Abstract: A free electron laser amplifier provides a scalloping annular electron beam that interacts with the axial electric field of a TM.sub.0n mode. A waveguide defines an axial centerline and, a solenoid arranged about the waveguide produces an axial constant magnetic field within the waveguide. An electron beam source outputs a annular electron beam that interacts with the axial magnetic field to have an equilibrium radius and a ripple radius component having a variable radius with a ripple period along the axial centerline. An rf source outputs an axial electric field that propagates within the waveguide coaxial with the electron beam and has a radial mode that interacts at the electron beam at the equilibrium radius component of the electron beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of producing hybrid seeds, and specifically relates to the application of certain cloned nuclear fertility restorer genes, which restore male fertility to cytoplasmic male-sterile plants. In particular, the present invention relates to an enriched or substantially isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes at least under moderately stringent conditions to SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 or 4 and restores male fertility to a cytoplasmic male-sterile plant; a vector comprising such a sequence; an organism, virus, seed, plant cell, and plant comprising such a vector; methods for the production of hybrid seed; a method of producing a variant of a cytoplasmic male-sterile plant, and a method of suppressing cytoplasmic male sterility, all of which make use of the aforementioned nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: A sampling arm coupler device comprises a coupler comprising a rectangular tructure or bar, having a cylindrically hollow bore therethrough. The bar has internal threading along the hollowv bore, and internally threaded holes through opposite sides of the bar perpendicular to the hollow bore. The holes are aligned along the bar so as to permit passage of a bolt therethrough. Additionally, the sampling arm coupler device has a lever arm structure having one insert end comprising a half cylinder portion with external threading and a flat longitudinal sure opposite the external threading. The external threading of the half cylinder is capable of mating with the internal threading of the bore whereby the half cylinder portion and the flat longitudinal surface portion inserts and screws into one end of the bar, wherein the flat longitudinal surface portion is positioned as to allow at least one bolt to be inserted through the bar holes perpendicular to the bore along the flat longitudinal surface portion.

Abstract: The invention provides method and apparatus for fast, accurate, and nondestructive imaging of defects and determining defect densities in solid materials including a semiconductor wafer. A wafer is illuminated on one side by an infrared (IR) source and a camera is placed on the other side of the wafer, to detect IR radiation that is transmitted through such wafer. The inventive method employs an imaging camera, e.g. a focal plane array camera, to image the so illuminated wafer. The wafer material must be substantially transparent in the camera bandwidth but can contain defects that absorb or scatter radiation in such bandwidth. Camera filters are used, for example, to select specific wavelengths or bands of wavelengths, to detect and image precipitates, subsurface defects, residual damage from polishing and other defects.

Abstract: A method for making a genetically modified plant comprising regenerating a whole plant from a plant cell that has been transfected with DNA sequences comprising a first gene whose expression results in an altered plant phenotype linked to a transiently active promoter, the gene and promoter being separated by a blocking sequence flanked on either side by specific excision sequences, a second gene that encodes a recombinase specific for the specific excision sequences linked to a repressible promoter, and a third gene that encodes the repressor specific for the repressible promoter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulating a lofargram in a multipath sonar sym is provided. The invention includes an input means for providing a plurality of simulated sonar system parameters. A defining means is joined to the input means to establish a plurality of eigenrays with terms corresponding to at least one of the simulated sonar parameters. A lofargram means is joined to the defining means for interpolating said eigenrays to produce simulated lofargram output signals. The invention can also incorporate a report means for generating a report from the simulated lofargram output signals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for the aerial spraying of agricultural chemicals with improved spray deposition and reduced drift. The spraying apparatus includes two oppositely charged sets of spray nozzles which may be fitted onto an aircraft. Both sets include one or more nozzles having spraying tips which produce a hollow cone spray pattern, and at least the tips of these nozzles are constructed of a substantially non-conducting material. Cylindrical electrodes are positioned concentric to the nozzle tips for inducing an electrostatic charge upon liquid spray emitted from the nozzles. The electrodes are in turn connected to high voltage power supplies, with the electrodes corresponding to the first nozzle set being connected to a power supply of opposite potential than the electrodes corresponding the second nozzle set. Consequently, the spray issuing from the nozzle sets will be oppositely charged.

Abstract: Peptides having high activity in the eliciting of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gpl60 are described. The activation of 12-15 residue peptides by proteolytic degradation to shorter peptides is shown as are general techniques for characterizing such activation processes.

Abstract: A new method for boundary layer energization and boundary layer propulsion or use on vehicles moving through fluids, which comprises mounting small airfoils parallel or perpendicular to the vehicle's surface, said airfoils being embedded within the said vehicle's boundary layer and juxtaposed the surface of said vehicle, said airfoils being approximately the height of the boundary layer thickness and exciting said airfoils into flapping oscillation parallel to the chord plane of said airfoils, said oscillation at a frequency up to 100 cycles per second at an amplitude up to 20 percent of the chord length of said airfoil, whereby flow separation is delayed or suppressed which enables the redesign of said vehicle.

