Abstract: A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a laundry holding drum rotatably supported therewithin. The drum includes a wall and a drum hatch comprising a section of the wall. A motor is connected to rotate the drum. A controller is configured to operate the motor to drive the drum through a closing operation. The closing operation includes rotating the drum in a direction to bring the drum opening toward the drum hatch to re-close the opening with the drum hatch and to detect stopping of the drum rotation. The controller may provide user feedback that a closure disruption has occurred. The drum hatch is configured to close circumferentially, with a leading edge of the drum hatch approaching a leading edge of the remaining wall. The leading edges are shaped such that interposition of fabric between the leading edges during closure stops the drum hatch reaching a fully closed position.

Abstract: An electronic book device runs at least two output mode threads—one graphics, and one audio—such that the device can both graphically display book content, and play the content over a speaker in the device. Annotations can be made audibly or graphically, and user commands can likewise be made audibly or graphically.

Abstract: A laundry drying machine includes a cabinet and a laundry holding drum rotatably supported within said cabinet for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drum includes a cylindrical wall and a pair of ends. A drum hatch comprises a section of the cylindrical wall. A motor is connected to drive rotation of the drum via a drive belt. A hatch engaging member is actuable to grasp and hold the drum hatch relative to the cabinet. A controller operatively connected with the motor, is configured to operate the machine through each of: a) an opening operation in which the drum hatch is grabbed by the hatch engaging member and the drum is rotated to expose an opening, b) a closing operation, which follows a drum opening operation and in which the drum is rotated to re-close a the opening with the drum hatch, and c) a drying operation.

Abstract: An LED excitation source and module useful for full plate imaging fluorescence instruments as well as methods for calibrating such instruments.

Abstract: A drum hatch engaging mechanism is for inclusion in a laundry appliance having a cabinet and a drum rotatable within the cabinet. The mechanism includes a drum hatch engaging member connected with the cabinet with the connection providing for movement of the member between non-engagement and engagement positions. An actuator is provided to selectively move the drum hatch engaging member between the positions. A catch member is connected with a sliding hatch of the drum. The connection between the catch member and the sliding hatch provides for movement of the catch member between a position adjacent the skin of the drum and an outwardly displaced position. The drum hatch engaging member includes a ramped abutment to engage and lift the catch member to the outer position through movement of the catch member toward the abutment during an opening rotation of the drum. The hatch engaging member includes a closing abutment facing the ramped abutment.

Abstract: A pressed thermal insulation body is made by a method comprising the steps of: (1) providing a dry composition consisting of: (a) 10 to 100 percent by weight of volatilised silica containing a dispersion of 0.5 to 6 percent by weight of carbon; (b) 0 to 40 percent by weight of infra-red opacifier; (c) 0 to 50 percent by weight of particulate inorganic filler material; and (d) 0 to 25 percent by weight of reinforcing filaments; (2) pressing the dry composition from step (1) to form a body of a desired shape and density; and (3) heat treating the pressed body at a temperature in the range from 400 degrees Celsius to 1000 degrees Celsius to effect hardening.

Abstract: An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) based system is described for the development, creation, and management of Java resource bundles. Furthermore, the GUI provides an application that works across platforms to eliminate repetitive tasks and errors that often occur in an internationalized development process. The resource bundle files are presented to the user in a tree-based GIJI component, and users are provided with the ability to make a single change to resources that is then applied across all applicable resource bundle files. The GUI also allows for exporting, importing, and merging of resource files.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor that includes an optical device as a support for a thin film formed by a matrix containing resonant nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be optically coupled to the optical device by virtue of the geometry of placement of the thin film. Further, the namoparticles are adapted to resonantly enhance the spectral signature of analytes located near the surfaces of the nanoparticles. Thus, via the nanoparticles, the optical device is addressable so as to detect a measurable property of a sample in contact with the sensor. The sensors include chemical sensors and thermal sensors. The optical devices include reflective devices and waveguide devices. Still further, the nanoparticles include solid metal particles and metal nanoshells. Yet further, the nanoparticles may be part of a nano-structure that further includes nanotubes.

Abstract: A system for record keeping that utilizes the advances in computer technology and alleviates problems such time constraints by monitoring information about a person or resource and automatically generating journal entries for that person or resource at the appropriate times. The appropriate times for entry generation can be defined for each individual through a rules-based mechanism. When an individual's rules are met, a journal entry is automatically generated according to a template defined in the computer system. The entry is placed in the individual's electronic journal, and, if desired, the individual can be notified of the generated entry or delay entry of said journal entry until receiving a notification at a later designated time.

Abstract: An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) based system is described for the development, creation, and management of Java resource bundles. Furthermore, the GUI provides an application that works across platforms to eliminate repetitive tasks and errors that often occur in an internationalized development process. The resource bundle files are presented to the user in a tree-based GUI component, and users are provided with the ability to make a single change to resources that is then applied across all applicable resource bundle files. The GUI also allows for exporting, importing, and merging of resource files.

