Abstract: The present invention relates to a gelled hydrocarbon fluid useful as a fracturing fluid in subterranean formations comprising at least one gelling agent which is a salt of a carboxylic acid having from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms. An activator which is a difunctional and/or trifunctional carboxylic acid is preferably added to control gel time.

Abstract: In this invention there is disclosed a system and method for generating a fuel-optimal reference velocity profile for a rail-based transportation handling controller. The fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is used to reduce the amount of fuel consumption. The fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is generated to take into account the speed that a train must travel at in order to satisfy a given schedule, speed constraints that will minimize fuel consumption, and recommended speeds that will prevent train breaks, derailments, cargo damage and violation of safety rules. In this invention, the fuel-optimal reference velocity profile is generated by using a genetic algorithm.

Abstract: Apparatus for sensing the weight of an object and providing a digital representation of a weight range within which the sensed weight falls, and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a vehicular air bag in accordance with the weight of a passenger seated in a vehicle seat adjacent the air bag. A number of two-position switches 28 normally assume a first position and are responsive to a force of at least a predetermined amount to assume a second position. The first position represents a first weight range, and the second position represents a second weight range. A support surface 58, 60 overlies the switches to support an object to be weighed. A decoding circuit 30 monitors the positions of each of the two-position switches and provides a digital representation of the weight range within which the weight of the object falls. In the vehicular air bag system, a number of groups of the two-position switches 28 are mounted in a passenger seat 52 adjacent the air bag.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to a new forward motility protein isolated from goat epididymal plasma and a process for the isolation of the said epididymal forward motility protein useful as a fertility promoter/blocker comprising subjecting goat epididymal plasma to multiple fractionations till purification to obtain purified new epididymal forward motility protein by the chromatographic method.

Abstract: A power generating method that includes the steps of burning a reformed fuel in the presence of air in a combustor of a gas turbine to generate a hot exhaust gas is disclosed. The hot exhaust gas is then passed through a turbine section of the gas turbine to generate power and, thereafter, the hot exhaust gas is passed through a heat recovery system where the hot exhaust gas is successively cooled as it passes through a series of heat exchangers. Heat exchangers comprising the heat recovery system include combustion air pre-heater(s); a thermochemical recuperator (or reformer), wherein hot exhaust gas provides the endothermic heat of reaction necessary to reform a raw fuel/steam mixture to the combustible, reformed fuel that is eventually burned in the combustor; and one or more water/steam heaters which supply steam to a low-pressure, condensing steam turbine of a bottoming Rankine cycle to generate additional power.

Abstract: The application of polypropylene carbonate in solution to valve metal powders having relatively high surface area, then evaporating the solvent under static (non-agitating) conditions. The static drying of the coated valve metal powder produces a semi-solid cake which may be converted into a free-flowing powder via screening. Valve metal powders so-coated with polypropylene carbonate are particularly well-suited for the fabrication of powder metallurgy anode bodies used for the manufacture of electrolytic capacitors.

Abstract: A method for forming a BPSG film from a two-step deposition process and related apparatus and devices. A conformal layer of BPSG is deposited on a substrate. A more stable layer of BPSG is deposited at a higher deposition rate over the conformal layer. The method is suitable for filling trenches at least as narrow as 0.06 microns with aspect ratios of at least 5.5:1.

Abstract: A system that improves performance of a centralized DBMS is provided. The improved performance is realized by distributing part of the DBMS's functionality across multiple computers in a client/server environment. The distribution of the DBMS's functionality is performed by a mechanism known as the navigational agent, which is detached from the DBMS. The navigational agent integrates the centralized DBMS into a client/server environment so that performance improvements can be achieved by distributing a portion of the functionality of the centralized DBMS and some of its database objects to client computers. A database object is a unit of data in the database such as one or more fields of a record, one or more records, or one or more tables. By distributing part of the DBMS's functionality and some of the database objects to client computers, transactions can be performed on the client computers without having to access the server computer on which the database resides.

Abstract: Synthesis gas is produced from a methane-containing reactant gas in a mixed conducting membrane reactor in which the reactor is operated to maintain the product gas outlet temperature above the reactant gas feed temperature wherein the total gas pressure on the oxidant side of the membrane is less than the total gas pressure on the reactant side of the membrane. Preferably, the reactant gas feed temperature is below a maximum threshold temperature of about 1400° F. (760° C.), and typically is between about 950° F. (510° C.) and about 1400° F. (760° C.). The maximum temperature on the reactant side of the membrane reactor is greater than about 1500° F. (815° C.).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining an efficient expansion factor for an interpolation process to produce an interpolated image that has a greater spatial resolution and greater number of gray levels than an original image. An original image having a resolution is received by a computer system and an expansion factor for the image is determined. The expansion factor is derived from a number of gray levels displayable on a target display device and a number of gray levels that can be represented in an interpolated image produced from the original image. This expansion factor is close to the largest expansion factor that will allow the target display device to display all of the interpolated gray levels, and is used to provide an interpolated image having high visual quality and minimal memory requirements. The original image is interpolated using the expansion factor and is preferably supplied to the target display device, such as a display screen or a printing device.

