Abstract: An improved non-invasive ear compression dressing or splinting device is provided for prevention, treatment and recurrence of injuries to the outer ear such as auricular hematoma. The device includes a structure including a pair of first and second pads, and a pressure applying assembly. The pads are assembled in pairs in opposing, facing relation to compressibly engage the injured portion of an external ear. The pressure applying assembly includes an adjustment mechanism for forcing one pad assembly towards the other in a continuously adjustable, controlled manner creating a compression of the ear tissues required for proper healing between the two opposing pads.

Abstract: Briefly, therefore the present invention is directed to a novel method of making a double glazed impact resistant window, the method comprising: forming a window sash that delineates a mounting space for mounting a first pane and a second pane opposite and parallel to and spaced apart from each other, the sash having an integral spacer that forms a sealing surface of the mounting space for each pane; adhering a durable transparent polymer film to a surface of the first pane; attaching a protective layer to at least a portion of the durable transparent polymer film to protect the durable transparent polymer film from damage prior to assembling the double glazed impact resistant window; conforming the pane to the size and shape of the mounting space; removing the protective layer; mounting the first pane in the mounting space with the film covered surface of the pane facing the sealing surface of the integral spacer; and repeating the previous steps for the second pane.

Abstract: An insulating multipane impact resistant window is disclosed that includes at least two panes and a sash, wherein the panes comprise a first pane and a second pane each of which is opposite and parallel to and spaced apart from the other and having a durable transparent polymer film adhered to and covering a surface of the pane that is facing the other pane, wherein the panes are spaced apart by and sealed to a spacer that is integral with the sash.

Abstract: An improved non-invasive ear compression dressing or splinting device is provided for prevention, treatment and recurrence of injuries to the outer ear such as auricular hematoma. The device includes a structure including a pair of first and second pads, and a pressure applying assembly. The pads are assembled in pairs in opposing, facing relation to compressibly engage the injured portion of an external ear. The pressure applying assembly includes a means for forcing one pad assembly towards the other in an infinitely adjustable, controlled manner creating a compression of the ear tissues required for proper healing between the two opposing pads.

Abstract: A standoff mooring bar for a vehicle such as a boat or a floating aircraft featuring an adjustable mooring bar body that is automatically locked at the desired mooring length when a guying rope and a mooring rope are tensioned. This body has an inner cylindrical tube telescoping within an outer cylindrical tube, and a pair of end caps closing the telescoping pair of tubes. The mooring rope extends through the pair of tubes by passing through openings located in both end caps. An automatic locking mechanism fixes the adjustable length of the telescoping pair of tubes when the tie ends of the mooring rope and guying rope are secured during mooring. When used in pairs on a craft, the guying ropes maintain the craft from moving forward or backward parallel to the docking structure; the locked telescoping tubes keep the craft from hitting and rubbing against the docking structure, or from moving away perpendicularly.

Abstract: An electronic book on a computer readable medium, e.g., a CD or the like, has “real-life” pre-recorded audio (preferably, in MP3 format) and visual text (preferably, in RTF format) seamlessly linked together via a linking file (preferably, in XML format) such that a reader can switch back and forth “at will” between visually reading on a computer display screen and/or listening to the book being read aloud by an actual narrator. The computer readable medium includes a reader program installed thereon and an automatic installation program. A novel process for creating the electronic book includes a creator program that may have a similar graphical user interface to the reader program. The electronic book may combine advantages of physical hard-cover books with new e-reading functionality developed by the present inventor.

Abstract: A wire-based heating element is provided having first and second portions twisted about each other such that magnetic flux emitted from one portion is substantially cancelled by magnetic flux emitted from the other portion. A bonding material that fixedly connects the two portions of the heating element and restricts their movement relative to each other to thereby maximize the cancellation of magnetic flux. A substrate-based heating element is also provided having traces on opposed sides of a substrate and overlying each other to cancel magnetic flux. Electrical connection pads are located on the same side of the substrate, and the second trace extends passed the first trace to connect to the second connection pad. A lead connected to the first connection pad overlies the portion of the second trace that extends to the second connection pad to thereby cancel magnetic flux emissions from this portion of the second trace.

Abstract: The present invention is a padded garment covering the lower torso and upper legs of paraplegics, who have lost not only control of their legs but any sensation of pain, said garments providing protection against bruises and abrasions caused by sliding about on floors, collisions with edges and corners, and/or other activities involved in moving about, the padding of said garment having a resilient core resistent to complete collapse and covered with a surface resistent to puncture or wear by the described activities and devoid of seams, fasteners, and other protrusions which could cause injury by chafing, said garment capable of conforming to any of several body positions.

