Abstract: Polymers of a conjugated diene, an unsaturated nitrile and a vinyl aromatic compound are selectively hydrogenated to reduce ethylenic carbon-carbon double bonds, without also reducing nitrile groups and aromatic carbon-carbon double bonds, preferably using a rhodium-containing compound as catalyst. The hydrogenated polymers are novel and display valuable properties.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector assembly (2) includes an optical isolator (10), an optical connector (17) and a fiber saver (11). The optical isolator is received in an isolator tube (19). The fiber saver comprises a helical block (15), a helical block tube (12), two cone members (13,14) and an extender (18). Optical fiber (102) is wrapped around the helical block, and the helical block is received in the helical block tube . The two cone members are mounted at the two ends of the helical block tube to prevent movement of the helical block within the helical block tube. The extender receives the helical block tube therein and connects to the isolator tube and to an adaptor (16), The adaptor couples to the optical connector.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for plating a metal on a substrate. The electrochemical plating system generally includes a plating cell having an anolyte compartment and a catholyte compartment, the anolyte compartment having an insoluble anode and an anolyte therein. The catholyte compartment generally includes a substrate support member and a catholyte therein. In addition, the plating cell generally includes an ion-exchange membrane disposed between the anolyte compartment and the catholyte compartment and a pump in fluid communication with the anolyte compartment, the pump configured to provide an anolyte to the anolyte compartment having a linear velocity of between about 0.5 cm/sec to about 50 cm/sec. The method generally includes supplying an anolyte solution to an anolyte compartment disposed in a plating cell having an anolyte compartment and a catholyte compartment.

Abstract: A sorption cooling device capable of providing cooling over an extended period of time. The sorption cooling device is particularly useful in a temperature-controlled shipping container that is required to maintain a temperature below ambient for an extended period of time. In one embodiment, the cooling device includes a means for restricting the flow of refrigerant liquid to control the degree of cooling over an extended period of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a communications system for routing a voice call associated with a user. A quality of service is monitored for the voice call being routed through a path in a packet based network. Responsive to a quality of service failing to meet a quality of service threshold in the packet based network, a signal is sent to the user requesting a change in a routing of the voice call. Responsive to a reply from the user to change routing of the voice call from the user, the call is routed through another path.

Abstract: An athletic floor assembled on a foundation having a capacity to absorb vibration, eliminate dead spots, and remain stable and resistant to the damaging effects of moisture which comprises discrete sections of reproducible subflooring constructions which are separated from each other so there are gaps between every section which prevents the ripple effect transmission of vibration forces which combines a wood nailing bed underlayment engaged inside the open face of a c-channel support system in which such engaged components are held in fixed elevation over the foundation and supported on strips of resilient material, and further comprising anchoring clips having a vertical riser member and engagement tabs at a top and which are engaged to the channels inside deflexure slot aperture cut in the channels and engaged to the foundation by fastening tab means at the bottom end and adapted to permit the entire floor construction to experience slidable vertical deflexure movement as limited by the limits of the defle

Abstract: Prostasin protein has been found to be a useful marker for determination of the invasiveness of and as a means to treat human carcinomas. Using RT-PCR and western blot analyses, prostasin protein and mRNA expression were found in normal human prostate epithelial cells and the human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, but not in the highly invasive human prostate cancer cell lines DU-145 and PC-3. Imunohistochemistry studies of human prostate cancer specimens revealed a down-regulation of prostasin in high-grade tumors. Using RT-PCR and western blot analyses, prostasin protein and mRNA expression were found in a non-invasive human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, while invasive human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435s were found not to express either the prostasin protein or the mRNA. A non-invasive human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-453, was shown to express prostasin mRNA but not prostasin protein.

Abstract: A method for treating a microbial infection in a mammal, such as a human, comprising treating the mammal with a therapeutically effective amount of a polymer comprising an amino group or an ammonium group attached to the polymer backbone via an aliphatic spacer group. The polymer can be a homopolymer or a copolymer. In one embodiment, the polymer is a copolymer comprising a monomer having a pendant ammonium group and a hydrophobic monomer.

Abstract: A process for cleaning flue gases containing ash and sulfur dioxide produced by burning sulfur-containing coal in the combustion chamber of a circulating fluidized-bed firing system includes delivering a particulate SO2 sorbent into the combustion chamber. A mixture including portions of the ash, the reaction product produced in the reaction of the SO2 sorbent with the sulfur dioxide, and unreacted SO2 sorbent is fed from the combustion chamber to a mixing unit. In the mixing unit, water or an aqueous sodium-containing solution is mixed with this mixture and the unreacted SO2 sorbent is converted into a hydration product (for example Ca(OH)2) at a reaction temperature of 60° to 100° and at atmospheric pressure. The ash, the reaction product, and the hydration product is returned from the mixing unit into the combustion chamber, and the hydration product is reactivated to an SO2 sorbent at a combustion-chamber temperature of 700° to 950° C.

