Abstract: A fluid cushioned platform adapted to float on a body of liquid. The platform includes a deck having upper and lower surfaces and a lower peripheral member extending around the outer perimeter of the deck. A pump having a pump outlet is supported by the deck. A fill pipe has a first end connected to the pump outlet and a second end in communication with the lower surface of the deck. The pump is adapted to pump a fluid through the fill pipe to a blow tank formed beneath the deck between the surface of the liquid and the deck within the area circumscribed by the lower peripheral member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a GFCI that not only has ground fault protection, but also is capable of providing reverse wiring protection as well as detection of end of the service life of the GFCI by way of utilizing an end of life detection control circuit in connection with the reset button. In addition, the GFCI of the present invention provides a forcible mechanical tripping assembly by way of utilizing the test button. Finally, the present invention provides method for detecting whether the service life of the GFCI has ended.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a watertight connection for the purpose of joining electrical or optical circuits including, in a preferred embodiment, a male connector with a cylindrical plug characterized by having a first groove and a first raised seal disposed about the plug's outer side surface and a female connector with a cylindrical receptacle characterized by a second groove and a second raised seal disposed about receptacle's inner side surface, such that the seal of the plug is received in the groove of the receptacle, and groove of the plug receives the seal of the receptacle, thereby operatively coupling the contacts in a redundantly sealed environment. The first and second grooves are disposed distal to the raised seals (with respect the cable end of the connectors) so that when the connector pair is mated, the grooves pass each other without interference and the seals simultaneously engage the grooves.

Abstract: A redundant battery power supply with combined battery charge indication which incorporates a main cell, conductively coupled to the supply bus which powers the load when activated, and a predictive cell, coupled to the bus by an optional diode which becomes forward biased when the main cell voltage drops below the predictive cell voltage. If the main cell becomes discharged, the predictive cell powers the bus. Each cell is coupled to a voltage comparator which compares the cell output voltage to a common reference voltage. When a cell voltage drops below the reference voltage, the corresponding comparator output goes low. The output of the two comparators are combined by a logical AND gate which controls a flashing light. When both the main cell and predictive cell have voltages greater than the reference voltage, the light flashes, but when either cell (or both) has a voltage less than the reference voltage, the light does not flash.

Abstract: A decorative fountain has a reservoir with a receiving space for receiving therein water, a pump received in the receiving space for pumping water in the reservoir upward, a base on the reservoir and having a through hole in alignment with the receiving space, a seat mounted around a periphery defining the through hole, a circuit board received in the seat, and a hollow frame on the base and provided with a hose received in the hollow frame and having an inlet extending to the aligned through hole and the receiving space and multiple outlets extending out from an inner periphery of the hollow frame. The outlets are so arranged that when the water in the receiving space is pumped upward and sprinkled out from the outlets, water trajectories from the outlets are interlaced with one another to present an interesting ornamental effect.

Abstract: An activating assembly for a screen door includes an assembly seat securable to the screen door and having a lever movably received in the assembly seat and a first recovery spring a to push the lever back to its original position, a driving rod in connection to the lever such that movement of the lever is able to force the driving rod to cause reaction of a lock device, a base seat securable to the screen door and having a second recovery spring compressibly received inside the base seat and a handle movable relative to the assembly seat and the base seat. The handle has a triangular end abutting the lever such that the movement of the handle is able to force the lever to pivot by the triangular end of the handle and the lock device is activated by movement of the driving rod.

Abstract: Sort-on-the-Fly/Search-on-the-Fly data retrieval or analysis provides an intuitive method and apparatus for accessing databases, allowing a user to access or obtain information about data in the database without having to know anything about the database structure. In embodiments, the thus obtained information is formatted according to a report template and is presented as a search report. In embodiments, the report template is saved so that subsequent search reports having a consistent format can be generated. The subsequent search reports represent the charging, dynamic content of the database. In embodiments, the search report is customized using fitters and plug-ins.

Abstract: A method for wrapping continuous strands of steel wire about a seismic cable including interconnected sensor sections and conductor sections where a cross sectional diameter of the sensor section is at least four times that of the conductor section. Two layers of armoring are provided with a first layer wrapped in a first angular direction opposite that of the second layer. A stranding assembly is provided which has two selective positions, one for providing a die hole for stranding the conductor section, another for providing a passage hole for allowing the sensor section to pass after wrapping with armor wire.

Abstract: A shock-absorbing golf club head has a head body, a faceplate and a shock-absorbing core. The head body has a crown, a sole, a toe, a shank, a rear, an open front, a core cavity and an air outlet. The open front has an inner shoulder. The core cavity is defined in the head body and communicates with the open front. The air outlet is defined through the head body, and communicates with the core cavity. The faceplate is mounted securely on the inner shoulder of the open front of the head body. The shock-absorbing core is mounted in the core cavity. The air in the core cavity is discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the air outlet when a foaming agent serving as the shock-absorbing core foams inside the core cavity.

