Abstract: A die construction includes a body having first and second, opposite end caps and an extension member therebetween. The extension member has a first number of discrete facets and no more than the first number. Each of the discrete facets is identically shaped and have equal surface areas. The first end cap has a second number of discrete facets and no more than the second number. The second number is one-half of the first number. Each of the first end cap discrete facets is identically shaped and has an equal surface area to one another. The second end cap has the second number of discrete facets, that is, the same number as the first end cap, and has no more than the second number. Each of the second end cap discrete facets is identically shaped as the first end cap discrete facets. Each of the second end cap discrete facets has a surface area equal to a surface area of each of the first end cap discrete facets.

Abstract: A process for the purification of gases loaded in particular with chemical residues, in particular of the exhaust air from printing equipment, in which process the gas to be purified is drawn off from the regions producing the impurities and led via piping to an arrangement of adsorber-filter cartridges that serve for the separation of the impurities from the gas and are periodically separated in a cyclical manner from the exhaust flow for the carrying out of a regeneration process.

Abstract: A reverse flow air filter arrangement is provided. The arrangement includes a filter element having first and second end caps, the second end cap having a central drainage aperture. A funnel shape on an interior surface of second end cap is used to direct moisture flow to the drainage aperture. The arrangement includes a housing in which the filter element is positioned, operatively, during use. Certain features in the housing facilitate moisture withdrawal from the filter element while also inhibiting interference with sealing between the filter element and the housing.

Abstract: A compact zoom lens comprising a small number of lenses, providing an aperture of about F1.4 and a zoom ration of about 14, with a full angle of view at the wide angle end of 64.degree. or wider. The zoom lens of the present invention comprises, aligned respectively from the object side, a fixed first lens group, comprising a lens with a negative refracting power, a lens with a positive refracting power, and a meniscus lens with a positive refracting power; a movable second lens group to provide zooming effect, comprising a lens with a negative refracting power, a biconcave lens with a negative refracting power, and a lens with a positive refracting power, with at least one surface of these lenses aspheric; a fixed third lens group with a positive refracting power, with at least one surface of these lenses aspheric; a fourth lens group, movable for compensating the position of the focal plane, with a positive refracting power, with at least one surface of the lenses aspheric.

Abstract: A method for preparing a diarylalanine compound is provided. The method includes reacting a diarylaminopropanediol with a reducing agent to form a diarylaminopropanol compound and/or contacting a serine ester derivative with an aryl metal reagent to form diarylaminopropanediol. A diarylmethyloxazolidinone compound is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a fluid tight seal between a coupling body and an insert wherein the coupling body has a seal element disposed circumferentially about an inner wall for fluid tight engagement with an outer wall of an insert upon insertion of the insert into the coupling body.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for treating periodontal disease and other related disorders utilizing a therapeutic treatment composition, including at lease one chemotherapeutic agent in combination with at least one carrier agent, are disclosed. Oral care products and a method preventing periodontal disease and related disorders are also provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for an encoder for encoding members in a concept hierarchy. A query is executed in a computer. The query is performed by the computer to retrieve data from a database stored on a data storage device connected to the computer. Members in the database that are related by one or more concept hierarchies are encoded. Then, members in one of the concept hierarchies that are descendants of one or more selected concepts are identified based on the encoding.

Abstract: A method for preparing a carboxylic acid is provided. The method includes contacting an olefinic compound or a vicinal dihydroxy compound with oxygen in the presence of a protic organic solvent, an inorganic oxide catalyst and a peroxidant such as hydrogen peroxide or an peralkanoic acid. The inorganic oxide catalyst includes an oxide of tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, titanium, or yttrium.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing object tracking capabilities in object-oriented programming environments using a tracker class and associated functions, and a memory for storing tracker objects. The tracker class, once defined as a base class of any target class that needs the tracking capability, automatically tracks all the objects instantiated from the target class in a linked list. Objects instantiated from classes derived from the tracker class are automatically tracked when the target objects are initialized, be it on a heap or on a stack, because the constructor of the tracker class is invoked by the constructor of the target class. The tracker class is defined as a template, so that it can be applied to any type of target object.

Abstract: A menu driven reprogrammable drug pump is provided with a memory, such as flash memory, a display, a keyboard, and a communications port to allow a generic pump to be programmed with a desired pump application (therapy) program and patient specific settings. Programming and data transfer with another pump or a computer to and from the patient pump is by the communications port that allows local and/or remote communications with the pump. Flash memory stores the pump application program during use. Patient safety is provided by a cassette identification system, an occlusion detection system, and a latch/lock detection system. Automated testing of the pump is by a closed loop testing system.

