Abstract: A method of hermetically packaging an electronic device (8), in an enclosure (2) comprising mutually inter-engageable first and second housing members (4, 6), comprising the steps of securing the electronic device (8) to the first housing member (4), engaging the first (4) and second (6) housing members such that an hermetic seal is provided there between, wherein the engagement step is performed in a controlled atmosphere. The hermetic seal may be provided by an interference fit between the first (4) and second (6) housing members or via sealing means (16) interposed between the housing members (4, 6). The second housing member (6) may comprise an optical element (20), for example a window or lens. The packaging method is particularly applicable to packaging thermal detectors, for example microbolometer arrays.

Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode proteins from Staphylococcus saprophyticus are described. The invention also provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing nucleic acid molecules, and host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced. The invention still further provides isolated proteins, mutated proteins, fusion proteins, antigenic peptides and methods for the treatment, prevention or detection of an S. saprophyticus-associated disease or disorder. Furthermore, the nucleic acid molecules and polypeptide molecules of the invention may be used for the identification of agents which modulate S. saprophyticus activity, e.g., a small molecules.

Abstract: The invention provides nutritional supplements for an oral or enteral administration to humans, whether in satisfactory health, or having a medical condition. These supplements can provide humans with a complete, balanced nutrition in a bioavailable form, either as a food supplement or as a meal replacement, and preferably includes one or more slow-digesting carbohydrates that renders them effective in maintaining blood glucose levels at, or returning abnormal blood glucose levels to, normal blood glucose levels. Nutritional supplements within the invention can be employed with humans that are diabetic, borderline diabetic, pregnant and/or lactating, geriatric humans and humans that have, are at risk for, or develop other glucose intolerance or cardiovascular disease.

Abstract: Nutritional supplements which are especially useful for consumption (either orally or enterally) by glucose intolerant individuals. More specifically, sugar-free nutritional supplement formulations for glucose intolerant patients include docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), L-arginine, one or more edible fats and/or oils in an amount sufficient to provide between about 25 to about 60% of the total caloric value of the formulation, non-sugar carbohydrates in an amount sufficient to provide from about 2% to about 30% of the patient's daily energy requirements, proteins and/or amino acids in an amount sufficient to provide from about 5% to about 50% of the human's daily energy requirements, an artificial sweetener in an amount to impart a desired sweetness to the formulation, and a mineral and vitamin package containing minerals and vitamins in amounts sufficient to provide at least 10% of the recommended daily value (RDV) of each mineral and vitamin in the package.

Abstract: Flaccid baby bottle liners have a premeasured amount of sterilized powdered infant formula that is ready for use when desired.

Abstract: A detection device that can be used for detecting objects behind clothing etc including a dielectric lens and a receive element sensitive to millimetre wave radiation. Prior art systems produce an image of a scene usually using scanning optics. This can be large and expensive. The present invention instead take spot readings from different parts of a scene without building up an image. The spot readings are processed, and an indication given to a user if certain characteristics of the readings are observed. Typical characteristics used are the differences in absolute received power level, and the power level at different polarisations. Such characteristics are typically present is an object of interest is in the scene. Also disclosed are various methods of altering the received beam to get readings from different areas from the scene, such as changing the beam width, or beam angle.

Abstract: A method for creating a user interface for a system may include dynamically assessing entitlement of a user to data elements and/or processes of the system based at least on a security setting of the user and a context of the transaction between the user and the system, authorizing the user to access portions of the system, and filtering a response message of the system based at least on the authorization of the user. The user interface may be rendered based at least on the filtered response message to allow the user to access some portions of the system and to inhibit the user from accessing other portions of the system. A system may include a CPU and a memory coupled to the CPU including program instructions executable to implement the method described above. A carrier medium may include program instructions executable to implement the method described above.

Abstract: A focal plane detector for imaging objects within a scene and having integral processing means for detecting edges of objects within the scene. The focal plane detector comprises a plurality of detector elements arranged to measure the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation incident thereon and processing means integral to the focal plane detector for combining the intensity measurements so as to indicate the difference in the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation. The focal plane detector is arranged such that the output from the focal plane detector corresponds to edges of objects within the scene. The focal plane detector may be arranged to be sensitive to infrared radiation.

