Abstract: The invention relates to a textile composite material used to stabilize, consolidate or reinforce soils and layers of earth, and which can also be used as a load-carrying drainage or filtering layer and comprises at least one nonwoven fabric (1). The disadvantage of nonwovens, used alone or in textile composites made of various plastic nonwovens, lies in their limited load-carrying capacity. To create a low cost textile composite material comprising at least one nonwoven fabric, having a high tear resistance in a main load direction and the ability to absorb high tensile forces without undue stretching, exclusively parallel, straight, load-carrying plastic filament yarns (2) are knitted, sewed or Raschel-knitted onto the nonwoven (1).

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for applying additional momentum to the movement of a body (1) adapted to reciprocate or flex through a substantially linear or arcuate path, notably for increasing the impact velocity of a linearly travelling weight upon an object (3), which apparatus comprises means (4) for retracting the body from its rest position, notably for retracting a weight from the point of impact between the weight and an object located at the rest position of the weight, means (5) for biassing the body towards its rest position, notably for urging the weight towards the object so as to impart additional impact velocity to the weight as it travels towards the object, characterised in that: a) the means for biassing the body towards its rest position is an elastic polymeric material which is retained under tension or compression when the body is in its rest position; and b) the biassing means is one which undergoes strain crystallisation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for producing three-dimensional images of a scene using relief textures include modeling surfaces in a scene with one or more relief textures. Each relief texture is projected onto its basis plane based on a desired viewpoint to produce a pre-warped image. Each pre-warped image is projected onto one or more polygons used to model the scene.

Abstract: A method of treating Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a subject in need of such treatment is disclosed. The method comprises orally administering to the subject a bis-benzamidoxime, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is reduced in the subject to produce a benzamidine having anti-P. carinii activity. The method of the present invention may alternatively comprise intravenously administering to the subject an active compound as disclosed herein. Pharmaceutical formulations and active compounds useful in the practice of the present invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: Real-time interactive video transmission in the current Internet has mediocre quality because of high packet loss rates. Loss of packets belonging to a video frame is evident not only in the reduced quality of that frame but also in the propagation of that distortion to successive frames. This error propagation problem is inherent in any motion-based video codec because of the interdependence of encoded video frames. Since packet losses in the best-effort Internet environment cannot be prevented, minimizing the impact of these packet losses to the final video quality is important. A new forward error correction (FEC) technique effectively alleviates error propagation in the transmission of interactive video. The technique is based on a recently developed error recovery scheme called Recovery from Error Spread using Continuous Updates (RESCU).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acid beverage with improved stability. The beverage contains at least one fat, one hydrocolloid, one milk protein, calcium and magnesium ions, at a pH of 3.5 to 4.5.

Abstract: A mezzanine safety gate for a mezzanine loading bay having a rotatable barrier which is movable between an unloading position and a loading position. The barrier prevents access to the mezzanine loading bay edge when the barrier is in either the unloading or loading position and does not include any overhead restriction or barrier so that loads having a height greater than the height of the barrier can be placed within an interior space of the gate.

Abstract: A flexible, plastic packaging apparatus having a plurality of compartments for containing product therein and a center section interconnecting the plurality of compartments and defining a handle therein whereby the packaging apparatus can contain product separately in each of the compartments and the handle can be used to transport the package.

Abstract: A rigid three-dimensionally shaped fiber network structure having improved post-yield dimensional recovery is provided. The fiber network structure is formed from a fabric containing (A) at least one oriented, semi-crystalline monofilament yarn made from a first thermoplastic polymer, and (B) a second thermoplastic polymer which effects bonding of the monofilament cross-over points. The fiber network structures are useful in a variety of articles, including sandwich panels, various spacers, drainage systems, and energy absorption structures.

Abstract: A method of treating animals having cancer by administration of secondary amide derivatives of various COOH-containing drugs, such as COOH-containing NSAIDs, for instance, indomethacin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for fabricating a DRAM cell having a trench capacitor. In order to simplify the fabrication method for a DRAM cell, to ensure a high yield and to achieve a high packing density of the DRAM cells, the invention proposes that the storage capacitor (4) of the DRAM cell and the selection transistor (3) be fabricated independently of one another. This saves method steps which, in the prior art, have to be carried out in order to isolate capacitor (9) and gate (16) in the same trench.

