Abstract: The application discloses PERLECAN as a new biomarker for renal dysfunction; methods for predicting, diagnosing, prognosticating and/or monitoring said dysfunction based on measuring said biomarker; and kits and devices for measuring said biomarker and/or performing said methods.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one compounds useful as Neurokinin-3 (NK3) receptor antagonists, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: This invention relates to a power factor correction circuit of an electronic ballast. The electronic ballast includes a rectification circuit, a first capacitive element and an inverter. The power factor correction circuit comprises a unidirectional element, an inductive element and a second capacitive element. The unidirectional element is connected in series with the inductive element, and the second capacitive element is connected in parallel with the unidirectional element and the inductive element. A junction of the unidirectional element and the second capacitive element is coupled to a first output terminal of the rectification circuit, a junction of the inductive element and the second capacitive element is coupled to an input terminal of the inverter, and the first capacitive element is coupled between a second output terminal of the rectification circuit and a junction of the unidirectional element and the inductive element.

Abstract: The invention provides a ligament or tendon prosthesis made from two or more of cables braided into a helical structure, where each cable is made from two or more strands. The strands may be made from an alloy exhibiting pseudoelastic properties at body temperature, and may be twisted into a helical structure in the cables.

Abstract: A method for customizing operation of a digitizer system operated with an electronic device is described, the electronic device including software applications. The method includes operating the digitizer system in a first mode of operation, the first mode of operation defined by a plurality of operating parameters, receiving instructions for adjusting one or more operating parameters of the digitizer system, wherein the instructions are defined by a software application, the software application operative to receive input from the digitizer system, and updating operation of the digitizer system responsive to the instructions defined by the software applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a door handle for a domestic appliance. The door handle includes a handle bar (10) and a fastening part (12). The fastening part (12) is a single-piece part and comprises at least two contact elements (14) and a bracket portion (16). The bracket portion (16) connects the contact elements (14). The contact elements (14) comprise one free side opposite to the bracket portion (16) in each case. The free sides of the contact elements (14) are attached or attachable at a door of the domestic appliance. The bracket portion (16) comprises at least one outer side opposite to the contact elements (14). The handle bar (10) is formed as a profile part with one open longitudinal side. At least one inner side of the profile part of the handle bar (10) is at least partially complementary to the at least one outer side of the bracket portion (16). Further, present invention relates to a domestic appliance with such a door handle.

Abstract: A method includes reconstructing projection data corresponding to a scanned object of interest using an iterative reconstruction algorithm in which a number of reconstruction iterations for the iterative reconstruction algorithm is set based on a size of the scanned object of interest. A system (114) includes a reconstruction algorithm bank (210) including at least one iterative reconstruction algorithm (210), a number of reconstruction iteration determiners (208) that determines a number of reconstruction iterations for reconstructing an image of a scanned object of interest based on the at least one iterative reconstruction algorithm for a size of the scanned object of interest, and a reconstructor (112) that reconstructs projection data to generate the image using at least one iterative reconstruction algorithm based on the determined number of reconstruction iterations.

Abstract: There is provided a high brightness lighting device (10) comprising a laser (1) for providing high brightness coherent light and a light scattering element (2) arranged for receiving light from the laser. The light scattering element comprises luminescent material adapted for converting part of the provided light into a different wavelength. The light scattering element is further arranged to transmit and scatter part of the provided light without conversion. Thereby, upon receiving the coherent light, light being outputted from the light scattering element has a dual lighting effect, due to the outputted light comprising high brightness incoherent light originating from converted light providing a sparkle lighting effect, and coherent light providing a speckle lighting effect. Further, a corresponding lamp (30, 40) comprising such a lighting device is provided.

Abstract: A defibrillation circuit comprising a gas discharge tube and a light source arranged to pre-energize the gas discharge tube in order to provide predictable breakdown conditions of the gas discharge tube. The gas discharge tube may be used as an overvoltage protection device for the defibrillation circuit or for certain parts of the defibrillation circuit. An overvoltage protection device for medical devices is also described. The overvoltage protection device comprises a gas discharge tube and a light source arranged to pre-energize the gas discharge tube in order to provide predictable breakdown conditions of the gas discharge tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting apparatus comprising a laser (102) for emitting a first laser beam (103) and a diffractive reflective element (104). The first laser beam (103) is reflected by the diffractive reflective element (104) for generating a second laser beam (105) being the reflected first laser beam, wherein the diffractive reflective element (104) is adapted such that the effective surface area of the second laser beam (105) is larger than the effective surface area of the first laser beam (103). The second laser beam is supposed to be pointed directly or indirectly to the eyes of a person. Since the diffractive reflective element increases the effective surface area and is used in a reflective mode, i.e. the first laser beam will generally not directly meet the eye of the person, if the diffractive reflective element is damaged or displaced, the risk of eye damages can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of transferring data from at least a first communication module and a second communication module to, respectively, a first data processing centre and a second data processing centre via a circuit switched telecommunications network. A first and second connection request containing respective first and second pre-provisioned telephone numbers from the first and second communication modules are received in the network. The first and second telephone numbers are processed such that the network refrains from authenticating the first and second communication modules. Subsequently first and a second circuit switched data connections are established with the first and second communication modules for receiving data. The data can be routed from the first communication module to the first data processing centre and from the second communication module to the second data processing centre in accordance with the first and second telephone numbers, respectively.

