Abstract: An apparatus is provided for quantitatively measuring groups of magnetic particles. The particles are complexed with substances to be determined and are excited in a magnetic field. The magnetizations of the magnetic particles are thereby caused to oscillate at the excitation frequency in the manner of a dipole to create their own fields. These fields are inductively coupled to at least one sensor such as sensing coils fabricated in a gradiometer configuration. The output signals from the sensing coils are appropriately amplified and processed to provide useful output indications.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for quantitatively measuring groups of magnetic particles. The particles are complexed with substances to be determined and are excited in a magnetic field. The magnetizations of the magnetic particles are thereby caused to oscillate at the excitation frequency in the manner of a dipole to create their own fields. These fields are inductively coupled to at least one sensor such as sensing coils fabricated in a gradiometer configuration. The output signals from the sensing coils are appropriately amplified and processed to provide useful output indications.

Abstract: A dose display for a medicine administration device in which rotation of a dose setting actuator (22) is transmitted to a display means comprises a flexible disc (23) carrying numbers in a band along its perimeter, which numbers are in accordance with the set dose presented in a window in a wall of the device to show said dose. During its rotation the disc (23) is deflected to follow an inner contour of the device to attain a cylindrical shape having a generatrix extending in the axial direction of the injection device and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the disc.

Abstract: A library is composed of viral vectors in which each of the vectors (a) involves a peptide expression cassette containing a random nucleotide sequence, (b) transduces a eukaryotic cell to allow expression of the random nucleotide sequence, and (c) is produced by (i) conventional random oligonucleotide synthesis or (ii) random codon synthesis where codons encode an even distribution of random amino acids.

Abstract: A secure commerce server system and method. A secure commerce server system includes a plurality of regions or burbs, including an internal burb and an external burb, a commerce server and an administration server. Processes and data objects associated with the administration server are bound to the internal burb. Processes and data objects associated with the commerce server are bound to the external burb. Processes bound to one burb cannot communicate directly to processes and data objects bound to other burbs. The administration server cannot be manipulated by a process bound to the external burb.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stir-frying discrete pieces or particles of one or more foodstuffs by heating a surface (14) and bringing discrete pieces into contact with the heated surface through an inlet means (22), transporting said discrete pieces across the heated surface (14) by means of a mechanically driven stirring means and scraping means in the form of a helix (4), the discrete pieces being stirred such that the orientation of same with respect to the heated surface (14) is altered such that the various surface portions of the discrete pieces are brought into heat conducting contact with the heated surface (14), at the same time scraping the heated surface (14) by means of the rim of the helix or by means of special scraping and stirring elements (27) arranged along the rim of the helix such that the entire area of the heated surface contacted by the discrete pieces is scraped mechanically so as to remove any layer of material originating from the foodstuffs and adhering to the heated surface (14) and

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently removing grain from a grain storage device, which uses a plurality of augers. An unloading auger is used to begin removal of grain from a grain storage device. As the amount of grain decreases, a proximity sensor sends an activation signal to a cross auger that rests horizontally on the bottom of the grain storage device. The cross auger will pull the remaining grain to the entry point of an unloading auger. The unloading auger then removes the grain from the grain storage device.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for producing personalized web site content to be presented to a user of a content provider web site based upon information gathered regarding the user. The system operates by receiving data sent from a remote browser to a personalization server. This data is sent by a web page on the remote browser and includes an identifier for the user. This web page was previously sent from the content provider web site to the remote browser while the remote browser was navigating through the content provider web site. The personalization server uses the identifier to look up information related to the user in a database associated with the personalization server. This information is used to produce personalized web site content for the user based upon the interests of the user. For example, personalized web site content can include hypertext markup language (HTML) code, images or navigational options to other web locations.

Abstract: In a loading platform system for mounting on a vehicle, especially a truck provided with a loading platform mounted to the vehicle by a lift support structure which is operated by a lift actuator for lifting and lowering loads onto, and from, a vehicle loading bed by way of the loading platform, means are provided for locking the loading platform in its raised position in which its surface is in planar alignment with the vehicle loading bed, thereby preventing exposure of the lift actuator to the stresses generated by heavy loads disposed on the loading platform during loading and unloading of the vehicle.

Abstract: Dry homogenized metal hydrides, in particular aluminum hydride compounds, as a material for reversible hydrogen storage is provided. The reversible hydrogen storage material comprises a dry homogenized material having transition metal catalytic sites on a metal aluminum hydride compound, or mixtures of metal aluminum hydride compounds. A method of making such reversible hydrogen storage materials by dry doping is also provided and comprises the steps of dry homogenizing metal hydrides by mechanical mixing, such as be crushing or ball milling a powder, of a metal aluminum hydride with a transition metal catalyst. In anotehr aspect of the invention, a method of powering a vehicle apparatus with the reversible hydrogen storage material is provided.

