Abstract: The use of a prepreg containing at least one fiber and a matrix to be cured during application, for the production of a fiber-reinforced composite, for active orthodontic therapy. An active orthodontic appliance is disclosed which includes an arch wire in at least one part, directly contactable with teeth and including a fiber-reinforced composite containing at least one fiber and a matrix, the arch wire including a loop directly contactable with a tooth or teeth to be moved by the appliance. A process for manufacturing an active orthodontic appliance and to an active orthodontic method of treatment are also disclosed.

Abstract: A portable contactless object (10) featuring a main chip (12) and a main antenna (14) enabling communication between the chip and the reader associated with the portable contactless object. This portable contactless object also features at least one contactless peripheral device (16), having a function different than that of the main chip not connected by ohmic contact to the latter and requiring only a small amount of energy to operate.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a method and an apparatus for bringing elongated metallic scrap into a more compact form by bending the metallic scrap to be brought into a shape requiring less space substantially around a bending member (6a, 6b) comprised by a forming member (3).

Abstract: An alarm device including an acoustic pressure sensor (10) delivering an analog signal to first amplifying means (12) and to second amplifying means (14), a first comparator (34) where the positive input is connected to the output of the second amplifying means and where the output delivers a warning signal to alarm means (26, 28) when there is a break-in or an attempt at breaking in, and self-adjusting means including a microprocessor (26) programmed to deliver a digital signal at the negative input of the first comparator where the pulses have a variable width which increases in accordance with the duration and the importance of the atmospheric disturbance so as to automatically increase the alarm device triggering threshold and reduce its sensitivity when the acoustic sensor detects an atmospheric disturbance such as wind.

Abstract: A cosmetic composition for slimming which includes, in combination with a cosmetically acceptable excipient, at least one compound having the formula (I) where R1 is a group bound by a peptidic bond and selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an acyl group, acyloxy group and a substituted or unsubstituted aminoacid; R2 is a group bond by a peptidic bond and selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an alkoxy group, an alkylamine group, a silyloxy group or a substituted or unsubstituted aminoacid; and n is 3 or 4.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for prevention of cancers, certain non-cancer, hormone dependent diseases and/or cardiovascular diseases in a person, based on administering of hydroxymatairesinol to said person. The invention also concerns a method for increasing the level of enterolactone or another metabolite of hydroxymatairesinol in a person's serum thereby causing prevention of a cancer or a certain non-cancer, hormone dependent disease in a person, based on administering of hydroxymatairesinol to said person. Furthermore, this invention relates to pharmaceutical preparations, food additives and food products comprising hydroxymatairesinol.

Abstract: An apparatus including at least one sonotrode (2) designed to generate ultrasound of variable power in at least one biological sample (5) containing cells to be lysed, the sample (5) being contained in at least one receptacle (4 or 10) such that the sonotrode (2) is in direct contact with the receptacle(s) (4). Also disclosed is a method for using ultrasound to lyse a biological sample (5) contained in a receptacle (4), which includes placing the receptacle (4) in direct contact with the sonotrode (2), and activating the sonotrode (2) for long enough to lyse the cells in the sample (5) but preserve the DNA and/or RNA molecules released for subsequent operations, e.g. amplification. The invention is particularly applicable in the discipline of molecular biology.

Abstract: A biological material for treating periodontal diseases and all related disorders, the biomaterial comprising biocompatible bioaragonite, added calcium carbonate and optionally a binding agent. The bioaragonite is mother-of-pearl in micronised form. It is obtained by inhibiting the most immunogenic part of the bioaragonite organic substance so as to maintain bioactive only the organic part associated with the mineral capable of having a positive effect.

Abstract: The excitation of label molecules usable in chemical and biochemical analysis by electrical pulses at electrodes covered with a thin insulating film, and the use of such electrodes in chemical, clinical and biochemical analysis. The electrodes include a conducting base material that has been coated with an organic or inorganic insulating film or multiple layers of such films, so that either one or several label compounds can be excited to an excited state which is deexcited by emission of ultraviolet, visible or infrared light, in aqueous solution providing the basis for reproducible analytical applications in bioaffinity assays such as immunoassays and DNA-probing assays.

Abstract: A method for drawing a biological sample using a suction-discharge device, such as a manual or automatic pipette, built into an automated device or not. A method for detecting the free surface of a biological sample and/or solid, a sample drawing device such as a pipette and a device for detecting the free surface of a biological sample or a solid are also disclosed. This method includes actuating a means causing a pressure variation or an air flow within the suction-discharge device, positioning the lower free end of the device in such a way so that it becomes flush with a free surface of the biological sample, measuring an overpressure within the suction-discharge device, and sampling a quantity of the sample by suction using the device. The invention finds a preferable application in the field of automatic analyzers.

