Abstract: A combination of a radio frequency identification transponder (RFID Tag) and to a magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) device is disclosed. The present invention relates generally to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, and more specifically to RFID transponders for use in RFID systems and the method for their assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides new compositions of matter, referred to as quasi-crystalline carboxylates (QCCs), their preparation and use. The materials comprise a quasi-crystalline hydrated magnesium-aluminium hydroxy carboxylate and are characterised by the presence of at least a strong reflection in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern at a basal spacing in the range of 5 to 15 Å. The invention further relates to a process for preparing the QCCs, Mg—Al solid solutions and anionic clays under acidic conditions. The QCC is prepared by aging an acidic mixture of a magnesium carboxylate and an aluminium source. Calcination of the QCC results in a Mg—Al solid solution; rehydration of this solid solution gives an anionic clay.

Abstract: A method of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and of processing the signals from such imaging, in order to improve the characterisation of tissue types being imaged. A calculation of the longitudinal relaxation time T1 is made for each voxel in the image by applying pulse sequences having different flip angles or TRs and fitting the resulting resonance signals to a model of the imaging process. Dynamic, contrast-enhanced imaging is then conducted and by using the T1 values the results may be fitted to a pharmacokinetic model of the uptake of contrast agent in the tissue being imaged. This gives values for physiological parameters relating to the permeability of the tissue and the extravascular extracellular space volume fraction. These, together with the T1 value provide an excellent characterisation of the tissue as malignant or benign.

Abstract: This patent describes economical and environment-friendly processes for the synthesis of anionic clays. It involves reacting a slurry comprising boehmite, which has been peptized with acid with a divalent metal source followed by addition of source of base. The slurry is then hydrothermally aged. There is no necessity to wash or filter the product and it can be spray dried directly to form microspheres, or can be extruded to form shaped bodies. The product can be combined with other ingredients in the manufacture of catalysts, absorbents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, polymeric nanocomposites and other commodity products that contain anionic clays.

Abstract: A system for controlling medical data acquisition, such as imaging, comprises a supervisory protocol controller which controls in real time a data acquisition device, such as an imaging apparatus, and an agent administration controller, such as a drug delivery device for delivering contrast agent. The supervisory protocol controller receives data from the acquisition apparatus and controls the acquisition apparatus and the administration controller based on that acquired data. Thus the acquisition protocol can be controlled and changed in response to the actual acquisition circumstances.

Abstract: A method of dynamic medical imaging in which the quality of image registration or motion correction between the frames is assessed by examining the temporal behaviour of a region of interest through the sequence, and in particular how closely the behaviour follows expected behaviour. For a temporal sequence a temporal model of the expected behaviour of the region of interest is available and the quality of fit between the model and the data points from the dynamic imaging sequence can be calculated. In image regions of high patient motion the fit will be poor, whereas if there is no patient motion the fit will be better. The quality of fit can be displayed on the image as an indication of the validity of motion correction, and in areas of poor fit the motion correction can be re-executed using different parameters to try and improve the fit between the behaviour model and the actual data points. The invention is applicable to any contrast-enhanced medical imaging technique.

Abstract: A processing system which comprises a processing apparatus and a processing agent which is administered to a processing subject. The processing agent has a primary behaviour which provides the desired process result in conjunction with the apparatus, but also has a distinctive signature characteristic which is detected by test functionality in the processing system. The behaviour of the processing system can be modified in response to the test result. In an example such as a contrast enhanced medical imaging, the full functionality of the imaging equipment may be available only if a contrast agent having the particular distinctive signature characteristic is used, thus tying use of the apparatus to use of a particular agent.

Abstract: Comparing first and second images taken on different imaging systems and under different exposure conditions is achieved by the steps of:

Abstract: Methods are described for the production of a three-dimensional reconstruction of a undeformed object from two different views of the object under deformation using a volume constraint and also by matching corresponding features in the two images. The volume constraint involves assuming that the deformed volume is the same as the undeformed volume, and calculating the deformed volume from one of the images. Further, the deformation of the object can be parameterised by finding corresponding image entities in the each of the images. The method is particularly applicable to breast mammograms in which case the two images are the cranio-caudal (CC) image and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) image whose angular separation varies from 35 to 60 degrees. The image entities which are detected in the two images are microcalcifications, and these are matched by detecting a value representing their volume a looking for matches in this value between the two images.

Abstract: Real estate data, particularly data of multifamily housing, is stored in a database. The database is accessible to data providers who add data to the database through connection via a computer driven network, such as the Internet. Also, the database can be queried to generate reports providing property and loan performance information generated from the data input by the data providers. Each record in the database pertains to an asset, which data is proprietary to the data provider. Reports resulting from queries that would provide data of an asset or that could be used to provide data of an asset are not allowed. Data is received from a large number of data providers and is passed through a number of validation checks before being entered into the database in order to ensure integrity of the collected data.

