Abstract: An process of forming a chiral conducting polymer, e.g., polyaniline, is provided including reacting a monomer, e.g., an aniline monomer, in the presence of a chiral dopant acid to produce a first reaction mixture by addition of a solution including a first portion of an oxidizing agent, the first portion of oxidizing agent characterized as insufficient to allow complete reaction of the monomer, and further reacting the first reaction mixture in the presence of the chiral dopant acid by addition of a solution including a second portion of the oxidizing agent, the second portion of oxidizing agent characterized as insufficient to allow complete reaction of the monomer, and repeating the reaction by addition of further portions of the oxidizing agent until the monomer reaction is complete to produce a chiral conducting polymer, e.g., polyaniline.

Abstract: Disclosed are animal litters, processes for preparing animal litters, and methods for removal of animal waste. The disclosed litters are made from ingredients including plant meal, grain germ, citrus residue, and grain bran, usually in combination with a cohesiveness agent and a microbial inhibitor. The litters are provided in the form of discrete plural articles which tend to agglomerate when wetted.

Abstract: A CABAC decoding system and a method are disclosed. The system includes at least a decoding unit group. Each decoding unit group includes N decoding units connected with each other. The Mth decoding unit receives parameter information for decoding bins and bit streams to be decoded, decodes the bins of the bit streams to be decoded, obtains the decoding result of the current decoding unit bin, and sends the updated parameter information to the (M+1)th decoding unit and an output unit. The present invention achieves high decoding rate, and keeps a reasonable cost of hardware resource. So, the present invention provides a high efficient and reasonable decoding solution.

Abstract: The invention discloses a motion vector estimation system and the method thereof for estimating an output motion vector for a macroblock of a frame. The motion vector estimation system is capable of selectively horizontally shifting a search window corresponding to each macroblock, so as to improve reusability of pixel data from previous search window and reduce memory bandwidth.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to the use of the protein phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, as well as the biologically-active derivatives of the said protein for preventing or treating diseases associated with a phenylalanine imbalance in a human or animal body. More particularly, the present invention relates to the therapeutic use of the above-cited molecules for preventing or treating a phenylalanine imbalance in vivo. This invention also deals with therapeutic compositions comprising a pharmaceutically active amount of the above-described therapeutic molecules as well as with therapeutic methods using the said therapeutic compositions. Finally, the present invention relates to processes for selecting more therapeutically-effective variants of said protein as well as to the selected variants themselves.

Abstract: A dark-field imaging method for detecting defects in reflective lithography masks (e.g., extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks) used, e.g., in processes for the fabrication of microelectronic devices. A mask blank is coated with a photoresist layer having a fluorescent dye incorporated therein. The photoresist layer is exposed to a source of radiation (e.g., EUV radiation or glancing soft X-rays). In areas of the mask blank having defects the combined direct and reflected radiation will be insufficient fully to expose the photoresist layer. After development, photoresist will remain on the mask blank surface in areas corresponding to defects. Illumination with the excitation wavelength of the fluorescent dye reveals the location of any remaining photoresist, which can be detected using an optical microscope, thereby to detect defects in the mask blank.

Abstract: An process of forming multilayer thin film heterostructures is disclosed and includes applying a solution including a first water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto a substrate to form a first coating layer on the substrate, drying the first coating layer on the substrate, applying a solution including a second water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto the substrate having the first coating layer to form a second coating layer on the first coating layer wherein the second water-soluble polymer is of a different material than the first water-soluble polymer, and drying the second coating layer on the first coating layer so as to form a bilayer structure on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an arithmetic decoding system and apparatus based on the adaptive content. The system includes a control unit, a decoding unit and an interface unit. The control unit fills the code stream data into the decoding unit and configures and controls the decoding unit through the interface unit. The decoding unit performs a decoding for all the syntax elements from the code stream data in the macro block, assembles the syntax elements and transmits them to the control unit. The interface unit transfers the interaction information between the decoding unit and the control unit. The present invention obtains syntax elements by the CABAC decoding through hardware so that the decoding efficiency is highly improved and the requirements for the video processing speed and the data processing capacity of the real-time and high definition applications are satisfied.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: A method for detecting analytes involves measuring the fluorescence of a sample of fluorescence-attenuated carbon nanotubes, then exposing the sample to a target analyte, and then measuring the fluorescence again. The fluorescence-attenuated nanotubes include a chemical having quenching portion that interacts with the nanotubes and attenuates the fluorescence, a receptor portion that binds to a target analyte and a tether portion that connects the receptor portion to the quenching portion. If the target analyte binds to the receptor portion of the chemical, the interaction between the chemical and the nanotubes and the chemical is weakened and the original fluorescence of the carbon nanotubes is restored.

