Abstract: A thin barrier layer (20) is laid between courses of a concrete block wall (10) at or just below ground level (12) to intersect the hollow interior spaces (16) extending vertically within the wall, and particulate insulation material (25) is poured into the hollow interior spaces above the barrier layer, which holds the particulate insulation material within an upper region of the wall extending above ground. Below ground, wall (10) is insulated in the usual way with foamed resin panels (14) laid against the exterior of the wall, and the more expensive particulate insulation (25) is confined by barrier layer (20) to the upper region of the wall.

Abstract: A circuit for causing the gradual turn-on of electrical tissue stimulation in a digitally controlled stimulator is disclosed. A stimulation pulse counter and a pulses per step memory circuit are connected to a decoder to provide an amplitude incrementing signal after a presettable count of stimulation pulses. An amplitude counter receives the incrementing signal to increment the amplitude of the stimulation output pulse through a digital to analog converter circuit and to reset the pulse counter. A maximum amplitude memory circuit and decoder operate in conjunction with the amplitude counter to latch the counter when a preset pulse amplitude is obtained. At the end of a stimulation interval, the amplitude counter is reset and stimulation pulses begin at the minimum amplitude at the start of the next stimulation interval.