Abstract: Superconducting materials and methods of forming superconducting materials are disclosed. Highly oxidized superconductors are heated at a relatively high temperature so as to release oxygen, which migrates out of the material, and form a non-superconducting phase which does not diffuse out of grains of the material. The material is then reoxidized at a lower temperature, leaving the non-superconducting inclusions inside a superconducting phase. The non-superconducting inclusions act as pinning centers in the superconductor, increasing the critical current thereof.

Abstract: An improved surface covering for use in tennis courts or other fields on which games are played and which require a hard surface. The surface covering includes layers of materials applied on an old existing covering which is inferior for one or more reasons. The new covering includes a drain rock layer beneath a flexible fabric panel which is beneath a new base rock layer. A layer of asphalt is applied to the base rock layer, following which a thin layer, such as of bitumen or the like, can be applied to the top of the asphalt layer. The new covering will "float" on top of the old covering to allow the old covering to expand or contract due to ground movement while also eliminating moisture problems.

Abstract: A lumbosacral support system having a belt and an orthopedic pad carried by the belt. The pad has a contoured template surface with a transversely extending central trough portion for accommodating the protruding spinal processes of the wearer when the pad is pressed against the lumbar region, and a pair of raised plateau regions flanking the central trough portion for contacting the erector spinae muscles of the wearer to provide support. The template surface of the pad has a vertical surface contour through the central region approximating the average lordotic curve of a wearer. The belt is longitudinally tapered so the pad is arranged at an angle to vertical to optimally engage the lumbar region of the wearer.

Abstract: A purification method and apparatus for creating ultra-purity chemicals for semiconductor processing. The purification method includes a step of expanding an ESG chemical through an orifice (17) inside a condenser (21) to a partial condensed state for removing impurities from ESG chemical. During the expansion step, the higher boiling point impurities remain in the liquid phase and the impurities in the vapor phase are removed at least in part by a scavenging technique. After purification, the ultra-purified gas is transferred to a semiconductor manufacturing operation (24). The manufacturing operation includes both dry and wet processes. The method may also be integrated into a large volume on-site purification system (30), on-line point of use purifier (50), or small volume trans-filling purification system (70).

Abstract: A method whereby motion can be detected in real time during the acquisition of MRI data. This enables the implementation of several algorithms to reduce or eliminate this motion from an image as it is being acquired. The method is an extension of the acceptance/rejection method algorithm called the diminishing variance algorithm (DVA). With this method, a complete set of preliminary data is acquired along with information about the relative motion position of each frame of data. After all the preliminary data is acquired, the position information is used to determine which lines are most corrupted by motion. Frames of data are then reacquired, starting with the most corrupted frame. The position information is continually updated in an iterative process, therefore each subsequent reacquisition is always done on the worst frame of data. The algorithm has been implemented on several different types of sequences, and preliminary in vivo studies indicate that motion artifacts are dramatically reduced.

Abstract: High concentration collagen compositions having improved persistence when administered for soft tissue augmentation are prepared from both cross-linked and non-cross-linked collagen starting materials. Suspensions of the starting materials are subjected to vigorous mechanical disruption to reduce the average collagen fiber size to below a threshold level which enhances the injectability of the composition. Thus, both enhanced injectability and enhanced persistence may be achieved using the same formulations.

Abstract: A composition is provided for protecting exterior surfaces of automobiles and other products against abrasive dust, acid rain, etc. The composition is applied as a mixture of water solubilized acrylic acid copolymer, pH-neutral acrylic copolymer, alkyl alcohol, surfactant, and water. The composition dries on the exterior surface to form a tough flexible coating that can be removed by an alkaline aqueous detergent solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an improved computer pointing device such as a trackball or mouse, for example. The improved computer pointing device allows a user to set a communications protocol for use with a particular computer system by using a user-friendly configuration program designed for operation on a different platform and by using a different communications protocol. Additionally, the computer pointing device includes an LED encoder illumination control system to provide varying levels of LED intensities. During normal operation, an LED operates at a particular intensity level. The intensity level is controllable in discrete steps: LED power is off for power up, LED power is reduced for testing to test for unacceptable signal levels, and LED power may be increased beyond normal levels to counteract diminution of light intensity as the LED ages.

Abstract: The use of a compound possessing functional antagonist properties at the NMDA receptor complex through a specific action at the associated strychnine-insensitive glycine site to improve cognition in normal humans and to treat cognitive deficits resulting from chronic neuronal degeneration, acute brain injury, hypoxia, or other neurological disorders is provided. The compounds possessing functional antagonist properties comprise 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid, and its pharmaceutically acceptable esters, salts, and acid addition salts or 7-chlorokynurenic acid, and its pharmaceutically acceptable esters, amides, salts, ethers, and acid addition salts.

