Abstract: Provided herein is a human monoclonal antibody 8D6 against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The antibody binds to the E2 subunit of HCV capsid protein, and can prevent HCV from infecting susceptible host cells. By using the antibody variable region gene or the complementary determining region (CDR) gene, different forms of genetic engineering antibodies have been transformed and produced in any expression system of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as therapeutics to prevent or treat HCV infection.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of ameliorating inflammation, inhibiting proinflammatory cytokine and/or chemokine expression and treating various diseases and/or conditions incidental to the onset of inflammation, in a subject in need of treatment for such conditions, by administering select analogues of native hGhrelin.

Abstract: An axially compliant rolling bearing for precision motion stages having a stage, at least one bearing member slidably disposed along a rail, and a compliant joint interconnecting the at least one roller bearing to the stage. The compliant joint is sufficiently compliant to permit movement of the stage in the axial direction while remaining stiff in other directions orthogonal to the axial direction.

Abstract: A microneedle array is provided for administrating a drug or other substance into a biological tissue. The array includes a base substrate; a primary funnel portion extending from one side of the base substrate; and two or more solid microneedles extending from the primary funnel portion, wherein the two or more microneedles comprise the substance of interest. Methods for making an array of microneedles are also provided. The method may include providing a non-porous and gas-permeable mold having a two or more cavities each of which defines a microneedle; filling the cavities with a fluid material which includes a substance of interest and a liquid vehicle; drying the fluid material to remove at least a portion of the liquid vehicle and form a plurality of microneedles that include the substance of interest, wherein the filling is conducted with a pressure differential applied between opposed surfaces of the mold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating a transient impairment of the motility of the gastrointestinal system resulting from postoperative ileus in a patient wherein said method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptidyl analog of ghrelin to said patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for migrating the execution of a task from a first host system to a second host system by copying a snapshot of data required for starting the execution of a task from memory of the first host system to memory of a coupling facility, monitoring the execution of the task on the first host system, and, upon detecting failure of the execution of the task on the first host system, initiating execution of the task on the second host system by copying the snapshot of data from the memory of the coupling facility to the memory of the second host system.

Abstract: A method in a controlled node and a corresponding controlled node. The method comprises: receiving, from a control node, a computed result of logical topology for each slice on a physical topology composed by controlled nodes under control of the control node, and splitting information and constraints for each slice (S301); splitting a physical port into the at least one logical port for a slice based on the received splitting information (S303); associating the at least one logical port for the slice with a slice container (S305); applying the constraints for the slice on the at least one logical port (S307); generating a routing table for the slice based on the received computed result and the constraints (S309); and computing at least one tunnel according to the routing table for the slice based on the slice requirements of the slice (S311).

Abstract: A display panel and a display apparatus are provided. The display panel includes: a first edge and a second edge configured along a first direction and facing opposite to each other; a third edge and a fourth edge configured along a second direction and facing opposite to each other; a display area; and a non-display area surrounding the display area and including a binding area disposed adjacent to the first edge. The binding area includes a first sub-area adjacent to the third edge and a second sub-area adjacent to the fourth edge. Each of the first and second sub-areas includes a plurality of binding soldering pads arranged along the second direction. Each of the plurality of binding soldering pads includes a first section, a second section, and a third section.

Abstract: A continuum arm robot section, in which the section comprises at least three segments, featuring a base, at least one middle segment and a tip segment. Each segment corresponding to at least one interconnecting portion between pairs of neighbouring discs that form a backbone of the section of the continuum arm robot. The base segment having a greater stiffness than the at least one middle segment and tip segment and the at least one middle segment having a greater stiffness than the tip segment. Also provided is a method of adjusting the stiffness of a continuum arm. The method comprising the steps applying a first stiffening component to a segment. Applying a second stiffening component to a different segment. The first stiffening means results in the base segment having a greater stiffness than the middle segment, and the second stiffening means results in the middle segment having lower stiffness than the base segment, but higher than the tip segment.

Abstract: A hand-mounted inspection system, configured to be mounted on a user's hand, comprising: an imaging unit, configured to provide images from at least one point of view located on the user's hand; and a measuring unit, configured to provide data relating to a physical property measured at a measurement location on the user's hand. The measuring unit includes a sensor configured to provide a measurement between two measurement locations, each of the two measurement locations being located on a digit of the user's hand, a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand.

