Abstract: Composite materials useful for removing metal ions from solutions such as aqueous waste streams comprise an inorganic ceramic support such as silica gel that has active hydroxyl groups. The support is reacted with a silane linking compound or with a titanizing agent. A chelating compound, which can be a thiol or an amine, is attached to the silane or to titanium atoms of the titanized surface of the support.

Abstract: A method of making a microporous carbon material which includes providing a precursor selected from the group consisting of crystalline salts of aromatic sulfonates and nonporous polymeric salts. Heat treatment of such precursors in the temperature range of 350.degree. to 850.degree. C. in an inert oxygen free atmosphere for a sufficient time promotes thermally induced hydrogen abstraction and rearrangement of BSUs which result in the formation of a carbonaceous microporous material having a pore size distribution in the range of about 4-15 .ANG.. The structural and storage characteristics of the microporous carbon materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: Novel composite materials useful for removing heavy metal ions from solutions, such as aqueous waste streams, comprise an inorganic ceramic support, such as silica gel, having terminal hydroxy groups, to the oxygen of which a ligand is covalently bonded through a silane coupling agent, the ligand being a phosphorous or thiophosphorous based acid moiety.

Abstract: A system for controlling the output of a rolling mill. An intelligent control system is part of a control loop between the mill and a PID controller. The control loop does not rely on the output of an exit gauge sensor in normal operation. The intelligent control system can be an artificial neural network or a parallel cascade network, and has an output node for generating an output signal that is predictive of the exit gauge at a future time. A comparator coupled to the artificial neural network output signal and to a reference signal derives an error signal which is fed to the PID controller for modulating the metal thickness.

Abstract: A high density volmetric optical memory stores information in three dimensions by selectively activating a photochemical branching reaction from a short-lived thermal intermediate of the primary photocycle of a light-transducing protein storage medium. A paging laser actuates a selected planar sheet or page of the medium at one wavelength, and data lasers send selected data beams at another wavelength orthogonal to the selected page. In a preferred mode, the medium is bacteriorhodopsin, and the paging beam raises the photocycle from the ground or resting state bR to an intermediate O, and the data beams interact with the O intermediate to create branch species P and Q. The data beams do not interract strongly with bR or with the P or Q. A differential read operation can employ the same paging and data wavelengths. Preferably a partial conversion only is required, with [95% bR, 5% P+Q] representing "0" and [90% bR, 10% P+Q] representing "1".

Abstract: A highly microporous adsorbent material is formed as a composite of a natural or synthetic clay or clay-like mineral matrix intercalated with an active carbon. The mineral is prepared and selected to have a selected interlayer spacing between microcrystalline sheets. An organic polymeric precursor is contacted therewith to fill the matrix interstices. Then the precursor is polymerized and carbonized to yield the adsorbent material in which the carbon is intercalated into the mineral matrix. The mineral can be naturally occurring smectite or synthetic hydrotalcite.

Abstract: Vapor deposition of metal films is carried out using as precursors metal compounds or complexes based on open pentadienyls and derivatives. The technique can be used favorably for transition metal depositions, and can be carried out photolytically or thermolytically. In certain cases, oxygen can be substituted for a terminal carbon atom.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for simulating on one multi-stage interconnection network (MIN) the operation of a second MIN. By means of two algorithms we generate first and second vectors, I.sub.1, O.sub.1, which characterize the first MIN and by means of the same two algorithms we generate third and fourth vectors, I.sub.2 O.sub.2, which characterize the second MIN. We then generate fifth and sixth vectors, U, V, where U=O.sub.2 * O.sub.1.sup.-1 and V=I.sub.1.sup.-1 * I.sub.2 where O.sub.1.sup.-1 and I.sub.1.sup.-1 are the inverses, respectively, of O.sub.1 and I.sub.1 and * is a two-operand permutation operation which permutes elements of a first operand (e.g., O.sub.2) in accordance with an order specified by a second operand (e.g., O.sub.1.sup.-1). The fifth vector is then used to reorder the inputs to the first MIN; and the sixth vector is used to reorder the outputs from said first MIN.

Abstract: Metal or metal boride films are deposited by CVD using a metal borane cluster compound as a precursor. For a nickel film, NiCl.sub.2 is vaporized in a reactor tube in the presence of B.sub.10 H.sub.14 or another polyborane. For an aluminum film, Al(BH.sub.4).sub.3 is formed by reacting AlCl.sub.3 with NaBH.sub.4, and using the Al(BH.sub.4).sub.3 as a precursor borane cluster compound. The substrate is heated to a selected temperature so that the deposited film has a controlled stoichiometry of metal and boron.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing an alkyl casylate by the reaction of a metal casylate or an enantiomer of a quaternary casylate with a trialkyl phosphite in the presence of a slight molar excess of sulfuric acid. According to one aspect of the invention the reaction is conducted under heat in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid. When the reaction is complete, an organic layer that contains the alkyl casylate is isolated. In another aspect of the invention at least 1.0 equivalents of a trialkyl phosphite is added to a thoroughly dried enantiomer of camphorsulfonic acid, and the mixture optionally heated to about 80.degree. C. The reaction is allowed to proceed until camphorsulfonic acid is no longer present. Thereafter all phosphorus-containing species are selectively removed by distillation at reduced pressure to obtain a pure alkyl casylate in high yield.

