Abstract: The use of a dietary fiber or a mixture of dietary fibers for the manufacture of a composition, being a pharmaceutical composition or a functional food or a functional feed, for the prevention, the inhibition and/or the treatment of systemic infections in humans and in vertebrates caused by pathogenic bacteria is disclosed. A method for the prevention, the inhibition and/or the treatment of systemic infections in humans and in vertebrates caused by pathogenic bacteria, comprising administration to said beings, orally, through tube feeding or rectally, a composition containing an effective amount of a dietary fiber or mixture of dietary fibers is also disclosed. The dietary fiber is preferably a fructan, typically inulin and/or oligofructose, most preferably chicory inulin with an average degree of polymerization (DP) of at least 20.

Abstract: Regulatory elements of the 5?UTR of cold-shock inducible genes that prolong the expression of cold-shock inducible genes under conditions that elicit the cold-shock response in a bacterium, repress the expression of the cold-shock inducible genes under physiological conditions, or enhance the translation of cold-shock inducible genes under conditions that elicit a cold-shock response in bacteria; vectors incorporating these elements; and methods for expressing proteins.

Abstract: A structural hot-rolled or cold-rolled stainless steel sheet having improved intergranular corrosion resistance and toughness at the welding heat affected zone and further having low strength and high elongation. The composition of the steel sheet contains less than about 0.008 mass percent of C; about 1.0 mass percent or less of Si; about 1.5 mass percent or less of Mn; about 11 to about 15 mass percent of Cr; more than about 1.0 mass percent and about 2.5 mass percent or less of Ni; less than about 0.10 mass percent of Al; about 0.009 mass percent or less of N; about 0.04 mass percent or less of P; about 0.01 mass percent or less of S; and the balance being Fe and incidental impurities. These contents satisfy the expressions: (Cr)+1.2×(Ni)?15.0; (Ni)+0.5×(Mn)+30×(C)?3.0; (C)+(N)?0.015; and (Cr)?(Mn)?1.7×(Ni)?27×(C)?100×(N)?9.0.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus having a simple configuration and capable of opening and closing dies and clamping the dies, which includes a base frame; a fixed die plate; a movable die plate; a rack fixed with respect to the base frame and extending in a die opening and closing direction; a pinion pivotally supported by the movable die plate and meshing with the rack; a motor provided in the movable die plate, driving and rotating the pinion, and moving the movable die plate toward the die opening and closing direction; a tie bar having a jointed portion; a joint portion provided on the movable die plate and capable of engaging and disengaging the jointed portion of the tie bar; and a clamping cylinder provided on the fixed die plate and imparting tension to the tie bar with the joint portion and the jointed portion jointed to generate clamping force.

Abstract: The present invention provides termination for transmission line structures propagating common mode signals. Common mode signals typically represent noise in systems wherein information is transmitted as differential mode signals. The present invention terminates the common mode signals in a dynamically matched termination that prevents or significantly reduces reflection of said common signals without interference with differential mode transmission lines or their normal operation. Application is shown for an unshielded, twisted pair transmission line as commonly used in telephony-based systems for both voice and broadband data communication. The methods for application of the present invention to systems with large numbers of conductors are also shown.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a stationary gas turbine unit during operation, wherein the unit comprises a turbine, a compressor driven by the turbine, the compressor having an inlet, an air inlet duct arranged upstream of the air inlet of the compressor, the inlet duct having a part of the duct adjoining the inlet of the compressor and having decreasing cross section in the flow direction in order to give the air flow a final velocity at the inlet to the compressor. A spray of cleaning fluid is introduced in the inlet duct. The cleaning fluid is forced through a spray nozzle with a pressure drop exceeding 120 bar to form a spray the drops of which have a mean size that is less than 150 ?m. The spray is directed substantially parallel to and in the same direction as the direction of the air flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tray plug that includes a base portion; a plurality of towers extending upwardly away from the base portion; a secondary base portion contiguous with the underside of the base portion; and a means for securing the plug to a display structure, whereby the tray plug can be quickly secured and subsequently removed from a display such as a point-of-purchase display.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for augmenting shaft output of stationary gas turbines that can be used in multiple modes of operation. The system comprises a washing unit (25, 27, 28) adapted to inject a spray (26) of atomized liquid so as to impinge on the compressor blades (12) in order to wet said blades (12), thereby obtaining a release of fouling material from said blades (12); and at least one liquid injection unit (21, 23, 24, 29, 210, 212, 214, 215, 216) adapted to inject a spray (22, 211, 213) of atomized liquid into an air stream of said turbine duct (101) or at the gas turbine (10) in order to increase a mass flow of said air flow, wherein the power output from said gas turbine engine can be augmented. With the invention follows also benefits such as fuel savings and improved environmental performance by reduction of emissions.

Abstract: A method, program product and system for organizing and disseminating information on products featured in entertainment productions. The invention includes a database for storing a catalogue of product information on products featured in entertainment productions. A server is programmed to perform the steps of: authorizing access to the user, accepting a search request from the user, querying the database based on said search request, displaying the products identified from the catalogue on a display screen of a user computer using visual indicators related to entertainment productions, receiving a product selection from said user, and displaying detailed product information on a display screen of a user computer based on the product selection.