Abstract: A hyper redundant robot comprising: a first disk; a second disk positioned adjacent to the first disk, the first disk and the second disk having a longitudinal axis; a first joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the first disk and/or the second disk being in sliding contact with the first joint arrangement to enable the first disk and the second disk to rotate relative to one another; and a second joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the second joint arrangement being less stiff than the first joint arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds according to formula, (R2R3)-A1-c(A2-A3-A4-A5-A6-A7-A8-A9)-A10-R1, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof that act as ligands for one or more of the melanocortin receptors, to methods of using such compounds to treat mammals and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds.

Abstract: A hyper redundant robot comprising: a first disk; a second disk positioned adjacent to the first disk, the first disk and the second disk having a longitudinal axis; a first joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the first disk and/or the second disk being in sliding contact with the first joint arrangement to enable the first disk and the second disk to rotate relative to one another; and a second joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the second joint arrangement being less stiff than the first joint arrangement.

Abstract: Disclosed are peptide and peptidomimetic compounds generally according to formula (I) that are useful as GHRP analogs: R1-A1-A2-A3-A4-A5-R2??(I) wherein: A1 is Aib, Apc or Inp; A2 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A3 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A4 is 2Fua, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Pff, Phe, Pim, Taz, 2Thi, 3Thi, Thr(Bzl); A5 is Apc, Dab, Dap, Lys, Orn, or deleted; R1 is hydrogen, (C1-6)alkyl, (C5-14)aryl, (C1-6)alkyl(C5-14)aryl, (C3-8)cycloakyl, or (C2-10)acyl; and R2 is OH or NH2; and pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: A LED lamp for use in a lamp housing of a vehicle comprises a bulb body and a base. The bulb body comprises one or more light-emitting diodes. The base comprises a mounting portion and a heatsink portion. The mounting portion comprises a collar configured to attachably accept one end of the bulb body, and one or more mounting tabs configured to engage with the lamp housing to secure the LED lamp in place within the lamp housing. The mounting portion is integrally formed with the heatsink portion, and the bulb body is configured to be rotatable within the collar about a longitudinal axis of the LED lamp.

Abstract: Provided herein is a human monoclonal antibody 8D6 against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The antibody binds to the E2 subunit of HCV capsid protein, and can prevent HCV from infecting susceptible host cells. By using the antibody variable region gene or the complementary determining region (CDR) gene, different forms of genetic engineering antibodies have been transformed and produced in any expression system of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as therapeutics to prevent or treat HCV infection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating a transient impairment of the motility of the gastrointestinal system resulting from postoperative ileus in a patient wherein said method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptidyl analog of ghrelin to said patient.

Abstract: A broken conductor detection method and apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a measurement module to measure, at a node of a distribution system, a voltage value of each distribution feeder of the distribution system; a check module to check whether the measured voltage value of each distribution feeder is less than a voltage threshold used for the distribution feeder, the voltage threshold used for the distribution feeder being calculated based on a mean value of measured voltage values of other distribution feeders in the distribution system; a generating module to, upon a checking result indicating that a measured voltage value of a distribution feeder of the distribution system is less than the voltage threshold used for the distribution feeder, generate a signal indicating that the distribution feeder of the distribution system has a broken conductor; and a sending module to send the generated signal.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods relating to generating a unified determination based on subdetermination, and in particular, generating a unified score based on respective scores. For example, the invention provides a method for generating a unified determination based on subdeterminations, the method including generating a first subdetermination based on first criteria; generating a second subdetermination based on second criteria; and generating a unified determination based on the first subdetermination and the second subdetermination.

Abstract: A vibration-assisted positioning stage comprising a stage, a roller bearing, an compliant joint interconnecting the roller bearing to the stage such that the compliant joint is sufficiently compliant in a direction of movement to permit reliable alignment of the stage and further permit dithering, and a dithering force actuator applying a dithering force directly to the roller bearing to permit the dithering of the stage. The dithering forces can be applied out of phase to minimize vibration of the stage. Furthermore, the controller of the stage can be employed to suppress any remnant vibrations of the stage due to dithering. A supervisory control system can intelligently adapt the parameters of the dithering signal to optimize the performance of the stage as friction changes.