Abstract: An auger is provided with a boring head having an arrangement for cutting relatively hard earth formations such as rock. First and second groups of drill bits are mounted to the boring head such that when the head is rotated, each bit in those groups cuts a different path at a different height to provide more than 100% coverage of the work surface being cut, while stabilizing the auger by distributing the down force of the auger over the entire work surface. The drill bits also are orientated to ensure bit rotation at relatively large attack angles (the angle the bit forms with the work surface therebeneath) of about 50.degree.-60.degree. to enhance auger penetration rates without detracting from the bit sharpening effect that results from proper bit rotation.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for diagnosing states of circuit elements is described, wherein scannable circuits can be scanned without disturbing the state of unscannable circuits or violating protocols of busses on which unscannable devices are attached. One unscannable device is a standardized microprocessor. A processor interface circuit is coupled between the microprocessor and scannable processor circuits, via a processor bus, to insulate the scannable processor circuits from the unscannable microprocessor. The processor interface circuit is also scannable, including memory elements which affect the bus, by preventing a scan when the bus is in use. A scan is prevented through the use of a maintenance request signal from a scan controller to the processor interface circuit, and one or more maintenance approval signals from the processor interface circuit to the scan controller.

Abstract: A pneumatic compressor is provided for bag-valve-mask resuscitators which permit a bladder to be compressed. The compressor permits resuscitators to be operated in the normal manner by squeezing, and also allows operation by blowing into a mouthpiece. A flexible enclosure can be easily installed over a flexible bag-valve-mask or a resuscitator, the enclosure has a plastic sleeve that can be fitted over the bladder and provides a sealed enclosure, and a tube is attached to an opening in the plastic sleeve, the tube has a mouthpiece at an exterior end to permit the enclosure to be pressurized and the bladder compressed.

Abstract: A device for limiting dorsiflexion past a chosen, optimum angle while permitting further forward flexion of the leg relative to the sport shoe contact surface. The device is advantageously used with a sport shoe including a sole, a shell mounted to the sole for receipt of the user's foot and an upwardly extending movable tongue or cuff mounted to the shell. The sole includes an upper foot supporting surface. In one embodiment the tongue is positioned so that dorsiflexion of the user's leg causes the tongue to move forward. The tongue is coupled to the upper foot supporting surface so that dorsiflexion between an initial angle and an optimum angle is relatively unrestrained but further dorsiflexion past the optimum angle is minimized or eliminated by the concurrent lifting of the upper foot supporting surface. In another embodiment the sole is a unitary member and the upper foot supporting surface is a part of the sole. In this embodiment a tongue assembly stops dorsiflexion past an optimum angle.

Abstract: An environmentally protected electrical socket and plug assembly (10) retains environmental security throughout repeated connections and disconnections. The socket and plug assembly includes a socket 100 containing an electrical conductor 85 and adapted to insertably receive a plug 90, an environmental sealant at least partially filling the socket so that the sealant is at least partially displaced from the socket when the plug is inserted into the socket, and an elastomeric containment means 40 having an inset dimple for being outwardly deflected to contain displaced sealant when the plug is inserted into the socket and to urge the sealant back into the socket when the plug is removed.

Abstract: An method and apparatus for simultaneously displaying a raster map and vectorized street information corresponding to a vehicle position is provided. The system extracts information from a plurality of databases, including a mobile position database, a raster database and a vector database. The database information is interrelated by common latitude and longitude information. A graphical user interface displays the information in a format easily understood a dispatcher.

Abstract: A delay circuit includes a semiconductor chip; a first inverter array formed on said semiconductor chip so as to have a number of first inverters so that it provides a number of delay signals; a second inverter array formed on the semiconductor ship so as to have second inverters, each having the same configuration as that of the first inverters, which are connected to form a ring counter; a phase locked lead-in unit for determining a phase difference between an oscillation output of the second inverter array and a basic clock and converting it into a voltage which is applied as power voltage to the first and second inverter arrays.

Abstract: An image printer includes a projection-exposure section for projecting and exposing a film image onto a photosensitive material, an image-exposure section for exposing the photosensitive material based on exposing image information with setting an exposure amount for each of a plurality of areas of the exposing image information, and a reader device for reading the image information of the film image with the image information being divided into the plurality of areas. The image-exposure section generates the exposing image information through composition of the plurality of areas of the image information read by the reader device, image information stored in advance in the image-exposure section and of further image information inputted from another input device.

Abstract: Nucleotide sequences encoding proteins of interest are isolated from DNA libraries using bacteriophage to link the protein to the sequence which encodes it. DNA libraries are prepared from cells encoding the protein of interest and inserted into or adjacent to a coat protein of a bacteriophage vector, or into a sequence encoding a protein which may be linked by means of a ligand to a phage coat protein. By employing affinity purification techniques the phage particles containing sequences encoding the desired protein may be selected and the desired nucleotide sequences obtained therefrom. Thus, for example, novel proteins such as monoclonal antibodies may be produced and conventional hybridoma technology avoided.

Abstract: A combination manway cover and pressure relief apparatus (2) for a tank (4) having a manway opening (14) and containing a fluid. A body (12) covers the manway opening and is guided and biased along a substantially vertical, linear path (16). The body is guided along the path by bolts (18) which pass through a plurality body, gasket and flange bolt holes (22, 23, 24). The weight of the body biases the body along the path toward the manway opening. Pressure relief for the tank is provided when the fluid pressure within the tank moves the body away from the manway opening.

Abstract: A single ended sense amplifier that not only preserves the high speed feature of the ordinary .vertline.V.sub.TP .vertline., the threshold voltage of a PMOS transistor, but also eliminates the current leakage problem of conventional designs. The single-ended sense amplifier uses seven transistors and one phase clock instead of eleven transistors and two phase clocks as used in the prior art.