A hot-pressed member includes a steel sheet, a Ni-diffusion region present in a surface layer of the steel sheet, and an intermetallic compound layer and a ZnO layer which are provided in order on the Ni-diffusion region, the intermetallic compound layer corresponding to a γ phase present in a phase equilibrium diagram of a Zn—Ni alloy, wherein a spontaneous immersion potential indicated in a 0.5 M NaCl aqueous air-saturated solution at 25° C.±5° C. is −600 to −360 mV based on a standard hydrogen electrode.

A flat steel product having a base layer of a steel material and a multilayer coating applied thereto, and a method for producing the flat steel product. The method having the following steps: providing a steel base layer; applying a zinc layer to the base layer by electrolytic coating; applying an aluminum layer to the surface of the zinc layer, wherein no treatment is made to the surface of the zinc layer in regard to the oxides and sulfides present thereon at the end of the electrolytic zinc coating step or occurring during the course of the aluminum coating step; applying a magnesium layer to the aluminum layer; and subsequently heat treating the flat steel product in such a way that an MgZn2 layer forms in the coating above the Al layer.

The present invention relates to a triphenylene-based compound represented by the following Formula 1 and an organic electroluminescent device including the same, and the compound of the present invention has excellent hole injection and/or transporting ability, electron transporting ability, and/or light emitting ability, and particularly, green and red light emitting ability, and thus in an organic electroluminescent device containing the same as a light emitting host material, characteristics such as luminous efficiency, luminance, thermal stability, driving voltage, service life and the like may be improved. In the formula, each of A, L, X and R1 to R19 is the same as those as defined in Detailed Description.

A perpendicular magnetic recording medium of the present invention comprises a non-magnetic substrate, and at least a backing layer, an under layer, an intermediate layer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer, which are sequentially laminated on the non-magnetic substrate, wherein the backing layer is formed of a soft magnetic film having an amorphous structure, the under layer contains a NiW alloy containing any one or both of Co and Fe, the W content of the NiW alloy is within a range from 3 to 10 atom %, the total of the Co and Fe contents of the NiW alloy is 5 atom % or more and less than 40 atom %, the saturation magnetic flux density Bs of the NiW alloy is 280 emu/cm3 or more, the thickness of the under layer is within a range from 2 to 20 nm, and the intermediate layer contains Ru or a Ru alloy.

An optical film has a cellulose acylate film base material containing cellulose acylate and a plurality of sugar ester compounds having different ester substitution degrees in which an average ester substitution degree of the plurality of sugar ester compounds is from 60 to 94%, and an antistatic hardcoat layer formed from a coating composition containing at least an organic antistatic agent and a curable compound having a (meth)acryloyl group in a molecule of the curable compound.

A liquid crystalline polyester composition containing at least 100 parts by weight of liquid crystalline polyester (A) and 10 to 100 parts by weight of talc (B). The talc (B) has a ratio (a1/a2) of oil absorption (a1) ml/100 g to specific surface area (a2) m2/g in a range of 14.0 to 26.0 (ml·g)/(100 g·m2) and has a number-average particle diameter of 10 to 30 μm.

A low profile, wrappable spacer and method for maintaining a pair of elongate members in fixed, spaced relation to one another is provided. The wrappable spacer includes a flexible elongate body having oppositely facing inner and outer faces extending along laterally spaced, lengthwise extending edges between opposite ends. The inner face has an adhesive surface. At least one member extends between the edges transversely to the lengthwise extending edges. The member extends outwardly from the adhesive surface, wherein the adhesive surface is configured for adhesion to at least one of the member, the elongate members or the outer face.

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.

The printed image on a major face of a flexible food packaging film is covered by a shellac barrier coating.

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.

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

A chimeric protein containing neutrophil inhibitory factor and hirugen, the chimeric protein having an amino acid sequence that includes FPRPGSGG (SEQ ID NO:21) Also provided is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the chimeric protein, which can be used for treating or preventing cerebral injury and cerebral edema, or for inhibiting platelet aggregation.

A protein which is composed N-terminally of one or several C-terminal parts of the amino acid sequence of the mature tumor necrosis factor and C-terminally of one or several N-terminal parts of the amino acid sequence of the mature tumor necrosis factor, which activates epithelial ion channels and improves the lung function and which can be used for the manufacture of medicaments for the treatment of diseases associated with the lung function, such as oedemas.

The invention relates to indolesulfonyl halogenides which are useful for the protection of organic compounds comprising at least one guanidino moiety and/or at least one amino group. The invention further relates to a process for their preparation and their use as protecting reagents. The invention also relates to the process for the protecting reaction and to the protected compounds thereof.

