Abstract: A retaining device for stationarily positioning at least one electronic circuit component card comprising a bracket and a fastener. In one exemplary embodiment, a single fastener is manipulated from outside a wall of a chassis to hold two or more electronic circuit component cards in position. It is noted that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to ascertain quickly the subject matter of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

Abstract: A nonwoven web and method of preparing a novel nonwoven web of synthetic fiber are disclosed. An aqueous solution amide crosslinked synthetic precursor polymer is extruded under defined conditions through a plurality of die orifices to form a plurality of threadlines. The threadlines are attenuated with a defined primary gaseous source to form fiber under conditions of controlled macro scale turbulence and under conditions sufficient to permit the viscosity of each threadline, as it leaves a die orifice and for a distance of no more than about 8 cm, to increase incrementally with increasing distance from the die, while substantially maintaining uniformity of viscosity in the radial direction, at a rate sufficient to provide fiber having the desired attenuation and mean fiber diameter without significant fiber breakage. The attenuated threadlines are dried with a defined secondary gaseous source. The resulting fibers are deposited randomly on a moving foraminous surface to form a substantially uniform web.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing, the method comprising processing a workpiece, measuring a parameter characteristic of the processing, and forming an output signal corresponding to the characteristic parameter measured by using the characteristic parameter measured as an input to a transistor model. The method also comprises predicting a wafer electrical test (WET) resulting value based on the output signal, detecting faulty processing based on the predicted WET resulting value, and correcting the faulty processing.

Abstract: A method of measuring the density of an aerated liquid in a flowing supply of aerated liquid comprises passing sound vibrations through a portion (9) of the liquid supply and utilising the velocity of the sound through that liquid supply portion as a measure of the density, the pressure of that liquid supply portion being controlled (by 10; 13). A flow line (2) of aerated liquid is provided with a branch connection (3) to a branch line (9, 5, 7) which includes a through-flow density meter (4), a pressure transducer (8) being connected to the branch line for measuring the pressure in the branch line.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of medicine, particularly in the treatment of Type II diabetes and obesity. More specifically, the present invention relates to selective &bgr;3 receptor agonists useful in the treatment of Type II diabetes and obesity. The invention provides compounds and methods of treating type II diabetes and obesity, comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof compounds of the Formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: The preparation and use of nucleic acid fragments encoding fatty acid desaturase enzymes are described. The invention permits alteration of plant lipid composition. Chimeric genes incorporating such nucleic acid fragments with suitable regulatory sequences may be used to create transgenic plants with altered levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: A disposable breathing mask (1) comprising side walls (4, 5) and bottom walls (6, 7) made of multilayer filter material. The mask is attached to a user's head (2) by means of a strap (3) attached to attachment areas (25, 26). Joining the attachment points (25, 26) is a rib (27) which extends over the user's nose. The attachment points (25, 26) and rib (27) together form an exo-skeleton which maintains the positional stability of the strap mounting areas during donning of the mask. Arms (31, 32) extend laterally away from the rib (27) and are arranged such as to apply mild pressure to the side walls (4, 5) in the region of the user's nose so as to ensure contact between the filter material and the user's nose.

Abstract: An absorbent article (10) includes a backsheet layer (30), a liquid permeable topsheet layer (28), and an absorbent body (32) sandwiched between the backsheet and topsheet layers. The absorbent body (32) includes a first fibrous stratum (52) having a first quantity of absorbent fibers, a second fibrous stratum (54) having a second quantity of absorbent fibers, and at least a third fibrous stratum (56) which is located between and integrally formed with the first and second fibrous strata (52, 54). In particular aspects, the third fibrous stratum (56) includes an operative quantity of a substantially hydrophilic, wet-strength agent. In other aspects, the wet-strength agent is distributed in the third quantity of absorbent fibers to render the third fibrous stratum (56) substantially non-dispersible.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of oxidized thymosin &bgr;4 in therapy, more particularly in the treatment of diseases or conditions associated with an inflammatory response of septic shock.

Abstract: The present invention relates to supervisory signalling for optical communications equipment. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for supervisory signalling relating to submarine optical communications equipment on a submarine optical communications system.

Abstract: A method of producing a substance comprising a peptide, involves incorporating a DNA sequence coding for the peptide into a gene of a mammal (such as a sheep) coding for a milk whey protein in such a way that the DNA sequence is expressed in the mammary gland of the adult female mammal. The substance may be an (optionally modified) protein such as a blood coagulation factor. The DNA sequence is preferably inserted into the first exon of a gene coding for a whey protein such as beta-lactoglobulin. The substance will generally be recovered from milk of the female mammal, but may (for example if it is an enzyme) be used in situ.

Abstract: A composite material and a method of making a composite material is disclosed. The composite comprises a core of a precipitation hardenable metal having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 9 parts per million/° C. in the temperature range of 20° C. to 100° C. The core material is clad with a transition metal or transition metal alloy cladding layer covering at least one surface of the core.

Abstract: New techniques are presented for detection methods employed in the control, automation and operation of scale Model railroad layouts that permit new types of capabilities to be incorporated into the railroad. The invention allows for the lowering of the cost of detection electronics by employing a redundant encoding of information in the transponder responses that are then used for detecting transponder location on the layout by using current sensors. The use of a complementary multiplex arrangement and algorithm allows a reduction in the detection electronics by virtue of the fact that most the conditioning electronics can be supplied in a single instance that is shared amongst the multiplexed current sensors.

Abstract: Homozygous rin and/or nor and/or alc tomatoes, or tomatoes heterozygous in both rin and nor and/or alc are used to prepare a tomato paste, juice or sauce having good viscosity as well as good color. Preferably the tomatoes used also include color enhancing genes such as old gold crimson (ogc) high pigment (hp), dark green (dg), intense pigment (Ip), or color enhancing transgenic genes.

Abstract: Peptide-based gemini compounds comprising basic amino acid chains linked by at least epsilon amide bond, showing improved DNA transfection properties, are disclosed. Methods for production of the compounds and the uses thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining an etch endpoint. The method includes collecting intensity data representative of optical emission spectral wavelengths during a plasma etch process. The method further includes calculating Scores from at least a portion of the collected intensity data using at most first, second, third and fourth Principal Components derived from a model. The method also includes determining the etch endpoint using Scores corresponding to at least one of the first, second, third and fourth Principal Components as an indicator for the etch endpoint.

Abstract: Improved doughs containing dehydrated potato products, food products made from said doughs, and the methods for making the same are disclosed. Although the improved doughs contain non-ideal dehydrated potato products, processing efficiency and finished product quality are comparable to that of finished products made with doughs containing dehydrated potato products having from 40% to 60% broken cells and from 16% to 27% free amylose.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for treating a gas stream, notably a silencer assembly for use to treat the exhaust gasses from an internal combustion engine, which apparatus comprises a plurality of compartments within which one or more treatments are to be performed on a gas stream passing through the compartment, and through which the gas stream is to flow sequentially, characterised in that: a) at least two of said compartments each comprises a tubular body member (1) containing or carrying a treatment element (2) which is restrained against axial movement relative to the body member (1); and b) the tubular body members (1) of the adjacent compartments are provided with radially outwardly and/or inwardly extending terminal flanges (4), at least some of which flanges (4) provide a shoulder against which the opposing terminal portion of the adjacent compartment bears so as to form an axially extending structure comprising at least two compartments in axial or coaxial relationship to one another; and c) one