Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions relating to novel pentafluorophenylsulfonamide derivatives and analogs and their use as pharmacologically active agents. The compositions find particular use as pharmacological agents in the treatment of disease states, particularly atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolernia, or as lead compounds for the development of such agents.

Abstract: An SOI MOSFET having improved electrical characteristics includes a low barrier body contact under the source region, and alternatively under the drain region, to facilitate collection and removal of current carriers generated by impact ionization. Fully-depleted and non-fully-depleted SOI MOSFETs can be integrated on the same chip by providing some transistors with thicker source and drain regions with a recessed channel therebetween and by selective channel dopant implant. Accordingly, digital circuitry and analog circuitry can be combined on one substrate. Improved electrostatic discharge protection is provided by fabricating transistors for the protection circuit directly in the supporting substrate by first removing the silicon thin film and underlying insulation barrier.

Abstract: Techniques and circuitry are used to reduce noise at the output (136) of an integrated circuit. The control circuit of the output buffer may reduce ground or power noise, or both. The control circuitry includes a ramp control circuit (153, 163) and di/dt or noise detect circuit (155, 165). A slew rate of the ramp control circuit output (173, 175) is controlled by the di/dt detect circuit. The di/dt detect circuit adjusts the slew rate of the ramp control circuit depending on the noise at the supply node which may be power (182) or ground (185), or both. The di/dt detect circuit may also be used to increase the slew rate of the ramp control circuit output to provide better performance.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging method of in-vivo measurement for renal hemodynamic functions by obtaining renal function images in the presence of an intravascular contrast agent with a modified inversion recovery pulse sequence imaging technique, determining the renal artery and renal vein blood longitudinal relaxation times from the data derived from the images and employing these times to arrive at the filtration fraction.

Abstract: A computer game controller is provided that can be attached to a desktop having a lip of greater thickness located near an outer portion of the desktop and an underside surface located on an inner portion of the desktop. The lip has a substantially greater thickness than the remainder of the desktop and this poses a substantial challenge to the proper gripping and mechanical advantage required by a clamp device. In one embodiment of the present device, the present computer controller includes a housing with a substantially flat, planar bottom surface that will act as one side of the clamp. The controller has a clamp arm coupled to the housing so that a distal contact surface of the arm is substantially opposed to the bottom surface of the housing to operably compress a portion of a desktop therebetween.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for percutaneously accessing an implanted port use an access cannula which is periodically introduced to an aperture on the implanted port so that the cannula passes through the same tissue tract. It has been found that repeated passage of the cannula through the same tissue tract reduces patient trauma, with minimized bleeding, reduction in sensitivity. The tract may be initially formed by percutaneously placing a penetrating element through intact skin to the port and leaving the element in place for a time sufficient to created the tract.

Abstract: A plasma treatment system (200) for implantation with a novel susceptor with a silicon coating (203). The system (200) has a variety of elements such as a chamber, which can have a silicon coating formed thereon, in which a plasma is generated in the chamber. The system (200) also has a susceptor disposed in the chamber to support a silicon substrate. The silicon coating reduces non-silicon impurities that may attach to the silicon substrate. The system (200) also includes a silicon liner, which is used to line inner portions of the chamber walls.

Abstract: A new programmable logic device architecture with an improved LAB and improved interconnection resources. For interconnecting signals to and from the LABs (200), the global interconnection resources include switch boxes (310), long lines (340 and 350), double lines (360 and 370), single lines (385), and half- (330) and partially populated (320) multiplexer regions. The LAB includes two levels of function blocks. In a first level, there are eight four-input function blocks (601). In a second level, there are two four-input function blocks (670) and four secondary two-input function blocks (672). In one embodiment, these function blocks are implemented using look-up tables (LUTs). The LAB has combinatorial and registered outputs. The LAB also contains storage blocks (691) for implementing sequential or registered logic functions. The LAB has a carry chain for implementing logic functions requiring carry bits. The LAB may also be configured to implement a random access memory.

Abstract: By means of this method it is possible to produce projectiles with single- or multi-element projectile bodies of different shapes and sizes simply and in a time-saving way. The jacket (1) of the projectile consists of a projectile tip (3), which is fixedly connected with a projectile casing (2) and has a centering device (5, 9) in its interior, in which the projectile body (6) is guided and maintained. The projectile body (6) is essentially cylindrical or has a diameter which increases toward the rear. The back of the projectile casing (2) is closed by means of a sealing body (15), which partially extends around the projectile body (6). In the course of producing the projectile, the projectile tip (3) is injection-molded to the projectile casing (2) in a first step, and in a second step the projectile body (6) is pushed into the centering device (5, 9).

