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: In a magnetically-tunable resonator, a wave-guiding structure comprising an electromagnetic frequency filter, or component of such a filter, is placed in sufficient proximity with a magnetic structure so as to be gyromagnetically coupled therewith. The resonator is supportable of two fundamental normal modes of propagation which, in the absence of magnetic interaction are even and odd with respect to the resonator center plane of symmetry. Each normal mode possesses a spectrum of resonance frequencies. When the magnetic structure is magnetized, the formerly even and odd modes become mixed due to gyromagnetic interaction, and the resulting wave fields become elliptically polarized. With appropriate design such that the identities of the modes are preserved under conditions of resonance, this in turn results in a nonreciprocal reinforcement action in the resonator, which leads to the desired shift in resonance frequency in at least one of the two normal modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing CT scans of baggage being carried or loaded onto commercial aircraft are described. The CT baggage scanner of the invention includes numerous features which provide the system with high baggage throughput on the order of seven hundred bags per hour as well as improved image quality and accurate target detection. In one aspect, the scanner includes an adaptive image reconstruction window which identifies data collected from the field of view that are not related to the baggage being scanned. These unrelated data are excluded from the image reconstruction process, resulting in greatly reduced reconstruction time and increased baggage throughput. The invention also includes the capability of performing calibration "air scans" with objects such as the system conveyor in the field of view.

Abstract: A CT scanner includes support means for supporting a radiation source and a detection system in a predetermined spatial relationship and for rotation about a rotation axis, and means for providing relative translation between an object being scanned and the support means as the radiation source and detection system rotate about said rotation axis so as to provide a scan through a predetermined volume of said object. The detection system comprises a plurality of detectors which are offset from a center line passing from the radiation source through the rotation axis, or includes a detection system which is asymmetrically arranged relative to that center line. In the latter case the detectors can be offset or not. Using acquired data, additional projection data is generated preferably through interpolation techniques so as to provide a complete set of data for a predefined slice plane within the scanned volume, which can be subsequently used to back project a tomogram of the object.

Abstract: A self-cooling fluid container for beverages includes a beverage chamber and a refrigerant chamber in a nested configuration. Release of the refrigerant effects cooling of the beverage as a result of conductive heat transfer between the expanding refrigerant and the beverage chamber. The refrigerant chamber is wholly self-contained and nests snugly within a recess formed in the beverage chamber, thereby providing enhanced wall thickness and strength for containing a pressurized refrigerant, as well as enhanced heat transfer between the beverage chamber and the refrigerant chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic articular cartilage xenograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing an articular cartilage xenograft by removing at least a portion of an articular cartilage from a non-human animal to provide a xenograft; washing the xenograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the xenograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally to chemical crosslinking. In addition to or in lieu of the above treatments, the methods include a cellular disruption treatment and glycosidase digestion of carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft followed by treatment of carbohydrate moieties of the xenograft with capping molecules. The invention also provides articles of manufacture produced by one or more of the above-identified methods of the invention.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor includes a chamber coupled to a region whose pressure is to be determined. The sensor includes a conductive flexible diaphragm and a pair of electrodes, each defining a capacitance with the diaphragm. Variations in pressure in the chamber cause deflection of the diaphragm which in turn causes variation in the capacitances. A processing circuit applies an excitation signal to the capacitances and couples the capacitances to inductive elements. A current through the inductive elements is detected to determine the difference in the sensor capacitances and, therefore, the deflection of the diaphragm and the pressure in the chamber.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of bit lines arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals, a plurality of word lines arranged perpendicularly to the bit lines and at predetermined intervals, a plurality of unit cells having a stacked gate structure comprising a floating gate and a control gate formed in regions where the bit lines and word lines perpendicularly intersect, a plurality of source lines parallel to the bit lines for connecting source active regions of cells to one another, the source active regions being shared by two symmetrical cells connected to an identical bit line through different bit line contacts, and source select transistors formed in overlap regions between source lines and word lines, for dividing the source active regions.

Abstract: An expandable soft tissue fixation assembly for use in anchoring soft tissue to bone. The assembly includes a tab connected to an anchor, a sleeve adapted to surround the anchor, and a flange adapted to hold a soft tissue segment next to a bone. The sleeve is inserted into a blind hole in a bone, and a section of soft tissue is placed over the hole next to the bone. Energy is applied to the flange while a predetermined axial tension is applied to the tab to compress a flared portion of the anchor against the sleeve. An upper tube portion of the anchor and the flange are bonded together, and the applied axial force on the tab separates it from the anchor, leaving the assembly anchored in the bone and the soft tissue section anchored in place between the flange and the bone.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for the detection and measurement of sulfur in both organic and inorganic sulfur-containing compounds. The process includes admixing a sample including a sulfur-containing compound with oxygen, and then exposing the mixture to a source of combustion causing heat in the presence of a combustion supporting reducing agent at a combustion site. The resulting gaseous combustion products are vacuum extracted from the combustion site, and then directed into a darkened low pressure chamber. The combustion products in the low pressure chamber are then contacted with ozone, with the result that the sulfur combustion products are converted to chemiluminescent sulfur dioxide. The emitted chemiluminescence is then detected, and may be measured to provide a quantitative indication of the amount of sulfur in the original sample. The preferred source of oxygen is air, the preferred form of combustion heat is a flame, and the preferred form of reducing agent is hydrogen gas.

