Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for managing body weight by measuring preload efficiency and having the energy load of a food serving and providing information as to the measured preload efficiency and energy load of the selected food serving to enable an informed choice of an appropriate food serving. The method can optionally further include the step of calculating a net preload effect that is based on the measured preload efficiency and a known or estimated energy load for the selected food serving.

Abstract: A manifold for a liquid material dispenser has a unitary manifold body with process air and liquid material passages formed therethrough. Heaters for heating the process air and liquid material are both coupled directly to the manifold body and cooperate to simultaneously heat both the air and liquid material. The air and liquid material heaters may be arranged in either a generally vertical orientation, or a horizontal orientation with respect to the manifold body. In one embodiment, the process air heater includes a cylindrical member which is substantially exposed to the process air to optimize heat transfer from the cylindrical member to the process air.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low calorie, palatable table sugar substitute composition containing a water insoluble bulking agent and a high intensity sweetener, where the water insoluble bulking agent and high intensity sweetener are present in a proportion such that, on a volume:volume basis the table sugar substitute provides approximately the same sweetness as sucrose.

Abstract: Novel polypeptides of human megakaryocyte stimulating factors (MSFs). Pharmaceutical compositions containing same, and methods for their preparation and use are provided.

Abstract: A stack frame associated with a procedure that can alter or affect a shared resource where the procedure is associated with a child stack and is declared by a parent stack is marked isolated. Isolated stack frames are allotted an additional predefined interval of processing time before commands such as terminate and interrupt applied to the child stack are executed. If the command is a terminate command, after the additional allotted time interval has passed, both child and parent stacks are terminated. If the command is an interrupt command, after the additional allotted time interval has passed, the child stack is interrupted. If the command is a resource-terminated command, an operator is permitted to allocate more resource time to the task or may terminate both parent and child stacks. If a parent stack is terminated, all child stacks of the parent are terminated.

Abstract: A system for providing fire protection and cooling for a building consists of a water cooler which supplies and maintains water in a piping system at a first temperature and a plurality of thermally driven heat extraction assemblies which are located throughout the building. The heat extraction assemblies are thermally linked to the water at the first temperature in the piping system and each heat extraction assembly includes a radiant, naturally convective or forced convective assembly which acts to transfer heat at a second temperature which is substantially higher than the first temperature to water which is passing through the heat extraction assembly.

Abstract: A manifold for a liquid material dispenser has a unitary manifold body with process air and liquid material passages formed therethrough. Heaters for heating the process air and liquid material are both coupled directly to the manifold body and cooperate to simultaneously heat both the air and liquid material. The air and liquid material heaters may be arranged in either a generally vertical orientation, or a horizontal orientation with respect to the manifold body. In one embodiment, the process air heater includes a cylindrical member which is substantially exposed to the process air to optimize heat transfer from the cylindrical member to the process air.

Abstract: A method and system for a partitioned computer system includes the allocation and limiting of input/output (I/O) resources. The method involves reading an I/O key that allocates a system-wide upper limit on I/O resources. The limit may be divided by the number of active partitions within the computer system. Each partition may then be given an equal share of the available I/O resources. If any one partition exceeds the share of resources for that partition, the I/O resource use is capped to meet the maximum limit for that partition. A user may enter the system to customize the initially uniform distribution of I/O resource within the partitioned computer system. Additional partitions may be added or deleted to the computer system. The addition of a partition permits a dynamic reallocation of I/O resource so that a new partition may have a minimal I/O resource allocation for initial operation.

Abstract: An integral air purifying unit disposed inside a bed frame between a pair of cross-members. The air purifying unit includes a fan, at least one filter and an ultraviolet germicidal lamp. The structural members are provided with louvered openings to provide an inlet and outlet for the air purifying unit. Air is drawn through the inlet by the fan and passes through at least one filter. The air also passes over a germicidal lamp before exiting through an outlet in the side member on the opposite side of the fan.

Abstract: A suture for a suture anchor or surgical needle. The suture is a tubular sheath defining an empty bore and is braided using biocompatible filaments of the same or different materials. The sheath has a flattened annular cross-section.

Abstract: A stabilized filament drawing device for a meltspinning apparatus. The stabilized filament drawing device applies a high-velocity flow of air to attenuate the filaments, which are discharged from a device outlet in a discharge direction. The filament drawing device includes multiple inclined guides adjacent to the outlet that cause the high-velocity flow of air to deviate from the discharge direction by the Coanda effect. The filaments, which are entrained in the high-velocity process air, likewise deviate from the discharge direction. The guides are arranged such that spaces are absent between adjacent guides.

