Abstract: Disclosed is an alternating human vibration-exciting method for obtaining a free vibration waveform of buildings or civil structures having a natural vibration frequency more than 2.5 Hz. First and second same-number sets of subjects having similar weights alternately apply exciting forces to a wall on a top of the structure. An electronic beat-sound generator is adjusted to a two-beat mode to generate two alternating beat sounds repeatedly so that the first and second sets can apply vibration exciting forces repeatedly at a frequency of half of the natural vibration frequency of the structure obtained by micro-tremor measurement, while alternately synchronizing their actions to the two alternating beat sounds, respectively.

Abstract: 3˜6-DOF decoupling structure modular reconfigurable parallel micromanipulator can be configured to different structures and degrees of freedom for different task requirement and work environment. Integral structure of reconfigurable modules like fixed platform module, 2-PSS limb module, 2-PUS limb module, 1-PSS limb module, 2-PUS limb module, 1-PUU limb module, moving platform module and driver module are described. Decoupling structure parallel micromanipulators of 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-DOF are constructed by the reconfigurable modules and theirs structure is described in detail. The invention has the merits of multiplicity and multifunction. What's more, it can solve the problem of the rather large assembly error in the full assembly and the baddish manufacturing process in the integral structure.

Abstract: Gas discharge lamps may conduct current from the common rail to earthen ground through a fixture containing the lamps. A transistor is coupled in series in the current path to the common rail. When the ballast is placed in a quiescent state, the transistor is rendered non-conducting, thereby solating the lamps from the common rail and preventing flicker. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the control electrode of the transistor is coupled to a source of low voltage and the transistor is rendered non-conducting when the source of low voltage is turned off. The lamps can also be isolated from the common rail by using a semiconductor switch in the rectifier section or by referencing the output of the inverter to the high voltage rail.

Abstract: Protein macromolecular dyes, A(B)b are disclosed, wherein A are protein macromolecules including natural protein macromolecules and modified natural protein macromolecules such as casein, gelatin and fur-protein; B are dyes including azo dyes, azo metal complex dyes and anthraquinone dyes which can react with the amino groups of the natural and modified protein macromolecules; b are integers between 1˜2500. The protein macromolecular dyes have excellent properties of crosslinking ability, better dyeing fastness, fixation ration than conventional dyes and the function of normal macromolecules such as compatibility, abilities of filling and forming membranes. They may be used in dyeing protein materials such as leather, wool and silk.

Abstract: Balancing logic is automatically generated from conversion logic in a data conversion system. The balancing logic balances source data from a source system with the corresponding converted data in a target system. The balancing logic determines whether the conversion was properly performed so as to balance the two varieties of data. The balancing logic is automatically generated by a computer system or other electronic device in response to examining conversion logic that is encoded in a script or other representation.

Abstract: The present invention discloses compositions and methods for detecting organisms of the Chlamydiaceae family, including species of Chlamydia and Chlamyclophila, in the persistent phase of their developmental cycle and for the diagnosis of chronic or persistent infections caused by such organisms. The present invention also discloses methods for screening agents that are useful inter alia for modulating a gene whose expression is altered in the persistent phase of the chiamydial developmental cycle or for modulating the level and/or functional activity of an expression product of that gene. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of infections, including chronic infections, caused by chamydial organisms using the aforesaid modulatory agents and optionally agents that are effective in modulating the expression of a gene associated with the lytic phase of said developmental cycle or in modulating the level and/or functional activity of an expression product of that gene.

Abstract: A method for conducting a financial transaction corresponding to a good or service includes providing a plurality of first credit or debit devices; associating a universal identifier with each of the first credit or debit devices; associating one of the first credit or debit devices with a plurality of second credit or debit cards; employing the one of the first credit or debit devices to initiate the financial transaction; selecting one of the second credit or debit cards based upon the unique identifier and the good or service; and employing the selected one of the second credit or debit cards to conclude the financial transaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for adaptive control which models marginally stable systems by creating a reference or disturbance model to account for the slope of the process variable being constant for different control inputs to the process.

Abstract: This invention relates to rotary pumps adapted, but not exclusively, for use as artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices and, in particular, discloses in preferred forms a seal-less shaft-less pump featuring open or closed (shrouded) impeller blades with the edges of the blades used as hydrodynamic thrust bearings and with electromagnetic torque provided by the interaction between magnets embedded in the blades and a rotating current pattern generated in coils fixed relative to the pump housing.

Abstract: A system for treating a contaminated liquid wherein atmospheric air is fed into an oxygen generator with the resulting gases fed into an ozone generator and the resulting gases fed into a treatment tower as the contaminated liquid flows through the treatment tower is modified by locating apparatus between the oxygen generator and the ozone generator which apparatus receives the gases from the oxygen generator, ionizes such gases and feeds the ionized gases to the ozone generator.

