In hydraulic control, an electronic control unit controls controlled hydraulic pressure of a control valve in order to control a hydraulic oil amount in a torque converter and a hydraulic oil pressure of a forward-reverse travel switching mechanism, and the electronic control unit increases the controlled hydraulic pressure when the hydraulic oil amount in the torque converter is insufficient at an engine start or immediately after the engine start in comparison with a case where the hydraulic oil amount in the torque converter is sufficient. The hydraulic control device includes: the torque converter; the forward-reverse travel switching mechanism; the control valve configured to change the hydraulic oil amount in the torque converter and the hydraulic oil pressure of the forward-reverse travel switching mechanism by changing the single controlled hydraulic pressure; and electronic control unit.

A two-wheeled inverted pendulum vehicle includes: single-winding first and second motors respectively rotating one of two wheels; first and second control systems respectively supplying drive currents to the first and second motors; a sensor detecting a physical quantity that varies with a turn of the vehicle; a dynamic brake unit being able to switch between active and inactive states of dynamic brake being applied to the first motor; and a control unit, when the control unit has determined that the vehicle is turning about the second motor side on the basis of the physical quantity while supply of drive current from the first control system to the first motor is inhibited, activating dynamic brake in the dynamic brake unit. The first control system, when an abnormality has been detected in the first control system, inhibits supply of drive current from the first control system to the first motor.

A method for control of a gearbox installed in a motor vehicle (1), which method effects a downshift of the gearbox (20) from a first gear (G1), for which the acceleration a of the vehicle (1) is negative, to a second gear (G2), for which the acceleration a is positive or substantially equal to nil. The downshift involves at least one intermediate gear step between the first gear (G1) and second gear (G2), with a maximum engine speed at each intermediate gear step which is as high as, or higher than, a highest engine speed at a preceding intermediate gear step. Also, a system, a motor vehicle, a computer program and a computer program product for performing the method are disclosed.

A system and method of controlling a fail-safe for a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining, by a controller, that remaining hydraulic pressure exists in the clutch when the clutch is not opened and a target value of oil pressure for opening the clutch is maintained for a predetermined time period. In addition, whether a vehicle is stopped is confirmed in response to determining that remaining hydraulic pressure exists in the engine clutch. The controller is further configured to transmit a signal to shift to the vehicle to a neutral (N) stage to a transmission controller and shift to the vehicle to the N-stage in response to determining that the vehicle is stopped. Then, the engine is driven by the controller in response to determining that the vehicle is shifted to the N-stage.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an electrical load may be automatically activated to consume electrical energy produced during driveline braking so that driveline braking may be extended. The electrical load may be a windscreen heater or other device.

A method of controlling an automated transmission for motor vehicles with one or several pressure activated positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20), via the assigned shift valves (10, 12), at least one main cut-off valve (4) which is positioned prior to the shift valves, and a control device for controlling the shift and main cut-off valves. The pressure requests, for the shifting, are determined and the respective main cut-off valves are triggered depending on the determined pressure requests. To enable a variable match of the supply pressure during transmission shifts, respective optimized pressures or pressure patterns are determined for certain shift scenarios which, for instance, consider a mass to be synchronized, the existence of a tooth-on-tooth position, or the like. Through this method, for instance, the load on shift elements, the shift timing, and the shift noise can be positively influenced.

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, torque transferred via a driveline disconnect clutch is estimated based on characteristics of a torque converter to improve driveline operation.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine system with a variable cam timing device. In one example, the variable cam timing device is operated to adjust engine valve timing differently at engine stop based on whether the engine stop is in response to an operator request or in response to an automatic controller initiated engine stop without an operator request.

The present invention provides for a transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and methods of monitoring and controlling the same. The transmission shift assembly includes a transmission having a shift position member movable between a plurality of gear positions, an actuator configured to move the shift position between the gear positions, and a linkage coupled to the actuator and movable between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the actuator. The assembly further includes a controller to control the actuator, an ignition to receive a key, and at least one key sensor positioned within the ignition and configured to transmit a signal to the controller upon sensing removal of the key, the controller controlling the actuator to move the shift position member to a predetermined gear position upon receiving the signal from the key sensor that the key has been removed from the ignition.