Abstract: A sensor having a detector array is provided with means for determining whether the normal field of view of the sensor has been obscured. The image output from the detector array is compared by a processor to an image of the normal filed of view, previously acquired and stored in a memory. Where there are significant differences between the images the processor activates an alarm. The location of high spatial frequency detail in the image may be compared and the absence of such detail used to give an indication that the sensor may be masked.

Abstract: An Array of detectors can be configured to be read as separate detectors, or to be connected into larger groups, e.g. groups of four (a 2×2 array). This allows the formation of a relatively high definition image, and a much faster formation of a lower resolution image. This may be used with in an automobile to control deployment of safety airbags in accordance with a drivers position relative to the airbags. Preferably the array is a 64×64 array of thermal detectors.

Abstract: An imager is disclosed comprising: one or more detectors, a shutter adapted to open and close periodically to modulate the radiation incident upon the detector element to produce a sequence of alternating open fields and closed fields, said detector being adapted to produce a first pair of output signals Vo1 and Vc1 comprising an open field and a closed field, and a second pair of output signals Vo2 and Vc2 comprising an open and a closed field, a reset device adapted to reset the output of the detecting element to a predetermined voltage after the output signals of Vo1, Vc1, Vo2 and Vc2 have all been obtained, there being no reset of the output of the detecting element between the output signals Vo1, Vc1, Vo2 and Vc2, and a processor adapted to process said first and second pairs of output signals to produce a first and a second processed image signal from the detecting element, the first processed image signal corresponding to the first pair of fields and the second processed image signal corresponding to t

Abstract: A non-mechanical modulating device for use in infrared detection. The device is of particular use in the 8-14 &mgr;m range and has application in thermal imaging cameras and gas sensing systems. The modulator comprises a germanium element and a means of varying the carrier concentration. In particular, the variation of the hole concentration gives rise to the absorption of infrared radiation due to interband transitions between the light and heavy hole bands in the split valence band in germanium. The variation in hole concentration may be initiated in any convenient way, for example, by the irradiation of the germanium with visible or near infrared light, by the electrical injection of free carriers across a germanium diode structure or by electron impact on the germanium surface following acceleration under vacuum. In the case where the variation in carrier concentration is initiated by optical means, the surface of the germanium is treated so as to produce a low surface recombination velocity.

Abstract: An apparatus to position a quilting hoop organization relative to an individual's lap includes a base plate having telescoping first and second tubes extending from the base plate in an orthogonal relationship, with the second tube mounting positioning tubes in a manner to pivotally position the quilting hoops in a desired angulation relative to an individual's lap. The apparatus is arranged for ease of disassembly for transport and storage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fragment of DNA containing genes encoding the synthesis of the O-antigen of Vibrio cholerae serotypes Inaba or Ogawa and being at least 16 kb in length. The invention further related to a cosmid comprising a cloned DNA fragment containing genes encoding the synthesis of O-antigen of Vibrio cholerae serotypes Inaba or Ogawa and to a strain of E.coli that includes the fragment.

Abstract: A blank for a roll of tape is disclosed which is constructed from a blank having a fold line so that it may be folded over and glued. Each side of the blank on either side of the fold line has a U-shaped aperture extending in the same direction. The two U-shaped apertures are positioned and dimensioned whereby they are in registry. The roll of tape is mounted on the folded blank in a manner that the portions between the U-shaped apertures are inserted each from opposite sides of the blank as it is folded whereby the portions are axially located with respect to the roll of tape.

Abstract: A thermal detector comprises a row of thermal detector elements each connected to a common bus line via the gate of a high impedance input preamplifier and a switch. The line output from the bus line is taken across a load resistance providing a common source follower load for the prepamplifiers. The signal across the load is passed through an anti-aliasing low-pass filter to a sample-and-hold. Signals then pass to a high-pass digital filter arranged to substract successive signals from each detector element corresponding to open and closed positions of a radiation modulator. This attenuates 1/f noise. The filters are located outside the row. Bulky filter components may accordingly be employed giving good noise performance without affecting detector element spacing. The preamplifiers and the switches are preferably MOSFETs. The detector may incorporate many rows of detector elements to provide a two-dimensional array.