Abstract: An electronic book device runs at least two output mode threads—one graphics, and one audio—such that the device can both graphically display book content, and play the content over a speaker in the device Annotations can be made audibly or graphically, and user commands can likewise be made audibly or graphically

Abstract: A system for record keeping that utilizes the advances in computer technology and alleviates problems such time constraints by monitoring information about a person or resource and automatically generating journal entries for that person or resource at the appropriate times. The appropriate times for entry generation can be defined for each individual through a rules-based mechanism. When an individual's rules are met, a journal entry is automatically generated according to a template defined in the computer system. The entry is placed in the individual's electronic journal, and, if desired, the individual can be notified of the generated entry or delay entry of said journal entry until receiving a notification at a later designated time.

Abstract: A journal system and associated method allow a user or a group of users to request and retrieve a memory cue for preparing a delayed journal entry. Information is continually received from a person or a group of persons, at their own request, via wireless communication devices and sent to the journal system. At the user's request, the journal system combines information from external resources devices and information stored internally and generates a memory cue. The memory cue is stored for future access and generation of a delayed journal entry.

Abstract: A method for a computation agent to acquire a queue lock in a multiprocessor system that prevents deadlock between the computation agent and external interrupts. The method provides for the computation agent to join a queue to acquire a lock. Next, upon receiving ownership of the lock, the computation agent raises its priority level to a higher second priority level. In response to a receipt of an external interrupt having a higher priority level occurring before the computation agent has raised its priority level to the second higher priority level, the computation agent relinquishes ownership of the lock. Subsequent to raising its priority level to the second higher priority level, the computation agent determines if it still has ownership of the lock. If the computation agent determines that it has not acquired possession of the lock after raising its priority level, the computation agent rejoins the queue to reacquire the lock.

Abstract: The present invention provides multi-well plates and column arrays in which samples (e.g., cell lysates containing nucleic acids of interest, such as RNA) can be analyzed and/or processed. In one embodiment, the microfiltration arrangement is a multilayer structure, including (i) a column plate having an array of minicolumns into which samples can be placed, (ii) a discrete filter element disposed in each minicolumn, (iii) a drip-director plate having a corresponding array of drip directors through which filtrate may egress, and (iv) a receiving-well plate having a corresponding array of receiving wells into which filtrate can flow. The invention provides multi-well microfiltration arrangements that are relatively simple to manufacture and that overcome many of the problems associated with the prior arrangements relating to (i) cross-contamination due to wicking across a common filter sheet or (ii) individual filter elements entrapping sample constituents within substantial dead volumes.

Abstract: A base (2) for an electric heater comprises a compressed and heat-hardened composition.

Abstract: A laundry appliance such as a washing machine (2, 300) or a clothes drier (200) where user access to the clothes containing vessel (1, 201, 301) is facilitated by supporting the vessel in a structure (105, 205, 305) which may be tilted or slid out of the front of the appliance cabinet. When the structure is withdrawn from the cabinet the vessel hatch (35) is accessed substantially from the top. The vessel is preferably mounted with its axis horizontal and oriented in a side to side or “east-west” direction. The appliance motor (44/45, 210) control system sets the rotational position of the clothes vessel (1, 201, 301) so that when the structure (105, 205, 305) is withdrawn from the cabinet the hatchway is upper most. The hatch (35) is slid back to allow access to the vessel interior as part of the rotational positioning process.

Abstract: The present invention provides multi-well plates and column arrays in which samples (e.g., cell lysates containing nucleic acids of interest, such as RNA) can be analyzed and/or processed. In one embodiment, the microfiltration arrangement is a multilayer structure, including (i) a column plate having an array of minicolumns into which samples can be placed, (ii) a discrete filter element disposed in each minicolumn, (iii) a drip-director plate having a corresponding array of drip directors through which filtrate may egress, and (iv) a receiving-well plate having a corresponding array of receiving wells into which filtrate can flow. The invention provides multi-well microfiltration arrangements that are relatively simple to manufacture and that overcome many of the problems associated with the prior arrangements relating to (i) cross-contamination due to wicking across a common filter sheet or (ii) individual filter elements entrapping sample constituents within substantial dead volumes.

Abstract: A method of removing fouling from an underwater surface (16) coated with an antifouling paint involves generating, by means of at least one treating member (9, 10) spaced from the underwater surface to be cleaned, turbulence within the water surrounding the underwater surface so as to dislodge marine fouling adhered thereto. The invention also relates to apparatus for cleaning an underwater surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides multi-well plates and column arrays in which samples (e.g., cell lysates containing nucleic acids of interest, such as RNA) can be analyzed and/or processed. In one embodiment, the microfiltration arrangement is a multilayer structure, including (i) a column plate having an array of minicolumns into which samples can be placed, (ii) a discrete filter element disposed in each minicolumn, (iii) a drip-director plate having a corresponding array of drip directors through which filtrate may egress, and (iv) a receiving-well plate having a corresponding array of receiving wells into which filtrate can flow. The invention provides multi-well microfiltration arrangements that are relatively simple to manufacture and that overcome many of the problems associated with is the prior arrangements relating to (i) cross-contamination due to wicking across a common filter sheet or (ii) individual filter elements entrapping sample constituents within substantial dead volumes.