There is provided a decoloring device including a decoloring unit, a first sheet conveying unit, a first sheet feed unit, a thickness detecting unit, a decolorability determining unit, and a second sheet feed unit. The first sheet conveying unit conveys the sheet to the decoloring unit. The first sheet feed unit feeds the sheet to the first sheet conveying unit. The decolorability determining unit determines whether or not the sheet which is subject to thickness detecting is decolorable by the decoloring unit based on a detection result in the thickness detecting unit. A second sheet feed unit is disposed at a downstream side in relation to the thickness detecting unit and at an upstream side in relation to the decoloring unit in a sheet conveying path by the first sheet conveying unit and feeds the sheet to the first sheet conveying unit.

A machine for attachment of a cover to a book block comprises a press plate elevating mechanism for elevating a press plate 8, a nip plate drive mechanism for sliding nip plates 9 and 10, and a controller 30 controlling the press plate elevating mechanism and the nip plate drive mechanism. The press plate 8 elevates from the lower standby position to an upper press position. The press plate 8 presses the cover 12 to the book block 4 at the upper press position. The cover 12 is attached to the book block 4 by pressing the cover 12 to the lower end surface of the book block 4. The press plate 8 is elevated from the intermediate position to the upper press position, staying at the intermediate position during a waiting time for adjustment. The press plate 8 elevates from the intermediate position to the upper press position.

A method and a device for pressing a book block over the rounded back of a book block having a longitudinal axis extending in the center and along the back. The book block is clamped between two clamping jaws of a clamping device, in a region adjacent to the back of the book block, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the back. A pressing device presses a pressing member against the back, wherein the pressing member is placed approximately in the center of the back onto the book block back. At least a section of the pressing member is then moved across the back. Once the pressing member, which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the back, is placed onto the back it then moves along at least one continuously preselected movement path over the back.

A drill bit assembly has a bit head and a pin body. The bit head comprises a cutting end, an opposite connecting end with an engagement section, and a feature facing the connecting end. The pin body comprises a tubular body with an axial bore therethrough, a connecting end with an engagement section and a feature facing the connecting end. The drill bit assembly is manufactured by positioning the pin body connecting end with the bit head connecting end such that the pin body and bit head engagement sections overlap with a gap therebetween, and the pin body and bit head features are aligned; injecting a thermoplastic or other connecting material in liquid form between the bit head and pin body engagement sections and into the gap; and solidifying the thermoplastic or other connecting material such that the bit head and pin body are mechanically coupled together at their connecting ends and their features are securely aligned.

The blind rivet for fastening together a plurality of mounted components with mounting holes comprises a rivet body having a sleeve, a flange and a through hole; a mandrel having a slender stem and a head; and a washer. The head of the mandrel is adjacent to the sleeve-side end portion of the rivet body, the stem of the mandrel extends through the rivet body from the flange-side end portion, and the washer is mounted near the flange on the outer periphery of the sleeve of the rivet body. A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve adjacent to the flange is swaged to form a recessed portion so that the diameter in the other position is enlarged. The washer is pushed onto the enlarged-diameter portion and secured. The mounted components are fastened together between the enlarged end portion of the sleeve and the washer.

An assembly comprising at least two non-metal components which are fixed to each other using at least one fixing system. The fixing system includes a fixing device with a fixing element which is provided with a head and a rod, and a crimping ring which is in contact with one of the components. A protection device is a part of the fixing system which delimits a cavity for confining gas around a portion of the device comprising the crimping ring. In order to improve the repeatability of the operation for positioning the protection device, a guiding device is provided which includes an assembly element on the portion of the fixing device, and an element for guiding the protection device.

Bushing assemblies include a first tubular end portion, a second tubular end portion, and a middle tubular portion. The middle tubular portion has a longitudinal compressive strength that is less than that of the end portions. In some embodiments, the middle tubular portion is constructed of braided sleeving. Also disclosed are bushing assembly kits, apparatuses that include bushing assemblies, such as aircraft, and associated methods of utilizing bushing assemblies.

A method for applying compression to a joint includes providing an intramedullary fixation assembly having a proximal screw member positioned at a proximal end of the intramedullary fixation assembly and a lag screw member positioned at a distal end of the intramedullary fixation assembly. Medullary canals are drilled in a first and second bone and the medullary canals are reamed. The proximal screw member is inserted into the first bone and a drill is used create a dorsal hole in the first bone. The lag screw member is slideably coupled to the dorsal hole and to the proximal screw member and into the second medullary canal. A torque is applied to the lag screw member to apply compression to the joint.

