Abstract: An apparatus for cutting up biological sample material, including a sample container, a rotary drive device separate from the sample container, and a shaft rotatably arranged in the sample container, wherein the shaft has a laterally projecting cutting device in the region of a working end and has a coupling piece in the region of a coupling end, said coupling piece being accessible from outside and being designed for coupling engagement with a coupling counterpart of the rotary drive device, wherein the shaft (14) is arranged with lateral guidance and in an axially displaceable manner in the sample container (10), the coupling piece (19) and the coupling counterpart (21) are designed for producing coupling engagement which is positive-locking in the direction of rotation (23) and permits an axial displacement, and the cutting device (16) is designed in a propeller shape in such a way that, during rotation of the shaft (14) in the working direction, it exerts a propulsive force on the latter in the direction

Abstract: The invention describes a passive-matrix powered display with structured pixels and a structured second electrode based on electroluminescent polymers with the following characteristics: functional polymer coatings, which contact a first electrode, are enclosed by windows of an insulating window coating, at least one additional insulating striped coating, which is located between the windows of the first insulating coating, is located across from the first electrode strips as a partition, a second electrode that contacts the functional coatings is structured through partitions and runs across toward the first electrode strips between the partitions.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus for motor vehicles is provided that includes a plurality of chambers having at least one light source each and being formed by one light unit each, and a baffle frame with a plurality of openings each being dedicated to the light units, whereby the lighting apparatus is formed of segments comprising a plurality of light modules, which are mounted to an area of a rear side of the baffle frame, at least one cover pane, which is mounted to a front side of the baffle frame, whereby the rear side of the baffle frame is formed such that it conforms to connect to a front housing rim of the light module.

Abstract: A method of estimating noise in data containing voice information and noise includes receiving the data as a sequence of input values; transforming the data by applying a first non linear mapping to the input values wherein the derivative function of the mapping decreases in magnitude as the input values increase in magnitude smoothing the transformed data; and transforming the smoothed transformed data by applying a second non linear mapping that is opposite to the first non linear mapping, to determine an estimate of the noise in the inputted data.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of treatment of inflammatory airway disease, and in particular to methods of treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The invention is applicable to both allergic (atopic) and non-allergic (intrinsic) asthma. In one form the method comprises the step of administering an effective amount of a compound which has the ability to inhibit one or more functions of the T cell receptor (TCR) to a subject in need of such treatment, which is preferably a peptide whose sequence is derived from an invariant region of (a) the TCR? transmembrane domain; (b) the TCR? transmembrane domain; (c) the TCR? intracellular domain; or (d) the CD3-?, -?, -?, ? or ? chain.

Abstract: For simple and rapid production of a shaped body comprising fused silica and a shaped body which leads to virtually no contamination of a melt in contact with the shaped body even at high temperatures, the invention provides a process comprising the steps: a) provision of fused silica in the form of essentially amorphous SiO2 grains of which not more than 5% have a diameter greater than 15 mm, b) addition of water to the fused silica grains to produce a slip, c) casting of the slip into a mould which comprises a hollow body having the inverse shape of the shaped body to be produced, d) drying of the slip to give an intermediate body, e) sintering of the intermediate body at a sintering temperature at which at least part of the fused silica is transformed from the amorphous modification into a crystalline modification, f) cooling of the sintered shaped body to a temperature below 300° C., so that a microstructure containing crystalline SiO2 is formed, and also a shaped body which comprises at least 99.

Abstract: Errors which may be detected by an error detection unit may occur during execution of a computer program which runs on a computer system and includes at least one run-time object. In order to handle a detected error particularly flexibly and to keep the computer system available as much as possible, an error handling routine is selected from a pre-selectable set of error handling routines as a function of an identifier assigned to the run-time object and the selected error handling routine is executed.

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprising at least one inlet port, at least one flow path coupled to the inlet port, and at least one fluid separation element coupled to the flow path, wherein the fluid separation element comprises a packing material and is adapted for separating different components of a fluid, wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least one retaining device for keeping the packing material of the fluid separation element fixed in place and protecting the microfluidic device from debris polluting the analyte.

Abstract: Supports for high or medium voltage electrical conductors (6, 7) at potentials different from the potential of an enclosure (1) are supported by disc-shaped parts (4, 5) made from thermoplastic polyester, for example terephthalate polyethylene. The discs (4 and 5) provide good insulation without largely disturbing the electrical field around the conductors due to their fairly low dielectric constant. They are also compatible with use under SF6 gas.

