Abstract: A sliding roof capable of opening/closing an opening window formed in a roof body, including a frame having a raised portion around the outer circumference thereof, a panel attached to the frame, and a weather strip fitted between the raised portion and the panel. The raised portion is provided with a projection with an edge directed to a proximal end side of the raised portion for preventing the weather strip from being pulled apart. The projection is formed by shearing work of the raised portion.

Abstract: A compressor comprises a piston having a piston head and an engaging portion, said piston head being inserted into a cylinder bore, said engaging portion having a piston guide and a shoe seat in which a shoe is incorporated, wherein said shoe is engaged with a swash plate. The piston reciprocates in correspondence to rotation of the swash plate and the piston head compressing a refrigerant by the reciprocal movement. The piston guide protrudes outward from the surface of the piston head, extending over said shoe seat, being formed with dimensions exceeding the corresponding shoe seat and being caused to reciprocate along the inner wall surface of said housing in line with reciprocation of said piston.

Abstract: The present invention provide systems and methods for controlled presentation of constructed responses through a variety of computer applications to human evaluators for assessment. The systems and methods further provide for controlled presentation of the constructed responses to minimize the influences of psychometric factors on the accuracy of the human evaluators' assessments and to maximize the ability to efficiently generate data for use in analyzing the accuracy of the human evaluators' assessments and the difficulty of the constructed response categories or questions. The systems and methods of the present invention utilize a storage means which relationally stores data regarding the human evaluators, the constructed responses, the scores awarded and the computer applications to utilize.

Abstract: A combined food and beverage package including a snack food container and a multi-pack carton of beverage containers is disclosed. The multi-pack carton typically contains at least six or twelve beverage containers, which can be cans or bottles. A packaging material at least partially surrounds both the multi-pack carton and the snack food container, thus holding the multi-pack carton and the snack food container in combination. The combined package can also include an adhesive between the multi-pack carton and the snack food container that holds a face of the multi-pack carton and a face of the snack food container in mutual abutment. To facilitate palletizing the combined packages, the surface areas of the faces can be approximately the same. Apparatus and methods for manufacturing such a combined food and beverage package are also disclosed.

Abstract: Synthetic processes are provided for the solution phase synthesis of oligonucleotides, especially phosphorothioate oligonucleotides, and intermediate compounds useful in the processes. Intermediates having structure (I) are prepared in accordance with preferred embodiments.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing fluorescence in a paper-containing sample. Methods for destroying fluorescent whitening agents in a paper-containing sample are also provided.

Abstract: Recombinant human phosphodiesterase type IVC is described, and DNA coding for it. Particular conformers of the enzyme are identified, including a R- and S-rolipram stereoselective conformer which is obtainable by expression of human phosphodiesterase type IVC DNA in mammalian or insect cells. The recombinant enzyme may be used in a screen to select a compound capable of modulating the action of the enzyme, or as an immunogen to generate an antibody.

Abstract: An integrated environment temperature sensor device provides improved temperature sensitivity by using a diode as the sensing element. The integrated sensor device comprises a heater element for creating a fixed quantity of heat energy. The sensor device also comprises an integrated circuit diode which receives the fixed quantity of heat energy from the heater element. The integrated circuit diode has a constant forward bias current applied thereto and a change in environment temperature is reflected in a voltage change across the integrated circuit diode. The integrated circuit diode further comprises an electrically insulating layer positioned substantially between the heater element and the integrated circuit diode for electrically insulating the two from each other.

Abstract: A method for compounding an oxygen scavenging sealant composition is provided. The method includes compounding a gasket formulation with an oxygen scavenging material of reduced particle size. The sealants of the present invention provide a more effective and longer lived hermetic seal.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns an apparatus that increases the utility of the ink jet printing engines by allowing the engine operator the freedom to select the spacing between the ink emitting nozzles of each inkjet print head and a printing substrate. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a reciprocating carriage assembly having twelve individual ink jet pen receptacles and a manual vertical adjustment feature for precise control of the spacing between the printing substrate and the print head(s). In one embodiment, the inventive carriage assembly height adjustment features dual, manually-actuated axial screws that cooperate to evenly raise and lower the carriage assembly. Preferably a third mounting point ensures parallelism when the carriage assembly is raised and lowered. In use, the entire carriage assembly, including circuit boards, ink jet print heads, and electronics all move in unison when the axial shafts are rotated.

Abstract: A disk drive has a frame for receiving and retaining a disk cartridge which includes a disk therein, such disk being rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the frame and cartridge. An actuator is mounted to the frame and is movable a first lesser amount from a first position to a second position and a second greater amount from the first position to a third position. A retract/eject lever is also mounted to the frame, is rotatable on an axis parallel to the first axis by the actuator, and is biased to a resting position. The actuator upon being moved to the second position rotates the retract/eject lever into a head-retracting position. The actuator upon being moved to the third position rotates the retract/eject lever to the head-retracting position and then to a cartridge-ejecting position. A head assembly is mounted to the frame and is movable toward and away from the retained disk cartridge and the disk therein for reading data from/writing data to such disk.

Abstract: A cartridge for a data storage disk drive has a thin retroreflective marker. Light from a source is reflected from the marker almost exactly on its incident path. A planar light shaping optical structure such as a holographic light shaping diffuser (LSD) ruled or blazed diffraction grating, holographic diffraction grating, binary optics or holographic diffraction grating directs light to the detector. The LSD has degrees of angular diffusion in different orthogonal axes. This property makes possible unique identification of different types of cartridges.

Abstract: Unique Mg-quinolone complexes are disclosed. They are relatively highly soluble, they may exist as a solution without a precipitate forming and without any need for additional acid or base additions to adjust pH, they may be administered as a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection with a low injection site irritation profile, and they are rapidly absorbed and taken up into the bloodstream.

Abstract: A foldable blank includes a substrate and a conducting layer. The substrate is folded so as to form a component housing. When the substrate is folded to form a housing, the conducting layer provides electrical shielding to devices situated within the housing. The housing has holes situated therein to accommodate air flow and external connections to devices located within the housing. The housing may be employed to envelop a chassis manufactured from expanded polypropylene.

Abstract: A method for improved magnetic resonance imaging is disclosed herein. This method includes the step of interleaving a first slice-selective inversion recovery pulse within two slice-selective echo trains resulting from two other slice-selective inversion recovery pulses generated prior to the first pulse during a rapid spin echo sequence. In other words, the first slice-selective inversion recovery pulse is generated after receiving a first slice-selective echo train resulting from a second slice-selective inversion recovery pulse generated prior to the first pulse and before receiving a second slice-selective echo train resulting from a third slice-selective inversion recovery pulse generated prior to the generation of the first pulse.

Abstract: A pair of switches is alternately turned on or off according to a state of a flip-flop. The flip-flop is set according to a set pulse which is periodically generated by an oscillator, and is reset according to a reset signal output from a comparator. The comparator generates a reset signal when the inductor current signal representing an inductor current becomes larger than the current instruction signal determined based on an output voltage. An offset generating circuit provides an offset to the inductor current signal while a switch is OFF.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for combining the measured characteristics of a radio signal in a communications environment with collateral information to produce an accurate and economical way to locate a mobile transmitter station, such as a mobile telephone, in a cellular telephone network.