Abstract: The present invention relates to novel therapeutic uses of certain compounds to protect nerve cells from injury and death. The compounds include cytochalasin D and related analogs, and cytochalasin E and related analogs.

Abstract: A hydrogenated carbon film for magnetic thin film recording media is manufactured by alternating current magnetron sputtering in an atmosphere containing argon and a hydrocarbon gas. Targets mounted side-by-side cyclically sputter and discharge charge buildup according to an alternating current. Shielding between the targets directs electrons toward the anode at a given time.

Abstract: Inserting member 10 used for the retaining device for clothes is formed of a plastic material, and includes a base plate 11 attached to the clothes, an inserting plate 12 having, at one end of base plate 11, a vertical portion 11a extending vertically from the base plate 11, a bent portion 12b bent to a direction parallel to the base plate from the vertical portion 11a, and a parallel portion 12c extending parallel to the base plate 11 from the bent portion 12a, a convex portion 15 provided on the inserting plate 12 at a position opposing to the base plate 11, and a rib 14 provided on an outer surface of the inserting plate 12 for suppressing deflection of the inserting plate 12. Accordingly, a retaining device for clothes formed of plastic, which does not cause any chemical reaction with the chemicals used for clothes and not cause any reaction of a metal detector, which has sufficient characteristics for use and suitable for mass production can be provided.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the optical determination of the temperature of a gaseous mixture, the method comprising the stages consisting:of exciting in the infrared range the molecules of a gas of said mixture, from a first vibrational level towards a second vibrational level;of allowing the rotational relaxation of said molecules between the different rotational sub-levels of said second vibrational level;of measuring the ratio of the populations of molecules located at two of said rotational sub-levels; andof deducing from said ratio the temperature of the gaseous mixture.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by which an element region for electronic circuits or the like is formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, a diaphragm region is formed in the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of openings having different areas and shapes are formed in the semiconductor substrate. The method includes a step of forming a first diaphragm region in the bottom surface of a semiconductor substrate, a step of partially forming a second diaphragm region in the first diaphragm region, the second diaphragm region being thinner than the first diaphragm region, and a step of forming an opening by removing part or the whole of the second diaphragm region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of managing a multi-channel direct memory access (DMA) operation in which a sequence of data frames are received at a controller that controls a DMA transfer. The data frames are placed in data buffers in a memory by the controller. Multiple data frames are stored by the controller in at least one of the data buffers. The storing of multiple data frames in a single buffer provides efficient utilization of memory space as large size buffers are used to hold more than a single data frame, and also reduces the management overhead involved in placing the data frames in the data buffers.

Abstract: The invention discloses novel oligonucleotides, which can be employed as primers in a polymerase chain reaction. Further a method for performing an IL-PCR using these oligonucleotides is disclosed. The oligonucleotides are suitable for the identification and taxonomic characterization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms at the level of genus, species, and strain as well as for the identification and construction of transformation and tumour markers, respectively, for the application in medical cancer diagnostics.

Abstract: A squared character region for a letter is partitioned into three partitive regions arranged in a longitudinal direction to partition the letter. Thereafter, a right fit position of a portion of the letter placed at the most right side in a partitive region is determined for each of the partitive regions. Therefore, the right fit positions indicate right shape features of the letter. Thereafter, a right minimum fit position indicating the most right position among the right fit positions is determined, a right proportional position is regarded as a right kerning position in a partitive region relating to the right minimum fit position, and another right kerning position is set between the right minimum fit position and the right fit position for each of remaining partitive regions. Also, a left kerning position is determined in the same manner for each of the partitive regions.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method retrieves a web file and sorts one or more information element references according to a priority attribute associated with each reference. After ranking the information element references by priority, the method then retrieves each information element in the order that their references were ranked. After receiving an information element, a user acts upon the information element in the appropriate manner. Typical objects, and their actions, would include displaying an image file, executing an applet, or playing an audio file. By using the steps of the preferred method, more important objects are retrieved before less important objects, thus allowing the user to act upon the more important objects sooner than the user could have acted on the important objects using methods available in the prior art.

Abstract: A network arrangement for the delivery and presentation of multimedia applications includes one or more file servers, containing multimedia assets and program objects connected to the network. A user terminal connected to the network includes a display for displaying a plurality of timelines. The terminal also includes a graphical user interface for placing icons representing multimedia assets on one timeline and icons representing program objects on another timeline. The terminal has a processor which integrates multimedia objects from the multimedia assets associated with the first timeline with the program objects associated with the second timeline to produce an interactive multimedia application. A user input device cooperates with the user terminal to retrieve from the file server(s) and to playback or execute one or more objects at a relative time presented on the interactive multimedia application.

