Abstract: A drum is introduced into an interlock chamber and the interlock chamber is sealed. A door leading to a transition chamber is opened and the drum is moved into the transition chamber. The transition chamber is contained within a spool valve which includes a pair of drum grips. The drum grips are actuated to grasp the drum. The drum grips are rotatably coupled to an inner element of the spool valve. The inner element is rotated with respect to a housing and a drum manipulator grasps an end of the drum. The drum is displaced from the transition chamber toward a treatment chamber. The drum is cut into a desired shape and/or number of pieces with the drum and the material contained therein being deposited into the treatment chamber.

Abstract: Since the D/A conversion device comprises first registers (DA-1) 3a and (DA-2) 3b for latching a plurality of digital value data from the central processing unit among which there is a time lag, the switch circuits 6a and 6b are made conductive by the signal CPUS based on an address specified by the central processing unit so that the digital value data latched by the first registers (DA-1) 3a and (DA2) 3b are written onto the conversion registers (DA-1) 4a and (DA-2) 4b simultaneously and converted into analog voltages by the resistance ladders (DA-1) 7a and (DA-2) 7b. In this way, a plurality of D/A conversion outputs become simultaneous.

Abstract: An improved vacuum microelectronic device comprised of a first polysilicon layer-having hornlike protrusions forming the emitter of the device, a first insulating layer separating the first polysilicon layer from a second polysilicon layer forming the grid of the device; a second insulating layer separating the second and third polysilicon layers. A portion of the first insulating layer, the second polysilicon layer, and second insulating layers are removed to form a grid aperture region positioned directly above the hornlike protrusion of the emitter. A cavity exists between the grid aperture region and a third polysilicon layer. The cavity is evacuated to form the vacuum region of the device.

Abstract: Ligands with three or more nitrogen atoms incorporated into a linear or cyclic backbone structure, with the nitrogen atoms substituted with a combination of phosphonate groups and nonphosphonate groups, of which at least two are phosphonate groups, are disclosed. These ligands are combined with paramagnetic metal cations and administered in the form of pharmacologically acceptable salts, are useful as MRI contrast enhancement agents, which tend to localize in bone tissue without being conjugated to bone-specific biomolecules. Triazacyclononanes and tetraazacyclododecanes, with dihydroxyphosphorylmethyl or dihydroxyphosphorylethyl groups linked to the backbone nitrogens are preferred.

Abstract: A malleable, handed, wrist brace extending between the forearm and hand for immobilizing the wrist is disclosed. The brace includes a bendable and cut work hardened aluminum sheet cut with a central volar extension ending in a palmar support. The volar extension includes paired transversely extending forearm gripping arms and paired transversely extending wrist joint gripping arms. At the hand end of the brace, paired transversely extending palm gripping arms extend to opposite sides of the palm from just above the palmar support. The cut aluminum sheet has a molded exterior and liner interior bonded to opposite side with the gripper arms bent to confront the liner to the limb to be immobilized. The palmar support portion of the brace confronts a convex portion of the palmar support to the palm to provide preferred anatomical positioning of the hand with respect to the forearm (roughly 5.degree. of dorsi-flexion at the wrist).

Abstract: A method for detecting a marked element on an eddy wheel in proximity to a sensor is described. The method includes the steps of accumulating sensor output signals over a selected time period. The number of sensor output signal over a first and second time period are determined. From that number an average value is calculated. A threshold value is established for the average for determining whether the marked is present. The threshold value is compared to the average value. If the average value is greater than the threshold value, an output signal is generated to indicate the presence of the mark.

Abstract: A rotor for a series-shed loom is furnished, with relay system jets (3). These relay system jets (3) are located inside the rotor, and are supplied with compressed air by an air distribution system (10) via delivery stations. The delivery stations are distributed in the axial direction in order to produce a travelling field (22) relative to the loom rotor. At the same time, the delivery stations (6) are adjustably mounted in the direction of rotation (41) and are connected to an adjustment device (27, 33). The adjustment device permits the angle of rotation (8) between the delivery apertures (7) of various stations (6) to be adjusted at the broad side of the rotor (1). This also enables the maximum possible weft insertion angle .alpha. with the greatest possible weft insertion velocity to be used even with a reduced loom width (36).

Abstract: The currents flowing through high voltage conductors in a network or switchyard are monitored by magnetic field sensors in the form of air-cored epoxy-filled coils which are electrostatically shielded by discontinuous shields. The magnetic field sensors are located a safe working distance away from the conductors being monitored to remain substantially at earth potential and are orientated to maximize the magnetic field influence from the conductors being monitored. The value of the magnetic field detected by the sensors are sampled instantaneously and the sampled value is processed, having regard to calibration and cross linking effects of the network being monitored to calculate the instantaneous current flowing through the network.

Abstract: A system for abstracting the byte ordering of a computer firmware from the operating system by allowing a computer to automatically change endianness under full software control. The byte ordering can be switched completely transparent to the end user during system boot. The system is comprised of hardware and software to run either byte order stand alone software or operating systems on demand.

Abstract: Analogs of cytochalasin B are used as radiopharmaceuticals to provide an image for the nuclear imaging of glucose transport across cell membranes. Like cytochalasin B, the analogs bind specifically to glucose transport protein, and in doing so, serve as markers indicating the amount of glucose transport protein present on the surfaces of cells. The analogs differ from cytochalasin B by the inclusion of a radionuclide in the region of the terminal phenyl group on cytochalasin B, where the radionuclide does not interfere with the binding specificity of the analog. Disclosed herein are such analogs as well as analogs with which readily accept radionuclides at the desired location on the structure, either by conjugation or substitution.

Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of mild depression in an aging patient population. The invention specifically relates to daily treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone to increase insulin-like growth factor-I serum levels and increase psychological well-being in these patients.

Abstract: An exerciser has a base, a pair of parallel guide rails disposed on the base, a pair of driven units mounted slidably and respectively on the guide rails, and a friction-type resistance device mounted on the base and connected operably to the driven units to resist movement of the driven units. The resistance device includes a friction wheel mounted rotatably on the base, a friction belt trained on the friction wheel, a tension spring interconnecting one end of the friction belt and the base, and first and second transmission rollers mounted rotatably on the base at two sides of the friction wheel. First and second clutch units couple a respective one of the first and second transmission rollers and the friction wheel only when the respective transmission roller rotates in a first direction to drive rotatably the friction wheel in the first direction. The friction wheel applies a force to the friction belt in a compressing direction of the tension spring while rotating in the first direction.

Abstract: In an image compression system using a typical image compression scheme, a pointer array is provided to point to each of the many MCUs in a compressed image file. From all the blocks of an image, a subset of the blocks is selected as a virtual image. The virtual image is edited, and each edited block is compressed into an edited block. The edited block is compressed into an edited MCU and placed in an edited block region, and the pointer to the original MCU is changed to point to the new MCU. In this way, the pointer array can be modified to perform an Undo operation. An edge table is provided to hold values where each value, when combined with the differential value for a block on the edge of the virtual image, provides an absolute value for the block without reference to blocks beyond the edge of the virtual image. The entries in the edge table are determined from the compressed MCUs without the blocks being fully decompressed. More than one edge table can be provided.

Abstract: A process is proposed for the dewatering of compressibly dewaterable materials, in particular waste from the processing of paper material, which enables a very high degree of dewatering so that the waste can be readily disposed of, e.g. dumped. For this purpose, the material to be dewatered is initially pre-dewatered by gravity, and usually also by compression, in a transportation section (5). This pre-dewatering can take place in a continually operating feed section (7) through a perforated sieve jacket (10). The material then reaches a press section (6) in which a discontinuously working pressing device is in operation. Further improvements in the dewatering performance are possible by various embodiments of the corresponding pressing elements (13,14). The invention relates to both the process and the device for implemention of the process.

Abstract: A portable device for silent graphical communication. The device has a display screen on which a user may scribble notes and information using a stylus. These notes, which are then broadcast by the device, are received by other similar devices and displayed on the screens of the other devices. User of the other devices can respond to the received information by scribbling their own notes. The ensuing conversations may be password protected.

Abstract: An optical collimating device employs an optical (concave) mirror and cholesteric liquid crystal element to collimate and project image light into the line-of-sight of an observer in efficient manner. Image light is generated with light components within a predetermined bandwidth and with a predetermined rotary sense. The image light is directed so that it is reflected by the concave mirror, expanding (collimating) the image light, projecting in onto a cholesteric liquid crystal element that reflects those components of the image light within the bandwidth B and having the proper rotary sense of circular polarization. The cholesteric liquid crystal element substantially reflects the returned image to the observer.

Abstract: The water is brought into contact with a gas mixture for the removal of its oxygen content. The gas mixture is then circulated in a circulation (6, 7) and at the same time the oxygen is removed from the gas mixture charged therewith in a catalytic device (9) by means of a fuel gas. For this purpose a gas mixture (15) is produced from a fuel gas (12) and an inert gas (13), conveyed to the circulation in an explosion-proof manner and added to the recycling gas by mixing. The fuel gas content and the inert gas content of the gas mixture supplied (15) are adjusted so that the resultant gas mixture (16) in the circulation in front of the catalyst device (9) has firstly an excess factor E=1 and so that secondly it lies under the ignition limit (Z). This produces by simple means a cost-effective plant, which can be operated so that it is explosion-proof.

Abstract: A reactor for incinerating and melting materials such as waste and/or toxic materials has a containment housing inside of which an upright, open-ended drum is rotatably mounted. The drum is lined with refractory, forms a central discharge opening for the removal of incinerated and melted materials, and has an upright, outer wall. Incineration heat is supplied by a plasma torch which is mounted to the containment housing and extends into the drum. A steel throat ring concentric with the discharge opening is connected with the exterior of the drum; e.g. an outer drum wall, by grounding arms which extend non-radially; e.g. tangentially from a periphery of the throat ring to the inside surface of the drum wall, so that electric discharge from the torch to the upwardly oriented surfaces of the throat ring and the grounding arms is possible.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extending the range of a digital data network by enhancing skew control. The apparatus is a circuit for use in a network interface unit. The apparatus measures the distance of the network interface unit from the head-end retransmission unit of the network by transmitting a series of signal packets on the network and counting the time it takes for the packets to be received back at the interface unit. All transmissions on the network take place with reference to a timing mark transmitted by the head-end unit at a regular interval. The apparatus sends the first in the series of signal packets at a pre-determined pre-skew interval before the timing mark. The apparatus counts the number of clock cycles after the timing mark before the signal packet is received back at the network interface unit.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for simultaneously fabricating bipolar and complementary field effect transistors. The process includes the fabrication of buried layers 18 doped with both phosphorus and arsenic to permit a shorter diffusion time while simultaneously providing buried layers having low resistance and high diffusivity. The process enables fabrication of BiCMOS structures using only six masks prior to the contact mask. The process also comprises oxidizing an epitaxial layer for forming a differential thickness oxide layer which is thicker over the source and drain regions, the collector contact and the emitter than over the base contact region.