Abstract: In a computed tomography (CT) scanner, an X-ray shield is mountable to a gantry for absorbing randomly scattered X-ray radiation. The shield is rotatable with the gantry disk for regulating the emission of X-ray radiation near its source. The shield is preferably lined with an energy-absorbent material to provide safe energy levels in the environment external to the system. By minimizing the surface area of the shield, the present system results in significant weight reduction and ease of installation over prior shielding systems.

Abstract: An ultrasound beamformer that processes the signals of an array transducer includes a plurality of processing channels, one for each element of the active transducer array. Each channel includes a digitizing element for converting the received signal into digital samples and a delay element for delaying the digitized signal. The delays are chosen so that when the signals from the individual channels are combined, a beam forms in a particular direction. The invention implements sub-sampling period delays in the individual channels with low-complexity digital filters having superior delay characteristics with respect to frequency, but having undesirable attenuation characteristics with respect to frequency. The invention corrects for the undesirable attenuation characteristics via a single digital filter after the signals from the individual channels have been combined.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory cells being electrically programmed and coupled to word lines and bit lines. A first latch circuit holds data during a programming operation including a verifying step. A second latch circuit generates a result from verifying a programmed memory cell, in response to the data held in the first latch circuit.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for measuring the flying height and orientation of a magnetic head (54) relative to a transparent disk (20) based on both frustrated total internal reflection and total internal reflection. The apparatus comprises a housing (10) that mounts an electric motor (12) which rotationally supports the aforementioned disk. The disk (20) has a tapered lateral surface (20c) with light emitting means (22) such as a laser (24) installed on one side of the disk lateral surface and a flat light detecting means (30) on a side of the disk diametrically opposite to the laser. A second light detector (130) is disposed on the other side of the disk (20) from, and opposite the head (54). The light is emitted from the laser (24) and is directed to the disk (20) perpendicular to the tapered lateral surface (20c) of the disk (20). When the magnetic head (44) to be tested is absent, the light detecting means (30) shows an area of homogeneous intensity of the reflected light.

Abstract: A measurement and control system for controlling system functions as a function of rotational parameters of a rotating device includes a plurality of interval markers distributed around the periphery of the rotating device and fixed relative to the device support. The measurement and control system also includes a plurality of sensors attached to the periphery of the rotating device, fixed relative to the rotating device so as to be in close proximity to the interval markers. Measurements from sensors attached to different locations on the rotating device are combined so as to mitigate variations in angular speed of the device. Measured rotational parameters are used to predict, via linear interpolation, angular positions of the device between those positions measured by the sensors.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a double spacer and a method of manufacturing the device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first spacer formed on the sidewall of a gate electrode and a second spacer formed on the slanted sidewall of the first spacer. A first impurity region is formed doped with a first conductivity type impurity at a first concentration and formed at a small junction depth in the substrate to self-align at the edge of the gate electrode. A second impurity region doped with a second conductivity type impurity at a second concentration is formed at a large junction depth in the substrate to self-align at the edge of the first spacer. A third impurity region doped with the first conductivity type impurity at a third concentration is formed at a medium junction depth in the second impurity region to self-align at the edge of the second spacer.

Abstract: In a spring-loaded curtain mount, the mount includes a pole interface at a proximal end, a compressive mechanism, and a head at a distal end. The pole interface is adapted to receive the end of a standard length adjustable pole or a painter's pole. The compression mechanism is disposed between the proximal end of the mount and the head. The mount includes a coupling device adapted to receive a portion of a curtain. During installation, the curtain mount is coupled to the end of an extension pole and the length of the pole is adjusted such that the combined length of the pole and mount is slightly longer than the distance between the floor and ceiling. At ground level, a portion of the curtain is attached to the head of the curtain mount. The curtain and mount are raised to the ceiling and the mount and pole are compressed between the floor and the ceiling. This compressive force operates to urge the head toward the ceiling, securing the mount in place.

Abstract: A dynamically variable digital delay line includes a storage element, write control circuitry, read control circuitry and output rate control circuitry. Generally, the invention applies a predetermined throughput delay to a series of digital data elements by entering each digital data element into a storage element for an amount of time equal to the desired throughput delay, then extracting each digital data element and returning it to the original data path. While operating with a constant predetermined delay, the invention extracts digital data elements from the storage element at the same rate as digital data elements are entered into the storage element. When a change to the throughput delay is required, the invention changes the digital data element extraction rate with respect to the digital data element entry rate until the desired throughput delay is achieved.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic articular cartilage heterograft for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing an articular cartilage heterograft by removing at least a portion of an articular cartilage from a non-human animal to provide a heterograft; washing the heterograft in saline and alcohol; subjecting the heterograft to at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, immersion in alcohol, ozonation, freeze/thaw cycling, and optionally to chemical crosslinking. In accordance with the invention the heterograft has substantially the same mechanical properties as the native xenogeneic articular cartilage.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a method and instrument set for repairing focal arthritic defects in a mammalian joint, especially in a human knee. The articular cartilage transplantation instrument set includes a coring device and first and second obturators. The coring device includes a cylindrical tube extending a distance along a coring axis between distal and proximal ends. A set of cutting elements or teeth are disposed at the distal end, and a gripper is at the proximal end. The outer diameters of the obturators are slightly less than the inner diameter of the tube of the coring device so that each of the obturators may be slidingly within the tube of the device with each of the respective obturator axes being substantially coaxial with the axis of the of the coring device tube. The length of the first obturator is selected so that when its rod is positioned all the way into the tube of the device, the distal end of the obturator is displaced by a distance X1 from the distal end of the device.