Abstract: The subject invention provides R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing same. The subject invention also provides methods of treating a subject afflicted with Parkinson's disease, a memory disorder, dementia, depression, hyperactive syndrome, an effective illness, a neurodegenerative disease, a neurotoxic injury, stroke, brain ischemia, a head trauma injury, a spinal trauma injury, neurotrauma, schizophrenia, an attention deficit disorder, multiple sclerosis, or withdrawal symptoms, using R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the subject invention. The subject invention further provides a method of preventing nerve damage in a subject. Finally, the subject invention provides methods of preparing R(+)-N-propargyl-1-aminoindan, a salt thereof, and racemic N-propargyl-1-aminoindan.

Abstract: A process for the polymerization of one or more alpha-olefins having at least 3 carbon atoms, which comprises contacting the monomer or monomers in a polar or non-polar solvent under polymerization conditions with a homogeneous catalyst system including (a) a cationic form of a racemic mixture of a chiral octahedral transition metal complex or of a non chiral octahedral transition metal complex, comprising 1, 2 or 3 bidentate chelating ligands and no cyclopentadienyl ligands and having C1, C2, or C3 symmetry; and (b) an anion of a Lewis acid or a Brönsted acid; and adjusting the pressure so as to obtain either a highly stereoregular polymer or copolymer or an elastomer.

Abstract: Intravascular apparatus and method for locally treating a patient's blood vessel, are provided. The apparatus includes an implanted carrier (2) for insertion into the vessel; and a biologically active agent (8) immobilized to the carrier (2), said biologically active agent (8) reacting with a first substance to produce a second substance. The second substance is preferably a therapeutic agent, such as nitric oxide, for locally treating the vessel. The biologically active agent (8) is preferably an enzyme such as nitrogen oxide synthase, and the first substance is preferably arginine introduced to the patient's body as part of a diet. According to another embodiment, the biologically active agent (8) is a catalytic antibody and the first substance is a prodrug. Alternatively, the biologically active agent (8) is a ribozyme.

Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) having an emitter structure capable of reducing the current crowding effect and preventing thermal instabilities is disclosed, wherein a negative differential resistance. (NDR) element is added to the layer structure of the conventional emitter. In accordance with the invention, the NDR element can be implemented, for example, by a Resonant Tunnel Diode (RTD) or an Esaki Diode structure. The NDR element is designed to limit the tunneling current to the maximal emitter current density required for safe transistor operation, thereby also reducing the current crowding effect.

Abstract: A wavelength-selectable laser system (10) is achieved by addressing the suitable mode-locked frequency of a multi-length laser cavity formed by multiple wavelength-selective mirrors (20) such as fiber gratings. This is useful for fiber optic communication and WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) networks where there is incorporated an information encoder/modulator (22) of the light in the sending side and a detector in the receiving side, which are matched to the laser system.

Abstract: Methods for determining a potential of a hyperglycemic patient to develop vascular complications in response to oxidative stress and for determining the importance of reducing oxidative stress in a specific hyperglycemic patient are disclosed. Each method includes the step of determining a haptoglobin phenotype of the patient. A variety of means of making this determination are further disclosed.

Abstract: An electric storage cell (10) comprises a zinc anode (12) and a sulfur cathode (14), wherein the zinc and the sulfur are in contact with an aqueous solution (22) containing sulfur during the process of battery discharge. In this invention, specific conditions for the aqueous sulfur electrolyte are chosen to overcome the normal ineffectiveness of zinc oxidation in the presence of aqueous zero valent sulfur. Normally, a zinc anode (12) cannot be oxidized in an aqueous solution containing sulfur, because the product of the discharge would be zinc sulfide. This zinc sulfide is a highly insoluble salt and creates a layer which passivates the zinc and renders it completely ineffective to battery discharge. The performance of the battery is made possible by high OH- and HS-ion concentrations formed by the addition of salts to the aqueous zero valent sulfur solution, and permits effective and efficient battery discharge.

Abstract: Ground clearing apparatus (10) and a method for transporting the apparatus are provided. The ground clearing apparatus (10) includes a plurality of ground clearing tools (20) attached to a rotating shaft (18). The ground clearing tools include a chain (22) having a plurality of links and a hammer (24) attached to one end of the chain (22). The rotation of the shaft (18) causes the hammer (24) to strike objects in its path and generally mill the ground surface.

Abstract: An optical coupler, for coupling two waveguides, and an optical switch based on the optical coupler. The indices of refraction of parallel sections of the two waveguides are reversibly perturbed periodically in space to couple low order modes in the two waveguides via a high order mode common to the two waveguides. The waveguides are thus couples with a beat length that may be five or more orders of magnitude shorter than it would be without the periodic perturbations.

Abstract: Novel derivatives of 1-aminoindan and their salts are described. Optically active 1-aminoindan derivatives are prepared by reacting a N-benzyl analog of the desired compound with an enantiomer of mandelic acid.

