Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for producing Ge or a Ge.sub.1-x Si.sub.x heteroepitaxy film on Si by depositing films of Ge or Ge.sub.1-x Si.sub.x on Si and subjecting the body so formed to a controlled temperature environment, wherein the body is rapidly (within a time period t.sub.o of more than about 100 microseconds) brought to a predetermined temperature within the alloy range of the deposited film but less than the melting point of Si. The body is then held at such temperature for a relatively short time not to exceed about 3 minutes, including the time period t.sub.o.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the production of interferon from normal human diploid fibroblast cells is disclosed. In this method, a distinct interferon-production phase is established in which the temperature is initially elevated for a brief period followed by a reduction in temperature for the balance of the interferon-production phase.

Abstract: Choline or a natural or synthetic compound that dissociates to form choline is administered to a patient concomitantly with piracetam [(oxo-2-pyrrolidinyl-) 2 acetamine] 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: A fluid power operated fish skinning machine that severs the tail and impales the fish on a wheel. The fish is then rotated past cutting stations where the dorsal fins are removed and the belly flap is cut. The wheel is then stopped opposite a cutting wheel mounted on a drum which is rotatable about its axis in either direction and is pivotable against or away from the fish body. The drum is pivoted against the fish and a transverse slit is made by the cutting wheel in the fish across the backbone near the head of the fish. The drum is then rotated until a gripping device on the drum is disposed in the slit. The gripping device is then pivoted against the drum and grips the skin against the outer surface of the drum. The drum and wheel are then rotated in opposite directions about their axes such that the skin is peeled from the fish.

Abstract: A quantitative bioassay employing the well known diffusion bioassay is described herein. The bioassay allows the calculation of the minimum concentration of a test agent which produces mutation in a tester strain of cells employed in the diffusion bioassay. A novel method for determining the stability of the agent tested in the test environment is also described.

Abstract: A method for determining the moisture content of dielectric materials is described wherein a sample of the material is placed between two electrodes and an electric field is applied. An alternating frequency in the range of radio waves and lower is applied to the electrodes and the dielectric loss properties of the material are determined. The dielectric loss properties are then used to determine moisture content. In an alternate embodiment, a step voltage is applied to the electrodes and the direct current is monitored. The decrease in value of direct current during a time interval following the application of the step voltage is used to determine the moisture content.

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: Cataract formation in mammalian lenses can be prevented or reversed by applying a solution of an aldehyde, an acrylamide or a glycol to the lens under conditions that permit the solution to interact with the lens constituents.

Abstract: A method and compositions are provided to effect optimization of methods for determining concentrations of antibodies or antigens. Particles coated with an antigen or an antibody are suspended in an aqueous medium where pH and ionic strength are controlled so that the coulomb effect and the van der Waals forces on and exerted by the particles are balanced.

Abstract: This invention relates to crosslinked collagen and glycosaminoglycan materials, and to procedures for preparing such materials. It has been discovered that if collagen fibrils in an aqueous acidic solution are contacted with a crosslinking agent before being contacted with glycosaminoglycan, the materials produced have extremely low levels of thrombogenicity. Such materials are well suited for in-dwelling catheters, blood vessel grafts, and other devices that are in continuous contact with blood for long periods of time.

Abstract: A lined duct is divided into two parallel branches by means of a rigid partition. The phase speed of the fundamental mode in each branch depends on the liner configuration and can differ markedly from the free-space phase speed. When the liners in the two branches are not the same, the corresponding phase speeds will be different and a relative phase lag between the waves in the two branches results. This, in turn, leads to interference between these wave components (and their reflections) both at the exit and entrance of the parallel branch pair. This interference can be exploited for the purpose of obtaining a low-frequency attenuation which is substantially larger than the attenuation of the unpartitioned duct.

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: 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: Die castings are made from metal compositions that are fully liquid or as a preferred embodiment contain between about 10 and 85 weight percent degenerate dendrites. The composition is injected into the cavity of a die at a mean die temperature which is as near to ambient temperature as possible and usually less than about 400.degree. F. The die is formed of a material having a thermal diffusivity of at least about 0.5 cm.sup.2 /sec. The castings are ejected and the die surface is sprayed with a liquid to bring the die surface temperature back to the mean die temperature or below in the shortest possible time. The time between injection and ejection is less than about 1 minute and the time between ejection and spraying is less than about 30 seconds.

Abstract: Electrochemical process and apparatus to control the chemical state of a material, that is, to cause said material to retain desired characteristics in an environment that normally would cause a change in those characteristics or to cause a material that has deteriorated from a desired chemical state to revert to the desired state.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device including a crystal substrate having two substantially planar surfaces and at least one SAW-to-plate mode coupler positioned on one of the surfaces. The SAW-to-plate mode coupler includes a plurality of parallel, linear surface perturbations. The surface perturbations are adapted to convert a portion of an incident SAW to a bulk acoustic wave (BAW). In addition, the coupler is adapted to convert a portion of an incident BAW (from the crystal bulk region) to a SAW at those surface perturbations. In addition, the planar surfaces of the crystal substrate are adapted to reflect portions of incident BAW's. The coupler is positioned with respect to the crystal characteristics so that SAW's and BAW's resonantly interact at the coupler. In alternative configurations, a second SAW-to-plate mode coupler is positioned on the second surface of the crystal substrate.

Abstract: Heparinase is produced by growing the bacteria, Flavobacterium heparinum, in a defined medium consisting of a carbon source, two or more amino acids and mineral salts in the absence of protein. Heparinase is recovered by batch chromatography of the cell extract from hydroxylapatite by elution with sodium chloride and sodium phosphate buffer washes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing a layer of a surface-compatible material from the fluid phase onto a selected surface of a substrate body in a fluid deposition chamber features a laser source of optically focused energy directed toward the body surface in a selected pattern. The energy is focused at a position adjacent the selected surface. Apparatus is provided for introducing a fluid medium adjacent the surface of the body. The medium has at least one component which absorbs a portion of the incident laser energy at the selected frequency for effecting photodecomposition or photolysis of the component in the fluid phase. Thereby, the product(s) of the photolysis process are deposited in the selected pattern on the substrate surface. The pattern may be fixed in position or may be optically or mechanically scanned across the substrate body. Thereby, metal layers, metal interconnects, pn junction and ohmic contact forming layers, selectively doped regions, etc.

Abstract: First and second plates are formed with like periodic patterns. A laser beam illuminates the second plate through the alignment marks of the first plate to provide a pair of diffracted beams that are detected with alignment being indicated when the beams are of the same intensity.

Abstract: A novel method and device for precision injection molding is disclosed providing controlled cooling of a portion of the mold cavity surface during the molding cycle, or several such portions independently, and also, in the preferred embodiment controlled heating of a portion of the mold cavity surface during the molding cycle or several such portions independently, whereby high quality, high precision parts having close dimensional tolerances may be produced. Another aspect of the invention, a volume-controlled variable conductance heat pipe is disclosed, which novel heat pipe comprises housing means forming a sealed chamber, fluid, such as water or ammonia, within the chamber, wicking means and control means for controlling the thermal conductance of the heat pipe comprising means for controlling the volume of fluid in the liquid phase in the chamber.