Abstract: Techniques for managing delivery of water or other fluids have been disclosed. A central server provides real-time data and cost analysis to a client. In addition, fluid delivery techniques provide alerts or automatic schedule suspensions to reduce risk of loss. The techniques reduce or eliminate the impact of air or gas captured with water or other fluid of a fluid delivery system. The techniques allow a preexisting fluid delivery system to be retrofitted to communicate with a central system and one or more sensors of a fluid delivery system.

Abstract: Techniques for managing delivery of water or other fluids have been disclosed. A central server provides real-time data and cost analysis to a client. In addition, fluid delivery techniques provide alerts or automatic schedule suspensions to reduce risk of loss. The techniques reduce or eliminate the impact of air or gas captured with water or other fluid of a fluid delivery system. The techniques allow a preexisting fluid delivery system to be retrofitted to communicate with a central system and one or more sensors of a fluid delivery system.

Abstract: Techniques for managing delivery of water or other fluids have been disclosed. A central server provides real-time data and cost analysis to a client. In addition, fluid delivery techniques provide alerts or automatic schedule suspensions to reduce risk of loss. The techniques reduce or eliminate the impact of air or gas captured with water or other fluid of a fluid delivery system. The techniques allow a preexisting fluid delivery system to be retrofitted to communicate with a central system and one or more sensors of a fluid delivery system.

Abstract: Techniques for managing delivery of water or other fluids have been disclosed. A central server provides real-time data and cost analysis to a client. In addition, fluid delivery techniques provide alerts or automatic schedule suspensions to reduce risk of loss. The techniques reduce or eliminate the impact of air or gas captured with water or other fluid of a fluid delivery system. The techniques allow a preexisting fluid delivery system to be retrofitted to communicate with a central system and one or more sensors of a fluid delivery system.

Abstract: A mucosal formulation for administration to mucosal membranes, such as in the mouth, nasal passage, stomach, vagina, etc., is disclosed. The mucosal formulation contains a lipid-pharmaceutical agent complex formed from phospholipids possessing a hydrophobic moiety that orients into a hydrophobic phase and a polar head moiety that orients towards the aqueous phase (i.e., “amphipathic” lipids). When placed in an aqueous medium (e.g., vaginal fluid), the phospholipids form liposomes or other small lipid vesicles (e.g., micelles) that may then be used to deliver pharmaceutical agents into a living organism.

Abstract: A vaginal treatment composition that rapidly forms a gel when placed into contact with monovalent or polyvalent cations, such as sodium (Na+) and calcium (Ca2+) cations naturally found in vaginal mucosa, is provided. The gel may form in less than about 1 hour, in some embodiments less than about 1 minute, and in some embodiments, less than about 30 seconds. Among other things, such rapid gelation reduces the likelihood of leakage during use. In addition, because the gel may form intravaginally, it is more likely to retain its structure and shape over an extended period of time. In this manner, the gel may provide the prolonged release of a therapeutic agent that inhibits and/or treats vaginal infection. For instance, the gel may remain within the vagina for about 2 to about 48 hours to provide the desired effect.

Abstract: A vaginal treatment composition that employs a therapeutic agent to inhibit and/or treat vaginal infection is provided. The therapeutic agent is capable of inhibiting and/or killing Gardnerella (e.g., Gardnerella vaginalis), Candida (e.g., Candida albicans), and/or Trichomonas (e.g., Trichomonas vaginalis) pathogens. Desirably, such antimicrobial efficacy is achieved without substantially inhibiting the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus. For instance, sugars and/or sugar alcohols may be employed in the present invention as a therapeutic agent for inhibiting and/or treating vaginal infection. In one particular embodiment, D-xylitol is used as the therapeutic agent.

Abstract: A material composition, including metallic nanoparticles of silver, silver alloys, or copper, having antimicrobial properties is disclosed. The metallic nanoparticles are embedded or encapsulated in a matrix formed of chitosan or chitosan derivative-based compounds.

Abstract: An elastomeric article that contains a chromogen that undergoes a detectable change in color in the presence of one or more microbes is provided. For example, in one embodiment, the chromogen is a solvatochromic dye (e.g., Reichardt's dye) that undergoes a color change in the presence of bacteria or other microbes. More specifically, such dyes may respond to differences in polarity between microbe components (e.g., cell membrane, cytoplasm, etc.) and the environment outside the cell. Alternatively, other mechanisms may be wholly or partially responsible for the interaction between the dye and the microbe, such as acid-base reactions, redox reactions, and so forth.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to anti-microbial compositions and methods for treating fungal and yeast infections.