Abstract: A high speed camera takes an image in the vicinity of a ball 3 and a club head 12, while a high speed camera 5 takes an image in the vicinity of the top of the swing of a golfer 1, and the images are recorded in a high speed video tape recorder 6. The recorded images are reproduced, swing time, a swing speed and a head speed are detected using a personal computer 15, and a shaft with an optimum flex for the golfer is selected based on the swing time, the swing speed, the swing time and the head speed, or the swing speed and the head speed.

Abstract: An isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an inducible soft fruit promoter, particularly the alcohol dehydrogenase 2 promoter from tomato, is described. Isolated DNA molecules encoding the alcohol dehydrogenase 2 enzyme are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hard disc drive is disclosed, which comprises a compound bearing assembly including stepped shaft 1 having a large-diameter portion 1a and a small-diameter portion 1b, a plurality of balls 4 provided between an outer raceway groove 2b formed in the inner periphery of an outer race ring 3 and an inner raceway groove 2a directly formed in the outer periphery of the large-diameter portion 1a, and a plurality of balls 8a provided between an inner raceway groove 6a formed in the outer periphery of an inner race ring 7a fitted on the small-diameter portion 1b of the stepped shaft 1 and an outer raceway groove 6b directly formed in the inner periphery of a portion of a sleeve-like outer race ring 5 adjacent an end thereof. A hub 12 of a rotor 11 of a motor of the hard disc drive is fitted on the compound bearing assembly.

Abstract: A brushless motor having a plurality of weight reducing holes is disclosed. The weight reducing holes are formed in the thick parts of the stator housing of the motor to prevent shrinkage of the thick parts of the housing when forming the housing through injection molding. The weight reducing holes are formed in the housing by appropriately positioning cores in the mold before injecting melted resin into the mold. The weight reducing holes are formed in a bearing seat mouth of the housing as well as in an outer portion of the mouth.

Abstract: A network controller, which allows data frames received to be held in an internal memory buffer, has the capability to selectively switch between a DMA mode of data transfer and a non-DMA mode of data transfer to move data frames from the internal memory buffer to a desired location. When the overflow of the memory buffer is anticipated, a DMA controller is automatically engaged to move the data frames to a system memory to prevent the received frames from being discarded. An auto-DMA decision logic engages the DMA controller based on factors such as the number of data frames accumulated in the memory buffer, remaining capacity of the memory buffer, frame loading and unloading rates, and time interval during which data frames have been received without completely unloading the memory buffer.

Abstract: An arched gate MOSFET having first and second source/drain regions formed spaced apart on a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode formed on said main surface of the semiconductor substrate through an insulating film. The gate electrode extends in a first direction between the first and second source/drain regions defining a channel length, and in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, defining a channel width. The surface of the semiconductor substrate is arcuate in shape in the channel width direction and the gate electrode conforms to the arcuate shape of the surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Multiple player games implemented by computer are improved to permit playing without any delay penalty for stations remote from another station. Delay times are compensated using measurement of round trip delay times to each station and the stations participating in the game determine the proper master station based on shared information.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is provided that can have the memory cell size reduced and electrical imbalance eliminated. This semiconductor memory device has gate electrodes of a driver transistor and a load transistor formed of a first polysilicon layer, and a word line also serving as a gate electrode of an access transistor formed of a different layer of a second polysilicon layer. Therefore, the gate electrodes of the driver transistor and the load transistor can be overlapped with each other in a planar manner with the word line, resulting in reduction in the planar area of the memory cell. In a cell current path, a contact portion other than a bit line contact and a GND contact is not provided. Therefore, electrical imbalance in memory cells is prevented.

Abstract: A portable radio telephone handset operates as a data transfer terminal as well as an analog cellular telephone subscriber station. Two modes of operation, an analog cellular communication mode and a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) mode, are available in the handset. The handset distinguishes between paging signals indicating CDPD mode communications and those indicating analog cellular communications. The handset also automatically preempts CDPD communications in favor of analog cellular communications such as those carried out in an AMPS configuration. The handset maintains an active status on a CDPD communication channel during a "sleep mode", when the handset can carry out AMPS activity.

Abstract: The inventive method calculates a position of the center of the eyeball as a fixed displacement from an origin of a facial coordinate system established by detection of three points on the face, and computes a vector therefrom to the center of the pupil. The vector and the detected position of the pupil are used to determine the visual axis.