Abstract: An optical component for use in optical devices, such as an interferometer fiber optic gyroscope including a polarizing beamsplitter and a non-reciprocal optical device mounted on a common substrate; and an optical transceiver. The optical component may be used in a low loss configuration with an optical source and a photodetector and associated focusing lenses and a fiber optic ring or coil sensor for a gyroscope. The non-reciprocal device rotates the polarization plane of light. transmitted from the source through the beamsplitter to the sensor, and light returned from the sensor toward the beamsplitter, by 45 degrees in the same direction so that substantially all return light incident on the beamsplitter is reflected toward the photodetector.

Abstract: Apparatus for and method of measuring mass flow of a gas in a gas delivery system. The apparatus is adapted to be connected to a source of a gas. The apparatus includes a fixed-volume chamber in fluid connection with the gas source. A flow control device can be used to control the flow of the gas into the chamber. A transducer assembly comprises, in combination, a pressure transducer in fluid connection with the chamber, and a signal modifying network associated with the pressure transducer. The pressure transducer permits measurement of the pressure of the gas in the chamber and provides a first electrical signal representative of the pressure of the known volume of the gas. The signal modifying network modifies the first signal to produce an output signal which is proportional to PV/RT and thus directly represents the number of moles of the gas in the chamber. The apparatus is useful for calibrating mass flow controllers and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antenna including a relatively thin substantially planar electrically conductive first layer substantially lying in a first plane, and a relatively thin substantially planar electrically conductive second layer substantially lying in a second plane. The first and second layers are disposed such that the first and second planes are substantially parallel and such that they are separated by a distance d. The second layer is smaller than and overlies the first layer and defines a first region extending between the second layer and a portion of the first layer underlying the second layer. The antenna further includes a first dielectric medium having a relatively high dielectric constant and disposed in the first region, and a second dielectric medium having a relatively low dielectric constant and disposed in a second region extending between the first layer and portions of the second plane overlying the first layer and excluding the first region.

Abstract: A monitoring detector assembly is positioned outside the scanning plane of a CT scanner to insure detection of unattenuated X-rays from the X-ray source of the scanner. The monitoring detector assembly preferably provides a sequence of monitor detection measurements simultaneously with the sequential acquisition of the image data during each projection of the scan by a filtered CT scanner. The image data are normalized using the closest in time monitor detection measurement.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a microtiter plate formed of a substantially rigid, polymeric plate having a substantially flat upper surface and a regular array of similar wells, typically either cylindrical or frusto-conical, each well being defined by a fluid-impervious peripheral wall extending a predetermined distance along an axis substantially perpendicularly to that upper surface between an opening in the upper surface and a well bottom. Disposed within the well adjacent the bottom is a porous structure providing a surface area at least five times greater than the surface area of the interior well bottom. The well bottom may be either fluid impervious or pervious. Where the well bottom is fluid pervious, it may be formed from a fluid impervious sheet apertured to accept and be bonded to the peripheries of the ends of a plurality of fluid pervious ultrafiltration fibers that may have hollow cores.

Abstract: Improved electrodialysis (ED) stacks are disclosed having one or more components selected from the group:a) cation exchange membranes having ion exchange groups predominantly sulfonic acid groups and a minor amount of weakly acidic and/or weakly basic groups or membranes which are selective to monovalent cations and simultaneously therewith, cation exchange granules selective to monovalent cations as packing in the dilute compartments;b) anion exchange membranes having as ion exchange groups only quaternary ammonium and/or quaternary phosphonium groups and substantially no primary, secondary and/or tertiary amine and/or phosphine groups or membranes which are selective to monovalent anions simultaneously therewith, anion exchange granules selective to monovalent anions as packing in the dilute compartments;c) as packing in the dilute compartment, anion exchange granules which are selective to monovalent anions, or cation exchange granules which are selective to monovalent cations, or cation exchange granules

Abstract: The disclosed streak suppression filter is for use with a Computed Tomography (CT) system. The CT system generates a plurality of projection data signals each of which is representative of the density of a portion of an object. The streak suppression filter includes a spatial filter for receiving the projection data signals and for generating therefrom a low frequency signal and a high frequency signal. The streak suppression filter further includes a non-linear filter for generating a filtered signal from the high frequency signal. The streak suppression filter further includes a device for combining the low frequency and filtered signals to generate a streak corrected signal. The streak suppression filter may form the low frequency signal by low pass filtering the raw density signals and may form the high frequency signal by subtracting the low frequency signal from the corresponding raw density signal.

Abstract: Improved electrodialysis (ED) stacks are disclosed having one or more components selected from the group:a) cation exchange membranes having ion exchange groups predominantly sulfonic acid groups and a minor amount of weakly acidic and/or weakly basic groups or membranes which are selective to monovalent cations and simultaneously therewith, cation exchange granules selective to monovalent cations as packing in the dilute compartments;b) anion exchange membranes having as ion exchange groups only quaternary ammonium and/or quaternary phosphonium groups and substantially no primary, secondary and/or tertiary amine and/or phosphine groups or membranes which are selective to monovalent anions simultaneously therewith, anion exchange granules selective to monovalent anions as packing in the dilute compartments;c) as packing in the dilute compartment, anion exchange granules which are selective to monovalent anions, or cation exchange granules which are selective to monovalent cations, or cation exchange granules

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the position and/or orientation of a transducing head positioned on one side of and close to a rotating transparent-core magnetic storage disk. Light is introduced into the disk to establish total internal reflection therein. A detector disposed on the other side of the disk opposite the head detects the intensity of light on the interior region of the disk. The detected intensity is representative of the separation of the head from the disk.