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for preparing and using a very large and diverse array of compounds on a substrate having rapidly accessible locations. The substrate contains cells in which the compounds of the array are located. Surrounding the cells is a non-wetable surface that prevents the solution in one cell from moving to adjacent cells. The compounds are delivered to the individual cells of the array by a micropipette attached to an X-Y translation stage.

Abstract: An operational amplifier that exhibits a relatively constant gain over process and temperature variations. The operational amplifier according to the present invention is designed such that its gain does not depend on process sensitive parameters such as mobility of field effect transistors.

Abstract: The invention provides exemplary systems and methods for provisioning network elements when providing local number portability services. In one exemplary method, local number portability subscription information which includes both ported global title translation data and location routing number data is entered into a single network element management system. Selective network elements which are in communication with the network element management system are then provisioned with the ported global translation data and the local routing number data based on logical network definitions stored in the network element management system.

Abstract: A customer frequency, analysis and reward system has multiple alternative components and allows for input of customer identification through use of a smart card, biometric input device, or a preexisitng identification, such as a credit card, government-issued id, or checking account. A customer interacts with the system initially at a data collection point-of-sale (POS) device at a retail outlet. Data is periodically collected from the retail site to a data warehouse, where various types of analysis may be performed. A customer can interact with the system using an internet interface, thus reducing costs of ownership.

Abstract: According to the invention, an object in an ultrasound image is characterized by considering various in-vivo object parameters and their variability within the ultrasonic imaging data. Specifically, it is assumed that the object may be defined in terms of statistical properties (or object identifying parameters), which are consistently different from properties of the environment. Such properties are referred to as the object's signature. The statistical properties are calculated at selected locations within the image to determine if they fall within a predetermined range of values which represents the object. If within the range, the locations are marked to indicate they are positioned within the object. A border may then be drawn around the object and the area calculated.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula: ##STR1## are provided, in which R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a C.sub.8 -C.sub.24 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain, which is optionally interrupted by from 1 to 3 heteroatom moieties, such as --O--, --S--, --NH-- and --NR--. The symbol X represents --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, --S--, --NH-- or --NR--. The R group for each of the --NR-- moieties represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Finally, the subscript n represents the integer 1 or 2, and A.sup.- represents an anion, preferably chloride or citrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating an optoelectronic sensor, in particular a light barrier, in which a light signal is sent by means of a light transmitter into a monitored region, and a light receiver designed to receive transmitted and reflected light signals delivers a reception signal, the amplitude of which is investigated for the presence of an object in the monitored region, with an article detection signal being transmitted if a recognition threshold is exceeded or fallen short of, characterized in that a plurality of switching threshold values are preset, with a switching signal being triggered when the received signal exceeds or falls short of these switching threshold values, in that the number of the switching signals which arise with respect to each switching threshold is found; and in that the recognition threshold value and the switching threshold values are set or adjusted in dependence on the numbers found.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel isolation regions (501, 215) in a flash memory integrated circuit device. The isolation regions (501, 215) are formed on a silicon substrate (201), which has a core memory region (e.g., flash memory cell region) and a high voltage region (e.g., high voltage MOS device region). A silicon dioxide layer (e.g., silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride) (203) is defined overlying the substrate including both of the regions. A nitride mask layer (205) is formed overlying the silicon dioxide layer in the core memory region and the high voltage region. This nitride mask layer exposes (207) a first isolation region coupled to the high voltage region. The first isolation region includes a first isolation structure having a first thickness of silicon dioxide. A step of oxidizing an exposed second isolation region to form the second isolation structure (215) and simultaneously oxidizing the first isolation structure to a second thickness is included.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-uniform rotation distortion detection for enhanced intravascular ultrasound imaging. The present invention provides methods and apparatus which detect non-uniform rotation in an improved manner without using beacons which may create shadowing of tissue behind the beacons or other undesired artifacts in the image. In specific embodiments, the present invention may provide a particularly simple and useful solution for addressing the problem of non-uniform rotation distortion in intravascular ultrasound imaging in systems which use mechanical scanning. In specific embodiments, the present invention utilizes correlation of received signals in an image vector from reverberating ultrasound in a bubbly liquid-flushed catheter to determine non-uniform rotation of the transducer within the catheter.