Abstract: Inhibitors of MIF are provided which have utility in the treatment of a variety of disorders, including the treatment of pathological conditions associated with MIF activity. The inhibitors of MIF have the following structures: including stereoisomers, prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein n, R1, R2, R3, R4, X, Y and Z are as defined herein. Compositions containing an inhibitor of MIF in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also provided, as well as methods for use of the same.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to assignment of fingering for performance of a musical piece. In one example, a processor of an electronic system receives a file having data relating to at least one musical piece. The processor parses the file and assigns keys to occurrences of notes within the musical piece. In certain embodiments, the key-to-note assignments are based on predetermined factors, such as common patterns of learned fingering and a user typing proficiency level, and/or predetermined assignment rules, such as physical or spatial limitations with respect to the user's fingers and the keys of the keyboard. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention allow for different keys to be assigned to different occurrences of the same note or allow for a single key to be assigned to multiple notes, such as a chord, or to different notes occurring at different points in the musical piece.

Abstract: A system for loading pallets onto an assembly line wherein the system has at least one arm capable of lifting a stack of pallets and then depositing the bottom-most pallet of the stack of pallets onto an assembly line surface for subsequent delivery to the assembly line.

Abstract: A continuously variable planetary gear set is described having a generally tubular idler, a plurality of balls distributed radially about the idler, each ball having a tiltable axis about which it rotates, a rotatable input disc positioned adjacent to the balls and in contact with each of the balls, a rotatable output disc positioned adjacent to the balls opposite the input disc and in contact with each of the balls such that each of the balls makes three-point contact with the input disc, the output disc and the idler, and a rotatable cage adapted to maintain the axial and radial position of each of the balls, wherein the axes of the balls are oriented by the axial position of the idler.

Abstract: The present invention discloses nucleic acid sequences which encode infectious hepatitis C viruses and the use of these sequences, and polypeptides encoded by all or part of these sequences, in the development of vaccines and diagnostics for HCV and in the development of screening assays for the identification of antiviral agents for HCV.

Abstract: A real-time monitoring system that monitors various aspects of the operation of a refrigerant-cycle system is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a processor that measures power provided to the refrigerant-cycle system and that gathers data from one or more sensors and uses the sensor data to calculate a figure of merit related to the efficiency of the system. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of the following sensors: a suction line temperature sensor, a suction line pressure sensor, a suction line flow sensor, a hot gas line temperature sensor, a hot gas line pressure sensor, a hot gas line flow sensor, a liquid line temperature sensor, a liquid line pressure sensor, a liquid line flow sensor. In one embodiment, the sensors include one or more of an evaporator air temperature input sensor, an evaporator air temperature output sensor, an evaporator air flow sensor, an evaporator air humidity sensor, and a differential pressure sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.

Abstract: A continuously variable planetary gear set is described having a generally tubular idler, a plurality of balls distributed radially about the idler, each ball having a tiltable axis about which it rotates, a rotatable input disc positioned adjacent to the balls and in contact with each of the balls, a rotatable output disc positioned adjacent to the balls opposite the input disc and in contact with each of the balls such that each of the balls makes three-point contact with the input disc, the output disc and the idler, and a rotatable cage adapted to maintain the axial and radial position of each of the balls, wherein the axes of the balls are oriented by the axial position of the idler.

Abstract: A multi-channel optical switching system particularly usable as a programmable optical add/drop multiplexer in a multi-wavelength communication system. The switching system uses a grating operating at Littrow that separates a multi-channel optical signal into a plurality of optical channels, and combines a plurality of optical channels into a multi-channel optical signal. The system also uses a plurality of optical ports optically coupled to the grating and a selecting device to select which optical channel is directed to which of the optical ports.

Abstract: The low voltage electricity distribution circuit of the present invention is an electrical outlet that includes a receptacle mounted to a recess including either a plurality of wires or a bus bar system. The receptacle has at least one continuously live power socket and at least one switched power socket disposed on it. Each of the power sockets is capable of receiving an appliance plug. The receptacle is movable along the recess to a different location to allow for appliances, for example lamps or computers, to be located at many different points along the wall. In other forms of the distribution circuit a stand-along unit that is fixed in place may be provided.