Abstract: An iron (1), comprising: a water reservoir (10), configured to hold liquid water; a heatable soleplate (20), including at least one mist outlet opening (22); water atomization means (30), configured to atomize water from the water reservoir so as to generate a mist of water droplets at a mist generation site (32) mist distribution means (40), configured to distribute the mist from the mist generation site (32) to the at least one mist outlet opening (22), comprising: a distribution channel (42), extending from an air inlet (46), along the mist generation site (32), to the at least one mist outlet opening (22); and an air flow generator (44), disposed in or adjacent said distribution channel and configured to generate an airflow that transports the water droplets, from the mist generation site (32), through the distribution channel (42), to the at least one mist outlet opening (22).

Abstract: A method of biostimulating phototherapy is provided. The method comprises illuminating a subject's body portion (1) with light having a first wavelength in the range of 600-900 nm (17). The method further comprises the step of at least one of reducing and preventing hyperthermia of the body portion by illuminating the body portion with light having a second wavelength which is at least one of in the range of 400-600 nm and in the range of 900-2500 nm (19). Further, a phototherapy device (21) is provided which comprises a first light source (25) and a second light source (26). The first light source is configured to emit light (17) having a first wavelength which is in the range of 600-900 nm. The second light source is configured to emit light (19) having a second wavelength which is at least one of in the range of 400-600 nm and in the range of 900-2500 nm. At least a portion of the device is a patch which is formed for conforming to at least part of the body portion (1).

Abstract: An audio source localization apparatus receives signals from a microphrine array (101), and a reference processor (105) generates at least three reference beams with different directional properties. An estimation processor (107) which generates simultaneous direction estimates for two sound sources, comprises a circuit (401) combining signals of the at least three reference beams with a beam shape parameter reflecting a shape of an audio beamform and a beam direction parameter reflecting a direction of an audio beamform for the combined signal. A cost processor (403) generates a cost measure indicative of an energy of the combined signal and a minimization processor (405) estimates values of the beam shape parameter and the beam direction parameter which correspond to a local minimum of the cost measure. A direction processor (407) then determines simultaneous direction estimates for two sound sources from the determined parameter values.

Abstract: The invention relates to an organic electroluminescent device (1), which is easily connectable to a socket in a cost-effective and reliable way. The organic electroluminescent device (1) comprising an electroluminescent layer stack (3, 4, 5) on top of a substrate (2) and a cover lid (6) encapsulating the electroluminescent layer stack (3, 4, 5), wherein the cover lid (6) comprises a least one electrical feedthrough (61) to electrically contact the electroluminescent layer stack (3, 4, 5) and at least one fastening element (62), where the at least one fastening element (62) is arranged to fasten the organic electroluminescent device (1) to a housing (8) such that forces to a backside of the cover lid (6b) during fastening of the housing (8) are minimized.

Abstract: First and second components of the present invention, in combination, provide a customer interface for initiating a trade transaction and provides for the secure viewing of the status of the transaction. A third component assists in the automatic generation and verification of the voluminous and detailed documents required to support a trade transaction. The third component additionally tracks and assists in the management of the seller's manufacturing and shipment of the goods that form the basis of the trade transaction. A fourth component automatically generates a Letter of Credit from a Purchase Order and performs a reconciliation function on payments made pursuant to Letters of Credit or open Accounts.

Abstract: A method and system for removing an object support from imaging data such as CT imaging data are provided. The automatic or semi-automatic removal process comprises identifying and locating the top edge of the object support in sagittal imaging plane data, and then removing the object support from transverse or volumetric imaging data.

Abstract: A subject interface appliance (10) configured to deliver a breathable substance to a subject. The subject interface appliance includes a primary interface (12) configured to deliver a breathable substance to the subject, and a secondary interface (14) configured to obtain gas samples from the airway of the subject. The secondary interface is resiliently held at a default position with respect to the primary interface. The default position is located such that installation of the primary and secondary interfaces on the subject results in the application of a bias force to the secondary interface that holds the secondary interface in place.

Abstract: Steam irons with a steam valve that is controlled by an intuitively operated, usually pivotable handle may not provide consistent steam ironing behavior due to the fact that the force exerted on the handle by the user may change over time. To overcome or mitigate the problem, the present invention provides a steam iron (1), comprising a by-pass (9) around the handle-operated valve (7). The by-pass allows a relatively small but continuous water stream to be transported from a water reservoir (6) to steam outlet openings (12) in the soleplate (11) of the iron. Consequently, subject to an ample supply of water, the steam iron provides a minimum of steam ironing comfort throughout a steam ironing session.

Abstract: A time delay integration (TDI) sensor (22) comprises a sequence of cells (42, 44, 42, 44) numbered 1 to N. The TDI sensor is configured for transferring a charge from the cell numbered 1 via the cells numbered 2 to N?1 to the cell numbered N. Each cell (42; 44) in the sequence of cells is either sensitive or insensitive in the sense that when the TDI sensor (22) is evenly illuminated by light (46) having a first spectrum, the intensity of the light (46) incident on any of the insensitive cells (44) is at most 90% of the intensity of the light (46) incident on any of the sensitive cells (42). The sequence of cells (42, 44, 42, 44) comprises, in this order: a first sensitive cell (42), at least one insensitive cell (44), and a second sensitive cell (42). An imaging system comprising a TDI sensor and a method of imaging an object are also disclosed.