Abstract: Anti-microbial oxazolidinone antibiotics are provided having formula I and formula II wherein R1 is methyl, ethyl, cyclopropyl, or dichloromethyl; R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or fluoro; R4 is ethyl or dichloromethyl. The oxazolidinone antibiotics have minimum inhibitory activity for monoamine oxidase. An assay for detecting such oxazolidinone antibiotics is carried out by incubating a potential oxazolidinone inhibitor with a monoamine oxidase, then adding 1-methyl-4-(1-methyl-2-pyrryl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and determining inhibitory activity of the antibiotic.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor has a spool on which seat belt webbing is wound, arranged for rotation about its longitudinal axis, for payout and winding in of seat belt webbing. A torsion bar is coaxial with the spool and has one end fixed to the spool. A ratchet is fixed to the other end of the torsion bar and a toothed wheel is fixed to the spool to rotate with the spool. A pivoting lock bar extends across the length of the spool, having at least one pawl fixed at each end, to engage with the toothed wheel and with the ratchet respectively. The pawl on the spool side is arranged to be weaker than the other pawl so as to shear under a predetermined force to allow the spool to rotate and the torsion bar to twist.

Abstract: A bacterial culture capable of degrading ethers, especially branched alkylethers including MTBE, under aerobic conditions has been prepared.

Abstract: There is provided a post-reactor process for a polymer, especially an elastomeric polymer, prepared by a gas phase polymerization in the presence of an inert particulate material comprising: introducing the polymer containing inert particulate material into a polishing vessel in the presence of a fluidizing gas under polishing conditions.

Abstract: The invention proposes a dispenser for a web wound into a coreless roll, the roll (11) being mounted on an irrotational, substantially cylindrical support spindle (14), the web in this dispenser being dispensed by rotationally unwinding the roll (11) around the axis (A1) of the support spindle (14), characterized in that the support spindle (14) includes means (46, 48, 50, 52) axially locking the roll (11) and in that the spindle (14) bears means (36, 50, 52) for decelerating the roll (11) being unwound.

Abstract: A method for making a lampshade (1, 30) of the type which comprises at least one support ring (3, 4) and a side wall (5) secured to the support ring (3, 4) by a ligature (7), wherein the support ring (3, 4) comprises a plurality of ligature receiving means (16, 40, 44) at spaced apart locations along the support ring (3, 4), and a plurality of spaced apart apertures (15) are formed in the side wall (5) adjacent the support ring method comprising the steps of inserting respective portions of the ligature (7) sequentially into the wall apertures (15), and securing the respective portions of the ligature (7) to the ligature receiving means (16, 40, 44) on the support ring (3, 4).

Abstract: A space heater is disclosed, comprising a housing, a heat source within the housing and a plurality of openings to allow the convection of air through the housing, in which: the heat source comprises a pair of panels defining between them a closed compartment, a liquid within and partially filling the compartment and an electrical heating element extending within the compartment, substantially parallel to the panels and in thermal contact with the liquid; the compartment is sub-divided into a lower liquid chamber and an upper expansion chamber and the cross-sectional area of the liquid chamber where it meets the expansion chamber is less than that of the expansion chamber; and the openings in the housing allow radiant heat from the heat source to escape from the housing. In further embodiments, the lower liquid chamber contains liquid at room temperature, but the upper expansion chamber does not.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for confirming the presence of a contact lens in its intended package employs an infrared detection system that is able to detect the presence or absence of a contact lens in the package.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer apparatus and method for adding speech interpreting capabilities to an interactive voice response system. An annotated corpus is used to list valid utterances within a grammar along with token data for each valid utterance representing the meaning implied behind the valid utterance. When valid utterances are detected, the interactive voice response system requests that a search is made through the annotated corpus to find the token identified with the valid utterance. This token is returned to the interactive voice response system. If the valid utterance included a variable, additional processing is performed to interpret the variable and return additional data representing the variable.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds of formula I and formula II useful as antimicrobial agents wherein R.sub.1 is methyl, ethyl, cyclopropyl, or dichloromethyl; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently hydrogen or fluoro; R.sub.4 is ethyl or dichloromethyl. The invention also relates to a novel assay for determining the inhibitory activity of oxazolidinones to human monoamine oxidase.

Abstract: A web-locking retractor comprising a spool (16) about which seat belt webbing is wound, the spool (16) being rotatably mounted on a spindle which is slidably mounted in a frame (12), at least one sensing mechanism (200) responsive to conditions indicative of a crash to cause the spool (16) to lock to prevent further protraction of the seat belt webbing, a web-clamping mechanism (46) operable in response to vertical movement of the spool (16), sensing mechanism (200) and retraction spring (180) relative to the frame (12), to clamp the seat belt webbing against further protraction of the belt, wherein vertical movement of the spool (16), sensing mechanism (200) and retraction spring (180) take place subsequent to locking of the spool (16). Preferably the spool (16) is supported for rotational movement on a spindle, the ends of which are received in a slot in the frame (12).

Abstract: A technique for the blind equalization of digital communications channels relies on the iterative minimization of a cost function known as the J-divergence between a known or assumed probability density function (PDF) of the source data signal and an estimated PDF of a receiver decision output signal derived from the equalizer output signal by minimum-distance mapping. The J-divergence function is defined in terms of the Kullback-Leibler distance between the two PDFs. Minimization is achieved by continually updating both an equalizer tap coefficient vector and the estimated PDF of the decision output signal using a stochastic gradient algorithm applied to the J-divergence cost function.

Abstract: A food processor has a handle (4) connected to a gear assembly (G1, G2, G3, G4) by which different rotary tools (B) connected to the end (10) of a central shaft (8) in the processor may be rotated (FIG. 3). Different sets of the gears are engaged according to the speed with which the selected tool is to be rotated.

Abstract: A new family of chromium boride coatings having excellent adhesive wear and corrosion resistance is disclosed. The coatings comprise hard, ultrafine, chromium boride particles dispersed in a metal matrix, the particles having an average particle size of less than one micron and constituting less than about 30 volume percent of the coating, the balance being metal matrix. The metal matrix may be composed of nickel or a nickel base alloy containing a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, silicon and iron. The coatings may be prepared by a process which comprises depositing a mechanically blended powder mixture of chromium metal or a chromium alloy or mixture of both, and a boron-containing alloy onto a substrate and then heat treating the as-deposited coating. The heat treatment effects a diffusion reaction between the deposited elements resulting in the formation of ultrafine particles of chromium boride dispersed in a metal matrix.

Abstract: A dispenser of a web wound into a roll includes a support rod and at least one substantially vertical wall, the support rod being inclined relative to a horizontal direction. The roll includes a central borehole which allows mounting of the roll on the support rod of the dispenser. The roll rests by one transverse end surface of the roll against the at least one substantially vertical wall of the dispenser.