Abstract: The present invention provides biological fertilizer compositions that comprise yeast cells and poultry manure. The yeast cells of the invention have an enhanced ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, decompose phosphorus minerals and compounds, decompose potassium minerals and compounds, decompose complex carbon compounds, overproduce growth factors, overproduce ATP, decompose undesirable chemicals, suppress growth of pathogenic microorganisms, or reduce undesirable odor. The biological fertilizer composition of the invention can replace mineral fertilizers in supplying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to crop plants. Methods of manufacturing biological fertilizer compositions, and methods of uses are also encompassed.

Abstract: An insulating material for building construction includes blankets provided with joining elements along their edges. The joining elements use a special zipper construction for forming a joint between individual blankets. The insulating material is suitable for forming wall or roof construction. The zipper construction is used for joining together blankets of such insulating material.

Abstract: A connectivity server for a collecting, arranging and representing data defining the interconnection of pages on the World Wide Web (Web). A URL Database stores URLs and associates a fingerprint and CS_id with each URL. The URL Database interface is operable to translate between any two of a URL, a fingerprint, and a Host_id. A Host Database associates a Host_id with each distinct hostname in the URL Database. The Host Database interface is operable to accept a Host_id and return a number equal to the number of URLs on the respective host and to return the CS_ids of those URLs. A Link Database stores links between source URLs and destination URLs. The Link Database interface is operable to retrieve, for a given CS_id, the number of inlinks to and outlinks from the URL corresponding to the CS_id.

Abstract: A therapeutic agent based on a recombinant adenovirus which employs an osteocalcin promoter for the expression of thymidine kinase can be administered intravascularly to treat metastatic cancer, including osteosarcoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, ocular melanoma or brain cancer. Systemic administration of this agent provides a preferred route over previous disclosure of local direct administration. The same therapeutic agent can be effectively employed in the treatment of benign conditions, including benign prostatic hypertrophy and arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming solder bumps on a semiconductor chip, for flip-chip bonding, having increased height to improve the solder joint reliability of the flip-chip bonded chip and carrier assembly. According to the present invention, a second layer of solder structure is deposited on to each of the solder bump precursor structures formed by a first layer of solder structure to increase the solder-bump volume, which results in solder bumps with increased height.

Abstract: A synchronous rectifier using current driven approach is disclosed which can replace diode rectifier in most of the power converter topologies to enable low rectification loss. The present invention comprises a low loss switch and essentially a transformer with at lease one current sensing winding, windings for current sense energy recovery and one driving winding connected to a hysterisis driver which provides driving signal and power for the synchronous rectifier. A hystersis driver is introduced which can reduce the noise interference to the driving signal, increase the operating frequency range, eliminate the saturation problem of the current sensing transformer and hence provide more flexibility to the transformer design. This synchronous rectifier is self-driven and the driving signal is independent of the input voltage of the converter which enhances its application to wide input range converter. Current sense energy recovery enables power converters to operate at high efficiency and high frequency.

Abstract: To measure characteristics of a non-Newtonian fluid, preferably blood, a non-magnetic container is provided for receiving the fluid. A magnetic body is contained in the container, and a winding is provided around the container. An AC current supplying device is connected to the winding for supplying input AC current of different amplitudes thereto to generate magnetic fields of different strengths in the container to cause the magnetic body to oscillate at different shear rates in the fluid. A measuring device is provided for measuring amplitude and/or phase of the oscillations of the magnetic body and a shear rate determining device is provided for determining the shear rates by measuring differences between the amplitude and/or phase of the oscillations of the magnetic body and the amplitude and phase of the input AC currents.

