Abstract: A device 10 for generating an output flow of articles A, starting from a flow of incoming articles (such as single use absorbent pad products A) having a given advancing velocity vin, includes a screw conveyor 14 to receive longitudinally the flow of incoming articles A. The conveyor in question comprises at least one screw 142 the helix of which is susceptible to interact with the advancing of articles A to determine their conveying by the screw 142 itself. The rotational velocity of the screw 142 is adjustable for varying the conveying velocity of the articles A with respect to the initial advancing velocity. In particular, it is possible to act so that the conveying velocity (vapp) of the articles A by the screw 142 is a sub-multiple of the initial advancing velocity (vin) so that the output flow of articles A includes groups of stacked articles. Each group includes a number of articles A equal to the ratio between the initial advancing velocity (vin) and the conveying velocity (vapp) of the screw 142.

Abstract: The invention provides a block splitter assembly comprising first lower and second upper opposed splitter blade assemblies. The splitter blade assemblies have a splitting blade and two or more first forming blades. One forming blade is disposed to the right of and one forming blade is disposed to the left of the first splitting blade. The forming blades have forming edges. The splitting blade has a splitting edge that is straight, and the splitting blade has a greater maximum vertical dimension than the maximum vertical dimension of the forming blades. The splitting edge of the first splitting blade is opposed to the splitting edge of the second splitting blade.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing autism in a subject is performed by determining the presence and concentration of specific peptides in the body fluid. The peptides have the amino acid sequences SKITHRIHWESASLL (SEQ ID NO: 1), SSKITHRIHWESASLL (SEQ ID NO: 2), and SSKITHRIHWESASLLR (SEQ ID NO: 3) with the molecular masses 1779 +/?1 Da, 1865 +/?1 Da and 2022 +/?1 Da, respectively.