Abstract: Methods are disclosed to achieve an improvement in the characteristics and yield of cotton fibers. In one method, a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in seed form or in growth stage is treated with a brassinosteroid. In another method, an ovule culture is prepared from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in a brassinosteroid-containing liquid medium. Cotton fibers with improved fiber characteristics are obtained from the cotton bolls of the treated plant or from the cultured ovules.

Abstract: The stickiness of cotton is determined by testing a cotton sample at two or more temperatures. Sticky deposits are recorded at a lower temperature, preferably 27° C. or 34° C., to detect the trehalulose-rich honeydews droplets. Then, the sample is subjected to a higher temperature, preferably 54° C., to detect the non trehalulose-rich honeydew droplets and physiological sugars. By comparing the results at these two temperatures, an accurate grading system for cotton may be produced which can help growers and spinners accurately identify different types of cotton and determine processing problems.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for increasing the quality of cotton fiber produced from a cotton plant by transformation with a DNA encoding sucrose phosphate synthase. In particular the fiber qualities include strength, length, fiber fineness, fiber maturity ratio, immature fiber content, fiber uniformity, and micronaire.

Abstract: For tracking multiple, simultaneous voices, predicted tracking is used to follow individual voices through time, even when the voices are very similar in fundamental frequency. An acoustic waveform comprised of a group of voices is submitted to a frequency estimator, which may employ an average magnitude difference function (AMDF) calculation to determine the voice fundamental frequencies that are present for each voice. These frequency estimates are then used as input values to a recurrent neural network that tracks each of the frequencies by predicting the current fundamental frequency value for each voice present based on past fundamental frequency values in order to disambiguate any fundamental frequency trajectories that may be converging in frequency.

Abstract: A system for the mitigation of cable stay vibrations, typically induced by wind and rain, utilizes a plurality of active damper bands positioned along the cable stay. Each damper band includes a shiftable mass and an energizing device for facilitating assisted shifting of the mass. A control assembly can actuate all or selected ones of the energizing devices in response to sensed magnitudes of cable stay vibration.

Abstract: Seaweed supplement is included in diet of mammals and poultry to enhance immune response. In one embodiment, pasture forage is treated with seaweed supplement. When cattle or lambs are grazed on seaweed supplement treated endophyte-infected forage, immune function is preserved or depressed immune function is reversed. The enhanced immune function continues to the feedlot finishing phase even though no seaweed supplement is fed in that phase. In an independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to pigs exposed to PRRS disease to impart resistance to said disease and improve performance. In still another independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to lactating mares prior to weaning to mitigate the stress of weaning.

Abstract: An adaptive vector quantization process and quantizer (VQ) using a clustering technique known as AFLC (adaptive fuzzy leader clustering) is disclosed. The quantizer, AFLC-VQ, has been designed to vector quantize wavelet decomposed sub images with optimal bit allocation. The high-resolution sub images at each level have been statistically analyzed to conform to generalized Gaussian probability distributions by selecting the optimal number of filter taps. The adaptive characteristics of AFLC-VQ stem from using self-organizing neural networks with fuzzy membership values of the input samples for upgrading the cluster centroids based on well known optimization criteria. The centroid of each pattern group can represent all the other patterns in that cluster. The entire data set can be indexed into look up tables sent to the user for decoding and viewing the image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a virtual-haptic environment that can be used to advantage to simulate and teach surgical procedures. Computer haptics simulates human sense of touch is provides with visual stereoscopy that simulates our natural depth perception and feeling of touch. Integration of these two senses enhances sense of realism. Thus by coupling force-feedback (or haptic) devices with a stereoscopic display, results in the illusion of being “inside” a virtual world, by being able to “see” and “touch and feel” 3D virtual environment. The computer based (on a PC using NT operating system) present invention provides an inexpensive, easy-to-use technique for generating a stereoscopic-haptic environment that provides a realistic virtual touch and see environment and dynamically adding haptic characteristics.

Abstract: The invention sets forth a method for determining the hand quality of a fabric or other material. The invention establishes a new constant value to be applied to this determination. The constant value is referred to as the Quality Energy Value (hereinafter the “QE value”) of a material. The QE value takes into account the reciprocatory motion actually used when rubbing a piece of cloth with a finger to subjectively determine the hand quality of a fabric. The invention utilizes a testing apparatus which simulates this sliding motion of finger on fabric. The QE value also advantageously takes into account the velocity at which the frictional properties of the fabric are measured. It has been found that the lower the QE value, the better the quality of the fabrics. Accordingly, using the method of the invention, a range of QE values may be established for a variety of fabrics, and, thereby, the relative hand qualities of the fabrics may be compared.

Abstract: Seaweed supplement, e.g., seaweed extract or seaweed meal is directly fed to cattle or pigs in amount of 0.01 to 5% by weight of diet to enhance carcass quality. The enhancement of carcass quality for cattle is manifested by increased quality grade, increased marbling, increased ribeye area and decrease in yield grade in meat obtained on slaughter compared to where seaweed supplement is not fed. The enhancement of carcass quality for swine is manifested by increased marbling, increased firmness and decreased cooler shrink in meat obtained on slaughter compared to where seaweed supplement is not fed.

