Abstract: A process for preparing a substrate, e.g., an epoxy printed circuit board, for subsequent metallization. Active chemical sites are formed adhering to the substrate surface. The substrate is then exposed to a vapor of a volatile organometallic compound, which chemically reacts with the active sites and is decomposed to at least a species of the metal constituent of the compound. This species adheres to the substrate and can be transformed into the free metal which is useful as a seed for subsequent electroless deposition of a metal thereon. If selective deposition is desired, a resist masking layer is used prior to forming the seed layer. Volatile organopalladium compounds, such as (cyclopentadienyl)(allyl)palladium and bis(allyl)pallidium, are particularly effective for depositing a palladium seed which is particularly effective for electroless deposition of copper.

Abstract: A reaction product of a .beta.-diketone and a polymer having groups that are reactive with the .beta.-diketone can be complexed with a metal. The reaction product having the complex metal can be activated to provide a substrate suitable for plating from an electroless metal plating bath.

Abstract: A wind direction indicator for a marine craft such as a sailboard has a horizontal spar consisting of a resilient portion connected to a curved plate which may be attached to the mast of the craft, and a rigid portion extending from said resilient portion to a universal joint which is also attached to a counter-balance foil which assumes a vertical position independent of the orientation of the mast. Vane is asymmetrically pivoted to the counter-balance foil, with the pivot point nearer the pointer of the vane than the tail.

Abstract: A bioluminescent assay for ATP in water borne bacteria is made by adding nitric acid to a water sample with concentrated bacteria to rupture the bacterial cells. The sample is diluted with sterile, deionized water, then mixed with a luciferase-luciferin mixture and the resulting light output of the bioluminescent reaction is measured and correlated with bacteria present. A standard and a blank also are processed so that the light output can be correlated to bacteria in the sample and system "noise" can be substracted from the readings.A chemiluminescent assay for iron porphyrins in water borne bacteria is made by adding luminol reagent to a water sample with concentrated bacteria and measuring the resulting light output of the chemiluminescent reaction. The light output is correlated with bacteria present. A standard and a blank are also processed so that the light output can be correlated to bacteria in the sample and system "noise" can be subtracted from the readings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing porphyrins from a fluid sample which are unrelated to the number of bacteria present in the sample and prior to combining the sample with luminol reagent to produce a light reaction. The method involves a pre-incubation of the sample with a dilute concentration of hydrogen peroxide which inactivates the interfering soluble porphyrins. Further, by delaying taking a light measurement for a predetermined time period after combining the hydrogen peroxide-treated water sample with a luminol reagent, the luminescence produced by the reaction of the luminol reagent with ions present in the solution, being short lived, will have died out so that only porphyrins within the bacteria which have been released by rupturing the cells with the sodium hydroxide in the luminol reagent, will be measured. The measurement thus obtained can then be related to the concentration of live and dead bacteria in the fluid sample.