Abstract: A method for detecting demyelinating disease or spongiform encephalopathy in verterbrates comprising testing a biological sample obtained from the vertebrate for antibodies capable of binding to both Acinetobacter antigens and to prion antigens. This test can be combined with previously described tests involving measurement of antibodies capable of binding to myelin and/or neurofilament and or Acinetobacter antigens. A kit for performing the test is also described.

Abstract: Traces are placed in a plurality of windows. Each trace is weighted based on a plurality of attributes of the trace. The traces are sorted based on the weighting. Boundaries between traces are assigned based on transitions in attributes. The boundaries function to divide the traces into windows.

Abstract: A polymeric, surgical clip having first and second curved legs with each having a pair of opposing side surfaces joined at their proximal ends by a flexible hinge section and movable from an open position to a closed position for clamping a vessel between curved opposing inner surfaces. The first leg terminates at its distal end in a female locking member, and the second leg member terminates in a male locking member complimentary to the female locking member such that when the first and second leg members are moved from an open position to a closed position about the hinge section the male member is lockingly engaged in the female locking member. The clip has at least one cutting guide extending outward from and disposed along at least a portion of the length of at least one of the side surfaces of at least one of the first and second legs. The cutting guide aids in cutting the ligated tissue a safe distance from the clip such that a tissue cuff is formed.

Abstract: A polymeric, surgical clip having first and second curved legs joined at their proximal ends by a flexible hinge section and movable from an open position to a closed position for clamping a vessel between curved opposing inner surfaces. The first leg terminates at its distal end in a female locking member comprising a resilient inwardly turned hook having a recess in the mouth of the hook, and the second leg member terminates in a male locking member complimentary to the female locking member and comprising a detent such that when the first and second leg members are moved from an open position to a closed position about the hinge section the hook member will deflect about the distal end of the second leg member thereby engulfing the male locking member in the mouth of the hook and matingly engaging the detent in the recess thereof, thus securely locking the clip in the closed position. The locking feature provides greater closure security to the clip when clamping large diameter or uncompressible tissue.

Abstract: A scalable power generator is described. A scalable, portable pulsed detonation engine is coupled to a turbine which drives a generator and using commonly available fuels, electric energy is provided. Additional embodiments incorporate a mechanical compressor at the intake of the pulsed detonation engine which is driven by a second turbine, the second turbine drives a shaft that powers the mechanical compressor. Other enhancements to the invention and additional embodiments are described.

Abstract: An incinerator pre-fill chamber for installation on an incinerator for burning combustible material which allows the operator to continuously re-fill the container of the incinerator with new combustible material while the contents within the container is burning. The incinerator pre-fill chamber includes an elongated case having a first opening aligned in sealing relationship with a second opening disposed in the lid of the incinerator such that when said pre-fill chamber is mounted on the incinerator lid the combustible material can pass from said pre-fill chamber through said first and second openings. The pre-fill chamber further includes a plunger with a platen, at least one side door that opens for loading the material to be burned into the pre-fill chamber, and a trap door that opens when the plunger is actuated thereby permitting the material to pass through the first opening of the pre-fill chamber.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. The inventive method comprises examining a text to be spoken to an audience for a specific communications purpose, followed by marking-up the text according to a phonetic markup systems such as the Lessac System pronunciation rules notations. A set of rules to control a speech to text generator based on speech principles, such as Lessac principles. Such rules are of the tide normally implemented on prior art text-to-speech engines, and control the operation of the software and the characteristics of the speech generated by a computer using the software. A computer is used to speak the marked-up text expressively.

Abstract: An adjustable mold for direct chill casting of metals has longitudinally movable end walls which are clamped between the mold side walls during casting. Each end wall is secured to a sliding carriage which supports the end wall and allows it to be moved along the end portions of the side walls. The sliding suspender has a clamping mechanism which applies a clamping force to one or both of the side walls, the force being transversely directed through a center of the end wall. The side walls are pivotable relative to one another to allow clamping and unclamping of the end walls. Preferably, one end of each side wall is pivotable so as to transversely displace the opposite end of the side wall, with the pivoting ends of the respective side walls preferably being opposite one another across the mold.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. Text, being made up of a plurality of words, is received into the memory of the computing device. A plurality of phonemes are derived from the text. Each of the phonemes is associated with a prosody record based on a database of prosody records associated with a plurality of words. A first set of the artificial intelligence rules is applied to determine context information associated with the text. The context influenced prosody changes for each of the phonemes is determined. Then a second set of rules, based on Lessac theory to determine Lessac derived prosody changes for each of the phonemes is applied. The prosody record for each of the phonemes is amended in response to the context influenced prosody changes and the Lessac derived prosody changes. Then a reading from the memory sound information associated with the phonemes is performed.

Abstract: A digital media access device having several sockets (13, 14, 20, 21, 22) for accessing different removable storage media such as memory cards (13), a means for allowing the user to identify the type of removable storage media and means for indicating (18, 23) which slot to use for the identified storage media. An eject button (29) is provided for ejecting from a plurality of slots. So lenoid (19) actuated shutters are also provided to prevent mis-insertion of memory cards.

Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware, core software, and the ability to support custom data processing libraries, separate from the core software. The instrument hardware acquires unprocessed measured data. The core software includes standard measurement objects and standard algorithms. The standard measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The standard algorithms are used by the standard measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. Custom libraries as supported by the core software include custom measurement objects and custom algorithms. The custom measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The custom algorithms are used by the custom measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data.

Abstract: An adjustable mold for direct chill casting of metals has longitudinally movable end walls which are clamped between the mold side walls during casting. Each end wall is secured to a sliding carriage which supports the end wall and allows it to be moved along the end portions of the side walls. The sliding suspender has a clamping mechanism which applies a clamping force to one or both of the side walls, the force being transversely directed through a center of the end wall. The side walls are pivotable relative to one another to allow clamping and unclamping of the end walls. Preferably, one end of each side wall is pivotable so as to transversely displace the opposite end of the side wall, with the pivoting ends of the respective side walls preferably being opposite one another across the mold.

Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware. A data acquisition engine schedules time sharing of the instrument hardware. Channel objects act each as a client of the data acquisition engine. The channel objects each included a channel buffer that contains data obtained from the instrument hardware. Measurement objects are each a client of one of the plurality of channel objects. Each measurement object processes data obtained from a channel buffer of a channel object to which the measurement object is a client. Display window objects are each a client of at least one of the plurality of measurement objects, each display window object displaying data processed by any measurement object to which the display window object is a client. Memory within the electronic instrument is allocated among object types to accommodate a user specified mix of object types.

Abstract: In accordance with a present invention speech recognition is disclosed. It uses a microphone to receive audible sounds input by a user into a first computing device having a program with a database consisting of (i) digital representations of known audible sounds and associated alphanumeric representations of the known audible sounds and (ii) digital representations of known audible sounds corresponding to mispronunciations resulting from known classes of mispronounced words and phrases. The method is performed by receiving the audible sounds in the form of the electrical output of the microphone. A particular audible sound to be recognized is converted into a digital representation of the audible sound. The digital representation of the particular audible sound is then compared to the digital representations of the known audible sounds to determine which of those known audible sounds is most likely to be the particular audible sound being compared to the sounds in the database.

Abstract: In accordance with a present invention speech training system is disclosed. It uses a microphone to receive audible sounds input by a user into a first computing device having a program with a database consisting of (i) digital representations of known audible sounds and associated alphanumeric representations of the known audible sounds, and (ii) digital representations of known audible sounds corresponding to mispronunciations resulting from known classes of mispronounced words and phrases. The method is performed by receiving the audible sounds in the form of the electrical output of the microphone. A particular audible sound to be recognized is converted into a digital representation of the audible sound. The digital representation of the particular audible sound is then compared to the digital representations of the known audible sounds to determine which of those known audible sounds is most likely to be the particular audible sound being compared to the sounds in the database.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. The inventive method comprises examining a text to be spoken to an audience for a specific communications purpose, followed by marking-up the text according to a phonetic markup systems such as the Lessac System pronunciation rules notations. A set of rules to control a speech to text generator based on speech principles, such as Lessac principles. Such rules are of the tide normally implemented on prior art text-to-speech engines, and control the operation of the software and the characteristics of the speech generated by a computer using the software. A computer is used to speak the marked-up text expressively.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the method for converting text to speech using a computing device having a memory is disclosed. Text, being made up of a plurality of words, is received into the memory of the computing device. A plurality of phonemes are derived from the text. Each of the phonemes is associated with a prosody record based on a database of prosody records associated with a plurality of words. A first set of the artificial intelligence rules is applied to determine context information associated with the text. The context influenced prosody changes for each of the phonemes is determined. Then a second set of rules, based on Lessac theory to determine Lessac derived prosody changes for each of the phonemes is applied. The prosody record for each of the phonemes is amended in response to the context influenced prosody changes and the Lessac derived prosody changes. Then a reading from the memory sound information associated with the phonemes is performed.

Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware, core software, and the ability to support custom data processing libraries, separate from the core software. The instrument hardware acquires unprocessed measured data. The core software includes standard measurement objects and standard algorithms. The standard measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The standard algorithms are used by the standard measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. Custom libraries as supported by the core software include custom measurement objects and custom algorithms. The custom measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The custom algorithms are used by the custom measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data.

Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware. A data acquisition engine schedules time sharing of the instrument hardware. Channel objects act each as a client of the data acquisition engine. The channel objects each included a channel buffer that contains data obtained from the instrument hardware. Measurement objects are each a client of one of the plurality of channel objects. Each measurement object processes data obtained from a channel buffer of a channel object to which the measurement object is a client. Display window objects are each a client of at least one of the plurality of measurement objects, each display window object displaying data processed by any measurement object to which the display window object is a client. Memory within the electronic instrument is allocated among object types to accommodate a user specified mix of object types.

Abstract: An interface for an electronic device includes a plurality of function keys. Each function key has a distinct color different from other function keys in the plurality of function keys. The electronic instrument also includes a display. The display displays a plurality of soft key labels. Each soft key label is associated with and has a same color as one function key from the plurality of function keys. Coloring indicates to a viewer of the display associations between soft key labels and function keys.