Abstract: An implantable electronic medical device is compatible with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The device has a housing with exterior walls, each formed by a dielectric substrate with electrically conductive layers on interior and exterior surfaces. A series of slots divide each layer into segments. Segmenting the layers provides high impedance to eddy currents produced by fields of the MRI scanner, while capacitive coupling of the segments provides radio frequency shielding for components inside the housing. Electrical leads extending from the housing have a pair of coaxially arranged conductors and traps that attenuate currents induced in the conductors by the fields of the MRI scanner.

Abstract: A movable step apparatus that includes a mounting frame, at least one step, and a rotary drive mechanism is provided. The movable step apparatus also includes a drive link and a follower link. The drive link is operatively connected to the drive mechanism to move the at least one step between retracted and extended positions. The follower link is pivotally connected to the drive link and pivotally connected to the at least one step. The follower link drives the at least one step to extend and retract the at least one step. The movable step apparatus further includes at least one link pivotally connecting the at least one step to the mounting frame to move between the retracted and extended positions.

Abstract: A cable clasp comprises a tail including an engagement face. The cable clasp further comprises a head including a handle that connects to the tail and defines a mouth opening into which the tail is movable. The cable clasp is biased towards a closed-loop position in which at least a portion of the tail is disposed in the mouth opening. The head further includes a lock having a catch engageable with the engagement face in a lock position to: 1) prevent motion of the tail relative to the head in a first direction, and 2) permit motion of the tail relative to the head in a second direction opposite the first direction by sliding the catch over the engagement face. The catch and the engagement face are also disengageable in a release position to permit motion of the tail relative to the head in both the first and second directions.

Abstract: A method and a system for glulams fabrication, comprising obtaining wood pieces of a target length from raw materials; and assembling them into structural timbers of a target thickness in a continuous line, whereby moisture content, end joints, mixing and applying of adhesives, glue line pressure and clamping time are continuously controlled.

Abstract: A method and a system for glulams fabrication, comprising obtaining wood pieces of a target length from raw materials; and assembling them into structural timbers of a target thickness in a continuous line, whereby moisture content, end joints, mixing and applying of adhesives, glue line pressure and clamping time are continuously controlled.

Abstract: Methods are described to more efficiently produce cells of the endoderm and pancreatic lineage from mammalian pluripotent stem cells. These methods provide a simple, reproducible culture protocol using defined media components to enable consistent, large-scale production of pancreatic cell types for research or therapeutic uses.

Abstract: This invention relates to altered forms of members of the RNase A superfamily. An RNase A can be modified to be cytotoxic by altering its amino acid sequence so that it is not bound easily by the ribonuclease inhibitor while still retaining catalytic properties. While earlier work had identified some modifications to RNase A that would result in cytotoxicity, the use of the FADE algorithm for molecular interaction analysis has led to several other locations that were candidates for modification. Some of those modifications did result in RNase A variants with increase cytotoxicity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a pre-filter assembly for use with a pump. The assembly includes a housing having an intake channel and an outlet channel. The intake channel includes an intake flange around a first circumference and a ribbed surface to facilitate sealing. The outlet channel includes a bottom portion and an outlet flange around a second circumference. The intake flange and the outlet flange are on opposite sides of the housing. The assembly also includes a basket positioned in the housing. The basket has a bottom side and is positioned above the bottom portion of the outlet channel to form a chamber. The basket is positioned in closer proximity to the intake channel than to the outlet channel. In addition, the assembly includes a securing device with a lid having ridges and a clear top to permit the user to view the contents of the basket. The securing device also includes a locking ring with slots and openings to permit the user to view the contents of the basket.

Abstract: A universal joint with improved ball lubrication, the improvement wherein each yoke has a ball head at an inward end of the yoke, the centering plate has a tube in which the ball heads of the yokes are slideably received to establish a slideable connection between the ends of the yokes and the centering plate, and the lubricant is supplied from the second passageway to an interior of the tube. A shield substantially encloses the joint in combination with the tractor master shield and has lubrication fitting access holes.

