Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a jet ejector method includes providing a primary jet ejector having a primary inlet stream, coupling one or more secondary jet ejectors to the primary jet ejector such that all of the jet ejectors are in a cascaded arrangement, bleeding off a portion of the primary inlet stream and directing the portion of the primary inlet stream to the secondary jet ejector that is closest to the primary jet ejector in the cascaded arrangement, and directing a motive fluid into the secondary jet ejector that is farthest from the primary jet ejector in the cascaded arrangement. The method further includes, at each secondary jet ejector, receiving at least some of the portion of the primary inlet stream and at least some of the motive fluid to create respective mixtures within the secondary jet ejectors, and at each secondary jet ejector, directing at least a portion of the respective mixture to adjacent jet ejectors in the cascaded arrangement.

Abstract: Predistortion that will compensate for distortion introduced by a power amplifier circuit is determined by applying a time-varying reference signal to the power amplifier circuit, wherein at each moment the time-varying reference signal has a reference amplitude and a reference phase. A corresponding output signal supplied by the power amplifier circuit is measured, wherein at each moment the output signal has a measured amplitude and a measured phase. Amplitude predistortion is determined by comparing the reference amplitude with the measured amplitude, and phase predistortion is determined by comparing the reference phase with the measured phase. A relationship between the phase predistortion and the reference amplitude is determined such that, for any value of the reference amplitude, a corresponding value of the phase predistortion is identified.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing patterned artificial marble, including applying a main slurry for acrylic artificial marble having a single color or a mixed color through a fixed main nozzle to a predetermined thickness on a film being conveyed at a predetermined speed; lowering a patterning nozzle, which is mounted above the film being conveyed so as to be intermittently vertically movable, to the bottom of the main slurry applied on the film conveyed below the patterning nozzle, and then raising it while injecting a patterning slurry having a color different from that of the main slurry into the main slurry to create a desired pattern; and curing the patterned artificial marble slurry having a predetermined thickness in which the patterning slurry is injected into the main slurry to create a desired pattern, and then conducting cutting to a predetermined size and sanding, thus obtaining patterned artificial marble.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dewatering drilling fluid including a feeder, an aging tank, a polyductor configured between the feeder and the aging tank and a flocculant solution pump fluidly connected to the aging tank. Further, the system includes a portable skid to house the feeder, the aging tank, the polyductor, and the flocculent solution pump. In certain embodiments, the polyductor is configured to mix a liquid with a dry flocculant from the feeder, and disperse a resultant flocculent solution in the aging tank, the aging tank is configured to receive the flocculant solution, and the flocculant solution pump is configured to remove the flocculant solution from the aging tank.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for demodulation in a system having known frequency offsets. First and second signals from two users occupy substantially the same bandwidth and use substantially the same carrier frequency, while the relative frequencies of the signals on different transmit antennas associated with a base station are adjusted to have known, specific frequency offsets. These known frequency offsets are used at the receiver to aid in estimating any known frequency errors and to demodulate the multiple transmitted signals. In addition to being useful for demodulation, known frequency offsets can be assigned to each of a plurality of base stations to facilitate identification of a particular base station. The approach can be used for any type of time domain multiple access (TDMA) system, including Global System for Mobile (GSM), or for code division multiple access (CDMA) systems.

Abstract: Guardrail installation designs are described that incorporate a box beam rail as the structural rail member. The box beam rail member may have an open cross-section or a closed cross-section. An impact head is provided to bend and deflect the rail member during an end-on collision, allowing the rail member to be deflected away from the roadway and out of the path of an end-on impacting vehicle. The impact head includes a striking face and a chute portion that receives the box beam rail member therewithin. In addition to bending and deflecting the rail member, the impact head may also include a flattening section for flattening the rail member.

Abstract: A system and method for non-invasive biomedical optical imaging and spectroscopy with low-level light is described. The technique includes a modulated light source coupled to tissue to introduce excitation light. Fluorescent light emitted in response to the excitation light is detected with a sensor. The AC intensity and phase of the excitation and detected fluorescent light is provided to a processor operatively coupled to the sensor. A processor employs the measured emission kinetics of excitation and fluorescent light to “map” the spatial variation of one or more fluorescence characteristics of the tissue and generate a corresponding image of the tissue via an output device. The fluorescence characteristic may be provided by exogenous contrast agents, endogenous fluorophores, or both. A technique to select or design an exogenous fluorescent contrast agent to improve image contrast is also disclosed.

