Abstract: A seamed, conformable belt including a substrate having first and second opposing substantially planar surfaces, a first end, and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end of the substrate form a first seam, and an elastomeric layer having a first end and a second end, wherein the elastomeric layer is adjacent and in contact with the first surface of the substrate and wherein the first end and the second end of the elastomeric layer form a second detachable, substantially planar seam.

Abstract: When an engine restart request is given in an engine stopping period which begins at a point of fuel supply interruption and ends at a point of complete engine stop, an engine starting system judges whether TDC engine speed detected immediately before is equal to or lower than a specific value “A”, the counted number of reverse running motions of the engine is 0, and a piston in an expansion stroke cylinder is relatively close to TDC. If the judgment result is in the affirmative with all these conditions satisfied, the engine starting system injects fuel into the expansion stroke cylinder and then ignites and combusts a mixture produced therein. The engine starting system also injects the fuel into a compression stroke cylinder and then ignites and combusts a mixture produced therein when a piston in the compression stroke cylinder has gone beyond TDC.

Abstract: A target system provides a unified target solution where a plurality of targets are fixed to a base member. This base member allows, for example, easy portability of the plurality of targets as well as provides a mechanism for allowing multiple targets systems to be interconnected and interchanged.

Abstract: Providing a semiconductor fabricating apparatus using a laser crystallization technique for enhancing the processing efficiency for substrate and for increasing the mobility of a semiconductor film. The semiconductor fabricating apparatus of multi-chamber system includes a film formation equipment for forming a semiconductor film, and a laser irradiation equipment. The laser irradiation equipment includes first means for controlling a laser irradiation position relative to an irradiation object, second means (laser oscillator) for emitting laser light, third means (optical system) for processing or converging the laser light, and fourth means for controlling the oscillation of the second means and for controlling the first means in a manner that a beam spot of the laser light processed by the third means may cover a place determined based on data on a mask configuration (pattern information).

Abstract: A process comprising reacting an aliphatic carboxylic ester compound with acetonitrile in the presence of a metal alkoxide to yield a metal salt of a ?-ketonitrile compound, subsequently transferring the salt to an aqueous medium, and neutralizing the solution to obtain the ?-ketonitrile compound in a free state, wherein a water-immisible organic solvent and water are added to the reaction mixture containing the ?-ketonitrile compound metal salt yielded to transfer the metal salt to the water, the resultant aqueous solution of the ?-ketonitrile compound metal salt is separated from the organic solvent by phase separation or another technique and then neutralized, and the resultant free ?-ketonitrile compound is taken out by extraction with an organic solvent.

Abstract: A rotary piston pump comprising a rotor mounted within a housing, the rotor having a pair of slidably mounted vanes on opposite surfaces. The inner wall of the housing acts as a cam surface to move the vanes inwardly, and centrifugal force or a combination of centrifugal force and biasing causes the vanes to move outwardly. The rotor is eccentrically mounted within the housing and the housing interior walls are of irregular configuration, whereby fluid from an inlet is moved by the vanes through the housing to an outlet. This rotary piston pump is of economic construction, serves a variety of applications and is easy to service.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are: epitopic regions of Pneumococcal Surface Protein C or “PspC”, different clades of PspC, isolated and/or purified nucleic acid molecules such as DNA encoding a fragment or portion of PspC such as an epitopic region of PspC or at least one epitope of PspC, uses for such nucleic acid molecules, e.g., to detect the presence of PspC or of S. pneumoniae by detecting a nucleic acid molecule therefor in a sample such as by amplification and/or a polymerase chain reaction, vectors or plasmids which contain and/or express such nucleic acid molecles, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rare-earth sintered magnet exhibiting desirable magnetic properties in which the amount of Nd and/or Pr forming a non-magnetic phase in a grain boundary phase is reduced. Specifically, the present invention provides a rare-earth sintered magnet having a composition of (R1x+R2y)T100-x-y-zQz where R1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of all rare-earth elements excluding La (lanthanum), Y (yttrium) and Sc (scandium); R2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Y and Sc; T is at least one element selected from the group consisting of all transition elements; Q is at least one element selected from the group consisting of B and C, and including, as a main phase, a crystal grain of an Nd2Fe14B crystalline structure, wherein: molar fractions x, y and z satisfy 8?x?18 at %, 0.1?y?3.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of a compound capable of preferential interaction with plasma membrane lipid microdomains (PMLMs) as enhancers of transport processes across endothelial, epithelial and mesothelial membranes (ie including blood-brain-blood barrier and gastrointestinal mucosal membranes). When associated with therapeutic agents, the compounds act as transport vehicles. When the compounds interact with PMLMs in such a way as to inhibit transport across the membrane, the compounds function as anti-infective agents.

