Abstract: A mounting mechanism for mounting a disk brake to a bicycle. The mounting mechanism includes an elongated mounting bracket that is mounted adjacent the bicycle wheel assembly. Preferably, a first end of the bracket is coupled to the wheel dropout of the frame and a second end of the bracket is coupled to a portion of the bicycle frame, such as the seat stay. A mounting band or other similar coupling element may be used to couple the second end to the frame such that the integrity of the frame is not compromised. The disk brake component to be mounted adjacent the wheel is coupled to the mounting bracket preferably between the ends of the bracket.

Abstract: A method for digitally signing a message by a tamper-resistant device to generate a digital signature. The method includes the step of hashing the message to form message bits; and encrypting with a private key the message bits, redundancy bits for the security of the signature, and auditing bits to form the digital signature for the message. The auditing bits provide an audit trail for the message. The auditing bits include one or more of the following categories: signature-packet version bits to identify the version of the device generating the signature; device ID bits to identify the token generating the digital signature; key ID bits to identify the private key; a packet-sequence number, which increments every time the device generates a signature to indicate the sequence of signatures generated; bits generated by hashing the prior signature to provide an auditing trail of signatures generated and a time-stamp to indicate the time when the signature is generated.

Abstract: A friction damping system for use in a system having at least one of a pair of sliding elements. The friction damping system has a friction producing element positioned between the sliding elements such that at least one of the sliding elements rubs against the friction producing element to generate friction and thereby damp the relative sliding movement of the sliding elements. The friction producing element may be provided in a housing that is fixed to one of the sliding elements with the friction producing element facing and contacting the other sliding element. The friction damping system may further be designed to provide directional sensitivity such that damping of movement of the sliding elements in a first direction is greater than damping of movement in a second direction opposite the first direction. Such directional sensitivity may be accomplished by angling one of the surfaces against which the friction producing element moves during sliding movement of the sliding elements.

Abstract: A shock absorbing fork for a bicycle or other two-wheeled vehicle of the type having a pair of telescoping struts, with upper tubes which are interconnected by an upper crown to a steerer tube at an upper end portion thereof and lower tubes which are which mount a wheel axle at a bottom end thereof. Within at least one of the telescoping struts a spring arrangement and/or a hydraulic damping arrangement is provided which is acted upon as the upper tube and the lower tube move toward each other for absorbing impact shocks experienced by the wheel of the bicycle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for selecting advertisements and other information from a computer network database based on user defined preferences and transmitting the selected advertisement in background mode over a communications link between the computer network and a local computer with minimal interference with other processes communicating over the communications link. This method includes monitoring the communications link and transmitting portions of the advertisement when the communications link line utilization is below a preestablished threshold. Methods and apparatus are also provided for displaying or otherwise presenting the selected advertisements on the user's computer. Additional methods and apparatus are provided for selecting and presenting information stored on a local storage media based on user defined preferences.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the volume reduction and processing of solid organic waste, in particular ion exchange media from nuclear facilities containing sulfur or chlorine. A method and apparatus for the volume reduction of nuclear waste is disclosed comprising: subjecting the waste to pyrolysis in a pyrolysis vessel, and gasifying the solid pyrolysis residue in a steam reformer to remove residual carbon. A further method and apparatus for the processing of nuclear waste is disclosed comprising: grinding the nuclear waste, addition of iron powder, pyrolysis, gasification of the pyrolysis residue, and combustion in a submerged bed heater. An evaporator cools gases from the submerged bed heater. Off gases from the evaporator are treated by a fiber bed scrubber to remove acids.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus electronically represent and quantify the security of a system as a logical tree structure including leaf nodes representing attacks against the system and intermediate nodes representing various logical combinations of attacks necessary to mount a successful overall attack. An indication of the overall security of the system is quantified in a value of a root node of the tree. The values of the various nodes can be Boolean or continuous, representing simple binary security attributes such as feasible/infeasible or more complicated attributes such as cost, time or probability. The nodes' attributes and values can also represent defenses as well as attacks. The attack trees can be used to calculate the cost, time or probability of an attack to list the security assumptions of a system, to compare competing systems, to evaluate system modifications, to perform security subsystem analysis, to allocate a security budget, and for many other uses.

