Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing an optionally N-protected amino acid C-terminal ester or an optionally N-protected peptide C-terminal ester, comprising transesterifying the C-terminal t-alkyl ester of the amino acid or the C-terminal t-alkyl ester of the peptide with an alcohol (other than the t-alcohol corresponding to the t-alkyl group of the ester) in the presence of a hydrolytic enzyme (E.C. 3). The invention further relates to a method for preparing a peptide comprising coupling an activated, N-protected, amino acid C-terminal ester or an optionally N-protected peptide C-terminal ester with an optionally C-terminal protected amino acid or an optionally C-terminal protected peptide via a peptide bond, in the presence of an enzyme catalysing peptidic bond formation.

Abstract: Described herein is an in vitro method for the determination of the formation of endothelins in serious diseases, in particular cardiovascular diseases, inflammations, sepsis and cancer, in whole blood, plasma or serum of a human patient, in which relatively long-lived peptide fragments of the processed primary prepro- or proendothelins are determined which contain neither the actual biologically active endothelin nor its direct precursor big endothelin. In particular, disclosed are antibodies and kits for selectively detecting these fragments.

Abstract: Greenhouse (1) comprising a roof structure (4), at least one row of multiple supporting columns (2a-2f) supporting at least a part of the roof structure (4), and a cultivation gutter (50a-50g) extending within the greenhouse (1) in the direction of the row and supported by successive supporting columns (2a-2f) in the row, wherein the cultivation gutter (50a-50g) has a center line extending in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation gutter (50a-50g) and extending through the successive supporting columns (2a-2f).

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) read sensor with ferromagnetic buffer and seed layers is proposed for high-resolution magnetic recording. The ferromagnetic buffer layer is preferably formed of an amorphous Co—X (where X is Hf, Y, Zr, etc.) film. It provides the CPP read sensor with microstructural discontinuity from a ferromagnetic lower shield, thus facilitating the CPP read sensor to grow freely with preferred crystalline textures, and with ferromagnetic continuity to the ferromagnetic lower shield, thus acting as a portion of the ferromagnetic lower shield.

Abstract: A position measurement system to measure a position of a movable stage includes a reference plate; a plurality of sensors arranged such that, depending on a position of the movable stage relative to the reference plate, at least a subset of the plurality of sensors is configured to cooperate with the reference plate to provide for each of the sensors in the subset respective sensor signals representative of a position of the respective sensor relative to the reference plate; and a processor arranged to determine from the sensor signals a stage position, the processing device configured so as to, when the stage is in a position where an over-determined number of sensor signals is provided by at least the subset of the sensors that are in operational cooperation with the reference plate, (a) determine the stage position from a subset of the over-determined number of sensor signals, and (b) correct a sensor signal of one or more of the sensors from a discrepancy between the determined stage position and a remain

Abstract: A hybrid cucumber designated Macario is disclosed that has moderate resistance to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus, and has resistance to cucumber vein yellowing virus and scab and gummosis. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid cucumber Macario, to the plants of hybrid cucumber Macario, and to methods for producing a cucumber plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the hybrid Macario with itself or another cucumber plant. The invention further relates to methods for producing a cucumber plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other cucumber lines, cultivars, or hybrids derived from the hybrid cucumber Macario.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has a front, an upper portion and a lower portion. The vacuum cleaner comprises an air flow passage extending from a nozzle having a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. A cyclone unit comprises at least one cyclone having a cyclone air inlet positioned in the air flow passage. A suction motor is positioned in the air flow passage. In one aspect, the vacuum cleaner is a hand vacuum cleaner and the nozzle is positioned at a lower portion of the hand vacuum cleaner and preferably below the vacuum cleaner. In another aspect, the vacuum cleaner is a hand vacuum cleaner and the nozzle includes a lower open sided passage. In accordance with another aspect, the vacuum cleaner has an air treatment member that is positioned at least partially above the air inlet.

Abstract: Disc brake comprising an hydraulic actuator for clamping shoes guided by a caliper (14) and an annular seal (10) lodged with axial clearance (J) in a groove (28) of the actuator for ensuring fluid-tightness between the piston (16) and the cylinder of the actuator, characterized in that the groove (28) comprises a rib (40) for the axial locking of the seal (10).

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer has a plurality of patterned thermally-assisted recording (TAR) head structures. Each TAR head structure includes a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). The semiconductor substrate serves as an extended cavity for the VCSEL. Each TAR head structure also includes a conventional read head and write head, and an optical waveguide with a grating coupler and a near-field transducer (NFT).

