Abstract: Generally, and in one form, the present invention is a device for the measurement of radiant energy using a polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell. In another form, the present invention is a device for the detection of ionizing radiation that uses a polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell and a light source that is optically oriented toward the cell. The cell is connected to an electrical signal generator, and a light detector capable of producing output is optically aligned with the light source. Finally, a computer is connected to the light detector to analyze the output from the light detector.

Abstract: Compositions and methods useful for conferring passive or active immunity to the parasite, C. parvum. A high molecular weight glycoprotein antigen isolated from C. parvum, capable of binding the mAb 3E2, was shown to harbor an epitope critical for triggering the neutralizing CSP-like reaction in the parasite. Antibodies targeted against the critical epitope were shown to possess neutralizing activity, and could be combined with other anti-C. parvum monoclonal antibodies and administered to an animal to confer passive immunity. Immunogenic compositions including the purified antigen are disclosed for use in stimulating an active immune response against C. parvum.

Abstract: An amplifier linearizer circuit has a signal cancellation circuit including a signal adjuster having M branch signals (M≧1), and a distortion cancellation circuit including a signal adjuster having N branch signals (N≧1). The linearizer has a controller for adaptively controlling the M-branch and N-branch signal adjusters. The controller has only one monitor receiver to monitor the M branch signals and only one monitor receiver to monitor the N branch signals.

Abstract: An analyte sensing fluorescent molecule that employs intramolecular electron transfer is designed to exhibit selected fluorescent properties in the presence of analytes such as saccharides. The selected fluorescent properties include excitation wavelength, emission wavelength, fluorescence lifetime, quantum yield, photostability, solubility, and temperature or pH sensitivity. The compound comprises an aryl or a substituted phenyl boronic acid that acts as a substrate recognition component, a fluorescence switch component, and a fluorophore. The fluorophore and switch component are selected such that the value of the free energy for electron transfer is less than about 3.0 kcal mol−1. Fluorescent compounds are described that are excited at wavelengths greater than 400 nm and emit at wavelengths greater than 450 nm, which is advantageous for optical transmission through skin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for the initiation of oestrus and ovulation early postpartum, especially but not exclusively, in dairy cows which comprises supplying a prostaglandin post partum and subsequently treating with a progesterone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid-solid rolling bonding method for heterogeneous metals and an apparatus therefor. The method comprises: pouring a liquid metal onto the surface of a heterogeneous solid base metal coated with a soldering flux; rolling the liquid metal and the solid metal under pressure; solidifying the liquid metal and making it bond to the surface of the solid base metal under rapid cooling to realize metallurgical bonding of the two or more metals. The apparatus comprises an unrolling machine, a soldering flux tank, a drying-heating apparatus, a pouring nozzle, an interior water-cooling rollers and a roll-collecting machine arranged in order, a pouring basket is disposed above the pouring nozzle and a base frame is disposed below the pouring nozzle. The present invention has the advantages of high bonding strength, lower production cost, high production efficiency, good product quality, fewer investment for the apparatus and lower consumption of energy.

Abstract: The present invention includes free-standing, shaped ceramic-bearing bodies useful in fluid sensors, filters, and catalyst devices. The invention also includes methods and processes for using such devices. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shaped metallic foils are converted into free-standing, porous rutile foils having an open pore structure by oxidation at an elevated temperature. The exposure of such foils to increasing concentrations of reducing gases such as carbon monoxide results in an increase in the steady-state electrical resistance. The resultant ceramic-bearing bodies may be used as effective sensors of reducing gas species in such applications as automobile and industrial emissions.

Abstract: A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of heating the mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the amorphous carbon, followed by recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes. A method for producing tubular carbon molecules of about 5 to 500 nm in length is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of cutting single-wall nanotube containing-material to form a mixture of tubular carbon molecules having lengths in the range of 5-500 nm and isolating a fraction of the molecules having substantially equal lengths. The nanotubes may be used, singularly or in multiples, in power transmission cables, in solar cells, in batteries, as antennas, as molecular electronics, as probes and manipulators, and in composites.

Abstract: A high resolution magnetic resonance force microscope is adapted to study biological systems, such as isolated cells, sub-cellular organelles and other sub-cellular structures, or cellular receptors and proteins, at resolutions ranging from 1 micron to 1 Å. The proposed magnetic resonance force microscope allows the direct, non-destructive, chemical specific, three-dimensional imaging of biological systems. In some embodiments, the biological sample may be altered to enhance its ability to be detected by its nuclear or electron spin resonance. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a paramagnetic agent is incorporated into cells by endocytosis.

Abstract: The invention provides hybrid oligonucleotides having phosphorothioate or phosphorodithioate internucleotide linkages, and both deoxyribonucleosides and ribonucleosides or 2′-substituted ribonucleosides. Such hybrid oligonucleotides have superior properties of duplex formation with RNA, nuclease resistance, and RNase H activation.