Abstract: Aluminum nitride, AlN, layers are grown on silicon substrates using molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth. The AlN layer is initially grown by subjecting the silicon substrate to background ammonia followed by repetitively alternating the flux of 1) Al without ammonia and 2) ammonia without Al. After the surface of the silicon structure is sufficiently covered with AlN, the wafer is further subjected to a flux of ammonia and aluminum applied simultaneously to continue the epitaxial growth process. The process minimizes the formation of amorphous silicon nitride, SiNx, compounds on the surface of the substrate which form due to background nitrogen levels in the molecular beam epitaxial growth apparatus. A surface free of amorphous silicon nitride is necessary for formation of high quality AlN. The AlN layer may be further used as a buffer layer for AlGaN/GaN growth. After the AlN layer is grown on the silicon structure, the silicon structure may be subjected to a flux of Ga and nitrogen to form a layer of GaN.

Abstract: Wind/rain induced vibrations, as well as vortex shedding vibrations induced in a cable stay or a similar elongated, cylindrical element are dampened and substantially eliminated by applying a plurality of flexible damper bands to the cable at spaced intervals. The damper bands break up the formation of rivulets of water at lower wind speeds. These damper bands can be retrofit to existing cables or can be installed on new cables.

Abstract: A method of obtaining beef of increased shelf-life comprises the step of grazing cattle on forage on or into which seaweed supplement has been incorporated or directly feeding seaweed supplement to cattle during the feedlot finishing period. A method of obtaining pork of increased shelf-life comprises the step of feeding seaweed supplement to pigs during the nursery period of their life cycle. A preferred seaweed is Ascophyllum nodosum.

Abstract: An optical detection scheme for on-chip, high sensitivity refractive index detection is based on micro-interferometry, and allows for picoliter detection volumes and universal analyte sensitivity. The invention employs three main elements: a source of coherent light, such as a VCSEL, laser diode or He—Ne laser; an etched channel of capillary dimensions in a substrate for reception of a sample to be analyzed; and a photodetector for detecting laser light reflected off of the channel. The laser source generates an unfocused laser beam that is incident on the etched channel. A unique multi-pass optical configuration is inherently created by the channel characteristics, and is based on the interaction of the unfocused laser beam and the curved surface of the channel, that allows RI measurements in small volumes at high sensitivity. The entire device, including the laser and the photodetector can be formed on a single microchip.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing animal carcasses are described. The method for processing the animal carcass includes electrically stimulating a target region of the animal carcass. By focusing or concentrating electrical stimulation on the middle muscle portion of an animal carcass, the middle muscle portion of the animal carcass can be tenderized without substantially interfering with the cooling rate of the muscles provided in the anterior and posterior portions. The apparatus includes an electrical stimulation frame that includes a plurality of electrical stimulation probes, an upper ground, and a lower ground, which are constructed and arranged for focusing or concentrating electrical stimulation on the middle muscles of an animal carcass.

Abstract: Seaweed harvested from the ocean when ground as an intact meal or exposed to alkaline hydrolsis extraction procedure resulting in a water soluble form provides a feed ingredient with mineral composition and plant growth regulating activity when included as a pasture treatment or feed ingredient for mammals and poultry, resulting in enhanced immune function, enhanced health, weight gain, and meat grade quality. Steers grazing seaweed extract treated forage continued to exhibit enhanced immune function after entering feedlot phase finishin with no seaweed extract diet supplement.

Abstract: Existing virtual environments for surgical training and preparation and other purposes can be improved beyond visual aspect by incorporation of haptics into virtual reality situations to enhance the sense of realism greatly. The invention, a graphics to haptic, G2H, virtual environment developer tool, which transforms graphical virtual environments (created or imported) to haptic virtual environments without programming.

Abstract: Seaweed supplement is included in diet of mammals and poultry to enhance immune response. In one embodiment, pasture forage is treated with seaweed supplement. When cattle or lambs are grazed on seaweed supplement treated endophyte-infected forage, immune function is preserved or depressed immune function is reversed. The enhanced immune function continues to the feedlot finishing phase even though no seaweed supplement is fed in that phase. In an independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to pigs exposed to PRRS disease to impart resistance to said disease and improve performance. In still another independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to lactating mares prior to weaning to mitigate the stress of weaning.

Abstract: Seaweed supplement is included in diet of mammals and poultry to enhance immune response. In one embodiment, pasture forage is treated with seaweed supplement. When cattle or lambs are grazed on seaweed supplement treated endophyte-infected forage, immune function is preserved or depressed immune function is reversed. The enhanced immune function continues to the feedlot finishing phase even though no seaweed supplement is fed in that phase. In an independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to pigs exposed to PRRS disease to impart resistance to said disease and improve performance. In still another independently inventive embodiment, seaweed supplement is administered to lactating mares prior to weaning to mitigate the stress of weaning.

Abstract: Photoluminescence lifetimes are obtained by attaching photoluminescent semiconductor nanocrystals or lanthanide complex incorporated in dendrimer to fingerprint residue which are compatible with time-resolved imaging techniques for latent fingerprint detection.