Abstract: A modified polypeptide corresponding to an envelope glycoprotein of a primate lentivirus is described. The polypeptide has been modified from the wild-type structure so that it has cysteine amino acid residues introduced to create disulfide bonds, a cavity is filled with hydrophobic amino acids, a Proresidue is introduced at a defined turn structure of the protein, or the hydrophobicity is increased across the interface between different domains, while retaining the overall 3-dimensional structure of a discontinuous conserved epitope of the wild-type protein. Preferably, the polypeptide has more than one of those characteristics. Preferably, the primate lentivirus is HIV, and the protein is HIV-1 gp120.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions and methods for reconstructing artificial female reproductive organs. The constructs and methods of the invention can be used for ameliorating congenital malformations and disorders of female reproductive tract using tissue engineered female reproductive organs, such as the uterus, vagina, cervix, and fallopian tubes. These tissue engineered female reproductive organs can be generated by perfusing cultured cell populations derived from cells of the female reproductive tissues, such as uterine, vaginal, cervical, fallopian tube epithelial cells as well as smooth muscle cells.

Abstract: A support device for providing enhanced support to users. In one embodiment, the support device includes a first bladder and a second bladder. Valves may be attached to the bladders to allow inflation and/or deflation of the bladders. In yet another embodiment, the support device is further provided with a pump attached to the bleed valve. In one embodiment, the support device is provided with bladders having a kidney bean shape and the support device has a butterfly shape. In another embodiment, the support device may be implemented with four wing portions configured to define four recesses, each of the recesses being positioned between two adjacent wing portions so that the support device has a shape of a butterfly. In this regard, the support device may include an air bladder, or be made of foam.

Abstract: In a reflecting mirror, a hydrogen storing metal or a hydrogen storing alloy is used in an electrically conductive reflecting film. When a predetermined voltage is applied from an electrically conductive reflecting film side to a transparent electrode, hydrogen stored at the electrically conductive reflecting film is released and becomes hydrogen ions, and the hydrogen ions move toward the transparent electrode. When the hydrogen ions reach a reduction coloring film between the transparent electrode and the electrically conductive reflecting film, the hydrogen ions bond with an oxide of tungsten which forms the reduction coloring film, and the reduction coloring film is thereby colored. In accordance with this structure, it is possible to do away with an oxidation coloring film.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the manufacture of a float (30) comprising the following steps: providing a mould (10) having a first enclosure (12) opening into a second enclosure (14) of greater dimensions than the first enclosure (12), and an inlet (16) into the first enclosure (12), the first and second enclosures (12, 14) together defining the shape of the float (30); injecting a mixture comprising plastics material and blowing agent into the inlet (16), such that the mixture passes through the first enclosure (12) and then into the second enclosure (14); and causing or allowing the mixture to set, thereby forming the float (30). The float (30), the mould (10) and a fluid storage chamber (60) including the float (30) are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for identifying compounds which disrupt the functional interaction of an intracellular receptor region of an ?-subunit of a voltage-gated ion channel and an amino-terminal inactivation region of an ion channel protein are disclosed. Compounds that disrupt the functional or binding interaction of these two regions have significant modulatory effects on ion channel activity, and thus are likely to be useful for treating and/or preventing a wide variety of diseases and pathological conditions associated with ion channel dysfunction. Such conditions include, for example, neurological disorders, cardiac diseases, metabolic diseases, tumor-driven diseases, and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: Visual displays of the geometry and/or topography of a portion of the eye is obtained from data generated during a number of angularly spaced scans taken across a meridional coronal section or of a marginal sector of the anterior surface of the eye, the data being processed for display, to thereby permit the optimization of the surgical placement and the configuration of lenses.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for identifying compounds which disrupt the functional interaction of an intracellular receptor region of an ?-subunit of a voltage-gated ion channel and an amino-terminal inactivation region of an ion channel protein are disclosed. Compounds that disrupt the functional or binding interaction of these two regions have significant modulatory effects on ion channel activity, and thus are likely to be useful for treating and/or preventing a wide variety of diseases and pathological conditions associated with ion channel dysfunction. Such conditions include, for example, neurological disorders, cardiac diseases, metabolic diseases, tumor-driven diseases, and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: In a server of a public key system a list of fingerprints of public keys is stored and provided. Furthermore, a fingerprint of the fingerprint list is calculated for providing the calculated fingerprint of the list of fingerprints. A client terminal of the public key system receives a list of fingerprints of public keys and a first fingerprint thereof from a first source. The client terminal further receives a second fingerprint of the list of fingerprints from a second source and compares the first and the second received fingerprint.

Abstract: System, method and computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing AV signals with open or closed captioning information. The system includes a speech-to-text processing system coupled to a signal separation processor and a signal combination processor for providing automated captioning for video broadcasts contained in AV signals. The method includes separating an audio signal from an AV signal, converting the audio signal to text data, encoding the original AV signal with the converted text data to produce a captioned AV signal and recording and displaying the captioned AV signal. The system may be mobile and portable and may be used in a classroom environment for producing recorded captioned lectures and used for broadcasting live, captioned lectures. Further, the system may automatically translate spoken words in a first language into words in a second language and include the translated words in the captioning information.

Abstract: A seat device of a vehicle including a substantially flat floor surface substantially extending across a full cabin space of the vehicle, front row seats, center row seats and a rear row seat disposed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, a seat storage pan extending rearward the rear row seat and downward a level of the floor surface, the front row seats being disposed with a space, the center row seats including a plurality of seats in which at least one of the seats is movable in a lateral direction of the vehicle. When the rear row seat is received in the seat storage pan, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface is formed rearward the center row seats to a rear end of the cabin space with a substantially full width of the cabin space.