Whether the growth hormone (GH)/Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-I) axis exerts cardioprotective effects remains controversial; and the underlying mechanism(s) for such actions are unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that growth-hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) directly activates cellular reparative mechanisms within the injured heart, in a GH/IGF-I independent fashion. Following experimental myocardial infarction (MI), rats were randomly assigned to receive, during a 4 week period, either placebo (n=14), rat recombinant GH (rrGH, n=8) or JI-38 (n=8; 50 μg/Kg/day), a potent GHRH-agonist. JI-38 did not elevate serum levels of GH or IGF-I, but markedly attenuated the degree of cardiac functional decline and remodeling after injury. In contrast, GH administration markedly elevated body weight, heart weight, circulating GH and IGF-I, but did not offset the decline in cardiac structure and function. Whereas, both JI-38 and GH augmented levels of cardiac precursor cell proliferation, only JI-38 increased anti-apoptotic gene expression. The receptor for GHRH was detectable on myocytes supporting direct activation of cardiac signal transduction. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that within the heart GHRH-agonists can activate cardiac repair following MI, suggesting the existence of a potential signaling pathway based on GHRH in the heart. The phenotypic profile of the response to a potent GHRH agonist has therapeutic implications.

Plant viral vectors have great potential in rapid production of proteins, but no simple. Here a geminivirus-based system for high-yield and rapid production of oligomeric protein complexes, including virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is described. In particular, a single vector that contains two non-competing replicons for transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves is described. The correct assembly of these subunit proteins into functional oligomeric structures (VLPs or full-size mAb) is also described. This system advances plant transient expression technology by eliminating the need for non-competing viruses, and thus, enhances the realistic commercial application of this technology for producing multiple-subunit protein complexes.

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.

Disclosed are compositions and methods related to the isolation and identification of the primate T-lymphotropic viruses, HTLV-3 and HTLV-4. The diversity of HTLVs was investigated among central Africans reporting contact with NHP blood and body fluids through hunting, butchering, and keeping primate pets. Herein it is shown that this population is infected with a variety of HTLVs, including two retroviruses; HTLV-4 is the first member of a novel phylogenetic lineage that is distinct from all known HTLVs and STLVs; HTLV-3 falls within the genetic diversity of STLV-3, a group that has not previously been seen in humans. The present disclosure also relates to vectors and vaccines for use in humans against infection and disease. The disclosure further relates to a variety of bioassays and kits for the detection and diagnosis of infection with and diseases caused by HTLV-3 and HTLV-4 and related viruses.

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.

Disclosed herein are polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding, cells and organisms comprising novel DNA-binding domains, including TALE DNA-binding domains. Also disclosed are methods of using these novel DNA-binding domains for modulation of gene expression and/or genomic editing of endogenous cellular sequences.

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.

An insect-resistant protein exhibiting a sufficient resistance to insects; an insect-resistance gene encoding the insect-resistant protein; a recombinant vector containing the insect-resistance gene; a host cell and a plant cell having the recombinant vector transfected thereinto; a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene and a method for producing the same; a protein recovered thereby; and an insect-resistant agent comprising them as active ingredients. In accordance with the present invention, the insect-resistant protein is derived from a plant.

Disclosed are polypeptides, nucleic acids, and related compositions that render plants resistant to bacterial pathogens. Also disclosed are transgenic plants having the nucleic acids and resistant to bacterial pathogens.

Disclosed is a general methodology to create nano fibers of therapeutic molecules that have a dual role, as both the delivery vehicle and the drug itself. It is shown that with proper molecular design, the integration of enzymatic reaction and self-assembly provides a powerful method to create molecular hydrogels of clinically-used therapeutics without compromising their bioactivities. In addition, the results disclosed herein demonstrate enzyme-instructed self-assembly as a facile strategy for generating the supramolecular hydrogels of molecules that inherently have poor solubility in water. For example, by covalently connecting paclitaxel with a motif that is prone to self-assemble, a hydrogel of paclitaxel can be formed without compromising the activity of the paclitaxel.

IL4/IL13-binding proteins comprise binding domains, which inhibit IL4/IL13 binding to IL4Ralpaha and common gamma chain complexes (Type 1) and inhibit IL4 binding to IL4Ralpha and IL13Ralpha1 complexes (Type 2), and IL13 binding to IL13Ralpha1 and/or IL13Ralpha2, are useful in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory, and other pathological conditions, such as allergic or fibrotic conditions, especially pulmonary conditions.

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 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.

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.

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.

