Abstract: The present invention concerns long-half derivative of the obesity protein OB. The invention specifically concerns OB protein-immunoglobulin chimeras and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-OB derivatives, which have extended half-life as compared to the corresponding native OB proteins. The invention further relates to methods for appetite and/or weight reducion and for treating other physiological conditions by using the long half-life derivatives of OB.

Abstract: A vehicle roll control system comprises a torsion bar and a first arm extending-substantially perpendicular to the torsion bar. The first arm is fixed to the torsion bar at one end and connectable to one of the axles at the other end. A hydraulic actuator is attached to the torsion bar; and a control connected to the hydraulic actuator controls the operation thereof on detection of a predetermined vehicle condition. The hydraulic actuator comprises a housing, a piston making a sealing sliding fit inside the housing to define a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, and a piston rod connected to the piston and extending through the second fluid chamber and out of the housing.

Abstract: The invention concerns a hydrokinetic coupling apparatus comprising a turbine wheel capable of being interlocked with a driven shaft and housed in an impulse starter wheel with which it can co-operate for hydrokinetic transmission of a torque to said driven shaft, from an input shaft capable of being interlocked with said impulse starter wheel, the turbine wheel and/or the impulse starter wheel being constituted in the form of a wheel (1) including an external doughnut-shaped part (3) fixed on a hub (2) and blades (4) integral with said external doughnut-shaped part (3) and optionally with an internal doughnut-shaped part (8). Said blade wheel (1) is at least partially moulded in one or several parts in synthetic material, in particular a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material or a synthetic material alloy, said materials being reinforced with resistant fibres.

Abstract: The invention concerns a plate clutch device (5) for locking or unlocking an elastic coupling between said turbine wheel (1) and a radial wall (2a) of said case, via a set of helical shock absorber springs (22) with circumferential action held in place in the arc-shaped housings (24) integral with the turbine wheel (1) and opening in axial direction towards the radial wall (2a). The housings (24) are directly arranged in the thickened peripheral part (25) of the turbine wheel (1) made of mouldable material which for example can be overmoulded on a central metal disc (23) for connection with the driven shaft, the opposite radial ends (26) of the housings (24) acting as supports for the corresponding ends of the springs (22).

Abstract: A blade wheel (10) for a motor vehicle hydrokinetic transmission apparatus having globally a half-torus shape, and comprising axially and successively arranged, a continuous front shell (12) globally shaped like a half-torus with large external diameter, and a continuous rear shell (16), coaxial with the front shell (12), globally shaped like a half-torus with a small external diameter, between which is arranged as assembly of blades (14) whereof the blades (26) extend radially, circumferentially and axially between a concave wall (20) of the front shell (12) and an opposite convex wall (40) of the rear shell (16), the assembly of blades (14), and the front shell (12) are separately made, then assembled to constitute a blade wheel (10), the blade wheel (10) blades (26) being mutually connected at least partly, for example with rings (28, 30), and produced by molding.