A method of determining a location (x,z) of a subsurface boundary (38) of a body (30), comprising providing a wave source (34) and a receiver (36) on a surface (32) of body (30); measuring a travel time of a wave from source (34) reflected to receiver (36) via the boundary (38); and determining horizontal slowness of the wave at the receiver (36) and/or the source (34), as well as the curvature of the wave at the receiver or the source. The location (x,z) is determined on the basis of the measured travel time and the determined horizontal slowness(es) and/or curvature of the wave. The wave may be a seismic wave for geophysical surveying purposes, or an ultrasound wave for medical diagnostic purposes.

Light expanded clay aggregates are described that are prepared by firing and expanding a clay- based material, wherein metals such as palladium, copper or nickel are added to the clay together with iron prior to expansion and firing. The expanded clay aggregates can be used for cleaning of water contaminated with halogenated organic compounds. The latter are chemically degraded to harmless compounds in proximity of the added metals. The aggregates can be used as a reactive medium for treatment of contaminated groundwater, wastewater and landfill leachate.

The system is applicable in the domestic and sanitation sector, and comprises the lavatory pan with a pot (1) with portable toilet seat (2), and portable lid (3) with common hinge and lower back opening (14) for disposal of waste waters, upper back opening (4), in which is discharged the lower end of a pipeline (5), whose upper end is discharged into the outlet of a source (6) of water for flushing, mounted on the wall (7) of a vent shaft (8). The pot (1) possesses on its back wall, at the level of its upper rim, an extra opening (13), in which is discharged the lower end of the pipeline (10), whose upper end is discharged into the inlet of an independent fan (1 1), whose command signal input is connected to an autonomous motion detector (12) on the premises, where the system is located. It is possible that the pot (1) possesses two extra openings, symmetrically positioned on both sides of the opening (4).

Invention is related to the Method for protection against unauthorized bank card reading, which can be applied in fight against units for unauthorized data reading of a bank card when using automatic banking machines, known as ATM, ABM or Automated teller machines. Method includes following operations: the bank card is fed into the machine as from the additional device in the immediate proximity of the skimmer, impulses are generated with repeated frequency into the sound range and in the process of reading, noise is recorded in the skimming device as the record of the useful signal by the magnetic tape of the card is mixed with the record of the noise. The advantage of the offered method is that it is obtained protection from unauthorized reading of data of a bank card in specified operations through automatic banking machines.

(57) The centerfire non-capsular ammunition is applied in the field of small arms. The ammunition includes initiating compounds (3), applied over special shim (5) and it is located between the thinned bottom (6) of cartridge- case (1) and the special shim (5). which could be of various shape as over the special shim there is propeUant charge (4), and right below it mere is projectile (2), fixed steadily to cartridge-case (1). The initiating compounds (3) could be applied right over the thinned bottom (6) of the cartridge-case.

A drill bit matrix is provided that contains a powdered abrasive material and a refractory metal powder in which the refractory metal powder is a coated powder in which each granule of the refractory metal powder is coated by a coating material. A core drill bit is further provided, containing a powdered abrasive material, a refractory metal powder and a steel tube onto which the powdered abrasive material and refractory metal powder are alloyed. The refractory metal powder is a coated powder in which each granule of the refractory metal powder is coated by one or more coating materials. A method is finally provided for manufacturing a core drill bit. First a matrix is formed by mixing together a powdered abrasive material and a coated refractory metal powder. The matrix is placed in a mould and a steel tube is placed on top of the mould to form a drill bit assembly. The drill bit assembly is then heated under atmospheric conditions. The steel tube is then hot pressed into the heated matrix and the drill bit assembly is allowed to cool before releasing the cooled drill bit from the mould.

A method for forming a strained semiconductor channel and a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes the following steps: forming a SiGe relaxation layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the SiGe relaxation layer, forming a dummy gate on the dielectric layer, the dielectric layer and the dummy gate composing a dummy gate structure; depositing an inter-layer dielectric layer, planarizing the inter-layer dielectric layer to expose the dummy gate; etching and removing the dummy gate and the dielectric layer to form an opening; selectively growing a semiconductor epitaxial layer in the opening; depositing a high-K dielectric layer and a metal layer; planarizing the metal layer and the high-K dielectric layer, and then removing the high-K dielectric layer and the metal layer which cover the inter-layer dielectric layer to form a metal gate.

Peptide compounds of formula I, and stereoisomers, salts having no physiology toxicity and prodrugs thereof for inhibiting β-secretase, and pharmaceutical composition comprising the above compounds as active ingredient are disclosed in the present invention. The peptide compounds of formula I, and stereoisomers, salts having no physiology toxicity and prodrugs thereof can prevent or treat diseases associated with β-secretase such as Alzheimer's disease.

The invention provides gene chips for detecting multiple pathogenic bacteria in animals cultivated in sea water and uses thereof. The pathogenic bacteria include: Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio vulnificus, Non-O1 Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio fluvialis, Vibrio fischeri, Vibrio splendidus, Vibrio mimicus, Vibrio salmonicida, Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas sobria, Aeromonas salmonicida, Edwardsiella tarda, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Renibacterium salmoninarum, Mycobacterium marinum, Pseudomonas, and Streptococcus.

A differential includes a differential housing (1) driven by a power shaft. Left and right axle shafts (8) are rotatably mounted in the differential housing (1). One worm wheel (2) is mounted in the differential housing, and N worms (3) are meshed with the worm wheel (2), wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The left and right axle shafts are linked with at least one worm (3) via transmission components (6,7), respectively, and worms linked with the same axle shaft drives the worm wheel to rotate in a same direction, worms linked with different axle shaft drives the worm wheel to rotate in opposite directions. The differential provides a purely mechanical differential device which is not only differential but also nonskid, and solves the understeer problem of a front drive vehicle when cornering at high speed.