Abstract: A process and system for obtaining a thickness swell measurement of a wood composite material sample. The process includes placing a measurement pattern on an edge of a wood composite material sample, the measurement pattern including layers having a thickness; measuring the thickness of at least one of the layers of the measurement pattern prior to exposing the wood composite material sample to a thickness swell-inducing condition; exposing the wood composite material sample to a thickness swell-inducing condition; and re-measuring the thickness of the at least one layer after exposing the wood composite material sample to a thickness swell-inducing condition to thereby obtain a thickness swell measurement for the wood composite material sample. Representative wood composite materials include medium density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strandboard (OSB) and particle board.

Abstract: An improved insert hopper for use in conjunction with the insert feeding device of a document handling apparatus such as a mail insertion machine. The insert hopper includes a support deck, a front registration member, and a backstop member. A bottom support plate for the insert hopper has an outer surface constructed of a low-friction material such as PTFE, chrome, or finished stainless steel. One or more wedge blocks are mounted on the support deck. Each wedge block has an insert support surface supporting a trailing edge of the lowermost insert of an insert stack loaded in the insert hopper. The insert hopper can optionally have a tilted orientation with respect to the vertical.

Abstract: A prepaid entertainment card includes a card body. The card body includes first, second, and third codes. The first code encodes a card type, the second code encodes a monetary amount to be applied to paid television programming and the third code encodes a card identification. Such a card may be used by television programming providers to collect revenue for providing television programming to subscribers in advance of providing at least some of the programming to the subscribers.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating airway diseases such as asthma and inflammation are described. The methods utilize the concurrent administration of an A3 adenosine receptor antagonist and an A2B adenosine receptor antagonist (either separately or put together chemically in a single molecule having both A3 and A2B blocking effect), for both receptor binding agents and antisense oligonucleotides. The compositions contain both an A3 adenosine receptor antagonist and an A2B adenosine receptor antagonist, together in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: An intrafocal plate and method of use for securing bone fractures comprising an elongated plate element having a flat plate surface at one end thereof defining a top surface and a bottom surface and a leading end and a trailing end. A longitudinally extending resilient body element depends from the trailing end of the flat plate surface so as to define a shoulder at the juncture of the body element and the flat plate surface and a pin at the other end of the body element. The intrafocal plate is formed so that a force applied at the pin end causes a force to be applied in the opposite direction at the flat plate surface. The intrafocal plate is particularly intended for use to secure metaphyseal bone fractures by having the body element of the intrafocal plate inserted into the tubular hollow of the bone through the fracture site so as to cause the shoulder of the intrafocal plate to seat in the fracture site and urge the flat plate surface of the plate element against the outside surface of the bone.

Abstract: A right-angle sheet stager apparatus for merging multiple-input sheet streams into a single output sheet stream includes one or more input channels and an output channel. Each input channel includes a transport surface and a staging surface. Each transport surface communicates with its corresponding staging surface at a transitional member interposed between the transport surface and the staging surface. Each transitional member includes an upper surface disposed at an elevation greater than an elevation of the corresponding staging surface. The output channel includes an output surface, and is oriented in a right-angle relation with respect to the input channels and communicates with the input channels at a merger location. The stager apparatus permits a sheet from the transport surface to enter the staging surface and overlap with a preceding sheet already present on that staging surface, prior to the preceding sheet's complete exit from the staging surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insect steroid receptor protein which is capable of acting as a gene switch which is responsive to a chemical inducer enabling external control of the gene.

Abstract: A doll includes an internal religious image such as an image of Jesus Christ to convey to children the idea that God or Jesus Christ exists inside all children. The religious image is preferably a hologram. The image is located in the chest portion of the doll proximally to an aperture. The aperture provides a path for light to enter the doll and illuminate the image.