A showerhead electrode is provided where backside inserts are positioned in backside recesses formed along the backside of the electrode. The backside inserts comprise a tool engaging portion. The tool engaging portion is formed such that the backside insert further comprises one or more lateral shielding portions between the tool engaging portion and the threaded outside diameter to prevent a tool engaged with the tool engaging portion of the backside insert from extending beyond the threaded outside diameter of the insert. Further, the tool engaging portion of the backside insert comprises a plurality of torque-receiving slots arranged about the axis of rotation of the backside insert. The torque-receiving slots are arranged to avoid on-axis rotation of the backside insert via opposing pairs of torque-receiving slots.

A protrusion anchor assembly is provided that utilizes a plurality of extendable pins to secure the anchor body within a bore in any hard material, such as concrete. The anchor body is rotated within the bore while the pins are simultaneously and gradually extended, carving out a groove or grooves within which the pins can sit. After installation, the device is secured within the bore by tightening a jamb nut against the surface of the concrete wall and in some embodiments placing a security plug within the anchor body to ensure that the pins are held in place. The pins prevent the anchor from being withdrawn because they act as protuberances that catch against the edges of the groove and cannot be drawn past that point.

A nut assembly and a holddown assembly using the nut assembly are described, including methods of manufacture and assembly. The nut assembly may include a body portion having first and second openings with an internal wall extending between them. A rotation-inhibiting wall may be included between the first and second openings. A nut portion configured to move axially within the internal wall of the body portion includes structures for co-acting with a rotation-inhibiting wall to limit or prevent rotation of the body portion and the nut portion relative to each other. A nut portion and a body portion extending around the nut portion have limited axial movement relative to each other due to axial engagement between adjacent surfaces on the nut portion and the body portion.

Panel fasteners, panel assemblies, methods of assembly and installation of panel assemblies and panel fasteners, anchor systems, anchor systems with captive fasteners and assemblies are disclosed.

A round rod guide (10) for mounting a stud bolt attached to a container side includes a plastic body, the stud bolt shaft (30) of the stud bolt being insertable onto and attachable to the plastic body. The plastic body has in its interior a channel (35) for receiving the stud bolt shaft (30) and on its free end, a receiving opening (19) for insertion of a round rod. The plastic body is formed as two parts with a first, cup-shaped base part (11) and with a second insertion part (16) insertable into the cup-shaped base part (11) in at least two different insertion positions that are rotated relative to one another at a predetermined angle. The receiving opening (19) for the round rod and the channel (35) for receiving the stud bolt shaft (30) and for attaching the round rod guide (10) are formed on the insertion part (16), whereby the receiving opening (10) formed in the insertion part (16), when the insertion part (16) is inserted in the base part (11) in the first insertion position, has a different spacing to the foot of the stud bolt shaft (30) than when in the second insertion position.

Various structures and methods are disclosed related to configurable scrambling circuitry. Embodiments can be configured to support one of a plurality of protocols. Some embodiments relate to a configurable multilane scrambler that can be adapted either to combine scrambling circuits across a plurality of lanes or to provide independent lane-based scramblers. Some embodiments are configurable to select a scrambler type. Some embodiments are configurable to adapt to one of a plurality of protocol-specific scrambling polynomials. Some embodiments relate to selecting between least significant bit (“LSB”) and most significant bit (“MSB”) ordering of data. In some embodiments, scrambler circuits in each lane are adapted to handle data that is more than one bit wide.

A low profile hold down assembly is mounted to the exterior surface of a sidewall of a trailer. The hold down assembly includes a cover member formed from the same material from which the sidewall of the trailer is formed and therefore is aesthetically desirable.

There is provided a transport vehicle for transporting wind power installation rotor blades and/or pylon segments. The transport vehicle has a transport support structure having a main frame, a receiving frame fixedly connected to the main frame at a first angle, and a rotary displacement unit which is fixed with one end to the receiving frame and which at its second end has a blade adaptor for receiving a rotor blade or a pylon segment. The main frame spans a main plane. The rotary displacement unit has at least one first rotary mounting, wherein there is provided a second angle between the second rotary plane of the second rotary mounting.

A transportation and storage system for a wind turbine rotor blade comprises a tip end frame assembly comprising a tip end receptacle and a tip end frame. The tip end receptacle comprises an upwardly open tip end-receiving space for receiving a portion of the tip end of the blade and having a supporting surface for supporting the blade, a lower surface allowing the tip end receptacle to rest upright on a substantially horizontal surface, such as the ground, and releasable retaining means for releasably retaining the tip end of the blade in the receiving space of the tip end receptacle. The tip end frame comprises an upwardly open receptacle-receiving space for receiving the receptacle and provided with positioning means for positioning the receptacle in the tip end frame. A base part defines a bottom surface allowing the tip end frame to rest upright on the ground.

