Abstract: A method for the generation of ammonia from dinitrogen is provided including reacting a three coordinate, low oxidation state transition metal complex with dinitrogen under substantially atmospheric pressures to obtain a metal-nitrido complex, whereby the oxidation state of the metal complex increases, and reducing the metal of the metal nitrido complex in the presence of a hydrogen source, so as to obtain NH.sub.3. A novel metal complex is provided which is capable of cleaving small molecules which includes a metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, titanium, vanadium, niobium, tungsten, uranium and chromium. The compound may have the formula M(NR.sub.1 R.sub.2).sub.3 where M is a transition metal; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of tertiary alkyls, phenyls and substituted phenyls. The compound permits cleavage of nitrogen--nitrogen triple bonds.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in producing three dimensional components by bonding together successive layers of a porous material with droplets of a binder material. A powder is dispensed on a support surface in a layer. A vibratory mechanism vibrates the layer of dispensed powder to compact the powder.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of measuring position information of a point on the surface of an object. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes two sources of radiation positioned to illuminate the point on the surface of the object with radiation from each of the sources. The radiation from each of the sources is coherent with respect to the radiation from the other source. A control system moves each of the sources relative to the other and changes the phase of the radiation from at least one of the sources relative to the phase of the radiation from the other source as measured at the point on the surface of the object. A detector is positioned to receive radiation scattered by the point and a processor in communication with the detector calculates position information in response to the change in phase of the radiation from the source and the received radiation scattered by the point on the surface of the object.

Abstract: Methods disclosed herein capitalize on the discovery that DNA Structure Specific Recognition Proteins (SSRPs) can be induced to bind covalently to genomic lesions formed by chemotherapeutic agents, particularly cisplatin-type agents, by photo-irradiation with ultraviolet light. Methods and compositions based on this discovery are provided for sensitizing particular eukaryotic cells to killing by chemotherapeutic agents, particularly cisplatin-type drugs. Methods and compositions also are provided for potentiating cytotoxicity of a chemotherapeutic agent, particularly a cisplatin-type agent.

Abstract: A system is provided including an article having a surface and a catalytic metal atom, capable of oxidation, covalently immobilized at the surface via a plurality of covalent bonds, but being free of direct covalent bonding to the surface. In particular, the invention relates to inorganic surfaces including silica, alumina, niobium oxide, or tantalum oxide, or a combination thereof and catalytic metal atoms including Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Ru, and Os. The catalytic metal atom, covalently immobilized at the surface via a plurality of covalent bonds, can be immobilized via bonding through at least one atom that is bonded directly to the surface. The article preferably is an inorganic, mesoporous structure, in the pores of which are covalently bonded a plurality of metalloporphyrins.

Abstract: A self-organizing wireless network includes a plurality of nodes, each of which is configured to originate messages, be a destination of messages and relay messages. Each message is transmitted in a frame that includes the cost of conveying the message to the destination node for the message and also the cost so far expended in the conveying of the message. Each time the message frame is transmitted, either by the originating node or by a relaying node, the node ascertains whether the cost to convey the message from that node to the destination node is less than the conveying cost contained in the received frame. If it is, the node retransmits the frame after having incremented the incurred cost by the relay cost of that node and decremented the cost to convey by the same value. Otherwise the node discards the message.

Abstract: A planar electromagnetic resonator utilizes an electromagnetically active material located between the capacitive or inductive elements of the resonator. A microscopic electrical property of this material is altered by an external condition, and that alteration, in turn, affects the behavior of the resonator in a consistent and predictable manner.

Abstract: A quasi-electrostatic sensing system surrounds an electrically conductive mass with an electric field, the magnitude of which is sensed at one or more locations to resolve a property of interest concerning the mass. The object intercepts a part of the electric field extending beween the AC-coupled "sending" electrode and the other "receiving" electrodes, the amount of the field intercepted depending on the size and orientation of the sensed mass, whether or not the mass provides a grounding path, and the geometry of the distributed electrodes. Because the response of the field to an object is a complex nonlinear function, adding electrodes can always distinguish among more cases. In other words, each electrode represents an independent weighting of the mass within the field; adding an electrode provides information regarding that mass that is not redundant to the information provided by the other electrodes.

Abstract: Thermochromic materials are incorporated into constructions that facilitate accurate reproductions of monochrome or full-color images having multiple gray levels. The invention utilizes thermochromic materials having different transition temperatures to facilitate their selective activation. The materials may be located in a single layer of a recording sheet, or in multiple layers. The invention also comprises thermal printing apparatus useful in imaging the foregoing constructions, particularly those exhibiting hysteresis.

Abstract: A process is provided that involves reductive coupling of polysilane precursors to form polysilane in the presence of ultrasonification. The resulting precursors, upon pyrolysis, lead to improved SiC ceramic product. Ultrasonification can be used to produce oligosilanes from precursors thereof, or polysilanes from monomers, dimers, trimers, or oligomers. Precursors can include Si:C in a ratio of about 1:1, and the invention allows formation of SiC having a Si:C ratio of about 1:1.

