Abstract: A loudspeaker spider comprises rubber type material having a central opening defining an inner rim, a periphery outer rim, and a spring effect portion provided at a portion located between the inner rim and the outer rim to enable the inner rim to be moved axially up and down with respect to the outer rim when a driving force is applied to the inner rim and be retained to an original equilibrium position after the driving force is released. The spider also includes an integral conductor arrangement which comprises at least one conductor where at least a portion of the at least one conductor extends from the inner rim to the outer rim of the loudspeaker spider.

Abstract: The invention relates to the measurement of daughter ion spectra of analyte substances that are ionized by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption. The invention shows how to record several daughter ion spectra from several parent ions per single pulse of laser light, that is per desorption event, by spatially splitting the ion beams or by temporally sequencing the spectral measurement; the various parent ions are selected one after another by switching the parent ion selector several times. Summing up corresponding individual daughter ion spectra from many pulses of laser light leads to several sum spectra being recorded practically synchronously with the same series of laser light pulses, with correspondingly reduced sample consumption and shortened data acquisition time.

Abstract: An air regulator comprises a housing, a shaft, a first air regulation member and an elastic ring. The shaft is rotationally fixed within the housing. The first air regulation member is coaxially coupled to the shaft and has a plurality of first air flow apertures positioned radially about the shaft. The elastic ring is configured and positioned to centrifugally deform and increasingly block the first air flow apertures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the water cut value of a multiphase fluid flowing within a pipe is provided. The device includes a sequestering structure disposed within the pipe, a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a processing device. The sequestering structure at least partially defines a sensing passage within the pipe, which passage has a gap extending substantially normal to a direction of fluid flow within the pipe. The sensing passage is oriented to sequester an amount of a liquid component of the multi-phase fluid sufficient to form a continuous liquid body extending across the gap of the sensing passage. The transmitting device is operable to transmit a signal through the liquid across the gap of the sensing passage. The receiving device is operable to receive the signal after it has traversed the liquid within the sensing passage, and create sensor data.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a blood sample is provided that includes the steps of: providing a blood sample having one or more of each first and second constituents; admixing a colorant with the sample, which colorant is operative to cause the first constituents and second constituents to fluoresce and absorb light; illuminating at least a portion of the sample; e) imaging a portion of the sample; determining a fluorescence value for each the first constituents and second constituents; determining an optical density value for each of the first constituents and second constituents; and identifying the first constituents and the second constituents using the determined fluorescence and optical density values.

Abstract: The invention relates to spatially resolved mass spectrometric measurement and visualization of the distribution of small molecules in a mass range from approximately 150 to 500 Daltons, for example drugs and their metabolites, in thin sections or other two-dimensional samples, preferably with ionization of the molecules by matrix-assisted laser desorption. The invention includes the steps measuring a daughter ion produced by forced decomposition of the molecular ion instead of the ionized analyte molecule itself, the daughter ion having a much better signal-to-noise ratio. The daughter ions are detected in a relatively simple reflector time-of-flight mass spectrometer instead of using an expensive time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometers for the measurement of the daughter ions.

Abstract: An auger conveyor includes a housing, at least one first mounting bracket, at least one second mounting bracket, an auger screw and one or more auger support assemblies. The first mounting bracket has a first landing and the second mounting bracket has a second landing. The first and second mounting brackets are attached to the housing at diametrically opposite positions. The one or more auger support assemblies each have a lateral member connected to a bushing assembly. The auger screw has a rotational axis and is rotatably mounted relative to the bushing assembly. First and second ends of the lateral member each have a geometry adapted to slidably engage with the first and second landings, respectively. The auger screw and the one or more auger support assemblies are adapted to be received within and removed from the housing as an assembled unit, through the first end of the housing.

Abstract: A test mixture for detecting the presence or absence of pathogenic staphylococci (“p.staphylococci”) directly in a first generation specimen test sample, the test mixture comprising: an effective amount of amino acids, an effective amount of nitrogen sources, an effective amount of salts, an effective amount of vitamins, an effective amount of calcium, and an effective amount of coagulase substrates, which coagulase substrates include fibrinogen, which will create a clot within a liquid medium containing the test mixture and the first generational specimen test sample at temperatures in the range of about 20° C. to about 42° C. in the presence of p.staphylococci in the first generation specimen test sample.

Abstract: A presence/absence test for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) involves placing a first generation test sample in a solution that will clot in the presence of S. aureus. The solution contains components that will selectively grow S. aureus and also contains clotting factors that will react with S. aureus, if S. aureus is present in the sample, to clot the solution. Examples of specimen samples that can be tested include nasal swabs and lesion swabs, among others. The test can also be modified to detect the presence or absence of methicillin resistant S. Aureus (MRSA).

