Abstract: Perfluorinated functionalized materials are disclosed which are prepared by simultaneous perfluorination and functionalization. A wide variety of materials can be used including polymers and other branched or straight chain hydrocarbons. The material to be perfluorinated is placed in a direct fluorination apparatus and a mixture of fluorine and oxygen is passed over the material using La-Mar direct fluorination techniques. With materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene, pendant alkyl groups are converted to either acid fluoride groups or perfluoroalkyl groups, with the exact ratio of each being dependent upon the specific fluorine-to-oxygen ratio used.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for sensing wavefront distortions in a return beam of light, such as a beam returned through a turbulent atmosphere or through an imperfect optical system from a radiating or illuminated object is disclosed. This apparatus includes the components typically present in a Hartmann-type wavefront sensor, and additionally includes means to provide a modulated reference beam of light which is combined with the return beam. The use of a modulated reference beam eliminates the necessity for precise optical alignment, which is difficult or impossible to maintain in most operating environments.

Abstract: An improved bundling tie is disclosed of the type having a relatively rigid head and an integrally attached strap having a series of ratchet teeth on its inner surface which engage another series of complementary ratchet teeth on a pawl member positioned within a transverse slot through the head.

Abstract: An improved cold neutron radiographic apparatus and method are disclosed wherein neutron temperature is matched to the specific material to be examined. This can be done, in one embodiment, by placing a radioactive source of neutrons, such as californium 252, in a moderator such as solid methane and using a cryogenic refrigeration system to cool the moderator to any pre-selected cryogenic temperature.

Abstract: An enzymatic noninvasive method for detecting cancer in mammalian tissue is disclosed. This method comprises incubating exfoliated cells from mammalian tissue suspected of containing cancerous cells, and assaying them for galactosyl transferase activity. The level of galactosyl transferase activity has been found to be significantly altered in cells from cancerous tissue as compared to the level in cells from normal tissue.

Abstract: An anti-backlash nut assembly is disclosed of the type which undergoes translational movement along a screw in response to relative rotational movement between the nut and screw. The assembly includes a nut which is axially-split into first and second portions, both of which have an internal thread complementary to the external thread of the screw. The two portions of the axially-split nut are retained in the radial direction by a spacer, and a spring is used to apply biasing in the longitudinal direction to minimize backlash.

Abstract: A method for determining the level of LDL cholesterol in blood plasma wherein LDL cholesterol is separated from other soluble cholesterol fractions by selectively agglutinating LDL with a plant lectin and subsequently detecting the amount of cholesterol associated with agglutinated LDL.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing perfluoroether oligomers having terminal carboxylic acid groups. In this method, a polyether, such as polyethylene oxide, having a molecular weight higher than the product to be produced is fluorinated in a direct fluorination apparatus. The polyether is fragmented during fluorination and significant yields of the desired oligomer are obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus and process useful in direct fluorination of a variety of compositions, as well as the fluorinated compositions themselves. The apparatus comprises a cryogenic zone reactor, such as a packed column reactor, divided into a plurality of independently controllable cryogenic temperature zones. Means are also provided to introduce a reactant to be fluorinated as well as to introduce a mixture of fluorine gas and an inert gas. The direct fluorination process is carried out in the reactor as described above. At least the first zone of the reactor is chilled to a temperature below the freezing point of the reactant to be fluorinated. The reactant is then introduced into the reactor wherein it condenses upon a suitably provided fluorination surface, such as copper column packings. A mixture of fluorine gas and an inert gas, with the fluorine gas initially comprising a very small percentage of the mixture, but gradually increasing as fluorination proceeds, is then introduced into the reactor.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a porous shaped body from rubber-like particles. The resulting shaped body is capable of retaining relatively large amounts of a liquid, such as ink, within its pores. Retained liquids can be controllably dispensed from the porous body by bringing it into pressure contact with a receptor surface.

Abstract: Polymeric materials are disclosed which are suitable for application to one or more metal surfaces in disc brakes to eliminate brake squeak therefrom. The preferred polymer comprises a high molecular weight acrylic copolymer containing sites for crosslinking on the main polymer chain.

Abstract: A transaxial radionuclide emission camera apparatus and method for image reconstruction using data collected by the apparatus are disclosed. A significant feature of the camera apparatus is a detector means which is arcuately shaped. For example, a suitable detector means can be formed from an optically continuous, arcuately shaped strip of scintillation material and an array of photodetectors optically coupled to said scintillation material. These photodetectors sense light emitted by the scintillation material in response to absorbed radiation. Collimating means which converge to the center of an arc defined by the detector means are another significant feature. The transaxial camera apparatus and the method disclosed are useful in reconstructing images of the distribution of a source of penetrating radiation contained within a body.

