Abstract: A filter assembly for ultra-filtration of fluids such as waste water comprises a porous tube which is incrementally advanced into the fluid so as to expose a fresh portion periodically and maintain a flow rate over a period of time.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new protein called RB18A for “Recognized By PAb18O1 moAntibody”, which is a p53 regulatory protein, to the nucleotide sequence encoding said protein, and to the diagnostic and therapeutic applications thereof, in particular for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of neoplasia.

Abstract: An exercise device for exercising of the abdominal muscles as well as in exercising the muscles of the upper torso, shoulders and arms while the back of the user is supported, elongated and stretched. The device includes a platform which is elevated at one end from a supporting surface for the device. A seat is located at the one end of the platform and a bowed back support member is disposed on the platform adjacent to the seat. The support member presents a convex curved surface of a longitudinal extent such that the back and head of the user can rest thereon with the user in a backwardly reclining posture. A belt fits around the waist of the user while a resilient or stretchable cord is adapted to engage the arms of the user during movement of the user from the backwardly reclining posture wherein the back of the user rests against the convex curved surface to a sitting position. The cord thus increases the force that must be exerted by the abdominal muscles of the user in carrying out this movement.

Abstract: A small reciprocating saw device is provided which is adapted for one hand operation and which enables delicate sawing or filing work to be carried out. An eccentric drive arrangement includes a motor mounted in a housing at one end of the device and a slender drive rod for the saw blade disposed in a gripping handle connected to the motor housing. Motor control switches are mounted on the motor housing and gripping handle.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a modified gel capable of forming a hydrophobic surface on which water has a contact angle of at least 150°. Additionally, a method is provided for forming a hydrophobic coating from the modified gel. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic coating has an extremely high hydrophobicity with a contact angle in excess of 165°, and good substrate adhesion. The method involves bonding a gel with particulate matter. It is believed that the chemical hydrophobicity of the gel is enhanced by the physical roughness of the particulate matter.

Abstract: Fuel tank comprising a canister containing a composition capable of retaining fuel vapours and which is associated with an overfill prevention device also located inside the tank.

Abstract: An ultrasonic endoscopic probe tip device which provides signals to an imaging system for transesophageal diagnosis includes a removable housing adapted to be attached to the distal end of an endoscope. A rotatable, ball-bearing-mounted phased array transducer within the housing is rotatable around its acoustic propagation axis through multiple turns. The transducer is driven by an immersed micro-motorized drive. A torque limiting gearbox couples the drive to the transducer. A position encoder provides the imaging system with transducer position information over a 360° range. An automatic transducer position locking/unlocking system is used to lock the transducer in a selected rotational position.

Abstract: In order to position a rotary actuator, a positioning device is coupled to the actuator. The positioning device has a coupling shaft and springs which respectively surround top and bottom portions of the shaft and are coupled thereto by respective coupling rings. The springs apply oppositely directed torques to the shaft such that one spring urges the shaft in a clockwise direction towards a stop position and the other spring urges the shaft in a anticlockwise direction towards that stop position. The stop position corresponds to an intermediate rotary position of the actuator.

Abstract: Method for deoxidizing and passivating, by sulphidation, a surface of a III-V compound semiconductor material undergo strong oxidation in the presence of oxygen, wherein the surface to be passivated is immersed in a dilute aqueous solution containing sulphide ions with a concentration of between about 10−1M and 10−7M.

Abstract: A method of moulding articles from layers of composite material being fibres impregnated with uncured resin, includes draping at least one layer of the composite material over a moulding tool, applying over the composite material layer or layers a membrane, and establishing an at least partial vacuum between the membrane and the moulding tool to consolidate the composite material, and wherein the membrane is made of a resilient material, and the method includes applying a force to the membrane to stretch the membrane over the moulding tool and maintaining the force whilst the at least partial vacuum is established.

Abstract: A gas delivery system for propane or natural gas includes a gas service line, a pressure regulator connected in the gas service line, and a flow control valve device permanently installed at a predetermined location in the gas service line, e.g., upstream of the regulator or downstream of a gas meter in the case of a natural gas system. The flow control valve device includes a valve body incorporating an integral pressure tap for enabling a measurement of gas pressure at the predetermined locations. The valve device also includes a valve operator having an open position in which flow takes place through the valve device and a closed position in which flow through the valve device is blocked and a locking mechanism with a specialized key issued only to service personnel for selectively locking the valve operator in the open and closed positions.

