Abstract: An automated DNA sequencing apparatus and method is disclosed in which a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength is sequentially focused on a plurality of lanes of DNA fragments migrating in a polyacrylamide gel and in which the DNA fragments have been tagged with fluorescent compounds. The resulting fluorescent light given off by each of the tagged DNA fragments is collected and diffracted by means of an acousto-optic tunable filter and the level of the diffracted light is then detected and analyzed in order to determine the DNA sequences of the analyzed DNA fragments. The automatic DNA sequencing system of the present invention operates under computer control to repeat a series of measurements of the fluorescent data at a multiple number of wavelengths such that the entire spectrum of fluorescence emissions from all four fluorescent tagged DNA bases can be measured at any number of wavelengths.

Abstract: A waterborne photoimageable composition or photoresist comprises a latex binder polymer based on a waterborne dispersion of a photopolymerizable urethane acrylate oligomer having sufficient carboxylic acid functionality to render it develop able in alkaline aqueous solution and a photo initiator chemical system and other components to produce an aqueous coatable and alkali develop able photoresist composition.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector system is made up of a receptacle and a plug connector assembly in which a cylindrical MT fiber optic contact assembly of the type including a pair of contact halves arranged to capture the MT connector and form a cylindrical contact, is inserted from the rear into a connector body and held in place with a retention insert and retention clip that engages an undercut in the retention insert. The connector body of one of the plug and receptacle connectors is arranged to provide a passage for aligning mating MT connectors extending from the respective contacts of a mating pair of connectors, while environmental sealing is provided by sealing members such as o-rings extending between the insert and the connector body, with coupling of mating connectors being provided by a coupling nut that may optionally may include anti-vibration features.

Abstract: A complexity-adaptive hardware/software system and method for a microprocessor to execute any of a plurality of diverse applications according to a predetermined instruction set architecture. The system includes dynamic hardware structures and configurable clocking system of the microprocessor for executing any particular application among the plurality of diverse applications, the dynamic hardware structures and configurable clocking system being adaptable to be organized in any of a plurality of potential configurations which are selectable according to the particular application to be executed. Configuration control is performed in response to the particular application to be executed, the instruction set architecture, and the potential configurations in which the dynamic hardware structures and configurable clocking system may be organized.

Abstract: A method produces calcium fulvate from naturally-occurring humus material, such as leonardite, or humic shales. The humus material containing solid fulvic acid and solid humic acid is mixed with water and sodium hydroxide for a first selected period of time to form a solution having a pH of approximately 10.0 thereby solubilizing the fulvic acid and the humic acid. The pH of the solution is reduced to approximately 4.5 and is maintained at the approximately pH 4.5 for second selected period of time thereby precipitating the humic acid as a solid while the fulvic acid remains in solution. The fulvic acid solution is separated from the solid humic acid. The pH of the fulvic acid solution is increased to approximately 13 with calcium hydroxide thereby precipitating the solubilized fulvic acid as calcium fulvate.

Abstract: An implant planning engine plans implants for radiotherapy, e.g., prostrate brachytherapy. The system optimizes intraoperative treatment planning on a real-time basis using a synergistic formulation of a genetic algorithm, multi-objective decision theory and a statistical sensitive analysis. A total solution for prostate seed implant brachytherapy is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing a face seal wherein an annular groove on the face seal substrate is filled with a mixture of a metal binder and refractory metal carbide and pressed. A second metal binder layer is then placed upon the pressed mixture and a second pressing step is performed to form an integral green body of the first pressed mixture and the second metal binder layer. The integral green body is then heated to consolidate and adhere the green body to the substrate.

Abstract: A method for increasing the specificity of hybridization between a nucleic acid probe and a nucleic acid sequence to be detected, by addition of blocker molecules, which are complementary to the probe, raise of temperature in order to melt non-perfectly matched hybrids of probe and detected nucleic acid sequences, and lowering of the temperature again.

Abstract: A wavefront aberration of an eye is determined, e.g., in real time. The eye is illuminated, and the light reflected from the retina is converted into spots with a device such as a Hartmann-Shack detector. The displacement of each spot from where it would be in the absence of aberration allows calculation of the aberration. Each spot is located by an iterative technique in which a corresponding centroid is located in a box drawn on the image data, a smaller box is defined around the centroid, the centroid is located in the smaller box, and so on. The wavefront aberration is calculated from the centroid locations by using a matrix in which unusable data can be eliminated simply by eliminating rows of the matrix. Aberrations for different pupil sizes are handled in data taken for a single pupil size by renormalization.