Abstract: A traffic signal with integrated sensors. The present invention provides an apparatus for integrating sensors with a traffic signal. A signal case has a housing and a light source placed within the housing. A door attached to the housing is configured such that photons generated by the light may be sensed outside the housing. A tab is attached to the door. A sensor is attached to the tab. The housing or the door is adapted to allow the sensor to sense a parameter originating from outside the housing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for maintaining relative axial positioning between two rotating assemblies comprises a first rotatable assembly and a second rotatable assembly. The first rotatable assembly has captor plates. The captor plates form a cavity between a first of the captors plates and a second of the captor plates. The second rotatable assembly has a thrust plate. The thrust plate comprises a disc positioned within the cavity of the captor plates. The first rotatable assembly is axially positioned with respect to the second rotatable assembly through a rolling interaction between the thrust plate and the captor plates, or the second rotatable assembly is axially positioned with respect to the first rotatable assembly through a rolling interaction between the thrust plate and the captor plates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stress-free lead frame (1) for a semiconductor. The stress-free lead frame (1) is provided with a stress-relief means (15) and an interlocking means (16) at the outer periphery. The stress-relief means (15) is capable of accommodating expansion and compression while the interlocking means (16) take care of shock and vibration during handling to thereby eliminate delamination of the lead frame (10).

Abstract: A method for removing mineral scale from tubing is disclosed. The method may include the steps of making a first longitudinal cut along a length of the tubing, making a second longitudinal cut along a length of tubing, and removing a plurality of sections of tubing, wherein the sections of tubing are defined by the first and second longitudinal cuts.

Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as OMT promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an OMT promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, kits and devices that reduce dyskinesis and hypokinesis. For example, the direct compression cardiac device may be positioned about at least a portion of a heart, and includes a resilient inner panel in contact with at least a portion of the heart periphery, one or more resilient members positioned about the resilient inner panel and at least partially surrounded by an expandable outer panel. The resistance supplied by the inner panel to the heart may be modulated to control the end-diastolic heart volume and remodel the heart, the resistance supplied by the expandable outer panel to the heart may be modulated to control the end-systolic heart volume and remodel the heart or both.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an internal wound stator includes a winding arbor configured to receive a conductive wire. The apparatus also has a stator loader, and receives a stator having a generally cylindrical shape with an interior opening and having a plurality of axial slots formed therein. The interior dimension of the stator is larger than the exterior dimension of the winding arbor such that the winding arbor and stator may traverse with respect to one another. The apparatus also has a first movable member configured for moving at least one of the winding arbor and the stator. The apparatus also has a second rotating member configured to rotate at least one of the stator and the winding arbor. The conductive wire is introduced through an interior of the winding arbor. The first movable member is configured to move at least one of the winding arbor and the stator relative to one another to wind the conductive wire in a first longitudinal manner and into a first of the plurality of axial slots.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method relating to a handle having a neck portion having a throat extending along an axis and having a reduced axial opening and a slit extending along the throat and alongside the axial opening are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microorganism obtainable by introducing a DNA coding for NADH dehydrogenase constituting a NADH dehydrogenase complex whose number of dischargeable proton molecules per electron is zero among NADH dehydrogenase complexes functioning as a proton pump in electron transport systems of aerobic bacteria, and an industrially advantageous process for producing an amino acid using the microorganism.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed which separate and identify lipoproteins in biological samples. An ultracentrifuge density gradient is used to separate lipoprotein fractions. The fractions are visualized, resulting in a lipoprotein profile. The fractions can be further analyzed by a wide array of laboratory and clinical methods. The lipoprotein profile can be used in clinical diagnoses and other medical applications.

Abstract: A serial controller for use in controlling various radio frequency (RF) modules within an RF integrated circuit is disclosed. The serial controller is coupled to an serial bus that internal to the RFIC that transmits commands and data from a microcontroller to a data receiver module within the serial controller. The serial commands and data are transmitted across the serial bus in a data packet format having an address-overhead portion and a data portion, wherein the data receiver module removes the address-overhead bits from the packet and provides the data portion of the packet as output data. A decoder/coder logic module coupled to the data receiver receives the serial data and is operative to process the serial data and in response thereto activate one or more control signals. An RF module includes at least one circuit and one or more switching elements that are coupled to the one or more control signals.

Abstract: A system includes a portable, hand carried nonvolatile memory device in which a person maintains his or her medical history. The portable memory device includes a program, executable by a general computer, for storing medical records in a secure database in the portable memory device, updating the medical records in the secure database, and providing access to the medical records in the secure database. The system further includes a method for recovering that person's medical history in the event of loss, destruction, or damage of the device, including the steps of: maintaining a backup copy of the secure database externally to the device, which backup copy is accessible via the Internet computer; accessing the backup copy via the Internet; copying the accessed backup copy to a replacement device, which replacement device also includes the program or an updated version of the program.

Abstract: A method of recording, updating, and accessing a person's medical history over time includes the steps of maintaining the person's medical history in a portable memory device that includes both the medical history and a program that stores medical records in a secure database in the portable memory device, updates the medical records in the secure database, and provides access to the medical records in the secure database. The program is executable using any electronic device having a processor that is capable of accessing the portable memory device. Using the method, a person is able to record, update, and access that person's medical history without the need for special software, and without the need for access to a website or to a database of medical records, that is external to the memory device.