Abstract: An optical pattern generator uses reflection from multiple (e.g., two) internal mirror surfaces mounted on a rotating support structure.

Abstract: A removable, magnetically-affixed liner, preferably comprising ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or polyurethane rubber materials, is provided for affixation to a ferrous substrate material. The liner is configured so that the magnetic attachment element is not easily removed or dislodged from the liner, without regard to choice of liner material utilized.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to using cryogenic compositions, which are non-toxic, non-flammable, and have desirable ozone depletion and global warming potential, for cooling heated skin during skin treatments with a skin treatment apparatus.

Abstract: An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for treating skin conditions that deliver high frequency energy to a patient's tissue. The apparatus has a treatment tip configured to be removably connected with a handpiece, a conduit inside the handpiece, and a flow control valve inside the handpiece. The treatment tip has an electrode configured to deliver the high frequency energy to a region of the tissue. A lumen of the conduit is configured to transfer a heat transfer fluid from the handpiece to a flow passageway in the treatment tip. When the treatment tip is removed from the handpiece, the flow control valve is configured to occlude the lumen of the conduit for reducing leakage of the heat transfer fluid from the handpiece.

Abstract: A method of patterning a substrate using a dual-tone development process is described. The patterning method comprises forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, wherein the layer of radiation-sensitive material comprises a dual tone resist. Thereafter, the patterning method comprises performing one or more exposures of the layer of radiation-sensitive material to one or more patterns of radiation, wherein at least one of the one or more exposures comprises using a mask having a dual-tone mask pattern region configured for printing dual tone features and a half-tone mask pattern region configured for printing half-tone features. Furthermore, the half-tone mask pattern region is optimized for use with the dual tone resist.

Abstract: A centrifuge rotor includes a rotor body having a central hub and first and second bucket receiving spaces defined on diametrically opposed sides of the rotor body. A first pair of bucket supports is supported by the rotor body for pivotally supporting a swing bucket in the first bucket receiving space, and a second pair of bucket supports is supported by the rotor body for pivotally supporting a swing bucket in the second bucket receiving space. The rotor further includes reinforcing material wound around oppositely disposed ones of the first and second pairs of bucket supports.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product are provided for protecting a network from intrusions. An offending packet communicated by an offending host coupled to a protected network is detected. In response to the detection, a blocking instruction is returned to the offending host to initiate an intrusion protection operation on the offending host, where the blocking instruction inhibits further transmission of offending packets by the offending host. At the offending host, a blocking instruction is received with a portion of an offending packet. The offending host verifies that the offending packet originated from the host. In response to the verification of the offending packet originating from the host, an intrusion protection operation is initiated on the host thereby inhibiting transmission of a subsequent outbound offending packet by the host.

Abstract: Labeled annexin is formed by reacting annexin or a modified annexin with a phosphatidylserine group or an analogue of phosphatidylserine. This phosphatidylserine annexin conjugate is then reacted with an appropriate label to form a labeled annexin and the annexin is separated from the phosphatidylserine group. The reaction between the phosphatidylserine group and the annexin is calcium ion concentration dependent. Therefore, the reaction can be promoted by having a high calcium ion concentration and the separation of the phosphatidyl group from the annexin group is facilitated by reducing the calcium ion concentration preferably by addition of an appropriate calcium chelating agent.

Abstract: A method of searching for a entity amongst a plurality of entities, wherein all the entities are linked by at least one criterion in common and have a plurality of data formats, wherein each entity comprises a set of data which can be searched by means of criteria entered by a user; and wherein each entity has a data format; and further wherein a specific one of the data formats defines a standard record format; the method comprising the steps of: determining the data format of an entity; if the data format of the entity does not match the standard record format, passing the entity to a pre-processing engine; if the data format of the entity does match the standard record format, passing standard record format data of the entity to a main processing engine; in the pre-processing engine comparing the entity data format to the standard record format and applying a conversion to the entity set of data; converting the entity set of data to the standard record format based on the conversion to form a converted set