Abstract: Methods are described for identifying an RNA target for an allele-specific RNA inhibitor by identifying a sequence variance in an RNA encoded by a gene of interest, and determining whether the secondary structure of the RNA comprising the variance differs from that of an otherwise identical RNA not comprising the variance.

Abstract: A relay is provided for a transfer mechanism which transfers power between a utility source and a stand-by electrical generator. The relay incorporates contacts formed from two distinct materials. A backing portion of each contact is formed from copper and a contacting portion is deposited on the backing portion. The contacting portion is formed from tungsten. The arrangement of the contact minimizes the potential for failure of the transfer mechanism when the transfer mechanism is exposed to significant current and/or heating during operation thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may generally provide a small volume electrochemical plating cell. The plating cell generally includes a fluid basin configured to contain a plating solution therein, the fluid basin having a substantially horizontal weir. The cell further includes an anode positioned in a lower portion of the fluid basin, the anode having a plurality of parallel channels formed therethrough, and a base member configured to receive the anode, the base member having a plurality of groves formed into an anode receiving surface, each of the plurality of grooves terminating into an annular drain channel. A membrane support assembly configured to position a membrane immediately above the anode in a substantially planar orientation with respect to the anode surface is provided, the membrane support assembly having a plurality of channels and bores formed therein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide an electrochemical plating system. The plating system includes a substrate loading station positioned in communication with a mainframe processing platform, at least one substrate plating cell positioned on the mainframe, at least one substrate bevel cleaning cell positioned on the mainframe, and a stacked substrate annealing station positioned in communication with at least one of the mainframe and the loading station, each chamber in the stacked substrate annealing station having a heating plate, a cooling plate, and a substrate transfer robot therein.

Abstract: A member including for example, a substrate, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer comprising a poly(phenylsilsesquioxane), molecule, and a film forming binder.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for plating copper into features formed on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes positioning the substrate in a plating cell, wherein the plating cell includes a catholyte volume containing a catholyte solution, an anolyte volume containing an anolyte solution, an ionic membrane positioned to separate the anolyte volume from the catholyte volume, and an anode positioned in the anolyte volume. The method further includes applying a plating bias between the anode and the substrate, plating copper ions onto the substrate from the catholyte solution, and replenishing the copper ions plated onto the substrate from the catholyte solution with copper ions transported from the anolyte solution via the ionic membrane, wherein the catholyte solution has a copper concentration of greater than about 51 g/L.

Abstract: Synthetic peptide substrates of prostasin, a method for synthesizing them and a prostasin assay are provided.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device (10) with a bonding surface (12) directly over its active circuitry, and a method of making such integrated circuits (FIGS. 2A-2E). To make the bonding surface (12), a wafer (20) is provided with vias (24) to its metallization layer (21) and then coated with a seed metal layer (25). A plating pattern (26) is formed on the wafer (20), exposing portions of the seed metal layer (25) and blocking the rest of the seed metal layer (25). These exposed portions are plated with successive metal layers (27, 28, 29), thereby forming a bonding surface (12) having a number of layered stacks (200) that fill the vias (24). The plating pattern and the nonplated portions of the seed metal layer (25) are then removed.

Abstract: A system and method for binary classification of text units such as sentences, paragraphs and documents as either a rule of law (ROL) or not a rule of law (˜ROL). During a training phase of the system and method of the present invention, an initialized knowledge base and labeled or pre-classified sentences are used to build a trained knowledge base. The trained knowledge base contains an equation, a threshold, and a plurality of statistical values called Z values. When inputting text documents for classification, a Z value is generated for each term or token in the input text. The Z values are input to the equation which calculates a score for each sentence. Each calculated score is then compared to the threshold to classify each sentence as either ROL or ˜ROL.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of hydrogenating a nitrile copolymer rubber, which comprises subjecting the copolymer to hydrogenation in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, a co-catalyst, and a proton acceptor that is non-coordinating with the metal-complex catalyst.

Abstract: A method of operating a continuously pumped, Q-switched laser to provide trains of pulses for laser operations is disclosed. The laser includes a solid-state gain-medium that exhibits a thermal-lensing effect on being optically pumped. Pulse delivery is controlled by a Q-switch that is in a normally-open state when the laser is not delivering pulses. This allows the laser to deliver CW laser radiation when pulses are not being delivered. A train of pulses is delivered by repeatedly interrupting the CW operation by closing then reopening the Q-switch. When the Q-switch reopens after the interruption, the laser delivers a pulse of laser radiation, then resumes delivery of CW operation until the next interruption. The inventive Q-switching method provides, by means of this one particular repeated Q-switch operation, that the thermal-lensing effect in the gain-medium before, during, and between delivery of pulse trains remains constant, and that all pulses in a pulse train have the same peak power.