Abstract: A connecting device for a push-barge system in which an engine driven pusher vessel is connected to a pushed barge vessel, the connecting device including a cylinder in combination with a piston, the cylinder being fastened to a side of the pusher vessel and operated by a pressure medium, and a counterpart connected to barge vessel and to which a connecting member is connected due to the effect of the movement of the piston of the cylinder, where the connecting device includes a pressure restricting valve through which the pressure medium can be discharged from the cylinder when, due to the effect of mutual approaching movement between the barge vessel and the pusher vessel, the counterpart transmits to the piston via the connecting member a force, which is so high that the pressure caused by the piston will at least partially open the pressure restricting valve.

Abstract: This invention relates to bioactive sol-gel derived silica fibers, methods for their preparation, an implantable device comprising the fibers and the use of the device for tissue guiding or bone repair.

Abstract: The invention concerns delivery particles (DP's) for active principles (AP's) based on linear amphiphilic polyamino-acids (PAA's), with &agr;-peptide chains, capable of being spontaneously formed by contacting PAA's with a liquid medium, preferably with water, wherein the hydrophile part of the PAA's is solubilized more than the hydrophobic parts of said PAA's, such that the latter precipitate while being organised in discrete supra-molecular arrangements, of average size ranging between 0.01 and 20 &mgr;m, capable of combining with at least an AP and releasing the latter in vivo, in prolonged and controlled manner.

Abstract: An implantable device and method for making the device. The device includes a metabolically-active coating on at least a portion of a surface of the device. Preferably, the coating has a thickness of less than about 500 angstroms. The coating improves the bio-compatibility of the device with the human body. The method is particularly applicable to implantable devices for implantation within the human eye, including intraocular lenses.

Abstract: An applicator system (2) which includes a fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) post (4) or anchor in its non-polymerized form including a resinous matrix and fibers, i.e., a prepreg (4); and an applicator tube (8). The inner diameter (dT) of the tube (8) is essentially the same or slightly larger than the outer diameter (DP/A) of the FRC post (4) in its non-polymerized form. The outer diameter (DT) end of the tube through which the FRC post is applied is essentially the same or slightly smaller that the coronal opening of the canal (6). The applicator system (2) may be used to prepare permanent or temporary root canal (6) posts, to make a tooth canal (6) filling and to make a post and/or anchorage system that forms a continuous FRC structure from the apex of the tooth to the coronal part of the tooth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of copolymer based on ethylene by continuous copolymerization of ethylene and comonomer in a reactor in the presence of a catalyst. In this method, in a first step of the copolymerization, a mixture comprising ethylene and comonomer of such a composition that a copolymer-containing coating deposits in the reactor is metered into the reactor and/or generated in the reactor, and, in a second step, the concentration of the comonomer in the metered-in mixture and/or in the mixture generated in the reactor is reduced sufficiently and/or the concentration of the ethylene in the metered-in mixture and/or in the mixture generated in the reactor is increased sufficiently that the coating is removed from the reactor either partially or completely. The method has the advantage that the production of copolymer does not have to be interrupted during cleaning of the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a foolproofing device (12) equipped with pins (14-1 and 14-2) placed around the neck of a container (10), the container containing a product for pharmaceutical, medical or other use intended to be used by an extraction system (30) screwed onto a threaded support which may be the neck of the container itself or a sleeve (16) placed on the neck of the container, the screwing operation and thus the use of the product by the extraction system being possible only if the notches (34-1 and 34-2) of the extraction system coincide with the pins of the foolproofing device. According to a main characteristic of the invention, the foolproofing device (12) is characterized in that it is integral with the threaded support (16) of the container by means of connecting parts (18) between the foolproofing device and the threaded support, the connecting parts being broken when the extraction system coinciding with the foolproofing device is screwed onto the threaded support of the container.

Abstract: The preparation of phosphorescent metalloporphyrin labelling reagents and their use for preparation of phosphorescent conjugates with biomolecules. The labelling reagents obtainable are water soluble monofunctional derivatives of Pt- and Pd-coproporphyrins, where the term “monofunctional” refers to the number of reactive groups in the porphyrin moiety.

Abstract: A coupling antenna which includes a plurality of turns in series located on a planar support (14) formed by an insulating dielectric substrate. The antenna includes one or several sets of at least one turn (16) located on the planar support, mounted in series, at least one of the sets consisting of at least two spires (16,22) in series superposed along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support and separated by an insulating strip (20) of dielectric ink, thereby resulting in a high inductance value. The invention also concerns the method for making such an antenna and the use of the antenna in a contactless smart card.

Abstract: A device for demodulating a modulated signal resulting from an amplitude modulation of a sinusoidal signal of frequency fo by a signal of frequency fm according to an unknown modulation rate, comprising a transistor (10) where the gate is connected to the modulated signal (Et) so as to obtain in the transistor (10) output a derived signal (St) equal to a power N of the modulated signal, N being an integer greater than 1, and a filter for selecting the frequency component fm in the transistor output signal. The device can be used to demodulate an amplitude-modulated signal received by a scanner of a system identifying contactless portable objects.