Abstract: An integral, monolithic frame-membrane is disclosed, such frame-membrane having a semi-permeable membrane portion and integral therewith a frame portion, the frame portion having one or more cavities, each cavity juxtaposed to the membrane portion, each cavity having at least one fluid entrance conduit communicating with an entrance manifold aperture and at least one fluid exit conduit communicating with an exit manifold aperture. The integral, monolithic frame-membrane may be used in apparatus for carrying out gas-separation; microfiltration; ultrafiltration; nanofiltration; reverse osmosis (i.e. hyperfiltration); diffusion dialysis; Donnan dialysis; electrodialysis (including filled-cell electrodialysis; i.e. electrodeionization); pervaporation; piezodialysis; membrane distillation; osmosis; thermo osmosis; and electrolysis with membranes.

Abstract: Apparatus for and process of folding and securing edges of a relatively large wrap over corresponding edges of a smaller board positioned on and in contact with an adhesively coated surface of the wrap to form a laminated work-piece, the work-piece being moved in a first direction to a first wrapping head having a pair of movable jaws defining a slot. An edge if the sheet extending from the work-piece, is engaged and folded over a corresponding edge of the board and adhesively adheres to the opposite surface of the board. The folded-over edge is then clamped between the jaws of the first wrapping head and carried in that manner in an opposite direction in a parallel but displaced second plane to a similar slot in a second, like, wrapping head. At the latter, the opposite edge of the sheet extending from the work-piece is similarly engaged, folded over and adhered to the board.

Abstract: Three rate gyros are mounted to a ballistic body to provide an autonomous navigation system. A roll gyro, a yaw gyro and a pitch gyro are rigidly fixed to the ballistic body. Each gyro is arranged to be responsive to a roll rate about an input axis that is substantially orthogonal to any other gyro. The roll-rate gyro has its input axis aligned parallel to the body spin axis. An on-board processor utilizes recursive Kalman-filtering to determine the roll angle, i.e., the local vertical direction, from the gyro outputs.

Abstract: A nutating slice CT image reconstruction apparatus and method generates a set of projection data using helical cone-beam scanning. The three-dimensional projection data is used to reconstruct a series of planar image slices. The slices are selected such that they define a tilt angle and a rotation angle with respect to the longitudinal axes of the object being scanned. Successive slices have equal tilt angles but changing rotation angles such that normal axes of successive slices define a nutation and precession about the longitudinal axis of the object. Projection data for the tilted slices are formed of selected one-dimensional fan-beam data. As such, the projection data can be applied to conventional two-dimensional reconstruction approaches to generate an image. The projection data can also be used to generate two-dimensional projection images at one or more stationary projection angles through an object being scanned.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a method for repairing focal arthritic defects in a mammalian joint, especially in a human knee. The method involves the steps of forming a roughened, bleeding surface of cancellous bone within the defect; forming a plug of osteocartilaginous tissue from an undamaged site within the joint or from another joint; removing the plug from the undamaged site; and inserting the plug into the defect, positioning the plug against the roughened bleeding surface, and holding the plug in place for a time sufficient to allow a blood clot to form between the plug and the roughened bleeding surface, whereby the plug is secured by adhesive properties of the clot.

Abstract: A reed switch employs contact blades which have enhanced flexibility and performance, as a result of the selective removal of material from one or more of the blades without work hardening the remaining blade material. The blades are masked and acid etched in predetermined patterns to provide either a contact region, a hinge or fulcrum region, or one or more of both. The contact region of the blade optimizes the alignment and magnetic coupling of the switch while minimizing the electrical capacitance in the space between the blades when the switch is open. The hinge or fulcrum region improves blade compliance and flexibility under an applied load. Various geometries of the contact region can be employed to improve the performance and longevity of the switch.

Abstract: A method and a system for fixing and positioning a headstack (100, 200, 300, 400) on a headstack tester by utilizing a vacuum chuck (105, 106, 208, 310). The vacuum chuck engages headstack. This engagement determines the exact position of the magnetic heads (24a, 24b . . . ) supported by the headstack with respect to the working surfaces (S1, S2, S3) of magnetic disks ((111a, 111b, 111c) of the disk pack of the tester.

Abstract: The disclosed system for estimating the ambient noise level in a listening space includes a memory for storing a plurality of noise values at memory locations therein, each of the noise values being representative of the ambient noise in the listening space associated with a corresponding set of conditions of the listening space. The system further includes an address generator for generating an address signal in response to a current set of conditions of the listening space so that the address signal accesses a location of the memory storing the noise value associated with the current set of conditions. The system further includes a noise signal generator for generating a noise signal in response to the address signal, the noise signal corresponding to the noise value associated with the current set of conditions so that the noise signal is representative of the ambient noise level.

Abstract: The invention includes both systems and methods for tomosynthesis x-ray imaging. An x-ray source is moved at various positions in an arc around an object, e.g., a breast, to illuminate a stationary digital detector (or its equivalent) placed at an image plane behind the object. A digital image data processor collects data from the detector and a motion controller moves the source around the object. As the source moves along the arc, the detector generates, for a succession of points along the arc, a corresponding succession of image data sets, each set being representative of the intensity of x-rays incident on the detector for the then current position of the source. The image data processor is responsive to the image data sets to generate an output image signal representative of the x-ray absorption of points within the object region.