Abstract: An IC card whose state of usage can be judged by a user from an appearance of the card, and a relevant IC card system and method are provided. In an IC card fed electricity from an IC card reader-writer via feeding means using one of electromagnetic coupling and electrostatic coupling, and the IC card having an IC chip which communicates with the IC card reader-writer, the possible/impossible state of usage of the card by a user is determined using electric means for disconnecting or non-disconnecting the feeding means or providing another circuit and disconnecting this circuit, and appearance of the IC card is also changed at the time of the change caused by such electric means and thereby the state of usage of the card is indicated to the user.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for use with a guidewire is disclosed. The catheter has a body with a balloon located thereon, preferably at the distal end. A lumen within the catheter body communicates with the interior of the balloon which can be inflated by known methods with saline solution. A series of sleeve members of predetermined lengths and sizes are coupled to and positioned along the length of the catheter body. One or more of the sleeve members can span the length of the balloon. Each sleeve member has a passageway and both an exit and entry port so that the guidewire can pass therethrough. Instead of a balloon, the catheter can include a device member that forms a chamber which can store medicine until discharged at the desired site within the blood vessel. Apertures or pores on the catheter body allow for the perfusion of blood or the delivery of medicine to the site of the blood vessel. A method of operation is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a cushioning device that is adapted to retain a flowable medium to provide a cushioning effect. The cushioning device has a cushioning member having a deformable bladder member defining a medium chamber and a flowable medium, such as a fluid, retained in the chamber. The cushioning member is adapted to be mounted onto an article to thereby provide a cushioning effect for a user. The cushioning device can optionally have a support element to provide an additional cushioning effect. The present invention also relates to a cushioned article that has a finger-held or finger-manipulated article on which the cushioning device is mounted to provide a comfortable finger grip for a user. The cushioned article is so formed that it can fit within the user's finger grip and that the inflated bladder member can be deformed by the user's fingers or fingertips.

Abstract: A slide for use in microscopic examination of biological fluid is constituted by two plates of transparent material, one plate being a bottom and the other plate being a cover, the plates forming wells which are filled by capillarity with the biological fluid to be examined. A plurality of reliefs form a plurality of computation chambers in each well. The reliefs which define each computation chamber sectioned along a plane perpendicular to the bottom of the well have a shaped section along a profile assimilable to a polygon having at least one right angle.

Abstract: A synchronization circuit for gradually shifting the phase domain of a control signal to permit synchronization of a signal with a clock signal in a different phase domain in a system with a single frequency, but arbitrary phase relationship. The present invention allows a control signal in the phase domain of an internal clock to be synchronized with an external clock, when the phase domain of the external clock differs substantially from that of the internal clock. In synchronizing the control signal to the external clock, the present invention avoids the generation of runt pulses while providing a control signal synchronized to the external clock in the least amount of time feasible (i.e., with the lowest latency time). Because the present invention has no failure modes due to timing relationships, MTBF is infinite for failures caused by such relationships and therefore need not be a concern. This also implies that no risk is posed to the proper operation of the circuits driven thereby.

Abstract: Compounds that modulate the estrogen receptor (ER) are disclosed, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the same. In a specific embodiment, the compounds are selective for ER-&bgr; over ER-&agr;. Methods are disclosed for modulating ER-&bgr; in cell and/or tissues expressing the same, including cells and/or tissue that preferentially ER-&bgr;. Methods for treating estrogen-related conditions are also disclosed, including conditions such as is breast cancer, testicular cancer, osteoporosis, endometriosis, cardiovascular disease, hypercholesterolemia, prostatic hypertrophy, prostatic carcinomas, obesity, hot flashes, skin effects, mood swings, memory loss, urinary incontinence, hairloss, cataracts, natureal hormonal imbalances, and adverse reproductive effects associated with exposure to environmental chemicals.

Abstract: A power plant water chemistry analysis apparatus and method relies upon water chemistry sensors to obtain power plant water chemistry data characterizing the chemical activity of a power plant water system. An analytical model processor is used to generate model predictions for the power plant water system. A statistical data fitting processor selects screened data from the power plant water chemistry data that corresponds to the model predictions. The screened data is processed by an artificial intelligence processor to derive power plant water chemistry diagnostic information. The artificial intelligence processor includes an expert system, rule base, plant water chemistry system simulator, and pattern recognition module.

