Abstract: The disclosed heated pressure transducer includes an external enclosure, a first thermal shell housed within the external enclosure, and a sensor housed within the first thermal shell. The transducer further includes a heater for heating the first thermal shell and a control unit for controlling the heater. A tube couples the sensor to a source of heated, pressurized gas and the transducer may further include a tube-heater that is controlled by the control unit for applying heat to the tube. The transducer may also include a second thermal shell housed within the external enclosure with at least a portion of the control unit being housed within the second thermal shell. A heater that is controlled by the control unit may be disposed proximal to the second thermal shell for heating that shell. An auxiliary heater disposed within the first thermal shell for heating the sensor may also be included. Two thermistors may also be included for measuring the temperature of the sensor and the first thermal shell.

Abstract: Heat transfer catheter apparatus and methods of making and using same are disclosed wherein fluid connection means is provided between the distal portions of two adjacent, thin-walled, high strength fluid lumens to define a closed loop fluid circulation system capable of controlled delivery of thermal energy to or withdrawal of thermal energy from remote internal body locations.

Abstract: An improved topic discriminator includes an integrated speech recognizer or word and phrase spotter as part of a speech event detector, and a topic classifier trained on topic-dependent event frequencies. The event frequencies are determined from either or both transcribed data with a text event detector and untranscribed speech data with a speech event detector. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the phrase spotter is used to detect the presence of phrases without the need of parsing the output of a speech recognizer's hypothesized transcription. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an improved technique is used to select a subset of the potential speech events on whose event frequencies the topic discrimination decision is made. Finally, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, an improved method of topic modeling is used to improve the performance of the topic discriminator.

Abstract: A segment pickup apparatus for handling material segments. The apparatus includes a frame and at least one pair of picker assemblies coupled to the frame. Each of the picker assemblies includes a linear array of carding elements, and each of the carding elements is resiliently coupled to one of the picker assemblies and is positionable relative to the frame in a resting position and in a picking position. Each of the carding elements includes a base portion and a linear array of substantially parallel, elongated, resilient needle-like elements extending from the base portion to a distal tip. When a carding elements is positioned in the resting position, the distal tips of that carding element lie above a picking plane, and when a carding elements is positioned in the picking position, the distal tips of that carding element lie substantially in the picking plane.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for producing images representing radiation dose distributions in order to verify the radiation dose applied to a target area. The system uses a phantom assembly constructed of material that is the radiological equivalent of live tissue. The phantom assembly has slits where radiation sensitive film can be inserted and can include a channel for an insertable radiation generating device. The treatment dose is then applied to the phantom and the radiation sensitive film records the dose. A CCD camera microdensitometer is then used to read the exposed radiation sensitive film. The CCD camera microdensitometer includes a computer system which processes the image to remove artifacts and generates isodose contours for the radiation treatment applied. In addition, several pieces of radiation sensitive film in different planes can be exposed and processed in order to produce images representing the radiation dose distribution in three dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an x-ray source for irradiating a surface defining a body cavity in accordance with a predetermined dose distribution. The source comprises a housing, an elongated tubular probe, a target assembly, and an inflatable balloon. The housing encloses an electron beam source and includes elements for generating an electron beam along a beam path. The tubular probe extends along a central axis from the housing about the beam path. The target assembly extends along the central axis and is coupled to the end of the probe distal from the housing. The target assembly includes a target element is positioned in the beam path. The target element is adapted to emit x-rays in response to electrons incident thereon from the beam. The probe tip assembly and associated control electronics include elements for positioning the target element in the beam path, and is substantially x-ray transparent.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of large vocabulary speech recognition that employs a single tree-structured phonetic hidden Markov model (HMM) at each frame of a time-synchronous process. A grammar probability is utilized upon recognition of each phoneme of a word, before recognition of the entire word is complete. Thus, grammar probabilities are exploited as early as possible during recognition of a word. At each frame of the recognition process, a grammar probability is determined for the transition from the most likely preceding grammar state to a set of words that share at least one common phoneme. The grammar probability is combined with accumulating phonetic evidence to provide a measure of the likelihood that a state in the HMM will lead to the word most likely to have been spoken. In a preferred embodiment, phonetic context information is exploited, even before the complete context of a phoneme is known.

Abstract: Improved nanofiltration apparatus and processes utilizing thin film composite asymmetric nanofiltration membranes in which the thin film semi-permeable barrier layer consists of substantially "all aliphatic" polymer(s) prepared, for example, by the interfacial polymerization of one or more aliphatic monomers having two or more substituents selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary amine substitutents with one or more aliphatic monomers having two or more acid halide substituents. The monomers are linked together in the thin film substantially exclusively by amide linkages.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for measuring the pressure of a liquid column enclosed within a pressurized tank or cell, and for deriving the height and/or density of the liquid column based on the measured pressure. The apparatus includes a first pressure sensor for differentially measuring the pressure within the cell relative to a reference pressure at a first height, and further includes a second pressure sensor for differentially measuring the pressure within the cell relative to a reference pressure at a second height. A feedback network is operative to match the reference pressure to the pressure within the cell at one of the first and second heights. The feedback network ensures that the sensor detecting the one region is maintained at a zero or null differential pressure condition, enabling the use of a small dynamic range sensor.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for pretreating a dilute ethylene feedstock with benzene, ethylbenzene, or mixtures thereof to reduce the higher olefin content of the ethylene feedstock and to render it suitable as the feed to an alkylation reactor for producing ethylbenzene. Benzene and ethylbenzene recovery are integrated with other downstream operations in the ethylbenzene production.

