Abstract: A recommender system and method is provided, including receiving a request to recommend a course of action related to a plurality of current students in accordance with a plurality of constraints and accessing a computer database storing student data that corresponds to the plurality of current students. The student data includes attribute data corresponding to respective students of the plurality of current students for describing at least one attribute related to the respective students. The method further includes clustering in a computer process the plurality of current students into a selected number of clusters based at least on sameness of attribute data corresponding to the respective current students of the plurality of current students and the plurality of constraints, and outputting the results of the clustering to a user.

Abstract: System (15) for managing related-patient parameters provided by at least one monitoring device (11 a, 11 b), the system comprising means for connecting said system to the monitoring device (11 a; 11 b); means for capturing, through the connection with the monitoring device, at least one patient-related parameter selected from a set of patient-related parameters provided by the monitoring device (11 a; 11 b); means for adapting the captured patient-related parameter to a predetermined parameter format; and means for managing the adapted patient-related parameter. The provision of adapting means allows managing data provided by any type of monitoring device.

Abstract: The method comprising: a) obtaining a gene sequence codifying a naturally occurring aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase; b) engineering the gene codifying for said aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, resulting into an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase with a defective activity, with the proviso that the engineering does not affect the functionality of the catalytic site of the enzyme; c) cloning the gene resulting from step (b) in an expression vector; d) transforming isolated mammalian cells with the expression vector resulting from step (c); e) growing the recombinant cells resulting from step (d) in a nutrient medium under conditions which allow the expression of the engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, resulting the expression into cell death or a decrease in the rate of cell division; f) providing a substance to be tested to the medium resulting from step (e); and g) analyzing the resulting cell growth, wherein if there is an increase in cell growth, then the substance selectively inhibits the activity of the engineered aminoacyl

Abstract: A screening method for identifying new drugs A screening method for identifying a candidate to drug wherein said method 5 comprises the following steps: a) obtaining an expression vector which comprises a gene sequence codifying a naturally occurring pathogenic non-discriminating tRNA synthetase; b) transforming isolated mammalian cells with the expression vector; c) growing the recombinant cells resulting from (b) in a nutrient medium under conditions which allow the expression of the 10 pathogenic tRNA synthetase, resulting the expression of the pathogenic tRNA synthetase into cell death or a decrease in the rate of cell division; d) providing a substance to be tested; and e) analyzing the resulting cell growth, wherein if there is an increase in cell growth, then the substance selectively inhibits the activity of the pathogenic tRNA synthetase and does 15 not affect to its cellular ortholog, resulting that said substance is a candidate to drug.

Abstract: Surgical instrument for endoscopic surgery that permits the simulation of the articulation movements of a surgeon finger, comprising a rigid tube (3) whose distal end has a first phalanx (4) articulated, being in turn articulated to a second phalanx (5), which is linked to the rigid tube (3) by means of cables housed in cross ducts (12), situated in the interior of the first phalanx (4), linking the movement of the second phalanx (5) to that of the first phalanx (4), whose articulation takes place due to the actuation of the transmission rod (11), the rigid tube (3) being attachable to a handle (1) that incorporates a controller (2) for the actuating of the instrument articulation movement by the surgeon, which operates a fork (14), which in turns actuates the transmission rod (11).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of pharmacy, especially the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The invention specifically relates to a family of chemical compounds for which a neuroprotective activity has been demonstrated. Given that certain members of said family are novel compounds which have never been described, the invention relates to said novel products, the synthesis method thereof and certain novel intermediate synthesis products. The present invention further relates to compositions comprising the compounds of said family, and the use of said compounds as medicaments, especially for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract: A method for processing digital data X of an item of software coded on lx bits, for detecting faults in an electronic circuit comprising at least one bus, a processing unit, a memory for running the software, and a hardware architecture. The digital data X is transformed into digital data Z coded on lx+ly bits, the additional ly bits being the result of an integrity function f applied to the data X. The digital data Z is processed by the set of hardware resources of the circuit, these hardware resources working on words of lx+ly bits. The integrity of data Z is verified during the processing step.

Abstract: A process for treating a structure to prepare it for electronics or optoelectronics applications. The structure includes a bulk substrate, an oxide layer, and a semiconductor layer, and the process includes providing a masking to define on the semiconductor layer a desired pattern, and applying a thermal treatment for removing a controlled thickness of oxide in the regions of the oxide layer corresponding to the desired pattern to assist in preparing the structure.

