Abstract: A novel serine esterase produced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes is insolated and characterized. The protein appears to be membrane bound and has a reduced apparent molecular weight of about 28,000 daltons. Inhibition of the esterase correlates with inhibition of the cells' cytolytic activity. The serine esterase is useful in making antibody and as a target for the inhibition of cytolytic activity by T-lymphocytes, both in vivo and in vitro.

Abstract: A dual shaft rotating assembly typically used in aircraft engines is provided with a stable intershaft squeeze film damper for reducing vibration. The assembly includes a housing, a first shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, a second shaft concentric with the first shaft and rotatable about the same axis of rotation, bearings for supporting each of the shafts from the housing, a squeeze film damper positioned between the shafts and including an annular region containing an oil film for attenuating vibration, and apparatus for maintaining the damping fluid stationary relative to the housing. The squeeze film damper includes an inner ring and an outer ring which define the annular region between them. A first intershaft bearing is coupled between the first shaft and the inner ring, and a second intershaft bearing is coupled between the second shaft and the outer ring. The inner and outer rings are maintained stationary by squirrel cages coupled to the housing.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring L-glutamine in a liquid sample includes a membrane on which are immobilized the enzymes glutaminase and glutamate oxidase, whereby any said L-glutamine in the sample is acted upon by the glutaminase to form glutamic acid, the glutamic acid being acted upon by the glutamate oxidase to form an enzymatic reaction product, the membrane being operatively associated with a sensor capable of sensing the enzymatic reaction product or a compound or element consumed or liberated in the formation or degradation thereof.

Abstract: A method of protecting carbon/carbon composites against oxidation at high temperatures is disclosed. This comprises coating the composite with a hybrid metal alkoxide/organosilicon polymer. The hybrid polymer is prepared by a method comprising mixing an organosilicon polymer having a plurality of Si-H functional groups with a sufficient quantity to undergo a hydrosilylation reaction of a metal alkenoxide, wherein the metal alkenoxide comprises a metal, metalloid or silicon alkoxide containing at least one alkenoxy group; and initiating the hydrosilylation reaction to form the hybrid polymer.

Abstract: A method for enhancing or controlling permeability of large molecular weight molecules in a membrane system wherein molecules in solution are contacted with membranes and the system is exposed to ultrasound at a selected intensity and frequency and for a specific length of time. The method may be designed to insure that only reversible changes in the membrane result from exposure to the ultrasound or to enhance the rate of degradation of the membrane and/or selectivity of passage of molecules through the membrane. The method may include selection of the membrane composition and structure, including the pore size, thickness, crystallinity and molecular arrangement. Selection of the solvent or media in which the molecules are suspended may be used to further enhance or control permeability. The media may be either an aqueous or inorganic solution with the physical and chemical properties may be selected to attenuate sound transmission or to enhance stability of the molecule permeating the membrane.

Abstract: A composition such as a biologically active substance is delivered upon demand from a polymeric matrix by exposing the polymeric matrix containing the composition to ultrasonic energy.

Abstract: A rapid, noninvasive technique for quantifying the dynamic response of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to perturbations it senses over a broad range of physiologically relevant frequencies. The technique involves two steps. First, a physiologic parameter sensed by the ANS is subjected to a broad-band perturbation as an input signal while a physiologic parameter modulated by the ANS is monitored as an output signal. Then, the transfer relation between input signal and output signal is determined. The computed transfer relation is then readily interpretable in terms of responsiveness of the various limbs of the ANS.

Abstract: An adhesion promoter for polyimide is provided having the formula: ##STR1## wherein A is ##STR2## Ar is an aromatic group, R.sup.1 is lower alkyl, R.sup.11 is OR.sup.1 or lower alkyl, R.sup.111 is hydrogen or lower alkyl.

Abstract: A distributed feedback (DFB) type laser and a method and apparatus for forming same wherein a quaternary semiconductor active lasing strip of material is buried between a substrate of binary compound of one type conductivity material and a mesa binary compound body of opposite type conductivity and a periodic grating structure is etched into the plateau of the mesa. In one embodiment, ohmic contacts are provided on either side of the grating structure and the mesa is undercut adjacent the active strip to partly isolate the ohmic contacts from the homojunction formed when the active strip is buried, preferably using a mass-transport process. In another embodiment, the ohmic contacts are formed on the top of a deeply etched grating structure. A buried layer double heterostructure (DH) laser is also described with DFB grating formed on the side walls of the layer. Additionally, a surface emitting diode laser with DFB is described.

Abstract: Choline or a choline precursor is administered to a patient together with an amino acid which is a precursor to a neurotransmitter in order to give a synergistic result for the two components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming epitaxial thin film layers on substrates having abrupt transitions between layers of different composition or layers of different or like composition with different degrees of doping included therein. Gaseous reactants containing the desired elements to be included in the first film layer are injected into a CVD reaction chamber containing a substrate. The substrate is heated to a temperature high enough to obtain an epitaxial deposit, but low enough so as not to cause decomposition of the reactants. Once the gaseous reactant flows reach steady-state, an electric discharge or plasma is created in the gases to initiate the decomposition reaction and obtain a deposit. In this way, no transient effects are present. Once the deposit has attained sufficient thickness, the electric discharge is turned off to abruptly terminate deposition.

