Abstract: This invention focuses on the marriage of solid-state electronics and neuronal function to create a new high-throughput electrophysiological assay to determine a compound's acute and chronic effect on cellular function. Electronics, surface chemistry, biotechnology, and fundamental neuroscience are integrated to provide an assay where the reporter element is an array of electrically active cells. This innovative technology can be applied to neurotoxicity, and to screening compounds from combinatorial chemistry, gene function analysis, and basic neuroscience applications. The system of the invention analyzes how the action potential is interrupted by drugs or toxins. Differences in the action potentials are due to individual toxins acting on different biochemical pathways, which in turn affects different ion channels, thereby changing the peak shape of the action potential differently for each toxin.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of examining the authenticity of a document provided with an optico-diffractively effective element or hologram by subjecting the hologram to capacitive coupling of a voltage and deriving a signal representative of the voltage for comparison with a reference signal representative of a hologram of an authentic document. The method may be improved by providing, between individual segments of the hologram, additional security indicia providing a signal in response to being irradiated by electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: A predetermined electrode arrangement (1/1, 1/2, 1/3A, 1/6) comprising a plurality of shielded electrodes (213, 215) and a plurality of shielding electrodes (204, 214, 269A, 269B,) that together with other conductive (799, 206, 208, 207, 203, 218, 216, 217, 218) semi-conductive (not shown) and/or non-conductive material elements (212) are formed into a multi-functional energy condition assembly (1-1, 1-2, 1-3A, 1-6) or variant to be selectively coupled into circuitry (4-1, 5-1, 1-2).

Abstract: A thermodilution catheter having a heating filament which is fabricated so as to be thin and flexible enough to avoid contact with the patient's blood. The heating filament is either inserted in a preformed catheter lumen, incorporated into a wall of the catheter body itself, or wrapped around the catheter body wall and surrounded by an external sheath. Generally, the covering of the heating filament is minimally thin so as to allow the heat from the heating filament to be transferred to the surrounding blood and to minimally increase the overall cross-sectional area. Since the heating filament does not directly touch the patient's blood, the outer surface may be made smooth so as to prevent inducement of blood clots. In addition, the heating filament may be maintained at a safe temperature by forming the heating element of a flexible material having a high temperature coefficient of resistance, low thermal capacitance and high thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering purchasing incentives and a variety of other retail shopping aids through a computer network, such as by E-mail over the Internet or the World Wide Web. Customers (10) of retail stores can establish a bi-directional communication link with the system, log in (16) to the system, and then elect to browse among available purchasing incentive offers (18, 22), or elect to explore other shopping aids, such as a shopping list generator (26), a recipe center (30), or simply elect to claim a product rebate or to receive product information. If the customer elects to have product information or rebate information delivered, only minimal customer identification is required. For purchase incentives redeemable at retail stores, the customer must provide identification information and must also designate a retailer (12) at which the purchasing incentive can be exercised.

Abstract: The system of a variable lightwave functional apparatus comprising: an acousto-optical modulator for outputting wavelength multiplexed light containing a plurality of pulses having a first wavelength interval; a coupler arranged at an output of said acousto-optical modulator; a polarization branching/coupling device having a first port to a third port, for branching the output form said coupler, which is entered from said first port into the polarization branching/coupling device, to both said second port and said third port; an optical amplifier connected to said second port of said polarization branching/coupling device; and said variable lightwave functional circuit and arranged between said second port of said polarization branching/coupling device and said optical amplifier; wherein: multi-wavelength oscillation light is outputted from said coupler by laser light from said acousto-optical modulator.

Abstract: A method and system to manage the operation of multiple item promotions which provide a benefit to a customer who purchases a specified combination of items. The present invention monitors purchases in conjunction with Point Of Sale (POS) processing in a retail store and determines when purchase combination promotions are satisfied by a customer's purchase selections. The present invention stores a description of the items purchased in conjunction with the promotion, stores the cost of the promotion to be charged to each sponsor for each benefit or discount provided, and tracks future redemption of coupons or paperless equivalents that were issued in conjunction with a purchase combination promotion.

Abstract: A character overlapping with a line of an entry box is extracted utilizing a dot box. At document input step S2, a document to be recognized is read and converted into electronic data to produce character box data. At electronic data storing step S3, the character box data read at the photoelectric transducing S2 is stored. At character detecting step S5, the character box data is contracted, small points are removed, and the remaining pattern is reversely expanded to produce character data. At entry box detecting step S4, entry box position data is generated from the character box data and character data. At relating step S6, a character pattern entered in each entry box is detected from the character data and the entry box position data. At character recognizing step S7, a character is recognized for the extracted character pattern and the results are stored at step S8.

Abstract: Disclosed is a variable lightwave functional circuit comprising: an applying unit for applying lateral pressure; a polarization maintaining optical fiber having a polarization axis, for inducing a polarization mode coupling by applying the lateral pressure to a predetermined position by said applying unit; and a branching/coupling device having a first port to a fourth port, for branching laser light inputted from the first port to both said second port and said third port, and also for projecting laser light inputted from said second port to the fourth port; wherein one end of said polarization maintaining optical fiber is connected to one of said second port and said third port in such a manner that the polarization axis is inclined at a predetermined angle to an axial direction parallel to a branching plane of said branching/coupling device.