Abstract: A group of maps corresponding to the present position detected by a position detection unit is retrieved from a storage unit. Also, a map on the same scale as a map being displayed is extracted from the retrieved group of maps. If there is an overlapped portion between the extracted map and the map being displayed, they are displayed with the overlapped portion held. With this, both the map being displayed and the extracted map can be displayed as if they were continuous to each other, and the present-position mark can be displayed without being jumped considerably.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shell for an electrical or an optical connector comprising two half-shells that can be secured to each other and that define an internal chamber, a first end through which an electrical or an optical cable can pass, and a second end for fixing to the electrical or optical connector. Close to its first end, the inside face of the half-shell has a portion in the form of a concave spherical cap, the two spherical caps, when the half-shells are assembled together, substantially facing each other and being disposed on substantially the same sphere, and the shell further comprises a moving member having an axial passage for the cable, said moving member having a first portion in the form of a portion of a sphere and a second portion of elongate shape, and when the two half-shells are assembled together, said portion of spherical shape co-operates with the spherical caps while the portion of elongate shape is disposed inside said chamber.

Abstract: A shield connection system for connecting the shields of several individual lines through clamping of the shields between an outer cone and an inner cone, characterized in that a conical ring comprising an outer cone is provided, over which the shields of the individual lines lie spread out, and that the conical ring is pressed against an inner cone provided on part of the adapter.

Abstract: A connector comprising: at least one contact, said contact being formed by a first and a second part, said first part being made of material adapted to be metallized, such that said contact forms soldering surfaces for termination purposes, and wherein between surfaces of the first part, which can be metallized, insulating material is provided by means of said second part so as to achieve an extension of the creeping paths.

Abstract: A contacting apparatus comprising: a contact element support and fixedly mounted in said contact element support at least one contact element, wherein A) said contact element comprises: a contact cusp portion, a mounting section adapted to be enclosed by said contacting element support, and a contacting portion, said mounting section forming a step adapted to be located within said contact element support; and B) said contact element support being designed such, that it encloses said contact element only in locations where a load is generated by a contacting force exerted onto said contact cusp portion.

Abstract: There provides a tool, which is capable of smoothly executing a cutting and protruding process in all the steps from the starting to ending of cutting and protruding of a small protrusion when the protrusion is cut and protruded on an upper surface of a workpiece.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing tiles from waste wood uses round crosscut wood slices, a binder, and a filler. The slices, all generally of a thickness, are placed on the flat bottom of a die within side walls. Adhesive is applied to the slices and the die is filled with a mixture of the binder and the filler. The die contents are hot pressed to achieve the required tile thickness. The tile is ejected from the die and then maintained at room temperature for not more than 72 hours. The face side of the tile is ground and the dimensions of the tile are brought within the required tolerances.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to oligonucleotides used as amplification primers and assay probes for specific and sensitive for virulent strains of V. vulnificus. The target sequence of the probes and primers according to present invention is a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) transport gene (wza) of V. vulnificus. These probes can detect wza DNA or RNA in an unknown sample suspected to have pathogenic strains of V. vulnificus including human, animal, or environmental samples. The invention is also directed to in vitro-expressed protein from the cloned wza for production of polyclonal or monoclonal antibody that is specific for the wza gene product and will detect the V. vulnificus Wza protein in a sample comprising unknown protein.

Abstract: A process for producing a pulp from cellulose-containing material, wherein the material is reacted with formic acid as the solvent, and cooked at approximately the boiling temperature of the solvent, whereby return condensation is used. Annual plants, deciduous or coniferous wood can be used as the cellulose-containing material. In one variant of the process, the cellulose-containing material is only slightly warmed, whereby backflow cooling is used, and then a precisely predetermined quantity of hydrogen peroxide is slowly added to the liquid at a constant rate. This process variant can be repeated at a lower cooking temperature. The pulp thus obtained is preferably utilized in the production of cellulose, and in particular in the production of paper or cardboard. It is proposed that the lignin, which is isolated from the cellulose-containing material, have further applications, whereby such lignin is, after the pulp has been separated from the solvent, itself precipitated out in water.

Abstract: A loading and unloading device for sheet metals for loading and unloading sheet metals to and from a sheet metal working machine, comprises: a chucking unit lifting a sheet metal by chucking the sheet metal; a loading and unloading clamping unit disposed adjacent to the chucking unit, the loading and unloading clamping unit moving in a direction of approaching to and leaving from the sheet metal working machine; and a sheet metal carrying unit carrying the sheet metal lifted by the chucking unit to the position of the loading and unloading clamping unit.