Abstract: A method for determining relative amounts of O2 and N2O in gas mixtures by quantitative electrochemical reaction including feeding a gas mixture containing O2 and N2O to a zinc-air cell having electrodes connected to a circuit consisting of a plurality of diodes and resistors, which circuit is set to have an electrochemical working range corresponding to each of the O2 and N2O; and measuring current flowing in the respective working range to determine the relative proportions of O2 and N2O in the gas mixture. An electrochemical cell including a casing capable of containing a gas mixture, including O2 and N2O a zinc-air cell in the casing, and a circuit connected to electrodes of the zinc-air cell, the circuit containing a plurality of diodes, resistors and tap points; means for measuring current to determine the relative proportions of O2 and N2O in the gas mixture.

Abstract: This invention provides clothes, wherein a fabric wale of one of parts (a) and (b) destined to be rubbed against each other is arranged so that it satisfies at least one of the following alternatives (i) and (ii): (i) it crosses with the fabric wale of another part at an angle of 35 to 145 degrees when the respective parts are placed so that their axial lines are kept parallel. (ii) it crosses with its axial line at an angle of 55 to 125 degrees. This invention provides clothes which can manifest the basic functions of the fabric such as water repellence, water pressure resistance, and good look & taste, can respond to the diversification of needs without impairing the basic functions of clothes and can reduce the rubbing noise and friction noise of clothes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical communication system and optical signal amplifier for amplifying said optical signal having at least a first and a second wavelength as it propagates therethrough. The optical signal amplifier includes an input port; an output port; an optical medium, wherein a portion of the optical medium comprises a plurality of optical paths corresponding to the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal; a light radiation generator capable of coupling light radiation of a plurality of light radiation wavelengths related to the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal into each of the optical paths, whereby the first and said second wavelengths are amplified by Raman amplification; and an optical combiner for recombining the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal to generate the amplified optical signal.

Abstract: A method for limiting overpayment at a coin-operated telephone is disclosed. According to the method, a customer may initiate a call by first depositing a plurality of coins and then dialing the desired number. Once the number is dialed, the phone obtains the rate and compares the rate to the value of the coins deposited. If fewer coins could not have been used, the coin accepting mechanism is inhibited and the call continues normally. If fewer than all deposited coins are required to make the call, then all the deposited coins are returned to the customer and a new deposit requested. The phone then accepts coin deposits until the call rate has been met. Once the call rate has been met, further deposits are rejected and the call continues normally. Alternatively, the customer may dial the number first. The phone then obtains the rate and requests a deposit. The customer then deposits coins until the call rate is met. Once the phone recognizes that the call rate is met, further coin deposits are refused.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security marking label for a transparent support such as the windshield of a motor vehicle. The label comprises information specific to the marked support. The label is comprised of a complex formed of two superimposed elements between which is interleaved a marking element, at least one of said elements having a layer appropriate to provide for the binding of the transparent support and at least one of said elements comprising a diffraction network.

Abstract: A method for handling upgrades of systems comprising two circuit packs which contain memory. In one embodiment, on some trigger signal to a circuit pack, that circuit pack acts as a slave circuit pack, and causes version information for the data stored in the memory of the second circuit pack, which acts as a master circuit pack, to be transferred to the slave circuit pack. If the transferred version information indicates that the data in the slave circuit pack should be updated, the slave circuit pack causes a transfer of information from memory in the master circuit pack to the slave circuit pack, and stores the new information in the memory of the slave circuit pack.

Abstract: A bifurcated vascular prosthesis including a tubular main branch extended by at least two sub-branches, wherein at least one part of the main branch has an expandable strengthener in the form of an expandable annular section; and each sub-branch has at least one expandable zone longitudinally offset to avoid overlapping of corresponding longitudinally offset expandable zones between sub-branches.

Abstract: A water heater including a water container; a combustion chamber located adjacent the container, the combustion chamber having a floor portion with an opening; a conduit extending upwardly from and being substantially sealed to the opening; a burner located inside the combustion chamber; a flame trap positioned across the conduit, the flame trap permitting ingress of air and extraneous gases, if present, into the combustion chamber and prevent egress of flames from the structure; and a duct substantially sealingly positioned outwardly of the combustion chamber and over the opening and extending along a side portion of the water heater, the duct having a plurality of openings to receive combustion air.

Abstract: A process for preparing hyperpolarized helium gas at high pressure including optical pumping at a resonant wavelength of about 1083 nanometers a helium gas formed by pure helium-3 isotope or by a mixture of helium-3 and helium-4 isotopes; and subjecting the helium gas to a magnetic field of about 0.01 to about 1 tesla during optical pumping and maintaining pressure higher than about 10 mbar and an apparatus for preparing a hyperpolarized helium gas at high pressure including a helium gas confinement cell; an excitation laser positioned to irradiate the helium gas; and means for generating a magnetic field of about 0.01 to about 1 tesla operatively connected to the confinement cell.

Abstract: A separable tow of elongated polymeric filaments comprises a plurality of distinct sub-tows lightly and individually and separably joined, as by light crimping together along their edges or, if uncrimped, joined by presence of moisture, and capable of being packed into a container and later removed and separated. The filaments are preferably acrylic and have a total fineness of about 300,00-1,500,000 denier and the sub-tows each of which has a total fineness of about 50,000-250,000 denier, with a filament fineness of about 1-2 denier, and each sub-tow has a degree of entanglement of about 10-40 m−1 as measured by the hook drop test. The separable tow is made of a plurality of sub-tows, after separately drawing the sub-tows and subsequently removably joining the sub-tows into a single tow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of ternary lithium spinels, and to ternary lithium spinels of the general formula LiaMebMn2−bOc. The invention is achieved in accordance with the invention by a process which comprises dissolving a manganese salt in water, adding an oxidant, adding the mixture to an aqueous lithium hydroxide solution containing from 0.1 to 1 % by weight, based on the content of LiOH employed, of seed crystals selected from the group consisting of activated carbon, Aerosil and spine, and separating off, washing and heating the precipitate.

