Abstract: The present invention provides for means and method for the detection and/or the quantification of anti-progranulin-autoantibodies in a biological sample of a subject. The present invention also provides for means and method for the detection and/or the quantification of hyper-phosphorylated progranulin in a biological sample of a subject. The present invention further provides for means and methods for the detection of an aberrant conversion pathway of progranulin into granulines in a biological sample of a subject. In fact, the presence of anti-progranulin-autoantibodies and/or hyper-phosphorylated progranulin and/or an aberrant conversion pathway may be indicative that the subject may be suffering from an autoimmune disorder.

Abstract: The invention relates, at least in part, to the identification of paratarg as a paraprotein target in various malignant and non-malignant gammopathies, which can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of either.

Abstract: The invention relates, at least in part, to the identification of paratarg as a paraprotein target in various malignant and non-malignant gammopathies, which can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of either.

Abstract: An apparatus for confining commodities in containers each of which consists of several components. The commodities are advanced along an elongated path past a series of stations where the components of the containers are draped around successive commodities. At least some of the components are provided with characteristic indicia, and a control circuit processes the indicia into information which is encoded upon the finished containers. Such information is decoded, when necessary, to ascertain the genuineness or lack of genuineness of the commodities, for example, the identity of the maker and packer of cigarettes in cigarette packs.

Abstract: An apparatus for confining commodities in containers each of which consists of several components. The commodities are advanced along an elongated path past a series of stations where the components of the containers are draped around successive commodities. At least some of the components are provided with characteristic indicia, and a control circuit processes the indicia into information which is encoded upon the finished containers. Such information is decoded, when necessary, to ascertain the genuineness or lack of genuineness of the commodities, for example, the identity of the maker and packer of cigarettes in cigarette packs.

Abstract: A calender wherein the bearings for the end portions of the uppermost roll carry pressure transducers in the form of inflatable plenum chambers or hydraulic cylinder and piston units operable to bear against the lower end faces of vertical feed screws which are axially movably mounted in the support to move the bearings through distances of up to 800 mm. The pressure transducers can shift the bearings for the uppermost roll through distances of up to 25 mm, and they are movable transversely of the respective feed screws or vice versa to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, wear and/or unequal stresses. The lowermost roll is normally held at a predetermined level by a pair of fluid-operated motors which urge the respective bearings against the undersides of stops provided therefor on the support.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for electronically retouching color images reproductions in which the color signals are generated by means of scanning image point by image point and by trichromatic master scanning and then the signals are digitized and the digital color values of the individual color components are stored in a storage medium and the stored color values are then changed by identifying the coordinates of the image points to be changed in the color image and simultaneously determining the coordinate identification and the locally dependent correction values for the digital color values of the color components and then changing the digital color values by applying correction values at the correction locations so as to obtain the retouched color values.

Abstract: A fresh web of cigarette paper or the like is spliced to the running web by a uniting band, which is adhesive at both sides, after the fresh web is accelerated to the speed of the running web. The uniting band is placed between the running web and the leader of the fresh web, and the running web is shifted sideways to adhere to the adjacent side of the uniting band as well as to move the other side of the uniting band against the fresh web as soon as the speed of the fresh web rises to that of the running web. The running web is severed behind the moving uniting band, and the fresh web is severed ahead of the moving uniting band. Severing of the fresh web is preceded by relaxation of tensional stress upon the leader of the fresh web in response to displacement of a guide roller which engages the fresh web between a stationary knife for the fresh web and a pair of motor-driven advancing rolls which pull the leader of the fresh web in the course of and subsequent to completed acceleration of the fresh web.

Abstract: Method for the digital run-length coding with redundance reduction for the transmission of binary-coded picture information, whereby short code words are assigned to run lengths which occur often, and long code words are assigned to rare run lengths and whereby, from a given run length on, a prefix word for the differentiation of code words of the shorter run-lengths is assigned to the run-lengths, as well as a code word following the prefix word and stating the respective run-lengths as a binary number. Black and white run-lengths which are transmitted by a code word are associated with different code words, depending on how often they occur. The given run-length, from which the coding is to be done with the help of a prefix word, is different for black and white run-lengths.