Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for obtaining endoluminal access. An elongate body is configured for insertion within a body lumen, conduit, organ, orifice, passageway or cavity, the elongate body having a working axis and a distal region, and an articulating element disposed near the distal region, the articulating element configured to articulate off-axis from the working axis of the elongate body. The elongate may achieve access in an endoluminal or a laparoscopic fashion. Methods of using the apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system that provides visual, production level, high-performance, integrated and automatic data integrity verification in a Web-based, e-business or other similar application, using a middleware application server. Asynchronous messaging is utilized to achieve real-time data verification. When data is read and updated by the application running in the application server, a message containing certain aspects of the data is published to a data auditor “queue” in the message server. Publishing the data is an asynchronous and high-performance operation and thus does not significantly slow down the operation being performed by the application server. The message is delivered to the message server and control immediately returns to the application to continue processing. Concurrently, the auditor checks the values resulting from the transaction and determines if the transactions have been recorded accurately.

Abstract: A fluid controlled device is adapted for disposition in a body conduit where it controls the flow of body fluids within the conduit. A sleeve is provided with a wall of separation having a first surface which defines a flow passage facilitating the flow of body fluids, and a second surface which defines an exclusion chamber sealed from the flow passage. Various dilators have properties for moving the seal between a low-profile state facilitating insertion of the device, any high-profile state defining the flow passage and exclusion chamber. The dilator may be skeletal, inflatable, and/or porous. An associated method includes the step of dilating a dilation assembly to move a wall from a low profile, insertible state, to a high-profile wherein the wall defines a flow passage and an exclusion cavity.

Abstract: A holographic shrink wrap element containing a shrink wrap film and a layer on the shrink wrap film, wherein the layer contains a holographic image. A process for preparing a holographic shrink wrap element includes providing, in the following order, a holographic polymer film having a holographic surface, a layer on the holographic surface and a shrink wrap film, and removing the holographic polymer film, leaving the holographic image on the layer.

Abstract: A restraining system for hollow fibres is provided. The restraining system includes a plurality of longitudinally extending elements spaced from one another and supported by a number of discrete spacer elements, each spacer element extending generally transverse of said longitudinal elements, such that in combination with said longitudinal elements they define a cage-like structure.

Abstract: A membrane filtration manifold for connecting a filter submodule including one or more elongate bundles of semipermeable polymeric fibers is provided. The manifold includes a housing and connecting collar connected with said housing. The collar is adapted to receive and locate the submodule, where the submodule has a connecting sleeve with a locking formation. The submodule can be secured at one end to the collar by a clip adapted to engage both the collar and the locking formation to prevent axial withdrawal of the submodule from the collar. Also disclosed is a membrane filtration apparatus including a filter submodule including one or more elongate bundles of semipermeable polymeric fibers. The apparatus further includes a membrane filtration manifold removably connected at one end of said filter submodule and a basepiece removably connected to the other end of said filter submodule.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an immunogenic complex comprising a charged organic carrier and a charged antigen and, more particularly, a negatively charged organic carrier and a positively charged antigen, wherein the charged antigen is a polyprotein of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), particularly the core protein of HCV, or a fragment thereof, or a fusion protein comprising the polyprotein or a fragment thereof. The complexes of the present invention are useful, inter alia, in vaccine compositions as therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents for facilitating the induction of immune responses, and in particular a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response, in the treatment of a disease condition which results from an HCV infection.

Abstract: A restraining system for hollow fibres is provided. The restraining system includes a plurality of longitudinally extending elements spaced from one another and supported by a number of discrete spacer elements, each spacer element extending generally transverse of said longitudinal elements, such that in combination with said longitudinal elements they define a cage-like structure.

Abstract: A motor control system is provided for controlling at least one motor driven mechanical actuator. The control system drives the motor according to a function of the actuator position. The system is further arranged to modify the motor speed to ensure that a predetermined power limit is not exceeded.

Abstract: A railway baseplate assembly comprising a baseplate (30), a cushioning pad (20) for lying beneath the baseplate (30), and means (10) for securing the baseplate (30) to an underlying rail foundation when the assembly is in use, wherein the said securing means (10) comprise a non-screw-threaded post member (12), which post member (12) extends, when in use, through holes (21, 31) provided in the baseplate (30) and cushioning pad (20) in such a way as to engage the said baseplate (30).