A battery charge/discharge control device which performs battery charge/discharge control in a working machine with a battery capable of storing electric energy generated by a generator motor coupled to an engine and driving the generator motor or at least one of other electric actuators by the stored electric energy and a controller which controls a distribution of the electric energy among the battery, the generator motor, and the electric actuator, wherein the controller performs the charge/discharge control in which the electric energy of the battery is discharged when the engine is driven and recharging to the battery is permitted on a condition that a state in which an engine speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined engine speed is maintained for a predetermined time after the battery is completely discharged.

The invention discloses a combined preparation containing IL-10 and rapamycin, able to induce immunosuppression and antigen-specific immune tolerance, and the use thereof in the treatment of diseases involving an excessive, dysfunctional or uncontrolled immune responses mediated by T cells.

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.

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.

The present invention provides methods and pharmaceutical formulations for treating diabetic foot ulcers.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting the activity of an enzyme, for example, Protein Kinase B, p70S6K and/or Abl using the catalytic subunit of Protein Kinase A (PKAc), or at least one PKAc fragment or variant PKAc fragment thereof. In this regard, methods for preventing or treating cancer or a neurodegenerative disease or disorder are also provided.

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

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

The present invention relates to novel compounds having a function of a peptide in the amylin family, related nucleic acids, expression constructs, host cells, and processes production of the compounds. The compounds of the invention include one or more amino acid sequence modifications. In addition, methods and compositions are disclosed to treat and prevent metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and increased cardiovascular risk.

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

The present invention relates to treating a tissue in a mammal from the effects of reperfusion using flagellin.

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

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

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

The present invention relates to muscle repair promoters for local application that contain a colony-stimulating factor (CSF) as an active ingredient. The muscle repair promoters of the present invention exhibit their effect at low doses, particularly when they are administered intramuscularly.

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

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

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

The present invention relates to treating a tissue in a mammal from the effects of reperfusion using flagellin.

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

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

A compact disc (CD) player and method for ejection control thereof is provided. The CD player has: a CD tray, an eject button, a front-end module, a back-end module, and a fast response eject module, wherein the front-end module and the back-end module are coupled to each other and integrated in an integrated circuit (IC). The fast response eject module has a second tray control module for detecting a status of the eject button, and a second ejection detection module for controlling the ejecting/inserting of the CD tray according to the detected status of the eject button after the CD player is powered up and before initialization of the first ejection detection module is completed. Accordingly, the CD player of the invention may quickly respond to the status of the eject button and control ejecting/inserting of the CD tray immediately after the CD player is powered up.

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

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

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

A disk device and a method of driving a tray of the disk device. The method includes outputting a tray driving control signal in response to a tray opening instruction, and maximizing an output voltage of the tray driving control signal during a time period in which the tray is expected to be stalled.

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

A machine which provides for both leaf stripping and grading can be used to process plants, such as burley tobacco plants, by continuously moving the plants in a first direction while simultaneously varying the position of the plants in a second direction relative to a defoliating apparatus. The plants may be moved horizontally through a machine by a transporter engaging the plant stalks while the vertical distance between the transporter (and thus the plants) is varied relative to the defoliating apparatus. The transporter and defoliating apparatus may be positioned at an angle to one another. Due to the changing amount of vertical distance, leaves from different sections of the plants, such as leaves at different stalk heights, can be contacted and removed at different corresponding horizontal locations in the machine. Accordingly, leaves can be graded based on the location(s) from which they are retrieved after removal.

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

A 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 method and device for harvesting threshed crops including a threshing assembly (3) arranged downstream of a cutting assembly (2) of a combine harvester (1) for separating the grain-chaff mixture (12) from the straw. A chaffing device (4) is arranged downstream of the threshing assembly (3) for separating the total straw fraction into a first and a second straw fraction (5.1, 5.2). A comminution device (8) is arranged downstream of the chaffing device (5) for comminuting the second straw fraction (5.2). A blower (10) having a suction pipe (9) draws in and mixes the grain-chaff mixture (12) and the second straw fraction (5.2) to form a mixture (18) of grain, chaff, and second straw fraction and conveys the mixture (18) into a silo (14).