Abstract: A method of testing the quality of a fruit including applying a dynamic impact force to the fruit, detecting the mechanical response of the fruit to the dynamic force via a piezoelectric film transducer supported on a displaceable resilient base member such that the film transducer is bent by the dynamic impact force, to induce a strain in the film transducer, and the film transducer outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the change of the induced strain in the film transducer caused by the dynamic force and analyzing the electrical signal to indicate the quality of the fruit. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fixing images, holograms and domain gratings in crystals by application of an electric field on a crystal and simultaneous illumination of it with a light pattern. The fixing procedure is based on a screening effect. The modulation of the domains may be perpendicular to the c-axis. Another application of the method is in frequency mixing such as second harmonic generation and parametric processes, by overcoming the problem of phase matching using the domain gratings. Thus, it is possible to obtain controllable broadband mixing and tailored quasi-phase matching for several wavelengths or for prespecified wavelength tuning ranges and frequency widths.

Abstract: A method for the digital frequencey domain implementation of receiving arrays. The steps of the method are as follows: a discrete time input signal is transformed into its spectral components and the redundant spectral components are removed. Products of the non-redundant spectral components with a scaled set of acquired weights are computed. From the so-computed products a first set of spectral sums is calculated wherefrom a second set of spectral sums is derived. Thereafter, the first and second sets of spectral sums are converted to the discrete time domain thereby obtaining a discrete time output signal. The invention also provides a system having receiving components operating in accordance with the method. In another embodiment the invention also provides a method and system for the digital frequency domain implementation of transmitting arrays.

Abstract: A method of using a distributed saturable absorber added to a laser cavity, which by nonlinear wave-mixing of the counterpropagating beams (or spatial hole-burning) promotes a reduction of the linewidth and a single mode operation.

Abstract: A method for producing a photodiode with a simplified planar device architecture based on a single layer of HgCdTe using a mature, established growth technology for the sensing material, combined with an implanted homojunction which is at least partially activated during MOCVD CdTe passivation. The device architecture is based on a planar structure, a p-on-n homojunction for sensing the infrared radiation, and a CdTe or CdZnTe/HgCdTe heterostructure for passivation. The MOCVD CdTe passivation can be applied ex-situ, irrespective of the growth technology of the sensing material, and the homojunction is at least partially activated while applying the CdTe passivation. Thus, a major simplification in device architecture is achieved, based on a single layer in contrast to known, double layer heterostructures.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of an organic extract of the plant Cinnamon or a chemical constituent present in said plant, to prepare a pharmaceutical composition useful to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori and the urease activity of Helicobacter pylori. Most preferred chemical constituents are cinnamaldehyde and methoxycinnamaldehyde. The extract may be used either as a drink, with or without additional flavoring ingredients or transformed into a capsule. The invention also relates to in-vitro method for determininig the inhibition of urease activity of Helicobacter pylori using said organic extract of the plant or chemical constituents present in said plant.

Abstract: A process for the removal of species containing metallic ions from effluents by yeast cell walls. The yeasts used are selected from Saccharomyces cerevisae, Saccharomyces uvarum and Saccharomyces lipolytica. According to the process, the washed yeast cell walls are first treated by a water soluble aldehyde and after sorbing the metallic ions, the yeast cell walls may regenerated by a mineral acid or a chelate solution such as ethylene-diamine tetraacetic acid, releasing the sorbed metal ions. According to a preferred embodiment, water containing acetone or alcohol is used for washing the yeast cell walls. The sorption by the yeast cell walls is carried out at a pH in the range of 1 to 13 and preferably in the range of 4 to 7. The most preferred aldehyde is selected from formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde or any mixture thereof. The metal sorption process may be carried out batchwise or continuously. In the continuous process, the yeast cell walls are immobilized on porous glass, purified sand or polymers.

Abstract: A stapler device includes a manually grippable handle containing a drive and a trigger to activate the drive mechanism, a barrel fixed to the handle, a guide for holding a staple to be ejected and formed to accommodate a suture thread fixed to the staple, and an ejector driven by the drive through the barrel for ejecting a staple out through the guide into a bone to enable the suture, so anchored to the bone, to be used for various medical operations.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel titanocene derivatives possessing chemotherapeutic activity and method for their preparation. These compounds possess two cyclopentadiene rings linked to titanium as a central atom and bound covalently to two phenoxy groups which possess a substituent R selected from the group consisting of COOCH.sub.3, COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5, H, COOCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.3 and are free from amino, nitro, chloride and fluoride groups. The novel compounds represent a compromise between the main properties for an antitumor agent, i.e., electrophilicity and stability, being water soluble. Cytotoxicity measurements of these compounds showed significant growth inhibition properties, expressed in terms of IC.sub.50 [M] values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a frequency-controlled loop in a phase-diversity receiver for demodulating received ON-OFF-keyed (OOK) and phase shift keying (PSK) signals, by feeding a reference frequency signal and the received signals to a quadrature mixer (QM) which produces two output signals in phase quadrature at nominally zero intermediate frequency. Quadrature continuous wave signals void of the modulation are produced from the phase quadrature output signals. A voltage proportional to the frequency of the quadrature continuous wave signals is generated and is utilized for controlling the frequency of the generated reference frequency signal.