Abstract: A carriage body for a vehicle is described. It is possible to perform a displacement of a frame element (8) with respect to the outlook through windows (5) from each seat (14) in a train coach. Thus, the frame elements (8) are fastened to the cover plates (3, 4) of the coach above and below the window (5) via grooves (11) in which there are provided connecting means (13) sliding in the grooves (11). Hereby the frame elements (8) may be displaced longitudinally relative to the coach.

Abstract: A piston or plunger is made by passing an annular sealing member blank around a piston body and by moving it towards a central outer cylindrical surface part of the piston body defined between first and second circular edges. The sealing member blank is deformed into tight engagement with the central outer cylindrical surface part and into grooves or depressions formed therein. In this manner, a tubular sealing member, which extends axially along the central outer surface part, and which has opposite first and second ends extending beyond the first and second circular edges, respectively, is formed. Thereby both of these opposite end portions of the tubular sealing member may function as sealing lips.

Abstract: A fuel filter comprises a filter head having an inlet and an outlet. A filter element is connectable to a nipple portion in the filter head. An actuating projection supported by the element is engageable with a valve element in the nipple portion to open flow through the nipple portion when the filter element is attached to the filter head. The filter head includes an annular threaded peripheral flange, and the element includes a corresponding annular threaded peripheral flange which together cooperate to secure the element to the head. A manual priming pump in the filter head includes a pair of check valves to control the flow of fluid through the head when priming the filter. A heater assembly includes a heater pan which encloses the heater elements and also includes the nipple portion, formed unitary therewith.

Abstract: Ultra-high throughput systems and methods are used for sampling large numbers of different materials from surfaces of substantially planar library storage components. The systems and methods typically employ: microfluidic devices having integrated capillary elements for carrying out the analysis of the sampled materials; library storage components, e.g., planar solid substrates, capable of retaining thousands, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of different materials in small areas; sensing systems for allowing rapid and accurate sampling of the materials by the microfluidic devices, and associated instrumentation for control and analysis of the overall operation of these systems.

Abstract: In a control unit for the manually operable control of the lifting and lowering and/or upward tilting in a vertical position and the back-tilting of a loading platform of a loading platform system, which can be mounted on vehicles, particularly trucks, and which includes an electromechanical and/or electronic control circuit, a first light for characterizing an operating condition of the loading platform system is provided, wherein the control circuit is so designed, that, if after initiation of the operation of the loading platform system, the first light lights up, the supply voltage of the loading platform system is indicated to be at least sufficiently high for proper operation of the loading platform system.

Abstract: The method serves the commutation of an electrically commutated brushless, polyphase permanent magnet motor. The commutation angle, i.e. the angle from the zero crossing of the BEMF signal up to the reapplication of the voltage to the same winding is determined by the angle which results when the winding phase current has reached zero until the zero crossing of the BEMF signal.

Abstract: A highly damped kinematic coupling for precision instruments. The kinematic coupling provides support while causing essentially no influence to its nature shape, with such influences coming, for example, from manufacturing tolerances, temperature changes, or ground motion. The coupling uses three ball-cone constraints, each combined with a released flexural degree of freedom. This arrangement enables a gain of higher load capacity and stiffness, but can also significantly reduce the friction level in proportion to the ball radius divided by the distance between the ball and the hinge axis. The blade flexures reduces somewhat the stiffness of the coupling and provides an ideal location to apply constrained-layer damping which is accomplished by attaching a viscoelastic layer and a constraining layer on opposite sides of each of the blade flexures.

Abstract: A secure commerce server system and method. A secure commerce server system includes a plurality of regions or burbs, including an internal burb and an external burb, a commerce server and an administration server. Processes and data objects associated with the administration server are bound to the internal burb. Processes and data objects associated with the commerce server are bound to the external burb. Processes bound to one burb cannot communicate directly to processes and data objects bound to other burbs. The administration server cannot be manipulated by a process bound to the external burb.

Abstract: A polishing pad is made by a piezoelectric delivery system, and a method of making the pad includes, building successive layers of droplets of material one layer on another layer by dispensing the material in fluid phase as droplets arranged in a droplet pattern, and solidifying the droplets in the droplet pattern to provide the polishing surface with a surface texture having recesses bounded by the droplets in the droplet pattern.

Abstract: A dietary fiber product obtained from the Indian mulberry (Morinda citrifolia) plant and the process of extracting and purifying the fiber is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the Indian mulberry pulp is washed and separated from the juice by filtration. The wet pulp is pasteurized. The wet pulp can be further processed by drying. A high fiber products can be prepared by mixing the pulp with ingredients, such as supplemental dietary fiber, water, sweeteners, flavoring agents, coloring agents, and nutritional ingredients.