Abstract: There is provided a variable rate digital switching system comprising steps of: arranging a plurality of incoming TDM buses and a plurality of sending TDM buses in lattice form; providing cross-point buffers at cross-points of the incoming buses and the sending buses; connecting the cross-point buffers belonging to respective sending TDM buses to respective scheduler; connecting respective contents analyzer to respective scheduler; checking frame headers of input TDM frames by respective cross-point buffers, thereby buffering only data of time slot of destined and belonged sending bus and transmitting contents of the frame header to the contents analyzer; checking the frame header by the contents analyzer, thereby deciding the contents of data stored in the respective cross-point buffers on the own-belonged sending TDM bus, and informing them to the scheduler; performing the scheduling by the scheduler as for how time slots in the sending TDM frame is allocated in respective cross-point buffers according to t

Abstract: A method wherein a sour natural gas stream can be treated to produce primarily carbon monoxide from methane, and the carbon monoxide and hydrogensulfide are reacted to produce methyl mercaptans, (primarily methanethiol (CH3SH) and a small amount of dimethyl sulfide (CH3SCH3)). The methyl mercaptans preferably are passed in contact with a catalyst comprising a supported metal oxide or a bulk metal oxide in the presence of an oxidizing agent and for a time sufficient to convert at least a portion of the methyl mercaptan to formaldehyde (CH2O), and sulfur dioxide (SO2).

Abstract: A Fresnel Annular Sector Actuator (FASA) for micromixing of fluids, utilizes a self-focusing acoustic wave transducer which focuses acoustic waves through constructive wave interference. In the transducer, RF power is applied between the electrodes (sandwiching a piezoelectric film) with its frequency preferably corresponding to the thickness mode resonance of the piezoelectric film. Strong acoustic waves are generated over the electrode area, and interfere with each other as they propagate in the fluid. By proper design of the electrodes, and forming various combinations of the electrodes, wave focusing can be achieved. The mixing can be further enhanced by providing selective actuation and sequencing of the different segments by an RF signal source.

Abstract: Gas separation membranes, especially meniscus-shaped membranes for gas separations are disclosed together with the use of such meniscus-shaped membranes for applications such as thermal gas valves, pre-concentration of a gas stream, and selective pre-screening of a gas stream. In addition, a rapid screening system for simultaneously screening polymer materials for effectiveness in gas separation is provided.

Abstract: A human interactive type dynamic display system including an electronic whiteboard, a pen-like member for marking a point on the whiteboard, and a computer for controlling an image displayed on the whiteboard. On the whiteboard, there is defined an operation region such as a scroll operation region extending along a periphery of the whiteboard. When a user points any point within the scroll operation region with the aid of the pen-like member as a start point, an enable signal for initiating the scroll operation is produced. Then, the displayed image is scrolled in a direction by a distance which are derived by processing a direction and an amount of a dragging operation of the pen-like member on the whiteboard from the start point. Not only the scroll operation, page up and down operation, window shift operation and count value changing operation can be performed in a similar manner.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for high frequency alternating power generation to control kilowatts of supplied power in microseconds. The present invention includes a means for energy storage, push-pull switching means, control electronics, transformer means, resonant circuitry and means for excess energy recovery, all in electrical communication. A push-pull circuit works synchronously with a force commutated free-wheel transistor to provide current pulses to a transformer. A change in the conduction angle of the push-pull circuit changes the amount of energy coupled into the transformer's secondary oscillating circuit, thereby altering the induced secondary resonating voltage. At the end of each pulse, the force commutated free-wheel transistor causes residual excess energy in the primary circuit to be transmitted back to the storage capacitor for later use.

Abstract: An electronic intelligent indenter system that determines the hardness and the case depth of a hardened portion of a test part in a non-destructive manner. The system employs an electronic indenter tool having a tip. To determine the depth of the case hardened portion of the part, the indenter tip is placed in contact with the surface of the part, and a laser emits a laser beam pulse that impinges the surface of the part proximate the tip. The laser beam generates ultrasonic waves that propagate into the part. The ultrasonic waves reflect off of a transition between the case hardened portion and an unhardened portion of the part. A detector in the indenter system detects the reflected ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves cause the detector to generate a signal identifying the time between when the laser pulse is emitted and when the reflected wave is received.

Abstract: The invention features methods and systems for detecting the presence of an energetic material in a sample in which the presence of the energetic material is unknown. The method includes the steps of: heating the sample; measuring heat flow between the sample and its surrounding environment, e.g., by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); and analyzing the measured heat flow between the sample and its surrounding environment. An exothermal peak in the measured heat flow indicates the presence of the energetic material in the sample. The system includes a thermal measuring apparatus for performing the heating and measuring steps, and an analyzer for detecting the presence of the energetic material based on the measured heat flow. The invention also features methods and systems for identifying contraband materials (e.g., explosives and drugs) by measuring the thermogram (e.g., by DSC) of a sample to be identified and comparing it to reference thermograms for known contraband materials.

Abstract: The present invention provides plant retroelements useful as molecular tools. In one embodiment, the present invention provides nucleic acids encoding gag, pol and/or env genes of plant retroelements. The elements can be used, among other uses, as building blocks of other constructs, tools to find other nucleic acid sequences and tools to transfer nucleic acid into cells.

Abstract: A method for transferring an epitaxy layer is provided. The method includes steps of (a) providing a first substrate, (b) forming a first epitaxy layer on the first substrate, (c) forming a masking layer having at least a pattern on the first epitaxy layer, (d) forming a second epitaxy layer on the masking layer, (e) bonding a second substrate to the second epitaxy layer, and (f) removing the masking layer and separating the second epitaxy layer from the first epitaxy layer, thereby the second epitaxy layer being transferred to the second substrate.