Abstract: A system for abating undesired component(s) from a gas stream containing same, such as halocompounds, acid gases, silanes, ammonia, etc., by scrubbing of the effluent gas stream with an aqueous scrubbing medium. Halocompounds, such as fluorine, fluorides, perfluorocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons, may be scrubbed in the presence of a reducing agent, e.g., sodium thiosulfate, ammonium hydroxide, or potassium iodide. In one embodiment, the scrubbing system includes a first acid gas scrubbing unit operated in cocurrent gas/liquid flow, and a second “polishing” unit operated in countercurrent gas/liquid flow, to achieve high removal efficiency with low consumption of water. The scrubbing system may utilize removable insert beds of packing material, packaged in a foraminous containment structure. The abatement system of the invention has particular utility in the treatment of semiconductor manufacturing process effluents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly that is capable of both solution measurement and in-line self-cleaning. Specifically, such electrode assembly comprises a central electrode and a measurement circuit for solution measurement, and an auxiliary electrode and an auxiliary current sourse for generating gas during intervals between solution measurement cycles, so as to remove any solid or liquid residues that may passivate the central electrode, thereby cleaning and rejuvenating the central electrode and preparing it for the next solution measurement cycle.

Abstract: LPS preparations, isolated from gram negative bacterial strains that contain at least one mutation in at least one of the htrB and msbB genes, and methods and therapeutics related thereto. The LPS preparations display both LPS antagonist and adjuvant activities.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of differential display of prokaryotic messages RNA by RTPCR, the method comprising the steps of: adding a first primer mixture to a first nucleic acid sample including a first mixture of mRNA to form a first primer/first nucleic acid sample mixture; adding the first primer mixture to a second nucleic acid sample including a first mixture of mRNA to form a first primer/second nucleic acid sample mixture; incubating the first primer/first nucleic acid sample mixture to produce a first population of cDNA; incubating the first primer/second nucleic acid sample mixture to produce a second population of cDNA; adding a second primer to the first population of cDNA to form a second primer/first population of cDNA mixture; adding the second primer mixture to the second population of cDNA to form a second primer/second population of cDNA mixture; amplifying the second primer/first population of cDNA mixture to produce a third population of cDNA; amplifying the second primer/seco

Abstract: A method and apparatus for abatement of effluent from a CVD process using a source reagent having a metal organic loosely bound to a organic or organometallic molecule such that upon exposure to heat such bond is readily cleavable, e.g., copper deposition process involving the formation of films on a substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) utilizing a precursor composition for such film formation. The abatement process in specific embodiments facilitates high efficiency abatement of effluents from copper deposition processes utilizing Cu(hfac)TMVS as a copper source reagent.

Abstract: A sterilizable container (20) is described which includes a flexible bag (23), the flexible bag (23) having a hole in a flat portion thereof and a hollow connector port (22) fixed thereto, the connector port (22) including a collar portion (22A) and a flange portion (24) defining an internal bore (26) of the connector port (22), the inside surface of the flexible bag (23) being sealed to an outside surface of the flange portion (24) and the collar portion (22A) extending through the hole in the flexible bag (23). Also disclosed is an adapter (10) having an internal bore (12), the connector port (22) and the adapter (10) being sealably connectable by a clamping and sealing device (11, 13) so that the internal bores (12, 16) of the connector port (22) and the adapter (10) are in open communication. Preferably, the adapter (10) has a removable door (16) sealed to the end of the adapter (10) remote from the sealable connection to the connector port (22).

Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing apparatus, including a fluid storage and dispensing vessel having an interior volume, in which the interior volume contains a physical adsorbent sorptively retaining a fluid thereon and from which the fluid is desorbable for dispensing from the vessel, and a dispensing assembly coupled to the vessel for dispensing desorbed fluid from the vessel. The physical adsorbent includes a monolithic carbon physical adsorbent that is characterized by at least one of the following characteristics: (a) a fill density measured for arsine gas at 25° C. and pressure of 650 torr that is greater than 400 grams arsine per liter of adsorbent; (b) at least 30% of overall porosity of the adsorbent including slit-shaped pores having a size in a range of from about 0.3 to about 0.72 nanometer, and at least 20% of the overall porosity including micropores of diameter <2 nanometers; and (c) having been formed by pyrolysis and optional activation, at temperature(s) below 1000° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of adeno-associated viruses for decreasing the radiotherapy-induced or chemotherapy-induced resistance in patients who suffer from a cancer which is to be treated by radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Abstract: A vaporizer delivery system including a sublimatable solid precursor material applied to a wire substrate for vaporizing and achieving a continuous uninterrupted delivery of a vaporized precursor to a downstream semiconductor process chamber. The coated wire substrate is drawn past a heat source at a predetermined speed to rapidly heat and vaporize the sublimatable solid precursor.

Abstract: A system and process for utilization and disposition of a supercritical fluid composition, in which a supercritical fluid (SCF) composition is used in an SCF-using process facility such as a semiconductor manufacturing plant. The supercritical fluid composition is withdrawn from the process facility containing at least one component that is extraneous with respect to the further disposition of the supercritical fluid composition. The withdrawn supercritical fluid composition is converted to a pressurized liquid, which is treated to at least partially remove the extraneous component(s) therefrom. The extraneous component(s)-depleted pressurized liquid in its further disposition can be reconverted to a supercritical state for recycle to the SCF-using process facility, or it can be gasified and discharged to the atmosphere in the case of supercritical fluids such as CO2.

