Abstract: A nucleic acid detection assay is disclosed which assay comprises hybridizing a large nucleic acid probe (i.e. preferably more than 100 bp long) with a RNA or DNA target nucleic acid present in a biological sample. The probe in this method is to comprise both a detection element and a capture element and is to to be degradable by a suitable enzyme when it is single stranded. Following hybridization the sample is treated with a enzyme capable of degrading unhybridized nucleic acids. Then the hybrids are captured by contacting them with a solid support comprising an element capable of binding with the capture element of the probe. Finally the detection element of the probe is used to detect the probe, thereby indicating that the target nucleic acid is present in the biological sample.

Abstract: A transformer, comprising: a closed ferrite magnetic circuit having an air gap; a rigid component filling a portion of the air gap; and, a flexible material filling the remainder of the air gap to substantially absorb vibrations of the ferrite. In the case of air gaps greater than approximately 1 mm, the flexible material fills approximately 1 mm of the air gap and the rigid component fills the remainder of the air gap. The rigid component may be of non magnetic, synthetic resin material. The flexible material may be a one component mastic, for example polysulfur, polysulfate polysulphide or polyurethane. The flexible material may also be a silicone type mastic, for example a neutral silicone.

Abstract: Transformer (1) for switched-mode power supply, equipped with a former (6) having chambers (9), each chamber (9) containing windings (15, 16), each winding (15, 16) having an outer side surface (18) generated by a straight line moving parallel to an axis (AA') of the former, and characterized in that the generatrices of all the outermost surfaces (18) of the windings (15, 16) contained in each of the chambers (9) are identically the same for all the outermost surfaces (18) of the windings (15, 16) of each of the chambers, these generatrices thus forming a unique cylindrical surface parallel to the axis (AA') of the former (6).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a transformer of the ferrite closed magnetic circuit type, with a gap.The gap is filled with a mastic such as the polysulphide or polyurethane mastics having a Shore hardness with constant behaviour as a function of temperature.

Abstract: The system of the invention is used in a communication controller comprising a central control unit connected to at least one line adapter through a bus, wherein the line adapter may not be attached through its line interface to communication lines working at a speed higher than v, this mechanism allowing the adapter to be connected to one communication line onto which information is transported in frames at a high speed HS which is higher than v. It comprises a receive mechanism and a transmit mechanism building a bypass booster 1. The receive mechanism constructs from the received bit stream on high speed line 6, a short frame only comprising the heading portions of the frames, said short frame being handled by the line scanner 2 and the complete frame being handled separatly in bypass booster 1.

Abstract: Mechanism for allowing data and packetized non coded information NCI such as packetized voice or images, to be exchanged between workstations connected to nodes of a communication network. The workstations arrange the bit stream to be sent into a format of regularly occurring time slots separated by flags. The data only containing time slots begin with a first flag (F2), the NCI only containing and NCI and data containing time slots begin with a second flag (F1) and inside these slots, flag F2 separates the NCI and data portions.The route between two workstations is established by a data session using the node resources. Once a route is established, the NCI portions of the bit stream are switched using high speed bus 26 and the data portions are routed using the normal data paths.

Abstract: Method for transporting asynchronous data and synchronous non coded information NCI bits on a common channel operating at (n+1)/T bits per second, in slot of duration T containing n+1 bits, the data and NCI portions of the bit stream to be transported being delimited by a flag having a specific pattern which cannot be simulated by the data bits. During the periods where there is an NCI activity, the first n bits of the slot are used for transporting NCI bits and the last bit is used for transporting an additional data bit, if the said first n bits are different from the flag pattern and said last bit is set to a first binary value (0) if said first n bits are similar to the flag pattern. During the periods where there is no NCI activity, data bits are sent in at least one slot delimited by two slots, the first n bits of which are set to the flag pattern and the last bit of which is set to the second binary value (1).

Abstract: Visualizable and descriptive data handling system including an assembly comprising a unit for reading a video disk on which images of schematic detailed layouts that can be displayed on a unit screen are recorded. A double entry table, T.sub.xy in memory correlates each of the image divisions of coordinates x.sub.i Y.sub.i with a memory location which itself contains the memory location address from which the descriptive data relative to the image element occupying the square, are stored. For every image, a table T.sub.REF of descriptive data is built through data input means, the memory address, where begin each of the descriptive data for a given image element, being recorded in table T.sub.xy at the address correlated with x.sub.i y.sub.j. When pointing a light pen on to the screen, the coordinates of the selected point are sent from a mini-computer which causes the descriptive data corresponding to the selected element, to be displayed upon look-up of the tables corresponding to the display image.

Abstract: Serial link adapter to be used in a communication controller comprising data handling means (DHM), said adapter allowing the communication controller to be attached to a multiplex serial link carrying data and non coded information bits in dedicated slots.In line adapter LA1 receiving means RCV1 are connected to serial link carrying data and non coded information slots. The receiving means comprises a routing arrangement for sending the data slot bits to the data handling means of the controller and the non coded information slot bits a high speed bus HSB1. Transmitting means Xmit1 are connected to high speed bus HSB2 and to the data handling means and comprises means for sending the data and non coded information slot bits in dedicated slots on the serial multiplex link MPX-T. Line adapter LA2 comprises means which are similar to the receiving and transmitting means in adapter LA1 and may be connected to the private branch exchange located in the same site as the communication controller.