Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-destructively measuring twist in a translating yarn (2) by means of a blade (1) which is in rubbing contact with the translating yarn (2) so that vibrations are imparted to the blade (1). The frequency of vibration of the blade (1) provides a measure of the twist imparted to the yarn (2) so that the signal frequency can be used as a measurement of the twist in a yarn (2) under test or as a feedback signal controlling the rate of twist imparted by a twist insertion station(8) during the formation of a yarn.

Abstract: An analysis system for a scanning electron microscope having a backscattered electron detector. The output of the detector is amplified, processed by an analogue to digital converter, multi-channel analyser, and digital conversion and processing circuit to generate a signal indicative of the atomic number factor of the specimen. Calculation of stoichiometric valence combinations of non-elemental specimens is also disclosed. A calibration device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and means of transmitting sunlight into the interior of a building by use of a planar solid transparent light deflecting panel or plate which is formed of a plurality of parallel identically spaced apart triangular ribs on one face, with the panel in its vertical orientation, the top slope angle (.gamma.) of each triangular rib, the bottom slope angle (.beta.) of each triangular rib and the included angle (.beta.+.gamma.

Abstract: An auxological measuring apparatus in which there is provided a flat surface which is preferably horizontal, having on it a plate arranged for contact by the feet of a person with his back against the surface and on the case of a horizontal surface lying supine on it, there being a carriage linearly moveable on the surface which can be brought into contact with the person's head. An electronic transducer is associated with the carriage and is arranged to produce an electric signal indicative of the distance between the carriage and the surface and it is associated with electronic circuitry arranged to process the signal and to provide a visible indication of the distance and thus of the height of the person on the surface. A side table may be provided for attachment to the surface so that a person may lie on the surface and the side table with arms outstretched on the table so that an arm span mesurement can be made.

Abstract: A self-balancing DC-substitution measuring system includes a temperature dependant resistor (TDR) which is placed in one leg of a Wheatstone Bridge circuit, diagonally opposed first and second nodes of the bridge being driven respectively by the outputs of two operational amplifiers such that the potential at each of these first and second nodes, when measured with respect to a common reference point is equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity to the other. Each of the amplifiers has a pair of differential inputs and each of these inputs are connected to either of the remaining third and fourth nodes of the bridge circuit or to the common reference point, no two inputs from the same amplifier being connected to the same point and each of the third and fourth nodes and the common reference point having at least one amplifier input connected to it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a feedforward-error-correction amplifier system comprising a switching circuit, a linear-amplification means, and a summing network, wherein an amplifier-system input signal is connected to a first input port of the linear-amplification means, and an output voltage signal produced at an output port of the linear-amplification means is fed to a first input port of the summing network, a signal which is a function of a current flowing in the output port of the linear-amplification means is fed to an input port of said switching circuit, said switching circuit having an output port at which a switching output signal is produced and which switching output signal is fed to another input port of the summing network, an output current flowing in the output port of the switching circuit having a time rate of change limited by a low-pass-filter means, a sensing signal which is a function of the switching output signal being fed to another input port of the linear-amplification means, t

Abstract: There is disclosed a dry process etching or deposition chamber which allows an improvement in process speed and control of directionality over prior art dry process chambers. The etching or deposition chamber is provided with a hollow cathode electrode comprising two parallel electrode surfaces which are maintained at substantially the same electrical potential while a radio frequency potential is applied between the hollow cathode electrode and an anode electrode which is also located within the chamber. During the etching or deposition process, a partial vacuum is maintained in the dry process chamber and a gas is introduced into the chamber to provide a source of halogen ions and carbon or silicon ions under radio frequency excitation these ions forming a chemically reactive plasma. Products of the etching or deposition process can be pumped out of the chamber during the processing step if greater performance is required.

Abstract: A potentiometric flow-through electrode detector for use in high performance liquid chromatography and autoanalyzers. Said detector comprises a metal electrode which has the property that it provides a voltage response to the particular molecule to be detected thereby.

Abstract: Surgical instrument for accurately cutting and removing fibrous tissue comprising a first tube (11) having at one end an end wall (12) disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the first tube (11), which end wall contains an aperture (13); a second tube (14) coaxial with the first tube (11) and having at one end wall (15) disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the second tube (14) which end wall (15) contains an aperture (16) and lies in closed juxtaposition with the end wall (12) of the first tube (11); a mechanism (17) to enable the tubes (11 and 14) to be rotated relative to one another such that the apertures (13 and 16) are moved into and out of register with one another; ducts (19 and 20) to direct a stream of an irrigating liquid to the one end of the tubes (11 and 14); and ducts (21, 37, 36 and 35) to connect the interior of the second tube (14) to a source of suction.

Abstract: A high-efficiency low-distortion parallel amplifier or regulator is driven by an input signal source V.sub.i. An input signal passes to a linear circuit LC, and the output current i.sub.1 from the linear circuit passes to the input of a switching circuit SC. Alternatively, the input to the switching circuit may be any other signal that is a function of the linear-circuit output current. The output of the switching circuit passes through a coupling network CN and is applied with the output current of the linear circuit to a load impedance ZL. The output of the switching circuit acts to reduce the output current of the linear circuit so that the power it supplies is low. A low linear-circuit output current is usually sufficient to drive the switching circuit and coupling network to the maximum current required by the load. The system automatically adjusts independently of the load impedence so that with high output current most of the current is supplied by the switching circuit.

