Abstract: A nucleic acid sequencing gel comprising 2 to 10% of a gelling polysaccharide, preferably agarose; a denaturing agent, a non-gelling additive, preferably glycerol, and electrophoretic buffers. This composition is capable of resolving nucleic acid fragments having at least 50 bases and which differ from each other by at least one base.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for alleviating the harmful effects of convolutional distortions of speech, such as the effect of a telecommunication channel, on the performance of an automatic speech recognizer (ASR). The technique is based on the filtering of time trajectories of an auditory-like spectrum derived from the Perceptual Linear Predictive (PLP) method of speech parameter estimation.

Abstract: This invention embodies compositions comprising herbicidally effective compounds corresponding to the formula ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently methyl or ethyl,X is H, methyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine;Y is chlorine, bromine, fluorine;andn is 0, 1 or 2and a non-phytotoxic antidotally effective amount of an antidote therefor selected from the group of amides of haloalkanoic acids, including oxazolidines and thiazolidines, aromatic oxime derivatives, thiazole carboxylic acids and derivatives, substituted phenylpyrimidines, 2-(dichloroacetyl)-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane and 2-(dichloromethyl)-2-thiazoline.

Abstract: A composite surgical implant structure for use orthognathic and reconstructive surgery, for the correction cranial defects, and for reconstructive preprosthetic oral maxillofacial surgery, the implant structure is comprised of at least one layer of perforated, biocompatible metallic sheet material (preferably pure pliable titanium) and at least one layer of biologically and chemically inert microporous membrane material in intimate contact with, and supported by, the layer of perforated metallic sheet material.

Abstract: A pliable metallic mesh implant plate structure for the internal fixation of bone fractures and for use in orthognathic and reconstructive surgery. The plate structure includes a multiplicity of substantially square perforations extending from the outer face side of the plate structure to the bone interface side thereof and arranged uniformly in parallel rows and parallel lines. Each perforation includes an arcuate chamfer of substantially uniform configuration extending inwardly from the outer face side of the plate structure to the bone interface side about the entire periphery thereof.

Abstract: Phenol plant waste water containing small amounts of phenol and sodium sulfate is successfully distilled through the addition of recovered sodium sulfate to enhance the volatility of the phenol relative to water; at least a portion of the sodium sulfate is recycled, while a significant portion of the phenol can be returned to the phenol plant for recovery.

Abstract: A corrosion inhibiting, EMI/RFI shielding composition is provided comprising a polyurethane resin which comprises a hydroxy or amine functional first polymer and an isocyanate, or isocyanurate terminated second polymer, a stabilized conductive filler, and an azole. In one embodiment of the invention a composition is provided comprising a polyurethane which comprises a fluoroolefin vinyl ether and an isocyanurate, a stabilized copper powder, and a triazole selected from the group consisting of alkyl substituted aromatic triazoles and other azoles. The invention further provides a method of composition a substrate with a composition of the invention in order to provide EMI/RFI shielding and prevent corrosion, and a substrate thus coated.

Abstract: An article is provided in which a tobacco flavor medium is electrically heated to evolve inhalable tobacco flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form. The article has a plurality of charges of the tobacco flavor medium which are heated sequentially to provide individual puffs.

Abstract: A cascade aerator comprising a trough having a low profile slope of from 4.degree. to 5.5.degree.. The trough is divided into a plurality of adjacent longitudinal channels. A flow control weir is mounted at the head of each of the channels and the height of the weirs increases form one channel to the next. Low head baffles are mounted in spaced relationship and transversely of the longitudinal channels.

Abstract: A fluid-bed particle coater having a dual-jet and spray arrangement and including an upstanding column which has an upper cylindrical section, a tapered intermediate section and lower cylindrical section. Depending from the lower cylindrical section is a cylindrical chamber which is inner-connected to tubular sections adapted for introducing multiple air streams via separately controlled inlet openings. The dual-jet and spray construction includes an upwardly-facing spray nozzle positioned in coaxial relationship to the tubular sections and a draft tube, and a downwardly-facing spray nozzle contained with a fountain tube which is disposed above the draft tube. The fountain and draft tubes concentrically intersect about the intermediate section of the column in an opened telescopic arrangement.