Abstract: A method for analyzing a blood sample residing within an analysis chamber, which sample has one or more first and second constituents, which constituents are different from one another. The method includes the steps of: a) imaging the sample containing the first and second constituents, which sample is mixed with a colorant that causes the first and second constituents to fluoresce upon exposure to light, and which colorant is also operative to absorb light, the imaging produces image signals representative of fluorescent emissions from the sample and optical density of the sample; b) determining one or more values representative of fluorescent emission from the first and second constituents; c) determining one or more values representative of optical density for the first and second constituents; and d) distinguishing the first constituents from the second constituents using the fluorescent emission representative values and the optical density representative values.

Abstract: A heat and pressure consolidated laminate, and method for producing the same, is provided that includes in superimposed relationship a decorative layer consisting essentially of a leather material, an underlay layer, a substrate, and an optional backer layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite one another. The underlay layer includes one or more cellulosic sheets impregnated with a thermosetting resin, and is disposed between the decorative layer and the first layer of the substrate. The backer layer includes one or more cellulosic sheets impregnated with a thermosetting resin, and is disposed contiguous with the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A supersonic gas jet having gas molecules with substantially equal velocities is formed by directing the gas through a Laval nozzle into an evacuated chamber. A field barrier having a substantially constant height across a cross-section of the supersonic gas jet is formed by respectively applying potentials U2, U3 and U4 to an arrangement of three apertured diaphragms R2, R3 and R4, which are respectively separated by distances d2 and d3, where (U4?U3)/(U3?U2)=d3/d2. The ions in the supersonic gas jet are directed against the field barrier, where ions with a mobility below a mobility threshold are pushed over the field barrier, and where ions with a mobility higher than the mobility threshold are held back by the field barrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing biologic fluid is provided that includes first and second planar members, and at least three separators. At least one of the first planar member and second planar member is transparent. The separators are disposed between the planar members, and each individually has a height. The separators collectively having a mean height, and separate the planar members to form a chamber having a height extending between the planar members. At least one of the first planar member, second planar member, or separators is sufficiently deformable when the first planar member and second planar member are drawn toward each other by capillary force from a biologic fluid quiescently residing within the chamber to cause the mean chamber height to be substantially equal to the mean height of the separators.

Abstract: A hollow airfoil and a method for manufacturing a hollow airfoil is provided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device (1) to carry a bottle (5) including an attachment portion (10) to be secured to a user (15). A clip (20) has an aperture (25) through which a part (30) of the bottle (5) to be secured by the user may pass. A connecting means (35) extends between the attachment portion (10) and clip (20) and is operable to permit the bottle (15) in use to assume a substantially vertical orientation.

Abstract: A dual-stage method is provided for identifying a microbe by, for example, its species or its subspecies. The method includes measuring a mass spectrum of the microbe using a mass spectrometer, calculating indicators for similarities between reference mass spectra in a library and the measured mass spectrum, selecting a group of reference mass spectra similar to the measured mass spectrum, determining a distinguishing weight for each mass signal of the reference mass spectra in the group, where the distinguishing weights emphasize differences between the reference mass spectra in the group, and calculating indicators for similarities between the reference mass spectra in the group and the measured mass spectrum as a function of the distinguishing weights.

Abstract: The invention relates to preparing a matrix layer on a sample support for mass spectrometric analysis. An aspect of the invention includes detecting a light signal that is attenuated, reflected or scattered by the matrix layer, and using the light signal to examine the matrix layer or to regulate the preparation of the matrix layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a flow rate of a component of a stratified two-phase fluid flow within a substantially horizontally extending pipe is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) determining a first fluid velocity value and a second fluid velocity value within the pipe section; b) determining a density of the fluid flow within the pipe section, and creating a measured fluid density value; c) determining a degree of fluid phase stratification of the fluid flow using at least one of the top and bottom fluid flow velocity values, and the measured fluid density value; and d) determining a flow rate value for at least one of a liquid component of the fluid flow and a gas component of the fluid flow within the pipe section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring antibody titers in a thin film sample in an automated system which does not require multiple dilutions. The system provides a simple method for creating an in-situ dilution within a sample analysis chamber without the use of any precision fluid-handling components, and further, to use the same principles to provide a wide range of sample dilutions within the chamber so as to obviate the need for additional dilution steps when dealing with samples possibly containing wide ranges of analyte concentrations.

Abstract: To render a gear arrangement for a transmission as quiet as possible but nevertheless able to handle heavy loads, a first gear made of a first material and a second gear made of a second material sit loosely next to one another on a common shaft. The elasticity of the first gear, preferably made of plastic, is chosen to be greater than that of the second gear, preferably made of metal, while the strength of the second gear is chosen to be greater than that of the first gear. Because the second gear preferably exhibits a slightly smaller toothing than the first gear, only the first gear comes into engagement with another gear in normal operation. As the load increases, the first gear made of plastic yields in the elastic range so that now the second gear made of metal also comes into engagement in order to accept the forces occurring and thereby protect the first gear against overloading and fracture. The gear arrangement is generally suitable for transmissions, for example for planetary transmissions.