Abstract: The invention provides a syringe for preventing anemia resulting from withdrawal of blood from a patient for analysis, the syringe including a cylindrical tube having a nozzle at its lower end to which a needle is attachable; a piston disposed within the tube and apiston handle protruding from the upper end of hte tube; the syringe being further adapted to a be placed in a centrifuge for separating blood drawn from the patient into supernatant plasma component and a packed-cells component, and further comprising means for separating or removing at least a portion of teh plasma, thereby facilitating the injection of the packed-cells back into the patient The invention also provides a method for preventing anemia resulting from the withdrawal of blood from a patient for analysis.

Abstract: Compact and integral arrangements for an energy-conditioning arrangement (800q) having various predetermined pathways (813a, 813b) utilized in part for the purpose of conditioning energies of either one or multiple of circuitry that would otherwise detrimentally effect a predetermined application having a single or multiple, circuitry systems. Some energy-conditioning variants can be operable to provide multiple-conditioning operations.

Abstract: A self-aligned enhancement mode metal-oxide-compound semiconductor field effect transistor (10) includes a lower oxide layer that is a mixture of Ga2O, Ga2O3, and other gallium oxide compounds (30), and a second insulating layer that is positioned immediately on top of the gallium oxygen layer together positioned on upper surface (14) of a III-V compound semiconductor wafer structure (13). Together the lower gallium oxide compound layer and the second insulating layer form a gallium oxide gate insulating structure. The gallium oxide gate insulating structure and underlying compound semiconductor gallium arsenide layer (15) meet at an atomically abrupt interface at the surface of with the compound semiconductor wafer structure (14). The initial essentially gallium oxygen layer serves to passivate and protect the underlying compound semiconductor surface from the second insulating oxide layer. A refractory metal gate electrode layer (17) is positioned on upper surface (18) of the second insulating oxide layer.

Abstract: A self-aligned enhancement mode metal-oxide-compound semiconductor field effect transistor includes a gate insulating structure comprised of a first conducting oxide layer comprised of indium oxide compounds positioned immediately on top of the compound semiconductor structure, and a second insulating layer comprised of either gallium oxygen and rare earth elements or gallium sulphur and rare earth elements positioned immediately on top of said first layer.

Abstract: A structure comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a shielding electrode provides improved energy conditioning when used in electrical circuits. The structures may exist as discrete components, as part of an interposer or a first level interconnects, or a part of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: In the present invention, an erroneously recognized character is corrected by making use of an output in dot characters or in a gray color. The recognized document file is outputted in dot characters or in a gray color image (S101). An operator writes a sign and a character for correction on the printout (S103). An image input of the correction inputted document is provided (S105) and the location of the character written with the recognized correction sign is detected (S107) for recognition of the written correction sign and character (111). The location of the detected character is brought into correspondence with the recognized correction sign (S113). According to the correspondence, the corresponding character is corrected by the correction processing corresponding to the correction sign (S115) and a result of the correction is outputted (S117).

Abstract: The invention provides a structure and method of its use comprising a filtering and interference suppression device (62), particularly of the broad band type, for an electric motor (34) comprising at least a first powering brush (16) for an armature commutator of the electric motor (34), of the type comprising a capacitor (64), one terminal of which is electrically connected to a strip conductor (38) that electrically powers the first brush (16) powering the armature commutator of the electric motor (34), and the other terminal of which is electrically connected to a ground strip conductor (58), connected, in turn, to the electrical ground (60) of the electric motor (34), characterized in that the capacitor (72) of the filtering and interference suppression device (62) is of the non-inductive type, and in that each of the non-inductive capacitors (72) is directly attached to a circuit board (73) comprising strip conductors, of which are at least one powering strip conductor (38, 40) for a brush and one ground

Abstract: A structure of a security element for documents provided with a combination of differently reacting or responding security features and functional designs, including conductive, magnetic and diffractive ones, which render it difficult or impossible for counterfeiters to discover the functioning of the security element.

Abstract: Characteristics are rendered variable and high-functional by using the side-pressure inductive polarization mode coupling of a PMF to thereby change the position and magnitude of a side pressure. An input light is incident via a polarizer (2), and an outgoing light is output via the PMF (1) and another polarizer (3). Light may enter and go out in an opposite way. The PMF (1) has two polarization axes orthogonal to each other, and the polarization axis of the polarizer (2) is coupled so as to agree with one end of the polarization axis of the PMF (1). The polarization axis of the polarizer (3) is coupled so as to agree with one end of the polarization axis of the PMF (1). The PMF (1) induces polarization mode coupling when a polarization light tilted a specified angle with respect to the polarization axis is incident to apply a side pressure to the PMF (1).

Abstract: A predetermined amalgamation of electrodes formed or manufactured at least in part, by predetermined, sequential manufacturing operations into a balanced and shielding electrode structure. The balanced total electrode structure also uses a grouping of identically configured, and balanced positioned, shielding electrodes that are amalgamated in sequential combination with predetermined, complimentary balanced shielded electrodes groupings and other predetermined elements that are together, practicable to provide predetermined multiple energy conditioning functions operable upon portions of propagating energy as well simultaneously being operable to provide a common, voltage reference function operable for at least dynamic circuit operations.

Abstract: A material or mixture of materials which is not itself storage stable is rendered storage stable by incorporation into a water-soluble or swellable glassy or rubbery composition which can then be stored at ambient temperature. Recovery is by adding aqueous solution to the composition.