Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pre-coated substrate, such as a slide, that is useful for immobilizing a sample. The invention is further provides methods of preparing such pre-coated substrates and methods of analyzing biological samples immobilized on such pre-coated substrate. The substrate is coated with a polycationic polymeric coating material specifically selected such that that coated substrate exhibits increased stability and prolonged shelf-life. Preferred polymeric coating materials include allylic or vinylic polymers having cationic groups thereon and having no more than a small percentage of peptidic monomeric linkages, particularly polydiallyldimethylammonium (PDDA).

Abstract: This invention deals with the development of improved SMT performance flame retardant polyamide compositions. The compositions include replacing the poly bromostyrene or brominated polystyrene with a copolymer of a halostyrene and glycidyl(meth)acrylate. The resulting composition results in greatly improved blistering performance in Surface Mounting Technology Applications.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for treating an inflammatory condition, treating haematological and other malignancies, causing immunosuppression, or preventing or treating transplant rejection in man or other animals which comprises administering to a patient a compound that has the structure of Formula (I) or Formula (II) as defined below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof or pro-drug therefor, wherein R=NH2, NHR1, NHOR2, NHNHR2, NHCOR2, and R1=C(1-4)alkyl, C(3-6)cycloalkyl, Cn, where n=1-3, R2=methyl, ethyl, R3=alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted alkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, substituted aryl, or substituted hetreoaryl; wherein R4, R5=C(1-4)alkyl. Novel compounds according to Formula (III), wherein R6 and R7 are any of H, CH3CO, CH3CH2CO, CH3CH2CH2CO provided that R6 and R7 are not both H, or Formula (IV), wherein R8 and R9 are any of H, CH3CO, CH3CH2CO or CH3CH2CH2CO, having use in such methods, are also described.

Abstract: A mudsaver valve with retrievable inner sleeve. An annular piston is secured to a first end of the inner sleeve such that movement of the annular piston results in movement of the inner sleeve between a valve closed position and a valve open position. In the valve closed position radial outlet passages of the inner sleeve are blocked by a flow control sleeve. In the valve open position the inner sleeve is moved relative to the flow control sleeve so that the radial outlet passages are no longer blocked. The inner sleeve is maintained in the valve closed position until pump pressure acting upon the annular piston overcomes a biasing force of a biasing spring causing the inner sleeve to be carried by the annular piston to the valve open position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sound absorbent thin-layer laminate consisting of at least one open-cell support layer and a second open-cell fibre layer. The support layer consists either of a first fibre layer, especially a low-density non-woven material with a mass per unit area of less than 2,000 g/m2 and a thickness of less than 50 mm, or of an open-cell foam layer, especially an ultra-light plastic foam with a density of between 16 and 32 kg/m3 and a thickness of at least 6 mm. The second fibre layer is made of melt-blown microfibres, whose fibre diameter is approximately 1 to 10 &mgr;m, especially 2 to 5 &mgr;m. The air resistance of the thin-layer laminate is in the range of 500<Rt<4,000 Ns/m3. According to the method for producing the thin-layer laminate a microfibre layer of melt-blown microfibres with a diameter of between 1 and 10 &mgr;m, preferably between 2 and 5 &mgr;m, is fixed to the support layer by means of a spray-on adhesive.

Abstract: A disc toss game which includes a target box or receiver with a false bottom interposed between the top and bottom edges, with the elevation of the false bottom being positionably adjustable relative to the plane of the top edges of the target box. A standpipe or tube is mounted within the target box coaxially with the center of the square target box. The target box has an outer perimeter defined by chamfered edges, with the plane of the top edge of the open standpipe or tube being positionably adjustable within the target box from an upper position which is coplanar with the edges of the target box, into one or more lower positions in which the top edge of the standpipe is recessed from the plane of the top edges of the target box.

Abstract: A mudsaver valve with retrievable inner sleeve. An annular piston is secured to a first end of the inner sleeve such that movement of the annular piston results in movement of the inner sleeve between a valve closed position and a valve open position. In the valve closed position radial outlet passages of the inner sleeve are blocked by a flow control sleeve. In the valve open position the inner sleeve is moved relative to the flow control sleeve so that the radial outlet passages are no longer blocked. The inner sleeve is maintained in the valve closed position until pump pressure acting upon the annular piston overcomes a biasing force of a biasing spring causing the inner sleeve to be carried by the annular piston to the valve open position.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a method for connecting a remote user to a destination host site having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) including an Internet domain name and one or more Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. This method intercepts a locator request generated by a remote end user for the domain name of a destination host site, requests all available IP addresses for that site, determines the IP address with the fastest response, and returns the this address to the end user.

Abstract: A variety of systems responsive to watermarked documents are detailed. In one, a system includes a user terminal, a central site, and a website. The user terminal includes a watermark reader, and a capture device to capture an image of a watermarked document. The central site includes a database of watermark identifiers and corresponding and related information. The user terminal communicates an extracted watermark identifier to the central site. The central site interrogates a database via the extracted watermark identifier to find any related information. The central site generates a random number and a time stamp, and stores such as a verification record along with the extracted watermark identifier. Such a verification record can be used to verify authority to enter the website from the user terminal.