Abstract: An improved method of operation for a motor vehicle microcontroller uses flash memory (FM) for storing generic data and emulating an EE memory device. The FM is divided into first and second banks, with the first bank being utilized for generic data and the second bank being utilized for EE data, allowing EE data to be updated while the microcontroller accesses stored generic data. The second bank is partitioned into sectors that are individually erasable, and EE data is updated by storing the updated EE data into an unused sector, flagging the old sector to indicate that it contains invalid data, and later erasing the old sector to make it available for future updates of EE data.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to cell-specific expression vectors. It particularly relates to targeted gene therapy using recombinant expression vectors and particularly adenovirus vectors. The invention specifically relates to replication-conditional expression vectors and methods for using them. Such vectors are able to selectively replicate in a target cell or tissue to provide a therapeutic benefit in a tissue from the presence of the vector per se or from one or more heterologous gene products expressed from the vector and distributed throughout the tissue. In such vectors, a gene essential for replication is placed under the control of a heterologous tissue-specific transcriptional regulatory sequence. Thus, replication is conditioned on the presence of a factor(s) that induces transcription or the absence of a factor(s) that inhibits transcription of the gene by means of the transcriptional regulatory sequence with this vector; therefore, a target tissue can be selectively treated.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to cell-specific expression vectors. It particularly relates to targeted gene therapy using recombinant expression vectors and particularly adenovirus vectors. The invention specifically relates to replication-conditional expression vectors and methods for using them. Such vectors are able to selectively replicate in a target cell or tissue to provide a therapeutic benefit in a tissue from the presence of the vector per se or from one or more heterologous gene products expressed from the vector and distributed throughout the tissue. In such vectors, a gene essential for replication is placed under the control of a heterologous tissue-specific transcriptional regulatory sequence. Thus, replication is conditioned on the presence of a factor(s) that induces transcription or the absence of a factor(s) that inhibits transcription of the gene by means of the transcriptional regulatory sequence with this vector; therefore, a target tissue can be selectively treated.

Abstract: A wire-based heating element is provided having first and second portions twisted about each other such that magnetic flux emitted from one portion is substantially cancelled by magnetic flux emitted from the other portion. A bonding material that fixedly connects the two portions of the heating element and restricts their movement relative to each other to thereby maximize the cancellation of magnetic flux. A substrate-based heating element is also provided having traces on opposed sides of a substrate and overlying each other to cancel magnetic flux. Electrical connection pads are located on the same side of the substrate, and the second trace extends passed the first trace to connect to the second connection pad. A lead connected to the first connection pad overlies the portion of the second trace that extends to the second connection pad to thereby cancel magnetic flux emissions from this portion of the second trace.

Abstract: The present invention relates to oncolytic adenoviral vectors and their use in methods of gene therapy. Provided is a recombinant viral vector comprising an adenoviral nucleic acid backbone, wherein said nucleic acid backbone comprises in sequential order: A left ITR, a termination signal sequence, an E2F responsive promoter which is operably linked to a gene essential for replication of the recombinant viral vector, an adenoviral packaging signal, and a right ITR.

Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU) includes a microcontroller, a first non-volatile memory bank, a second non-volatile memory bank and a volatile memory. The microcontroller is coupled to an external tool and executes a control algorithm, which controls a subsystem coupled to the ECU. The first non-volatile memory bank is coupled to the microcontroller and initially stores a plurality of initial calibration tables. The second non-volatile memory bank and the volatile memory are also coupled to the microcontroller. The microcontroller executes code, which calibrates the ECU without interrupting the normal operation of the subsystem.

Abstract: An electronic book on a computer readable medium, e.g., a CD or the like, has “real-life” pre-recorded audio (preferably, in MP3 format) and visual text (preferably, in RTF format) seamlessly linked together via a linking file (preferably, in XML format) such that a reader can switch back and forth “at will” between visually reading on a computer display screen and/or listening to the book being read aloud by an actual narrator. The computer readable medium includes a reader program installed thereon and an automatic installation program. A novel process for creating the electronic book includes a creator program that may have a similar graphical user interface to the reader program. The electronic book may combine advantages of physical hard-cover books with new e-reading functionality developed by the present inventor.

Abstract: A transformer cabinet door latch in the form of a shaped plate includes rod apertures at opposing ends for connecting with the latch rods and a door handle aperture intermediate the rod apertures for fastening to the cabinet operating door handle. A door stop in the form of a U-shaped rod is positioned on the bottom of the cabinet door frame to hold the cabinet door in the open position until and unless one end is released from the door bottom.

Abstract: An electronic control unit (ECU) includes a microcontroller, a first non-volatile memory bank, a second non-volatile memory bank and a volatile memory. The microcontroller is coupled to an external tool and executes a control algorithm, which controls a subsystem coupled to the ECU. The first non-volatile memory bank is coupled to the microcontroller and initially stores a plurality of initial calibration tables. The second non-volatile memory bank and the volatile memory are also coupled to the microcontroller. The microcontroller executes code, which calibrates the ECU without interrupting the normal operation of the subsystem.

Abstract: Leakage from liposomes or biological cells and structural damage, which occur upon cooling through the thermotropic phase transition temperature and upon storage at temperatures below the phase transition temperature are reduced or eliminated by incorporating thermal hysteresis proteins in the liposome or cell structure. Preferred thermal hysteresis proteins are antifreeze proteins and antifreeze glycoproteins from polar fish species, and chromatographic fraction no. 8 of antifreeze glycoproteins has been found to be particularly effective.

Abstract: A process is provided for protecting, containing, and/or completing fragile microelectronic and microelectromechanical (MEM) structures on a low conductivity substrate during anodic wafer bonding of a covering wafer. The wafer includes raised areas that contact the substrate at selected bonding regions to support the wafer as a covering structure over the substrate. The covering wafer includes additional raised areas, such as pillars or posts, that contact selected electric circuit lines on the substrate to form temporary shorts through the wafer. During anodic bonding of the wafer to the substrate, the temporary shorts maintain the connected circuit lines and microstructures at nearly the same electric potential to prevent unwanted arcing and electrostatic forces that could damage the fragile structures. The pillars or posts can be formed at the same time as the raised bonding areas, but on unwanted and otherwise unused portions of the covering wafer.