Abstract: 6-Deoxy-D-fructose and 6-deoxy-L-sorbose, useful starting materials for the synthesis of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one, are obtained from fructose-1,6-diphosphate by a reaction with lactaldehyde, in the presence of an enzymatic system composed of aldolase and triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) in an aqueous medium at pH 7.0, followed by the hydrolysis of the monophosphate salt thus obtained. The same deoxy-sugars are obtained by the reaction between 1,3-dihydroxyacetone phosphate and lactaldehyde in the presence of the same enzymatic system composed of aldolase and TPI. The aforementioned deoxysugars are also prepared by the reaction of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone with lactaldehyde in the presence of an anionic exchange resin.

Abstract: A variety of redox mediating agents employing bipyridinium reagents and such reagents in conjunction with dispersed noble metals, such as platinium, are disclosed as coatings for substrates and electrodes. The agents may be charged by an applied voltage or by photoelectric effects or may be equilibrated with hydrogen. The agents are useful in reducing biological materials and electrolytic hydrogen production.

Abstract: A system for regenerating an n-bit data word on a token mediated communications ring includes a decoder for receiving the data signal from the ring and deriving the n-bit data word and an associated clock signal from the received data signal. A re-transmit clock generator generates a transmit clock signal incorporating the i.sup.th through the n.sup.th cycles from the derived clock signal, followed by i cycles at the nominal system clock rate. A delay network delays the derived data word by a period approximately equal to the period of the nominal system clock. An encoding network regenerates the n-bit data word for re-transmission on the ring by encoding the delayed derived data word with the transmit clock signal.

Abstract: The level of a catecholamine in neuronal synapses is increased in order to improve vigor by administering a neutral amino acid composition to a human wherein an increased brain level of a catecholamine is effected when the composition contains increased amounts of tyrosine and/or phenylalanine. Increased or decreased brain levels of serotonin are obtained when the amino acid composition contains increased or decreased amounts of tryptophan.The neutral amino acid composition can be administered alone or concomitantly with a drug which increases or decreases catecholaminergic neurotransmission.

Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with a drug in order to potentiate the effect of the drug by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues, and/or to suppress, or block the development of, unwanted side effects of the drug, by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain or other tissues.

Abstract: Tungsten compounds of the formula:[L.sub.Y X.sub.n+3 W.tbd.CR.sup.3 ].sup.n- (M.sup.+).sup.nwhereinR.sup.3 is an alkyl or aryl;L is a moiety of the formula ZR.sup.4 R.sup.5 R.sup.6, (O)ZR.sup.4 R.sup.5 R.sup.6, ZR.sup.4 R.sup.5 (OR.sup.6), ZR.sup.4 (OR.sup.5) (OR.sup.6) or Z(OR.sup.4) (OR.sup.5) (OR.sup.6); wherein Z is a group 5 element including N, P or As and R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 can be the same or different and are alkyl, aralkyl or aryl;X is F, Cl, Br, I, OR.sup.4, NR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or SR.sup.4 ;M.sup.+ is a metallic or organic cation; alkyl has 1-10 carbons, aralkyl has 7-10 carbons and aryl has 6-10 carbons;n is 0 or 1, and y is 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that:y is 0 when X is OR.sup.4, NR.sup.4 R.sup.5 or SR.sup.4, and n=0;y is 0 when X is OR.sup.4, F, Cl, Br or I, and n=1.These compounds will transform unsymmetric acetylenes into a mixture containing the unsymmetric acetylene and the two possible symmetric acetylenes in their thermodynamically determined relative amounts at equilibrium.

Abstract: A stepping motor control system which uses a closed-loop lead angle control technique wherein a programmably selected lead angle signal is combined with a signal representing the position of a step motor shaft so as to provide a coil state excitation signal for the coils of the stepping motor, the shaft thereof being rotated in response to the coil state excitation signal. The lead angle signal can be modulated in accordance with a selected duty cycle so as to assume two adjacent lead angle values during each modulation cycle. The system can also be arranged to permit the use of open-loop control using a suitably programmed externally supplied coil state excitation signal, the latter being capable of similar modulation as described above with reference to lead angle modulation.

Abstract: A digital receiver for receiving and interpreting navigational data in the global position system comprising faster-than-real-time correlators for correlating the code portions of individual signals with matching codes stored in memory thus creating a plurality of virtual channels for acquiring and tracking each visible satellite.

Abstract: A method for curing a resinous composition comprising an admixture of a thermosetting resin and dielectrically lossy particles is described wherein the lossy particles have a dielectric constant substantially the same as the dielectric constant of the resin. The method comprises subjecting said admixture to a high frequency alternating electric field for sufficient time to heat the lossy particles and initiate the chemical reaction to cure the resin. Also described are shaped articles of manufacture made by curing resinous compositions in accord with the described method. Such articles have enhanced mechanical properties due to the curing process.

