Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an epoxy-functional polyester, and to solid epoxy-functional polyesters made by such process and to a coating composition, in particular a powder coating composition, comprising such solid epoxy-functional polyester. The polyester made as disclosed herein is particularly useful in powder coatings.

Abstract: A combination ergonomic tool having a suction mechanism and includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region. The suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. In particular, the handle region and neck region together form a single, continuous, hollow fluid passageway to facilitate the delivery of suction at the distal tip of the combination dental tool. The operational unit can further include a tongue retractor, a flap retractor or a combination thereof. The neck region may further contain a lateral bend, a rotation of the working end or both. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A dental tool is disclosed that includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region, in which the neck region is S-shaped. The operational unit can further include a tongue retractor, a flap retractor or a combination thereof. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may further contain a lateral bend, a rotation of the working end or both. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an epoxy-functional polyester. The process according to the invention comprises the steps of a) providing a polyester having functional groups selected from hydroxyl groups and carboxylic acid groups, or mixtures thereof, b) reacting the functional groups of the polyester with an epihaloalkane to obtain an epoxy-functional polyester dissolved in a liquid phase, c) optionally adding an organic solvent to the liquid phase obtained in step b); d) precipitating the epoxy-functional polyester from the liquid phase obtained in step b) or in step c); and e) isolating the precipitated epoxy-functional polyester from the liquid phase by a solid-liquid separation technique. The thus obtained resin is in particular useful for use in powder coatings.

Abstract: In one aspect there is provided a towel rack having a width and comprising a wall mounting bracket and a towel support frame. The wall mounting bracket is for fastening the towel rack to a wall. The towel support frame is supported by the wall mounting bracket and defines a perimeter thereabout and a plane therebetween. The length of the perimeter is longer than the width of the towel rack. The towel support frame may be secured in a drying configuration so as to orient said plane substantially perpendicular to the wall. When in the drying configuration, a towel may be positioned on the towel support frame substantially around said perimeter.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a system and method for sorting, ranking, and presenting and/or recommending multiple products for purchase having different labels in a coherent and structured way, and more specifically a system and method to generate marketing communications which display labels and/or wine labels based on an affinity system and ranking to help consumer and buyer select and purchase wine using either a digital interface or even in the course of normal retail buying process to select appropriate product.

Abstract: A dental tool is disclosed that includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region, in which the neck region is S-shaped. The operational unit can further include a tongue retractor, a flap retractor or a combination thereof. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may further contain a lateral bend, a rotation of the working end or both. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A combination refractor includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region. The operational unit further includes a tongue retractor and a flap retractor. The tongue retractor may be concave to provide for a natural area to encapsulate the tongue. The tongue and flap refractors may also be provided as part of a continuous planar extension of the operational unit or may be disposed on different planes. The flap retractor may be formed of a tapered extended edge or tab, which can be made in various lengths and include a beveled edge. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may contain an S-shaped bend or lateral bends for better operative functionality and ergonomics. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A system can mask specific components of an application, such as a web page, displayed during a screen sharing session. As the web page is being displayed on a first computer screen (i.e., screen), the system can automatically mask specific components of the web page. Thus, when the first screen is captured, and the capture is transmitted to a second screen, the specific components of the web page that have been masked will not be displayed at the second screen.

Abstract: A dental tool is disclosed that includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region, in which the neck region is S-shaped. The operational unit can further include a tongue retractor, a flap retractor or a combination thereof. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may further contain a lateral bend, a rotation of the working end or both. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A technique for providing context information for a PSTN phone call originating from an user includes dynamically selecting a phone number (or invite code or combination thereof) from among a pool of available phone numbers; displaying the selected phone number to the user in a web page; receiving context information corresponding to the user; receiving an incoming phone call on the dynamically selected phone number, connecting the incoming call to an outgoing call to the call center, and providing the context information to a computer corresponding to an agent to whom the outgoing call is connected. The context information may include a web page viewed by the user, and may be sufficient to provide a co-browsing capability. The technique may be utilized with or without session based web pages and may be performed by a sever that serves web page content to the user or a third party service provider.

