Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides, particularly human monoclonal antibodies, that bind specifically to poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG), such as Staphylococcal PNAG, in acetylated, partially acetylated and/or fully deacetylated form. The invention further provides methods for using these peptides in the diagnosis, prophylaxis and therapy of infections by bacteria that express PNAG such as but not limited to Staphylococci and E. coli. Some antibodies of the invention enhance opsonophagocytic killing and in vivo protection against bacteria that express PNAG such as but not limited to Staphylococci and E. coli. Compositions of these peptides, including pharmaceutical compositions, are also provided, as are functionally equivalent variants of such peptides.

Abstract: A method for removing mercury from flue gases generated by the combustion of coal comprises: storing a starter batch of activated carbon in an agglomerated state; de-agglomerating the starter batch in a separation device to create a contact batch of activated carbon; transporting the contact batch to a contact location; injecting the contact batch into contact with the flue gas at a contact location having a temperature between 400° F. and 1100° F., whereupon the activated carbon of the contact batch adsorbs mercury from the flue gas; and removing the activated carbon having mercury adsorbed thereon from the flue gas. The transporting step is conducted with substantially no intermediate storage of the contact batch following the de-agglomeration of the starter batch to prevent re-agglomeration of the activated carbon prior to injection.

Abstract: In a method and a bar blade for milling spiral bevel gears and hypoid gears, a shaft of the bar blade has a blade profile that is formed by the cross-section of at least one cutting area, at least two free areas, and at least one top area. The blade profile is provided with a first cutting edge for a first flank, a second cutting edge for a second flank that faces the first flank, and a top cutting edge for the bottom of a tooth space. The first and the second cutting edge are embodied as principal cutting edges for completely cutting the first or second flank. The top cutting edge is configured for completely cutting the bottom of the tooth space such that the tooth space comprising the complete final geometry is created in one milling process by means of one and the same bar blade.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane includes a membrane polymer made of monomer units that have aromatic polyarylenes groups with proton-conducting functional groups bound to the aromatic polyarylene groups. The polymer electrolyte membrane can be used as a proton-conducting polymer membrane between the electrodes in a fuel cell.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes an ejection path that successively feed sheets each with an image found thereon from an ejection outlet. A processing tray is disposed under the ejection outlet to temporarily store sheets fed from the ejection path. A port processing unit performs post processing such as binding and punching. The post processing unit is located under the ejection path and is provided with a cooling fan that sends air toward the post processing unit.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of estimating when dryout may occur in a nuclear light water reactor of the boiling water reactor kind. The method includes the use of a formula which expresses the local dryout property of the nuclear reactor. The formula includes at least a first and a second factor. The first factor is a first function that describes how the dryout property depends on the flow of the cooling medium through the nuclear fuel arrangement. The second factor is a second function that describes how the dryout property depends on the axial power profile of the nuclear fuel arrangement. The first and the second functions describe said flow dependence and said axial power profile dependence independently of each other. The invention also concerns a nuclear energy plant, a computer program product (23) and a method of operating a nuclear energy plant.

Abstract: A display system can accommodate a number of products. The system includes one or more modules. Each module may be mounted on a support wall and includes back and shelf portions. Advantageously, a number of modules are arranged in a number of rows, one row above another. A number of dividers are removably secured to at least one of the walls and may be moved in stepwise or continuous fashion to separate groups of the products within each row. Various of the modules may include hook bars secured to the back wall portions for hanging certain of the products and/or space thieves removably secured to the shelf portions for forwardly offsetting stacked or hung products.

Abstract: A stethoscope is provided with two head portions for fitting two diaphragms different in caliber on a head main portion, having diverse design properties and functions. A stethoscope head comprising a head main portion and a conduit connecting portion provided on the head main portion, wherein said head main portion comprises a main head portion and a sub-head portion formed from a transparent or semitransparent element formed in the opposite direction each other with the pipe connecting port put therebetween; the main head portion comprises a transparent or semitransparent main diaphragm connected to the conduit connecting port, and the sub-head portion is provided with spaces for receiving the sub-diaphragm for high frequency and or narrow area stethoscope or various functions, and is provided with mounting means for mounting the sub-diaphragm or the apparatus on the sub-head portion.

Abstract: A method of protecting a substrate against damage comprising disposing on a substrate one or more coatings, wherein one coating comprises an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent; wherein the curing agents comprise polyaspartic esters, ketimines, aldimines, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing curing agents; reacting the isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer with a curing agent; wherein the reacting can optionally be carried out in the presence of moisture or heat; and curing the isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer to form the coating.

Abstract: An electronically active sheet, comprising a first substrate having an electrically conductive surface; a second substrate having an electrically conductive pattern disposed thereon; at least one semiconductor element having a first conductor and a second conductor. The electronically active sheet includes an adhesive having at least one semiconductor element fixed thereto and disposed between the electrically conductive surface and the electrically conductive pattern to form a lamination. The adhesive is activatable to bind the second substrate to the first substrate so that one of the first conductor and the second conductor of the at least one semiconductor element is automatically brought into electrical communication with the electrically conductive pattern and so that the other of the first conductor and the second conductor of the at least one semiconductor element is automatically brought into and maintained in electrical communication with the electrically conductive surface of the first substrate.