Abstract: A lock apparatus includes a lock device and a coded key. The lock device has a lock shell and a cylindrical lock core unit received in the lock shell. The lock core unit has an axial key hole and is provided with a latch actuator. The key is extendible into the key hole and is operable so as to permit rotation of the lock core unit relative to the lock shell for moving the latch actuator from a locking position to an unlocking position. The key has a head portion and a shank portion which has a cross-section in the form of a circular sector with first and second planar surfaces that extend along length of the shank portion, and a curved surface that interconnects the first and second planar surfaces and that has an arc length greater than 180.degree.. The shank portion is formed with a plurality of key bit projections and key bit grooves on one of the first and second planar surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to an overpressure protector comprising a body portion (1) of single crystal silicon, a burst flow conduit (2) extending through the body portion (1), and a membrane (3) covering the burst flow conduit (2) and responding to a pressure difference. The membrane is a thin film (3), which is arranged to break when the pressure difference acting across it exceeds a predetermined value, and comprises a belt (6) whose electrical conductivity differs from that of the other material of the membrane. The belt is connected to means (9) for supplying electric current either for detecting breaking or the belt or for bursting the membrane (3) intentionally by means of heating effect of electric current.

Abstract: A color image receiving tube comprising three color (red, green and blue) phosphor screens on an inner surface of a face-plate; wherein at least two of said three color phosphor screens are coated with pigments; and wherein said three color phosphor screens have a total reflective brightness less than 70% that of three color phosphor screens with no pigment coating. According to the above-mentioned constitution, a color image receiving tube having a higher emisson brightness and contrast is achieved as compared to a color image receiving tube having the same reflective brightness, where the reflective brightness is obtained by lowering the light transmittance of its face-plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring pressure conditions in the fluid pressure upstream and downstream of an intravenous fluid administration system and to detect upstream and/or downstream occlusions. In addition, the invention incorporates a method for detecting pressure conditions at an upstream or downstream detector across the wall of the tubing to identify upstream or downstream occlusions, respectively. The present invention also relates to a process for determining the fluid pressure in a fluid tube across the tube wall where the normal tube force changes over time, and more particularly, using a normalization process to eliminate changes in the tubing resilience.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having improved spacers and a process for fabricating the same is provided. The semiconductor device is formed by forming at least one gate electrode over a substrate and forming a spacer layer over the gate electrode. A nitrogen bearing species is implanted into the spacer layer and portions of the spacer layer are removed, using the implanted nitrogen bearing species as a stop point, in order to form spacers on sidewalls of the gate electrode. Removal of the spacer layer may, for example, be performed using a dry or wet etch process.

Abstract: A formed porous body of oxide ceramic and an aluminum alloy block are placed in a crucible in an atmospheric furnace, and a magnesium source is placed in another crucible in the atmospheric furnace. An argon gas is then introduced into the atmospheric furnace, which is then heated to produce a magnesium vapor from the magnesium source and melt the aluminum alloy block. Then, the argon gas is replaced with a nitrogen gas to generate magnesium nitride. The magnesium nitride reduces an oxide on surfaces of the formed porous body, exposing metal atoms on the surfaces of the formed porous body. The molten aluminum alloy permeates the formed porous body under a pressure lower or higher than the atmospheric pressure or alternate pressures lower and higher than the atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Operating buttons (2, 3; 102, 103; and 202, 203) for a dual flush cistern or flush tank include different operating surface area of each button presented to the user and provide an indication as to which button provides the reduced flush and which button provides the full flush. A hinge and latch assembly is used to fabricate such buttons (2, 3) by folding from a moulded form into an operational form.

Abstract: An integrated dual beam multi-channel optical-based flux monitor and method of monitoring atomic absorption of a plurality of atomic species during epitaxial deposition. Light from multiple sources is simultaneously passed through a region of deposition of material such that atomic absorption takes place. The light that passed through the region is then compared to light in a reference arm that did not pass through a region of atomic absorption. From this comparison the deposition of an epitaxial layer can be carefully monitored and controlled.

Abstract: A frequency dependent controller that utilizes a loosely coupled transformer having a magnetic shunt with an air gap, which controller is adjusted to change the operating characteristics of the transformer by varying its operating frequency in accordance with the operating requirements of a load to be supplied with power. If the transformer is operated at a single frequency, the maximum current that can be delivered is a function of the magnetic shunt, air gap and that signal frequency. If the transformer is operated over a frequency range by the controller, the maximum current and other operating characteristics of the transformer are a function of both the magnetic shunt and its then current operating frequency.