Abstract: A system for the anaerobic bacterial degradation of organic material in waste water, comprising introducing the waste water into a contact reactor, pumping the waste water into the bottom of a fluidized bed reactor containing anaerobic bacteria attached to the particles in the bed, the fluidized bed reactor having an effective volume not more than 0.35 times the effective volume of the contact reactor, returning the waste water which has passed through the fluidized bed reactor to the contact reactor and continuously or discontinuously removing treated effluent from the system.A start-up procedure for the anaerobic treatment system is described comprising culturing anoxic bacteria in the system by adding nitrate ions to the waste water and gradually reducing the amount of nitrate ions in the stream until the population of anoxic bacteria is substantially replaced by a population of anaerobic bacteria. A viable microbial population is established in both the fluidized bed reactor and the contact reactor.

Abstract: Novel antioxidant compounds for use in foodstuffs containing oils or fats are described which comprise benzodioxole compounds having the structure ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group or an aryl group,R.sub.2 is an alkyl group or an aryl group,or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together form a cyclo alkyl group, andR.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or an hydroxyl group.

Abstract: A charged particle beam focussing device in which a pair of rod like electrodes having a potential difference maintained between them are arranged on either side of the path of a beam to be focussed. The configuration of the electrodes is such that the significant electric field between them is confined to a short section of the path of the particles. A second pair of similar electrodes are arranged parallel to and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the first pair and displaced in a direction parallel to the plane in which the first pair lie, a potential difference being maintained between the second pair of electrodes. The arrangement is such that by variation of the potentials between the electrodes a beam of charged particles passing along the beam path between the electrodes can be caused to come to a focal line in a predetermined plane. A further device arranged at right angles to the first beam is provided to bring the beam to a point focus.

Abstract: A thermal contact resistance having a thermocouple whereby the contact resistance between a probe of the thermocouple and a test material is less dependant on the thermal conductivity of the test material and more dependent on its hardness.

Abstract: A process for the production of ethanol from a carbohydrate substrate such as glucose comprising culturing a flocculant strain of Zymomonas mobilis such as ATCC 31822, in a semi-batch manner periodically allowing the flocculent cells to settle, removing the ethanol containing supernatant and introducing fresh fermentation medium into the fermentor.

Abstract: An improved method for the production of ethanol from a fermentable carbohydrates such as glucose, fructose or sucrose using the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis which method involves continuously culturing the bacterium in a culture medium containing the fermentable carbohydrate, continuously drawing off a portion of the culture medium and replacing that portion with fresh culture medium, separating from the removed portion of the culture medium cells of Zymomonas mobilis contained therein and returning those cells to the culture medium and recovering the ethanol contained in the portion of the culture medium from which the cells have been removed.It has been found that this method results in greatly improved ethanol production without the disadvantages which have been found when yeasts are continuously cultured.

Abstract: A liquid or powder material can be dispersed by the application of electrostatic fields. The phenomena, referred to as "electrodispersion" is the dispersion by an intense electric field of part of a static bed of liquid or powder into a stable cloud of rapidly moving particles, and the maintenance of a dynamic equilibrium between the static and dispersed phases. The density of the dispersed cloud of particles varies with a number of factors, including the field strength and the nature of the powder. The electrodeposition effect is employed to produce a uniform and durable coating of controlled thickness on the individual particles, by the generation of a vapor of the desired coating--typically a metal or semiconductor material--and allowing the vapor to permeate the dispersed particles. The electric field ensures that only the particles are coated, and the dispersed particles, having the same charge, repel each other, avoiding agglomeration.

Abstract: A heterogeneous catalyst formed by the steps of:(a) irradiating an organic macromolecular substrate or a metal substrate with ionizing or U.V. radiation in the presence of a monomer selected from the group comprising o-, m-, or p- styryl diphenyl phosphine or o-, m-, or p- phenyl acrylyl diphenyl phosphine to graft the monomer to the substrate, and(b) reacting the graft copolymer with a homogeneous catalyst selected from the group consisting of catalytic metal salts and catalytic organometallic complexes such that the monomer-substrate conjugate becomes a ligand of the catalyst.These catalysts have particular activity in hydrogenation reactions, hydroformylation reactions, isomerization reactions, cracking reactions and dehydrogenation reactions of organic compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new-type of solar cell structure, and to a method of manufacturing same. The solar cell is designated as an MINP cell (Metal-Insulator-NP junction solar cell). Essentially, the MINP solar cell is an extremely shallow N-P junction cell with a MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) type contact made to the top of the cell. Although combining features of the two technologies, no more processing steps are required than for a conventional P-N junction cell. The advantage of the MINP structure is its substantially improved efficiency.

Abstract: A method of producing ethanol (alcohol) comprising culturing in a suitable means a strain of Zymomonas mobilis which has a specific ethanol productivity at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 300 g/l glucose of at least 4.0 g/g/h; a specific rate of glucose uptake at 30.degree. C., pH5 and a medium containing 200 g/l glucose of at least 8.0 g/g/h; and an ethanol tolerance level at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 300 g/l of glucose of at least 120 g/l ethanol in a batch culture or of at least 60 g/l ethanol in a continuous culture at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 150 g/l glucose.