Abstract: A high-temperature, low-noise coaxial cable assembly with high strength reinforcement braid is depicted and described. The cable assembly has very low self-noise generation and is particularly useful for telemetry and instrumentation purposes. Also, the cable assembly offers a tensile strength about an order of magnitude greater than conventional cable assemblies, and resultant improved service life and durability.

Abstract: A precision voltage reference device having a forward biased and reverse biased silicon junctions arranged as a concentric circular annular monolithic structure is described. Selective hardening of the forward biased junction is provided to adjust carrier lifetime in said junction thereby providing a radiation hardened device. The selective hardening is provided by implanting non-dopant species to induce a predetermined amount of lattice damage at the forward biased junction. This arrangement permits both the forward biased junction and the reverse biased junction to be fabricated on a common substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for automatically opening a plastic bag-type liner as part of a container lining process. The apparatus comprises at least one movable jaw assembly disposed on each side of the liner to be opened and a tongue on the other side of the liner opposing each jaw assembly. To open the bag, the jaws are opened and the jaw assemblies are moved toward and contact the liner and the opposing tongue pushes the liner between the gripping surfaces of the jaws of the opposing jaw assembly as the jaw assemblies begin to move apart, the jaws close, gripping and retaining the layer of liner in direct contact with the gripping surfaces of each jaw, the tongues slide out from between the layers of the liner, separating the sides of the unsealed end of the liner. A stream of air may then be directed into the open end of the bag for completely blowing the bag open prior to placing the bag over the open end of the container to be lined and forcing the liner into the container.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for automatically opening a plastic bag-type liner as part of a container lining process. The apparatus comprises at least one movable jaw assembly disposed on each side of the liner to be opened and a tongue on the other side of the liner opposing each jaw assembly. To open the bag, the jaws are opened and the jaw assemblies are moved toward and contact the liner and the opposing tongue pushes the liner between the gripping surfaces of the jaws of the opposing jaw assembly; as the jaw assemblies begin to move apart, the jaws close, gripping and retaining the layer of liner in direct contact with the gripping surfaces of each jaw, the tongues slide out from between the layers of the liner, separating the sides of the unsealed end of the liner. A stream of air may then be directed into the open end of the bag for completely blowing the bag open prior to placing the bag over the open end of the container to be lined and forcing the liner into the container.

Abstract: A system for boxing printed forms uses half-slotted (hsc) containers and apparatus for assembling the containers, filling them with forms, compressing the forms, applying a lid, and strapping the lid on the container. Two parallel conveyor systems are used in the apparatus. A forms infeed accumulator conveyor infeeds stacks of forms to a form-dropping mechanism aligned above a parallel box-receiving conveyor. A folded box infeed tray, a box opening mechanism, and bottom flap folding members assemble boxes one at a time. A box pusher transfers the formed box onto the receiving conveyor and lateral guides and sensor controls precisely position the box beneath the form-dropping mechanism. The dropping mechanism has two rows of live roller-fingers abutting end to end and are movable laterally apart to drop the forms into a box below.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a plurality of memory command generating units which connect to a common bus network with a number of memory subsystems. Each subsystem includes a controller which controls the operation of a number of memory module units and includes a number of queue circuits for storing memory requests to be processed. The memory controller further includes control apparatus connected to monitor bus activity. In response to certain bus activity conditions occurring during multiword transfer operations, the control apparatus operates to lengthen the time between successive multiword transfers of data to the bus so as to ensure that new requestors having lower priorities than a memory controller gain access to an available queue notwithstanding the amount of bus delay incurred in transmitting their memory requests.

Abstract: A memory system includes at least one or more memory module boards identical in construction and a single computer board containing the control circuits for controlling memory operations. Each board plugs into the main board and includes a memory section having a number of rows of memory chips and an identification section containing circuits for generating signals indicating the board density and the type of memory parts used in constructing the board's memory section. The main board control circuits include a number of decoder circuits which couple to the identification and to the memory section of each memory module board. The decoder circuits receive different address bit combinations of a predetermined multibit address portion of each memory request address.

Abstract: A memory system includes a plurality of memory controllers which connect to a common bus. Each memory controller includes reconfiguration apparatus which enables the controller when faulty to be switched off line and another controller to be substituted in its place so as to maintain system memory contiguous.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a main memory system which couples in common with a central processing unit to a bus for transfer of data between the central processing unit and memory system. The memory system includes a plurality of memory controllers, each of which controls the operation of a number of memory modules. Each controller also includes reconfiguration apparatus for enabling reconfiguration of the memory system upon detection of a fault. The reconfiguration apparatus includes apparatus for identifying the type and design revision of the controller associated therewith enabling more expeditious fault diagnosis based upon status signals provided by the controller during diagnostic testing by the central processing unit.