Abstract: Surfactants and solvents containing derivatized adducts formed from Diels-Alder reactions of terpenes and unsaturated carboxylic acids or their derivatives are disclosed. Processes for making and derivatizing the Diels-Alder adducts are also disclosed.

Abstract: A femoral implant (10) comprises a distal end and a proximal end. A stem (12) is provided at the distal end of the implant (10) and comprises a rounded tip (16) for insertion into a femur, in use, and a body (18) of generally tapering form extending in a distal direction from a base to the tip (16). A femoral head (14) is provided at the proximal end of the implant (10) and extends from the base (20) of the stem (12). The body (18) of the stem (12) includes a plurality of discrete steps (22, 24, 26, 28, 30), located between the tip (16) and the base (20), and the steps (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) are concentrated more towards the base (20) of the stem (12) than towards the tip (16).

Abstract: The invention provides a device for extracting energy from a liquid flow. The device has a housing with one or more entry ports through which liquid flow can enter the housing and multiple exit ports through which liquid flow can leave the housing. An air compression chamber is provided along with multiple valve members which are operable to regulate flow of the liquid through the multiple exit ports. The exit ports are arranged in an array inclined in the direction of liquid flow and the valve members are operable to close the exit ports downstream of the liquid flow consecutively as the liquid flow is incident on each exit port, which progressively diverts flow of the liquid towards the air compression chamber and compresses air in the air compression chamber, and to open the exit ports on a return flow of liquid from the air compression chamber.

Abstract: A host device for use with a removable peripheral apparatus having a microphone, and to the biasing circuitry for said microphone. The host device may have a device connector for forming a mating connection with a respective peripheral connector. A source of bias is arranged to supply an electrical bias to a device microphone contact of the device connector via a biasing path. A capacitor is connected between a reference voltage node and a capacitor node of the biasing path. A first switch is located between the capacitor node and the device microphone contact. Detection circuitry detects disconnection of the peripheral connector and device connector; and control circuitry controls the switch to disable the biasing path.

Abstract: This invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising of lithium as an active ingredient, to decrease intracellular calcium ion concentrations, and a beta-secretase inhibitor as an active ingredient, to reduce beta-secretase activity; for the treatment and prevention of disease, including disease characterized by the abnormal cleavage of amyloid precursor protein.

Abstract: A femoral implant for fitting to a resected femur comprises a section having a frustoconical external form, a stem part extending away from the section to a distal end of the implant, and a femoral head extending directly away from the section to the proximal end of the implant. The implant could have the femoral head integral with the section, or as a separate component secured thereto, with the stem being a separate one piece component incorporating the section.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming a polymer component and comprises blending polymer particles with antioxidant to form a mixture in which the antioxidant coats the polymer particles, irradiating the polymer particles to cross-link the polymer particles therein and forming the irradiated mixture into a consolidated component. The invention also relates to a method of forming an articular surface for a prosthesis and a prosthesis having a polymer articular bearing surface wherein at least one pre-determined portion of the bearing surface is provided with cross-linked polymer bonds.

Abstract: A femoral head prosthesis (110) comprises an articulating surface (112) which is more than hemi-spherical; an internal recess (114) having a longitudinal axis defining a pole P of the articulating surface (112), the longitudinal axis passing through the centre of curvature of the articulating surface (112); a first edge (116) which constitutes a posterior edge in use, and a second edge (118) which constitutes an anterior edge and/or an antero-inferior edge in use. The first edge (116) is further from the pole P than the second edge (118). Also provided is a femoral prosthesis comprising a femoral head, and a femoral implant comprising a femoral stem and a femoral head. The prostheses and implants of the invention find use in total hip replacements.

Abstract: An implant stem (1, 2) for implantation in a femur, comprising: a base portion (3) disposed at the proximal end (4) of the stem and a stem portion (5) extending to the distal end (6) of the stem, wherein the base portion (3) has an engagement means (7) for engaging, in use, with the resected end of the femur. An implant comprising such a stem (1, 2) and a head. A method for implanting such implants in a femur.

Abstract: An impact resistant bumper device that is elongated along a longitudinal axis and mountable on a mounting member, the device having a cross-section having an open undersurface configuration comprising: a first layer of a first polymer material; a second layer of a second polymer material; a third layer of a third polymer material; wherein the first polymer material has been melted at least once prior to the extrusion cycle, the second polymer material is first melted during the extrusion cycle and the third polymer material is first melted during the extrusion cycle.

