Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides encoding polypeptides expressed in mammalian skin cells are provided, together with expression vectors and host cells comprising such isolated polynucleotides. Methods for the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: A digital display unit for minimizing the display artifacts which may be caused by aliasing of high frequency distortions present in wide bandwidth analog display signals. The minimization is achieved by modulating a sampling clock signal by different phase delay amounts for successive lines or frame. Due to such modulation, the analog display signal is sampled at different sampling points in different frames for the same pixel position. As digital display screens are typically designed to respond slowly to differing scanning intensities and as the human eye generally averages different color intensities at the same point, a low-pass filter effect may be in place with respect to the samples taken at the same pixel position. Display artifacts are minimized due to the sampling at different sampling points and the low-pass filter effect.

Abstract: A technique for forming films of material (14) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing gas-forming particles (12) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth underneath the surface. The gas-forming particles form a layer of microbubbles within the substrate. A global heat treatment of the substrate then creates a pressure effect to separate a thin film of material from the substrate. Additional gas-forming particles are introduced into the donor substrate and a second thin film of material is then separated from the donor substrate. In a specific embodiment, the gas-forming particles are implanted using a plasma immersion ion implantation method.

Abstract: A de-boning apparatus and method for removing bones and other undesirable elements from meat. The apparatus preferably includes a conveyor assembly conveying meat to and from a head assembly which removes the bones, one or more rail assemblies located beside the conveyor assembly for keeping meat on the conveyor assembly as it passes through the apparatus, a conveyor drive system for powering the conveyor assembly, and a head drive assembly for powering the head assembly. The conveyor assembly preferably has a conveyor drum and an idler wheel about which a conveyor belt runs. The conveyor belt conveys meat to the head assembly preferably located beside the conveyor drum at a point when the conveyed meat is bowed as it passes around the conveyor drum, thereby better exposing bones for removal. The head assembly preferably includes a pin bone wheel (driven by the head drive system) and a head block spaced from the pin bone wheel to define a gap therebetween.

Abstract: A deburring head is mounted on a frame for movement toward and away from a workpiece also mounted on the frame. The deburring head includes a plurality of deburring brushes which are rotated and which are adapted to engage the workpiece and remove burrs from the workpiece.

Abstract: An equalization and precharge circuit precharges and equalizes local input/output (LIO) signal lines between each memory access operation within a memory circuit. The equalization and precharge circuit includes a local voltage circuit which maintains the level of the LIO signal lines at a standby voltage level during standby periods. Preferably, the standby voltage level is approximately equal to half of the supply voltage VCC. Separate precharge and equalization circuits are included to precharge and equalize the LIO signal lines between memory access operations. During precharge periods, a precharge control signal LIOPC is preferably at a logical high voltage level for a predetermined period of time between memory access operations, thereby forming a fixed-width pulse and raising the LIO signals to a known precharge level. The LIO signal lines are charged to a known level equal to the standby voltage level plus a voltage V(t) during the precharge and equalization period.

Abstract: A heavy-duty shearing and crushing demolition apparatus for attachment to a boom structure and hydraulic system of an excavator. The apparatus includes a lower jaw with a primary blade, an upper jaw with primary and secondary blades oblique with respect to each other, and a shearing and crushing tip on the upper jaw secondary blade with a shearing point, a crushing point, and a support and shearing tip blade portion between the shearing point and the crushing points. This structure exposes the crushing point for crushing when the upper jaw is open from the lower jaw with the shearing tip out of the way and also exposes the shearing tip for shearing when the upper jaw is closing into the lower jaw. This permits shearing beginning at the shearing tip and shearing rearwardly. The support and shearing tip blade portion supports the workpiece while shearing it, producing a substantially flat non-contoured or twisted workpiece.

Abstract: A plasma treatment system (200) for implantation with a novel susceptor with a silicon coating (203). The system (200) has a variety of elements such as a chamber, which can have a silicon coating formed thereon, in which a plasma is generated in the chamber. The system (200) also has a susceptor disposed in the chamber to support a silicon substrate. The silicon coating reduces non-silicon impurities that may attach to the silicon substrate. The system (200) also includes a silicon liner, which is used to line inner portions of the chamber walls.

Abstract: An intrauterine catheter device for monitoring fetal and/or maternal heart rate, including an elongate housing having proximal and distal portions, an array of ECG electrodes on the distal portion and one or more acoustic or other mechanical sensors on the distal portion. A pressure transducer may also be provided on the distal portion. Processor circuitry compares the ECG signal with the output signal of the acoustic sensor to derive fetal and/or maternal heart rate. An intrauterine catheter device is also provided, including a reference electrode on its distal portion, and an array of active electrodes spaced apart from one another on the distal portion. The device may also include a pressure transducer on the distal portion and processor circuitry coupled to the array of active electrodes and/or to the reference electrode for deriving fetal ECG from signals produced by the array of active electrodes.

Abstract: A plasma immersion implantation system (100), including a network for controlling the system. The network communicates to the system by way of packets, which are used to pass signals to and from one of a plurality of controllers. The controllers are used to oversee one of a plurality of processing parameters or field processes such as rf voltage, pressure, etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayered wafer 10 such as an SOI wafer having a novel implanted layer. This implanted layer is removable and provides a resulting wafer having a substantially uniform surface. The wafer includes a bulk substrate 11 and an insulating layer 13 formed overlying the bulk substrate 15. A film of semiconductor material is formed overlying the insulating layer. Surface non-uniformities are formed overlying and in the film of semiconductor material. The non-uniformities are implanted, and are bordered by a substantially uniform interface 17 at a selected depth underlying the surface non-uniformities. The substantially uniform interface provides a substantially uniform resulting surface for the SOI wafer.

