Abstract: A self-belay device for controlling climbing and descending along a rope. The self-belay device comprises a hollow casing, a linear frictionless track fixed inside the casing and a braking unit disposed in the casing and mounted on the track for reciprocating sliding movement along the track between a first position and a second position. The braking unit is normally biased to the first position. The braking unit has a passage there through for passing of the rope. The rope is moveable through the passage in the braking unit in the first position, while the movement of the rope through the passage in the braking unit prevented in the second position thereof.

Abstract: A collapsible shelter includes an improved attachment of the roof poles to the legs. A shelter frame has a leg at each corner. Each leg may have an angled top edge or surface. A scissor assembly attaches adjacent legs to each other. An offset link pivotally attaches the roof poles to the legs, adjacent to the top of each leg. The roof poles can be rigidly attached to the offset link. Extension poles are attached to the roof poles with a bungee or similar elastic element.

Abstract: A hybrid filter may include sum, low-pass, high-pass, and intermediate nodes. A terminating impedance may couple the intermediate node to a circuit ground. A first low-pass network may couple the sum node to the low-pass node, and a first high-pass network may couple the sum node to the high-pass node. A second low-pass network may couple the high-pass node to the intermediate node. A second high-pass network may couple the low-pass node to the intermediate node. The second high-pass network may include the series connection of a first capacitor, a coupling network, and a second capacitor. The coupling network may include two coupling sections each with planar broadside-coupled first, second, and third conductor elements separated by dielectric layers. The first and third conductor elements in each section may be connected electrically in parallel.

Abstract: Provided are signal modifying compositions for medical imaging comprising a carrier and two or more signal modifying agents specific for two or more imaging modalities. The compositions are characterized by retention efficiency, with respect to the signal modifying agents, which enables prolonged contrast imaging without significant depletion of the signal modifying agents from the carrier. The carriers of the present invention are lipid based or polymer based, the physico-chemical properties of which can be modified to entrap or chelate different signal modifying agents and mixtures thereof and to target specific organs or tumors or tissues within a mammal.

Abstract: A sports electronic training system, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises at least one monitor and a portable electronic processing device for receiving data from the at least one monitor and providing feedback to an individual based on the received data. The monitor can be a motion monitor that measures an individual's performance such as, for example, speed, pace and distance for a runner. Other monitors might include a heart rate monitor, a temperature monitor, an altimeter, et cetera. Feedback provided to a user typically includes, for example, training information such as whether the user is satisfying specific workout and/or training criteria. In an embodiment, the functionality of the sports electronic training system is enhanced by enabling the portable electronic processing device to interact with other devices and applications, for example, using the Internet.

Abstract: A motor for a synchronous electric machine includes a first inverter configured to provide alternating current power at a first plurality of phases. Also included is a second inverter configured to provide alternating current power at a second plurality of phases. Further included is a first stator winding and a second stator winding each in operable communication with the first inverter and the second inverter and configured to operate synchronously at a first phase, a second phase and a third phase. Yet further included is a first interphase transformer for receiving one of the first plurality of phases and one of the second plurality of phases for communicating a pair of simultaneous, matching voltage outputs to the first stator winding and the second stator winding for reducing a stress imposed on a rotor.

Abstract: A communication cable can comprise twisted pairs of electrical conductors for transmitting electrical signals, such as for digital communication or data transmission. The pairs can be twisted to different tightness in connection with managing interference among the pairs. Within the cable, a separator having an economical polymeric composition can maintain the pairs in a desired orientation. The pairs can be insulated with polymeric materials that compensate for relaxed electrical characteristics of the economical polymeric composition of the separator. One or more pairs having relatively tight twist can be insulated with a premium polymeric material that provides a relatively high level of electrical performance. One or more pairs twisted less tightly can be insulated with another polymeric material providing somewhat lesser but still sufficient electrical performance.

Abstract: A portable towed vessel suitable for containing and transporting various liquids is disclosed. The vessel further comprises various features useful in navigation and storage of the device, both when in use for transporting fluids and when transported in an emptied state. Such features include navigational and positioning devices and methods, and means for emptying and deflating a towed vessel. Aspects of the present invention further include the ability to quickly fill and evacuate a towed vessel and features useful for purifying or preserving the purity of fluid to be transported.

