Abstract: A seal plate for directing an airflow includes a hub, main pumping vanes, and splitter vanes. The hub has a tubular section and an annular flange section flared outwardly relative to the tubular section to define a flow surface. The main pumping vanes are disposed circumferentially on the flow surface around the annular flange section and each has a canted section located radially inward relative to a straight section and aligned with a flow direction of the airflow. The straight section extends along a first plane including a centerline of the seal plate. The splitter vanes are disposed circumferentially on the flow surface around the annular flange section such that at least one splitter vane is disposed between the straight sections of two adjacent main pumping vanes. Each splitter vane has a length that is less than a length of each of the two adjacent main pumping vanes.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the condition of a flexible pipeline comprising the step of scanning the pipeline with an ultrasonic scanner to produce and/or record a signal indicative or the level of flooding within the annulus of the pipeline and/or indicative of the integrity of the layers of the pipeline.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin is provided by the steps of providing a protective composition, wherein the protective composition comprises at least 1% of a hydrophobic polymer by weight of the protective composition and wherein the protective composition reduces the penetration of thioglycolic acid by at least 45%, as measured using the Franz Cell Method; and, providing a depilatory composition comprising an effective amount of a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A depilatory kit having a protective composition, the protective composition comprising from 1% to 50% copolymer by weight of the protective composition, the copolymer comprising at least 50% by weight of the copolymer of monomers which have hydrophobic side-groups, each hydrophobic side-group comprising from 8 to 40 carbon atoms, and a depilatory composition comprising an effective amount of a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of table-top display devices for displaying advertising content associated with advertiser to patrons of a business establishment. Each of the plurality of table-top display devices includes a display screen configured to display the advertising content, a data storage configured to store content data that defines the advertising or promotional content, and a control unit configured to access the content data in the data storage and control the display of the advertising content on the display screen. The display screen is a touchscreen display. The system also includes a server subsystem configured to allow user selection of the content data and to facilitate distribution of the content data to the plurality of table-top display devices. Distribution of the advertising content to the plurality of table-top display devices is at least partially managed by the advertiser.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a protective composition to an area of skin on which unwanted hair is growing, the protective composition comprising from 1% to 60% of wax by weight of the protective composition and from 1% to 25% by weight of the protective composition of ethanol; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a protective composition to an area of skin on which unwanted hair is growing, the protective composition comprising from 1% to 60% of wax by weight of the protective composition and from 1% to 25% of powder by weight of the protective composition; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a protective composition to an area of skin on which unwanted hair is growing, wherein the protective composition comprises an emulsion having a hydrophobic continuous phase and a hydrophilic dispersed phase; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a protective emulsion composition to an area of skin on which unwanted hair is growing, the protective emulsion composition being capable of reducing the penetration of thioglycolic acid by at least 45%, as measured using the Franz Cell Method; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the protective emulsion composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A pump having a substantially cylindrical shape and defining a cavity formed by a side wall closed at both ends by end walls wherein the cavity contains a fluid is disclosed. The pump further comprises an actuator operatively associated with at least one of the end walls to cause an oscillatory motion of the driven end wall to generate displacement oscillations of the driven end wall within the cavity. The pump further comprises an isolator operatively associated with a peripheral portion of the driven end wall to reduce dampening of the displacement oscillations. The pump further comprises a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve. The valve has first and second plates with offsetting apertures and a sidewall disposed between the plates around the perimeter of the plates to form a cavity in fluid communication with the apertures.

Abstract: Authorization limits on the use of a financial transaction instrument, such as a credit card and the like, may be set by an owner of a financial account corresponding to the financial transaction instrument. The owner provides information identifying the owner, the financial account, and the financial transaction instrument corresponding to the financial account to a computer, and also provides an owner-defined authorization limit on use of the financial transaction instrument to the computer. The authorization limit is stored in a database, which is accessed when there is a request to authorize a purchase to be made with the financial transaction instrument. The owner may communicate with the computer via a Web site, an automated call program, a kiosk, or the like.

