Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed in which contact can be safely distributed and protected in a manner that is viable in terms of bandwidth economy and ensures that clients can be identified by the content received. Copies of encrypted content can be provided such that unique watermarks can be added to the copies. Content can also be both watermarked uniquely for multiple clients and multicasted to the clients. As such, content can be distributed using the bandwidth efficiency of multicasting while providing reliable content protection and watermarking.

Abstract: The Holographic Beam Combiner, (HBC), is used to combine the output from many lasers into a single-aperture, diffraction-limited beam. The HBC is based on the storage of multiple holographic gratings in the same spatial location. By using a photopolymer material such as quinone-doped polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) that uses a novel principle of “polymer with diffusion amplification” (PDA), it is possible to combine a large number (N) of diode lasers, with an output intensity and brightness 0.9 N times as much as those of the combined outputs of individual N lasers. The HBC will be a small, inexpensive to manufacture, and lightweight optical element. The basic idea of the HBC is to construct multiple holograms onto a recording material, with each hologram using a reference beam incident at a different angle, but keeping the object beam at a fixed position.

Abstract: An adjustable load stabilizer secures loads of any size within the width of the track carried in a cargo bed of a truck or SUV and which extend beyond the vehicle tailgate, while not interfering with the operation of the tailgate or cargo bed when permanently installed. The load stabilizer comprises two brackets which are mounted to the vehicle tailgate and which support a traversing track which is offset from the tailgate by 3 inches, mounted parallel to and lower than the top of the tailgate. Two travelling arm carriers move freely along the length of the traversing track, each supporting a collapsible arm. The travelling arm carriers are moved into position to stabilize the extended load and the collapsible arms are then raised. Raising the collapsible arms creates an interference fit with the traversing track thus securing the arms in the upright position. The arms thus prevent the extended load from sliding around the cargo bed during transport.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket assembly has a bracket having base with a mounting portion for attachment to a patient's tooth, and a plurality of arms forming a bracket slot to receive a rectangular archwire. A clip can be removably inserted into the bracket slot along the axis of the bracket slot and archwire, and is retained by the bracket slot. The assembled bracket slot and clip form a rectangular channel to removably secure the archwire in the bracket slot. Two of the archwire surfaces are engaged by the clip and the remaining two archwire surfaces are engaged by walls of the bracket slot.

Abstract: Compositions of a mixture of (A) a polymerisable compound, which undergoes polymerisation on exposure to heat or to actinic radiation, having the general formula wherein Q is an organic charge transporting fragment, L is a linker group, X is a group capable of undergoing free radical or anionic polymerisation on exposure to heat or actinic radiation, m is 0 or 1, and n is an integer having a value of 2 or more; and (B) a phosphorescent material are described, as is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device comprising at least one emissive layer that has been formed by polymerising such a composition. A method for forming an OLED, including depositing a layer containing the polymerisable composition from solution and exposing the layer to heat or actinic radiation to induce polymerisation, is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an attitude sensing device and method for determining an attitude of a reference axis of a package containing a fiber optic sensor sensor. The attitude sensing device comprises an electro-mechanical attitude sensor for generating an electrical signal indicative of the attitude sensor, and converter logic for converting the electrical signal into a stimulus signal. A local power source is preferably provided for the electro-mechanical attitude sensor in the converter logic. The stimulus signal is such that the fiber optical sensor is responsive to the stimulus signal to cause a variation in at least one predetermined property of an optical signal transmitted through the fiber optic sensor, the attitude of the reference axis being determinable from the variation of the predetermined property.

Abstract: The present invention is to a method of adapting optical rare-earth-doped waveguide (10) having a plurality of transverse propagation modes, such that in use, signal gains of non-fundamental modes of the waveguide are attenuated relative to a signal gain of a fundamental mode of the waveguide. The waveguide (10) has a light-guiding region (45) defined by a refractive index-modifying dopant, such as Ge, which has a thermal diffusion coefficient at temperature T in the waveguide greater than a thermal diffusion coefficient of the rare-earth dopant at temperature T. The method comprises heating the waveguide (10) at the temperature T such that a concentration profile of the refractive index-modifying dopant becomes broader than a concentration profile of the rare-earth dopant.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to: the use of an effective inhibitor of a bacterial ?-amylase and/or ?-glucosidase in the manufacture of a composition for the treatment of rumen acidosis; a method of treatment of rumen acidosis which comprises administration of an effective amount of an effective inhibitor of a bacterial ?-amylase and/or ?-glucosidase to a ruminant; a formulation suitable for the treatment of rumen acidosis in an animal which comprises an effective inhibitor of a bacterial ?-amylase and/or ?-glucosidase in admixture with a suitable excipient, diluent or carrier selected with regard to the intended route of administration and standard pharmaceutical/veterinary/farming practice; screening methods useful in the identification of a suitable inhibitor of a bacterial ?-amylase and/or ?-glucosidase for the treatment of acidosis in a ruminant; a process for improving ruminant milk quality and/or quantity which comprises treatment of a ruminant with an effective amount of an inhibitor of bacte