A bull ring for a vehicle comprises a top plate coupled to a rotating plate having a tie-down. Two opposing rail flanges extend from the rotating plate and a fastener selectively couples the rotating plate in a securing position relative to the top plate. The rail flanges extend beyond an outer edge of the top plate to define a clamping region with the top plate.

A pallet system includes a pallet upon which cargo or other payloads may be carried. The pallet has a plurality of tie-down locations at which the pallet may be tied-down on a base, and at least one tie-down device for tying down the pallet on the base at any of the tie-down locations. The pallet further includes structure for mounting the tie-down device on the pallet at any of the tie-down locations.

A blade holding apparatus for holding one end of a wind turbine blade during handling, which blade holding apparatus includes a support structure including an opening for accommodating one end of the wind turbine blade, a clamping arrangement arranged in the opening, which clamping arrangement is realized to exert a clamping force on the wind turbine blade, and a locking arrangement for locking the clamping arrangement relative to the support structure. A method of operating such a blade holding apparatus during a handling procedure of a wind turbine blade is also provided.

Method and apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades that provide a versatile means for handling aerogenerator blades without an unbalanced distribution of the loads in the blade. The method comprises positioning an upper mounting part (103) over the blade after the upper mold has been retracted; lifting the blade with the upper mounting part from the under mold using a lifting means; positioning the blade over an under mounting part (104) which is fixedly attached to an inferior movable support (102); attaching the upper mounting part to the under mounting part, wherein the upper and under mounting parts together have the inner surface substantially corresponding to the shape of the blade outer profile section. The invention further comprises an apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades.

A transport system for a wind turbine blade is provided. The transport system is configured for increasing a curvature of the wind turbine blade in response to an obstacle during transport of the wind turbine blade. Further, a method for transporting a wind turbine blade in order to avoid obstacles is provided.

A protective cap for a trailing edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine for use during transportation, handling, or maintenance of the rotor blade is disclosed. The protective cap includes a body having a first leg, a second leg, and a cap member. The cap member connects the first and second legs. Further, the cap member may be configured to cover at least a portion of a trailing edge of the rotor blade and may be configured to provide a gap between an inner surface of the protective cap and the trailing edge. In addition, the first and second legs may resiliently engage the rotor blade.

An apparatus and method for providing a removable anchor for use in tying down a load, or for securing a winch cable for use in recovering a disabled vehicle or other load. The anchor may be removably attached to the deck/bed of a trailer or vehicle (e.g., a car carrier or wrecker/tow truck), using one or more slots or stake pockets located on a cargo surface of the deck. The removable anchor may include: a projection member shaped and sized to fit into a slot on the cargo surface, or to protrude through a stake pocket; a crown attached to, or integrally forming a part of, the projection member, and configured to receive and anchor one or more tie down connectors; and a key attached to, or integrally forming a part of, the projection member. The key can be passed into the slot and manipulated between removable and locked positions. Alternatively, the key may be used to removably secure the anchor to the stake pocket.

A novel configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations is provided. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. The configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. The configuration network is a pipelined network.

A programmable routing scheme provides improved connectivity both between Universal Digital Blocks (UDBs) and between the UDBs and other micro-controller elements, peripherals and external Inputs and Outputs (I/Os) in the same Integrated Circuit (IC). The routing scheme increases the number of functions, flexibility, and the overall routing efficiency for programmable architectures. The UDBs can be grouped in pairs and share associated horizontal routing channels. Bidirectional horizontal and vertical segmentation elements extend routing both horizontally and vertically between different UDB pairs and to the other peripherals and I/O.

An anti-disassembling device for an electronic product includes a case, a linear movement device, a circular movement device and an optical encoder. At least one retractable transmission member is connected to the case. The circular movement device is located in the case and has an encoding disk, which has multiple slots defined therethrough and teeth are defined in the periphery thereof. The at least one retractable transmission member is engaged with the teeth to rotate the encoding disk. The optical encoder has a lighting module which emits light beams through the slots of the encoding disk and a photosensitive module receives the light beams and sends a signal to the storage unit of the electronic product. The retractable device rotates when the electronic product is disassembled.

A system and methods that generates a physical unclonable function (“PUF”) security key for an integrated circuit (“IC”) through use of equivalent resistance variations in the power distribution system (“PDS”) to mitigate the vulnerability of security keys to threats including cloning, misappropriation and unauthorized use.

