Abstract: A merged magnetic head has a top first pole tip layer and a bottom second pole tip layer which are located entirely between an air bearing surface and a coil layer. A write gap layer separates the pole tip layers from one another at the ABS. A zero throat height (ZTH) defining layer is located adjacent the top gap layer between the pole tip layers and is recessed from the ABS so as to further separate the pole tip layers from one another at a location recessed from the ABS so as to define the zero throat height of the write head where the first and second pole pieces first commence to separate from one another after the ABS.

Abstract: A process used in the fabrication of a self-aligned non-selective thin-epi-base silicon germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) BiCMOS. The process involves using TEOS or Spin-On-Glass (SOG) silicon dioxide etchback in the fabrication of the SiGe BiCMOS device.

Abstract: A system for rapid thermal processing of a substrate in a process chamber while measuring and controlling the temperature at the substrate to establish substantially uniform substrate temperature in real time. The system includes an essentially continuous spirally-configured multizone illuminator having a plurality of substantially concentric rings of heating lamps for directing optical power toward the substrate and a fluid cooled optical reflector facing the substrate frontside and having a relatively high optical reflectivity. The illuminator can also be offset from the geometric center of the substrate. The system can also include a plurality of contact devices to provide thermal conductivity from each, or some subset, of the plurality of heating lamps. The illumination system of the present invention provides improved spatial resolution and improved thermal properties at the heating lamps.

Abstract: An optical bi-directional line switched ring for performing adding and dropping of traffic into the traffic path and for performing ring and/or span protection switching. The optical bi-directional line switched ring include a plurality of nodes, each node having multiple input demultiplexer/output multiplexer sections, a command and control channel having multiple fibers, and up to N-1 slave circuits. Each multiple input demultiplexer/output multiplexer sections has an input demultiplexer to receive and demultiplex signals from a fiber and an output multiplexer to receive the demultiplexed wavelengths from internally and multiplex them into an outgoing signal. The command and control channel can be a standard bi-directional line switch that has one channel coupled to each fiber of the system.

Abstract: Temperature of an airflow for an inflatable thermal blanket is measured near where the temperature is delivered to the blanket through an air hose by a device that simulates the frictional airflow resistance of the blanket The device is receivable on that end of an air hose that connects to an inflatable thermal blanket. The device includes an airflow resistor having defined airflow resistance, and also includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature at a point between the end of the air hose to which the device is connected and the airflow resistance.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting, locating and measuring electromagnetic radiation is provided. The apparatus may be a self-contained, portable device which permits a user to detect, locate and measure electromagnetic radiation from distance away from the radiation source in presence of interference.

Abstract: A cis-acting posttranscriptional regulatory element (PRE) useful for efficient RNA export of RNA is provided. The element termed WPRE, is originally derived from woodchuck hepatitis virus. The invention also provides a method for enhancing the expression of transgenes by insertion of the WPRE nucleic acid sequences in operably linkage with the transgene.

Abstract: Growth differentiation factor-12 (GDF-12) is disclosed along with its polynucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence. Also disclosed are diagnostic and therapeutic methods of using the GDF-12 polypeptide and polynucleotide sequences.

Abstract: An inflatable thermal blanket is disclosed for convectively and evaporatively cooling a patient. The inflatable thermal blanket comprises an upper sheet and a base sheet that are attached at a plurality of locations to form an inflatable covering. The base sheet includes a plurality of apertures that direct an inflating medium from the inflatable covering toward the patient. The base sheet also supports a fluid delivery apparatus that distributes and delivers a cooling fluid to the patient. The fluid is evaporated from the patient's skin by the inflating medium exhausted from the inflatable covering. The fluid delivery apparatus may be constructed in a variety of configurations and may be circulate a variety of fluids, which may be pressurized or unpressurized. In operation, an air blower, that may also include a compressor for selectively delivering room temperature or cooled air to the inflatable thermal blanket, is connected to the inflatable covering.

Abstract: A method for assessing write element performance in a combined magnetic head that also includes a magneto-resistive (MR) read element for a data storage drive includes exciting the write element with a square wave immediately after lapping the head during manufacture, before mounting the head for operation in the drive. The write element generates an output signal, and the output signal is detected by the read element and then used to determine whether the write element is defective. By using a square wave, temperature gradients in the head and inductive pick up is avoided, thereby facilitating the use of the read element as a test sensor.

Abstract: An inductive magnetic head is provided which has a zero throat height (ZTH) defining insulation layer that is located entirely between the air bearing surface (ABS) and a coil layer of the head. The ZTH defining insulation layer has a front end which defines the zero throat height (ZTH) of the head. An insulation stack, with one or more coil layers embedded therein, is located between the ZTH defining insulation layer and a back gap where first and second pole pieces are connected. The insulation stack has a first insulation layer that has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the ZTH defining insulation layer so that the final stack has less height than previous insulation stacks. The lower stack permits the construction of a second pole piece pole tip portion with improved side wall definition.