A compact disc (CD) player, which comprises playback substrates, a conveying roller, CD sensors, a CD stopper, a first trigger member, frame members, cam members and moving members, wherein the CD stopper has a major axis and abutting portions disposed at both ends of the axis; the first trigger member rotates when a minor-diameter CD stops at a mounting position on a turntable; the frame members receive the movement of the first trigger member; the cam members are coupled to the frame members; the moving members receive the rotation of the CD sensor and move along the outside diameter of a CD; the moving members are provided with clamping portions and abutted portions configured to be clamped with the abutting portions; and the cam members are provided with clamped portions configured to abut against the clamping portions.

An apparatus for rotating disc is provided, the apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment is characterized in that an anti-slip torque that is applied to the upper face of the disc by using the clamp unit and the elastic member is stronger than a rotation torque that is generated by the turn table to inhibit slipping of the optical disc from the turn table.

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.

A holding portion includes at least three pressing members which are operable to press an inner peripheral of a hole formed on the medium. The pressing members are movable between first positions where the pressing members do not come in contact with the inner peripheral and second positions where the pressing members come in contact with and press the inner peripheral. Each of the pressing members is adapted to interlockingly move with each other when moving toward the first positions and to press the inner peripheral independently from the other members when positioning the second positions.

A holding mechanism is operable to hold a top medium from a plurality of plate-shaped media accommodated in a stacker in a stacked manner. A transport arm supports the holding mechanism. When the lift mechanism lifts down the transport arm, one of a first elastic pressing force and a second elastic pressing force greater than the first elastic pressing force is selectively applied from the holding mechanism to an upper surface of the top medium.

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

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

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

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

A cob conveying and cleaning system for use with a corn harvester, incorporating air induction in cooperation with an air flow from the harvester, for cleaning and separating lighter crop residue to be returned to the field from a mixed flow of the residue and cobs, such that the cleaned cobs can be collected, and the lighter residue optionally spread on the field. The air flow and induction are combined to cooperatively lift or draw the lighter residue from the mixed flow, and to optionally spread the removed lighter residue over a field. The induction apparatus can be located on the harvester, and used as a residue spreader when cobs are not collected.

A harvesting system includes a self-propelled harvesting machine and a drivable collecting container equipped with a drive unit, which can be positioned relative to the harvesting machine and moved in parallel therewith. Crop is fed directly or indirectly to the collecting container during harvesting operation from the harvesting machine using a feed pipe equipped with an outlet chute. The collecting container is equipped with a device for loading it with crop in a uniform manner. The collecting container is moved in a constant position relative to the harvesting machine by way of a control device while the crop is being conveyed. The collecting container is preferably a filling device, by way of which uniform distribution of the crop in the collecting container (8) can be attained.

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

An agricultural combine having an adjustable spreader assembly is provided that includes a spreader with one or a pair of regulators. The spreader includes a discharge opening about its lateral side. The regulator is pivotably connected to the lateral side of the spreader such that the regulator is in fluid communication with the discharge opening. The regulator can be configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position or to vary the direction of discharge of crop residue. The spreader can be a vertical spreader, a horizontal spreader, or a spread board.

A counter knife bank assembly of a chopper assembly for an agricultural combine is provided that can pass obstructions without damaging the knife blades of the knife blade assembly. The counter knife bank assembly includes a knife bank and a lever assembly connected to the knife bank. The knife bank is moveable between a first position and a second position relative to a stationary frame of the chopper assembly. The lever assembly includes an extension member having a first end connected to the knife bank, a biasing member connected to the extension member, and an abutment member. The abutment member is engaged with the biasing member and is biased against a stationary support member of the counter knife bank assembly for articulation therewith.

Example embodiments relate to a combine harvester including a straw chopper having an inlet for unchopped straw, an outlet for chopped straw in an essentially horizontal direction, and a spreader fan, connected downstream of the outlet of the straw chopper and having an essentially horizontal plane of rotation, for spreading the chopped straw over a ground surface. The combine harvester further includes a guide member, which is arranged to deflect at least a part of the stream of chopped straw material to an axial intake of the spreader fan such that a part of chopped straw material meets the blades of the spreader fan in the direction of transport of the chopped straw material through the spreader fan at an acute angle (α) relative to the plane of rotation of the spreader fan.

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 biomass feed system includes a device to propel an airborne flow of the biomass along a trajectory within a collection device. At least one air flow port is disposed and operable in cooperation with at least one fan for discharging a flow of air for creating a blanket of pressurized air within the interior cavity beneath the trajectory for supporting and extending a distance of travel of the biomass within the collection device. The collection device can include an air flow outlet adjacent to a terminal end of the trajectory, to and through which the pressurized air will flow, in a manner for lifting and carrying at least some of the airborne biomass farther into the interior cavity. And, vanes or other elements can be provided to used to achieve better sideward distribution.