Abstract: Disclosed herein is a protective device which comprises an orthosis configured to be received against the upper front torso of a subject adjacent the subject's breasts, so as to restrict or eliminate stress on the breasts resulting from an external load applied to the upper front torso, the device including means for removably holding the orthosis to the subject or to an object applying the load such that the orthosis is so received. Also disclosed herein is an orthosis arranged to be received between the upper front torso of a subject and a support through which a load is applied to the upper front torso, to restrict or eliminate stress on the subject's breasts resulting from the load, the orthosis comprising a generally hollow resiliently deformable body defined by a wall of the orthosis, the body being arranged to contact the subject adjacent the breasts, and resiliently deformable ribbing within the body to support the wall, whereby the orthosis deforms resiliently when so received.

Abstract: A method of sample analysis comprises irradiating a sample with electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays; collecting absorption data and scattering data; and combining the absorption and scattering data. The irradiation can be in the form of a tubular beam, a detector may be placed in a plane where Debye cones diffracted from the sample overlap at a central point for the collection of the scattering data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for removing acid gases and other trace contaminants to very low levels in combustible gases generated from thermal gasification of biomass or refuse-derived fuels. The invention includes optimization of geometric variables, temperature and pressure set points via use of a pressurized bubbling fluidized bed reactor to convert granular raw (non-activated) sorbents and auto-generated biochar sorbents) into activated, highly dispersed, and ideally sized particles for removing acid gases and toxic metals. The system can incorporate a generated gas cooler, a gas-sorbent contact chamber or zone, and a novel filter (with or without additional gas cooling and residence time stages).

Abstract: A beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of beverages they have consumed. A method for using a beverage counting device comprising the steps of: providing a beverage counting device comprising a beverage counting device comprising a wrist band and one or more counters secured to the wrist band where the counters permit an individual the ability to record and display the number of beverages they have consumed; a) obtaining a beverage to drink; b) actuating a button on the counter to record the beverage; c) consuming the beverage; and d) repeating steps a) through c) until no further beverages are consumed.

Abstract: A 2-pole machine arrangement (10) has a stator (100) with windings (101) in conventional form, wound either in a single phase or three phase configuration. The rotor is formed of stacked laminations. The laminations include rotor pole pieces (107) located between the two magnetic poles. Each pole is formed by a pair of (embedded) permanent magnets (103), angularly spaced-apart by inter-magnet segments (106). The rotor pole pieces (107) include a series of evenly-spaced slots (109) and a central void (108). The slots (109) are of various lengths to direct the flux from the magnets (103) into the air gap (121) at a desired angle normal to the rotor surface. The slots 109 may be varied in width and angle to achieve the desired lowest waveform distortion under load and the highest air gap flux. The slots (109) also contribute to changing the saliency of the rotor.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass self-imageable film forming compositions that comprise norbornene-type polymers and that can be formulated to be either positive tone imaging or negative tone. The films formed thereby are useful in the forming of microelectronic and optoelectronics devices.

Abstract: A method of recording media transmitted to or from a first party communicating through one of a plurality of mobile telecommunications networks with a second party is described. Either the first party or the second party initiates a call with the other party. One of a set of call splitters distributed through the plurality of telecommunications networks is then determined to be a local call splitter to one of the parties. A connection is then established between the first party and the local call splitter to split the call into a recording part and a call part. The call part is routed between the first party and the second party via the call splitter to provide transmission of media between the first party and the second party, and the recording part is provided by the local call splitter to a recording service associated with the first party.

Abstract: A balance or flow limiting valve features a valve body/member having a flow rate indicator/scale containing setting having printed flow rates calibrated in units of measure in volume per time increment between a minimum flow rate position (MIN) and a maximum flow rate position (MAX); and a knob/handle having a position indicator and being moveable to any continuous position on the flow rate indicator/scale between MIN and MAX in response to a user applied force, where the relationship between the flow rate indicator/scale and the position indicator is based on calibrated flow characteristics of the balance or flow limiting valve. The user can set an exact desired flow rate in one operation by moving the knob/handle to a desired position between MIN and MAX without consulting a printed flow curve or balance calculator to determine the desired exact flow rate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for removing acid gases and other trace contaminants to very low levels in combustible gases generated from thermal gasification of biomass or refuse-derived fuels. The invention includes optimization of geometric variables, temperature and pressure set points via use of a pressurized bubbling fluidized bed reactor to convert granular raw (non-activated) sorbents and auto-generated biochar sorbents) into activated, highly dispersed, and ideally sized particles for removing acid gases and toxic metals. The system can incorporate a generated gas cooler, a gas-sorbent contact chamber or zone, and a novel filter (with or without additional gas cooling and residence time stages).

Abstract: A nuclear pressurized water reactor fuel assembly grid that has a plurality of spring-like, resilient, cantilevered members that extend, substantially adjacent each other, from a wall of a grid cell that supports the fuel rods, into the support cell, with a distal end of each member being compressed by the fuel rod passing through the cell so as to exert a lateral force on the fuel rod. The plurality of cantilevered members replace conventional dimples employed in fuel assembly grid support cells.

Abstract: There is provided an electromagnetic machine (100) having an inner and outer stator (110), and a rotor and a plurality of magnets (140) embedded in the rotor (130). The magnets (140) are configured such that the orientation of the magnetic polar axis of each magnet (140) is tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotor (130) and the magnetic polar axis of each magnet is opposite to the direction of the magnetic polar axes of the adjacent magnets to provide radial magnetic fields.

Abstract: A method of sample analysis comprises irradiating a sample with electromagnetic radiation such as X-rays; collecting absorption data and scattering data; and combining the absorption and scattering data. The irradiation can be in the form of a tubular beam, a detector may be placed in a plane where Debye cones diffracted from the sample overlap at a central point for the collection of the scattering data.

Abstract: A radiation detecting apparatus includes a collimator and a detector, the collimator having a material for blocking radiation and a region that is a sector of an annulus or multiple regions in a configuration in the shape of a sector of an annulus for allowing transmission of the radiation. The detector is spaced a distance from the collimator such that when a radiation source and sample crystal material are positioned at suitable positions, the radiation is collimated by the collimator and contacts the sample a predetermined distance from the detector at multiple of locations corresponding to the region or regions of the collimator. The Bragg diffracted radiation from the crystal material at two or more and preferably all of the locations overlap at the detector.