Abstract: Screening assays for identifying agents that modulate BK channel activity and further modulate the sleep/wake cycle in a subject, circadian regulated locomotor activity in a subject, or both are provided, as are agents identified using such screening assays. Also provided are methods of modulating the sleep/wake cycle in a subject and methods of modulating circadian regulated locomotor activity in a subject by administering an agent that modulates BK channel activity to the subject, for example, an agent identified by a screening assay as disclosed.

Abstract: A novel T-type calcium channel (CACNA1G) is provided, as are polynucleotides encoding the same. CACNA1G has been implicated in cellular proliferative disorders. More specifically, it has been observed that the methylation state of specific regions within CpG islands associated with the CACNA1G gene correlates with a number of cancerous phenotypes involving a variety of tissue and cell types. Also provided are methods for detecting cellular proliferative disorders by determining the methylation state of genes or regulatory regions associated therewith, including CACNA1G, as well as kits containing reagents for performing invention methods.

Abstract: Improved organophotoreceptor comprises an electrically conductive substrate and a photoconductive element on the electrically conductive substrate, the photoconductive element comprising: (a) a charge transport material having the formula where Ar is an aryl group; X comprises a bond or a linking group; R1, R2, and R3 each comprise H, a carboxyl, an amino group, a halogen, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylsulfanyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a heterocyclic group, an aromatic group, or a part of a ring group; R4 comprises H, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aromatic group, or a heterocyclic group; and R5, R6, R7, and R8 each comprise an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, or a part of a ring group; and (b) a charge generating compound. Corresponding electrophotographic apparatuses and imaging methods are described.

Abstract: A method for distributing video sequences according to a nominal flow format that describes a multiplicity of audiovisual scenes, each scene including a multiplicity of hierarchized audiovisual objects and a descriptor of the hierarchy and of spatial and temporal relationships among the objects, each video object including at least one complete I-VOP digital plane, including generating a first modified flow having the format of a nominal flow and a second flow of any format including digital information required for reconstruction of modified planes by analyzing the flow of video sequences, separately transmitting the two flows generated from a server to destination equipment, and calculating on the destination equipment a synthesis of a flow of the nominal format as a function of the first and second flows.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described for determining the operating status of a turbine engine. An eddy current sensor is provided having a sensing field in communication with a plurality of rotating turbine blades during a revolution of a turbine engine. The sensor generates signature data for the passage of each blade. An analytic waveform is determined from the signature data and blade characteristic data is determined from the analytic waveform.

Abstract: A wheelchair footrest is provided having a footrest support member and a socket receptacle connected thereto. A swivel element is adjustably received for rotation within the socket receptacle. A foot plate is connected to the swivel element by a foot plate support member. The position of the swivel element is rotatably adjustable relative to the socket receptacle in yaw, pitch and roll directions. The swivel element has a socket engaging surface forming a portion of a sphere and the socket receptacle has an interior surface sized and shaped to mate with the socket engaging surface. The socket receptacle and the swivel element are fabricated from ferrous metals, and at least the interior surface of the socket receptacle and the socket engaging surface of the swivel element are subjected to a ferritic nitrocarburization surface treatment process.

Abstract: Radiation shielding devices are provided herein. In particular, the devices provided herein can be adapted to shield radiation emitted by one or more radioactive brachytherapy seeds contained within, for example, a vial or a cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to alkylglycoside-containing compositions and methods for increasing the stability, reducing the aggregation and immunogenicity, increasing the biological activity, and reducing or preventing fibrillar formation of a peptide, polypeptide, or variant thereof, for example insulin and Peptide T or analog thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to IL-9 muteins that inhibit the activity of wild-type IL-9, multimers and Fc-fusion constructs of IL-9 proteins, and an efficient method to purify IL-9 proteins produced by eukaryotic cells. Related formulations, dosages and methods of administration thereof for therapeutic purposes are also provided. More particularly, these IL-9 muteins, compositions, and methods provide a treatment option for individuals afflicted with conditions where inhibiting IL-9 mediated immune responses would be beneficial, such as allergy, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), pulmonary and gastro-intestinal mucus hyperplasia, inflammation, immunological disorders, leukemia, and lymphoma.

Abstract: An adjustable lens device includes a fixing seat, an adjusting seat sleeved on the fixing seat, and first and second lens modules mounted to the fixing seat. The fixing seat is formed with a plurality of positioning projections, and a plurality of guide slots that extend parallel to an axis. The adjusting seat is formed with an annular groove for movably receiving the positioning projections, and a plurality of driving slots that extend spirally and that correspond to the guide slots. Guide components on the second lens module pass through the guide slots and the driving slots. By virtue of the guide slots, the driving slots and the guide components, rotation of the adjusting seat relative to the fixing seat can move the second lens module for zoom adjustment.