Abstract: A single axis rotatable disc calendar for calculating time periods and future dates based on current or past events is disclosed. In particular, calculators for determining fertility timing, testing and treatment dates have a base circular calendar (61) and one or more discs (58, 59, 60) containing information about menstrual cycles and ovulation events. The base circular calendar has 365 divisions (67) for the days in the year or 153 divisions for a shortened calendar excluding February. A separate February calendar with a leap February month is provided on the back of the base.

Abstract: A power supply unit controller for a rack enclosure in which a plurality of devices communicate via a backplane is disclosed. The controller reads signal(s) indicative of output supply level(s) being provided to the backplane by a power supply unit associated the the power supply unit controller and stores value(s) associated with the signal(s). The controller further stores a scaling value associated with a respective signal and dependent on the power supply unit, and a power supply unit serial number. The controller is responsive to a request from an SES processor to return a state of the associated power supply unit to the SES processor, the state including a combination of: a summary of the current status of the power supply unit, the value (s), the scaling value(s), and the power supply unit serial number, according to the SES processor request.

Abstract: A composition which when topically applied to the skin of a mammal reduces trans-epidermal water-loss and provides an improved epidermal barrier contains an aqueous dispersion of at least two lipids, preferably at least three lipids, in a non-crystalline phase lamellar array, preferably bilayer membranes in the form of liposomes. These lipids adopt a crystalline lamellar phase upon application to mammalian skin which resist washing with mild detergents and water. The composition can be formulated as a pharmaceutical preparation, and can be used in a method of recovering or otherwise improving a mammalian skin permeability barrier by administering the composition to the skin or hair and allowing the composition to dry. The dried composition adopts a crystalline lamellar phase after said administering to the skin. The composition thus provides a permeability barrier in cases where the natural barrier has been depleted, damaged or requires improvement.

Abstract: A method for end-capping polycarbonate resins, comprising the step of processing a mixture comprising a polycarbonate having free hydroxyl-end groups and an end-capping reagent in a melt transesterification reaction to produce a polycarbonate resin, wherein the end-capping reagent comprises a mixture of: (a) at least one species of a symmetrical activated aromatic carbonate, and (b) at least one species of an optionally-substituted phenol, whereby said end-capping reagent reacts with at least some of the free hydroxyl end-groups of the polycarbonate to produce an end-capped polycarbonate resin.

Abstract: Using a laser-tracker (1) with an interferometer together with a retroreflector (3) in the form of a triple prism or a triple mirror arranged on an object and designed for parallel reflection of the laser beam (5) directed to the reflector (3), the position of the object is computed by way of measurement data with respect to the direction of the laser beam (5) and its path length. Additionally the spacial orientation of the object (2) is determined by producing additional measurement data with respect to the angle of incidence (&agr;) of the laser beam into the reflector (3) and/or with respect to an adjustable orientation of the reflector (3) relative to the object (2) and by computing the position and spacial orientation of the object (2) by way of measurement data with respect to the direction and the path length of the laser beam (5) and by way of this additional measurement data.

Abstract: A molding composition comprising (a) from 10 to 90 weight percent of a polyester resin; (b) from 90 to 10 weight percent of an aromatic polycarbonate, polyarylate, polyester carbonate resin or blend thereof; and (c) a flow improving amount of lignin and/or a compound having a phosphonium sulfonate group.

Abstract: Dendrimer additives incorporated in thermoplastic resins (such as polycarbonate resins) are effective to alter the surface characteristics of the thermoplastic resin. Such compositions can be injection molded to produce articles in which the dendrimer additive is concentrated at the surface of the article to alter the properties of the resin. By selection of the type of dendrimer additive, the resulting characteristics of the molded article may be controlled.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for receiving human input by means of a pointing device, typically a strain gauge. Three dimensions of input are received from a resistor bridge by means of four contact points to the strain gauge. A sequence of excitation signals is applied to the bridge and a multiplexer is employed to permit a signal processor to sample sensor outputs. The apparatus processes the sampled outputs and determines the user inputs such as X and Y and Z values of the pointing device.

Abstract: A clock stretching circuit (110) mites between a synchronous bus (112) and a microcontroller (124) which is asleep most of the time to save electrical power. The bus is of a type in which a slow bus device can cause the sender of data to “hold” the data until the slow device is up to speed. The stretching circuit (110) is of small component count and low power consumption, and there is no requirement for a continuous clock. In one embodiment is comprised of a triple analog switch (120, 121, 122) and a very small number of additional components. In another embodiment a dual four-position multiplexer (162, 163) is employed. In still another embodiment, four transistors (210, 212, 213, 215) are used with handful of additional components. A level shifter (220, 221, 222, 223) including an MOSFET and a large-value resistor help to minimize power drain within the bus device.

Abstract: An environmental exhaust duct adapted to be mounted on a roof allows for exhaust gases to escape while preventing water and debris from entering the building. The exhaust duct has a flap which is closed over the duct by gravity, and which pivots upwards when exhaust gases are released. A cap over the duct prevents water and debris from entering the air shaft when the flap is open.

Abstract: Reliable and cost effective testing for mutations in the RB1 gene can be accomplished by (a) quantitatively amplifying exons of the sample RB1 gene using primers complementary to intron regions flanking each exon; and (b) determining the lengths and/or quantities of the amplification products for each exon and comparing that length or quantity to the length or quantity of amplification products obtained when a wild-type RB1 gene is amplified using the same primers. Differences in length between an amplified sample exon and the corresponding amplified wild-type exon reflect the occurrence on an insertion or deletion mutation in the sample RB1 gene. Differences in quantity reflect the complete absence of an exon, or heterozygosity for a mutant exon. Next, the nucleic acid sequence of each exon found to contain an insertion or deletion mutation is determined, or of all exons in the event no insertion or deletion mutations are identified.

Abstract: A ligase-based assay which relies only upon knowledge of the wild-type sequence of a gene or gene fragment is used to detect all types of mutations, i.e., point mutations, insertions and deletions. The assay makes use of a set of oligonucleotide probes, which may be packaged in kit form, which hybridize in series along the length of the gene. The ligation of the probes together form a ligation product, the size of which is evaluated. When the gene or gene fragment being analyzed corresponds to the normal sequence and thus perfectly matches the probes, all of the probes in the set are ligated together, and the ligation produce has a certain resulting size. When a mutation appears in the gene, the hybridization of the probe overlapping the mutation is impaired, with the result that some or all of the ligation produce is of smaller size. By evaluating the size of the ligation product, both the existence of a mutation and its approx. position can be identified.