Abstract: A method of communicating medical information comprising the steps of: obtaining raw image data from at least a portion of the body of a subject; constructing a computer representation of the raw image data; applying image processing to the computer representation; and giving the result of the image processing to a person to whom medical information contained in the image data is to be communicated.

Abstract: Real estate data, particularly data of multifamily housing, is stored in a database. The database is accessible to data providers who add data to the database through connection via a computer driven network, such as the Internet. Also, the database can be queried to generate reports providing property and loan performance information generated from the data input by the data providers. Each record in the database pertains to an asset, which data is proprietary to the data provider. Reports resulting from queries that would provide data of an asset or that could be used to provide data of an asset are not allowed. Data is received from a large number of data providers and is passed through a number of validation checks before being entered into the database in order to ensure integrity of the collected data.

Abstract: A system for improving sensor-based decision making provides for the automatic submission of data obtained locally from instrumentation (such as image data) together with the interpretation of that data, which can be the output of some software which has been checked and possibly corrected by a user according to his/her expertise, to a remote database via an internetwork. The submission to the remote database is preferably automatic so that the remote database grows over time. The local site can access the remote database to retrieve information to assist in interpretation of the locally produced data (for example similar images and their corresponding interpretations), or can retrieve updated or improved software or parameters improving the software used for processing the data. The information on the remote database can also be reprocessed by software agents to provide statistical information based on information from a variety of such local sites.

Abstract: A spiral tool path is formed by determining a plurality of relatively low-curvature nested contours that are internal to the boundary of the pocket to be formed, and spiraling between the contours. The spiral tool path includes an orbit that extends from proximate a first one of the contours that extends around a center of the pocket to be formed to proximate a second one of the contours that also extends around the center. The orbit is arranged so that as a ray originating from proximate the center pivots about the center to travel in a first direction along the entire orbit, for a section of the ray extending between the first and second contours, the percentage of the section that extends between the orbit and the first contour continually decreases and the percentage of the section that extend between the orbit and the second contour continually increases.

Abstract: This patent describes economical and environment-friendly processes for the synthesis of anionic clays. It involves reacting a slurry comprising boehmite, which has been peptized with acid with a divalent metal source followed by addition of source of base. The slurry is then hydrothermally aged. There is no necessity to wash or filter the product and it can be spray dried directly to form microspheres, or can be extruded to form shaped bodies. The product can be combined with other ingredients in the manufacture of catalysts, absorbents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, polymeric nanocomposites and other commodity products that contain anionic clays.

Abstract: An economical and environment-friendly processes for the synthesis of anionic clays and the products made therefrom. It involves reacting a slurry comprising non-peptized boehmite with a magnesium source. There is no necessity to wash or filter the product. It can be spray dried directly to form microspheres or can be extruded to form shaped bodies. The product can be combined with other ingredients in the manufacture of catalysts, absorbents, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, and other commodity products that contain anionic clays.

Abstract: Real estate data, particularly data of multifamily housing, is stored in a database. The database is accessible to data providers who add data to the database through connection via a computer driven network, such as the Internet. Also, the database can be queried to generate reports providing property and loan performance information generated from the data input by the data providers. Each record in the database pertains to an asset, which data is proprietary to the data provider. Reports resulting from queries that would provide data of an asset or that could be used to provide data of an asset are not allowed. Data is received from a large number of data providers and is passed through a number of validation checks before being entered into the database in order to ensure integrity of the collected data.

Abstract: The present invention provides new compositions of matter, referred to as quasi-crystalline carboxylates (QCCs), their preparation and use. The materials comprise a quasi-crystalline hydrated magnesium-aluminium hydroxy carboxylate and are characterised by the presence of at least a strong reflection in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern at a basal spacing in the range of 5 to 15 Å. The invention further relates to a process for preparing the QCCs, Mg—Al solid solutions and anionic clays under acidic conditions. The QCC is prepared by aging an acidic mixture of a magnesium carboxylate and an aluminium source. Calcination of the QCC results in a Mg—Al solid solution; rehydration of this solid solution gives an anionic clay.

Abstract: Patients are ventilated responsive to a temporary cessation of breathing by monitoring the spontaneous breaths of the patient and providing a series of mechanical breaths to the patient in the event that the spontaneous breaths by the patient cease. The individual breaths of the series are timed such that the rate of the breaths decreases with increasing time, to induce the patient to resume spontaneous breathing. The approach is practiced with a patient ventilator that is operable responsive to a series of commands that trigger the series of mechanical breaths, with the time between breaths gradually increasing.

Abstract: This invention relates to exchanging the sodium contained in a crystalline zeolite by partially removing sodium by exchange with another cation, partially drying the exchanged zeolite and re-exchanging the dried zeolite.