Abstract: An edge-covering material and a process for preventing undesirable ridges from exposure of laser-processible, photopolymerizable printing plates premounted on sleeves or cylinders is disclosed. The edge-covering material containing at least one soluble, film-forming polymer, at least one UV absorber, and a solvent or a solvent mixture is applied on the edges of the photo-polymerizable printing plate before imagewise exposure of the photopolymerizable printing plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for warehousing information in a wallet consolidator. The wallet consolidator includes a controller for controlling operation of the wallet consolidator, a magnetic stripe reader/writer for reading and writing magnetic stripes, a bar code scanner for scanning bar codes, a keypad for inputting user selections and commands, a memory for storing information provided to the wallet consolidator, a smart card interface for effectuating communication between the wallet consolidator and a smart card and a display screen for displaying text and graphics, the display screen further for displaying a bar code pattern capable of being scanned by a bar code reader. To store information in the wallet consolidator, or alternatively in a smart card interfaced to the wallet consolidator, information is read from magnetic stripes on various types of cards such as, but not limited to, credit, debit and identification cards.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an indiffused optical waveguide (6) in a substrate (1). A metal layer (7) and photoresist (8) are deposited on a substrate (1) in this order. Portions of the photoresist (8) are removed such that a photoresist structure (8) corresponding to the desired waveguide structure is left. The exposed portions of the metal layer (7) are removed by a chemical/physical etching technique whereafter the remaining photoresist (8) is removed and the remaining metal layer (7) is diffused into the substrate (1) by a heat treatment. The usage of a chemical/physical etching method for removing portions of the metal layer (7) results in smaller variations in the width of the waveguide after indiffusion. Such waveguides are particularly advantageous when being used in connection with acousto-optical devices. The optical waveguides according to the invention are also useable with other integrated optics devices.

Abstract: The push brush carpet or hard surface cleaner of the present invention is preferably comprised of a cleaning brush with a round surface area to which cleaning bristles of any conventional size and shape are attached. In practice the brush is preferably pushed over the carpet or hard surface to agitate and/or expel a debris-laden cleaning solution that has been previously applied to the carpet or hard surface to accomplish cleaning. The cleaning solution can be any conventional chemical solution suitable for the purpose of carpet or hard surface cleaning, but the brush of the present invention is preferably used in conjunction with a dry powder or substantially neutral pH dry crystalline formula cleaning solution for carpets. Finally, the optional axle, bearing and wheel configuration permits easy disassembly of the brush to allow easy replacement of the brush and to permit accommodation of various brush sizes and bristle varieties.

Abstract: A system is provided to deliver complete files from a server to a maximum number of clients, while at the same time minimizing cumulative waiting time through the utilization of a prioritization heuristic in which there are two competing priorities. As to the first priority, the highest priority is given to those clients most in danger of not receiving a complete file by a predetermined deadline. The second priority is set to minimize the waiting time for the delivery of files by sending the files only to those clients that are capable of receiving the data fastest. An exponential curve system is utilized as a tie breaker between the two competing priorities in which the weight of each priority is determined. As a result, in terms of distribution from a single server to multiple clients, the calculation of the weighted priority is a real number derived from user parameters such as log-in characteristics, the due date, and the amount of the file remaining to be transmitted.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a sucrose phosphate synthase. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the sucrose phosphate synthase, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the sucrose phosphate synthase in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the purification of crude &egr;-caprolactam, wherein crude &egr;-caprolactam prepared by cyclization of alkyl 6-aminocaproate, 6-aminocapronitrile, 6-aminocaproic acid, 6-aminocaproic amide and/or oligomers thereof, is subjected to a crystallization process.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a flexible penetration resistant stabilized composite, that includes an interlaced yarn structure of yarns having a tenacity of at least 8 g/d, a tensile modulus of at least 150 g/d and an energy to break of at least 10 j/g. The yarn structure includes yarn subgroups alternately stacked together. There is also provided a polymeric web coextensive with, in contact with, and bound to the surface of one of the subgroups that at least partially contacts and is bound to the yarns in all the subgroups in the stack to thereby contain the subgroups in the stack in an interlaced yarn structure.