Abstract: Layered carbon-carbon composites having improved interlaminar tensile strength are disclosed together with a process for making such composites. A metal catalyst is first deposited on a panel comprising a plurality of layers of carbon fiber cloth. The panel is then exposed to a gaseous hydrocarbon in an inert atmosphere at elevated temperature in order to promote the growth of graphite whiskers between the carbon cloth layers.

Abstract: A system for navigating a catheter probe through a body cavity includes a sensing coil affixed to a distal end of the probe. Magnetic fields are projected into the body cavity to induce voltage signals in the sensing coil that are sufficient to describe the orientation and position of the probe. A set of magnetic coils each generates a substantially uniform field in a single respective dimension. The orientation angles of the sensing coil may be determined from known values of the unidirectional fields and the measured induced voltage signals. Gradient magnetic fields with components in two dimensions are projected into the body cavity to induce another group of voltage signals. The geometrical intersection of constant voltage surfaces developed by certain gradient fields that produce the measured induced voltage signals is a set of lines on which the catheter is located. The point of intersection of such lines yields the positional coordinates.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and kits for screening for compounds which bind to a target RNA, for isolating a target RNA from a sample, and for determining the presence and serum level of an aminoglycoside antibiotic in a subject. Also disclosed are kits for diagnosing the presence and identity of a bacterium or virus, and methods of increasing the potency of the binding interaction between an aminoglycoside antibiotic and a target RNA.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of down-regulating the expression of a gene in an animal, wherein a pharmalogical formulation comprising an oligonucleotide complementary to the gene is orally administered to an animal. The oligonucleotide administered has non-phosphodiester internucleotide linkages and includes at least one 2'-substituted ribonucleotide, the oligonucleotide inhibiting the expression of a product of the gene, thereby down-regulating the expression of the gene.

Abstract: A coplanar photodiode construction is disclosed having particular utility in X-ray detection applications in which alternating P-doped and N-doped regions, separated by undoped material, are located in relatively shallow depth under and along the surface between the photodiode and an associated X-ray scintillating crystal.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the angle of flexure between an elongated body limb and the portion of the body to which the limb is affected. The apparatus can be used to monitor flexure between a thigh and lower portion of a human leg. The apparatus is useful during the performance of rehabilitative knee-bends includes means for coupling the apparatus to the thigh, and two gravity actuated switches for monitoring the angle between a long axis of the thigh and vertical axis. The apparatus indicates when the extreme points of the knee-bend have been crossed.

Abstract: The disclosed system for measuring the periodic content of an input signal includes an autocorrelation function generator for generating a sequence of autocorrelation functions. Each of the autocorrelation functions is representative of an autocorrelation function of a portion of the input signal. The system further includes a temporal filter for filtering the autocorrelation functions and thereby generating a lag histogram.In other forms the system may comprise a fetal heart rate monitor for measuring the heart rate of a fetus in vivo. The monitor generates a lag histogram and uses the lag histogram for stabilizing the determination of the fetal heart rate.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transferring data between a first device and a second device, the second device being adapted to rotate with respect to the first device. The first device includes a first antenna assembly and a first transceiver assembly for transmitting and receiving signals via the first antenna assembly. The second device includes a second antenna assembly and a second transceiver assembly for transmitting and receiving signals via the second antenna assembly. The rotating antenna assembly is mounted circumferentially about the second device such that the stationary antenna is in capacitive coupling relationship substantially through an entire revolution of the second device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using switched telecommunications services to emulate a local area network (LAN) medium. The method and apparatus convert a public switched network or an equivalent private network into a LAN cabling method for connecting distant devices using the same communications software as used in traditionally wired LANs.

Abstract: A kit for opening and sealing a cartridge having an interior ink reservoir coupled to an access port extending from a reference surface comprises a rigid plunger, a plate and a rigid spherical plug. The plate has one or more regions of varying thickness and a bottom surface which is complementary to the reference surface on the cartridge. The bottom surface of the plate may be matched to the reference surface of the cartridge in two distinct orientations such that a sealed access port may be opened, refilled and sealed with a rigid spherical plug by extension of the plunger through the plate in each orientation to a depth determined by the length of the plunger, the thickness of the plate in each orientation, the depth of the access port in the cartridge, and the diameter of the spherical plug.