Abstract: The present invention provides tissue products having a high degree of stretch and low modulus at relatively high tensile strengths, such as geometric mean tensile strengths greater than about 1500 g/3? and more preferably greater than about 2000 g/3?. The combination of a tough, yet relatively supple sheet is preferably achieved by subjecting the embryonic web to a speed differential as it is passed from one fabric in the papermaking process to another, commonly referred to as rush transfer.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample and includes the steps of contacting a faradaic working electrode to a solution comprising the optionally pre-processed sample and an electrolyte, contacting a capacitive counter electrode to the solution, supplying electrical energy between the faradaic working electrode and the capacitive counter electrode sufficient to provide for faradaic charge transfer at the faradaic working electrode, and measuring at least one of (i) light, (ii) current, (iii) voltage, and (iv) charge to determine the presence or amount of the analyte in the sample.

Abstract: A digital slide analysis system comprises an algorithm server that maintains or has access to a plurality of image processing and analysis routines. The algorithm server additionally has access to a plurality of digital slide images. The algorithm server executes a selected routine on an identified digital slide and provides the resulting data. Prior to the application of selected routine, the system employs a digital pre-processing module to create a metadata mask that reduces undesirable image data such that the image data processed by the selected routine has an improved signal to noise ratio. The pre-processing module uses a classifier that may be implemented as a pattern recognition module, for example. Undesirable image data is therefore excluded from the image data that is processed by the digital pathology image processing and analysis routine, which significantly improves the digital pathology image analysis.

Abstract: Fuel feed systems capable of providing substantially consistent flow of fuel to a fuel cell and also capable of tolerating varying pressures from a reservoir (also referred to as fuel supply or fuel cell cartridge) and the fuel cell while maintaining substantially consistent control flow to the fuel cell are disclosed.

Abstract: An automatic corn cutting apparatus for cutting kernels off of husked ears of corn. The ears may be presented to the cutting knives either tip end or butt end first. The ears are fed into the cutting knives by a pair of drive rollers carried by a pair of articulating drive shafts. The drive shafts move in a plane perpendicular to the axis along which the ears are fed to the cutting knives. A sensor, preferably a linear variable differential transformer, or LVDT, is carried by one of the drive shafts remotely from the ears, i.e. the LVDT does not contact the ears. The sensor detects the profile of each ear of corn, and the profile is used by a knife controller to efficiently remove the kernels from each ear of corn.

Abstract: A method of machine control can include providing at least a system master signal, selectively synchronizing at least sub-system master signal to the system master signal based on the value of the system master signal, and carrying out at least one operation based on the value of the other master signal. For example, a machine controller may provide a system virtual master signal and synchronize one or more module virtual master signals to the system virtual master based on the system virtual master count value. One or more components of the module may operate based on the count value of the module virtual master signal. The use of an asynchronous control method may advantageously increase the flexibility of the machine. Because the operation of the components of the machine may depend on respective virtual master signals, a machine using asynchronous control methods may advantageously continue operating one component or module in the event of a fault involving other components.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for increasing various plant yield-related traits by increasing expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding an ammonium transporter (AMT) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having increased expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding an AMT polypeptide, which plants have increased yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide indirect and temporary access to a company's IT infrastructure and business applications. The methods/systems involve establishing an access control center (ACC) to control the access that technical support personnel may have to the company's IT infrastructure and business applications. Thin client terminals with limited functionality may then be set up in the ACC for use by the technical support personnel. The thin client terminals connect the technical support personnel to workstations outside the ACC that operate as virtual desktops. The virtual desktops in turn connect the technical support personnel to the IT infrastructure and business applications. An ACC application may be used to automatically establish the connection between the thin client terminals and the virtual desktops and the virtual desktops and the IT infrastructure and business applications.

Abstract: A portable, modular, and dynamically sized and shaped, above-ground, industrial-liquid-containment system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a plurality of elongated curbs, each of which has a substantially inverted-V-shaped cross-section. In variations, each curb can have a flat top surface, from which two walls extend downwardly at a predetermined angle. At the bottom of each of the curb walls, is a foot surface extending substantially parallel to the ground and to the flat top surface. The plurality of curbs are detachably coupled together to define a perimeter for a liquid-containment area. The height of the curbed boundary can be increased by installing curb-height extender members onto the first-layer of curb members. The defined containment-area floor and the plurality of curbs is continuously covered by liquid-impermeable sheeting in order to prevent leakage into the outer-ground environment.

Abstract: A transcutaneous prosthesis which includes a first component shaped for implantation into a bone, a second component intended for location between the bone and the skin, the second component having a surface treatment for stimulation of fibroblastic cell proliferation and attachment of epithelial cells, and a third component intended for location exterior to the skin surface having a low surface energy which deters bacterial adhesion.

Abstract: An escutcheon mounting assembly including an escutcheon coupled to a base and including an opening for receiving a valve user interface. A magnetically attractive element is supported by one of the base and the escutcheon, and at least one magnet is affixed to the other of the base and the escutcheon and is configured to magnetically couple the escutcheon to the base.