Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material, the method comprising: providing a dispersion of the particulate material in a continuous aqueous phase, the dispersion comprising ethylenically unsaturated monomer and a stabiliser for the particulate material; and polymerising the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by non-living free radical polymerisation to form polymer that encapsulates the particulate material, thereby providing the aqueous dispersion of polymer encapsulated particulate material; wherein polymerisation of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprises: (a) polymerising a monomer composition that includes ionisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form a base responsive water swellable non-living polymer layer that encapsulates the particulate material; and (b) polymerising a monomer composition that includes non-ionisable ethylenically unsaturated monomer so as to form an extensible, water and base permeab

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for the powering of active components in connector inserts at each end of a cable may in various ways. For example, where a host is coupled to a device that is not self-powered, the host may provide power for circuitry at each end of the cable. In various embodiments of the present invention, the device may request higher voltage from the host, such that more power can be delivered. In these cases, the device may regulate the voltage received from the host to a lower voltage, and then provide the lower voltage to circuitry at one or both ends of the cable. Where the host is connected to a device that is self-powered, the host and the self-powered device may power their respective connector insert circuits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a client to continue to receive updates from a server when a channel has been disconnected before the expiration of a heartbeat timer is disclosed. The method includes sending a heartbeat message from the client to the server wherein the heartbeat message is sent at the expiration of a timer having a first time interval that is less than the first timeout duration period of the server. The method includes detecting that the channel is disconnected before the expiration of the first time interval and then determining a second timeout duration period from detecting the channel is disconnected. After determining the second time out duration, the method includes resetting the first time interval to a second time interval for the sending of the heartbeat message wherein the second time interval being less than the second timeout duration period.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for actuating less than all of a plurality of load management devices on a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine blade. In some embodiments, the actuation sequences may be a root-to-tip, tip-to root, maximum-distributed-load, random, and/or a cycle-count actuation sequence. Further, a combination of two or more actuation sequences may be utilized to achieve a desired result. The system may choose an appropriate blade-based and/or rotor-based actuation sequence according to operating conditions, may alternate actuation sequences, and/or may employ different actuation sequences among the plurality of blades of a wind turbine. The load management devices may be actuated to different maximum heights and/or may be configured to be actuated to variable heights. The load management devices may be included as part of a distributed management system providing a corresponding controller and/or sensor at each load management device.

Abstract: A gaming device provides a single player poker game including one or more opportunities for forming player hands. In one embodiment, for a play of the poker game, a player places a wager on each of a plurality of player hands. The gaming device provides the player with one or more opportunities to fold one or more of the player hands and withdraw the wager associated with the folded hand. A number of community cards are dealt. The gaming device determines and provides any awards associated with a ranking of each of the remaining player hands according to a paytable.

Abstract: A communications system comprises a transmitter, receiver and channel. The transmitter transmits multiple copies of each data bit in a multi-dimension modulation scheme matrix, the dimensions being selected from frequency, time and code. Each dimension is divided into sub-groups. A bit-loading method is used such that copies of each data bit (b11, b12, b13) are allocated within the matrix according to a predetermined arrangement so that within each dimension copies of the same data bit reside within different sub-groups.

Abstract: A card extraction apparatus which is useful for removing a card from a card storage device is disclosed. The card extraction apparatus has an affixing element to affix the card to the card extraction apparatus and further has a tab member which a user may grip to apply an extracting force.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a client to continue to receive updates from a server when a channel has been disconnected before the expiration of a heartbeat timer is disclosed. The method includes sending a heartbeat message from the client to the server wherein the heartbeat message is sent at the expiration of a timer having a first time interval that is less than the first timeout duration period of the server. The method includes detecting that the channel is disconnected before the expiration of the first time interval and then determining a second timeout duration period from detecting the channel is disconnected. After determining the second time out duration, the method includes resetting the first time interval to a second time interval for the sending of the heartbeat message wherein the second time interval being less than the second timeout duration period.

Abstract: A gaming device provides a single player poker game including one or more opportunities for forming player hands. In one embodiment, for a play of the poker game, a player places a wager on each of a plurality of player hands. The gaming device provides the player with one or more opportunities to fold one or more of the player hands and withdraw the wager associated with the folded hand. A number of community cards are dealt. The gaming device determines and provides any awards associated with a ranking of each of the remaining player hands according to a paytable.

