Abstract: A method of reducing the incidence of post-operative adhesions in or associated with a body cavity, which comprises introducing into the body cavity a composition containing an aqueous solution or suspension or gel formulation containing the polysaccharide dextrin.

Abstract: A method of preventing or reducing the incidence of post-operative adhesions in or associated with a body cavity, which comprises introducing into the body cavity a composition containing an aqueous solution or suspension or gel formulation containing the polysaccharide dextrin.

Abstract: A fuel filler cap is provided with a nozzle engagement that can engage with the nozzle of a fuel pump, enabling it to be unscrewed by turning the fuel pump nozzle. The nozzle engagement structure is designed so that it can only engage with a particular size of fuel pump nozzle, resulting in a fuel filler cap that cannot be removed with a fuel pump nozzle of a different size and goes some way toward preventing the misfuelling of cars equipped with the fuel filler cap. A second fuel filler cap is provided with a lid that may be freely rotated on the body. The cap may be activated by engaging an appropriate nozzle with the nozzle engagement means, causing the lid to become firmly attached to the cap and therefore operable for unscrewing the cap.

Abstract: A device adapted to provide volatile liquid material to an atmosphere, comprising a reservoir containing volatile liquid material, a rod-like transfer member extending therefrom and adapted to transfer liquid from the reservoir, and at least one diffusion surface adapted to receive the liquid from the transfer member and facilitate its evaporation into the atmosphere, the diffusion surface extending essentially laterally from the transfer member and comprising at least one non-integral, non-porous sheet bearing a surface capillarity, which sheet has an extent and a capillarity sufficient to allow an appropriate evaporation. The device is cheap and easy to construct, versatile and diffuses odor without major changes of the odor over time.

Abstract: A method of preventing or reducing the incidence of post-operative adhesions in or associated with a body cavity, which comprises introducing into the body cavity a composition containing an aqueous solution or suspension or gel formulation containing the polysaccharide dextrin.

Abstract: A method of preventing or reducing the incidence of post-operative adhesions in or associated with a body cavity, which comprises introducing into the body cavity a composition containing an aqueous solution or suspension or gel formulation containing the polysaccharide dextrin.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a copy number of one or more nucleic acid sequences in a test sample are provided. A solid surface with a plurality of probe sets labeled with a first detectable label material bound to the solid surface is provided. The labeled probes are contacted with one or more nucleic acid molecules of the test sample, under conditions suitable for hybridization, so as to form a modified solid surface. The one or more nucleic acid molecules is/are labeled with a second detectable label material. The modified solid surface is scanned to obtain first and second data, which is then mathematically transformed so as to determine the copy number of one or more nucleic acid sequences in the test sample relative to the copy number of the one or more different nucleic acid sequences in the test sample or a reference genome.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative characterization of a seabed sediment composition and a seabed's layered subbottom structure from at least one normal-incidence, single-channel reflection acoustic amplitude time series seismogram is disclosed. The method detects a plurality of reflections from subbottom interfaces in said seismograms, determines the traveltime, the polarity and the reflectivity of each detected reflection, determines the intrinsic attenuation of the sediment layer between pairs of adjacent reflections, and determines the acoustic properties, layer thicknesses and material properties of the seabed's layered subbottom structure as a function of said traveltimes, polarities and reflectivities of the detected reflections and said intrinsic attenuation of the sediment layer between pairs of adjacent reflections. A forward model describing the physical relationship between the material properties and the acoustic properties of seabed sediments is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of non-coherent decoding an encoded CPM signal received by a wireless receiver, and a CPM decoder implementing the method, wherein the signal is generated by a transmitter using a serial concatenation of an outer encoder, an interleaver and an M-ary CPM modulator, and may have a frequency-hopping RF carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes iteratively decoding the received signal by first recursively finding a sub-set of dominant sequences of CPM symbols that maximize a path metric for one hop interval using a non-coherent CPM detector, determining on the basis of this sub-set a sequence of soft inner bits, decoding these soft inner bits with an outer decoder, and using extrinsic information for the soft inner bits provided by the outer decoder to iteratively update the sub-set of dominant sequences of CPM symbols in the inner CPM detector.

Abstract: The invention provides an adaptive frequency hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) transmission system and method, which efficiently utilizes available transmission bandwidth, whilst providing robustness to jamming techniques in wireless communication systems. The proposed technique operates by transmitting a wide-band signal over multiple, single-carrier, parallel transmission subbands, which may occupy non-contiguous frequency regions. The proposed scheme exhibits significant gain in error rate performance, as compared to a data rate equivalent single-subband system in the presence of signal jamming and/or interference without a reduction in the transmission data rate nor an increase in transmitter power. In addition, the proposed system and method are adaptive and enable more efficient use of the available bandwidth for communicating, thus increasing the overall bandwidth utilization of the system.

Abstract: The present invention divides the available sub-carriers in an OFDM symbol window into N groups of sub-carriers wherein each group will be associated with sub-bands. In one embodiment, the sub-carriers in a group are spread throughout the range of sub-carriers to improve frequency diversity, and the sub-carriers assigned to any one group are separated by a constant offset. The sub-carriers in the group may be offset by an integer power of two. Within each group, sub-bands are defined using frequency hopping patterns among sub-carriers in the group from one OFDM symbol window to another. A pseudo-random pattern may be employed for sub-carrier mapping from one OFDM symbol window to the next to effectively distribute the sub-bands across the selected band of sub-carriers for the group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for agile RF spectrum monitoring in a radio system with dynamic frequency access. It provides a spectrum monitor based on non-coherent heterodyne detection that utilizes a DDS signal generator to digitally generate a reference signal at a variable reference frequency for mixing with an input RF signal received from an RF antenna, a pass-band filter and a log amplifier for obtaining energy estimates at a monitored transmission frequency corresponding to the reference frequency. A processor is provided for adaptively selecting sets of monitored transmission frequencies, for controlling the DDS signal generator, and for processing obtained spectral energy estimates to assess spectral usage data.

