Abstract: A method for drilling a well below a body of water as disclosed which includes injecting into the well, at a depth below the water surface, a liquid having a lower density than a density of a drilling mud producing a mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid in the well. The mixture of drilling mud and low-density liquid is withdrawn from an upper end of the well. The drilling mud and the low-density liquid are separated, with at least a portion of the separated low-density liquid returned to the depth below the water surface and at least a portion of the separated drilling mud returned to an upper end of the drill string.

Abstract: Aliquots of extracts from ethnopharmacological plants that have activity against the effects of sarafotoxins present in snake venom are isolated and identified as antagonists of endothelin using a fluorescence-based assay. A process is provided for the identification of an antagonist of an endothelin selected from the group consisting of endothelin-1, endothelin-2, endothelin-3 and mixtures thereof. The process comprises extraction of ethnopharmacological plants with a solvent followed by evaporation of the solvent to form an aliquot containing at least one component of the extract, optionally purifying and isolating one or more component by chromatography, and subjecting the aliquot or purified component to a competitive fluorescent binding assay using biotinylated endothelin-1, wherein the plants having activity against the effects of one or more sarafotoxins present in snake venom.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method coding audio signals in a base layer and an enhancement layer comprising the steps of quantizing the audio signals in spectral lines into quantized data in a plurality of sub-bands in an order of most significant bits (MSBs) to least significant bits (LSBs), determining a plurality of scale factors corresponding to each of the sub-bands according to respective noise tolerance of each of the sub-bands, bit shifting the quantized data in the sub-bands by the respective scale factor if they exceed a threshold value, coding the quantized data in the base layer, coding the quantized data in the enhancement layer, truncating the quantized data in the enhancement layer up to respective layer size limits, de-shifting the coded data wit the respective scale factors, de-quantizing the coded data, and decoding the coded data.

Abstract: An encryption apparatus 1 includes encryption/decryption means for performing an encrypting/decrypting process on data to terminate encryption-based security between the encryption apparatus and a terminal having an encrypting capability. Further, a manager terminal 12 can be used in inputting various information for controlling encrypted-data communications into each of the encryption apparatus 1 and terminals 7-9 remotely from the manager terminal, so that settings for the encrypted data communications on each of the apparatus and the terminals are completed. Furthermore, the encryption system is formed by connecting the encryption apparatus 1, the manager terminal 12 and the terminals 2-9 which are capable of encrypted data communications. This configuration makes it possible for an in-house LAN including terminals where installation of a dedicated encryption program is impossible to utilize the encryption.

Abstract: A method for computing position error signal information of a transducer in a data storage system provides for different readback signals between adjacent tracks. The method involves a computation to obtain coarse position information from the servo bursts signals for track seeking and a computation to obtain a position indicator from the user data sector for more precise track following within the user data sector.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions and methods for producing translational components that expand the number of genetically encoded amino acids in eukaryotic cells. The components include orthogonal tRNAs, orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, orthogonal pairs of tRNAs/synthetases and unnatural amino acids. Proteins and methods of producing proteins with unnatural amino acids in eukaryotic cells are also provided.

Abstract: A head-mounted display comprises monocular or binocular display chambers. Each display chamber is equipped with an optical engine that displays images. The mechanism of the optical engine is as follows: cast rays from a light source onto an LCoS device through a first polarizer, and an image is formed with rays, which reflect off the bottom of the LCoS device. The reflective rays penetrate the first polarizer and a film-coated beam splitter. With a concave mirror, the image is magnified and projected onto the surface of the beam splitter. Finally, the magnified image is formed in a viewer's eyeballs by means of the beam splitter.

Abstract: The invention provides portable devices for use in training in and developing endoscopic procedures. The invention also provides methods of using the devices to train in or develop endoscopic procedures.

Abstract: Isolated fibroblast growth factor receptor 5 (FGFR5) polypeptides are provided, together with polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides. Also provided are modulators of FGFR5 gene expression and binding molecules that specifically bind to, and agonize or antagonize, FGFR5 polypeptide function. Binding molecules include antibodies, and functional fragments thereof, as well as scFv and Camelidae heavy chain IgG that specifically bind to FGFR5 thereby modulating the activity of FGFR5. Such binding agents and modulators of FGFR5 gene expression may be employed for the treatment of disorders including: osteopontin-mediated diseases; autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus; bone disorders such as osteoporosis and osteopetrosis; and cancers, including cellular carcinomas such as hepatocellular carcinomas.

Abstract: Methods for identifying Rheb effectors are provided. The Rheb effectors can be Rheb agonists or antagonists and can be utilized as lead compounds for the development of drugs for the treatment of diabetes or diseases associated with abnormal cell growth. Non-human, transgenic animals over-expressing Rheb protein, and methods of making such transgenic animals, are also provided.