Abstract: A gearing system which includes a pair of gears. The tooth profile of the first gear has three portions: a concave portion lying within the dedendum of the first gear, a convex portion lying within the addendum of the first gear, and a transition zone disposed between the concave and convex portions. Similarly, the tooth profile of the mating gear has three portions: a concave portion lying within the dedendum of the mating gear, conjugate to the convex portion of the tooth profile of the first gear; a convex portion lying within the addendum of the mating gear, conjugate to the concave portion of the tooth profile of the first gear; and a transition zone disposed between the concave and convex portions. The pair of gears may be designed such that no contact between meshing teeth is made along the transition zones. The tooth profiles of the gear pair have constant, or nearly constant, relative curvature.

Abstract: A gettering layer in a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The gettering layer may be formed by implanting gas-forming particles or precipitate-forming particles beneath the active region of the silicon layer and thermally treating the gas-forming ions to produce microbubbles or precipitates within the silicon layer. The microbubbles an/or precipitates create trapping sites for mobile impurity species, thus gettering the impurities. In another embodiment, a polysilicon layer is formed on a donor silicon wafer prior to separating a thin layer of silicon from the donor wafer. The thin layer of silicon is bonded to a backing wafer, the polysilicon layer provides a gettering layer between the active silicon and the backing wafer.

Abstract: The performance of a disk cache subsystem is enhanced by dynamically sizing read requests based upon the current disk cache hit rate. Any data requested in the read request which is not the immediately requested data is located adjacent to the immediately requested data. Accordingly, the size of the read request depends upon at least one variable factor other than the size of the requested data. More specifically, the size of the read request is reduced as the disk cache hit rate declines, and the size of the read request is increased as the disk cache hit rate increases. Short-term and long-term disk cache hit rates are tracked. The short-term disk cache hit rate is used to determine the reduction in the size of the read request, and the long-term disk cache hit rate is used to determine the increase in the size of the read request.

Abstract: A blade stabilizer device for a heavy-duty material handling demolition tool for shearing and crushing scrap material which includes a lower jaw connected to the boom structure of a hydraulic system of an excavator and has an upper jaw pivotally connected and closeable upon the lower jaw at a pivot point. The blade stabilizing device consists of a wear guide pad supported by the lower jaw adjacent the pivot point slidably engaging the upper movable jaw to keep the upper jaw in close engagement with the lower jaw. The wear guide pad is mounted behind the pivot point. A second wear guide pad may be mounted in front of the pivot point on the opposite side of the upper jaw to cross-brace the upper jaw.

Abstract: A display unit receiving a display signal having source image frames encoded at an encoding rate (FR.sub.S). A display screen may be refreshed at a refresh rate which is less than the encoding rate. An actual refresh rate (FR.sub.D) is determined such that FR.sub.S /FR.sub.D =(N+1)/N. To satisfy this equation, the actual refresh rate (FR.sub.D) may be selected to be slightly different from the target refresh rate supported by the display screen. Pixel data elements representing source image frames (received at FR.sub.S) may be written into a frame buffer, and the pixel data elements may be retrieved at a frequency determined by refresh rate FR.sub.D. However, at least a part of every (N+1).sup.st source image frame is not written into the frame buffer to avoid image tearing problems.

Abstract: A plasma treatment system (200) for implantation with a novel susceptor with a perforated shield (201). The system (200) has a variety of elements such as a chamber in which a plasma is generated in the chamber. The system (200) also has a susceptor disposed in the chamber to support a silicon substrate, which has a surface. The perforated shield (201) draws ions from the implantation toward and through the shield to improve implant uniformity in the substrate. In a specific embodiment, the chamber has a plurality of substantially planar rf transparent windows (26) on a surface of the chamber. The system (200) also has an rf generator (66) and at least two rf sources in other embodiments.

Abstract: A hybrid silicon-on-silicon substrate. A thin film (2101) of single-crystal silicon is bonded to a target wafer (46). A high-quality bond is formed between the thin film and the target wafer during a high-temperature annealing process. It is believed that the high-temperature annealing process forms covalent bonds between the layers at the interface (2305). The resulting hybrid wafer is suitable for use in integrated circuit manufacturing processes, similar to wafers with an epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A system for analyzing and managing a plurality of specified life insurance policies and annuity contracts on behalf of an insurance carrier. The life insurance policies or annuity contracts depend on stock market performance in that the account value increase is determined as a percentage of the performance of a stock market index, with set caps and floors. The percentage is adjusted according to the yield on fixed rate assets. The system manages the increased risk from participation in the stock market by periodically monitoring assets and liabilities and determining the purchase and sale of stock options and other hedging instruments to cover the risks. The system also provides cash and profit determinations from the life insurance policies and annuity contracts.

Abstract: A digital display unit receiving a display signal with image encoded at high origin frequencies (e.g., dot clock). A display signal interface samples the display signal during source display time to generate pixel data elements representative of the images encoded in the display signal. The signal is sampled at a sampling frequency equal to origin frequency. The pixel data elements are stored in a buffer at the sampling frequency and retrieved at a slower frequency. Display signals are generated for each horizontal scan line of a digital display screen during a destination display time at this slower frequency. The destination display time is designed to be longer than the source display time, which enables the display signals to be generated from all pixel data elements. The destination display time is longer than the source display time because digital display units do not require the long non-display times present in the display signals.