Abstract: Affordable methods and apparatus are disclosed for inputting position, attitude (orientation) or other object characteristic data to computers for the purpose of Computer Aided Design, Painting, Medicine, Teaching, Gaming, Toys, Simulations, Aids to the disabled, and internet or other experiences. Preferred embodiments of the invention utilize electro-optical sensors, and particularly TV Cameras, providing optically inputted data from specialized datum's on objects and/or natural features of objects. Objects can be both static and in motion, from which individual datum positions and movements can be derived, also with respect to other objects both fixed and moving. Real-time photogrammetry is preferably used to determine relationships of portions of one or more datums with respect to a plurality of cameras or a single camera processed by a conventional PC.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wiring substrate includes the steps of applying, through printing, solder paste onto a plurality of pads exposed from the main surface of the substrate; melting the applied solder paste through reflowing, so as to form substantially hemispherical solder bumps; and flattening top portions of the substantially hemispherical solder bumps through the pressing of a flat pressing surface against the top portions, thereby forming top-flattened solder bumps. A pad is classified as a first pad when the pad is located within a region above a solid layer, and as a second pad when the pad is located outside of this region. In the solder paste application step, the amount of solder paste applied onto each first pad is smaller than that of solder paste applied onto each second pad.

Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine comprises a four-segment hinged rotor assembly accommodated in a coaxial housing such that the rotor assembles deforms and continuously adapts to the housing internal profile during its rotation. The closed non-circular rotor housing internal profile is a curve defined by a novel mathematical relationship. The curve is the locus of all points generated by the base extremities A and B of an isosceles right angle translating and simultaneously rotating triangle with the following constraints. The center point P of the base AB (of length c) of the triangle must always be located on an inscribed circle of radius c/2 and center at point O. The vertex C of the triangle must always be located on one of the four lobes of the curve of the form r=sin(2&thgr;) where angle &thgr; is the angle between line OA and the positive vertical (y) axis and also line OB and the positive horizontal (x) axis.

Abstract: A dielectric composition is based on a BaO—MgO—Nb2O5 system material (BMN system material) having a dielectric constant, &egr;, of about 30, a large Q-value (no-load quality coefficient) and a comparatively small absolute value of the temperature coefficient (&tgr;f) of its resonance frequency but containing no expensive Ta. The dielectric material has a composite perovskite crystal structure as the main crystal phase, wherein a predetermined amount of KNbO3 is added to a BMN system material. The high frequency characteristics can be further improved by partially replacing Nb with Sb and partially replacing the B site of the perovskite crystal structure with Sn.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for assessing in vitro the genotoxicity of a compound, which consist in contacting said compound with at least a cell or cell type overexpressing bcl2 protooncogene and/or related anti-apoptotic protein, and observing the genotoxic effects of said compound on said cell.

Abstract: A valve actuator adaptor attaches a rotary valve whose mounting is in accordance with ISO 5211/DIN 3337 to a rotary actuator whose mounting is not in accordance with ISO 5211/DIN 3337. The adaptor has first and second mounting surfaces to which the valve head and the actuator are respectively secured and a coupling link extends through the body of the adaptor to interconnect the actuator drive shaft and the valve stem. The adaptor has holes which extend from the first mounting surface to an exposed surface intermediate along the axial length of the actuator. That exposed surface is formed by recesses in the body of the actuator and by partial flanges. Screws or bolts then pass through those holes to the adapter to the valve head, the exposed surface having recesses therein, which recesses are shaped to receive the heads of the screws or bolts, or nuts on the bolts, to prevent them rotating.

Abstract: A first strapdown navigation unit (2) generating a first state vector (X2u) whose components give position, attitude and speed values of a carrier with a small instantaneous error. The method includes actions consisting of: generating by means of a second navigation unit (1), a second state vector (X1u) whose components give position, attitude and speed values of the said carrier with a small long-term error; combining the first and second state vector to obtain an error observation vector (&dgr;Y); generating an error estimate vector ({circumflex over ( )}&dgr;X2u) from the error observation vector (&dgr;Y), by means of a filter (5); combining the error estimate vector ({circumflex over ( )}&dgr;X2u) thus obtained with the first state vector (X2u) so as to obtain an estimated vector ({circumflex over ( )}X2u) of the carrier position, attitude and speed values with a small instantaneous error and a small long-term error.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for avoiding ocular muscular fatigue, the apparatus comprising a binocular light converging means (12, 14) for converging incident light (18, 20), thereby reducing ocular convergence demand when the apparatus is worn by a user. In a preferred embodiment, the binocular light converging means comprises a pair of lenses.