Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, an equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) method includes extruding a billet of material along a first axis in a first orientation through an ECAE die, extruding the billet along the first axis in a second orientation through the ECAE die, the second orientation oriented approximately 180° from the first direction, extruding the billet along the first axis in a third orientation through the ECAE die, the third orientation oriented approximately 90° from the second orientation, and extruding the billet along the first axis in a fourth orientation through the ECAE die, the fourth orientation oriented approximately 180° from the third orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second sections supported for relative movement, the first section having a plurality of first portions extending along respective different axes, and the second section having approximately annular second portions which each have a respective first portion extending movably therethrough to define a pair. Each portion can generate a magnetic field, the magnetic field generated by one of the portions of each pair being a function of an electrical signal. Interaction of the magnetic fields generated by the portions of each pair urge movement of the first portion relative to the second portion in a direction approximately along the axis of the first portion.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling an electronic device uses a reading device and a specially formatted surface. The specially formatted surface includes a predefined address pattern and at least one field for use in performing a control function on the electronic device. By detecting a portion of the address pattern that is adjacent to the reading device, a position of the reading device can be determined. Furthermore, by repeatedly detecting portions of the address pattern, movement of the reading device relative to the address pattern can also be determined. When a detected position or movement is within a control field, a corresponding control function can be performed on the electronic device.

Abstract: Ceramic-containing bodies can be bonded to other ceramic-containing bodies, or to metals or metal-containing bodies, by way of an aluminum-silicon brazing alloy. Such alloys feature high thermal conductivity and a melting range intermediate to Cu—Sil and Au—Si. By depositing a layer of silicon or aluminum, e.g., by vapor deposition, onto a surface of the ceramic-containing body, the formation of deleterious intermetallic phases at the brazing interface is avoided. This technique is particularly useful for joining reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) composite bodies, and particularly such composite bodies that contain appreciable amounts of aluminum as a metallurgical modification of the residual silicon phase. When the RBSC body contains minor amounts of the aluminum alloying constituent, or none, the metallization layer is not required. The resulting bonded structures have utility as mirrors, as packaging for electronics, and in semiconductor lithography equipment, e.g.

Abstract: A plant for removing fines from fiber fluff. The plant includes a forming wire, a forming head which is placed above the forming wire and arranged for air-laying fiber fluff into a layer upon the forming wire, at least one channel for carrying, in a flow of air, fibers from a supply of fibers into the forming head, a suction box placed beneath the forming wire, at least one vacuum fan connected to the suction box for generating an air flow from the forming head, through the fluff, the forming wire, and the suction box to the at least one vacuum fan. The mesh count of the forming wire mainly allow only the fines contained in the fluff to pass through the forming wire. The troublesome and costly filtering of the water used in a hydroentangling process is advantageously eliminated when using fluff, which is freed from fines by means of the plant according to the invention. Air-laid webs produced of the fine-free fibers also have a high quality.

Abstract: A mixing capsule, especially for the production of dental materials, comprises a cartridge that is closed on one end by a piston. The piston has a hemispherical recess that forms a secondary chamber and is closed off from the main chamber of the cartridge by a separating device. A body that is provided in the initial state in the main chamber is used to facilitate the mixing process and to penetrate the separating device at the beginning of the process, whereby the main chamber and the secondary chamber form a single mixing area. The body preferably disintegrates during the mixing process.

Abstract: The invention relates to water based wellbore fluids used during a hydrocarbon recovery process, such as drilling, fracturing, gravel packing and wellbore workover. According to the present invention, said wellbore fluid comprises a fluid loss additive and a bridging material that are hydrophobic in nature, hydrophobically modified or oil wettable. The wellbore fluid generates an active filter cake that once formed, is impermeable to an aqueous phase, thus reducing fluid loss and ensuring reduced damage to the formation, yet simultaneously is permeable to the back flow of hydrocarbons during a hydrocarbon recovery process.

Abstract: A self-powered electric lock includes a lock bolt and a first engagement element having disengaged and engageable positions. An electric actuator includes an output operative to move the first engagement element to its engageable position. A manually operated rotatable member is operatively coupled to the first engagement element when the first engagement element is in its engageable position. A lock bolt drive mechanism is coupled to the lock bolt and to the first engagement element when the first engagement element is in its engageable position. The movable output moves the first engagement element to its engageable position upon input of correct electronic data. An electricity generator is coupled to the manually operated rotatable member. The electricity powers the electric actuator and an electronic data input device. The manually operated rotatable member is also used to actuate the lock bolt drive mechanism and retract the lock bolt.

Abstract: The details of an apparatus and method for determining uplink ciphering activation time in universal mobile telecommunications system user equipment are disclosed herein. The ciphering activation time is determined for radio bearers other than RB2 by measuring the data rate on each target radio bearer during the time that it takes for a polling or RRC message sent from the user equipment UE to be acknowledged by the network UTRAN. For RB2, the uplink ciphering activation time is determined by taking into account the size of the RRC response message and the data already queued on RB2 for transmission.

Abstract: Composition includes water- and air-hardenable binders, exhibiting after hardening properties comparable at least to those of a natural stone or of a concrete, characterised in that it includes, as binders: natural and air-borne hydraulic lime, and moulding plaster.

Abstract: A sound attenuating apparatus for mounting on a heat exchanging apparatus such as a cooling tower, this apparatus having an attenuator housing with vertically extending sides, a top cover and a bottom adapted for mounting on the tower. There is an annular air inlet in the bottom and an air outlet is formed in at least one of the sidewalls. Perforated interior walls are mounted in the housing and define an /airflow passageway that extends from the air inlet to the air outlet. These walls include a first annular wall section extending about and defining an outer circumferential portion of the airflow passageway and a second wall section with that is annular and extends about a substantially vertical central axis. The latter wall section defines an inner circumferential portion of the passageway. The second wall section extends generally upwardly and outwardly from the air inlet. Sound absorbing material is arranged behind the perforated walls.