Abstract: A novel 100 kDa protein from Drosophila melanogaster (dp100) that recognizes both mammalian epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin and insulin-related growth factors, and crossreacts with antisera against the human EGF receptor. The binding spectrum and relative binding affinities of dp100 for growth factors and hormones, related and unrelated to EGF or insulin, demonstrate that dp100 binds to insulin-like and EGF-like factors with dissociation constants ranging from 10.sup.31 6 M to 10.sup.-9 M. Dp100 binds to human synthetic transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and insulin-like growth factor-II with the highest affinity and, unlike the mammalian EGF receptor, has the unique ability to differentiate between EGF and TGF-alpha with a difference in affinity of three orders of magnitude. Further, dp100 is able to differentiate on the basis of binding affinity between native TGF-alpha, TGF-alpha that has been synthesized chemically and TGF-alpha that has been produced in E.

Abstract: Monolithic integration of Si MOSFETs and gallium arsenide MESFETs on a silicon substrate is described herein. Except for contact openings and final metallization, the Si MOSFETs are first fabricated on selected areas of a silicon wafer. CVD or sputtering is employed to cover the wafer with successive layers of SiO.sub.2 and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 to protect the MOSFET structure during gallium arsenide epitaxy and subsequent MESFET processing. Gallium arsenide layers are then grown by MBE or MOCVD or VPE over the entire wafer. The gallium arsenide grown on the bare silicon is single crystal material while that on the nitride is polycrystalline. The polycrystalline gallium arsenide is etched away and MESFETs are fabricated in the single crystal regions by conventional processes. Next, the contact openings for the Si MOSFETs are etched through the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiO.sub.2 layers and final metallization is performed to complete the MOSFET fabrication.

Abstract: A method for constructing polyproteins which can perform multiple sequential activities. A DNA sequence is constructed using genetic engineering techniques to insert sequences encoding the desired proteins into a plasmid, in the correct order, following a single promoter element and before a single stop codon. The reading frames of the mRNA sequences are phased so that a polyprotein with the desired activities, in the required order, is produced.Modified polyproteins can be produced by inserting or substituting amino acids into the mRNA sequence to create spaces between the individual proteins, to increase the stability of the total polyprotein, to change the spatial orientation of the individual proteins relative to each other and their substrates, and to modify the activity of the individual proteins.

Abstract: A method of forming preceramic polymers using an organosilicon polymer containing Si--H repeat units by reacting it with alkali metal amide or silylamide is disclosed. Preferably, the silylamide is a polymeric silylamide formed by reacting in solution anhydrous ammonia with a mixture of R.sup.1 SiHX.sub.2 (where R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkenyl group having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms; and X is a halogen) and R.sup.2 SiX.sub.3 (where R.sup.

Abstract: A process and system for providing a design pattern in a material wherein a seleced medium is applied to the material, the material being positioned adjacent a surface of a template which surface has selected surface characteristics either topographical or non-topographical in nature. The material is held against the template surface at a selected pressure and for a selected time period, at least a portion of the medium coming into contact with the template surface. The surface characteristics of the template interact with the material and the medium as the medium comes into contact with the surface to produce the desired pattern.

Abstract: The present invention is a method using ultrasound to enhance permeation of molecules through the skin and into the blood stream, at a controlled rate. Depending on the drug being infused through the skin, the rate of permeation is increased as well as the efficiency of transfer. Drugs which may not be effective under other conditions, for example, due to degradation within the gastrointestinal tract, can be effectively conveyed transdermally into the circulatory system by means of ultrasound.

Abstract: A stable reference electrode for use in monitoring and controlling the process of electrolytic reduction of a metal. In the case of Hall cell reduction of aluminum, the reference electrode comprises a pool of molten aluminum and a solution of molten cryolite, Na.sub.3 AlF.sub.6, wherein the electrical connection to the molten aluminum does not contact the highly corrosive molten salt solution. This is accomplished by altering the density of either the aluminum (decreasing the density) or the electrolyte (increasing the density) so that the aluminum floats on top of the molten salt solution.

Abstract: A Coded Data Multiple Access (CDMA) communication system in which a bit stream of digitized data is convolutionally encoded, and interleaved, to provide time diversity for consecutive output bits of the encoder. The interleaved encoded message is packetized into blocks to which synchronization and user identity preambles are provided. Each packet is transmitted in time compressed bursts at random time intervals.

Abstract: A laser induced direct writing pyrolysis of a refractory metal or metal silicide on substrates is described. Typical reactants comprise flowing WF.sub.6, MoF.sub.6 or TiCl.sub.4 with SiH.sub.4 and an inert gas, such as Argon. A preferable substrate surface is a polyimide film. The refractory metal film may comprise low resistivity W, M, or Ti, or silicides thereof, having a predetermined resistance depending on the relative ratio of reactants. The invention is useful, inter alia, for repair of defective circuit interconnects, and formation of interconnects or resistors on substrates.