Abstract: A novel method of forming a released metal spring structure is described. In the method, a release layer including a blowing agent is deposited, usually printed, over portions of a substrate. A metal film is deposited over both the release layer and the substrate. The release layer is then heated such that the blowing agent decomposes releasing a portion of the metal film. The metal film curls out of the plane of the substrate to form a spring structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor (8) for use with an automatic door comprising at least two detectors (10, 12) based on different technologies, a processor (14) for processing the signals generated by at least two detectors (10, 12) in that it simultaneously uses the signals in order to combine the signals and to accurately detect the situation in a surveillance area (20, 22) sensed by the sensor (8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermally sensitive array device for detecting a presence of a target object in a surveillance area. The device comprises a plurality of at least two thermally sensitive sensors provided in an array arrangement, each thermally sensitive sensor being associated with one of a corresponding plurality of at least two surveillance spots comprised in the surveillance area. Each thermally sensitive sensor comprises a sensitive element adapted to absorb a portion of thermal infrared radiation emitted from one of said plurality of targets located inside the surveillance cone corresponding to the thermally sensitve sensor. Thermally sensitive sensor can be thermopiles, Bolometers or any other type. Electronic circuits in each thermally sensitive sensor are adapted to measure a signal generated in the thermally sensitive sensor as a consequence of the temperatures of the target.

Abstract: A location-limited channel is implemented using physical exchanges of physical tokens. The physical tokens are implemented using writeable or re-writeable storage media. Location-limited channels, when used to implement pre-authentication protocols, provide demonstrative identification and authenticity. A group originator loads pre-authentication information and a network location from a communication device onto the location-limited physical token channel. The location-limited physical token channel is passed to another participant, who copies the originator's pre-authentication information and location onto that participant's communication device. That participant then adds that participant's own pre-authentication information and network location onto the location-limited physical token channel. This is repeated until the last participant passes the location-limited physical token channel back to the group originator.

Abstract: A recreational ramp suitable for use with wheeled vehicles, including a support structure and a molded concrete layer mounted on the support structure. The layer includes a sloping region that extends from a ground level to an above-ground level. Also, a process for the fabrication of a molded concrete layer for such a recreational ramp. The process includes preparing a mold from complementary parts, closing the parts onto one another, thus defining an interior space representative of a concrete layer, pouring concrete mixture into the mold; allowing the concrete to settle and separating the complementary parts of the mold to expose the molded concrete layer. Embodiments of the invention offer the advantages of conventional concrete, i.e., a smooth, quiet and durable surface for riding, while the ramp as a whole remains lightweight and less bulky as compared with conventional concrete ramps. A particularly advantageous embodiment uses self-leveling concrete.

Abstract: A device for processing samples of blood products contained in tubes (18) closed by bungs (20) and loaded into cassettes (12), includes transfer component (10) designed to individually move the cassettes (12) on a pre-determined path, agitation component (30) having at least one pick-up mechanism (32) capable of being actuated by driving component (88) to pick up at least one selected tube (18) from a cassette (12) immobilised on the path, to move said tube away from the cassette, to agitate the tube and replace it in the cassette, and sampling component (34) designed to draw off a given sample quantity from the pre-agitated tube which has been replaced in the cassette.

Abstract: Multilayer structure, used especially as a material of high relative permittivity, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of separate layers, each having a thickness of less than 500 Å. Some of those layers are based on aluminium, hafnium and oxygen and especially based on hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and on alumina (Al2O3). In practice, the hafnium dioxide and alumina layers form alloys of formula HfxAlyOz. Advantageously, the stoichiometry of the HfxAlyOz varies from one layer to another. Some of the layers containing HfxAlyOz alloys, or some of the layers between those containing HfxAlyOz alloys, also include a lanthanide element.

Abstract: An electronic component produced from a substrate and incorporating a capacitive structure formed on top of the final visible metallization level produced in the substrate, said capacitive structure having two electrodes, wherein one of the electrodes comprises an array of superposed fins that are offset from one another with respect to a central trunk, the other electrode comprising two arrays of fins, the fins of each of the latter arrays being interleaved with the fins of the first electrode and being joined together by a common wall, the two common walls themselves being joined together above the first electrode.

Abstract: Multilayer structure, used especially as a material of high relative permittivity, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of superposed elementary layers, each with a thickness of less than about 500 Å, among which there are two layers based on an alloy of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5), these layers being separated by an interlayer of an alloy based on at least hafnium dioxide (HfO2) an alumina (Al2O3).

Abstract: Multilayer structure, used especially as a material of high relative permittivity, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of separate layers, each having a thickness of less than 500 Å, and based on hafnium dioxide (HfO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and alumina (Al2O3). In practice, the hafnium dioxide, zirconium dioxide and alumina layers form alloys of formula HfxZrAlyOz. Advantageously, the stoichiometry of the HfxZrAlyOz alloys varies from one layer to another.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for fabricating electronic components, incorporating an inductive microcomponent placed on top of a substrate.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical component (1) providing filtering functions, produced on a semiconductor-based substrate (10) and comprising two input terminals (7, 8) and two output terminals (26, 27), which also comprises: