Abstract: An apparatus includes a drain having an opening, the opening having an outboard edge, a cover having an underside having a portion including a downwardly extending curved section and an outer edge, wherein the portion extends a first distance beyond the outboard edge and wherein cover extends a second distance above the drain such that a ratio of the second distance to the first distance is about 1 or less and such that splash and aerosolization from under the cover beyond the cover is minimized.

Abstract: Contact lens curing systems and methods are described. A contact lens curing system includes an oven that has a plurality of curing zones a mold advancement system for moving the contact lens mold assemblies between the plurality of zones and a controlled atmosphere within the curing zones that provides a substantially chemically inert environment in which contact lens precursor materials can be polymerized in contact lens mold assemblies located in the curing zones. Methods of producing contact lenses include curing contact lens precursor materials in contact lens mold assemblies in the lens curing system.

Abstract: A system adapted to monitor adverse drug reactions in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy which comprises a patient-based data terminal 3 such as a mobile telephone adapted to provide for periodic entry by the patient of data on a plurality of predetermined adverse reactions. The data is processed for display to the patient and for transmission to a remove server 7. The data is also processed to generate red or amber alerts which may be displayed to the patient and sent by the server 7 to a pager 13 held by the healthcare professional. The server 7 processes the received data for display and review via a secure web page. Alerts may be of different levels of urgency with urgent alerts being sent immediately to the pager 13, but less urgent alerts being sent in batches at regular intervals.

Abstract: A portable biometric lighter device (100) generally involving a control unit (210), a biometric sensor, such as a fingerprint sensor (140), wherein the biometric sensor is configured to scan a biometric data of a user and is operably coupled to the control unit (210), and an ignition element, wherein the ignition element is activated by the control unit (210) upon a match of the scanned biometric data of the user and a biometric data of an authorized user that is stored in a memory device.

Abstract: Contact lens curing systems and methods are described. A contact lens curing system includes an oven that has a plurality of curing zones a mold advancement system for moving the contact lens mold assemblies between the plurality of zones and a controlled atmosphere within the curing zones that provides a substantially chemically inert environment in which contact lens precursor materials can be polymerized in contact lens mold assemblies located in the curing zones. Methods of producing contact lenses include curing contact lens precursor materials in contact lens mold assemblies in the lens curing system.

Abstract: A combination chair and leg extension apparatus is provided. The apparatus uses a pneumatic source of resistence to provide a stowable flexor for the leg muscles which remains connected to the chair. Variations of the combination also provide for a combination desk, chair and leg extension apparatus, and a combination office chair and leg extension apparatus. The invention is to assist in prevention of obesity, particularly in children.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for treating wastewater that utilizes membrane processes, preferably in combination with anaerobic biological treatment, to provide for economical and environmentally superior treatment without high production of biological solids. The process eliminates the need for conventional secondary treatment processes.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides encoding polypeptides active in lignin, fructan and tannin biosynthetic pathways are provided, together with expression vectors and host cells comprising such isolated polynucleotides. Methods for the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: The anoxic biological reduction system and method for treating wastewater may be an anoxic biological reduction element disposed in a membrane anaerobic stabilization system. The wastewater may be treated to produce an effluent suitable for membrane filtration with the treating incorporating processes substantially free of aerobic biological treatment. The effluent may be filtered through a membrane element selected from the group consisting of a microfiltration system and an ultrafiltration system or a combination thereof. The membrane effluent may then be treated in an anoxic biological reduction element to produce a process effluent stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds that possess inhibitory activity against PDE-3 and L-type calcium channels. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using such compounds for treating cardiovascular disease, stroke, epilepsy, ophthalmic disorder or migraine.

Abstract: A guided underwater object (GUO) (100) comprises steering means, an on-board guidance system (200) for controlling the steering means, and a hydrophone unit or units (104A, 104B, 104C, 104D, 104E, 104F, 104G, 104H) arranged to pass signals induced therein by an acoustic guiding beam to the on-board guidance system to effect directional control of the self-propelled underwater object. The GUO is guided by a remote guidance system characterized by a plurality of transmitter arrays (402A, 402B, 402C, 402D; 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D; 422P, 422Q, 422R) arranged to transmit a plurality of contiguous acoustic beams (302A, 302B, 302C, 302D) each having a different frequency or frequency chirp (or other acoustic signal coding) and enclosing a guidance corridor of lower sound level (‘null’) (304) extending approximately in the direction of propagation of the acoustic beams and defining a flight path of the object.