Abstract: A high density rapid access data storage device employs a volume of field-oriented bacteriorhodopsin in a polymer medium, and contained in a vessel that can be accurately displace in three dimensions. X-axis and Y-axis laser illumination systems each converge a beam in the respective direction at a location at which a particular bit cell is to have a "1" or "0" recorded or is to be interrogated. Both laser systems are pulsed on at one wavelength to write a "1" or at a second wavelength to write a "0". After writing, a cleaning step is carried out by actuating the laser systems non-simultaneously at the other of the wavelengths to remove any undesired photochemistry from adjacent bit cells. A read cycle involves actuating two or four lasers, and then discriminating the "1" or "0" state from the electrical signal generated by the medium.

Abstract: The Glc6PD genome of Leuconostoc mesenteroides is isolated. Oligonucleotides complementary to sequences upstream and downstream to the Glc6PD genome are prepared and used to amplify the genome by the polymerase chain reaction. The amplified gene is isolated and cloned into pUC19. The recombinant plasmid expresses the gene in E. coli.

Abstract: An electro optical random access memory uses a film of bacteriorhodopsin or similar photochromic substance which can change between two light absorbing states in response to light of each of two wavelengths. In one embodiment combined red and green laser beams are steered in two orthogonal directions to memory locations on the film. The relative amounts of the light of the two wavelength reflected from memory cell is sensed and discriminated to indicate "1" or "0". A crowbar circuit holds one or the other of the two laser beams on to compensate for degradation that occurs in a read cycle. In another embodiment a single wavelength is employed for read and write operations, but at a much greater strength for the write operation.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing isomerically enriched camphorsulfonates, and in particular a diastereomerically enriched glycidyl camphorsulfonate by bromide-casylate exchange between an alkyl casylate and the bromide analog of the desired casylate, followed by separation of a higher melting diastereomer by selective recrystallization. There is also shown the production of a desired casylate by reacting a racemic or enantiomerically enriched arenesulfonate with a quaternary casylate. Randomization and recycling of an isomerically enriched casylate is provided by reaction with an achiral bromide analog in the presence of a quaternary salt. Specially adapted apparatus for conducting the randomization reaction is provided. There is also shown a process for producing an alkyl casylate by the reaction of a metal casylate and a quaternary casylate with a trialkyl phosphite in the presence of a slight molar excess of sulfuric acid.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance data is generated as a set of digital signals in the time domain. Each signal represents a multiplicity of parameters (for example two or three dimensions in the frequency domain). Transformation of such multiparameter (multidimensional) time domain signals into the frequency domain to provide multidimensional spectra (in frequency or in space for resonance imaging) utilizes discrete Fourier transformation in a spectral region of interest by calculating matrix products of data points corresponding to successively spaced values of the time domain signal in sequence with data signals corresponding to successive frequency points to obtain the output spectra. To increase the efficiency of the calculations "zero padding" may be accomplished directly in the frequency domain reconstructing more or less data points there than the corresponding number of the acquired time domain points, to increase or decrease digital resolution. Small information rich regions of the spectra (e.g.

Abstract: A novel earplug comprising a stack of thin flexible plastic discs bonded together about a central hole and loose at the edges is formed with a central core or plug forming a nose or bumper and a handle tail. The configuration described permits easy insertion and removal from the ear and the multiple disc structure forms a barrier to the entry of acoustic noise into the ear canal.

Abstract: Oxide supported metal catalysts have an additional metal present in intimate association with the metal catalyst to enhance catalytic activity. In a preferred mode, iridium or another Group VIII metal catalyst is supported on a titania, alumina, tungsten oxide, silica, or composite oxide support. Aluminum ions are readsorbed onto the support and catalyst, and reduced during calcination. The aluminum can be added as aluminum nitrate to the iridium impregnate solution, e.g. chloroiridic acid.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a computer including an input unit, an arithmetic logic unit, a memory unit, a control unit, an output unit, and a signal bus system connected to each of the units to permit signal communication between each of the units. The control unit of the present invention includes a problem section coupled to the memory unit, for fetching binary encoded source elements of a problem expression stored in the memory unit. In addition, the control unit includes result generator, coupled to the problem section, for generating a result expression from at least one of the source elements of the problem expression. Further, the control unit comprises a transfer unit, coupled to the result generator and the memory unit, for storing the result expression into a result area of the memory unit. The result expression comprises a plurality of address pointers to pre-identified source elements of the problem expression.

Abstract: Threo- and erythro- epoxy alcohols are converted in high yield to trans- and cis-allyl alcohols, respectively. The threo epoxy alcohol or erythro-epoxy alcohol is reacted with a toluenesulfonic anhydride to form a threo- or erythro- glycidyl tosylate. The glycidyl tosylate is contacted with tellurium ion, in the form, e.g. of Na.sub.2 Te that has been prepared by adding tellurium in elemental form and sodium borohydride or lithium triethyl borohydride to dimethylformamide (DMF). The DMF has a low volatility and permits further work to be carried out at elevated temperatures. The glycidyl tosylate is added to the sodium telluride in DMF, and is permitted to react. The tellurium ion displaces the tosylate and opens the epoxide to form an unstable alkoxy epitelluride. This epitelluride is a short-lived intermediate, and extrudes the tellurium, leaving the olefin. The opening of the epoxide required the adoption of an anti configuration.

Abstract: A laser capillary spectrophotometric technique measures real time or near real time bivariate drop size and concentration distribution for a reactive liquid-liquid dispersion system. The dispersion is drawn into a precision-bore glass capillary and an appropriate light source is used to distinguish the aqueous phase from slugs of the organic phase at two points along the capillary whose separation is precisely known. The suction velocity is measured, as is the length of each slug from which the drop free diameter is calculated. For each drop, the absorptivity at a given wavelength is related to the molar concentration of a solute of interest, and the concentration of given drops of the organic phase is derived from pulse heights of the detected light. This technique permits on-line monitoring and control of liquid-liquid dispersion processes.