Abstract: A therapeutic device for promoting the healing of a wound in a mammal is disclosed. An exemplary device comprises a permeable structure having a plurality of depressions formed in a surface thereof. In use, the surface having the depressions is disposed adjacent a surface of the wound. A method of treating a wound comprises the steps of providing a permeable structure comprising a plurality of randomly disposed fibers and having i) a plurality of wound surface contact elements disposed between end portions of the structure, and ii) a plurality of voids defined by the contact elements; and applying the permeable structure to at least one surface of the wound.

Abstract: Dental implant placement may be facilitated using a guide and/or placement system. The guide may allow an appropriate position for a dental implant to be determined. The placement system may position the guide in a patient.

Abstract: A personal computer and methods of reconfiguration are described. An implementation of a personal computer may comprise a processor portion running a diagnostic application. A field programmable gate array in communication with the processor portion may be provided. A configurable non-volatile computer memory in communication with the field programmable gate array and wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to reconfigure the non-volatile computer memory may be provided. Methods of reconfiguration of a personal computer are provided.

Abstract: There is provided compounds of formula (I), wherein R1, R11, R12, Qa, X, Qb, Qc, A and D have meanings given in the description, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, which compound, salt or solvate binds to the minor groove of DNA.

Abstract: The invention relates to a resistor (18), particularly an SMD resistor, including a planar, metallic support element (19) that has a top surface and a bottom surface, a planar resistor element (21) which is made of a resistive material and is disposed on the bottom surface of the support element (19), and at least two separate metallic connecting parts (23, 23) which electrically contact the resistor element (21) and are arranged in part on the bottom surface of the support element (19). The connecting parts (22, 23) are laterally exposed on the resistor (18) and can be laterally wetted in a visible manner by a solder. The invention further relates to a corresponding production method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a test method, especially for mass spectroscopy of biomolecules, including the following steps: one or several samples (2-4) that are to be analyzed are introduced into a carrier liquid of a micro liquid jet (1) in rapid succession; at least some of the samples (2-4) are desorbed from the micro liquid jet (1); and the sample (2-4) that is desorbed from the micro liquid jet (1) is analyzed. According to the invention, the sample (2-4) is spatially delimited in the spraying direction in the micro liquid jet (1) while extending only along a subarea of the micro liquid jet (1) in the spraying direction.

Abstract: A process for the catalytic oxidation of a hydrocarbon gas comprising the steps of releasing pulses of a compressed hydrocarbon gas into an expansion chamber (8) and passing the expanded hydrocarbon gas over a catalytic converter (11) to oxidize the hydrocarbon gas.

Abstract: Radioactive waste treatment method, includes: (a) loading waste into plasma shaft furnace by conveying waste by hermetic conveyor from automated storage into plasma shaft furnace, wherein conveying is loading is controlled; (b) pyrolizing waste; (c) oxidizing coke; (d) withdrawing pyrogas and slug from furnace; (e) afterburning pyrogas in combustion chamber at an afterburning temperature of 1200-1350° C.; (f) supplying air into combustion chamber at two levels during afterburning step: (1) prechamber pyrogas air supply level, and (2) an upper part of combustion chamber air supply level; and (g) quenching an off-gas to 200-250° C. with subsequent mechanical cleaning and absorption cleaning and further cooling. A radioactive waste treatment plant is also disclosed.

Abstract: An automated system for the processing of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The automated system allows for the simultaneous processing of multiple individual tags through the use of multiple processing stations. A table is provided that is capable of moving the individual tags from one processing station to the next. Tables are also provided for receiving unprocessed tags for input into the system and processed tags for packaging. Individual tags are moved between the tables by a transfer mechanism.

Abstract: An electrical specific resistivity probing robot is directed to automatically measuring a three-dimensional electrical specific resistivity structure of an underground shallow region by installing a plurality of probing electrodes at regular intervals along a robot-moving caterpillar to measure difference of potentials of the electrodes at a ground plane. The electrical specific resistivity probing robot includes a frame, a driving member installed under the frame, a pair of insulating caterpillars installed to both sides of a lower portion of the frame and driven by the driving member, a plurality of probing electrodes installed along track circumferences of the caterpillars at regular intervals, a slip ring electrically slip-connected to the probing electrodes one by one, and a cable electrically connected to the slip ring.