Abstract: A process for producing alumina from bauxite is described in which bauxite is treated with an alkali to form a mixture comprising a solution of aluminum-containing ions and alumina trihydrate is precipitated from the solution. The process comprises treatment of the solution before or after the precipitation step with a layered double hydroxide in order to remove impurities from the solution by intercalation into the layers in the double hydroxide. The double hydroxide may contain layers of the formula: [LiAl2(OH)6]+.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of forming a humidity barrier using fats or other materials that can form an amorphous coating for particles comprising sensitive biological materials in a dehydrated and/or a vitrified state. Since the hydrophobic coating may be sticky, a second hard-shell coating is applied to prevent the particles from sticking together. This approach would minimize exposure of the dried biological material to atmospheric moisture and the consequent loss of biological activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for adaptive control which models marginally stable systems by creating a reference or disturbance model to account for the slope of the process variable being constant for different control inputs to the process.

Abstract: This invention discloses methods for the long-term preservation of industrial scale biological solutions and suspensions containing biologically active molecules, cells and small multicellular specimens at ambient temperatures by dehydration in amorphous very viscous liquid or glass state. The scale up method comprises the primary drying step of boiling under vacuum to form a mechanically-stable foam and a secondary drying step to increase the stability. Vitrification can subsequently be achieved by cooling the dried material to the storage temperature which is lower than the glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A novel method of treating and preventing diseases is provided. In particular, compositions and methods of blocking diseases associated with aberrant levels of nitric oxide and facilitated by a serine proteolytic (SP) activity are disclosed, which consist of administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a serine protease inhibitory activity. Among effective compounds are &agr;1-antitrypsin and synthetic drugs mimicking some or all of the actions of &agr;1-antitrypsin.

Abstract: A process for producing alumina from bauxite is described in which bauxite is treated with an alkali to form a mixture comprising a solution of aluminum-containing ions and alumina trihydrate is precipitated from the solution. The process comprises treatment of the solution before or after the precipitation step with a layered double hydroxide in order to remove impurities from the solution by intercalation into the layers in the double hydroxide. The double hydroxide may contain layers of the formula: [LiAl2(OH)6]+.

Abstract: A digital frequency detector (10) and method for digitally detecting arbitrarily small phase changes between a signal waveform and a reference waveform. Both the reference waveform and the signal waveform are sampled at a rate related to the clock frequency fc, and separately fed into two arrays of simple frequency detectors (12, 14). Each simple frequency detector in each array has a different starting phase with respect to the reference waveform and the signal waveform respectively. Phase slips between the reference waveform and the sampling frequency and phase slips between the signal waveform and the sampling frequency are measured by the detector arrays (12, 14). These phase slips, called “slip events”, are combined in circuit (16) which produces an output indicative of phase slips between the reference waveform and the signal waveform. Using this phase slip information, the instantaneous frequency difference between the signal and reference waveforms can be determined.

Abstract: A method of controlling the flow of traffic in synchronous transfer mode (ATM) network (10), which brings into possible existence a class (class II) of ATM cells. The ATM network (10) comprises one or more ATM switches (14) coupled by links (20) providing communication channels between the ATM switches (14). The method subjects the class II cells received at an input port of a particular ATM switch (14) to control, originating within the switching element of that ATM switch. The method allows only up to a fixed number of class II cells from a particular input port to be in the switch awaiting onward transfer. Although the control is on class, it nonetheless tends to produce fairness in service among different connections.

Abstract: A communication network for an area such as an underground mine. A plurality of cascaded base stations (13) are serially interconnected in a ring structure (11) to form a network backbone. One of the base stations (13) at one end of the network backbone forms a network controller (15) for controlling the network. A plurality of portables (17) are adapted for communication with any of the base stations via a common air interface. A backbone network protocol (19) is provided for communicating between the network controller (15) and all of the base stations (13) and between the base stations (13) along the network backbone themselves. A common air interface protocol (21) is provided for communicating between a portable (17) and a base station (13). The other base stations (13) function as slaves relative to the network controller (15).

Abstract: Concerning feature extraction of documents in text mining, a method and an apparatus for extracting features having the same nature as those by LSA are provided that require smaller memory space and simpler program and apparatus than the apparatus for executing LSA. Features of each document are extracted by feature extracting acts on the basis of a term-document matrix updated by term-document updating acts and of a basis vector, spanning a space of effective features, calculated by basis vector calculations. Execution of respective acts is repeated until a predetermined requirement given by a user is satisfied.