Abstract: An adjustable template that defines the profiles of ribs of a tapered airfoil, such as an aerodynamic wing, includes two templates which are movable with respect to each other, one for defining the top portion of a rib profile and the other for defining the bottom portion of the rib profile, the two templates being held together in juxtaposition to each other so that the spacing between the two templates in a direction perpendicular to the chord of the rib profile is readily variable and so the successive rib profiles of a given tapered airfoil are defined by the templates by successive adjustments of the position of one template with respect to the other.

Abstract: Liquid crystal mixtures are disclosed which contain 30-60% of a Schiff's base nematic liquid crystal compound, 25-65% of a second nematic liquid crystal compound selected from the classes of azoxy, ester and biphenyl, and 5-15% of a triphenyl compound to raise the isotropic transition temperature. This combination results in liquid crystal compositions having unexpectedly wide nematic temperature ranges.

Abstract: Plasmapheresis apparatus is disclosed which comprises a unique combination of blood withdrawal, separation and return means, together with automatic cycle control means. This apparatus can withdraw whole blood from a donor, separate it into plasma and non-plasma components, and return the non-plasma component to the donor while the donor remains connected to the apparatus throughout the entire procedure. Standard quantities of separated plasma can be obtained in significantly reduced times, and the possibility of mistakenly returning wrong blood components to the donor is eliminated.

Abstract: An improved method for transferring electrical components from a breadboard to a printed circuit board and mounting the components thereon is disclosed, as well as an apparatus for facilitating such transfer and mounting. In a preferred case, the breadboard comprises a solderless breadboard socket. A printed circuit board having a drilled hole pattern and circuit pattern matching that of a solderless breadboard socket is placed over the solderless breadboard socket so that the holes in each are aligned. Breadboarding is done by pushing the leads of various components through the printed circuit board and into the solderless breadboard socket. When the desired circuit is completed, the composite is utilized as one side of a container with the component side forming an inner surface thereof. Particles smaller than the components, such as polymer pellets, are introduced into the container to surround and cover the components and hold the components in place.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fluorinating functionalized polymeric materials which contain pendant ester, carboxylic acid, acid halide or acid anhydride groups. Non-fluorinated or partially fluorinated polymers containing such pendant groups are placed in a direct fluorination apparatus and a mixture of elemental fluorine and an inert gas is passed over the material using La-Mar fluorination techniques. The polymer backbone is perfluorinated while the pendant groups are maintained or converted to acid fluoride groups; in either case, the pendant noncarboxylic acid groups are easily convertible to such acid groups by hydrolysis. These fluorinated functionalized polymers are useful, per se, as ion exchange membranes, solid electrolytes, conductive films, etc., and, in addition, various reactants can be tacked onto such fluorinated polymers thereby making them useful in many other applications.

Abstract: A hydrophilic copolymer of N,N-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyl) acrylamide is disclosed. The copolymer is formed by reacting, based on 100 parts, from 20-80 parts of the C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyl substituted acrylamide, 80-20 parts of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl acrylates, methacrylates, or combinations, and small amounts of a cross-linking agent. The resulting copolymerization product can be equilibrated with water or other aqueous solutions to form hydrogels useful in forming shaped hydrogel articles. One particular shaped article which can be formed is a hydrophilic contact lens. A process for forming the hydrogels is also disclosed.

Abstract: An assay is disclosed for determining mutagenic damage caused by the administration of a known or suspected mutagen to diploid human lymphoblastoid cell lines. After administration of or exposure to a mutagenic agent, the lymphoblasts are incubated for a sufficient number of generations to allow full expression of phenotypic resistance to 6-thioguanine or other purines which serve as substrates for hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT). A surprising discovery is the remarkably long length of time required for such phenotypic expression. After the phenotypic lag has passed, the mutant fraction can be determined to complete the assay. A nontoxic, active, sterile microsomal drug-metabolizing system compatible with mammalian cell bioassays is also disclosed which can be used in the assay to determine metabolite-caused mutagenesis.

Abstract: A portable oil-water separation unit especially well adapted for use in removing oil from limited quantities of water such as in clarifying bilge water in a boat, includes a sealed container a flexible, porous bag filled or packed with a granular oleophilic, hydrophobic foamed polymeric material. The container has a removable closure, with an inlet and at least one outlet extending through the closure to permit a water-oil mixture such as bilge water to be circulated therethrough. The inlet conduit terminates in the top portion of the container at a point spaced below the closure while the outlet conduit extends to and terminates at a position adjacent the bottom of the container so that the effluent from the apparatus must flow downward through the foamed material, whereby the oil is separated by attraction to the oleophilic material as well as by filtration and floatation while the water is permitted to flow through the device.