Abstract: A valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery cell (2,40) has positive and negative plates (10,11,41,42) separated by separator media (12,43) and held together under pressure. The separator is adapted to support therein an electrolyte. Each plate has a first single or plurality of tabs (12,13,46) on a first side and a second single or plurality of tabs (15,16,47) on a second side of the plate, each tab being connected to a busbar (17,18,49,50) to form positive and negative busbars on each of the first and second sides of the plate. The cell may be alternatively configured in a spirally-wound arrangement or in a prismatic arrangement of flat plates. The cell may be constructed of a plurality of such positive and negative plates. A VLRA battery (1, 40) may be constructed of one or a plurality of such VLRA cells, in which case the busbars of neighboring cells are connected by welded joints. The busbars are serviced by at least plural pairs of positive and negative terminals (24,25,33,34,52,53,54,55).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nasogastric formulation comprising an amino acid source, a carbohydrate source, a lipid source, and a fatty acid delivery agent wherein the fatty acid has a bond hydrolysable in the colon to deliver free fatty acids such as short chain fatty acid acetate without having an adverse affect on the capacity to pass through a tube for tube feeding.

Abstract: A cutting tool for cutting hard rock, the cutting tool including one or more cutting elements each including a pointed or chisel-shaped body including a diamond composite material including diamond crystals bonded together by a silicon carbide matrix, the each cutting element being mounted into a supporting matrix including a metal matrix composite material, such that the point or chisel edge of the each element protrudes from the matrix.

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for recovering chlorine from a chlorinator waste. The process involves treating the chlorinator waste with oxygen in a fluidised bed under conditions which promote the conversion of metal chlorides to metal oxides and discourage the oxidation of carbon contained in the waste. Suitable conditions include a bed temperature in a range from 400 to 700° C., a superficial velocity in a range from 0.2 to 1 metre/second and stoichiometric ratio, R, in a range from 0.2 to 1.2.

Abstract: A closed cycle thermodynamic apparatus (10) is provided for powering a combustion machine. The apparatus (10) has a compressor (12) for compressing a working medium from a reservoir (14) at temperature T1. The temperature of the working medium increases during compression and reaches temperature T2 when leaving the compressor (12). It is then expanded in an expander (16) for turning the machine. In this manner mechanical work is extracted from the working medium. The apparatus (10) has a first heat exchanger (18) and a second heat exchanger (20) connected to the compressor (12) and the expander (16) in a closed cycle. It also has a burner (22) and a third heat exchanger (24). Air, as a Heat transfer medium, at ambient temperature T5 is induced into the second exchanger (20) to cool the working medium by receiving heat therefrom. The temperature of the working medium decreases from T4 to T1 before entering the compressor (12) for repeating the cycle.

Abstract: Third stage juvenile (J3) entomopathogenic nematodes are prepared for storage by being induced into a state of cryptobiosis. The induction of cryptobiosis is effected by mixing an aqueous cream of the J3 nematodes with anhydrous, small particles (average maximum dimension less than 300 &mgr;m) of non-fibrous cellulose. The proportions of the aqueous cream and non-fibrous cellulose particles are such that, after equilibration, the mixture has a water activity in the range 0.80 to 0.995. Preferably an anti-fungal agent is included in the aqueous cream. To store the cryptobiotic J3 nematodes, the mixture is preferably kept in a container, fitted with an attachment which maintains the water activity in the container at a required value. The attachment includes a rigid tube that connects the interior of the container with a chamber that is vented to ambient atmosphere by small apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously pressure decatising a fabric include a rotatable drum (12) around which an endless belt (15) is arranged to travel for conveying a fabric (19) (and optionally a moisture laden textile (20)) between the facing surfaces of the belt (15) and the drum (12). The drum (12) is heated and fabric (19) is pressed between the belt and the drum as it is conveyed through the apparatus. The fabric (19) is subjected to pressurized saturated steam, which may be generated by evaporation of the moisture in textile (20) when it contacts the heated drum, as it is pressed. Various options other than use of a moisture laden textile (20) for supplying the steam are disclosed. The invention involves enclosing the drum in a pressure vessel (14) within which a compressed air atmosphere at ambient temperature is maintained.

Abstract: This invention relates to a diboron derivative of formula (I) or a diboron derivative of formula (II) or a diboron derivative of formula (III) where R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl, a group of the formula —(R5Q)mR6 where Q is selected from O, S, NR7, optionally substituted arylene and optionally substituted cycloalkylene, m is an integer selected from 1 to 3, the or and each R5 is independently an optionally substituted C1-C3 alkylene, R6 is C1-C3 alkyl or hydrogen, and R7 is hydrogen or C1-C12 alkyl; each X is independently selected from O, S(O)n and NR7, where n is an integer from 0 to 3, R7 is hydrogen or C1-C12 alkyl, or one or more of —NR1R7, —NR2R7, —NR3R7 and —NR4R7 represent an optionally substituted 5 or 6 membered heterocyclyl group,and A, A1 and A2 are divalent gr

Abstract: Apparatus for recovering meat from the head of a slaughtered animal. A jaw support clamps and supports the head by clamping the jaw. Cheek pullers having clamps engage with and hold the cheeks of the animal head in the vicinity of the mouth. A drive arrangement has a lateral drive for moving the cheek pullers outwardly away from each other and has a posterior drive for moving the cheek pullers in the posterior direction so as to pull tissues from both the jaw and the skull. A jaw separation means comprises a snout ring to be fitted to the snout of the skull and a drive moves the snout ring so as to move the skull relative to the jaw with an at least partially arcuate path of movement so as to continue to open the mouth wider as or after the cheek meat is removed from the animal head.