Abstract: A method of forming a plurality of polymeric components comprises the steps of: providing an array of preforms (10), each preform (10) comprising crosslinked polymeric material; providing non-crosslinked polymeric material (28) around at least a portion of each preform (10); fusing the array of preforms (10) to the non-crosslinked polymeric material (28) so as to form a plurality of hybrid components; removing a portion of each preform (10) so as to deposit a crosslinked surface layer on the non-crosslinked polymeric material (28); and fashioning the hybrid components into the plurality of polymeric components. The polymeric components may constitute the whole or a part of a prosthesis, such as an acetabular cup prosthesis for use in hip resurfacing.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a capacitive transducer, for example a MEMS microphone. A first voltage generator is connected to receive a first voltage (VDD*) and generate a second voltage (VCP) for biasing the capacitive transducer. A control circuit is adapted to, in use, control the first voltage (VDD*) based on a calibration value, wherein a different calibration value would lead to a different first voltage level and the calibration value is set such that an input signal of known amplitude produces an output signal of predetermined amplitude.

Abstract: A bumper mounting plate secures auxiliary lamps to an upper surface of a vehicle bumper. The bumper mounted plate assembly including a plate adapted to be secured to a bumper of a vehicle, a plurality of mounting holes placed on the back side of the plate, a plurality of orifices placed on the front side of the plate, the orifices are adapted to secure at least one auxiliary lamp to the plate, a first set of fastening devices to secure the plate to the bumper, and a second set of fastening devices to secure the auxiliary lamp to the plate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for control of DC-DC converters, especially in valley current mode. The DC-DC converter is operable so that a low side supply switch may be turned off, before the high side supply switch is turned on. During the period when both switches are off the current loop control remains active and the change in inductor (L) current is emulated. One embodiment uses a current sensor for lossless current sensing and emulates the change in inductor current by holding the value of the output of the current sensor (ISNS) at the time that the low side switch turns off and adding an emulated ramp signal (VISLP) until the inductor current reaches zero. Embodiment employing a pulse-skip mode of operation based on a minimum conduction time are also disclosed. The invention enables a seamless transition from Continuous Conduction Mode the Discontinuous Conduction Mode and Pulse Skipping and provide converters that are efficient at low current loads.

Abstract: This invention related to a method of forming a polymer component and comprises blending polymer particles with antioxidant to form a mixture in which the antioxidant coats the polymer particles, irradiating the polymer particles to cross-link the polymer particles therein and forming the irradiated mixture into a consolidated component. The invention also relates to a method of forming an articular surface for a prosthesis and a prosthesis having a polymer articular bearing surface wherein at least one predetermined portion of the bearing surface is provided with cross-linked polymer bonds.

Abstract: This invention related to a method of forming a polymer component and comprises blending polymer particles with antioxidant to form a mixture in which the antioxidant coats the polymer particles, irradiating the polymer particles to cross-link the polymer particles therein and forming the irradiated mixture into a consolidated component. The invention also relates to a method of forming an articular surface for a prosthesis and a prosthesis having a polymer articular bearing surface wherein at least one predetermined portion of the bearing surface is provided with cross-linked polymer bonds.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for control of DC-DC converters, especially in valley current mode. The DC-DC converter is operable so that a low side supply switch may be turned off, before the high side supply switch is turned on. During the period when both switches are off the current loop control remains active and the change in inductor (L) current is emulated. One embodiment uses a current sensor for lossless current sensing and emulates the change in inductor current by holding the value of the output of the current sensor (ISNS) at the time that the low side switch turns off and adding an emulated ramp signal (VISLP) until the inductor current reaches zero. Embodiment employing a pulse-skip mode of operation based on a minimum conduction time are also disclosed. The invention enables a seamless transition from Continuous Conduction Mode the Discontinuous Conduction Mode and Pulse Skipping and provide converters that are efficient at low current loads.

Abstract: A device (10) for arranging a plurality of individuals into a desired order. The device includes a floor plan (14) having a plurality of separately identifiable markings (16) thereon indicating an intended location for each individual on the floor plan (14).

Abstract: A method of generating a voltage supply (Vout+, Vout?) from a single input supply (+VDD), comprising connecting at least one flying capacitor (Cf) to at least one reservoir capacitor (CR1, CR2) and to the input supply in repeated cycles so as to generate a voltage on said reservoir capacitor, the cycles differing between at least two modes so that each mode generates a different voltage on said reservoir capacitor the method including changing from an existing one of said modes to enter a new one of said modes during operation, and operating in at least one transitional mode for a period prior to entering fully said new mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prosthesis comprising a first component (10) and a second component (60), wherein the first and second components have respective inter-engaging parts (24,64) and wherein at least one of the first or second components comprises an anti-rotational element (32,66) configured to resist rotational movement between the inter-engaging parts and wherein the inter-engaging parts share an axis of rotation such that they are engageable in a plurality of relatively rotated positions and wherein the axis of rotation of the inter-engaging part of one of the first or second components is parallel to but offset from a central axis of said first or second component.