A method of configuring a programmable integrated circuit device with a user logic design includes analyzing the user logic design to identify unidirectional logic paths within the user logic design and cyclic logic paths within the user logic design, assigning the cyclic logic paths to logic in a first portion of the programmable integrated circuit device that operates at a first data rate, assigning the unidirectional logic paths to logic in a second portion of the programmable integrated circuit device that operates at a second data rate lower than the first data rate, and pipelining the unidirectional data paths in the second portion of the programmable integrated circuit device to compensate for the lower second data rate. A programmable integrated circuit device adapted to carry out such method may have logic regions operating at different rates, including logic regions with programmably selectable data rates.

The present invention relates to a method for downloading a binary configuration file in a programmable circuit implemented in a device. The device comprises at least one central processing unit, a plurality of connectors, and a programmable circuit enabling all or a part of the signals received by said connectors to be processed and transmitted to at least one other circuit of the device. The device analyzes the signals present on the connectors in order to define what other devices are connected and whether the connections are operational. Then, a configuration file is selected from among a set of configuration files according to the operational connections and is downloaded from a memory of the device into the programmable circuit. The invention also relates to a device having a component programmed according to the method previously described.

Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to a single-ended configurable multi-mode driver. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an input to receive an input signal, an output to transmit a driven signal generated from the input signal on a communication channel, a mechanism for independently configuring a termination resistance of the driver apparatus, and a mechanism for independently configuring a voltage swing of the driven signal without modifying a supply voltage for the apparatus.

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

The invention provides a switching valve having a valve element which is movable in a housing, an actuating apparatus acting on the valve element in a first direction and a spring apparatus charging the valve element in a second direction. According to the invention, the first and second directions are in opposition and the spring apparatus has a progressive spring characteristic.

A flush adaptor for use with a valve fitment assembly for dispensing liquids from a container; wherein the flush adaptor comprises an outer ring-collar; a flange with an edge molded to the bottom of the outer ring-collar; an interior ring-collar adjacent to the outer ring-collar; a ridge molded in the interior ring-collar; a seat molded onto the interior ring-collar and a pin molded into the interior ring-collar which keeps the valve in an open position; and a hollow tube molded into the adaptor to allow the flow of liquid through the adaptor and into the fitment assembly; whereby the flush adaptor allows for cleaning of the assembly and any tubes connected thereto.

A fuel system valve assembly may include a housing, a spring, and a body. The housing may have a fuel passage defined in part or more by a fuel passage wall. The fuel passage wall may have a seat and a cylindrical section. The cylindrical section may have a constant diameter and may be located downstream of the seat. In use, the body may reciprocate linearly in the housing between an open position and a closed position. The body may be biased to the closed position by the spring. The body may abut the seat when the body is in the closed position.

A steplessly adjustable hydraulic insert valve has a housing defining a radial direction and an end side in an installation direction. An inflow connector on the end side is connectable to a pressure medium source. First and second working connectors and a return connector are arranged in the radial direction. The return connector is connectable to a pressure medium tank. The housing has an axial bore and an actuator guided movably therein. The actuator can be held in an axial center position by at least one spring and is adjustable steplessly axially out of the center position by controllable actuation. At least one of the working connectors is fluidically connectable to the return connector by axial adjustment of the actuator. The actuator has a radial widened portion with first and second control edges for steplessly opening and/or closing first and second radial openings, respectively, of the return connector.

Power-efficient actuator apparatus and methods. In one exemplary embodiment, the actuator assembly utilizes a shape memory alloy (SMA) filament driven by an electronic power source to induce movement in the underlying assembly to actuate a load (e.g., water valve). In addition, a circuit board is included which allows the actuator assembly to be readily incorporated or retrofit into a wide range of systems such that the signal characteristics of the supply line can, among other applications, be conditioned in order to protect the SMA filament. Furthermore, the circuit board can also readily be adapted for use with “green” power sources such as photovoltaic systems and the like. Methods for manufacturing and utilizing the aforementioned actuator assembly are also disclosed.

A filler assembly is mounted in an axial hole of a cap of a valve. The filler assembly includes at least one first filler and at least one second filler stacked in a longitudinal direction. A valve rod received in the axial hole extends through the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler. At least one of two mutually abutting faces respectively of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is at a non-parallel angle to a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. If one of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is subjected to a pressing force in the longitudinal direction, at least one of the at least one first filler and the at least one second filler is moved in the radial direction to press against the valve rod.

