Abstract: A sterilized chemical composition is stored in a sterile environment for a prolonged period of time, hermetically scaled in successive enclosures and a shipping enclosure. The third sealing layer is removed prior to entering a storage area. The second layer is removed prior to taking the container to the sterile environment. The storage area may also be sterile. The innermost container may be an aerosol container and the composition a disinfectant liquid such as alcohol. The entire shipping enclosure and contects is preferably sterilized with gamma radiation.

Abstract: An ovarian capsule includes a capsule body enclosing an interior for receiving an ovary and defining a selectively openable, selectively closeable access. The access, when open, forms a gap, space or opening in the ovarian capsule through which an ovary is introduced in the interior. When the access is closed, withdrawal of the ovary from the interior is prevented whereby the ovary is encapsulated by the ovarian capsule to prevent fertilization of ova released by the encapsulated ovary. A method of encapsulating an ovary in the body of a patient includes the steps of introducing an ovarian capsule in the abdominal cavity of the patient, opening the ovarian capsule to provide access to the interior thereof, positioning an ovary of the patient within the interior of the capsule and closing the ovarian capsule to encapsulate the ovary and prevent withdrawal of the ovary from the ovarian capsule.

Abstract: A polymeric composition having self-extinguishing properties is disclosed which is useful as both an adhesive or coating. The composition contains 9-45 weight percent of an organic polymeric component and 16-50 weight percent of quaternary ammonium silicate as a fire-retarding component. Fillers and hardening agents may also be a part of the self-extinguishing polymeric composition.

Abstract: A system and method of managing an actuarially credible pool of life insurance policies to generate a consistent cash flow from death benefits paid on the insurance policies. The system and method accessing selected data having terms associated therewith, wherein the data is representative of the pool of life insurance policies. The cash value of the pool of life insurance policies is calculated from the selected data of the pool of life insurance policies for a predetermined point in time. The cash value of the pool of life insurance policies is compared to a predetermined cash value at the predetermined point in time. Then at least one of the terms is modified in accordance with a predetermined criteria, so that the cash value of the life insurance policies is managed and an actuarially definable cash flow may be obtained. This cash flow is then analyzed, so that at least a portion thereof may be sold to a third party.

Abstract: Process for destroying a rigid thermal insulator obtained in particular by a process of the sol-gel type and positioned in a confined space, the process comprising the stage of introducing a dissolving liquid into the confined space in order to convert the insulator into a liquid phase. The process applies in particular to destroying an insulating jacket positioned in the annular space of an oil well.

Abstract: The invention concerns an electrical connector, in particular for use between a receptacle (squib) and an electrical control for a restrain system in motor vehicles.

Abstract: The invention relates to an internal antenna element of the patch type for a portable device. The element comprises a body of dielectric material, a conductive plate covering the top face of the dielectric, and a conductive strip covering one of the side faces of the dielectric, the strip being electrically connected along its top edge to one of the edges of said plate and being provided with electrical connection means for connecting said conductive strip to a ground plane that is to be placed against the bottom face of the dielectric body, the other three side faces having no metallization, means passing through the dielectric body for electrically connecting the hot point of an antenna conductor to said plate, and capacitor-forming means for providing capacitance between the plate and the ground plane when the antenna element is mounted on the ground plane, and located close to the side face of the dielectric body that is remote from its side face covered by said conductive strip.

Abstract: A method of transforming a normally gaseous composition consisting essentially of methane into a material comprising a major portion, at least, of hydrocarbons containing at least two carbon atoms; the method comprising the steps of feeding the composition into a reactor including a first electrode means, a second electrode means and at least one layer of a normally solid dielectric material positioned between the first and the second electrode means; submitting the composition within the reactor in the presence of a normally solid catalyst to a dielectric barrier discharge; and controlling the dielectric barrier discharge to convert the normally gaseous composition into the material comprising a major portion, at least, of the hydrocarbons containing at least two carbon atoms.

Abstract: A medical interventional device is structured for implantation in a human patient, to respond to detection of cardiac activity of the patient indicative of cardiac dysrhythmias. The device includes a cardiac therapy system responsive to a detected arrhythmia in either the atrial or ventricular chambers for automatic therapeutic treatment by selective application of an appropriate therapy regimen consisting of pacing, cardioverting or defibrillating waveforms of predetermined type and energy content to the chamber diagnosed as that in which the dysrhythmia originated. The device incorporates a DDD or DDD-R pacemaker for dual chamber sensing of electrical (ECG) activity, and for constant atrioventricular synchronization. A microprocessor-based logic subsystem is used for diagnosis of the origin of a rhythm disorder including identification of the originating heart chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to oligonucleotides used as amplification primers and assay probes for species-specific detection and identification of the protozoan Perkinsus in shellfish. The oligonucleotides are designed to preferentially hybridize to what has been found to be a species-unique sequence in the target organism's genome. Preferential hybridization means, for example, that the inventive primers amplify the target sequence in P. marinus with little or no detectable amplification of target sequences of other species of protozoa such as P. atlanticus thereby making the assay species specific.

