An auction methodology wherein individual demands are bid in lots and an aggregation of several lots is then run as an individual lot to determine if the buyer can attract a lower price offering from bidders by selecting to award the total volume of all of the individual lots to one bidder. The apparatus includes a plurality of sensing elements which are comprised of flow channels and reservoirs in fluid communication. Further, the intermediate member of the spark plug includes a cylindrical columnar portion which is joined to the ground electrode chip, and a flange portion which is joined to the ground electrode base material and which flange portion has a diameter greater than that of the cylindrical columnar portion. Alternatively, a conventional tape edge machine can be used with less-skilled labor and or reduced tapewelting material, as all of the stitches and welting are hidden inside the mattress by the inverted seam. The hydrophilic ceramic coating is porous and can store nano-sized drug particles. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a homogenous flanged bearing ring from a straight profile bar.