Abstract: An azabicyclo compound (I) or a salt thereof in accordance with the present invention has an excellent inhibiting action on matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) activity, and is useful for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and skin external compositions. wherein R is H, alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, acyl, COOR1, carbamoyl or SO2R2 (wherein R1 and R2 each are alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl or heteroarylalkyl); X is methylene, ethylene or propylene; and is a single bond or a double bond.

Abstract: Disclosed is a preferred flashlight device configured for potential use with another item such as a firearm or in activities where some manual dexterity of the hand grasping the flashlight is required. Preferred devices include downwardly-extending light and handle portions, interconnected by a transverse member. Preferred devices include moveable connections between the light and handle members and the transverse member, so that the direction of a beam emanating from the flashlight can be optimized to an activity undertaken while holding the flashlight, for example during a two-handed pistol firing position.

Abstract: The present invention provides cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inhibitors and enhancers. Examples of the CYP3A inhibitors include free bases or pharmacologically acceptable salts of at least one of the following compounds: ?-naphthoflavone, ?-naphthoflavone, apigenin, baicalein, ?-myrcene, catechin, 3-phenylpropyl acetate, formononetin, gallic acid, hesperetin, hesperidin, isoquercitrin, lauryl alcohol, luteolin, luteolin-7-glycoside, narigin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, quercitrin, swertiamarin, terpineol, and trans-cinnamaldehyde. Examples of the CYP3A enhancers include free bases or pharmacologically acceptable salts of at least one of the following compounds: apigenin, formononetin, and luteolin-7-glycoside. The CYP3A inhibitors can be used, alone or co-administered with a drug, to improve the drug bioavailability.

Abstract: The present invention provides pharmaceutically acceptable salts having local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory activities. The preferred pharmaceutically acceptable salt is a diclofenac salt of lidocaine. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (“NSAID”). Lidocaine is a local anesthetic. Other NSAID (except the salicylic acid derivatives of NSAID) can be used to replace diclofenac and/or other local anesthetics can be used to replace lidocaine. The pharmaceutically acceptable salts are crystalline compounds, which are distinctively different from either the NSAID alone or the local anesthetic alone, as indicated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses.

Abstract: The invention discloses an injection made from Chinese herb Ixeris Sonchifolia Hance for treatment of cardio-cerebral vascular diseases and fundus diseases and method of producing thereof. The injection is in a form of lyophilized powder in which the rate of flavone to adenosine is 5 mg:15 ?g or 5 mg:30 ?g. The flavone and adenosine from Ixeris Sonchifolia Hance is more stable in the lyophilized powder form than in liquid form for injection so that it is easy to control the quality of the product so as to make the medicament safe and effective. It has benefit in store.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing custom fit ear pieces, such as hearing aid devices, by using rapid prototyping machinery in a decentralized location to provide custom fit ear pieces to patients within a few hours rather than a few days or weeks.

Abstract: The invention discloses an on-spot hydrophilic enhanced slide/microarray. The preparation method relates to a hydrophobic copolymer prepared by blending, grafting or co-polymerization of a hydrophobic material and a compound bearing functional groups such as anhydride, imide, cyclic amide, and cyclic ester, and application of the hydrophobic copolymer onto an organic or inorganic substrate. The resulting slide has the properties of on-spot hydrophilic/hydrophobic dynamic conversion, as well as on-spot hydrophilic enhancement for the preparation of high-density and high-efficiency bio-chip/microarray.

Abstract: Methods for searching relationships between and among documents are detailed. One method includes steps for selecting one or more initial search items from a group consisting of: (a) document objects, (b) link references to document objects, (c) link reference attributes, and (d) link relationship attributes. The method also includes steps for identifying one or more link relationships using the selected initial search items, and for presenting one or more link relationships attributes describing the identified link relationships. A user interface for presenting and searching relationships between document objects located on a network is also detailed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for ballasting and de-ballasting a vessel having a hull with several watertight ballast compartments. In a first embodiment, a pressure tank is isolatably and fluidly coupled to a common sea chest, to the atmosphere, to ballast compartments via a distribution manifold, and to a source of compressed gas. The pressure tank is first vented and filled with water from the sea chest, then isolated. The filled tank is then coupled to a ballast tank and the source of compressed gas, which displaces water from the tank to the ballast compartment. In other embodiments, ballasting is by venting and flooding compartments using individual sea chests located within the ballast compartments or a firewater system. For de-ballasting, compressed gas displaces ballast water through overboard discharges, through the common sea chest via the pressure tank, or through individual sea chests located within the ballast compartments.

Abstract: Upper and lower window track strips each define an elongate panel receptacle of generally rectangular configuration for receiving an edge portion of a structural panel in tight fitting serration retained relation therein. The upper and lower window track strips define wall structures forming a pair of upper and lower window guide tracks, respectively, thereby allowing a pair of window panes to be moved in sliding fashion between the upper and lower guide tracks to open or close the windows. The upper window guide tracks are deeper than the lower window guide tracks to permit the window panes to be moved upwardly and laterally for removal. Rainwater collected within the lower guide tracks drains at the ends of the lower guide tracks or via drain holes therein. The lower window track strip is provided with a resilient cushion strip to protect objects such as guns, camera lenses and the like that contact the lower window track strip.