Abstract: An implantable bone distraction device for inducing controlled lengthening of at an osteotomy site. The device has two elongated plates which are operatively positioned to be substantially parallel and to overlap partially. Each of the plates includes a portion adapted for affixing the plates to respective bone segments. The first plate includes a plurality of parallel sawtooth ridges extending transverse from the long axis of the plate. The second plate includes at least one resilient pawl and at least one resilient ratchet arm. The pawl and arm are engageable with the ridges on the first plate. The ratchet arm responds to application of force on it by engaging with one of the ridges on the first plate and pushing the first plate away from the second plate in the direction of their common axes. The first bone segment is thus moved away from the second bone segment in the direction of the common axes of the plates in a controlled fashion.

Abstract: A stereoscopic objective lens system for video endoscopes and borescopes includes two full-diameter doublets and two identical half-diameter ball lenses. The full-diameter doublets collimate object points, imaging object points to infinity. The full-diameter doublets present equal-angle pairs from symmetrically disposed object points to the ball lenses. This equal-angle property enables accurate object/image mapping onto the final stereo image pair such that all parts of each left/right image can be mapped to within a fraction of a video pixel to each other.

Abstract: The disclosed motion artifact filter generates motion corrected signals from projection data signals to compensate for motion artifacts in CT images. Each measurement of the projection data signals is representative of the density of all the mass occupying a volume between an X-ray source and a detector at a particular projection angle. The motion artifact filter includes a high pass filter for generating high frequency signals representative of patient movement. Each measurement of the high frequency signals is generated by combining groups of measurements of the projection data signals corresponding to volumes that are proximal to each other. Each measurement of the motion corrected signals is generated by subtracting a portion of a measurement of a high frequency signal from its associated measurement of a projection data signal. The portions increase as the projection angle approaches a starting angle and the portions decrease as the projection angle approaches an intermediate angle.

Abstract: In a CT scanning system having an x-ray source, a plurality of x-ray detector modules, and a plurality of anti-scatter plate modules, signal instability and the associated introduction of artifacts into the reconstructed images are prevented by an alignment assembly which permits the anti-scatter plates to be substantially aligned with regions of substantially constant maximum sensitivity of corresponding detectors. Shadows cast by the anti-scatter plates fall entirely within these regions of substantially constant maximum sensitivity to radiation, thereby minimizing signal modulation due to thermal effects or relative movement of the source, the detectors and the anti-scatter plates between scans.

Abstract: An advancing freeze front is established in a porous region adjacent to or within contaminated earth. A flow of contaminated liquid phase water migrates toward the freeze front and a concentration of impurities is established in front of the advancing freeze front. When the freeze front reaches a collection zone, at least a portion is melted and the resultant water bearing concentrated impurities is collected and removed. This process may be repetitively performed. A liquid convection flow can be established transverse to the direction of freeze-front advancement to stabilize the solid/liquid interface at the freeze-front.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has at least two components described in the form of two ideally matched transistors, each of which operate interdependently as a function of temperature and at least one physical parameter associated with each of said components when implemented in integrated form. The circuit further includes compensation means, disposed in the integrated circuit, for generating and applying a bipolar compensation signal to at least one of said components so that said two components interdependently operate predictably, consistently and independently of temperature variations and differences between the physical parameter of said two components. The bipolar current is necessary so that both the level and polarity of the compensation signal can be appropriately adjusted during the manufacture of the integrated circuit as a wafer so as to eliminate the need to compensate for any mismatches in the two components following such manufacture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) of a single mode optic fiber by providing a PMD measuring instrument with a light source. Light is transmitted serially through the optic fiber being tested and an artefact with a known, stable PMD value. The artefact biases the total PMD measured by the instrument away from zero. The PMD of the optic fiber may then be determined by data reduction of the total measured PMD. The method may also be used to calibrate a PMD instrument.

Abstract: A compact mechanism for producing simultaneous rotary and linear motion for a machine tool includes a drive shaft having a spline race and helical race coextensive over at least a portion of its length. The compact mechanism includes a first motor coupled to a screw engaging the helical race for imparting linear motion on the drive shaft. The compact mechanism also includes a second motor coupled to a spline engaging the spline race for imparting rotary motion on the drive shaft. By operating the motors simultaneously but independently, a wide range of linear movement is obtained.

Abstract: High-temperature belt-type furnace apparatus utilizing a silicon carbide continuous belt design is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for isolating a mutant cell that excretes a desired compound. The method includes culturing a plurality of auxotrophic pretreated starter cells and auxotrophic feeder cells in the presence of a reversibly noninfective, modified lambdoid bacteriophage. If the treated starter cell produces the desired compound, the bacteriophage will be rendered infective and infect the feeder cell. The feeder cell, in turn, will excrete a metabolite required by the starter cell and the starter cell will excrete a metabolite required by the feeder cell, enabling the cells to cross-feed, grow, and produce a colony containing a starter cell which produces the desired compound.

Abstract: The disclosed CT scanner includes a tomography system for generating data during a scan. The tomography system includes a detector characterized by at least one afterglow amplitude and at least one afterglow time constant, and a sampling device for generating a plurality of samples x.sub.i for all i from zero to MAX minus one of the detector output signal. The scanner also includes a set of N sub-processors for processing the samples x.sub.i, each of the sub-processors being represented by a unique integer q selected from zero to N minus one and receiving only the samples X.sub.iN+q. Each sub-processor includes a device for generating a compensated signal according to a function of at least a portion of the received samples and parameters representative of the afterglow amplitude and the afterglow time constant.