Abstract: A module interconnection system which minimizes electronic signal propagation delays is disclosed. The module interconnection system includes a backplane, a first plurality of connectors arranged in a side by side generally parallel arrangement, and a second plurality of connectors arranged in a side by side generally parallel arrangement. In a preferred embodiment, the second plurality of connectors are mounted on the backplane at right angles to the first plurality of connectors so as provide short routing paths between each of the second plurality of connectors and at least one of the first plurality of connectors. Point-to-point signal interconnections are selectively utilized to provide data paths between selected contacts of at least one of the first plurality of connectors and selected contacts of the second plurality of connectors.

Abstract: An induction of TNF-.alpha. mRNA expression has been observed in adipose tissue from four different insulin resistant rodent models of obesity and diabetes. TNF-.alpha. protein was also elevated locally and systemically. Neutralization of TNF-.alpha. in obese fa/fa rats caused a significant increase in the peripheral uptake of glucose in response to insulin. A method of treating an animal suffering from insulin resistance in obesity linked Type II diabetes mellitus is disclosed. The method includes providing a therapeutic agent that includes an antagonist to TNF-.alpha. function in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier substance and administering a pharmacologically effective amount of the therapeutic agent to the animal.

Abstract: In a distributed air conditioning system capable of controlling cooling or heating by means of a substitute temperature detector when the room temperature detector of a room to be air conditioned is abnormal, room temperatures detected by the temperature detector D2 of an indoor unit 20, the temperature detector D1 of an operation unit 30 and the temperature detector D3 of a monitoring meter 86 for monitoring the environment of the room 85 to be air conditioned are monitored by a central monitoring and control board 50 and the order of selecting the temperature detectors used for the control of cooling or heating is determined. When a temperature detector selected according to the selection order is abnormal, an alarm for the abnormality is displayed by the central monitoring and control board 50 and a temperature detector which is the next in the selection order is selected to control cooling or heating of the indoor unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an ultra-stable measurement of the density of a fluid/gas species such as ozone in a mixture. The technique is based on information extracted from multi-wavelength light absorption, at which the species exhibits different absorption properties (coefficient values). The technique provides real-time compensation for short- and long-term instability in the light source and detector, and for detectable changes in the optical characteristics of the cell, thus improving the accuracy of the measurement while making frequent zeroing of the instrument unnecessary. In addition, the invention provides a high-performance technique for measuring ultra-high ozone densities using absorption at the Chappuis band.

Abstract: Fiber preforms for use in the manufacture of composite material annular ps are made by winding superposed layers of a strip of cloth (10) of spiral or helical shape comprising substantially helical warp threads and substantially radial weft threads. The mass per unit area of the warp of the helical cloth increases between its inside diameter and its outside diameter, and the layers of the strip of cloth are needled so as to be bonded together by fibers pulled from the yarn of the cloth, the increase in mass per unit area of the warp at least approximately compensating, in terms of density per unit volume of the preform, the decrease in density of the weft between the inside diameter and the outside diameter.

Abstract: A spaced pocket filter assembly has a pocket secured to a holding frame and a spacing member within the pocket made of a single sheet of material. The spacing member has an alternately folded Z or zig zag configuration and is secured to the interior of the pocket along each of the fold lines. The pocket assembly can be manufactured by interposing a roll of a sheet media for the spacing member between rolls of filter media for the pocket. The spacing member media is folded into the Z or zig zag configuration, layered between the pocket media, and secured to the pocket media continuously along the fold lines.

Abstract: An air flow sensor and impeller flow for use in industrial, agricultural and civil applications as well as in process control, emission control and measurement. The impeller is suspended for free rotation in a tube section and has a central core and a number of impeller blades extending from the core wherein at least one blade extends from the core to the adjacent inner wall of the tube section. The flow sensor is equipped with measuring means to measure the number of revolutions of the impeller per unit of time and to register an associated calibration speed of the impeller.

Abstract: In an air conditioning system for circulating a fluid which can change a phase between a gas phase and a liquid phase by a difference of a specific gravity between the gas phase and the liquid phase between an heat source side machine and a plurality of user side machines more than half of which are disposed below the heat source side machine, so that each of the user side machines performs a cooling operation, each of the user side machines is provided with a heat exchanger, a flow control valve for controlling a volume of said fluid supplied to the heat exchanger, a blow means for supplying an air-conditioned air to a room through the heat exchanger, a physical value detecting means for detecting a physical value relating to an air conditioning load such as a temperature and a signal controlling means for the operating and detecting portions, and wherein the heat source side machine is provided with a control means for communicating with said signal controlling means and outputting a control signal to said

Abstract: A card cage for mounting printed circuit cards of at least two sizes is disclosed. The card cage includes an insert removably mounted to a mounting bar position between first and second ends of the card cage. The insert extends along a portion of the width of the card cage. When the insert is mounted to the mounting bar, a printed circuit card of a first length may be disposed between the insert and one of the card cage ends. When the insert is removed, a printed circuit card of a second length greater than the first length may be mounted between the first and second ends of the card cage. Plural mounting bars may be located between the respective card cage ends to accommodate printed circuit cards of different lengths.