Abstract: A portable heating tent (10) and method are disclosed for testing telecommunications equipment (16). The portable heating tent (100 includes a tent assembly (12) that provides a housing sized to contain telecommunications equipment (16) for testing. The housing has an inlet to receive return air and has an outlet to provide supply air. The portable heating tent (10) also includes a heater/blower assembly (14) that has an inlet (20) coupled to the outlet of the housing and an outlet coupled to the inlet of the housing. The heater/blower assembly (14) processes the supply air and provides the return air such that a temperature within the housing is established at a desired set point for heat testing the telecommunications equipment (16).

Abstract: A data storage subsystem employs managed files, each comprising one or an aggregation of multiple individual, constituent user files, to reduce file management overhead costs. After receiving user files from a client station, the subsystem creates a contiguous managed file by aggregating selected ones of the received user files according to certain predetermined criteria. Managed file creation and use are transparent to the client stations. To aid in file management, the subsystem provides a mapping table that lists, for each user file, a corresponding location of that user file within a managed file. With this hardware and table structure, the system conducts file management with reduced overhead. For example, internal data management operations include an improved copy operation where a managed file is copied as a contiguous unit between first and second locations in the data storage subsystem.

Abstract: Digital data records are stored on a direct access storage device (DASD) in emulation of sequential-access media, the efficiency of storage and access of the data being improved by using a volume trailer containing various statistics about the records. Data is preferably stored in records, logically assembled into record groups. Interspersed with the records, there may be one or more marker codes, which function like tape marks among the various data records. The volume trailer contains pointers to each record group, record counts for each group, marker code counts for each group, and may also include fields showing whether records in a given record group are of equal length. The volume trailer may also include a volume trailer "tail", including a byte count for the entire volume trailer, and a unique sequence identifying the volume trailer. Statistics contained in the volume trailer enable substantially more efficient access of the data by a DASD.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel dithiocarbamate disulfide dimer useful in various therapeutic treatments, either alone or in combination with other active agents. In one method, the disulfide derivative of a dithiocarbamate is coadministered with an agent that inactivates (or inhibits the production of) species that induce the expression of nitric oxide synthase to reduce the production of such species, while, at the same time reducing nitric oxide levels in the subject. In another embodiment, free iron ion levels are reduced in a subject by administration of a disulfide derivative of a dithiocarbamate(s) to scavenge free iron ions, for example, in subjects undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy. In another embodiment, cyanide levels are reduced in a subject by administration of a disulfide derivative of a dithiocarbamate so as to bind cyanide in the subject. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to compositions and formulations useful in such therapeutic methods.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided methods to modulate plant lignification. For example, the level of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), a key enzyme in the production of lignin precursors, can be increased or decreased, as desired, to increase or decrease lignification levels. Alternatively, the level of lignin precursors in the plant can be modulated either by enhancing the plant's ability to produce such precursors, or by causing the compounds which are required for the production of lignin precursors to undergo alternative chemical conversions (which prevent the incorporation of such compounds into lignin by diverting the lignin precursors to other chemical pathways). In addition, there is provided a method for producing plants having modified lignin composition and content, by converting a portion of the cinnamic acid in said plant to styrene.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive read head having a "parasitic shield" provides an alternative path for currents associated with sparkovers, thus preventing such currents from damaging the read head. The parasitic shield is provided in close proximity to a conventional magnetic shield. The electrical potential of parasitic shield is held essentially equal to the electrical potential of the sensor element. If charges accumulate on the conventional shield, current will flow to the parasitic shield at a lower potential than would be required for current to flow between the conventional shield and the sensor element. Alternatively, conductive spark gap devices are electrically coupled to sensor element leads and to each magnetic shield. Each spark gap device is brought within very close proximity of the substrate to provide an alternative path for charge that builds up between the sensor element and the substrate to be discharged.

Abstract: A device is provided for holding an anastomotic site of a coronary artery motionless and bloodless during surgery is provided. The invention device comprises a suction body with a flexible channel that adheres under suction to the beating heart and surrounds the coronary artery while providing a central opening to expose the anastomotic site for surgery. Suction is built up in the flexible channel by means of an exhaust tube attached thereto. By use of the invention device, an anastomotic site can be held motionless and bloodless during beating heart surgery.

Abstract: A surface mount placement system with one or more carriages includes, on each carriage, multiple groups of quills, each group being adjustable on one of two principal orthogonal directions of a plane containing a component mounting zone. The quills of each group are independently rotatable with respect to the quills of the other group and are further independently moveable in a third direction orthogonal to the two principal directions. A carriage is moved to the component mounting zone where the two groups are adjusted with respect to each other for placement of at least two components, one from each group, in a single place step.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for far-field determination of store position and attitude for separation and ballistics. The aircraft is outfitted with two photogrammetric video cameras. The store is dropped from the aircraft and the cameras record data describing the descent of the store while the on-board avionics record data describing the flight path of the aircraft. Following the flight, the data are correlated using a computer to obtain a true store position vs. time while separating from the aircraft.