Abstract: A clip for sheet-like articles includes a first clipping section on a first end thereof, a second clipping section on a second end thereof, and a flexible bend between the first clipping section and the second clipping section. The first clipping section and the second clipping section cross and overlap each other at an intersection. When in use, the flexible bend holds an end edge of a plurality of stacked sheets, with the first clipping section and the second clipping section respectively clipping two opposite sides of the stacked sheets, thereby maintaining the stacked sheets in the stacked state.

Abstract: Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the activity of receptors and for the treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of disease or disorder related to the activity of the receptors.

Abstract: A liquid level alarm is placed in a tank having a bottom and has a weight, a floating box, an alarm circuit and a cord. The weight is placed on the bottom of the tank. The floating box has a top recess, a passage, a slide and a top cover. The passage communicates with the top recess. The slide is mounted slidably in the passage. The alarm circuit is mounted in the top recess in the floating box and has two contacts, an alarm element, a switch and a spring. The switch is connected to the slide. The spring is connected to the top cover and holds the switch open. The cord is connected to the weight and the slide. When the floating box moves above a predetermined level, the switch with the slide moves down and makes contact with the contacts to activate the alarm element.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a barrel including a slot, a lens installed inside the barrel for magnifying an image, a magnification-adjusting mechanism installed outside and around the barrel including an adjusting loop installed outside the barrel in a rotatable manner including a groove on a side facing the barrel, and a roller installed between the adjusting loop and the barrel. The optical machine further includes a rod for adjusting the magnification of the lens. One end of the rod is installed inside the slot of the barrel in a slidable manner, and another end of the rod is installed inside the groove of the adjusting loop in a slidable manner.

Abstract: Data retrieving method applied for a computer system compliant with PCI-Express protocol. The computer has a PCI-Express bus coupled to an endpoint. In the method, a data is retrieved in response to a read request. In then invention, the data is composed by a plurality of data section, and data length of each data section is a default data length defined by the PCI-Express specification. Then, a plurality of response packets are transferred to an objective endpoint, wherein each response packet is formed by the plurality of data sections with a variable data length.

Abstract: A PCI Express system and a method of transitioning link state thereof are provided. The PCI Express system has an upstream device, a downstream device and a link. The upstream device and the downstream device transmit data packets to both via the link, but when the link is in a first link state, data packet transmission is forbidden. In the beginning, the link is in a second link state and data packet transmission is normal. The upstream device transmits a data packet via the link to the downstream device. A time period is counted when receiving the data packet. The downstream device asserts an acknowledge packet to the upstream device to response the data pocket. After the timer is expired, the link is transited to the first link state.

Abstract: The invention discloses an apparatus for actuating an object movably mounted on a slide rail. The apparatus includes a processing unit, a controlling unit, a driving unit, and a motor. The processing unit is used for receiving an input signal and outputting a command signal in response to the input signal. The controlling unit is coupled to the processing unit and used for selectively outputting three kinds of enabling signals. The driving unit is coupled to the controlling unit and used for selectively outputting three kinds of driving signals each of which has a respective duty cycle. The motor is coupled to the driving unit and operatively connected to the object. The motor is used for actuating the object moving along the slide rail in accordance with different driving signal. Accordingly, when the object is reversed from the original moving direction, the apparatus of the invention can also function well.

Abstract: A PCI Express system and a method of transitioning link state thereof. The PCI Express system includes an upstream component, a downstream component and a link. The upstream component and the downstream component transmit data to each other via the link.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically-activated wireless code symbol reading system comprising a bar code symbol reading mechanism contained within a hand-supportable housing having a manually-activatable data transmission switch. During symbol reading operations, the bar code symbol reading mechanism automatically generates a visible laser scanning pattern for repeatedly reading one or more bar code symbols on an object during a bar code symbol reading cycle, and automatically generating a new symbol character data string in response to each bar code symbol read thereby. During system operation, the user visually aligns the visible laser scanning pattern with a particular bar code symbol on an object (e.g. product, bar code menu, etc.) so that the bar code symbol is scanned, detected and decoded in a cyclical manner.

Abstract: Crystal housing apparatus for adjustably positioning cooperating non-linear optical crystals in a laser beam generating system, includes a housing (50) with entry (60) and exit (62) windows for respective laser beams, respective holder means (72, 74, 76) to retain respective crystals within the housing in optical alignment with the windows, and means (86) mounting the respective holder means for individual fine rotational adjustment of the crystals about respective axes. Individual temperature control elements (120) are mounted in association with the respective holder means for controlling the temperature of the respective crystals and means (110, 114) is provided for effecting the fine rotational adjustment of the crystals.