Abstract: An article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor medium is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve inhalable flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor medium so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The tobacco flavor medium preferably contains tobacco materials.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for transporting solid particles having a size range from 1/10 micron to 22 mm. in diameter, including a feed hopper formed of an inverted cone frustum, a cylindrical tube, and an inverted cone, a source of solid particles contained in the feed hopper, a transparent pipe inserted into the feed hopper coaxially with the axis of the feed hopper, fluid introducing pipes for introducing fluid such as gas or liquid into the bottom of the feed hopper including a spout inlet feed pipe at the apex of the inverted cone and coaxially located opposite the transport pipe and forming an adjustable gap between the bottom of the transport pipe and the top of the spout inlet pipe, and at least one annulus feed pipe entering a side wall of the inverted cone, and computer controlled values to regulate the temperature, humidity and rate of flow of the introduced fluid. The solid particles are fluidized in the hopper and then fed into the transport pipe to be delivered where desired.

Abstract: An article is provided in which a flavor generating medium is electrically heated to combustion to evolve inhalable flavors or other components in vapor and/or aerosol form. The article has a plurality of charges of the flavor generating medium which are heated to combustion sequentially to provide individual puffs.

Abstract: To encode data representative of correlated images, a sequence of arrays of source image data is provided in which each array is representative of an image. Each array of source image data is partitioned into a plurality of source image-data blocks. For each sequence of source image-data blocks, at least one prototypical image-data block is derived from at least a portion of the source image data of the sequence. For each source image-data block, a translation coefficient and a number of scaling coefficients equal to the number of prototypical image-data blocks associated with the sequence are determined. A difference image-data block is formed for each source image-data block from elements of the source image-data block minus the associated translation coefficient minus the sum in turn of each associated scaling coefficient multiplied by elements of the corresponding prototypical image-data block.

Abstract: A reinforcing member is provided within the handle portion of a wooden bat to prevent the heavy barrel portion from separating from the handle and flying through the air with possible injury to onlookers in the event of bat breakage upon impact with a ball. The reinforcing member is of less stiffness than is the wood of the bat so as to not change the flexing characteristics of the bat and is of small diameter and low specific gravity so as to avoid noticeable change in the weight and balance of the bat.

Abstract: A computer system utilizes a parallel data broadcast architecture, called "PDB" is adapted to be connected to a host computer system. In one digital embodiment, the PDB system includes an interface and global memory which is connected to the host computer system and to three common buses. The buses, in parallel, are, respectively, a data broadcast bus, an instruction bus and an output bus, each bus being connected to a plurality of computational units. Each computational unit includes an arithmetic processor, which preferably, in this embodiment, is a digital signal processor (a special-purpose integrated circuit microprocessor), a local memory and a local program memory. The computational units receive the input data simultaneously and in parallel; transform the data, depending on the parameters received from the instruction bus; and communicate their results, by multiplexing, to the output bus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for releasing flavor components from a flavor-generating medium using an electric heating element are provided. A non-combustion flavor-generating article uses electrical energy to power a heating element which heats tobacco or other flavorants. The flavor-generating medium is formed into a packed bed. Energy delivered to the heating element is regulated to maintain the flavor-generating medium at a relatively constant operating temperature to ensure a relatively constant release of flavor.

Abstract: Electrophoretic resolving gel compositions, discontinuous stacking gel systems containing these and other resolving gel compositions, and kits for preparing such gel systems, comprising one or more polysaccharide hydrogels of which agarose is typical wherein at least one of the gels in the resolving gel composition has been derivatized and at least one of the gels in the resolving gel composition has been depolymerized sufficiently to reduce its casting-effective viscosity.