Abstract: Methods for the preparation of an N-alkyl-N-bis-(2-( 1,2-dicarboxy-ethoxy)-ethyl)-amine derivative are described, products of the methods as well as uses of the products. The derivative is prepared by reacting an alkali or earth alkali metal salt of maleic acid with an N-substituted diethanolamine, the reaction taking place with the two ethanol groups of the diamine while the substituent group bound to the N atom remains unaffected, or alternatively by first reacting diethanolamine with an alkali or earth alkali metal salt of maleic acid to yield N-bis-(2-(1,2-dicarboxy-ethoxy)-ethyl)-amine, which is then reacted with a substitution reagent to obtain the final product. The derivative is useful as chelating agents, e.g., in the bleaching of chemical or mechanical pulp or in textile bleaches containing hydrogen peroxide or a peracid, or as a calcium binder in detergents and cleaning agents.

Abstract: A shaving razor having a razor handle comprising an extruded substantially rigid inner core and a compatible covering layer over the rigid inner core except for a select region at which an exposed portion of inner core is provided. A marking, such as printed matter and/or any other type of indicia, may thereby be readily provided on the inner core rather than on the covering layer. The marking is preferably provided on a flat surface of the handle. Additionally, the razor handle may be formed by an extrusion process utilizing a die set which forms a handle with a cross-section which is at least partially asymmetrical.

Abstract: A Finite Impulse Response filter (FIR) reduces the effect of baseline wandering of the input signal on convergence. The FIR includes an adder, a DC-Insensitive error calculator, a DC-Insensitive coefficient calculator, and a multiplier. The adder adds a first tap signal to a second tap signal to produce a FIR output signal. The DC-Insensitive error calculator calculates from the FIR output signal an error value that converges to zero while the FIR output signal is subject to baseline wandering. The DC-Insensitive error calculator represents the error value via an error signal. The DC-Insensitive coefficient calculator calculates a coefficient value based upon the error signal and an input signal. The DC-Insensitive coefficient calculator forces the coefficient value to converge to a steady state value while the input signal is subject to baseline wandering. The coefficient value is represented by a coefficient signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system, apparatus, and method for measuring and transferring the contents of a vessel. The apparatus includes an outer vessel having a liquid disposed therein and an inner vessel positioned to float in the liquid of the outer vessel. A liquid is also disposed in the inner vessel. An input passageway is associated with the inner vessel and at least one output passageway is associated with the outer vessel. A magnet or other sensed member is positioned on the inner vessel and a sensor, such as a Hall-effect sensor, is associated with the outer vessel. The sensor is configured so as to read the position of the inner vessel relative to the sensor to determine the weight of the inner vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and instrumentation for gaining access to areas in and around joints for treatment and to provide new implants and instrumentation adapted for the new method. In a transosseous core approach of the present invention, the joint is entered through a pathway provided in a portion of a joint bone. Such pathway is preferably made by taking out a bone core from the bone in or adjacent to the joint, wherever possible without substantially compromising physical integrity and physiological viability of the joint. Typically the main route for the transosseous core approach traverses through a more-accessible bone of the joint which can be aligned with a less-accessible bone of the joint in order to facilitate treatment of articular surfaces and/or other structures in the joint. The transosseous pathway into the joint is preferably provided by novel surgical instruments such as a core cutter, cartilage punch, hemostatic device, and retractable axial/transaxial cutting device.

Abstract: A backing film for incorporation as a backing layer in a resilient floor covering or a floor tile having at least two laminae and a method for making such a backing layer whereby waste is reduced when the color of the upper lamina is changed. Where there are two backing films having two or three laminae making up the backing layer the intermediately colored film resulting from a change in the color of the upper lamina can be utilized without further processing on the second backing film where color is not essential. Where there are three laminae making up a backing film the desired color is introduced and established in the bottom lamina before the supply of the original color to the upper lamina is stopped. The film can then be turned over for use with the former bottom lamina becoming the upper lamina.