Abstract: A railway rail fastening assembly, for suspending a railway rail (100) at discrete locations along its length above a rail foundation, comprises a pair of elastic members (5) for support the head of the rail (100), a pair of brackets (6) for applying a lateral clamping force to respective ones of the elastic members (5), a baseplate (1) having first and second shoulders (3,4), and a pair of wedge members (7), each wedge member (7) being inserted between an associated one of the shoulders (3,4) and an adjacent bracket (6) thereby to maintain the said lateral clamping force, wherein at least one (4) of the said first and second shoulders (3,4) is removable from the said baseplate (1) and is held in position on the baseplate (1) by the said lateral clamping force.

Abstract: An electrically operated consumable module to be inserted into a holder of an electronic appliance, in particular an ink cartridge for the printing device of a franking machine, has a consumable device, electrical connecting elements which are connected thereto and which have contact elements to connect the consumable module to a consumable-module controller of the electronic appliance. The consumable module also has a projection to interact with the holder to prevent an insertion into other types of holders. The connecting elements are configured and/or assigned to the projection in such a way that they are at least partly destroyed in the event of an unauthorized removal of the projection.

Abstract: A mixing valve apparatus including a mixing valve for mixing water from a cold water inlet and a hot water inlet and supplying the mixed water to a water outlet, the water inlets and outlets being for connection to an external water system, a valve servo for moving the position of the valve, a control system for operating the valve servo and thereby controlling at least the temperature at the water outlet, wherein the control system characterises the external water system in which the mixing valve is connected and optimizes control of the valve according to the characterisation.

Abstract: An electron gun arrangement includes a cathode having a front surface and control grid located in front of it. The control grid is mounted via a cylindrical support on a Kovar mount. The cathode is supported by a cylindrical support mounted on a Kovar support. Ceramic material being located between the two supports. The vacuum envelope within which the electron gun is contained includes the Kovar support and a flexible member with which it makes a vacuum seal, this member being of copper. The copper member is sealed to a ceramic cylinder via metal flanges. The assembly permits the spacing between the cathode and grid to be maintained while the copper member permits thermal expansion to occur to maintain vacuum integrity.

Abstract: A restraining system for hollow fibres is provided. The restraining system includes a plurality of longitudinally extending elements spaced from one another and supported by a number of discrete spacer elements, each spacer element extending generally transverse of said longitudinal elements, such that in combination with said longitudinal elements they define a cage-like structure.

Abstract: A motor control system is provided for controlling at least one motor driven mechanical actuator. The control system drives the motor according to a function of the actuator position. The system is further arranged to modify the motor speed to ensure that a predetermined power limit is not exceeded.

Abstract: A mixing valve apparatus including a mixing valve for mixing water from a cold water inlet and a hot water inlet and supplying the mixed water to a water outlet the water inlets and outlets being for connection to an external water system, a valve servo for moving the position of the valve, a control system for operating the valve servo and thereby controlling at least the temperature at the water outlet, wherein the control system characterises the external water system in which the mixing valve is connected and optimizes control of the valve according to the characterisation.

Abstract: A membrane filtration manifold (1) for connecting a filter submodule (2) including one or more elongate bundles of semipermeable polymeric fibers. The manifold (1) includes a housing (3) and connecting collar (4) connected with said housing (3). The collar (4) is adapted to receive and locate the submodule (2), where the submodule has a connecting sleeve (5) with a locking formation (6). The submodule (2) can be secured at one end to the collar (4) by a clip (7) adapted to engage both the collar and the locking formation to prevent axial withdrawal of the submodule from the collar. Also disclosed is a membrane filtration apparatus (25) including a filter submodule (2) including one or more elongate bundles of semipermeable polymeric fibers. The apparatus further includes a membrane filtration manifold removably connected at one end of said filter submodule (2) and a basepiece (27) removably connected to the other end of said filter submodule.

Abstract: An electronic device, particularly a postage meter machine, has a central processing unit, at least one memory connected to the central processing unit in which at least one program unit is stored which the processing unit accesses for the configuration or the operation of the processing unit or of a function unit connected to the processing unit, and a position determination unit connected to the processing unit. A number of location-specific program units are stored in the memory and the processing unit is fashioned such that it accesses the location-specific program unit in the memory corresponding to the location of the device determined by the position determination unit.

Abstract: An electrically operated consumable module to be inserted into a holder of an electronic appliance, in particular an ink cartridge for the printing device of a franking machine, has a consumable device, electrical connecting elements which are connected thereto and which have contact elements to connect the consumable module to a consumable-module controller of the electronic appliance. The consumable module also has a projection to interact with the holder to prevent an insertion into other types of holders. The connecting elements are configured and/or assigned to the projection in such a way that they are at least partly destroyed in the event of an unauthorized removal of the projection.