Abstract: A variety of systems responsive to watermarked documents are detailed. In one, a system includes a user terminal, a central site, and a website. The user terminal includes a watermark reader, and a capture device to capture an image of a watermarked document. The central site includes a database of watermark identifiers. The user terminal communicates an extracted watermark identifier to the central site. The central site interrogates a database via the extracted watermark identifier to find any related information. The central site generates a validation key and communicates such to the user terminal. The validation key can be used by the website to validate access by the user terminal.

Abstract: Isotropic magnetic alloy powder having an intrinsic magnetic induction of at least two third of its magnetic remanence and method for making same are provided. The powder is made from an alloy having a composition comprising, by weight percentage, approximately 15 to 35 percent of one or more rare earth metals, approximately 0.5 to 4.5 percent of boron, and approximately 0 to 20 percent of cobalt, balanced with iron. The alloy powder is made by a process wherein an amount of the alloy is melt and spun in an inert environment, preferably at a distance between an orifice and a wheel being less than one and one half inches, into ribbons, followed by crushing the ribbons into powder and annealing the powder.

Abstract: This invention deals with the development of improved SMT performance flame retardant polyamide compositions. The compositions include replacing the poly bromostyrene or brominated polystyrene with a copolymer of a halostyrene and glycidyl (meth) acrylate. The resulting composition results in greatly improved blistering performance in Surface Mounting Technology Applications.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating slow rise-time, high voltage electrical pulses to a load, preferably using an existing transformer/rectifier set or power supply to charge an inversion or high voltage switching circuit to produce the pulsed voltage. An energy recovery circuit (100, 102) is used to return unused energy from the load (24) back to the means for producing pulsed voltage (110, 130). A load matching circuit (120) uses a blocking diode and a capacitor for charging the load. An additional blocking diode (32) inhibits load voltage discharge back through the slow pulse generating circuit. A transformer (20) can be used to step-up voltage from the inversion circuit, or high voltage switching circuit, to the load. One or more magnetic switch stages are used to transfer energy from the inversion circuit, or high voltage switching circuit, to the load matching circuit. A fire-on voltage controller (66) triggers the inversion or high voltage switching circuit.

Abstract: A disc toss game which includes a target box of frusto-conical configuration with a false bottom interposed between the top and bottom edges. An upstanding conical tube is disposed within the target box and is mounted coaxially within the false bottom and coaxially with the target box. The target box has an outer perimeter defined by chamfered edges. The top end of the conical tube is coplanar with the edges of the target box.

Abstract: Isotropic magnetic alloy powder having an intrinsic magnetic induction of at least two third of its magnetic remanence and method for making same are provided. The powder is made from an alloy having a composition comprising, by weight percentage, approximately 15 to 35 percent of one or more rare earth metals, approximately 0.5 to 4.5 percent of boron, and approximately 0 to 20 percent of cobalt, balanced with iron. The alloy powder is made by a process wherein an amount of the alloy is melt and spun in an inert environment, preferably at a distance between an orifice and a wheel being less than one and one half inches, into ribbons, followed by crushing the ribbons into powder and annealing the powder.

Abstract: A system which utilizes two buffers of dual-port memory to seamlessly display video frames on a raster scanned video display device. Dual port memory is organized into two alternate memory banks, each having sufficient capacity to buffer a full frame of video data. As long as the display memory write and read addresses are sufficiently separated by a predetermined number of lines, video data is written and read using alternate banks of memory for each frame. When the write and read addresses are closer than a predetermined number of lines, the video data already stored in a given bank of memory is re-read. After the write and read addresses are again sufficiently separated, video data is again written and read using alternate banks of memory.

Abstract: A system which utilizes dual-port memory to seamlessly display video frames on a raster scanned display device. Dual port memory is partitioned into a ‘single frame buffer’ having sufficient capacity to buffer a full video frame, and an ‘extension buffer’ which is a contiguous extension of the single frame buffer. The two sections together comprise an ‘extended buffer’. As long as the video memory write and read addresses are sufficiently separated by a predetermined number of lines, video data is written and read using the single frame buffer for each frame. When the write and read addresses are closer than a predetermined number of lines, the incoming video data for the next several new frames is written using the ‘extended’ buffer, and also read therefrom. After the write and read addresses are again sufficiently separated, video data is written and read using only the single frame buffer.

Abstract: A method for forming a concrete masonry block having external plates. The external plates with anchors are indexed on pallets that are fed into concrete casting machines by proper location of the plates. Concrete mixture is deposited inside of a mold and compressed into the mold with anchors being located in the concrete material and having at least one external plate. Thereafter, the concrete masonry block with the external plate is removed from the mold and cured.

Abstract: An oarlock (26) for a rowing shell (42) is threaded onto an adjusting tube (10) longer than the oarlock and just shorter than an oarlock pin (16). This oarlock/tube assembly is slipped over the pin and secured so that it is free to pivot. The pin is attached to a sill (28) of a rigger (32). Manual turning of the tube will raise or lower the oarlock without disassembly to make adjustment for height and weight of rowers or changing water conditions.