Abstract: A security tag that can be attached to an item or items that provides a zero or low impact to the item or items such as elegant or soft goods. The security tag includes a security element that is enclosed within a pliable material that is coupled to the item or items it is protecting by either a lanyard or by passing a portion of the unfinished garment through aperture(s) in the pliable material. The lanyard can take on various compositions and can couple to the pliable material using different latching mechanisms. No puncturing, piercing or adhesive attachment to the elegant or soft goods occurs, thereby making a “zero or low impact” on the item while also making a pleasant presentation to customers when the item (or items) is displayed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for calibrating optical spectrographs, and in particular optical spectrographs having focal plane array detectors. The method comprises the steps of detecting a spectrum of a known source, referencing a table of known spectral wavelengths and relative intensities, and deriving a spectrograph model based on the spectrograph's physical properties to approximate the observed spectrum, wherein non-linear optimization techniques refine the theoretical model parameters, thereby minimizing the residual difference between observed and calculated spectral intensities in an iterative process producing a set of physical model parameters that best describe the modeling spectrograph for calibration of subsequent spectral acquisitions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for disabling transponders used in electronic toll collection or other RFID systems, wherein the transponders include an antenna and RFID circuitry. The transponders can be selectively disabled by releasably securing a disabling device having a metallic portion at an operative position over the antenna of the RFID system, whereupon the metallic portion is coupled to the antenna in such a manner as to disable the RFID circuitry so long as the disabling device is at the operative position. The RFID circuitry is arranged to be automatically enabled upon removal of the disabling device from the operative position.

Abstract: A firing agent which is used in a gas generating device of a vehicle occupant protection device together with a non-azide gas generating agent, for firing the non-azide gas generating agent, wherein the firing agent contains a fuel and an oxidizing agent and is configured to burn at a combustion speed higher than that of the non-azide gas generating agent; a method for using the firing agent; and a gas generating device of a vehicle occupant protection device using the firing agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle that is converted from a stroller for carrying a passenger and cycle operated by a rider to a combined unit. More specifically, the invention relates to a stroller and a bicycle combined, physically and operationally, such that the operator of the cycle portion of the stroller-cycle can control operation of the stroller portion while the stroller-cycle is in motion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an error information detection circuit and an error feedback circuit, which detect the error of an output voltage from a voltage induced to a winding. The circuit for detecting error information of an output voltage of a transformer from voltage induced to the feedback winding of the transformer and feeding back the error information includes a flyback period detection circuit (34) for detecting a flyback period from a voltage induced to the feedback winding. A comparison unit (35) compares the induced voltage of the feedback winding with a reference voltage and outputs a result of comparison. A logic unit (36) outputs error information of an output voltage of the transformer according to a flyback period detection output of the flyback period detection circuit and the output of the comparison unit. An up/down control unit (32) outputs a feedback value corresponding to the error information.

Abstract: A sheet of cold rolled material having on both of its surfaces rows of projections and rows of depressions, the projections on one surface corresponding with the depressions on the other surface, the relative positions of the projections and depressions being such that lines drawn on a surface of the sheet between adjacent rows of projections are non-rectilinear, the sheet having a base gauge G, wherein each projection has a substantially continuous region of peak plastic strain at, toward or about its apex and/or is thinned by no more than 25% of its base gauge G. Methods of forming the sheet material and tools for forming the sheet material are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting and switching video signals on a monitor has steps of storing multiple menu groups in the monitor and executing a resolution identifying mode. Each menu group has multiple similarly public resolutions. The resolution identifying mode has acts of determining whether the video resolution of the video signal matches one of the resolutions in one of the menu groups and creating a launch menu to show all the resolutions in the menu group having the resolution matched to the video resolution of the video signal when the video resolution of the video signal matches one of the resolutions in one of the menu groups. Therefore, the method solves the problem of misapplying resolutions on the conventional monitor.

Abstract: A firing pin system for a firearm, including a breech block, a firing pin slidably disposed in the breech block and a single firing pin coil spring adapted to both urge the firing pin toward a cartridge in a barrel of the firearm when the firearm is fired and, subsequent to firing, to urge the firing pin back away from the cartridge such that the firing pin does not protrude through a breach face of a breach block of the firearm subsequent to firing.