Abstract: The present inventions is a method of trench formation within a dielectric layer, comprising, first, etching a via within the dielectric layer. After the via is etched, an organic plug is used to fill a portion of the via. After the desired amount of organic plug has been etched from the via, a trench is etched with a first gas mixture to a first depth, and a second gas mixture is used to further etch the trench to the final desired trench depth. Preferably, the method is used for low-k dielectrics that do not have an intermediate etch stop layer. Additionally, it is preferable that the first gas mixture is a polymeric gas mixture and the second gas mixture is a non-polymeric gas mixture. As a result of using this method, an interconnect structure for a low-k dielectric without an intermediate etch stop layer having a trench with trench edges that are substantially orthogonal and a via with via edges that are substantially orthogonal is generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a porous membrane and a process for the preparation of the same by combining two or more additives, wherein said membrane, useful for ultrafiltration, shows excellent combination of high water flux and solute rejection, said method comprising steps of adding two or more additives in organic solvent(s) to obtain a dope solution, stirring the dope solution, adding polymer slowly into the dope solution, stirring the dope solution, degassing the dope solution, removing the undissolved particles to obtain homogeneous dope solution, casting the homogeneous dope solution, precipitating the cast in a non-solvent, washing the precipitated cast in running water and obtaining the porous membrane having excellent combination of high water flux and solute rejection.

Abstract: A universal mount for acoustically coupling a musical instrument tuner to an instrument has a link connected to the tuner at one end, the link adapted and arranged to have selectable loose and fixed states, with the link including complementary first and second clamping halves joined by a compression element, and a clamp connected to the other end of the link for acoustically coupling the tuner to the musical instrument.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device is provided which has a high degree of adhesion between an anode and a hole transport layer, the device emitting light of high luminance even when driven by low applied voltages. Copolymers useful in hole transport layers in organic electroluminescent devices are also provided. Methods of producing hole transport layers for organic electroluminescent devices which can emit light of high luminance even when driven by low applied voltages are also provided, the hole transport layers having high degrees of adhesion with anode. A copolymer comprises a monomer unit including in its structure an electron-donating N,N-diaryl-substituted amino group such as an N,N-diphenylaminophenyl group, or a group having an N,N-diaryl-substituted amino moiety, and a monomer unit having at least one functional group.

Abstract: A multipurpose blind cutting machine is constructed to include a machine base, a first cutter unit and a second cutter unit mounted on the machine base and stacked with each other. The first cutter unit has a circular cutting blade and a cutter drive adapted to rotate the blade and to move the blade in a direction substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction of a blank blind to be cut. The second cutter unit has a locating molds having a plurality of positioning through holes for the positioning of parts of the blank blind to be cut, a cutting-off tool, and a cutter drive adapted to move the cutting-off tool in a direction substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction of the blank blind. A control unit is adapted to selectively control the operation of the first cutter unit and the second cutter unit.

Abstract: Oligonucleotides containing unthylated CpG dinucleotides and therapeutic utilities based on their ability to stimulate an immune response in a subject are disclosed. Also disclosed are therapies for treating diseases associated with immune system activation that are initiated by unthylated CpG dinucleotides in a subject comprising administering to the subject oligonucleotides that do not contain unmethylated CpG sequences (i.e. methylated CpG sequences or no CpG sequence) to outcompete unmethylated CpG nucleic acids for binding. Further disclosed are methylated CpG containing dinucleotides for use antisense therapies or as in vivo hybridization probes, and immunoinhibitory oligonucleotides for use as antiviral therapeutics.

Abstract: A secure transmitter capable of reliably communicating secure data within a heavily multi-path environment includes a data compression module, an encryption module, and a coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex module. The data compression module receives and compresses input video data to a predefined bandwidth, outputting the video data in a transport stream. The encryption module receives and applies a data encryption algorithm to the transport stream, outputting an encrypted transport stream in response. The coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex module receives the encrypted transport stream and produces, in response, an output signal comprising a plurality of sub-carriers, each sub-carrier modulated by data of the encrypted data stream.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to methods of enhancing bioavailability, pulmonary absorption and/or optimal dosing of a biologically active agent. The methods of the invention enhance the pulmonary absorption and bioavailability of a biologically active agent by administering to the pulmonary system of a subject, a biologically active agent and a macrophage inhibiting agent that is suitable for administration to a subject's pulmonary system.

Abstract: The high-power switch (1) according to the invention, with at least one switch pole (2) for guiding and switching an electric current which flows in one current flow direction when the switch is in the closed state, with the at least one switch pole (2) containing an inner conductor (3) which carries the current and containing an outer conductor (4) which is connected to ground potential (G) and carries a return current in the opposite direction to the current, with the outer conductor (4) being in the form of a housing (4) which surrounds the inner conductor (3), is characterized in that a cooling rib arrangement (5) which contains cooling ribs (9) is arranged on the outer conductor (4). At least some of the cooling ribs are advantageously arranged on a separate part of the housing (4), which is not the same as the part (15) of the housing (4) which is at a minimum distance from the inner conductor (3).

Abstract: Apparatus for imaging of the inner structure of the breast, the apparatus comprising: a source of light illuminating the breast when the source of light is situated at a first position of the breast; and a detector which when situated at a second position relative to the breast, detects light from said source passing through a portion of the breast from the source; wherein the source of light comprises either: a non-laser radiant source and at least one optical filter situated between source and the detector that limits the light reaching the detector from the source to a visible spectral band limited to wavelengths in the range from 490 to 510 nanometers or 520 to 580 nanometers; or a source of laser light operating at an output at between 490 and 510 nanometers or between 520 and 580 nanometers or is a tunable laser light source operating at a wavelength between 490 and 510 nanometers or between 520 and 580 nanometers.