Abstract: A manhole access way security apparatus and method for using the security apparatus are disclosed. The inventive security apparatus includes an insert, at least one locking pin and a locking mechanism each interconnected to allow users to easily and quickly install a security barrier under a manhole, handhole or vault, and thereby prevent authorized access through the manhole, handhole or vault. The inventive apparatus uses an insert that may either sit on the existing manhole frame rim under the manhole cover, or if there is insufficient clearance on the manhole frame rim, brackets may be installed under the manhole frame upon which the insert rests. In either configuration, the insert is secured in place under the manhole cover by one or more locking pins that extend radially through the insert and are then locked to the insert.

Abstract: A ruggedized file system, which provides ruggedness to non-volatile storage media at the device driver level. The ruggedized block device driver implementation provides ruggedness at the device driver level, thereby allowing atomic sequences of operations by the file system. Accordingly, the device driver is told that the current data state is a “fall-back” consistent state, into which the system should wake up if interrupted prior to completion of the sequence, following which operations are executed as required by the file system, including erasing, writing or overwriting blocks. The device driver is further told when the atomic sequence is complete, such that a new consistent state is thereby defined. It is, accordingly, the responsibility of the device driver to ensure that either the sequence completes and the file system reaches the target consistent state, or if power is lost or any other failure occurs in the middle, the file system will wake up in the initial fall-back state.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable medium are provided for controlling signaling and channel assignment in a decentralized trunked radio system to operationally mimic a centralized trunked radio system. The method allows monitoring a parameter indicative of elapsed time of channel activity, such as control channel or working channel activity or both, presently being carried in a respective one of a plurality of radio frequencies assigned to the radio system. Upon the parameter indicative of elapsed time of channel activity reaching a respective target value, the method allows determining whether there is another radio frequency in the plurality of radio frequencies assigned to the radio system available for carrying the channel activity presently being carried by the one radio frequency. If the determining action indicates the presence of an available radio frequency for carrying the channel activity, the channel activity is shifted from the one radio frequency to the available radio frequency.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus and method for recycling an invert emulsion based drilling fluid, in which the invert emulsion based drilling fluid includes an oleaginous component and an aqueous component. The apparatus includes an emulsion breaking tank, a water treatment tank, a filter press, and hydrocarbon filters. The method includes: mixing said invert emulsion drilling fluid with a emulsion breaker, wherein the emulsion breaker is a mixture of an alkyl glucoside and an alkane sulfonate; and separating the oleaginous component of the invert emulsion drilling fluid from the aqueous component of the invert emulsion drilling fluid. The method preferably utilizes an emulsion breaker that is a combination of an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant and an alkyl polyglycoside surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polynucleotide comprising a ubiquitous chromatin opening element (UCOE) which is not derived from 13. The polynucleotide of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the UCOE comprises the sequence of FIG. 20 between nucleotides 1 to 7627 or a functional homologue or fragment thereof. an LCR. The present invention also relates to a vector comprising the polynucleotide sequence, a host cell comprising the vector, use of the polynucleotide, vector or host cell in therapy and in an assay, and a method of identifying UCOEs. The UCOE opens chromatin or maintains chromatin in an open state and facilitates reproducible expression of an operably-linked gene in cells of at least two different tissue types.

Abstract: This invention satisfies needs in the art by providing intimin, the Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) adherence protein, alone or as a fusion protein with one or more other antigens, expressed by transgenic plants and the use of those plants as vehicles for stimulating a protective immune response against EHEC and the one or more other antigens. Various plant species are transformed to protect various animal species and also humans against EHEC, against pathogens expressing intimin-like proteins, and against pathogens expressing any of the one or more other antigens to which intimin may be fused. The eae gene encoding intimin, a functional portion thereof, or a recombination that encodes a fusion protein is put under the control of a constitutive plant promoter in a plasmid and the plasmid is introduced into plants by the type of transformation appropriate for the particular plant species.

Abstract: Proteolytically stable small molecule ?-turn peptidomimetic compounds have been identified as agonists or antagonists of neurotrophin receptors, such as TrkA. A compound of particular interest binds the immunoglobulin-like C2 region of the extracellular domain of TrkA, competes the binding of another TrkA ligand, affords selective trophic protection to TrkA-expressing cell lines and neuronal primary cultures, and induces the differentiation of primary neuronal cultures. The small ?-turn peptidomimetic compounds of the invention can activate a tyrosine kinase neurotrophin receptor that normally binds a relatively large protein ligand. Such compounds that bind the extracellular domain of Trk receptors are useful pharmacological agents to address disorders where Trk receptors play a role, by targeting populations selectively.

Abstract: A multi-stage amplifier including a first amplifier stage including a first transistor, the first transistor selected to provide an optimum noise characteristic, and a second amplifier stage including a second transistor, the second transistor selected to provide an optimum gain characteristic.

Abstract: An in-built antenna is provided for a mobile phone or other communication device having a main printed circuit board contained within a case, wherein components for transmitting and receiving radio signals are mounted on the main circuit board. An antenna pattern or radiator is etched on the printed circuit board surface mounting the components, in electrical connection with the components, using the same process employed to form the components and connections between them. A ground plane is mounted to the opposing surface of the main printed circuit board, in facing, spaced-apart parallel relationship with the antenna pattern and in spaced-apart parallel relationship with the main printed circuit board.