Abstract: A free-standing on-board safety device is disclosed. The free-standing on-board safety includes a base portion and a head portion coupled through a tapered body. The head portion is preferably substantially round and brightly colored. In use the free-standing on-board safety device is placed on front seat of the passenger vehicle in an up-right vertical position. In the up-right vertical position, the device is visible to a driver of the passenger vehicle and the head portion is visible to persons outside of the vehicle through one or more windows of the passenger vehicle. When placed in the up-right vertical position, the free-standing on-board safety device indicates the presence of a child, infant or pet in a back seat of the passenger vehicle.

Abstract: A client-server based system for building and executing flows (i.e., interconnected systems of algorithms). The client allows a user to build a flow specification and send the flow specification to the server. The server assembles the flow from the flow spec and executes the flow. A flow may be configured to analyze the impact (e.g., the financial impact) of a number of uncertainties associated with a plurality of assets. Uncertainty variables are used to characterize the uncertainties associated with the assets. An uncertainty variable associated with one asset may be functionally dependent on an uncertainty variable associated with another asset.

Abstract: A client-server based system for building and executing flows (i.e., interconnected systems of algorithms). The client allows a user to build a flow specification and send the flow specification to the server. The server assembles the flow from the flow spec and executes the flow. A decision flow builder allows the user to build a flow targeted for the analysis/optimization of decisions (modeled by decision variables) regarding a plurality of assets in view of various underlying uncertainties (modeled by uncertainty variables). The user may specify a global objective (as a function of asset level statistics) as well and one or more constraints for the optimization. The flow may account for inter-asset correlations and inter-asset dependencies between uncertainty variables, and, inter-asset constraints between decision variables.

Abstract: A process for administering to an animal progressively increasing doses of one or more biologically active agents which are released over a predetermined period of time from a delivery means which is administered to an animal on a single occasion.

Abstract: Microparticles of a water-soluble material, which are smooth and spherical, and at least 90% of which have a mass median particle size of 1 to 10 &mgr;m, and which carry a therapeutic or diagnostic agent can successfully be used in dry powder inhalers to deliver the said agent.

Abstract: Structural panels are provided which utilize commercially available components and a cost effective method of fabrication. The structural panels include commercially available trusses, fillers positioned between and aligned with the trusses and sandwiched to form a solid panel core, and commercially available wire mesh substantially covering opposing side surfaces of the panel core and attached to the trusses with wire to hold the panel core together. The trusses include generally parallel rods and wire bent around the rods in a zigzag configuration. The fillers may include a foamed filler such as solid foamed plastic or solid foamed glass. Alternatively, the filler may include a stabilized organic material. A commercially available lathing member may also be imbedded into the structural panel. The structural panels are fabricated by aligning the fillers and trusses in an alternating sequence. The alternating masonry reinforcement trusses and fillers are then pressed to form a panel core.

Abstract: Microparticles of a water-soluble material, which are smooth and spherical, and at least 90% of which have a mass median particle size of 1 to 10 &mgr;m, and which carry a therapeutic or diagnostic agent can successfully be used in dry powder inhalers to deliver the said agent.

Abstract: An energy conservation moderating system has a DPDT switch (16) in switching communication intermediate a micro controller (8) and a temperature-difference generator (7). The micro controller is in switching control of the temperature-difference generator programmably through the DPDT switch in option to switching control of the temperature-difference generator by a conventional thermostat (1). The micro controller is preferably a Z 8 micro controller having a memory into which an application-specific program in the microcontroller is loaded for programmably plural-cycle short-time on-and-off switching for savings run times intermediate temperature-band on-call extremes and temperature-band mediums of a temperature-band fluctuation selectively.

Abstract: Microcapsules are prepared by a process comprising the steps of (i) spray-drying a solution or dispersion of a wall-forming material in order to obtain intermediate microcapsules and (ii) reducing the water-solubility of at least the outside of the intermediate microcapsules. Suitable wall-forming materials include proteins such as albumin and gelatin. The microcapsules have walls of 40-500 nm thick and are useful in ultrasonic imaging. The control of median size, size distribution and degree of insolubilization and cross-linking of the wall-forming material allows novel microsphere preparations to be produced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for restoring digital pulses within a data transmission system which have degraded due to the attenuation and distortion inherent in a data transmission medium. The apparatus comprises an adaptive equalizer which receives signals from the data transmission medium, while the method by which the digital pulses are restored comprises: storing plural equalizer transfer function control values in a memory, passing the signal through an equalizer having a controllable transfer function, comparing a characteristic of the output signal of the equalizer with a reference signal and producing a difference signal, using the difference signal to select a set of stored transfer function control values from the memory, controlling the equalizer from the selected transfer function control values so as to minimize their difference from the reference signal. This apparatus and method are suitable for high-speed applications such as T1 and E1, requiring minimal configuration by the user.

Abstract: An ignition system for energizing an ignition coil of an internal combustion engine. The system including a high voltage unit for energizing the ignition coil of the engine, a memory for storing system function indices and a processor. The processor receives a timing signal from an engine speed pick-up device, accesses the memory to retrieve the system function indices, and causes the high voltage unit to energize the ignition coil based on the system function indices and the frequency of the timing signal. System function indices data includes ignition timing curve data with a nominal or base curve and a plurality of adjustment timing curves for cylinder-specific timing calibration. The system also provides for optimal multiple sparking at low engine speeds by taking into consideration battery voltage and capacitor charge times.

Abstract: Soluble microparticles comprising fibrinogen or thrombin, in free-flowing form. These microparticles can be mixed to give a dry powder, to be used as a fibrin sealant that is activated only at a wound site.

Abstract: Microcapsules are prepared by a process comprising the steps of (i) spray-drying a solution or dispersion of a wall-forming material in order to obtain intermediate microcapsules and (ii) reducing the water-solubility of at least the outside of the intermediate microcapsules.Suitable wall-forming materials include proteins such as albumin and gelatin.The microcapsules have walls of 40-500 nm thick and are useful in ultrasonic imaging. The control of median size, size distribution and degree of insolubilisation and cross-linking of the wall-forming material allows novel microsphere preparations to be produced.

Abstract: Microparticles of a water-soluble material, which are smooth and spherical, and at least 90% of which have a mass median particle size of 1 to 10 .mu.m, and which carry a therapeutic or diagnostic agent can successfully be used in dry powder inhalers to deliver the said agent.

Abstract: Platelet substitutes, comprising fibrinogen, or analogous products useful in therapy, which further comprise an insoluble carrier to which is bound an essentially non-degraded active protein including the sequence Arg-Gly-Asp. Such conjugates can be made by a conjugation process comprising 0.01 to 2.5% by weight active fibrinogen, and no more that 50% inactive fibrinogen.

Abstract: Microcapsules are prepared by a process comprising the steps of (i) spray-drying a solution or dispersion of a wall-forming material in order to obtain intermediate microcapsules and (ii) reducing the water-solubility of at least the outside of the intermediate microcapsules.Suitable wall-forming materials include proteins such as albumin and gelatin.The microcapsules have walls of 40-500 nm thick and are useful in ultrasonic imaging. The control of median size, size distribution and degree of insolubilization and cross-linking of the wall-forming material allows novel microsphere preparations to be produced.