Abstract: The invention provides a stabilized integrated transimpedance amplifier comprising: an amplifier integrated on a substrate, coupling capacitors integrated into the amplifier substrate, the amplifier being adapted to have open loop amplification characteristics that compensate for changes in the capacitance of the capacitors with supply voltage of the amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus is used to control a reset function of an electronic device. The apparatus includes a circuit adapted to monitor a system voltage level and deliver a control signal in response to the system voltage level falling below a first preselected value. A duration controller receives the control signal and delivers a first reset signal for a preselected duration of time after receiving the control signal. A voltage level controller receives the first reset signal, and delivers a second reset signal that persists until the system voltage rises above a second preselected magnitude.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the process for preparing a compound of the formula wherein A is C1-C6 alkyl, an aryl which is mono or disubstituted with F, Cl, Br, OCH3, C1-C3 alkyl or benzy. In the preferred compound A is CH3. The 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors that are prepared in accordance with the present invention are selective inhibitors of the action of lipoxygenase enzyme and are useful in the treatment or alleviation of inflammatory diseases, allergy and cardiovascular diseases in mammals.

Abstract: Electrostatic discharge protection for analog switches using silicon-controlled rectifiers. Two silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) may be formed in a common isolation region of an integrated circuit. Each SCR has its gate and cathode coupled together so as to be self triggering. The SCRs are connected in parallel in reverse polarity and coupled between the analog switch input or output and ground. In normal switch operation, both SCRs will be off, though when the voltage of the protected switch connection exceed on of the supply rails, one of the SCRs will trigger, providing a low impedance connection to ground. Once the voltage returns to normal, the SCR will automatically release.

Abstract: A publish/subscribe data processing broker apparatus has: a means for receiving from a publisher application data messages published on a subject-specific stream by the publisher application; and a means for distributing the received published data messages to a subscriber application which has requested to receive messages on the stream upon which the published messages were published, the means for distributing including a plurality of connected distribution agent data processing units; wherein one of the streams is reserved for messages published by a publishing distribution agent data processing unit and intended for receipt by a subscribing distribution agent data processing unit located adjacent the publishing distribution agent data processing unit or intended for receipt by a subscriber application located adjacent the publishing distribution agent data processing unit.

Abstract: A collimator 100 for use in a radiation imaging system 10, and a method for making such collimators, are provided, wherein the collimator 100 is capable of collimating radiation in two orthogonal planes. The collimator in one embodiment includes a block 101 of radiation absorbing material having a plurality of focally aligned channels 102 extending therethrough; in a second embodiment, the collimator includes first and second collimation204, 212 sections having a respective first plurality of focally aligned plate sets 201 and a respective second plurality of focally aligned plate sets 203 disposed orthogonally to the first plurality of plate sets. The method for making the collimator includes generating a CAD drawing, generating from the CAD drawing one or more stereo-lithographic files, and using the stereo-lithographic files to control an electro-deposition machining machine which creates the channels in the block.

Abstract: Code restructuring or reordering based on profiling information and memory hierarchy is provided by constructing a Program Execution Graph (PEG) corresponding to a level of the memory hierarchy, partitioning this PEG to reduce estimated memory overhead costs below an upper bound, and constructing a PEG for a next level of the memory hierarchy from the partitioned PEG. The PEG is constructed from control flow and frequency information from a profile of the program to be restructured. The PEG is a weighted undirected graph comprising nodes representing basic blocks and edges representing transfer of control between pairs of basic blocks. The weight of a node is the size of the basic block it represents and the weight of an edge is the frequency of transition between the pair of basic blocks it connects. The nodes of the PEG are partitioned or clustered into clusters such that the sum of the weights of the nodes in any cluster is no greater than an upper bound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting the end point of a process by monitoring the position of a valve during the process. In one aspect, a cleaning process is performed in the chamber, and a controller monitors the valve position to determine the end point of the process which corresponds to a decrease in the number of steps in the valve position required to achieve a stable throttle valve position after the cleaning process is complete.

Abstract: An automatically advancing user interface for entering new data and editing pre-existing data in data entry fields on a display screen. Data is entered and/or edited in a universal handwriting capture widget. A plurality of text entry widgets corresponding to the different data entry fields are displayed on the screen. The user defines a sequentially ordered list of text entry widgets. At any given time only one text entry widget is selected as the current text entry widget based on the sequentially ordered list. The data in the current text entry widget is displayed in the handwriting capture widget. After the data has been entered and/or edited in the handwriting capture widget it is displayed in the current text entry widget. The current text entry widget is then automatically advanced by selecting as the current text entry widget the next text entry widget in the sequentially ordered list of text entry widgets.

Abstract: N-protected-L-homocysteine disulfide of the formula ##STR1## or an activated form thereof is reacted with (S)-2-amino-6,6-dimethoxyhexanoic acid, methyl ester to give the disulfide intermediate of the formula ##STR2## Cleavage of the disulfide bond followed by acid catalyzed cyclization produces the N-protected lactam of formula III which is useful for preparing the pharmaceutically active compound omapatrilat.