Abstract: A combination chair and leg extension apparatus is provided. The apparatus uses a pneumatic source of resistence to provide a stowable flexor for the leg muscles which remains connected to the chair. Variations of the combination also provide for a combination desk, chair and leg extension apparatus, and a combination office chair and leg extension apparatus. The invention is to assist in prevention of obesity, particularly in children.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel nonpolymeric compounds and compositions that form liquid, high viscosity materials suitable for the delivery of biologically active substances in a controlled fashion, and for use as medical or surgical devices. The materials can optionally be diluted with a solvent to form a material of lower viscosity, rendering the material easy to administer. This solvent may be water insoluble or water soluble, where the water soluble solvent rapidly diffuses or migrates away from the material in vivo, leaving a higher viscosity liquid material.

Abstract: Polymeric devices for controlled release of an active agent of interest are provided. The active agent is provided within a biodegradable polymer system to supply a polymeric device for controlled release of the active agent. The polymer system is a copolymer or a polymer blend comprising a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component, and the polymer system does not form a hydrogel when contacted with, or immersed in an aqueous system, for example when the device is implanted in a subject. When the device is administered to a subject, for example, when it is implanted, the device releases the active agent in a controlled fashion without a lag period, or with a minimal lag period. Methods for producing the polymeric devices are also provided, as are methods of using the polymeric devices to provide for controlled release of an active agent in a subject.

Abstract: Methods and systems for collecting, managing, distributing and updating geophysical data primarily for E&P companies include in one embodiment the sale of subscriptions entitling paid subscribers access to all subscribed data including both preview and full data. Initial and subsequent data providers are preferably compensated from subscriber fees and may be compensated based on relative subscriber use of data. Data subscriptions can include for subscribers the right to vote or otherwise provide input relating to desired data updates. Data updates are preferably purchased based on competitive bids. The inventive systems and methods diminish much of the risk and uncertainty associated with the collection, management, distribution and updating of geophysical data under current methodologies, making the process more efficient and cost-effective for participating parties.

Abstract: A lace-trapping device is provided that comprises a strip of material that has a closure means. It is either attachable to the laces of a piece of footwear or built into the footwear at a point well below the top of the laces where they are tied so the device does not interfere with tying the laces. It is capable of closing over the lace ends after the laces are tied. Laces are threaded through a hole in the flexible material and then through the footwear eyelets at the low point of the laces. Hook and loop fasteners on overlapping strips, or flexible interlocking tensioned arms, two overlapping parts of a tension ring with mating teeth, or a pronged snap fastener secure the device to lock in the tied ends of the lacing.

Abstract: The invention concerns methods and compositions related to the use of a retinoid for the treatment of nodulocystic acne.

Abstract: Methods including orally administering retinoid components to a human or animal having nodulocystic acne to provide substantial reduction in nodulocystic acne in the human or animal and relatively little or substantially no reduction in sebum secretion in the human or animal relative to employing a reference retinoid agent, for example, a pan active retinoid agent, in an orally administering step using an amount of the reference retinoid agent to provide the same reduction in nodulocystic acne.

Abstract: Systems and methods for scanning a beam of light over a specimen are provided. A system may include a pre-scan acousto-optical deflector (AOD) configured to deflect a beam of light, a second AOD configured as a traveling lens to focus the scanning beam, a relay lens, and an objective lens. The relay lens may be centered on the scan line produced by the second AOD, while the objective lens may be substantially de-centered with respect to the relay lens to produce a telecentric scanning spot with no field tilt. The system may modulate the amplitude of the sound wave in the first AOD to compensate for attenuation in the second AOD. The system may pre-fill one chirp packet in the second AOD while another chirp packet is scanning to substantially reduce a delay between consecutive scans.

Abstract: A method that enables multiple viewers to view one of several video streams simultaneously displayed on a single video display (or movie projection screen). Viewers can only view with shutter viewing glasses synchronized to the video stream they are viewing. This method also permits 3D viewing without modification of the video broadcast, video receiver technologies and minimal adaptation of existing 2D camera equipment. This method can also limit viewing access to permitted granted viewers only in the presence of non-granted viewers for security or privacy by encrypting the frame rate and generating masking video.