Abstract: A sealer holding member for a membrane element is disposed at an end of a spiral-type membrane element on an outer circumference thereof, and allows a feed to flow into a membrane end of the membrane element. The sealer holding member includes a first annular portion, an annular projection, a second annular portion, and a third annular portion arranged in this order. The first annular portion is engaged with an outer-covering member for the membrane element and receives an end of the membrane element without contacting a side of the membrane element. The second annular portion receives a sealer on an outside thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optical disc assembly capable of receiving an insert upon which an analyte of interest may be disposed. The optical disc assembly can be read by an optical disc reader, such as by a standard CD or DVD reader, and the analyte disposed on the insert can be detected by the optical disc reader. The optical disc assembly may have one or more data layer in which operational information or assay information is encoded. Hologram may be used to encode operational information or assay information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improving the resolution of an electronic imaging device having an array of pixels. Sub-pixel dimension movements between an object and the array of pixels are made, and an image is formed at each position. Resulting shifted images are combined to yield an effective resolution corresponding to an array having smaller pixels. Such methods and apparatus allow optical systems with existing pixel devices to form effective images of smaller feature sizes.

Abstract: Methods of reducing the floating body effect in vertical transistors are disclosed. The floating body effect occurs when an active region in a pillar is cut off from the substrate by a depletion region and the accompanying electrostatic potential created. In a preferred embodiment, a word line is recessed into the substrate to tie the upper active region to the substrate. The resulting memory cells are preferably used in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive memory comprising magneto-resistive memory cells is disclosed, comprising two pinned magnetic layers on one side of a free magnetic layer. The pinned magnetic layers are formed with anti-parallel magnetization orientations such that a net magnetic moment of the two layers is substantially zero. The influence of pinned magnetic layers on free magnetic layer magnetization orientations is substantially eliminated, allowing for increased predictability in switching behavior and increased write selectivity of memory cells.

Abstract: The present inventors conducted a similarity search of the amino acid sequence of known G protein-coupled receptor proteins in GenBank, and obtained a novel human GPCR gene “BG37”. cDNA containing the ORF of the gene was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Moreover, novel GPCR “BG37” genes from mouse and rat were isolated. Use of the novel GPCR of the present invention enables screening of ligands, compounds inhibiting the binding to a ligand, and candidate compounds of pharmaceuticals which can regulate signal transduction from the “BG37” receptor.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an interference display unit is provided. A first plate and a sacrificial layer are formed in order on a substrate and at least two openings are formed in the first plate and the sacrificial layer. A photoresist layer is spin-coated on the sacrificial layer and fills the openings. A photolithographic process patterns the photoresist layer to define a support with an arm. A second plate is formed on the sacrificial layer and posts. The arm's stress is released through a thermal process. The position of the arm is shifted and the distance between the first plate and the second plate is therefore defined. Finally, The sacrificial layer is removed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the power control system outer loop of a mobile communications systems in a cellular infrastructure that allows fulfilling a given Quality of Service (QoS) with the minimum power level necessary. This outer loop is in charge of setting the desired signal to interference target ratio SIRtgt that fulfils the required quality of service in a radioelectric environment characterised by stochastic models. The proposed method is based on the application of the Newton-Raphson iteration method on numerical approximations of the various outage probability (QoS) probability density functions in various propagation environments, so that having established this probability and dynamically estimated the second order moments characteristic of each statistic considered, the margin over the SIR median is obtained and thereby the SIRtgt corresponding to the aforementioned outage probability.

Abstract: A garment adapted for wear by persons desiring to maintain their arms in a fixed position along their upper body. The garment includes an upper portion, such as a shirt, adapted for wear on the upper body, and at least one hand portion, such as a glove. The shirt is preferably made of a loop material and the glove includes a region of hook material. Utilizing the loop and hook materials, the glove can be releasably attached to the shirt to maintain the user's hand in a fixed position along the user's upper body. The garment is primarily intended for maintaining one or both of the user's arms close against the body to facilitate relaxation while in cramped or tight positions, such as in an airplane seat. However, the garment may also be used in a wide variety of applications wherein it is desired to support one or both of the user's arms in a releasably fixed position.