Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a medical pressure dressing. The dressing includes a frame for affixing to skin surrounding the skin treatment site and a strap for covering the frame and wound. The frame has a channel extending therethrough providing an orifice over the skin treatment site. The strap includes, or else includes means for attachment to, a plunger that is shaped for being received downwardly through the channel and against the wound when the strap is extended across the frame. The present application further discloses a process for treating a wound that includes a tissue covered by a skin treatment site. The process includes reducing the elasticity of the skin treatment site by affixing a frame having an elasticity less than the elasticity of the skin treatment site around the skin treatment site, and performing an elasticity-sensitive procedure on the wound. Examples of elasticity-sensitive procedures include pushing, cutting, puncturing, rubbing, and such.

Abstract: A seed layer is provided for a pinning layer which increases the pinning field HPIN between a pinning layer and a pinned layer of a spin valve sensor. In an example the seed layer structure included a first seed layer of cobalt iron boron (CoFeB), a second seed layer of nickel manganese oxide (NiMnO) and a third seed layer of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) with the first seed layer interfacing the pinning layer and the second seed layer being located between the first and third seed layers. A pinning field between the pinning and pinned layers was 600 Oe and the magnetoresistive coefficient of the spin valve sensor was 8.8%. The pinned layer can be a single pinned layer or an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer structure. If the pinned layer structure is a single pinned layer the cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) first seed layer provides a second significant function of at least partially counterbalancing the demagnetizing field from the pinned layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a brake lining wear indicator for use with a brake pad/shoe having a friction lining secured to a plate. The indicator includes a flag positionable adjacent a thickness of the lining, and a base and a resilient member for clipping the indicator onto the plate. The base rigidly extends from the flag, generally perpendicular to the flag and is positionable against a side of the plate. The resilient member is for extending to the other side of the plate to clamp the base against the plate and secure the flag adjacent the thickness of the lining. The thickness of the lining can then be compared to the height of the flag to determine the amount of lining wear.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel substituted pyrroles having the formula These compounds and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are suitable for administration to patients as continuous infusion solution and are useful in the treatment and/or control of cell proliferative disorders, in particular cancer. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the foregoing compounds and methods for the treatment and/or control of cancer.

Abstract: The invention recognizes that a probability density function for fitting a model to a complex set of data often has multiple modes, each mode representing a reasonably probable state of the model when compared with the data. Particularly, sequential data such as are collected from detection of moving objects in three dimensional space are placed into data frames. Computation of the probability density function of the model state involves two main stages: (1) state prediction, in which the prior probability distribution is generated from information known prior to the availability of the data, and (2) state update, in which the posterior probability distribution is formed by updating the prior distribution with information obtained from observing the data. In particular this information obtained purely from data observations can also be expressed as a probability density function, known as the likelihood function.

Abstract: A system for electrically detecting different positions of a movable piston within a piston housing of a hydraulic system is provided. The system includes at least two electrically conductive pads mounted on the piston housing at different locations along the path of movement of the piston, an electrically conductive segment mounted on the piston housing along the path of movement of the piston adjacent the conductive pads, and an electrical coupler, such as a spring-loaded conductor, attached for movement with the piston to provide an electrical connection between each conductive pad and the conductive segment as the piston moves along within the piston housing. The system also includes an electronic control unit, which may be a microprocessor, coupled to each conductive pad and the conductive segment to detect electrical connection between each conductive pad and the conductive segment. Each electrical connection corresponds to a specific position of the piston.

Abstract: Disclosed are 4- and 5-alkynyloxindoles as well as 4- and 5-alkenyloxindoles that inhibit or modulate protein kinases, in particular JNK protein kinases. The compounds of the invention and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and prodrugs of said compounds, are useful as anti-inflammatory agents, particularly useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the foregoing compounds, methods for the treatment and/or control of inflammation, particularly in the treatment or control of rheumatoid arthritis using these compounds, as well as intermediates useful in the preparation of compounds of the invention.

Abstract: Since the compounds in accordance with the invention can bind to serotonin receptors (5HT2), they are especially suitable for the treatment or prevention of central nervous disorders such as depressions, bipolar disorders, anxiety states, sleep and sexual disorders, psychoses, schizophrenia, migraine and other conditions associated with cephalic pain or pain of a different kind, personality disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorders, social phobias or panic attacks, mental organic disorders, mental disorders in childhood, aggressivity, age-related memory disorders and behavioral disorders, addiction, obesity, bulimia etc., nervous system damage caused by trauma, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases etc.; cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, thrombosis, stroke etc.; and gastrointestinal disorders such as dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract motility.

Abstract: Novel trienoic retinoid compounds of with apoptotic activity useful for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Abstract: A CVD reactor comprising: a reactor casing with a casing cover, a heated susceptor for one wafer or several wafers, which is disposed in the reactor casing, a fluid inlet unit including a plurality of openings facing said wafer or wafers through which the CVD media, which is moderately heated, enter the reactor, and a fluid outlet disposed on the periphery of the reactor casing, through which the introduced media is discharged; wherein the fluid outlet has roughly the shape of a disk with a plurality of outlet openings for the discharge of CVD media, and is disposed between the susceptor and the reactor cover in such a way that the fluid outlet is heated by the susceptor by radiation and hence adjusts itself to a temperature between the temperature of the susceptor and the reactor cover through which the CVD media enter in a moderately heated state.