Abstract: A method of disseminating to where it is required a substance that is advantageously disseminated after undergoing a heat-induced change of state or heat-induced fluidification, comprising the provision of the substance in a container that comprises a secondary induction coil, the container being adapted to be used in association with an apparatus provided with a primary induction coil, the coils being in a heat-providing relationship when the container is in association with the apparatus, and providing to the primary induction coil sufficient electricity to generate the necessary heat in the secondary induction coil. An apparatus to achieve this is also provided. Control of the temperature attained in the container may be regulated by choice of coil construction and positioning, thus permitting many different applications (air freshening, skin and hair care materials, cleaning and polishing materials) from a single base unit with a primary coil.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to disseminate volatile liquid, such as a fragrance, into an atmosphere comprises a reservoir (1) containing volatile liquid and, extending into and therefrom, an essentially cylindrical liquid transfer member (4) that transfers liquid from the reservoir to an evaporating surface (6) through which the transfer member passes by means of a hole in the evaporating surface. The evaporating surface comprises a rigid sheet that extends essentially laterally from the transfer member and bears on its surface capillary channels adapted to accept liquid from the transfer member and spread it over the surface of the evaporating surface.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to disseminate a volatile liquid, such as a fragrance, into an atmosphere in which its presence in vapour form is desired, the apparatus comprising a reservoir (1) of volatile liquid (2) and a porous wick that extends from the liquid in the reservoir to the atmosphere where it provides an evaporating surface, the wick being formed in at least two parts, at least one of which parts is in contact with the liquid and which comprises substantially no evaporating surface (3), and at least one other of which parts forms an evaporating surface (8,9), the parts being integral in the apparatus and that part comprising the evaporating surface being adapted to be movable either into liquid transfer contact or into non-liquid transfer separation with that part in contact with the liquid. The apparatus is simple, rugged, effective, cheap to make and easy to use. It is especially useful as an air freshener in motor vehicles.

Abstract: An apparatus for disseminating a volatile liquid, such as a fragrance, into an atmosphere from a reservoir, dissemination being achieved by means of a transfer member in contact with the liquid and a capillary member in liquid transfer contact with the transfer member. The capillary member comprises an evaporating surface bearing primary capillary channels, at least some of these primary capillary channels being intersected by at least one secondary capillary channel, the secondary capillary channel being substantially smaller in cross-sectional area than that of the primary channels, such that liquid will flow in both primary and secondary channels.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to disseminate individually into an atmosphere a plurality of liquids, such as fragrances, the apparatus comprising (i) a source of forced ventilation; (ii) extending radially from the source, a plurality of passages, each having an entrance and an exit for the forced ventilation, the exit leading to the atmosphere; and (iii) at or near the exit of each passage an evaporative source of volatile liquid; the apparatus additionally comprising a movable barrier that surrounds the source, this barrier having one port that is movable into correspondence with a single passage at a time, such that forced ventilation flows down only that passage.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to provide in an atmosphere one of at least three volatile liquids, the apparatus comprising a source of air current, radially extending from the source of air current a plurality of coplanar air channels, corresponding to the number of volatile liquids, placed such that the air current flows through them, each channel leading to a different volatile liquid-emitting member and then into the atmosphere; and located in each channel between the source and the volatile liquid-emitting member, means of blocking the channel and preventing the flow of air therethrough. The apparatus allows an easy change from one liquid to another and control over the time of the emission of each liquid.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to disseminate volatile liquid, such as an insecticide or a fragrance, into an atmosphere, the apparatus comprising a reservoir containing volatile liquid and a liquid transfer member adapted to have contact with both liquid and atmosphere, the transfer member being slideable within a liquid-impermeable sleeve and having a liquid-impermeable lower end, the liquid-impermeable lower end and liquid-impermeable sleeve combining, when the transfer member is in a raised position, to deny access of the liquid to the transfer member, the transfer member being held in the raised position by suitable releasable locking means that, when released, allows the transfer member to be moved with respect to the sleeve to a lowered position in liquid transfer contact with the liquid. The apparatus is convenient to use and leakproof, and it permits liquid dissemination to be stopped and started at will.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative characterization of a seabed sediment composition and a seabed's layered subbottom structure from at least one normal-incidence, single-channel reflection acoustic amplitude time series seismogram is disclosed. The method detects a plurality of reflections from subbottom interfaces in said seismograms, determines the traveltime, the polarity and the reflectivity of each detected reflection, determines the intrinsic attenuation of the sediment layer between pairs of adjacent reflections, and determines the acoustic properties, layer thicknesses and material properties of the seabed's layered subbottom structure as a function of said traveltimes, polarities and reflectivities of the detected reflections and said intrinsic attenuation of the sediment layer between pairs of adjacent reflections. A forward model describing the physical relationship between the material properties and the acoustic properties of seabed sediments is also disclosed.