s) carry a portion of the current from the shunted turn of the number of turns. Thus, the coil(s) have an effective number of turns is less than the number of turns.

A bearing ring for a radial rolling bearing, in particular for a cylindrical roller bearing or needle bearing which has, on one of the radial surface areas thereof, a track for a set of cylindrical rolling bodies which are cageless or are guided by a cage and one or two guide flanges axially bounding the track of the rolling bodies is/are fastened to the axial end surfaces of said bearing by adhesive bonding. Each guide flange has a rectangular profile cross section with a horizontal fastening limb and a vertical flange limb and, by way of the horizontal fastening limb thereof, is adhesively bonded in an encircling axial groove in an axial end surface of the bearing ring. The width of each axial groove is greater than the material thickness of each fastening limb, and each guide flange can be fixed radially in position in the particular axial groove of a profiling of the fastening limb of said guide flange, the profiling being in contact both with the outer wall and with the inner wall of the associated axial groove.

A process for producing water-absorbing polymer particles by polymerizing droplets of a monomer solution in a surrounding gas phase in a reaction chamber, wherein the monomer solution is metered into the reaction chamber via at least one bore, and the diameter is from 210 to 290 μm per bore and the metering rate is from 0.9 to 5 kg/h per bore.

A magnetic particle-polymer hybrid material can include: a substance having a structure of Formula 1 or derivative or salt thereof:Z(Y-Triazole-CH2—X—CH2—(FP)n)m (Formula 1), wherein Z is a magnetic particle smaller than 1 mm; n and m are independently integers; Y includes a first linker having an alkyl and/or aryl linked to the magnetic particle; X is CH2 or a heteroatom; FP is a functionalized polymer having: a first structure derived from a first norbornene compound linked to the magnetic particle through the Y-Triazole-CH2—X—CH2 linker; and one or more monomeric units each including a second structure derived from a second norbornene compound, where one of the monomeric units is linked to the first structure through a saturated or unsaturated alkyl, each monomeric unit includes a functional group capable of binding with another substance.

To provide a water/oil repellent composition which can impart sufficient post-air-drying water/oil repellency to the surface of an article, and which presents a low environmental impact, and an article having its surface treated with the water/oil repellent composition. A water/oil repellent composition comprising a copolymer (A) having structural units based on a monomer (a), structural units based on a monomer (b), structural units based on a monomer (c) and/or structural units based on a monomer (d); and an aqueous medium (B) containing water, and a film-forming assistant (x) and/or a film-forming assistant (y). Monomer (a): a monomer having a C1-6 polyfluoroalkyl group, monomer (b): vinylidene chloride, monomer (c): a monomer, the homopolymer of which has a glass transition temperature of at least 20° C., monomer (d): a monomer having a crosslinkable functional group, film-forming assistant (x): a specific amide solvent, and film-forming assistant (y): a specific glycol solvent.