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 stuffing tube centering device for concentric alignment of the stuffing tube to a casing stick and a corresponding method, and where two oppositely disposed centering members movable towards each other between which the stuffing tube can be held and centered.

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

A paw cutting system for removing a poultry paw from a shackle conveyed along a shackle conveyor line and then cutting the leg of the paw to remove the knuckle is provided. The paw cutter has a guide bar substantially aligned with the shackle conveyor line that urges the paw to a central cavity of the shackle. The paw is discharged from the central cavity into a lateral notch formed in two opposed discs positioned adjacent to an end of the guide bar. The two opposed discs are rotatable and move the paw from the guide bar to a blade. As the paw is moved to the blade, the two discs stretch the paw so that the blade can cleanly cut the paw. The cut paw product can be placed onto a belt or other device in an ordered manner.

A method for filling sausages with a paste-like substance by means of a filling machine and to a filling machine for performing this method, including a sensor unit capable of determining at least one parameter that varies differently for different paste-like substances as a function of time. Depending on the at least one determined parameter, a controller determines whether a measure to be implemented on one or more wearing parts is necessary, the wearing parts wearing out at different times depending on the different paste-like substances.

In a method for removing blood released during filleting from the backbone and the indentations therein in the region of the vertebrae of fish that are conveyed in a row with the head forwards and the belly downwards, the removal of blood is carried out at the same time and in the same place as the cutting of the backbone. The backbone, which is freed of ray bones and rib bones, is guided through a cutting gap and is cut clear on the belly side of the fish over the entire length of the fish as far as the root of the dorsal fin to leave a backbone stump. The fish fillet flesh is covered by covering surfaces which converge at the cutting gap and of which at least two covering surfaces form the cutting gap. Pressurized cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the backbone that is guided between the covering surfaces through the cutting gap during cutting. A device for removing said released blood comprises a backbone cutting device having two backbone cutting circular blades, which are arranged obliquely in an inverted V shape and form the covering surfaces, and having fish guiding means forming covering surfaces that cover the fish fillet flesh. A cleaning device comprises at least one cleaning nozzle aligned with the cutting gap. An actuating device actuates the cleaning device and the backbone cutting device simultaneously. The covering surfaces protect the fish fillet flesh from being sprayed with the cleaning fluid.

A poultry front half processing module is shown and described. The module includes a rotatable wing bracket for securely engaging the wings of the front half to allow more accurate processing and easier deboning and transfer operations.

A method is disclosed for cutting tendons within the drumstick of a poultry leg while leaving the fibula of the drumstick intact. The drumstick has first and second opposing sides where no fibula extends and opposing third and fourth sides along one of which the fibula extends. The method includes suspending the drumstick from its ankle joint, moving the suspended drumstick in a downstream processing direction, cutting the meat and tendons extending along the first side of the drumstick, cutting the meat and tendons extending along the second side of the drumstick, pushing and stretching the meat and tendons of the drumstick to form a bulge projecting in the direction of the third side of the drumstick, cutting through the meat and tendons within the bulge while insuring that the cut is not made completely to the tibia, orienting the suspended drumstick so that its fourth side faces in the direction of a knife blade, pushing and stretching the meat and tendons of the drumstick to form a bulge projecting in the direction of the fourth side of the drumstick, and cutting through the meat and tendons within the bulge while insuring that the cut is not made completely to the tibia. An apparatus for carrying out the method also is disclosed.

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.

This invention relates to automated systems and methods for hanging live poultry for further processing. The system has an alignment conveyor, an alignment stunner, a hanging box, and a shackle. The alignment conveyor conveys poultry from an input point to the alignment stunner. The alignment stunner urges the poultry to move to a desired position on the alignment conveyor and stuns the poultry. The hanging box grasps the stunned poultry and places the poultry into the shackle for further processing. A computer and at least one sensor control operation of the system so that human intervention is minimized.