Abstract: A combination refractor includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region. The operational unit further includes a tongue retractor and a flap retractor. The tongue retractor may be concave to provide for a natural area to encapsulate the tongue. The tongue and flap refractors may also be provided as part of a continuous planar extension of the operational unit or may be disposed on different planes. The flap retractor may be formed of a tapered extended edge or tab, which can be made in various lengths and include a beveled edge. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may contain an S-shaped bend or lateral bends for better operative functionality and ergonomics. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A combination retractor includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region. The operational unit further includes a tongue retractor and a flap retractor. The tongue retractor may be concave to provide for a natural area to encapsulate the tongue. The tongue and flap retractors may also be provided as part of a continuous planar extension of the operational unit or may be disposed on different planes. The flap retractor may be formed of a tapered extended edge or tab, which can be made in various lengths and include a beveled edge. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may contain an S-shaped bend or lateral bends for better operative functionality and ergonomics. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A system can mask specific components of an application, such as a web page, displayed during a screen sharing session. As the web page is being displayed on a first computer screen (i.e., screen), the system can automatically mask specific components of the web page. Thus, when the first screen is captured, and the capture is transmitted to a second screen, the specific components of the web page that have been masked will not be displayed at the second screen.

Abstract: A combination retractor includes an operational unit, a neck region and a handle region. The operational unit further includes a tongue retractor and a flap retractor. The tongue retractor may be concave to provide for a natural area to encapsulate the tongue. The tongue and flap retractors may also be provided as part of a continuous planar extension of the operational unit or may be disposed on different planes. The flap retractor may be formed of a tapered extended edge or tab, which can be made in various lengths and include a beveled edge. A suction mechanism may be added for eliminating fluids. The neck region may contain an S-shaped bend or lateral bends for better operative functionality and ergonomics. The proximal end of the handle region, opposite the operational unit, may further include any useful apparatus, such as a periosteal elevator or periosteal retractor.

Abstract: A photograph album includes a back cover that defines a recess. An easel is pivotably coupled to the back cover for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position. When in the open position, the easel extends from the back cover such that the album can be supported by the easel on a generally horizontal surface. When in the closed position, however, the easel is within the recess and substantially flush with a back surface of the back cover thereby allowing the album to lay substantially flat on its back cover upon a generally horizontal surface.

Abstract: A communications system autonomously establishes, monitors, and maintains a secure and persistent internet “tunnel” communication path between one or more interconnected computers located at a “central” site and at least one host computer of a plurality of host computers at sites remote from the first site. The system includes a tunnel terminator server at the central site, following a secure tunneling protocol. The tunnel terminator server includes a public port interface coupled to the internet. The tunnel terminator initially establishes a clear communications link clients calling from the internet, and initially identifies and authenticates each of the clients as being “authorized.” For each client so identified and authenticated, the tunnel terminator establishes an encrypted communications link, and provides a new private IP address to each individual client by the link.

Abstract: A data processing system has at least one processing module containing one or more blocks of memory, having control registers which are accessible via a diagnostic interface, and a clock module which distributes system clocks to the processing module(s), the operation of which is controllable using a similar diagnostic interface. One of the possible actions in the clock module is the generation of a single-shot clock pulse. A diagnostic control unit is connected to the separate diagnostic interfaces of the processing module(s) and the clock module, and is capable of simultaneously controlling the two diagnostic interfaces in such a way that a single-shot clock pulse can be synchronized with the diagnostic access to a processing module to effect the loading or dumping of a block of memory line by line.

Abstract: A surgical implant manufactured from austenitic stainless steel by cold-forging has improved mechanical properties and corrosion fatigue resistance. The grain-size index for the cold-forged 316L stainless steel is increased from an ASTM grain-size index of about 8 to an ASTM grain-size index of about 14 by cold-forging the steel into the desired shape. Further improvement in mechanical properties and corrosion fatigue resistance is obtained by stress relieving the material after cold-forging into the desired configuration. The microstructure of the cold-forged material is characterized by the absence of visible slip planes at 600.times. magnification, in contrast with visible slip planes present in the microstructure of the austenitic stainless steel starting material.