Abstract: A method for reducing an amount of manganese in a fume generated during arc welding including incorporating a quantity of manganese in a core of a welding electrode as a composite particle of manganese and a shielding material.

Abstract: Provided are peptides, peptide analogs, and peptide mimetics that inhibit HIV activity, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such peptides and peptide analogs, and methods of inhibiting HIV activity and/or transmission by administering the peptides and peptide analogs to a subject.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described that allow inexpensive speech recognition in applications where this capability is not otherwise feasible because of cost or technical reasons, or because of inconvenience to the user. A relatively simple speaker independent recognition algorithm, capable of recognizing a limited number of utterances at any one time, is associated with the base unit of an electronics product. To function, the product requires information from an external medium and this medium also provides the data required to recognize several sets of utterances pertinent to other information provided by the external medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described that allow inexpensive speech recognition in applications where this capability is not otherwise feasible because of cost or technical reasons, or because of inconvenience to the user. A relatively simple speaker independent recognition algorithm, capable of recognizing a limited number of utterances at any one time, is associated with the base unit of an electronics product. To function, the product requires information from an external medium and this medium also provides the data required to recognize several sets of utterances pertinent to other information provided by the external medium.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for improved arc initiation during Gas-Metal Arc welding. The unstable period at the arc start is a period when increased spatter is produced and increased fume is generated and defects such as unacceptable weld bead profiles, porosity and inadequate penetration occur. It has been observed that initiating the arc using a substantially higher average arc current and thereafter switching the power supply to a CV mode for the remainder of the Gas-Metal Arc welding operation decreases the arc initiation period and the instability produced during this arc start period. Initiating the arc using a CC supply and then dynamically switching on-line the power supply to CV operation provides a means of decreasing the arc initiation period and the amount of instability produced during the arc initiation period. Power supplies for Gas-Metal Arc welding and other applications requiring on-line switching between CC and CV are disclosed.

Abstract: A zodiac board game comprises a board having a closed path of game spaces thereon, the path being divided into twelve sectors wherein each sector corresponds to a sign of the zodiac and wherein the twelve sectors define four sets of three sectors each, each sector in a set includes at least one special game space, each special game space in a sector in a given set bearing the same one of four different indicia, special game spaces in different sets bearing different indicia; and wherein the indicia of the at least one game space in each sector corresponds to one of four zodiac elements associated with the sign of each sector; and wherein the game piece is movable from one game space to another along a closed path. Preferably, each game piece is shaped to represent the symbol of a corresponding zodiac sign, the identifier of each game piece representing the zodiac element corresponding to the zodiac sign represented by each game piece.