Abstract: A composition and method for using the composition for degrading pollutants in-situ. The composition comprises a biocarrier coated with an antigen-specific antibody that attracts and binds pollution-degrading antigens. The biocarrier, which is preferably in the form of glass microspheres, is coated with one or more strains of antibody. The antibody may be placed into the ground in or near the source of pollutants where it may attract antigens present and bind them, or the antibodies may be first exposed to the antigens and then placed in the ground. Alternatively, the coated biocarriers may be used to degrade pollutants in ground water pumped to the surface and through a biofilter containing the biocarriers. The remediated groundwater can then be returned to the soil.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a periodic table group III-IV HEMT/pHEMT field-effect transistor device. The disclosed fabrication arrangement uses a single metalization for ohmic and Schottky barrier contacts, employs selective etching with a permanent etch stop layer, employs a non-alloyed ohmic contact semiconductor layer and includes a permanent non-photosensitive secondary mask element. The invention includes provisions for both an all optical lithographic process and a combined optical and electron beam lithographic process These concepts are combined to provide a field-effect transistor device of reduced fabrication cost, increased dimensional accuracy and state of the art electrical performance.

Abstract: Patterned conducting polymer surfaces exhibiting excellent properties may be prepared by:(a) forming a surface of a conducting polymer on a surface of a substrate;(b) forming a surface of a blocking material on said surface of said conducting polymer in a pattern-wise fashion, to obtain a first patterned surface containing regions of exposed conducting polymer and regions of blocking material;(c) treating said first patterned surface with an agent which: (i) removes said conducting polymer from said regions of exposed conducting polymer; (ii) decreases the conductivity of said conducting polymer in said regions of exposed conducting polymer; or (iii) increases the conductivity of said conducting polymer in said regions of exposed conducting polymer; and(d) removing said blocking material to obtain a second patterned surface containing an exposed pattern of conducting polymer.

Abstract: An optical mirror comprised of a stack of film pairs of alternating layers f high and low indices of refraction materials is disclosed. The optical mirror may further comprise a non-polished substrate and provides the desired reflectivity for the use in the operation of a quantum well mirror that provides an optical bias for a ring laser gyroscope.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using human cells. Specifically, one method detects differences between potassium channels in cells from Alzheimer's patient and normal donors, and differences in intracellular calcium concentrations between Alzheimer's and normal cells in response to chemicals known to increase intracellular calcium levels. Other methods detect differences between the memory associated GTP binding Cp20 protein levels between Alzheimer's and normal cells.

Abstract: A crossed-dipole antenna having four antenna elements, the polarization of hich is easily changed from vertical linear polarization to horizontal linear polarization. A switching network coupled to the crossed-dipole antenna includes pin diodes operating as radio frequency switching elements which provide a means for electronically switching the polarization of the crossed-dipole antenna. A positive biased voltage applied to the switching network results in the crossed-dipole antenna being polarized linearly in a horizontal direction. A negative biased voltage applied to the switching network results in the crossed-dipole antenna being polarized linearly in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A mechanical strain relief for a cable is firmly attached directly to the using of the connector to which the cable termination is plugged into. The strain relief has a split clamp aligned perpendicularly to the cable and extends from the housing sufficiently such that the clamp does not interfere with the use of a watertight rubber boot bonded to the housing to make the connector watertight. The clamp is opened and the cable is inserted into the connector. The clamp is then closed and tightened against the cable, such that any forces on the cable are transmitted through the strain relief to the housing. A guard extends from the strain relief and is shaped to loop around the cable to provide protection for the connector from foreign objects which would otherwise strike the termination or connector.

Abstract: A Universal Client with a self-contained scripting language called GUIScript allows computing systems of varying architectures linked to the Internet or connected by an Intranet to run the same application software without modification or recompilation. Using a client-server architecture, the Universal Client receives GUIScript from the server, which commands the Universal Client to display certain graphical user interface (GUI) objects. The GUIScript also describes the behavior of the GUI objects presented by the Universal Client, thus providing a personality which defines the client application without changing the Universal Client's software. The Universal Client can also send GUIScript to the server to cause the server to execute commands. Preferably, a storage medium stores computer readable instructions for permitting a computer to display a graphical user interface (GUI) responsive to commands issued in the GUIScript scripting language to a Universal Client running on a JAVA.TM. virtual machine.

Abstract: A non-intrusive electrical cable tester determines the nature and location of a discontinuity in a cable through application of an oscillating signal to one end of the cable. The frequency of the oscillating signal is varied in increments until a minimum, close to zero voltage is measured at a signal injection point which is indicative of a minimum impedance at that point. The frequency of the test signal at which the minimum impedance occurs is then employed to determine the distance to the discontinuity by employing a formula which relates this distance to the signal frequency and the velocity factor of the cable. A numerically controlled oscillator is provided to generate the oscillating signal, and a microcontroller automatically controls operation of the cable tester to make the desired measurements and display the results. The device is contained in a portable housing which may be hand held to facilitate convenient use of the device in difficult to access locations.

Abstract: Secondary explosive materials, particularly nitramines, are recovered from an explosive composition containing a mixture of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and at least one secondary explosive by the steps of heating the explosive composition to melt the TNT, preferably using steam, separately collecting and recovering the melted TNT, treating the thus-separated secondary explosive with a material which is a solvent for TNT and a non-solvent for the secondary explosive to dissolve the TNT, removing the non-solvent from the secondary explosive, and recovering the secondary explosive.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for directly determining the crystalline structure of a protein crystal. The crystal is irradiated by a finely collimated x-ray beam. The interaction of the x-ray beam with the crystal produces scattered x-rays. These scattered x-rays are detected by means of a large area, thick CCD which is capable of measuring a significant number of scattered x-rays which impact its surface. The CCD is capable of detecting the position of impact of the scattered x-ray on the surface of the CCD and the quantity of scattered x-rays which impact the same cell or pixel. This data is then processed in real-time and the processed data is outputted to produce a image of the structure of the crystal. If this crystal is a protein the molecular structure of the protein can be determined from the data received.