Abstract: A video-on-demand system divides video files into sequentially organized data segments for transmission and playback. Each segment is repeatedly transmitted in a looping fashion over a transmission channel. The rate of transmission is equal to or greater than the playback rate, and the lengths of the segments are chosen such that: (i) the receiver tunes into no more than a fixed number of channels (preferably two) at any one time; (ii) the receiver tunes into a new channel only after an entire segment has been received from a previous channel; and (iii) until a maximum segment length is attained, data is received from no fewer than two channels. The segments are sequentially presented even as new segments are being downloaded. When the display rate is equal to the transmission rate, it is found that the foregoing conditions are satisfied when the relative lengths of the segments form a modified Fibonacci sequence.

Abstract: Applications of low-frequency (20 KHz) ultrasound enhances transdermal transport of high-molecular weight proteins. This method includes a simultaneous application of ultrasound and protein on the skin surface in order to deliver therapeutic doses of proteins across the skin. Examples demonstrate in vitro and in vivo administration of insulin (molecular weight 6,000 D), and in vitro administration of gamma interferon (molecular weight 17,000 D), and erythropoeitin (molecular weight 48,000 D).

Abstract: A multiple beam pair optical imaging apparatus includes a multiple beam pair generator and an illuminator. The illuminator is provided for illuminating an object with a first illumination comprising an interference pattern of modulated basis vectors arising from the multiple beam pairs. A detector is provided for detecting a characteristic of a second illumination received from the object in response to the first illumination. A processor is provided in electrical communication with the detector that calculates the coefficients of interaction of the object with the modulated basis vectors in response to the characteristic of the second illumination and the pattern of the modulated basis vectors.

Abstract: Methods for synthesis of nanocrystalline apatites are presented, as well as a series of specific reaction parameters that can be adjusted to tailor, in specific ways, properties in the recovered product. Particulate apatite compositions having average crystal size of less than 150 nm are provided. Products also can have a surface area of at least 40 m.sup.2 /g and can be of high density.Hydroxyapatite material is investigated in particular detail. Compositions of the invention can be used as prosthetic implants and coatings for prosthetic implants.

Abstract: A method of treating a condition involving vascular adhesion of cytotoxic white cells by (a) identifying an animal suspected of having a condition involving vascular adhesion of cytotoxic white cells and (b) administering to the animal an amount of bFGF sufficient to decrease cell surface expression of ICAM-I or VCAM-I on endothelial cells, thereby reducing adhesion of cytotoxic white cells to vascular endothelium.

Abstract: Particles are provided that are not rapidly cleared from the blood stream by the macrophages of the reticuloendothelial system, and that can be modified to achieve variable release rates or to target specific cells or organs. The particles have a core of a multiblock copolymer formed by covalently linking a multifunctional compound with one or more hydrophobic polymers and one or more hydrophilic polymers, and contain a biologically active material. The terminal hydroxyl group of the poly(alkylene glycol) can be used to covalently attach onto the surface of the particles biologically active molecules, including antibodies targeted to specific cells or organs, or molecules affecting the charge, lipophilicity or hydrophilicity of the particle. The surface of the particle can also be modified by attaching biodegradable polymers of the same structure as those forming the core of the particles.

Abstract: A digital compensation filtering technique is provided that enables indirect phase locked loop modulation with a digital modulation data stream having a bandwidth that exceeds, perhaps by an order of magnitude, the bandwidth characteristic of the phase locked loop. A modulation data receiver is provided for receiving from a modulation source digital input modulation data having a bandwidth that exceeds the cutoff frequency characteristic of the phase locked loop frequency response. A digital processor is coupled to the modulation data receiver for digitally processing the input modulation data to amplify modulation data at frequencies higher than the phase locked loop cutoff frequency.

Abstract: A secure software system includes a transformation processor for transforming an original program capable of being executed on a lessee site into a vendor server program, a first program intended to be executed at the lessee site which lacks some of the functionality of the original program and a second program. The first program provides some of the computation of the original program but is unable to provide all of the functionality of the Original Program and requires cooperation with the second program which corresponds to an excised portion of the original program to provide the functionality of original program. The excised program is executed or otherwise utilized by a vendor server program which, in one embodiment, is generated by the transformation processor.

Abstract: A magnetic positioner is provided which is capable of providing long travel in two dimension and short travel in the remaining four dimensions. The positioner has a movable stage and a stator oriented adjacent and substantially parallel to this stage. At least three sets of first magnetic elements, which for preferred embodiments are winding sets capable of generating forces in two directions, are on the portion of the stator adjacent to the stage at any given time, and at least two second magnetic elements, which are magnet arrays for the preferred embodiment, are on the stage adjacent to the stator. At least one of the second magnetic elements overlaps multiple first magnetic elements for all positions of the stage relative to the stator, with one magnet overlapping multiple windings for one preferred embodiment of the invention and two magnets on the stage overlapping multiple windings on the stator for a second embodiment.

Abstract: A sinusoidal model for acoustic waveforms is applied to develop a new analysis/synthesis technique which characterizes a waveform by the amplitudes, frequencies, and phases of component sine waves. These parameters are estimated from a short-time Fourier transform. Rapid changes in the highly-resolved spectral components are tracked using the concept of "birth" and "death" of the underlying sine waves. The component values are interpolated from one frame to the next to yield a representation that is applied to a sine wave generator. The resulting synthetic waveform preserves the general waveform shape and is perceptually indistinguishable from the original. Furthermore, in the presence of noise the perceptual characteristics of the waveform as well as the noise are maintained. The method and devices are particularly useful in speech coding, time-scale modification, frequency scale modification and pitch modification.