Abstract: A skip pan for handling materials comprising a base of the skip pan for containing the materials. A portion of a contour thereof has walls and a remainder of the contour is a wall-less edge. A bridge holds the base and comprises, at the top, a connecting portion for connecting to an arm of a material handler. The connecting portion is rotatable along a vertical axis thereof to provide a spinning movement to the skip pan. The connecting portion is tiltable by the arm of the material handler. An actuator provides an adaptable inclination of the base of the skip pan with respect to the bridge to keep the base balanced when the connecting portion is tilted to avoid contents to slide by the wall-less edge during movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the identification and characterization of polypeptides with ligand activity for the G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) 192. The invention encompasses the use of the ligands in combination with the receptor for the development of assays/kits for the identification of molecules that affect the ability of the ligand to interact with the receptor. In addition, the invention relates to molecules affecting the expression of the ligands (e.g., antisense DNA, ribozymes, antibodies) that may modulate the activity of the receptor. The invention also encompasses the use of the ligands and their derivatives, molecules affecting ligand expression, and compounds that modulate receptor activity for the treatment of disorders involving GPCR 192, such as those of the central nervous system, metabolic disorders (e.g., pancreatic disorders), gastrointestinal disorders, immune disorders, and cancer.

Abstract: A hand-held barcode reader apparatus has a hand-held body with an elongated hole for receiving a barcode reader. A ski-member is mounted to the hand-held body to allow the apparatus to slide smoothly over a media aligned along a base member. The base member has upper and lower members and a flappable member with a runway being defined in the upper and flappable members. A flat surface of the runway stably holds the hand-held body in position thus allowing an accurate read of a media held between the flappable member and lower member the base member.