Abstract: A programmable vehicle accessory service allows a user to configure vehicle accessories. The user enters configuration data at an application. The application may be located at a personal computer, laptop, mobile telephone, or other device. The configuration data is transmitted to a remotely located server or controller. The controller processes the configuration data and generates vehicle accessory parameters according to the configuration data. The controller transmits the parameters to a module located in the vehicle. The module converts the parameters to a proper vehicle bus communication format and adjusts vehicle accessories according to the parameters. Additionally, the controller may transmit the parameters to a user device such as a laptop, mobile telephone, or personal data assistant. The user uploads the parameters from the user device to the module.

Abstract: A linear flow equalizer for distributing thermoplastic material to a spin pack of a meltspinning apparatus that provides for uniform apportionment of a flow of a flowable thermoplastic material at least vertically and in a cross-machine direction of the spin pack. The linear flow equalizer includes an inlet plate with multiple liquid passageways equidistantly spaced in the cross-machine direction that each provide flowable thermoplastic material to a set of equalizer plates. Elongated slots extending through alternating equalizer plates are registered with throughholes extending through adjacent plates in the equalizer plate set. Each throughhole in an upstream equalizer plate is registered with the center of a corresponding slot and each throughole in a downstream equalizer plate is registered with one of opposed closed ends of a corresponding slot.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the preparation of fully cooked farinaceous products such as pastas, noodles, rice, pasta-like and similar products. More particularly, it relates to the preparation of fully cooked, shelf-stable pasta, rice or noodle products. The present invention includes a method of making a shelf stable pasta, rice or noodle product, a shelf stable pasta rice or noodle product produced by that method, and an apparatus adapted to make such shelf stable products.

Abstract: The present disclosure shows the placement of a light pipe or indicator 120 in the “knuckle” of the hinge of the radiotelephone. The indicator is generally centered in the knuckle and follows the curvature of the hinge. Placement of an indicator in this location allows the indicator to be viewable from the front of the handset with the top housing either opened or closed, while in use or in the charger, or from the top if the radiotelephone is carried in a shirt pocket or belt clip holster.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a scalable cross-connect switching system and its corresponding method perform a bridging operation by splitting the incoming light signal into at least a first bridged light signal and a second bridged light signal. The first bridged light signal has a power level equal to or substantially greater than a power level of the second bridged light signal. The disproportionate power levels provide low-loss bridging. Light signals based on these bridged light signals are routed through multiple switch fabrics which provide redundancy in case of failure by switching within the switch fabric. To detect failures, a test access port is configured for monitoring multiple optical paths.

Abstract: A method of making a shelf stable pasta, rice or noodle product, a shelf stable pasta rice or noodle product produced by that method is described.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating iron based parts. The method includes the steps of immersing the parts in an alkaline based degreasing solution and simultaneously subjecting the alkaline based degreasing solution to ultrasonic vibration. Thereafter, the parts are rinsed in the water bath and, following the water rinse, immersed in a water soluble corrosion based inhibiter. The parts are then dried and, subsequent to drying, painted to protect the parts from corrosion.

Abstract: A golf club protection system for protecting golf clubs from the elements. The golf club protection system includes a plurality of tubes for insertion into a golf bag. Each of the tubes has a first end and a second end. Each of the tubes is generally hollow. A plurality of head covers the heads of golf clubs. Each of the head covers comprising a housing. The housing has a leg portion and a foot portion. The housing is generally hollow. The leg portion has a free end having an opening therein adapted for removably coupling to the second end of one of the tubes. The foot portion has an open bottom side. A covering means covers the opening in the foot portion. The covering means has a shape adapted to cover the opening. The covering means is selectively movable between an open and a closed position.

Abstract: A near netshape carbon preform is provided comprising a polar woven fabric of a plurality of carbon yarns, said polar woven fabric having a helical shape and an adjustable fiber orientation distribution, said polar woven fabric being laid down, turn by turn, into a near net shape preform, and each layer of said fabric being needled to produce a near net shape preform with increased interlaminar strength, an adjustable fiber orientation distribution and enhanced thermal conductivity. A method for manufacturing a near net shape carbon preform with a polar woven substrate is also disclosed.