Abstract: A method of recording a volume holographic image is described in which a holographic recording medium containing a photoreactive dye is exposed to a plurality of coherent light sources emitting at a wavelength to which the dye is sensitive, thereby forming an interference fringe pattern therein. The photoreaction occurring in the areas of constructive interference generates a periodic array of photoreacted areas of the dye and unreacted areas of the dye. This generated interference fringe pattern may contain, but does not have to contain any image or other encoded information. Selected areas of the interference fringe pattern are then exposed to actinic radiation in such a manner to partially or fully bleach, remove, or deactivate the photoreactive dye fringe pattern, thereby producing a holographic pattern, shape, or image formed by areas of the interference fringe pattern that were not bleached, removed, or deactivated.

Abstract: A buckle includes a buckle body, two first retainers, and two second retainers connected respectively and detachably to the first retainers. The buckle body includes an insert groove having two upwardly facing openings, two stop portions, and a resilient pressing arm. The first retainers are inserted into the insert groove via the openings, respectively. Each of the first retainers includes a resilient retaining plate biased to a retaining position to prevent removal of the corresponding first retainer from the buckle body. Each of the resilient retaining plates is removable from the retaining position. When the resilient pressing arm is pressed, each of the resilient retaining plates is removed from the retaining position by the resilient pressing arm.

Abstract: A system is disclosed to isolate an environmental chamber of an immersion lithographic apparatus, to which an immersion fluid comprising liquid, is provided from an external environment. Further, there is disclosed a system for measuring flow rate and/or vapor concentration of a gas using a transducer to send and/or receive an acoustic signal.

Abstract: Methods for fabrication of magnetic write heads, and more specifically to fabrication of magnetic poles and trailing magnetic pole steps. A write pole may first be patterned on a substrate. Then a side gap material may be patterned along sidewall portions of the write pole. Thereafter, a masking layer may be deposited and patterned to expose a portion of the write pole. A trailing magnetic pole step may be formed on the exposed portion of the write pole.

Abstract: The present application discloses systems and methods for the comprehensive monitoring of the microcirculation in order to assess the ultimate efficacy of the cardiovascular system in delivering adequate amounts of oxygen to the organ cells. In some cases, system embodiments may utilize reflectance avoidance by reflectance filtering, such as OPS imaging or Mainstream Dark Field imaging, or by Sidestream Dark Field imaging, which utilizes external direct light on the tip of the light guide to achieve reflectance avoidance whereby incident and reflected light do not travel down the same pathway.

Abstract: A magnetic write head having write pole and a wrap-around-trailing magnetic shield having side portions that are separated from the write pole by tapered non-magnetic side gap layers. The tapered non-magnetic side gap layers provide a non-magnetic side gap width that increases with increasing distance from the ABS, thereby providing optimal protection against adjacent track interference at the ABS while minimizing write field loss to the shield in regions away from the ABS.

Abstract: A method of halftoning an image wherein a source file that represents the image in the form of a first pixel array, in which at least one input color value that is given by a first number of bits is assigned to each pixel, is electronically processed to compute an output file in the form of a second pixel array in which at least one output color value that is given by a second number of bits, said second number being smaller than the first number, is assigned to each pixel of the second pixel array, wherein the processing is performed in a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).

Abstract: Some embodiments include a system for interfacing with an electric vehicle charging station and method of using and providing the same as disclosed herein. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A wireless mobile communication device may be configured to automatically cause event information indicative of events related to the wireless mobile communication device to be entered into a diary in association with date information indicative of when each event took place. The events may include changes in location; communications such as phone calls, text messages, instant messages, and emails; the capturing of images; and/or calendared events. The location at which each communication, capture of images, and/or calendared event has taken place may also be automatically entered into the diary, along with the event information.

Abstract: There is set forth herein an imaging terminal operative for decoding of bar codes. In one embodiment the terminal can include a color imaging assembly having a color image sensor array. The terminal can be operative for capture of a color frame of image data. Responsively to the capture of the color frame of image data the terminal can convert the color image data to monochrome image data while maintaining the color image data. The terminal can utilize the monochrome image data to search for a color bar code finder pattern. The terminal can be operative so that if the color bar code pattern is found utilizing the monochrome image data the terminal can utilize the color image data for attempting to decode a color bar code.

Abstract: A safety device 1 includes a telescopic tubular body 2 with an axial space which is bounded by an outer casing 3 and through which an extending part 4 is axially movable. The outer casing 3 and the extending part 4 are adjustable relative to each other between a relatively compact starting position and at least one extended position. At least one blocking body 7 is provided in the space between the outer casing 3 and the extending part 4 which blocks a movement of the extending part 4 into the outer casing 3, while the at least one blocking body 7 allows a reverse movement of the extending part out of the outer casing.