Abstract: A germane storage and dispensing system, in which germane gas is sorptively retained on an activated carbon sorbent medium in a vessel containing adsorbed and free germane gas. The activated carbon sorbent medium is deflagration-resistant in relation to the germane gas adsorbed thereon, i.e., under deflagration conditions of 65° C. and 650 torr, under which free germane gas undergoes deflagration, the activated carbon sorbent medium does not sustain deflagration of the adsorbed germane gas or thermally desorb the germane gas so that it undergoes subsequent deflagration. The deflagration-resistance of the activated carbon sorbent medium is promoted by pre-treatment of the sorbent material to remove extraneous sorbables therefrom and by maintaining the fill level of the sorbent medium in the gas storage and dispensing vessel at a substantial value, e.g., of at least 30%.

Abstract: A low-pressure balloon, and method of forming same by the steps of: preheat a thin film of thermoplastic polymeric material to a sufficient temperature; forming two halves of the balloon on said thin film of thermoplastic polymeric material by vacuum suction; isolating the two halves of the balloon from said thin film of thermoplastic polymeric material; bonding the two halves together on their edges to form the low-pressure balloon by radio-frequency welding method; and inverting the low-pressure balloon from inside out to turn the rough bonded edge of the two halves into the interior side of the balloon.

Abstract: A contour collimator for radiation therapy has a plurality of diaphragm elements that are movable with respect to each other by means of drive units. The diaphragm elements of the invention are supported only on the side near the drive units for ease of movement. This allows larger contour collimators to be constructed having relatively heavy diaphragm elements while retaining relatively small motors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining concentration of brightener and leveler contained in an aqueous acid metal electroplating solution, by firstly determining the concentration of the brightener at a first set of measurement conditions, and secondly determining the concentration of the leveler at a second set of measurement conditions, provided that the first set of measurement conditions differ from the second set of measurement conditions on the rotation speed of a rotating disc electrode used for measuring plating potential of said aqueous acid metal electroplating solution, and optionally, the electroplating duration at which the plating potential of said aqueous acid metal electroplating solution is measured, provided that the first rotation speed is lower than the second rotation speed, and that the first electroplating duration is shorter than the second electroplating duration.

Abstract: A method for removing from a microelectronic device structure a noble metal residue including at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium and rhodium, by contacting the microelectronic device structure with a cleaning gas including a reactive halide composition, e.g., XeF2, SF6, SiF4, Si2F6 or SiF3 and SiF2 radicals. The method may be carried out in a batch-cleaning mode, in which fresh charges of cleaning gas are successively introduced to a chamber containing the residue-bearing microelectronic device structure. Each charge is purged from the chamber after reaction with the residue, and the charging/purging is continued until the residue has been at least partially removed to a desired extent. Alternatively, the cleaning gas may be continuously flowed through the chamber containing the microelectronic device structure, until the noble metal residue has been sufficiently removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to peptides of one or more portions of the human chorionic gonadotropin &bgr;-chain as well as methods for treatment of cancer, using human chorionic gonadotropin, employing the &bgr;-chain of human chorionic gonadotropin, peptides containing a sequence of one or more portions of the &bgr;-chain of human chorionic gonadotropin and derivatives and analogues thereof. The invention further relates to fractions of sources and or preparations of human chorionic gonadotropin, such as fractions of human early pregnancy urine, which fractions have anti-cancer activity. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions for treating cancer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to &bgr;-hCG, particularly &bgr;-hCG proteins having a sequence of amino acids 41-54, 45-54, 47-53, 45-57 and 45-58 and analogs and derivatives thereof. The invention further relates to methods of treatment and prevention of HIV infection by administration of a therapeutic compound of the invention. Such therapeutic compounds include hCG, &bgr;-hCG and &bgr;-hCG peptides, analogs and derivatives of hCG, &bgr;-hCG and &bgr;-hCG peptides, and nucleic acids encoding hCG, &bgr;-hCG and &bgr;-hCG peptides. In a preferred embodiment, &bgr;-hCG peptides, particularly &bgr;-hCG peptides of amino acids 47-53, 45-57 or 45-58 are administered to a subject for treatment or prevention of HIV infection in that subject. The invention also provides methods for screening hCG preparations for activity in treating or preventing HIV infection. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of administration of Therapeutics are also provided.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry composition for removing noble metal material from a substrate having the noble metal material deposited thereon, for example, a semiconductor device structure including thereon a layer of the noble metal material, e.g., iridium, patterned for use as an electrode. Such polishing slurry composition contains abrasive polishing particles, a bromide compound, a bromate compound for providing free bromine as an oxidizing agent in the composition, and an organic acid for mediating decomposition of the bromate compound in the composition. The CMP slurry composition of the invention is particularly effective for planarization and/or removal of noble metal(s) from the substrate, in applications such as the fabrication of ferroelectric or high permittivity capacitor devices.

Abstract: A method and system for non-contact laser photoablation to be utilized during vision corrective surgery. Multiple pulses of electromagnetic energy are impinged onto target tissue to ablate and generate an acoustic pressure wave while concurrently processing signals produced by the acoustic pressure wave. A representative pattern can be provided to guide the surgeon through distinct tissue layers encountered in cornea resculpting surgery. Cluster analysis may be utilized to process the acoustic wave signals to generate the representative pattern. Specifically, the representative cluster pattern provides the surgeon with a tool to discern, with increased precision, the tissue layer being ablated and reduces the likelihood of invading a deeper layer of tissue that should not be removed.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing slurry composition and method for using the slurry composition for polishing copper, barrier material and dielectric material that comprises first and second-step slurries. The first-step slurry has a high removal rate on copper and a low removal rate on barrier material. The second-step slurry has a high removal rate on barrier material and a low removal rate on copper and dielectric material. The first slurry comprises at least an organic polymeric abrasive.