Abstract: Probiotic composition comprising one or more probiotic microorganisms, a carrier which will function to transport the one or more probiotic microorganisms to the large bowel or other regions of the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, the carrier comprising a modified or unmodified resistant starch or mixtures thereof, which carrier acts as a growth or maintenance medium for microorganisms in the large bowel or other regions of the gastrointestinal tract, and an oligosaccharide. Method of increasing the number of probiotic or resident microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal comprising providing to the animal the probiotic composition.

Abstract: A process for floating fine particles containing metal values of an iron-bearing sulphide mineral ore including the steps of conditioning the aqueous pulp of ore at a pH of between about 7 and about 10 with a reducing agent which is preferably oxy-sulphur compound which dissociates to form oxy-sulphur ions having the general formula: SnOyz− where n is greater than 1; y is greater than 2; and z is the valance of the ion. A suitable collector is then added to the conditioned aqueous pulp to further condition the pulp and the pulp potential of the pulp raised to a sufficient level for the collector to adsorb onto the sulphide mineral ore. Gas is then bubbled through the aqueous pulp to subject the pulp to froth flotation. The froth from the flotation process is recovered to produce a concentrate of fine sulphide mineral and other metal values.

Abstract: Oxygen scavenging materials particularly for use in the food industry, are disclosed. The oxygen scavenging materials comprise at least one compound oxidizable by molecular oxygen, wherein the at least one compound is contained within an oxygen impermeable compartment(s) or microcapsule(s) which may, as required, be broken or otherwise rendered oxygen permeable by application of heat, electromagnetic radiation, mechanical pressure or stress, or by hydration.

Abstract: This invention concerns a multi-port switching circuit which may operate at frequencies up to and even beyond 100 GHz. The invention may be implemented as a GaAs based monolithic microwave integrated circuit. The circuit comprises at least three ports arranged in a star configuration around a central ring. A single switching device is associated with each port. Each switching device is connected to two transmission lines to provide impedance matching and an interconnecting path around the ring. The transmission lines are initially chosen to have a length of a quarter wavelength at the center of the band of operation of the switch. The matching lines and the lines which form the interconnecting ring are then subject to an optimization procedures in which each pair of the switching devices is in turn modeled in their ON state which the remainder of the switching devices is modeled in their OFF state. The optimization procedure aims to achieve low transmission and insertion loss, while provide good isolation.

Abstract: A diffractive device has a surface relief structure which when illuminated by a light source, generates one or more diffraction effects which are observable from a range of viewing angles around the device. At least part of the surface relief structure is arranged in a series of tracks, each track being less than 0.25 mm in width. The device, which may be embossed onto a metallised foil, is suitable for use as an anti-forgery authentication element on valuable documents.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer including first and second proof masses and a device for providing simultaneous free flight of the proof masses under the influence of the gravitional force in which the gradient is to be measured and a capacitance device for monitoring the movement of the centers of mass with respect to each other during free flight by monitoring capacitance between portions of the two proof masses.

Abstract: An object detection system including passive sensors for receiving electromagnetic radiation from a moving object and generating intensity signals representative of the received radiation, and a processing system for subtracting the intensity signals to obtain a differential signature representative of the position of the moving object. An image acquisition system including at least one camera for acquiring an image of at least part of a moving object, in response to a trigger signal, and an analysis system for processing the image to locate a region in the image including markings identifying the object and processing the region to extract the markings for optical recognition.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens suited for extended-wear for periods of at least one day on the eye without a clinically significant amount of corneal swelling and without substantial wearer discomfort. The lens has a balance of oxygen permeability and ion or water permeability, with the ion or water permeability being sufficient to provide good on-eye movement, such that a good tear exchange occurs between the lens and the eye. A preferred lens is a copolymerization product of a oxyperm macromer and an ionoperm monomer. The invention encompasses extended wear contact lenses, which include a core having oxygen transmission and ion transmission pathways extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an E3 esterase from an organophosphate resistant strain of L. cuprina. The invention further provides DNA sequences encoding such E3 esterases and cells transformed with the DNA sequences. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the enzyme and transformed cells as bioremediation agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the silencing of specific genes by DNA methylation. The method involves introducing into a cell a single stranded oligonucleotide containing 5-methyl deoxycytosine. The single stranded oligonucleotide has a sequence complementary to a portion of the DNA sequence of the gene to be silenced.

Abstract: Corneal onlays for use in surgical implantation into or onto the cornea of a mammal are described. The corneal onlays according to the invention have an optical axis region with optical characteristics which provide visual acuity therethrough and are comprised of a non-biodegradable non-hydrogel ocularly biocompatible material, characterized in that the onlay has a porosity sufficient to allow passage therethrough of tissue fluid components having a molecular fluid weight greater than 10,000 daltons so as to provide for a flux of tissue fluid between cells anterior of the implanted onlay and cells posterior thereof. The porosity of the optical axis region is such that it allows the flux of tissue fluid components whilst excluding ingrowth of ocular tissue. The onlay is further characterized by being adapted for epithelial recolonization.