Abstract: A process is provided for selectively etching silicon by means of a plasma etching composition wherein an etching target is connected to a radio frequency voltage and a source of silicon and oxygen is provided with the plasma etching composition in order to minimize etching of a masking composition.

Abstract: An impedance measuring apparatus having a measuring transistor with its gate electrode adapted to form a two electrode, interdigitated capacitor with the material to be measured forming the dielectric, a second reference transistor connected in differential configuration to the measuring transistor so that their drain currents are constrained to be equal, a time-varying voltage generator connected to one electrode of the interdigitated capacitor and a gain-phase meter connected to the gate of the reference transistor.

Abstract: A system for establishing, in vivo, the strength of bone in a live being such as, for example, a horse. The system permits determination of the speed of travel of sound through the bone and the strength of the bone is assessed on the basis of said speed of travel.

Abstract: A method for fabricating three-dimensional optical waveguides is disclosed. In this method, a single crystal semiconductor layer is grown upon an insulator which has an index of refraction lower than the semiconductor. The semiconductor layer is deposited to a thickness which provides confinement of light propagating in the semiconductor layer in the vertical direction. An effective larger index of refraction over a cross-sectional region of the semiconductor layer is then formed to provide confinement of light in the lateral direction. In the preferred method, the growth of single crystal semiconductor upon the insulator is achieved by a vapor-phase lateral epitaxial overgrowth technique.Devices fabricated according to the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention comprises the use of centrifugal force to introduce viable cells into a fibrous lattice, as well as fibrous lattices that are seeded with cells by the use of centrifugal force. A variety of fibrous lattices may be seeded by the methods of this invention, such as a highly porous lattice comprising collagen fibers crosslinked with glycosaminoglycan. Before the centrifugation, a piece of intact tissue is harvested from a donor site. It is treated with one or more substances, such as trypsin or collagenase, to dissociate cells from the tissue. The cells are then mixed with an aqueous solution to create an aqueous suspension of cells. A piece of fibrous lattice is placed within a container, referred to herein as a "bucket," that is suitable for rotation by a centrifuge. The aqueous suspension of cells is placed within the bucket, in contact with the lattice. The centrifuge is then rotated.

Abstract: A sine wave inverter consisting of two substantially constant dc current sources and two transistors to switch the current flow in a load from one branch of the circuit to the other branch, in which the two branches are designed to produce complementary sinsoidal waveforms and thereby provide the load with ac current.

Abstract: Sustained conversion of low energy visible or near i.r. light (>1.25 eV) to electrical energy has been obtained using wet photoelectrochemical cells where there are no net chemical changes in the system. Stabilization of n-type semi-conductor anodes of CdS, CdSe, CdTe, GaP, GaAs and InP to photoanodic dissolution is achieved by employing selected alkaline solutions of Na.sub.2 S, Na.sub.2 S/S, Na.sub.2 Se, Na.sub.2 Se/Se, Na.sub.2 Te and Na.sub.2 Te/Te as the electrolyte. The oxidation of (poly) sulfide, (poly)selenide or (poly)telluride species occurs at the irradiated anode, and reduction of polysulfide, polyselenide or polytelluride species occurs at the dark Pt cathode of the photoelectrochemical cell. Optical to electrical energy conversion efficiencies approaching 15% at selected frequencies have been observed in some cells. The wavelength for the onset of photocurrent corresponds to the band gap of the particular anode material used in the cell.

Abstract: A method for improving the stability and usefulness of interferon, including human fibroblast interferon, is disclosed. In this method, interferon is bonded to a non-hydrophobic substance to create a molecular complex that is less hydrophobic than untreated interferon.

Abstract: Nicotinamide cofactors are prepared in a process of reacting ribose -5- phosphate with a basic material selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary and secondary amines in a polar non-aqueous solvent, reacting the resultant 1-ribosylamine -5- phosphate with a pyridinium salt and reacting the resultant nicotinamide mononucleotide with adenosine triphosphate in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pyrophosphorase to produce nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide which can be used directly in crude form without further purification in co-factor - requiring enzymatic reactions. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide pyrophosphorase may be immobilized on a solid support.

Abstract: The intensity profile of a beam of electromagnetic waves such as a laser beam is shaped by means of a diffraction grating and/or prism in the beam path. In one embodiment, beams exhibiting Gaussian energy intensity profiles undergo an energy redistribution to approximately uniform profiles. A reflective or transmissive surface relief grating is employed with phase steps generally periodic except at the pattern center where a pattern phase reversal occurs. Prisms are cut and oriented relative to the incoming beam to operate at the Brewster's angle for compressing or expanding the beam with minimum losses.

Abstract: A process for treating liquid hydrocarbons to remove toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic aromatic hydrocarbons comprises feeding the hydrocarbons into a reactor where vapors are thermally treated in contact with a catalyst consisting essentially of calcium oxide or a calcium oxide containing mineral. Thermally treating liquid hydrocarbons in contact with calcium oxide preferentially increases the cracking of aromatics thus producing a product having a reduced amount of aromatic compounds.