Abstract: The present invention is a method, apparatus and computer program product for discovering the nodes and other network information of a computer network (the target network) from a device or node that is not part of the target network (the discovery node) when the discovery node uses a different network protocol than the target network. The invention involves identifying one or more additional nodes (the target nodes) that have access to network information about the target network and with whom the discovery node can communicate. This target network information can include the identification of nodes which are present on the network, the topology of the network, the services provided by the network or by the nodes on the network, status information as the network changes such as information about network and node events or alarms, etc.

Abstract: A method for detecting halogenated precursors incorporated into DNA is presented. The method is based on the selective photolysis of DNA by ultraviolet (UV) light at the sites of an incorporated halogenated precursor, such as the thymidine base analogs 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd), 5-iodo-2-deoxyuridine (IdUrd), 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine (FdUrd), or 5-chloro-2-deoxyuridine (CldUrd). The 3'-hydroxyl termini of the DNA single strand breaks generated during photolysis may be marked directly or indirectly with a fluorescent label. The DNA termini are directly labeled with fluorochrome-conjugated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) catalyzed by exogenous terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase or DNA polymerase (nick translation system). The DNA termini are indirectly labeled with either biotin- or digoxygenin-conjugated dUTP; the incorporated biotin or digoxygenin is then detected following binding of fluorochrome-conjugated avidin or anti-digoxygenin antibody, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a degradable starch resin composition, a process for preparing the same and the use thereof. Said composition comprises starch, synthetic resin, mixing promoter, plasticizer, degradation accelerator and other additives. Said process comprising: (a) selecting a biodegradation accelerator; (b) preparing modified starch concentrate; (c) extruding the modified starch, EAA and the synthetic resin in a double-screw extruder and pelleting to obtain the degradable starch resin. The composition of the present invention contains a biodegradation accelerator and its starch content can be up to 80%. Having excellent biodegradability and good physico-mechanical property, the composition is particularly suitable to be used to prepare various light or heavy packaging films and agricultural films, etc.

Abstract: A universal socket wrench is provided comprising a housing having an internal chamber which is open at a first end thereof. A bundle of members having relatively large cross-sectional area-to-length ratios is supported in a slidable relationship within the chamber. The first ends of the slidable members are arranged for engagement with a fastener component. The slidable members have a chevron shape and a generally nonuniform cross-sectional area, and are arranged in sets, the outer and inner perimeter of each set having a fragmentary, asymmetrical shape. The slidable members are supported within the housing by outwardly extending flanges on the second ends of the members, which conform to and engage with inset shoulders on the chamber and on the second ends of the members.

Abstract: A system for very fast entry of text into a computer. The system uses a current glossary, which may be custom generated to reflect common phrases and words pertaining to any specific subject matter, as a source for retrieving words and phrases from abbreviations. Text entry is input into the system through the entry of word abbreviations, phrase abbreviations and text entries. The system uses non-fixed abbreviations for words and phrases. A word abbreviation starts with the initial of the word and includes a subset of its other letters. A phrase abbreviation starts with the initials of its first word, or two words, and includes a subset of the initials of its other words. Words and phrases satisfying a specific abbreviation are displayed in advisory tables. A desired word or phrase may be selected using an expansion command. The expanded term is then entered into the system and thereby permits entry of lengthy phrases and words with minimal text entry.

Abstract: A method of preparing a pharmaceutically beneficial, pH-sensitive amphipathic drug compound is disclosed. The pH-sensitive amphipathic parent drug compound is converted to a lipophilic derivative which is then combined with a lipophilic carrier for delivery to the lysosomes of target cells. The lipophilic derivative of the parent compound is acted upon by lysosomal enzymes to yield the parent compound. The method is demonstrated for pharmaceutically beneficial porphyrins that may be used as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT). In particular, the method is demonstrated for the esterification of chlorin e.sub.6 and pheophorbide a for the photocytotoxic treatment of human bladder tumor cells.