Abstract: A vehicle cab tilting device for a vehicle with a tiltable cab, a chassis and pivot means which connect the cab to the chassis, in which the cab can be tilted through an angle with respect to the chassis between a driving position and a forwardly tilted position. The tilting device comprises a pump (1) having at least one pump port (2) for delivering pressurized hydraulic fluid, a reservoir for hydraulic fluid (3), and a hydraulic tilting cylinder (20) for tilting the cab, which tilting cylinder has a first and a second connection port (21, 22). The tilting cylinder is a multistage telescopic hydraulic tilting cylinder with an outer telescopic part (30), at least one intermediate telescopic part (40), and a central telescopic part (50), each intermediate telescopic part and the central telescopic part being displaceable with respect to one another and to the outer telescopic part.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing images from a set of acquired projection views weights the value backprojected into each image voxel depending on whether the backprojected raysum passes through a highly attenuating region in the subject of the image. If the raysum exceeds an attenuation threshold value, the backprojected values are weighted to substantially reduce the contribution of that raysum to the reconstructed image and to thereby reduce streak artifacts otherwise produced by high attenuation objects such as metal surgical clips.

Abstract: A Redundant Array of Independent Devices uses convolution encoding to provide redundancy of the striped data written to the devices. No parity is utilized in the convolution encoding process. Trellis decoding is used for both reading the data from the RAID and for rebuilding missing encoded data from one or more failed devices, based on a minimal, and preferably zero, Hamming distance for selecting the connected path through the trellis diagram.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods and compositions for generating vancomycin analogs. Specifically the invention relates to generating a vancomycin library through chemoselective ligation of a sugar moiety with a vancomycin aglycon. In particular, the present invention provides a library of vancomycin analogs, where the member of the library comprises at least one vancomycin analog selected from 2?-N-acyldecanoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 3?-N-acyldecanoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 4?-N-acyldecanoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 6?-N-acyldecanoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 2?-N-acylbiphenyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 3?-N-acylbiphenoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside, 4?-N-acylbiphenoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside and 6?-N-acylbiphenoyl-glucosyl vancomycin neoglycoside.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented for using multiple device specific interface protocols for communicating with a platform, where each of the devices comprises a set of parameters. For each parameter of each set of parameters a function call is established to set the parameter for each of the devices that enable the parameter. Using each function call, the plurality of object specific interface protocols is then transformed into a non-device specific interface protocol for communication with the platform.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide cartridge is triggered when a lance with a piercing tip punctures its burst disc. The cartridge has a cap that has an outlet and a passage for the lance and puncturing tip to travel. The lance is pushed into the burst disc when a heat expanding substance which is stored hermetically the cap in such a way that the only direction to expand is to displace and push the lance right into the burst disc. Once the burst disc is pierced, the cartridge empties its contents quickly out the outlet. In at least one embodiment the cartridge and the cap are attached by screw threads.

Abstract: A composition capable of setting to produce a building material is disclosed. The composition can include from 1% to 30% by weight of an activator, from 1% to 55% by weight of a pozzolan, such as fly ash; from 40% to 90% by weight of an aggregate; and liquid landfill leachate in a sufficient amount such that the composition sets to a building material having a compressive strength of at least 2 MPa, wherein all weight percentages are percent by weight of the total composition. The liquid landfill leachate replaces all or part of the tap water in a conventional composition for forming a building material. The liquid landfill leachate can be recovered after a liquid (typically water) percolates through a landfill and contacts at least one landfilled coal combustion product selected from fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas desulfurization material. The building material can be a concrete, or a masonry unit.

Abstract: A system and method for performing accelerated ultrasound imaging provides significant increases in image acquisition speed using substantially simultaneous transmission of a plurality of ultrasound beams into an object being imaged. The resulting acquired echo signal contributions resulting from the reflection of the simultaneously transmitted beams off different features of the object being imaged are separated by employing a spatial decoding scheme. The spatial decoding scheme characterizes how received signals from features within the object being imaged are measured differently by each of the elements of an ultrasound transducer. The present invention may further include a temporal encoding and decoding scheme, which includes the modulation of a potion of the ultrasound beams transmitted during a portion of ultrasound data acquisition periods, to provide improved separation of the signal components from different features.