Abstract: In a card processing apparatus a card tray and, a card-transporting device are provided. A device for sensing the position or detention of a card in the card tray and a holding device for a card that has stopped in an irregular manner in the card tray due to manipulation of the card-processing apparatus, are also included. The holding device is activated if a change in the position of the card is not detected even though a conveying signal has been issued to the card-conveying device.

Abstract: A hot gas valving system for a ground-based power generation system includes a gas flow conduit having a wall and defining a path for fluid flow and a butterfly valve located in the wall and transversely across the path for fluid flow. The butterfly valve includes a first raceway defined by an inner ring and an outer ring, a second raceway defined by an inner ring and an outer ring, a combination of ball bearings and roller bearings retained in each raceway, an axle rotatably mounted in the inner rings of each raceway and cooperably rotatable therewith, and a baffle mounted longitudinally along the axle and extending from the axle into the path of fluid flow. Upon rotation of the axle, the baffle restricts or permits fluid flow.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device and a method for cleaning a gas containing particulate impurities. The device includes a main separator having an inlet for the gas, an outlet for the gas and a rotating member provided between the inlet and the outlet. The rotating member is adapted to bring the gas to rotate for separating by means of centrifugal forces a main amount of the particulate impurities from the gas, wherein a rest amount of the particulate impurities remains in the gas. The device also includes an additional separator adapted to separate substantially the whole rest amount. The additional separator includes an electrostatic filter.

Abstract: A system (100) is provided for storing knowledge, information and data (KID). The system includes a plurality of sources of KID (20), at least one receiver of KID (30) from the plurality of sources, a universal knowledge, information and data store (UKIDS 160) and an interface (150) coupling the receiver and the UKIDS. The interface provides a plurality of logical partitions (200) for storing KID within the UKIDS. In one embodiment, a first level of the logical partitions segregates information into personal and professional KID. A plurality of second personal levels under the first personal level (210) segregates KID storage into a teams of people subset (212), an activities and organization subset (214) and an organization and administration subset (216). A plurality of second professional levels under said first professional level (220) segregates KID storage into a clients subset (230), an output subset (250), a teams subset (270) and an administration subset (290).

Abstract: In a bookbinding apparatus, an adhesive applying portion applies an adhesive to an end face of a sheet bundle allowed to stand in the substantially vertical direction, a storage portion that gathers and stores the sheet bundle which is applied with the adhesive and bound in the adhesive applying portion while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction, transport means for conveying the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction from the adhesive applying portion to the storage portion along a substantially vertical transport path, and a cutting portion which is provided on the transport path between the adhesive applying portion and the storage portion, and which cuts an end face of the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method of brazing together thin heat exchanging plates of an iron based base material provided with port holes and a pressing pattern of elevations and depressions over the heat exchanging area of the plates and, if present, also over the distribution area to a plate heat exchanger. The plates are coated with brazing material and are arranged such that contact between elevations and depressions in adjacent plates is obtained prior to the brazing together. The plates are then brazed together at the resultant contact points. Only 5-40%, preferably 10-30%, of the heat exchanging area and the distribution area are coated with brazing material prior to the brazing.

Abstract: Method for supervising a centrifugal separator with a separating chamber, a radially inner outlet connected to the separating chamber and to an outlet conduit, with a flow detector disposed in the outlet conduit and adapted to detecting a flow in the outlet conduit, and an intermittently openable radially outer outlet connected to the separating chamber. In order reliably and easily to supervise the intermittent discharge of the centrifugal separator, the pressure is measured by a sensor disposed in a portion of the centrifugal separator which is pressure-transmittingly connected to a central portion of the interior of the rotor. If the supervision unit does not detect a pressure drop pulse from the sensor within a predetermined period of time from when an intermittent discharge is initiated, an alarm signal is emitted.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photo-radiation source comprising the steps of providing a first planar conductor; disposing a formation of light emitting chips on the first planar conductor, each chip having a cathode and an anode, one of the cathode and anode of each chip being in contact with the first planar conductor. The method of manufacturing a photo-radiation source also includes the steps of disposing a second planar conductor on top of a formation of light emitting chips so that the second planar conductor is in contact with the other of the cathode and anode of each chip; and binding the first planar conductor to the second planar conductor to permanently maintain the formation of light emitting chips without the use of solder or wiring bonding for making an electrical and mechanical contact between the chips and either of the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor.

Abstract: A protective cover for covering at least a portion of an external surface of a motor vehicle, the protective cover includes a first segment comprising a pliable material configured to cover at least a portion of a first external surface of the motor vehicle. The first external surface is disposed substantially on a first side of a reference plane centrally positioned between two opposing lateral sides of the motor vehicle and extending between a front end and a rear end of the motor vehicle. The protective cover further includes a second segment comprising a pliable material configured to cover at least a portion of a second external surface of the motor vehicle, wherein the second external surface is disposed substantially on a second side of the reference plane and extends between the front end and the rear end of the motor vehicle. The first and second segments are positioned adjacent to one another on opposing sides of the reference plane.