Abstract: A pressure-based mass flow controller suitable for accurately monitoring and controlling the flow of many types of precursors characterized by vapor pressures ranging from approximately 2 torr or lower to at least 760 torr or higher at delivery temperatures of up to at least 250 degrees C. or higher for flow rates ranging from molecular to sonic. A flow restrictive element is installed in the precursor flow path, and the pressures of the fluid upstream and downstream of the flow restrictive element are measured. The ratio of the upstream and downstream fluid pressures is computed and compared to a value stored in the memory of a CPU associated with the controller to determine whether the flow is choked or non-choked. The mass flow of the precursor fluid is then computed by the CPU in accordance with a linear function of the upstream pressure, for choked flow, and in accordance with a nonlinear function of both the upstream and downstream pressures, for non-choked flow.

Abstract: Methods for on-site remediation of contaminated natural resources and fabrication of construction products therefrom. A mobile treatment facility is provided at the site of the contaminated natural resources. Contaminated sediment, soil, pulp and/or liquids are obtained from the site and processed on-site to obtain a variety of construction materials, including coarse and fine particulate material, bricks, concrete products, pellets and aggregate material. Coarse, sand-like materials are fabricated from decontaminated clay-based based materials and used in the fabrication of concrete products. Waste streams are combined to optimize their mutually neutralizing properties. Contaminants such as inorganics and heavy metals are immobilized as water-insoluble complexes in the matrix of the resulting products. Organic contaminants are volatilized and/or burned off, and thermochemical reactions of inorganic contaminants are induced, in a high-temperature irradiation treatment.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for non-contact temperature, emissivity and area estimation for gray and non-gray (uniform and non-uniform surface emissivity) are disclosed. Optical power measurements are obtained for radiation from a surface of interest in multiple wavelength bands. These power measurements are used to generate an expression for surface emissivity as a function of unknown temperature and surface projected area. At each of series of trial temperatures and areas within a predetermined range of physically plausible values, a value for emissivity at each measured wavelength is obtained. A best fit between these emissivity data points and a selected model emissivity function is obtained by least-squares minimization. The trial temperature and area which yield both the smallest minimum sum of squares and an emissivity value within predetermined physical constraints are concluded to be the temperature and projected surface area.

Abstract: Ions in a chamber or space are detected using an electron multiplier operating at relatively low gain. The electron multiplier is placed in communication with the chamber, such as a chamber of a mass spectrometer, such that ions from the chamber enter the electron multiplier. A bias voltage applied to the multiplier sets the gain of the multiplier. By setting the gain at a relatively low value, the gain of the multiplier remains independent of chamber pressure, such that an accurate pressure measurement is obtained without calibration at a particular pressure or as a function of pressure.

Abstract: The invention provides an article of manufacture comprising a substantially non-immunogenic knee meniscal heterografts for implantation into humans. The invention further provides a method for preparing a knee meniscal heterograft by removing at least a portion of a meniscus 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 meniscus.

Abstract: A system for assaying a fluid sample for one or more types of analytes, which employs at least one class of finely divided polystyrene spheroidal particles, each class being limited to a predetermined specific narrow range of particle diameters, the particles of each such class being coated with a specific reactant unique for that class. After the coated particles are mixed with the sample to specifically react to form conjugates of the particles and any of the analyte present, the mixture is irradiated with bursts of ultrasound swept over a range of frequencies resonant to the expected conjugate sizes. The presence of the conjugates and therefore the analyte is detected directly by measuring any selective absorption or scattering of waves of frequencies to which the conjugates are resonant.

Abstract: A talking trading card playing system consists of a portable card player and a plurality of trading cards. Each card includes a card body having front and back surfaces, flexible sheets affixed to the front surface and to the back surface of the housing, and a voice chip for storing and generating sound patterns. The portable player comprises a power source located in the housing for supplying electrical power to the voice chip, and sound generation components. The subject trading card and player may be activated by inserting the card into the player, thereby establishing electrical contact between the card and the player.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for halfscan reconstruction in a CT scanning system using an asymmetric detector system are described. In halfscan asymmetric (HSA) reconstruction, a halfscan reconstruction approach is used for data acquired by the symmetric portion of the array, and a fullscan reconstruction approach is used to reconstruct data acquired by the asymmetric portion of the array. When scanning oversized subjects which extend beyond the symmetric field of view of the array, a halfscan reconstruction approach is used which applies a zero weighting to data acquired by the asymmetric portion of the array and ramps data acquired by the asymmetric portion to zero.

Abstract: A septumless implantable access device suitable for delivering a liquid medication to a site remote from the site of implantation is disclosed. The device includes a biocompatible housing having at least one resealable entry port and a cylindrical reservoir in communication with the entry port. An outlet extends from the reservoir to the housing. A filter assembly is disposed within the reservoir for removing particulate material from fluid injected into the entry port. The implantable access device may also include an infusion pump apparatus coupled to the access device.

Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) system utilizes a ring suppression filter for suppressing ring artifacts in a CT image. The system generates projections at a plurality of projection angles, and each projection includes one measurement of a plurality of projection data signals. The ring suppression filter includes a high pass filter, a histogram generator, and a combiner. The high pass filter generates a measurement of an error signal corresponding to each of the measurements of one of the projection data signals, and each of the error signal measurements is representative of the high frequency components in a portion of one of the projections. The histogram generator generates a histogram signal representative of a relationship between the measurements of the error signal and the measurements of the projection data signal. The combiner combines the measurements of the error signal and the histogram signal to generate a plurality of measurements of a ring corrected signal.

Abstract: Accordingly, the present invention provides an x-ray tomography apparatus having a patient table, x-ray tomography components located around the patient table and in an imaginary plane which intersects the table, and structure for supporting the table and tomography components and including apparatus for moving the tomography components along at least a portion of the table. In an alternate embodiment, an x-ray tomography apparatus includes an annular x-ray tomography system for continuously rotating around a patient, which structure has an electrically powered x-ray source and battery power for supplying electrical power to the x-ray source.