For a flap assembly, in particular an exhaust gas flap assembly, with the flap mounted on both sides via bearing devices in the housing, the disclosure describes a design in which a bearing body is supported radially against an annular collar of the bearing device and, by way of the annular collar, is held braced in a radially spring-loaded manner in a predefined radial position.

A method and device for the production of books, including: moving book blocks successively along a conveying section of a book production line; supplying a stack of book cases to the book production line; identifying a marking on each of the book blocks and the book cases; transmitting an identified marking on at least one book case to a machine control of the book production line; assigning a dataset stored in the machine control for a sequence of book cases to the supplied stack; determining a sequence in the machine control for book blocks positioned on the conveying section; comparing the dataset for the sequence of the book cases to the sequence of the book blocks; and removing and/or supplying at least one book block from or to the conveying section if the sequence of the book blocks deviates from the sequence of the book cases using the machine control.

The invention proposes a method for producing a printed product, in which a printed product, preferably produced in a forme-bound high-capacity printing process, in the form of a main product (2) or a subproduct is provided with an identification means which comprises a piece of individualizable product-specific information. At least two downstream individualization steps are performed, wherein the identification means allow the piece of information which is to be added in the at least two further downstream individualization steps to be associated with the respective product. Preferably, the new addressee-specific digital printed product comprises blog articles, preferably in the form of a blog insert, which is in turn preferably produced using digital printing. Identification means, for example in the form of ID tags (4, 4'), comprise not only the product-specific identification information but preferably also control information (31-36) which can be read by sensors on the handling devices (7-12) and hence directly control the handling of the respective product by this at least one handling device (7-12) and, in cooperation with inspection codes on the subproducts to be supplied, allow the correct supply to be inspected. The present invention also allows uninterrupted compilation of product packages for postal dispatch by virtue of the product sequence in the course of the conveying line comprising, at least in sections, a recurring succession of a respective one or more intermediate products partly individualized on an addressee-specific basis and at least one, preferably a plurality of, non-individualized standard intermediate products.

A supply device (10) for a machine for transversely cutting two strips (11 and 12) of a flexible material, in particular a strip of paper, moving continuously, to produce separate stacks of documents cut transversely according to predetermined formats. The device comprises lower and upper driving mechanisms (13, 14) associated with the two strips (11, 12) of flexible material respectively, which each include a mechanically rotated first roller (13a, 14a) and a freely rotatable second bearing roller (13b and 14b). The driving mechanism is mounted on a frame (15) supported by a movable platform (16) which is rigidly connected to a linear actuator (17) arranged to be moved transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the strips (11 and 12). Optical reading cells (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) define the operating modes of the driving servomotors (13b and 14b) and of the linear actuator (17).

An image recording apparatus includes: a recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium; a tray for supporting the recording medium recorded by the recording unit; a conveyor mechanism for conveying the recorded medium to the tray; and an alignment mechanism for aligning a plurality of recording media stacked on the tray, by application of an external force. In a period from a start to an end of recording based on one recording job, the alignment mechanism aligns the plurality of recording media stacked on the tray in a period in which image recording is not performed, and the alignment mechanism does not align the plurality of recording media stacked on the tray in a period in which image recording is being performed.

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

A method of making a microelectronic package includes forming a dielectric encapsulation layer on an in-process unit having a substrate having a first surface and a second surface remote therefrom. A microelectronic element is mounted to the first surface of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive elements exposed at the first surface, at least some of which are electrically connected to the microelectronic element. Wire bonds have bases joined to the conductive elements and end surfaces remote from the bases and define an edge surface extending away between the base and the end surface. The encapsulation layer is formed to at least partially cover the first surface and portions of the wire bonds with unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds being defined by at least one of the end surface or a portion of the edge surface that is uncovered thereby.

A microelectronic assembly and method of making, which includes a first microelectronic element (including a substrate with first and second opposing surfaces, a semiconductor device, and conductive pads at the first surface which are electrically coupled to the semiconductor device) and a second microelectronic element (including a handler with first and second opposing surfaces, a second semiconductor device, and conductive pads at the handler first surface which are electrically coupled to the second semiconductor device). The first and second microelectronic elements are integrated such that the second surfaces face each other. The first microelectronic element includes conductive elements each extending from one of its conductive pads, through the substrate to the second surface. The second microelectronic element includes conductive elements each extending between the handler first and second surfaces. The conductive elements of the first microelectronics element are electrically coupled to the conductive elements of the second microelectronics element.

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

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

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

Described herein are techniques for assembling a polynucleotide encoding a transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN). The techniques ligate and digest necessary modules for a TALEN assembly in one reactor or system. Methods and Kits for generating a TALEN are also described.