Abstract: A new process prepares retiferol derivatives of formula I: wherein A is —C ≡C— or —CH═CH—, and R1 and R2 are independently of each other lower alkyl or lower perfluoroalkyl, one version couples ketones of formula 1I with compounds of formula III A second version couples phosphinoxides of formula IV with aldehydes of formula V. Compounds of formula I are useful in the treatment or prevention of hyperproliferative skin diseases and for reversing the conditions associated with photodamage.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of the general formula wherein R1 signifies hydrogen or hydroxy; R2 signifies hydrogen or methyl; and X signifies —O— or —CH2— and their pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts. It has been shown that these compounds have a good affitity to the NMDA receptor and they are therefore useful in the treatment of diseases, wherein the therapeutic indications include acute forms of neurodegeneration caused, e.g., by stroke or brain trauma; chronic forms of neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis); neurodegeneration associated with bacterial or viral infections, and, diseases such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and chronic/acute pain.

Abstract: A cable stripper tool enabling an operator to quickly change from making a circumferential cut of a cable to a liner cut without repositioning the cable stripper tool on the cable includes a blade positioning assembly, a blade penetration assembly and a cable guide assembly. The blade positioning assembly is adopted to efficiently move the blade linearly for penetrating the insulation at a predetermined distance set by the dial assembly while the tool is clamped to the cable to perform a circumferential cut upon relative rotation of the tool and the cable. The blade further is retracted to be turned by the blade positioning assembly at a 90° angle with a rotary cam action to be further axially propelled to penetrate the cable at the same predetermined distance to perform a linear cut without dismounting the cable.

Abstract: A process produces a water-soluble, naturally folded eukaryotic polypeptide containing two or several cysteines linked by disulfide bridges. This process involves culturing prokaryotic cells, a) in which the prokaryotic cells contain an expression vector which encodes the polypeptide which contains a prokaryotic signal sequence at the N-terminus, b) under conditions under which the polypeptide is secreted into the periplasm or the medium, c) cleaving the signal sequence and isolating the polypeptide from the periplasm or the medium. In this process, the culturing is carried out in the presence of arginine or a compound of the formula I R2—CO—NR1 (I) in which R and R1 represent hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated branched or unbranched C1-C4 alkyl chain and R2 represents hydrogen, NHR1 or a saturated or unsaturated branched or unbranched C1-C3 alkyl chain, is suitable for the recombinant production of polypeptides in prokaryotes in a high yield.

Abstract: Disclosed are 4-aryloxindoles that inhibit or modulate protein kinases, in particular JNK protein kinases. These compounds and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and prodrugs of said compounds, are useful as anti-inflammatory agents, particularly useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the foregoing compounds, as well as methods for the treatment and/or control of inflammation, particularly in the treatment or control of rheumatoid arthritis, using said compounds.

Abstract: A mast ladder for going up the mast of a sailing craft having a mast with a sail slide extending along the length of the mast including a halyard slide, a plurality of connecting rods, a top step and a plurality of universal steps. The mast ladder is raised by engaging the top step with the sail slide and attaching a connecting rod to the lower end of the top step and raising the top step. The top step, each universal step and halyard slide, engage the sail slide keeping the mast ladder against the mast and providing support to each step. As the mast ladder is raised the top step has a connecting rod attached to the lower end of the top step and to the first universal step at its left or right hand position, which are alternated with a connecting rod between each universal step with the halyard slide connected upside down to the last universal step allowing the mast ladder to rest on the halyard slide so that the work on the craft may be completed.

Abstract: A method constructs first and second seed layers of a seed layer structure in-situ for a top spin valve sensor for increasing magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R of the sensor, reducing a ferromagnetic coupling field HFC between pinned and free layers of the sensor and reducing coercivity HC of the free layer. The first layer, which is aluminum oxide (Al2O3), is ion beam sputter deposited on a first shield layer in a sputtering chamber under a specified pressure. The second seed layer, which is nickel oxide based, is deposited on the first seed layer by ion beam sputter deposition without breaking the vacuum of the chamber. The free layer is then directly deposited on the second seed layer followed by formation of the remainder of the layers of the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: New compounds of formula I wherein: R and R1 are independently selected from hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, styryl and (C3-C6)cycloalkyl or, taken together with the carbon to which they are linked, form a (C3-C6)cycloalkyl group; A is selected from the following groups: —CH2C≡CCH2—, or —(CH2)q—NH—(CH2)q—, wherein q is an integer from 2 to 3 B is selected from T is selected from —CH2—C≡CH, —C≡CH, —(CH2)p—R3, —CH═CH—R3, —CH2—NHCO—R3, —(CH2)p—O—R3, —CH(NH2)—CH2R3, in which p is 0 or an integer from 1 to 4, R3 is a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring as medicaments having antitumor and/or antimetastatic activities.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing certain 4-alkyl- or 4-aryl-pyridine derivatives.

Abstract: A mechanical refrigerant thermal expansion valve has a sensing port scaled with a cupped shape closure received therein and sealed about the cup rim. A cover assembly is removeably attached to the valve over the cup with a thermistor extending into the cup which is filled with thermally conductive grease for thermal conductivity between the cup and the thermistor. The cover assembly has an electrical connector provided thereon. The thermistor is preferably mounted on printed circuit board potted in the cover which may include electronic signal logic and power switching circuitry.