Abstract: A control system for a child swing that comprises an amplitude control subsystem configured to use one or more electrical signals from a swing sensor to compare an actual amplitude of the child swing to a pre-set amplitude of the child swing to generate an adjustment signal representing a desired adjustment to the phase of the drive mechanism. The child swing also comprises a phase control subsystem configured to use an electrical signal representative of a phase of the drive mechanism and the adjustment signal to generate a motor drive signal configured to cause the desired adjustment to the phase of the drive mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed are Fc-interferon-beta (Fc-IFN-?) fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding them. The Fc-IFN-? fusion proteins include variants of the interferon-beta (IFN-?) protein that are altered to achieve enhanced biological activity, prolonged circulating half-life and greater solubility. Also disclosed are methods of producing the fusion proteins and methods of using the fusion proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules for treating diseases and conditions alleviated by the administration of interferon-beta.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and devices for underwater deployment of a structure. For example, the embodiments described herein are particularly focused on sonobuoys that are configured for autonomous deployment in an underwater environment. One embodiment provides a sonobuoy having a plurality of arms, which are in some embodiments telescopic. The sonobuoy is configured such that, upon deployment in an underwater environment, the arms extend and rotate from a collapsed storage configuration to an operative configuration. The rotation is brought about by way of tension in petal lines, which extend between an innermost telescopic segment of each arm and a central tether line intermediate the arms and a buoyancy device.

Abstract: Disclosed are Fc-interferon-beta (Fc-IFN-?) fusion proteins and nucleic acid molecules encoding them. The Fc-IFN-? fusion proteins include variants of the interferon-beta (IFN-?) protein that are altered to achieve enhanced biological activity, prolonged circulating half-life and greater solubility. Also disclosed are methods of producing the fusion proteins and methods of using the fusion proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules for treating diseases and conditions alleviated by the administration of interferon-beta.

Abstract: Described herein are nitrated lipids and methods of making and using the nitrated lipids.

Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for the powering of active components in connector inserts at each end of a cable may in various ways. For example, where a host is coupled to a device that is not self-powered, the host may provide power for circuitry at each end of the cable. In various embodiments of the present invention, the device may request higher voltage from the host, such that more power can be delivered. In these cases, the device may regulate the voltage received from the host to a lower voltage, and then provide the lower voltage to circuitry at one or both ends of the cable. Where the host is connected to a device that is self-powered, the host and the self-powered device may power their respective connector insert circuits.

Abstract: The present application relates to compositions of modified toxins exhibiting reduced immunogenicity and reduced binding to vascular endothelium or vascular endothelial cells, thereby reducing the incidence of Vascular Leak Syndrome. Also provided are polypeptide toxophores from a modified diphtheria toxin, where modifications are in at least one amino acid residue of at least one T-cell epitope. Another aspect relates to a polypeptide toxophore from a modified diphtheria toxin, where modifications are in at least one amino acid residue of at least one T-cell epitope and at least one amino acid residue of at least one VLS motif of an unmodified native diphtheria toxin. Another aspect relates to a fusion protein which comprises a modified diphtheria toxin and a non-diphtheria toxin fragment that is a cell binding portion. Another aspect relates to the use of a modified diphtheria toxin for the treatment of a malignant disease or a non-malignant disease.

Abstract: A system for providing an iced alcoholic beverage such as iced beer or carbonated soft drink includes a source of chilled coolant (16), and a beverage line (10) for supplying the beverage. A heat exchanger (20) is disposed in the beverage line (10) for cooling the beverage by heat transfer to the chilled coolant. A restriction (22) or orifice forming a venturi is provided in the beverage line (10) downstream from the heat exchanger. A chilled font (18) for further cooling the beverage is provided downstream from the orifice. The font (18) includes a dispenser tap (30) capable of dispensing the beverage at a relatively low dispense rate and at a relatively higher dispense rate. In use the beverage is first dispensed at a relatively low dispense rate through a smaller orifice of a narrow diameter at a preset low flow rate of beverage, and becomes ice or slush (40).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a client to continue to receive updates from a server when a channel has been disconnected before the expiration of a heartbeat timer is disclosed. The method includes sending a heartbeat message from the client to the server wherein the heartbeat message is sent at the expiration of a timer having a first time interval that is less than the first timeout duration period of the server. The method includes detecting that the channel is disconnected before the expiration of the first time interval and then determining a second timeout duration period from detecting the channel is disconnected. After determining the second time out duration, the method includes resetting the first time interval to a second time interval for the sending of the heartbeat message wherein the second time interval being less than the second timeout duration period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modifying data synchronization of a portable computing device responsive to a data plan associated with an account associated with the portable computing device are disclosed. If the data plan specifies a data quota identifying a maximum amount of data for communication by the portable computing device, a data synchronization setting determines whether to minimize the frequency of synchronization between the portable computing device and a server or to dynamically modify the frequency of synchronization based on data usage. If data synchronization is dynamically modified, the data synchronization frequency is modified based on an estimated data usage of the portable computing device over a time interval. The data synchronization frequency is modified based on the difference between estimated data usage and the data quota and is reduced if the estimated data usage equals or exceeds the data quota.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an indication of a synchronization delay for a portable computing device is disclosed. The synchronization latency describes the time separating data exchanges between the portable computing device and a server. The portable computing device determines the synchronization latency and generates a synchronization latency indicator providing a visional representation of the synchronization latency. The synchronization latency indicator is then displayed. For example, a count down timer depicting the interval from a current time to a data exchange with the server is displayed or an image is modified as the time from the current time to a data exchange with the server decreases.