Abstract: Through function complementation of E. coli auxotrophs, the ultimate and pentultimate enzymes of the spinach riboflavin biosynthetic pathway have been cloned, namely, lumazine synthase (LS) and riboflavin synthase (RS). This invention relates to the isolation of nucleic acid fragments from plants or fungi that encode LS protein. The invention also relates to the isolation of nucleic acid fragments from plants or fungi that encode RS protein. In addition, the invention also relates to the construction of chimeric genes encoding all of a portion of LS, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein the expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of plant LS in a transformed host cell. Furthermore, the invention also relates to the construction of chimeric genes encoding all of a portion of RS, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein the expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of plant or fungal RS in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: The invention is novel liquid chitosan-containing compositions, their methods of preparation, and their methods of use. In particular, the invention is a novel chitosan-containing liquid suspension composition which remains stable and is usable as an additive, for instance, in water or aqueous solution (i.e., water-based liquids).

Abstract: The invention utilizes a moving band, typically on an airplane, to increase the apparent speed and therefore the lift of any body moving through a fluid. The invention will allow take-offs and landings at reduced speeds and allow a greater load. It will also reduce drag due to turbulence thereby allowing a flatter design of the wing, and reducing boundary later separation.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display comprises a fluid and a plurality of nanoparticles having diameters substantially less the wavelengths of visible light such that, when the nanoparticles are in a dispersed state and uniformly dispersed throughout the fluid, the fluid presents a first optical characteristic, but when the nanoparticles are in an aggregated state in which they are gathered into aggregates substantially larger than the individual nanoparticles, the fluid presents a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic. The electrophoretic display further comprises at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the nanoparticle-containing fluid and thereby move the nanoparticles between their dispersed and aggregated states.

Abstract: A method of dynamically resolving disputes between an employee using a payroll deduction plan to pay for purchases and an external system processing the payroll deduction plan, the method comprising the steps of (a) determining if the dispute relates to a product or service purchased from a merchant or to an error in the processed employee payroll deduction; (b) if the dispute relates to an error in the processed employee payroll deduction, determining if the error is related to a number of deduction periods or the employee's pay cycle frequency; (c) if the error relates to an error in the number of deduction periods, the external system corrects the number of deduction periods and determines if a next payroll deduction period is in progress of being processed; (d) if the external system determines that a deduction period is in progress, the external system allows the next deduction to occur and determines if the deduction amount is too high or too low; (e) if the deduction amount is too low, the employee pay

Abstract: Improved dissolution inhibition resists for use in microlithography are disclosed herein. These resists are comprised of phenolic base resin(s) having increased inhibitability and which are suitable for use in resist formulations for microlithography and semiconductor applications.

Abstract: The invention is particularly related to the problems of dispersing fiber to obtain a uniform distribution. The invention includes tapered ducts oriented at an appropriate angle relative to the horizontal for redirecting and decreasing the speed of an air stream containing fiber therein such that the fiber precipitates from the air stream and falls gently to form a uniform fiber bed in a bin.

Abstract: In an Internet-based client/server application, a system is provided to detect the infrastructure at the client side so as to ascertain information such as the computer type, what peripherals are attached to the computer, CPU power, hard disk space, what viewer or sound card is installed and the Internet connection information associated with the client and to automatically transmit required software to the client or give the client consulting advice to remotely identify problems and provide solutions, to install new software and to remotely instruct individuals as to how to use their machines. In one embodiment, each user is provided with software having a unique serial number. Having the serial number, infrastructure data is checked at the client side and reported to the server periodically, with the server updating a database with the infrastructure data from each PC to permit the remote consulting and repair.

Abstract: An external analog modulation system is described, comprising an electro-optical modulator with a double output and a driving circuit.

Abstract: An optical transmission fiber has a refractive index profile with an area of increased index of refraction at the inner core of the fiber, an annular region positioned radially outward from the inner core with an index of refraction exceeding the index of the inner core, and at least a low dopant content region in a cross-sectional region between the inner core and the annular region. A low loss cladding layer surrounds the core region. The optical transmission fiber with this segmented core profile provides a high effective area, low non-linearity coefficient, nonzero dispersion, and relatively flat dispersion slope.

Abstract: A probe for fault-actuation devices has a transistor which is utilized to insert a reference signal into a fault-insertion point. The emitter and collector are connectable to the fault-insertion point and a reference signal and a capacitor with a capacitance greater than the capacitance of parasitic components is connected between the base and the emitter.

Abstract: A transmission for driving the screws of a twin-screw extruder comprises two parallel output shafts (1, 2) of different lengths and rotating in opposite directions, the shorter one of which carries a drive gear (4) meshing with one gearwheel (6) each of two distributor shafts (7), which from the side of the longer output shaft (1) can be driven by an intermediate shaft (10) via gearwheels (11). To create advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that on the longer output shaft (1) a gearwheel (5) meshing with the drive gear (4) of the shorter output shaft (2) is affixted.