Abstract: A laser range finder (LRF) is used to identify an aircraft approaching a gate. The LRF is directed at the aircraft, and from the echoes, a profile is derived and compared to known profiles. To distinguish among aircraft with similar profiles, the LRF is directed at a volume in which a feature such as an engine is expected and at another volume in which the engine is not expected. The echoes from the two volumes are used to determine whether the engine is in its expected location. If so, the aircraft is identified as the correct type and is allowed to dock at the gate. Otherwise, the aircraft is stopped. The nose height can be used as yet another identifying criterion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact carrier (connector) for establishing a plug-in connection with an accompanying socket (priming cap) while simultaneously contacting corresponding contact parts of the contact carrier and socket.

Abstract: An insert assembly for a hybrid marine connector including a front disk, a rear disk abutting the front insulator disk, a hole extending through the front and rear insulator disks, the hole having a shoulder formed in each of the disks, a collet clip positioned between the shoulders in the hole for releasably retaining a contact in the hole, and a bolt for axially compressing the front disk into abutment with the rear disk.

Abstract: An Active Filtering proxy filters electronic junk mail (also known as spam, bulk mail, or advertising) received at a Message Transfer Agent from remote Internet hosts using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). The proxy actively probes remote hosts that attempt to send mail to the protected mail server in order to identify dialup PCs, open relays, and forged email. The system provides multiple layers of defense including: connect-time filtering based on IP address, identification of dialup PCs attempting to send mail, testing for permissive (open) relays, testing for validity of the sender's address, and message header filtering. A sender's message must successfully pass through all relevant layers, or it is rejected and logged. Subsequent filters feed IP addresses back to the IP filtering mechanism, so subsequent mail from the same host can be easily blocked.

Abstract: A swinger clamp is clamped onto a horizontal guide rail and supports a vertical bar to hold various devices during surgical procedures. The clamp has a damper jaw that abuts a rim. To prevent the rim from drifting in its rotational position relative to the clamping jaw, a groove is formed in the rim to engage with the damper jaw.

Abstract: A punch guiding apparatus includes: a cylindrical punch guide to be vertically movably supported into a punch holder; a stripper plate is detachably mounted to a forward end portion of the cylindrical punch guide; and a ring-shaped fixture. In the construction, the fixture has a ring shape that both ends are brought into contact with or close to each other. Furthermore, the fixture has a non-circular shape in which it has a plurality of elastically deformed portions which are urged and come in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the punch guide so as to be enlarged.

Abstract: Data recording apparatus including the plurality of removable hard disk drives (3) for recording data thereon, at least two said drives (3) being located on a removable carrier (2) which facilitates the insertion and removal thereof from the apparatus, a zero insertion force connector (4, 6) which provides electrical connections between the drives (3) on the carrier (2) and the apparatus, a switch (22) for connecting an disconnecting power to the disc drives (3) on the carrier (2), and interlock (12) for preventing the zero insertion force connector (4, 6) being connected or disconnected without the switch (22) having first been operated to disconnect power fron the disc drives (3).

Abstract: Equipment for the laser cutting of metal sheets is to hold the metal sheets in a vertical plans by means of a laser-focusing head (10) which is movable in a vertical plans relative to the metal sheet (12). The equipment includes an abutment member (18) carried by the focusing head (10) and intended to bear against that face (20) of the sheet (12) facing the focusing head (10).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for winding a continuous web of material on a core mandrel, the winder comprising a cutter that actuates to provide a new end of web material. The cutter itself comprises a source of vacuum for creating an airflow around a new core mandrel between the mandrel and a guide wall which extends around at least one fourth of the mandrel surface, the airflow causing the new web end to follow the mandrel around and tuck said new end between the mandrel circumference and the tensioned web extending between the new mandrel and upstream equipment.

Abstract: Two embodiments of insulated pipework system are described. The first comprises an outer sleeve, an inner flow pipe and insulating material within the space therebetween and is characterised by the use of a longitudinally compressed elastomeric member in the space between the inner and outer pipes as the primary means for transferring longitudinal forces between the inner and outer pipes. The second comprises an outer sleeve pipe, an inner flow pipe, an insulating material within the space therebetween, other than hollow alumina-silicate microspheres, wherein a longitudinally compressed elastomeric member is provided at intervals in the space between the inner and outer pipes. Compression of the elastomeric member is preferably by way of rigid plates on either side thereof which compress an the elastomeric member. For example, bolts can be passed through bores in the plates and elastomeric member and tightened thereby to compress the said member.