Abstract: A mechanical tappet (101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, 901, 1001) is provided, in particular for actuating the lifting of a pump piston (39) of a fuel pump of an internal combustion engine, with a sleeve-shaped tappet housing (102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 902, 1002) constructed as a shaped sheet-metal part and with a driving roller (6) supported so that it can rotate. Here, a bolt (4) supports the driving roller so that it is centered, and end sections (7) of the bolt projecting from the driving roller are supported in bolt eyes (8) of the tappet housing.

Abstract: A wind energy plant with a rotor hub which is connected to at least one pitch bearing, and with at least one rotor blade, the blade root of which is connectable to the pitch bearing via joining means, wherein a stiffening element is provided, which is arranged between the rotor blade root and the pitch bearing and connected to the same via the joining means.

Abstract: A wind energy plant with a rotor hub housing, which is connectable to at least one pitch bearing via joining means, and with at least one rotor blade, the blade root of which is connected to the pitch bearing, wherein a stiffening element is provided, which is fastened between the pitch bearing and the rotor hub housing.

Abstract: An overvoltage protection device for protection of low voltage electrical installations, has a device base part with terminals for phase conductors and ground or neutral conductors and at least one overvoltage protection element, with at least one arrester which is located in a housing. The base part of the device has at least one telecommunications contact which has a switch for remote indication of the state of at least one overvoltage protection element, the base part of the device having plug contacts which are connected to the terminals, and the overvoltage protection element having corresponding connector contacts so that the overvoltage protection element can be plugged onto the base part of the device. The overvoltage protection device is improved by the overvoltage protection element having an optical status display and the optical status display and the switch of the telecommunications contact being actuated via a common mechanical actuating system.

Abstract: Structuring electroluminescent organic semiconductor elements can be achieved by providing such an element with a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic light-emitting layer arranged therebetween. For structuring, areas of the organic layer are selectively destroyed by means of thermal action on the organic layer. The areas destroyed by the thermal action, such as by a laser beam, show no electroluminescence during the operation of the organic semiconductor element. A structuring can thus also be achieved on large-area semiconductor elements in a flexible manner and at low cost.

Abstract: A method comprising determining information for the performance of a channel and sending the determined information to a transmitter is disclosed. The determined information can be sent to the transmitter with acknowledgement data. The determined information can include, for example, data rate and/or transmit power. The acknowledgement data can be sent in an acknowledgement frame, such as a block acknowledgement frame or immediate acknowledgement frame. The determined information can be sent in the payload of the frame. The frame can, for example, be a kink feedback frame associated only with a particular transmitter and receiver. A characteristic of the channel, such as signal and interference to noise ratio, can also be determined.

Abstract: A method and a device for driver support are proposed in which the warning signal produced upon departure from the lane is dependent on the lane used and/or is dependent on the side at which the departure takes place and/or is dependent on the driver's behavior.

Abstract: A method of teaching pronunciation is provided which includes communicating by a voice portal server to a user a model word and detecting a response by the user to the voice portal server. The method also includes comparing the response word to the model word and determining a confidence level based on the comparison of the response word to the model word. The method further includes comparing an acceptance limit to the confidence level and confirming a correct pronunciation of the model word if the confidence level one of equals and exceeds the acceptance limit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for maintaining aseptic conditions in a juice plant in brief productional stoppages. The plant is of the type where juice concentrate is heated to a certain temperature in that steam is supplied to the concentrate. The juice concentrate is kept at this temperature in a holding tube during a certain interval of time. The juice concentrate is thereafter diluted with water to the correct dilution degree. In brief production stoppages, the supply of juice concentrate, steam and water is shut off. The pressure in the plant is maintained in that a stop valve closes and that steam is supplied in a small quantity through a by-pass conduit placed on the steam conduit. The stop valve is placed downstream of the supply of water. The holding tube which is insulated and connected to a heating loop maintains the temperature of the product in the holding tube.

Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, the buried silicon oxide technology is employed in the fabrication of fluid channels, particularly nanochannels. For example, a fluid channel can be made in a buried silicon oxide layer by etching the buried oxide layer with a method that selectively removes silicon oxide but not silicon. Thus, one dimension of the resulting fluid channel is limited by the thickness of the buried oxide layer. It is possible to manufacture a very thin buried oxide layer with great precision, thus a nanochannel can be fabricated in a controlled manner. Moreover, in addition to buried oxide, any pairs of substances with a high etch ratio with respect to each other can be used in the same way. Further provided are the fluid channels, apparatuses, devices and systems comprising the fluid channels, and uses thereof.