Abstract: The present invention provides compositions comprising an anti-angiogenic factor, and a polymeric carrier. Representative examples of anti-angiogenic factors include Anti-Invasive Factor, Retinoic acids and derivatives thereof, and paclitaxel. Also provided are methods for embolizing blood vessels, and eliminating biliary, urethral, esophageal, and tracheal/bronchial obstructions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber having a core portion doped with a dopant and a surrounding optical cladding portion is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of drawing a fiber from a molten extremity of a silica preform and moving the fiber along towards a device for coating it with a protective sheath. Prior to the coating step, the moving fiber is irradiated with irregularly modulated actinic radiation, thereby causing corresponding irregular variations in the refractive index of its core portion as a function of longitudinal position. The resulting fiber demonstrates a significantly reduced polarisation mode dispersion.

Abstract: For eliminating the emphasis given an audio signal in the transmitter, an audio signal processor of an audio device (e.g., a car radio) contains a low-pass filter. In order to attenuate the spurious higher-frequency signal fractions in case of poor reception and accordingly low received field strength, the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter is shifted in the direction of lower frequencies in accordance with a received field strength signal when the field strength becomes lower. In order to avoid external adjusting components and save pins on the IC chip, the field strength signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter and the latter supplies a digital signal to a low-pass filter whose cutoff frequency is variable. For this purpose the low-pass filter contains a number of integrated components one of which is connected or disconnected by a digit place of the digital signal in each case.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting a large volume of blood from an umbilical cord in a sterile environment are shown and described. A housing having an inner region adapted to retain an umbilical cord in a desired location is provided, the housing having an opening through which the cord extends from the inner region of the housing to a region external to the housing. The cord is cut by a blade coupled to the housing, either by the motion of the blade from a first position to a second position, or by the movement of two portions of the housing from a first extended position to a second collapsed position. The newly cut end of the umbilical cord falls and hangs freely in the inner region of the housing, blood flowing from the placenta and umbilical cord via gravity into a blood collection region of the housing. The blood collection region may be flexible, and may be coupled to a conventional blood collection bag.

Abstract: A method and system for retrieving information from an electronic dictionary. The system stores all information about words that have the same normalized form into a single entry within the electronic dictionary. The normalized form of a word has all lower case letters and no diacritical marks. When information is to be retrieved from the dictionary for a word, the word is first normalized and then the dictionary is searched for the entry corresponding to that normalized word. The entry that is found contains the information for that word.

Abstract: Methods related to solid supports for binding reactions are disclosed. The present invention provides procedures for prepaing solid supports, and their use in binding assays, such that non-specific background on the solid supports is reduced. The reduction of non-specific background permits the detection of low levels of specific binding which normally would be masked by the non-specific binding. The methods are applicable to a variety of target ligands and probes, including nucleic acids such as oligonucleotides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved indication of power-consumption status in a computer system is described. The computer system includes a light-emitting diode (LED) which produces an optical signal. The apparent intensity of the optical signal is controlled by a pulsed LED control signal having an adjustable duty cycle. By varying the duty cycle, the apparent intensity of the optical signal is varied. The rate at which the duty cycle is varied may be selected to produce an apparent intensity optical signal which varies continuously between a greatest and a least intensity. Also, the rate at which the duty cycle is varied may be selected from a plurality of rates, each corresponding with a one of a plurality of power-consumption states in which the computer system can operate.

Abstract: A power integrated circuit including a substrate of semiconductor material having a first conductivity type on which is formed a first epitaxial layer of the same conductivity type. In a first portion of the first epitaxial layer are formed first and second diffused regions having respectively first and second conductivity type. The first and the second diffused regions are isolated from a power stage included partially in a second portion of the first epitaxial layer by an annular region having the second conductivity type. Over the first epitaxial layer is formed a second epitaxial layer having the first conductivity type in which are extended the first and the second diffused regions to permit forming a control circuitry for the power stage.

Abstract: A method and system for processing messages is provided. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a message scheduler, a job process, and a format resolution module are used. The message scheduler identifies when a new message is to be processed, schedules the new message for processing, invokes the format resolution module to determine a method of converting data in the message to an appropriate format for a destination device or file, and invokes a job process. The format resolution module determines an appropriate method for converting data in the message from a format acceptable to the source devices or files to a format acceptable to the destination devices or files and creates a target message containing a reference to a destination device or file. The job process sends the data between the source devices or files to a destination device or file and performs the appropriate conversion.