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing fermented milk, the method employing a lactic acid bacterium capable of improving proliferative properties of Bifidobacterium, and a fermented milk prepared by the production method. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing a fermented milk, including fermenting a fermentation base using both Lactococcus lactis strain having cell wall-enveloped proteinase, PrtP, and bacteria belonging to a genus Bifidobacterium, and a fermented milk prepared by the production method.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dispensing a predetermined fixed amount of pre-stretched packaging material to a load are disclosed. An amount of pre-stretched packaging material to be dispensed by a packaging material dispenser is determined based upon the girth of the load to be wrapped. Once the amount of packaging material to be dispensed is determined, a ratio of relative rotational speed to packaging material dispenser speed can be set and mechanically controlled. In an alternative embodiment, the ratio is electronically controlled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fuel cell devices and fuel cell systems, methods of using fuel cell devices and systems, and methods of making fuel cell devices. According to certain embodiments, the fuel cell devices may include an elongate substrate, such as a rectangular or tubular substrate, the length of which is the greatest dimension such that the coefficient of thermal expansion has only one dominant axis that is coextensive with the length. In addition, or in accordance with other certain embodiments, a reaction zone is positioned along a first portion of the length for heating to an operating reaction temperature, and at least one cold zone is positioned along a second portion of the length for operating at a temperature below the operating reaction temperature. There are one or more fuel passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate anode, and one or more oxidizer passages in the elongate substrate, each having an associate cathode.

Abstract: An acidic lactic acid bacteria beverage having a favorable flavor and an improved survival rate for bifidobacteria. The acidic lactic acid bacteria beverage of the present invention includes bifidobacteria and inulin, wherein the inulin is not fermented by the bifidobacteria. The inulin content is preferably within a range from 1 to 10% by mass, and the pH of the acidic lactic acid bacteria beverage is preferably within a range from 4.1 to 4.8.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for wrapping a palletized load are provided. The apparatus preferably includes a film dispenser for dispensing a film web, at least one drive down roller configured to engage the width of the film web, and at least one roping mechanism. The at least one roping mechanism may be a cable rolling element configured to roll a portion of the film web into a rolled cable of film. The apparatus may also include an assembly for providing relative rotation between the load and the dispenser to wrap a roped portion of the film web around a base of the load/top portion of a pallet supporting the load.

Abstract: A side seal assembly for a shrink wrap packaging system is located downstream in the feed direction from a wrapping station to join first and second plies together and enclose each of the products in individually wrapped packages. The side seal assembly includes a heated side seal mechanism to form the side seal weld and separate the selvage film. The assembly includes an indexing mechanism to index the side seal mechanism and expose a clean surface to the film without removal or extensive servicing of the assembly and the heretofore requisite downtime for the system. The sealing and cutting functions are combined into a single, stationary component thereby reducing the number of movable parts. Moreover, indexing the side seal mechanism operatively exposes a clean, free of resin build-up, peripheral edge of the side seal mechanism to the plies, without the need to stop production for extended periods of time while consistently producing a thin side seal weld on the package.

Abstract: A roller die preformer for use in an extrusion system to form wide extruded components, such as a rubber tire tread, on a surface of a roller. The roller die preformer includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet and a laterally expanding flow channel extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet. A flow restrictor is configured within the flow channel to urge the flow of material toward the lateral extremities of the flow channel to thereby form an extruded component at the flow outlet having a lateral width which is greater than the lateral width of the flow inlet of the preformer.

Abstract: A centrifuge rotor includes a rotor body having first and second axial ends and a circumferential sidewall extending therebetween. The rotor body has a plurality of wells for receiving sample containers to be processed in the rotor. The rotor further includes an elongate reinforcement extending around the circumferential sidewall of the rotor body along a helical path. At least two portions of the elongate reinforcement interlock at one or more specific points on the surface of the rotor.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product that determine a density of a key value referenced in a database query over at least one range of rows, and utilize the determined density to optimize the database query. By doing so, the density of various key values may be determined and compared, and a bit map may be generated over the range of rows of the key value that is denser, resulting in a reduction of resources to build and use the bit map. Moreover, from the bit map over the range of rows to be selected after using the determined density, dense regions may be identified that can be used to optimize block I/O's according to the number of rows to be selected based on the query.

Abstract: A gas heating device that may be used in a system for depositing a thin film on a substrate using a vapor deposition process is described. The gas heating device may be configured for heating one or more constituents of a film forming composition. The gas heating device comprises one or more resistive heating elements. Additionally, the gas heating device comprises a mounting structure configured to support at least one of the one or more resistive heating elements. Furthermore, the gas heating device comprises a static mounting device coupled to the mounting structure and configured to fixedly couple the at least one of the one or more resistive heating elements to the mounting structure, and a dynamic mounting device coupled to the mounting structure and configured to automatically compensate for changes in a length of the at least one of the one or more resistive heating elements.