Abstract: A process for preparing a perfume composition, the process having the steps of; (a) contacting a perfume ingredient with a molten material to form a pre-mix; (b) contacting the pre-mix with a first solid material to form a soft-solid intermediate high active perfume material; (c) solidifying the molten material to form a hardened-solid intermediate high active perfume material; (d) contacting the hardened-solid intermediate high active perfume intermediate material with a second solid material to form a perfume composition, wherein the ratio of the wt % amount of perfume ingredient present in the hardened-solid intermediate high active perfume material to the wt % amount of perfume ingredient present in the perfume composition is greater than 1.5:1.

Abstract: A valve for controlling the flow of fluid having first (16) and second (14) plates with offsetting apertures and a sidewall (12) disposed between the plates around the perimeter of the plates to form a cavity (15) in fluid communication with the apertures is disclosed. The valve further comprises a flap (17) disposed and moveable between the first and second plates and having apertures (22) substantially offset from the apertures (20) of one plate (16) and substantially aligned with the apertures (18) of the other plate (14). The flap is motivated between the two plates in response to a change in direction of the differential pressure of fluid across the valve.

Abstract: A method for receiving, storing, and transmitting patent-related information includes receiving, from a plurality of sources, identifying information that at least partially identifies patent invalidity information for a plurality of patents, storing the identifying information in a database, receiving a request from a third party to transmit at least a portion of the identifying information over the internet, and transmitting the requested portion of the identifying information over the internet, in a format suitable to be displayed as a website, to the third party in response to the request.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is operable to execute boot loader code and a boot code from external memory. To provide security so that the CPU does not execute malicious codes, the circuit resets in a restricted mode in which only certain functional units may be connected. In the restricted mode the CPU is only able to fetch boot code from an external memory for transfer to an internal memory. A hash function operates on the fetched boot code to determine whether it is authentic and, if it is determined that the code is authentic the circuit is reset to an unrestricted mode to continue executing from the boot code now stored in the internal memory. Further security is provided by a watchdog timer function which resets the circuit if the boot code is not determined to be authentic within a threshold period of time.

Abstract: An integrated circuit of the type comprises a plurality of units that may act as initiators and targets. At least some of the units are for a first purpose such as a cable modem function and others are for a second purpose such as television data processing. The units are connected together by a interconnect comprising a number of nodes. One of the nodes is configurable such that requests made from initiator units on one side of the node to target units on the other side of the node are not sent to the target units. The units for the first purpose are arranged on the opposite side of the node from those of the second purpose, so that the circuit is effectively configurable into two separate logical partitions, one partition for television data processing and the other partition for cable modem functions.

Abstract: An events management system coordinates the exchange of device alert or alarm information between an asset management system and one or more business systems within a process control system or plant. The events management system receives device alerts from the asset management system and uses a rules-engine and one or more state machines to send notifications containing device alert information to one of more of the business systems.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin, preferably facial skin, is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a hydrophobic protective composition to an area of skin, preferably facial skin, on which unwanted hair is growing, the hydrophobic protective composition comprising from 1% to 60% of wax by weight of the hydrophobic protective composition; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the hydrophobic protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin, preferably facial skin, is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a hydrophobic protective composition to an area of skin, preferably facial skin, on which unwanted hair is growing, the hydrophobic protective composition comprising 20% or more, preferably 50% or more and more preferably from 75% to 99% of at least one triglyceride by weight of the hydrophobic protective composition, the or each triglyceride having the following formula: wherein R, R? and R? may be the same as or different from one or both of the others, wherein each of R, R? and R? is a fatty acid and wherein the or each triglyceride is solid at 25° C. (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the hydrophobic protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.

Abstract: A method of removing hair from skin, preferably facial skin, is provided, comprising the steps of: (a) applying a hydrophobic protective composition to an area of skin, preferably facial skin, on which unwanted hair is growing, the hydrophobic protective composition being capable of reducing the penetration of thioglycolic acid by at least 45%, as measured using the Franz Cell Method; (b) applying a depilatory composition to the area of skin to which the hydrophobic protective composition has been applied, the depilatory composition comprising a keratin reducing agent.