Abstract: The invention encompasses a friction-in-oil device having a plurality of coaxial disks comprising metal rotor or driving disks, metal stator or driven disks, and loose disks of carbon/carbon ("C/C") composite material, each loose C/C disk lying between a metal rotor or driving disk and a metal stator or driven disk. Each loose C/C disk is centered by a bearing surface formed in an adjacent metal rotor or stator disk, which bearing surface has passages for feeding oil to the interface between the loose C/C disk and the metal rotor or stator disk.

Abstract: In a method for producing helically wound lock-seam tubing, a metal strip is fed to a forming head in which the tubing is formed. In order to prevent lock-seam slip, a clinching roller device form interlocking spaced deformations on the lock-seam. An apparatus for such production comprises a clinching roller provided with a recess for forming the deformations against a counter roller.

Abstract: An optical pointing device for instructing a predetermined operation by moving an index over a display screen of a computer is configured such that a plurality of photocouplers are arranged on vertical sides and horizontal sides of a rectangular operation plane at a predetermined pitch in such a manner that lines of action thereof cross each other at a right angle, coordinates of a first shading pointer contacted to the surface of the operation plane are detected by the photocouplers, coordinates of a second shading pointer contacted to the surface of the operation plane are then detected, and a moving direction is set from the coordinates to move the index.

Abstract: An improved object-oriented programming environment for facilitating creation of database management applications is disclosed. The programming environment provides a method and apparatus for establishing named connections between encapsulated, individually designed software components referred to as "smart objects," which communicate and act in a coordinated fashion as part of a finished software application. Connections between smart objects are referred to as "smart links." A basic set of smart links for coordinating a core group of smart objects is disclosed, and a substantial variety of database management applications can be created using the disclosed smart objects and smart containers. The core group of smart objects each include four common capabilities: the capability to initialize and destroy themselves, the capability to get and set attributes, the capability to add and remove smart links, and the capability to communicate using a standard communication interface.

Abstract: A building structure which simulates the appearance of a traditional log structure while incorporating modern wood framing construction techniques is disclosed. A number of interlocking log heads form the corner of the structure. Each log head abuts against a stud or post displaced a distance from the corner. Wall boards are affixed to extend horizontally over sheathing attached to studs and abut each log head. Small spaces between the wall boards are filled with a chinking element, which may be a wood strip covered with a suitable surface material to simulate actual chinking.

Abstract: Between the start and the end of the chemical vapor infiltration process, filtration conditions are modified by causing at least one of the following infiltration parameters to vary: retention time of the gas, pressure, temperature, concentration of precursor in the gas, and concentration of dopant, if any, in the gas; thereby adapting infiltration conditions to changes in the porometry of the substrate in order to control the microstructure of the material deposited within the substrate, in particular in order to conserve a microstructure that is constant.

Abstract: Token Ring network packet having a header and an information field is prepared for transmission over an Ethernet network by the steps of removing the header information from the Token Ring packet, and associating a second header with the information field of the Token Ring packet, wherein the second header is compatible with the Ethernet network. More particularly, to prepare an IEEE 802.5 Token Ring network packet for transmission on an Ethernet network the Access Control ("AC") and Frame Control ("FC") fields are removed, the order of the destination address ("DA") field is reversed, the order of the source address ("SA") field is reversed, a Virtual Local Area Network ("VLAN") type field is added, a VLAN identification ("ID") field is added, and a length value field is added. The information field from the Token Ring packet is retained.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp includes a tubular glass bulb, an internal electrode provided substantially along the central axis of the tubular glass bulb, a fluorescent layer provided on the inner surface of the tubular glass bulb, and an external electrode provided on the outer surface of the tubular glass bulb, wherein the internal electrode, having a coiled shape, is laid in the tubular glass bulb with an appropriate tension. According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a sag in the internal electrode from occurring due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the tubular glass bulb and a metallic member forming the internal electrode, and to prevent either the tubular glass bulb or the internal electrode from being broken because of an excessive stress, thereby overcoming the problem concerning such type of fluorescent lamp.