Abstract: Guidance provision to the creation of an electronic design is facilitated through a method that includes facilitating interactive exploration of the electronic design by a designer to aid the designer in formulating his/her guidance, and facilitating the designer in interactively providing the formulated guidance. In one embodiment, facilitation of interactive exploration by the designer include facilitating interactive cross-probing into a number of issues about the design, including generated candidate architectures for the design. In one embodiment, the issues available for cross probing include inter-dependencies of data and mobility of operations of the design, as well as occupation of hardware resources for the generated candidate architectures. In one embodiment, Gantt diagrams are employed to facilitate navigation by the designer in performing the interactive cross probing. Gantt diagrams graphically representing the generated candidate architectures are selectively presented to the designer.

Abstract: A complex of a radiometal or paramagnetic metal ion with a metal chelating agent such as a diaminedioxime has attached thereto a substituent of formula (Y)m-A-NHR)k can function as a substrate for the fibrin-stabilizing Factor XIIIa. The complex is useful for the diagnosis or therapy of thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerosis, inflammation or cancer.

Abstract: A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for analyzing the concentration of an analyte in a sample and to automatic analyzing apparatus. The invention will be described herein with particular reference to a method and apparatus for measuring the concentration of glucose or other analytes in blood but is not limited to that use.

Abstract: A method of forming a masking pattern on a surface using the technique of droplet ejection to deposit droplets of deposition material, said method comprising depositing a plurality of droplets on said surface to form such a pattern comprising multiple discrete or coalesced extended portions.

Abstract: In a laser shock peening process, the shape of the spot 26 generated by the laser beam 4 is changed on the fly. This is achieved, for example, by a masking device 30 which is movable into and out of the path of the laser beam 4. Laser shock peening spots 24 can consequently be shaped so as to avoid the spots overlapping an edge of the workpiece, or any other feature which may be damaged by the laser energy.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatuses are described in which an arbitration controller cooperates with arbitration logic. The arbitration controller has a plurality of inputs that receive one or more transactions from a plurality of blocks of functionality. The arbitration controller arbitrates requests for access to a shared resource amongst the plurality of blocks of functionality by implementing an arbitration policy. The arbitration policy groups the transactions from the plurality of blocks of functionality into global groups of transactions for servicing by that shared resource. All of the transactions in a first global group are serviced by that shared resource prior to servicing transactions in a next global group of transactions. The arbitration logic facilitates the arbitration policy. The arbitration logic includes cascaded arbitration units that hierarchically arbitrate for the shared resource.

Abstract: A biosensor for use in determining a concentration of a component in an aqueous liquid sample is provided including: an electrochemical cell having a first electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, a second electrically resistive substrate having a thin layer of electrically conductive material, the substrates being disposed with the electrically conductive materials facing each other and being separated by a sheet including an aperture, the wall of which aperture defines a cell wall and a sample introduction aperture whereby the aqueous liquid sample may be introduced into the cell; and a measuring circuit.

Abstract: Der-f and/or Der-p dust mite allergens are deactivated by an amount of one or more of the following deactivants: i) cedarwood oil, ii) hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, iii) aluminium chlorohydrate, iv) 1-propoxy-propanol-2, v) polyquaternium-10 vi) silica gel, vii) propylene glycol alginate, viii) ammonium sulphate, ix) hinokitiol, x) L-ascorbic acid, xi) immobilised tannic acid, xii) chlorohexidine, xiii) maleic anhydride, xiv) hinoki oil, xv) a composite of AgCl and TiO2, xvi) diazolidinyl urea, xvii) 6-isopropyl-m-cresol, xviii) a compound of formula I xix) the compound of formula II xx) a polymeric dialdehyde containing two or more of a recurring unit of the formula III where n=2 to 200, xxi) urea, xxii) cyclodextrin, xxiii) hydrogenated hop oil, xxiv) polyvinylpyrrolidone, xxv) N-methylpyrrolidone, xxvi) the sodium salt of anthraquinone, xxvii) potassium thioglycolate, and xxviii) glutaraldehyde.

Abstract: A complex of a radiometal or paramagnetic metal ion with a metal chelating agent such as a diaminedioxime has attached thereto a substituent of formula (Y)m—A—NHR)k can function as a substrate for the fibrin-stabilizing Factor XIIIa. The complex is useful for the diagnosis or therapy of thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerosis, inflammation or cancer.

Abstract: A novel mismatched-shaping DAC architecture is described. The inventive DAC partially spectrally shapes data conversion errors. In accordance with the present invention, the DAC mismatch-shaping function is fully effective for input signal amplitude levels that are relatively low (i.e., close to mid-scale), however, the mismatch-shaping function is not fully effective for input signal amplitude levels that are relatively high. This results in the simplification in complexity, reduced power dissipation, and shortened propagation delays associated with the mismatch-shaping DAC digital logic circuitry. Exemplary delta-sigma ADC and DAC architectures adapted for use with the present inventive partial mismatch-shaping DAC are also described.