Abstract: For extended long-post operation of a Steadicam®-type camera stabilizer while retaining static and dynamic balance throughout the entire range of post sizes and various component weights, the present invention is directed to an arrangement of telescoping posts, component positioning hardware, electrical wire retracting hardware, and optional hardware to augment rigidity.

Abstract: A gas water heater including a water container adapted to be heated by a gas burner; and an enclosure surrounding the burner, the enclosure having at least one entryway adapted to allow air and fumes to enter the enclosure without igniting flammable gases or vapors outside of the enclosure.

Abstract: A selectively closable and releasable connecting device for connecting a sports shoe and an item of sports equipment, has a baseplate for fixedly mounting to the item of sports equipment and on which the shoe sole can be supported and locked. The shoe being provided with lateral grooves for receiving a pair of locking elements of the connecting device, which lie rigidly and fixedly diametrically opposite each other on the baseplate with respect to a central pivot for the shoe. The device has a second pair of locking elements which likewise lie diametrically opposite one another and are rotatably connected to the baseplate via a gear mechanism having a driving element with a driver which protrudes, with respect to the supporting surface of the baseplate, for activation by the shoe, in the baseplate. The baseplate is further provided with a gear mechanism locking element which locks the gear mechanism in the closed position.

Abstract: A welding method for two members adapted to be welded and formed of a low-alloy steel for structural purposes causing the weld metal to develop martensite transformation during cooling after welding, so that the weld metal becomes expanded to a greater degree at room temperature than at a temperature at which the martensite transformation initiates. The welding material comprises a ferrous alloy containing C, Cr, Ni, Si, Mn, Mo and Nb, all of which meet substantially with the contents of the following equation (1): 170≦719−(795×C wt %)−(23.7×Cr wt %)−(26.5×Ni wt %)−(35.55×Si wt %)−(13.25×Mn wt %)−(23.7×Mo wt %)−(11.85×Nb wt %)<250  (1).

Abstract: A method, with high yield and improved selectively, for making a 2-(&ohgr;-alkoxycarbonylalkanoyl)-4-butanolide and an alkaline metal salt thereof, an ester of &ohgr;-hydroxy-(&ohgr;-3)-ketoaliphatic acid as a novel compound and a derivative thereof, and a method for making the same are provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to diagnostic tests that will specifically identify E. coli O157:H7. Tests are provided to detect E. coli O157:H7 by PCR and by Southern blotting. Methods and primer compositions are provided to identify two distinct and independent regions of the E. coli O157:H7 genome by polymerase chain reaction. Methods and probe compositions are also provided to detect E. coli O157:H7 by Southern blotting. Kits to identify E. coli O157:H7, comprising said primer and probe compositions and reagents to conduct the appropriate control tests, are also provided.

Abstract: A regenerative process for deacidification of a gas containing CO2 and liquid hydrocarbons including contacting the gas to be treated, in an absorption zone, with an absorbent liquid including methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and an accelerator of absorption of CO2 by the amine, thereby producing a treated gas with reduced CO2 content and an absorbent liquid loaded with CO2, subjecting the loaded absorbent liquid to a regeneration treatment to release CO2 which it has bound, to produce 1) at least one acid gas fraction rich in CO2 and 2) at least one regenerated absorbent liquid; and recycling into the absorption zone the at least one regenerated absorbent liquid, wherein the overall liquid hydrocarbon content in the gas to be deacidified containing CO2 is greater than 14 liters of liquid hydrocarbons per million standard cubic meters of gas, and the activator combined with methyldiethanolamine in the absorbent liquid brought into contact with the gas containing CO2 and liquid hydrocarbons consists of at least one

Abstract: A method for manufacturing integrated circuits uses a silicon nitride spacer for etching self-aligned vias. The method is accomplished by (1) providing a first inter-level dielectric layer having metal lines formed on it; (2) depositing a silicon nitride layer over the metal lines and the first inter-level dielectric layer; (3) depositing a second inter-level dielectric layer on the silicon nitride layer; (4) depositing a photoresist on that second inter-level dielectric layer; (5) patterning vias on that second inter-level dielectric layer; (6) non-selectively oxide etching the second inter-level dielectric layer and the silicon nitride layer to form the vias; and (7) selectively nitride-to-oxide etching the silicon nitride layer to remove the silicon nitride layer surrounding the metal lines, where the etching stops at the first inter-level dielectric layer. This forms an access window.

Abstract: Non inactivating or slowly inactivating proton-gated cation channels are thought to play an important role in the perception of pain that accompanies tissue acidosis. We have identified a novel human proton-gated cation channel subunit that has biphasic desensitisation kinetics with both a rapidly inactivating Na+-selective and a sustained component. The protein shares 84% sequence identity with the proton-gated cation channel rASIC3 (rDRASIC) from rat sensory neurones. The biphasic desensitisation kinetics and the sequence homology suggest that this novel clone (hASIC3) is the human orthologue of rASIC3 (rDRASIC). While rASIC3 (rDRASIC) requires very acidic pH (<pH 4.5) for activation of the sustained current, the non-inactivating hASIC3 current starts to be activated when the pH decreases to below pH 6. hASIC3 is ant acid sensor and might play an important role in the detection of lasting pH changes in human. We localized the hASIC3 gene to the human chromosome 7q35, 6.