Abstract: A shopping trolley (10) has a basket (11), handle (12) and front and rear wheels (13, 14). The basket (11), tapered in plan view, has side walls (15, 16) interconnected by a front wall (17). The rear wall (19) is hingedly connected to the side walls (15, 16) and engages the rearward end of the floor (22), which is hingedly connected to the side walls (15, 16) or front wall (17). The floor (22) is downwardly inclined from the rearward end to the forward end. When the trolley (10) is nested with a similar trolley, the rear wall (19) is swung inwardly and upwardly, causing the floor (22) to be swung upwardly to be behind the front wall (17). Alternative the floor (22) may be folded e.g. in a concertina-like fashion, to be behind the front wall (17).

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for calculating in-place pat metric addressing far a trellis processing arrangement are provided. An arrangement of cascaded multiplexers and stores receives a known input sequence of path metrics. The input sequence of path metrics is manipulated such that certain of the path metrics are delayed in the stores by a clock cycle, whilst the remaining path metrics are presented to the cascaded banks of multiplexers. In this manner, the input sequence of path metrics is continuously processed to produce a desired output sequence of path metrics. Advantageously, embodiments of the apparatus and method may be practiced on either a forward trellis or a reverse trellis.

Abstract: Compositions of a mixture of a thiol material and a material that contains a reactive unsaturated carbon-carbon bond that can be polymerised to form a charge-transporting or luminescent film are described, as is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device comprising at least one such charge-transporting or emissive layer that has been formed by polymerising a thiol material and an ene material. The process for forming such an OLED, including the deposition of a layer of material comprising the polymerisable composition, from solution, exposing said layer to actinic radiation through a mask, and then optionally developing said film to form a photopatterned film, is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of nanotechnology. Specifically the invention describes a method for cutting a multiplicity of nano-structures to uniform dimensions of length, length and width, or area, or to a specific distribution of lengths or area using various cutting techniques.

Abstract: A strip builder for winding a material strip about a rotating core includes a traveling applicator head assembly for receipt of the material strip from an upstream extruder station and transport of the strip to a downstream rotating core. The assembly includes a central support arm in longitudinal travel along the rotating core. Attached to the central support arm is a belt roller, an applicator roller spaced therefrom and a belt drive coupled therebetween. A conveyor belt is wound about the belt roller. Upon rotation of the core, the rotation of the applicator roller rotates the belt roller coupled thereto. Rotation of the belt roller drives the conveyor belt towards the core with the material strip thereon. Upon the belt passing between the belt roller and displaced applicator roller, the strip is stretched and deposited onto the applicator roller for subsequent deposit onto the rotating core. A traveling stitching roller subsequently smoothes the material strip deposited on the rotating core.

Abstract: The levels of iron sulfide present in a conduit, such as a pipeline, are reduced by contacting the conduit, on an inner surface, with a composition obtained from an aqueous solution containing at least one compound of Formula (I) and at least one amine or corresponding ammonium derivative in the presence of a solvent, wherein X is an anion of valency n. Preferably, the pH of the solution is about 8. Alternatively, the method employs a composition comprising tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (TRIS) and at least one amine or corresponding ammonium derivative. The amine preferably is ammonia or a primary alkylamine. The compositions readily complex and thereby dissolve deposits of iron(II) sulfide, removing them from the conduit.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to thermography and, in particular, to a method of using infrared thermography to monitor physiological and molecular events that elicit a thermogenic response in animals (including humans), plants, tissues, cells and cell-free systems. The present method can be used for screening, identifying, and ranking drug candidates for multiple diseases, disorders and conditions.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and/or systems for performing tree matching are disclosed.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for electromagnetically designing a shaped-reflector multibeam antenna (100) are disclosed. An initial configuration of the multibeam antenna (100) for given beam directions is provided of reflectors (110,120) shaped with an initial reflector shaping process (612) and feeds of an initial specification (614). The initial reflector shaping process (612) is an iterative optimization process for increasing the focusing of optical rays incident on the multibeam antenna from the given beam directions (100). A second iterative optimizing process consisting of optimizing (620) radiation patterns of feeds (140A-140D) and optimizing (622) surface shapes and sizes of reflectors (110,120) is used to reduce beam spillover, improve beam shapes and obtain beams with gain radiation patterns within required upper and lower bounds.

Abstract: Novel, crosslinked polymers using biomass derived materials, such as aldaric acids and derivatives, are provided. The polymers can be used as hydrogels and in antimicrobial compositions.