Abstract: A complex of a radiometal or paramagnetic metal ion with a metal chelating agent such as a diaminedioxime has attached thereto a substituent of formula —(Y)m—A—NHR, can function as a substrate for the fibrin-stabilizing Factor XIIIa. The complex is useful for the diagnosis or therapy of thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerosis, inflammation or cancer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (20) for extruding fibre cement. The extruder comprises a casing (30) with a pair of inter-meshing self-wiping screws (40) rotatably mounted therein. The screws continuously mix and or knead the components of the fibre cement provided through various feed means (61, 62) to form a substantially homogeneous paste and force the paste through a die (50) to form a green cementitious extrudate suitable for curing.

Abstract: Material and method for promoting the re-growth of the CNS in mammals, including humans. This involves ligating a peripheral nerve, then excising the resulting material distal to the point of ligation (6) after a substantial delay. The nerve material (7), which is rich in vivo activated glial cells, is then finely minced (5) and in combination with a support matrix, and/or other nerve growth promoting materials (3), inserted into the spinal cord injury cavity (2) via syringe (4) so as to promote growth of the corticospinal tract axons (8) in the CNS (1).

Abstract: An improved web page in which a hyperlink object on the web page is linked to a search engine which will search all or any specified web pages to identify those in which that object occurs, or which contains subject matter relevant to that object and these can then be displayed to a user. This allows the user to identify a plurality of relevant web pages which might be of interest rather than being directed only to one specific page, as with a conventional hyperlink.

Abstract: A combined insect repellent and sunscreen composition is disclosed including 3-9 % by weight in total of at least two emulsifiers, based on the total weight of the composition. The composition preferably comprises titanium dioxide as the inorganic compound and N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide and dipropyl pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate as insect repellents. A method of manufacturing a sunscreen composition is also disclosed. The composition including one or more insect repellents and one or more sunscreening agents, is the form of an emulsion having an oil phase and a water phase and is manufactured by preparing the oil phase and the water phase and combining to form an emulsion prior to the addition of at least one inorganic compound used as a sunscreening agent.

Abstract: A cooling head for attachment to a skin treatment laser has a metal body with a mount at one end for attachment to a laser head to secure the metal body to the head. A cooling surface at the other end is for application to a patient's skin and has an aperture therethrough. A bore extends from the mount through the body to the aperture in the cooling surface to allow a laser beam to be passed therethrough to a treatment area of the patient's skin. An extraction port enables removal of debris from the treatment area and for connection to a vacuum source. An optically transparent window is disposed in the body to allow the treatment area to be viewed. A cooling means (liquid flow heat exchanger, Peltier device) enables heat removal from the body in use in order to cool the cooling surface. A method of skin treatment employs the cooling head to cool the area surrounding the treatment area to reduce pain and protect the skin of the patient.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a thin layer electrochemical cell (FIGS. 12, 14) comprising the steps of: forming an aperture (11) extending through a sheet (1) of electrically resistive material, said aperture defining a side wall of the cell, mounting a first thin electrode layer (13) to one side of the sheet and extending over aperture (11) whereby to define a cell first end wall, mounting a second thin electrode layer (13) to the other side of the sheet and extending over aperture (11) whereby to define a second cell end wall in substantial overlying registration with the first electrode, and providing means (16) for admission of a liquid into the cell.

Abstract: A self-adjusting furniture foot assembly has an upper member slidably engaged with a lower member. Between the upper and lower members, a biasing member urges the two apart while a dampening member resists acceleration of the second member toward the first member. Consequently, the foot assembly can slowly compensate to an uneven support surface for an item of furniture, and can quickly reset itself when the furniture is lifted.

Abstract: A portable diagnostic system for testing gas pressure reduction equipment includes a computer arrangement 16 interfaced to an electro-pneumatic test unit 12 which provides test pressures for and receives information on displacement from the pressure reduction equipment. Unit 12 includes a number of valves including three solenoid on/off valves, a needle valve and an on/off ball valve. The position of the valve member of the needle valve is sensed by a position transducer. Displacement transducers 40 and 42 connected to the reduction equipment sense slamshut valve and regulator displacements pressure transducer 44 and a differential pressure transducer 102 are each connected to the equipment. Signals from the transducers are fed to a data acquisition system 210 which also drives the solenoid valves and the needle and ball valves, all under the control of the PC16 to give an indication for example of how far the valves are open in the regulating equipment (ie from the valve seat).