Abstract: A computer system and method concurrently process transactions directed to computer devices coupled to a bus agent. The method transmits first and second transaction requests from one or more computer processors across a computer bus to the bus agent. The bus agent transmits the first transaction request to a first computer device coupled to the bus agent. In addition, the bus agent transmits the second transaction request to a second computer device before the bus agent has received a transaction response to the first transaction request from the first computer device, thereby concurrently processing the transaction requests. The bus agent includes plural device managers each uniquely associated with one of the computer devices. Each device manager employs a queue pointer into a transaction queue to track each transaction involving the computer device associated with the device. manager.

Abstract: A memory device comprising a semiconductor material substrate with a dopant of a first type, a first semiconductor material well with a dopant of a second type formed in the substrate; a second semiconductor material well with a dopant of the first type formed in the first well, an array of memory cells formed within the second well. Each memory cell comprises a first electrode and a second electrode respectively formed by a first and a second doped regions with dopant of the second type formed in the second well, and a control gate electrode.

Abstract: A pointing device that is ergonomically designed is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment designed for children aged 2-6, a relatively large ball is provided in a housing which has a gripping area or handle for each hand of a user, a portion of the ball extending from an upper surface of the housing. A button is provided in a front region of the housing, the placement, shape and size of the button being configured to optimize the target area and activation of the button by the user. The size of the ball and the configuration of the housing provide a pointing device that is easy and comfortable for a child aged 2-6 to use, the pointing device being designed to accommodate the hand size, motor control, and postural needs of young children.

Abstract: A method processes memory transactions in a computer system having a system memory and a cache memory. The method transmits a memory request to the system memory without waiting for the cache memory to be snooped to determine whether the cache memory stores information in an address corresponding to a selected address of the system memory. The method may transmit a snoop request to the cache memory concurrently with or after the memory request is transmitted to the system memory. The method may be implemented using a system controller having a control switch that uses a first pathway for the memory request and a second pathway for the snoop request so that the snoop and memory requests can be transmitted simultaneously.

Abstract: A circuit transfers data in an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns. The circuit includes a plurality of row lines, a plurality of pairs of complementary digit lines, and an array of memory cells, each memory cell having a control terminal coupled to one of the row lines and a data terminal coupled to one of the complementary digit lines of one of the pairs of complementary digit lines responsive to a row enable signal on the row line of the row corresponding to the memory cell. A plurality of sense amplifiers are included in the circuit, each sense amplifier coupled to an associated pair of first and second complementary digit lines which senses a voltage differential between the first and second complementary digit lines and, in response to the sensed voltage differential, drives the first and second complementary digit lines to voltage levels corresponding to complementary logic states.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital-to-analog converter having a plurality of inputs for digital signals and an output for an analog signal. It comprises a current amplification circuit having an input and an output coupled to the converter output, and a plurality of floating gate MOS transistors corresponding to the plurality of converter inputs and having their source terminals coupled together and to a first reference of potential. The converter has drain terminals coupled together and to the input of the amplification circuit, and has control terminals coupleable, under control from the inputs of the plurality, to different references of potential having selected fixed values.

Abstract: A method and system for invoking by a client computer system of a function of an object of an object class provided by a server computer system. The client sends a request to a server that comprises a Universal Resource Locator ("URL") that identifies a script, an object class, and a function of the object class to invoke. In response to receiving the request, the server starts the script and transfers control to the script. The script instantiates an object of the object class identified in the URL of the received request and invokes the function identified in the URL of the received request. The invoked function performs the behavior of the function, creates a response to be sent to the client, and sends the response to the client. The response contains state information describing a state of the object after the behavior of the function is performed.

Abstract: A polishing pad for use in chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) of semiconductor wafers includes a multiplicity of elongated microcolumns embedded in a matrix material body. The elongated microcolumns are oriented parallel to each other and extend from a planarizing surface used to planarize the semiconductor wafers. The elongated microcolumns are uniformly distributed throughout the polishing pad in order to impart uniform properties throughout the polishing pad. The polishing pad can also include elongated pores either coaxial width or interspersed between the elongated microcolumns to provide uniform porosity throughout the polishing pad.

Abstract: An integrated semiconductor junction antifuse is formed from either adjacent regions of opposite doping types or spaced apart regions of similar doping type within a substrate. In its unblown state, the junction antifuse forms an open circuit that blocks current from flowing while in the blown state, the junction antifuse conducts current. The junction antifuse is blown by applying a breakdown voltage sufficient to overcome a semiconductor junction so that current flows across the reverse-biased semiconductor junction. As current flows across the reverse-biased junction, dopant migration forms a conductive path so that the junction antifuse no longer forms an open circuit.

Abstract: The instant methods employs pharmaceutical compositions comprising aromatic azines; and imines, of the Formula 1 to selectively inhibit inflammation by preventing the oxidating burst from phagocytic leukocytes caused by NADPH Oxidase.