Abstract: A process is provided for preparing chirally pure S-enantiomers of &agr;-amino acids comprising the steps of: a) preparing an organometallic reagent from an alkyl halide of the formula (R)2CH(CH2)nCH2X; b) adding the organometallic reagent to carbon dioxide to afford a carboxylic acid; c) activating the carboxylic acid with an acid chloride, phosphorus trichloride, acid anhydride, or thionyl chloride in the presence of a tertiary amine base; d) reacting the product of step c) with an alkali metal salt of S-4-benzyl-2-oxazolidinone; e) treating the product of step d) with a strong non-nucleophilic base to form an enolate anion; f) trapping the enolate anion with 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenesulfonyl azide to afford an oxazolidinone azide; g) hydrolyzing the oxazolidinone azide with an aqueous base to afford an &agr;-azido acid; h) reducing the &agr;-azido acid to the &agr;-amino acid; and i) recrystallizing the &agr;-amino acid to the chirally pure &agr;-amino acid.

Abstract: The present application teaches systems and techniques for reducing the polarization dependency of an optical component by combining the actions of a circulator and a polarization beam combiner to separate an optical signal into a plurality of orthogonally oriented polarization components; rotate at least one of the components so that the polarization orientation of the components are parallel; propagate the components through respective input ports of an optical component at substantially the same time; rotate at least one of a plurality of output components from the optical component so that the polarization orientation of the output components are orthogonal; and recombine the plurality of output components into an output optical signal.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically updating software components on a running computer system without requiring any interruption of service. A software module is hotpatched by loading a patch into memory and modifying an instruction in the original module to jump to the patch. A coldpatching technique places a coldpatch version of the module on disk for subsequent loading by processes, after hotpatching occurred. The coldpatch has the entry points to its functions at the same relative locations within the module as the hotpatch, which facilitates subsequent hotpatching. A hotpatch and coldpatch are automatically generated by deriving differences between changed and original binary files, and establishing the point to insert the jump. Validation is performed to ensure that the hotpatch is applied to the correct version, and that the coldpatch is replacing the correct version. Version management is also provided to control the number of patches via support rules.

Abstract: A dual fiber optic amplifier uses a single pump source for two or more optical power amplifiers. The dual fiber optic amplifier includes a pump source that emits light, a pump splitter, a first optical power amplifier and a second optical power amplifier. The pump splitter splits the light emitted by the pump source into two or more portions. The first optical power amplifier includes an optical fiber input, an optical fiber output, and a doped fiber portion, wherein the first portion of light from the splitter is coupled into the optical fiber input of the first optical power amplifier. The second optical power amplifier includes an optical fiber input, an optical fiber output, and a doped fiber portion, wherein the second portion of light emitted from the splitter is coupled into the optical fiber input of the second optical power amplifier.

Abstract: An optical amplifier utilizes two or more doped fiber segments or portions to achieve a lower noise figure and a higher saturation power than would be possible using any one of the doped fiber segments. Each doped fiber portion may be considered to be a doped fiber optical amplifier, and has a different doping level than each of the other doped fiber portions. Each such doped fiber portion has distinct amplitude gain and noise characteristics relative to each of the other doped fiber potions. The two or more doped fiber portions are coupled to each other in series and most often in a predefined order based on their relative amplitude gain, noise and saturation power characteristics.

Abstract: Traffic demands are routed across links of an information network so as to avoid congestion and allow for future traffic growth. Traffic demands from a source node to a destination node of the network are monitored, including bandwidths associated with each of the demands. For each demand, and for a given link of the network, that portion of the bandwidth associated with each traffic demand which is provided by the given link, is determined. A maximum value of link utilization among all links of the network is then determined, wherein link utilization is defined as the amount of bandwidth used by all traffic demands routed through a given link with respect to a total capacity of the link. Traffic demands are then routed across the links of the network in such a manner as to minimize the maximum value of link utilization.

Abstract: A synchronous bi-directional active power conditioning system (11) suitable for wide variable frequency systems or active loads such as adjustable speed drives which require variable voltage variable frequency power management systems is disclosed. Common power electronics building blocks (100, 200) (both hardware and software modular blocks) are presented which can be used for AC-DC, DC-AC individually or cascaded together for AC-DC-AC power conversion suitable for variable voltage and/or wide variable frequency power management systems. A common control software building block (2, 5) includes a digital control strategy/algorithm and digital phase lock loop method and apparatus which are developed and implemented in a digital environment to provide gating patterns for the switching elements (3, 6) of the common power-pass modular power electronics building blocks (100, 200).

Abstract: A means for optically coupling a semiconductor laser to an optical fiber is disclosed. In one embodiment, a volume phase holographic element is disposed on a light-emitting surface of a semiconductor laser. The volume phase holographic element acts as an aberration-corrector for a lens that is disposed between the semiconductor laser and the optical fiber. In this way, an inexpensive lens that is not aberration free can be used. In some embodiments, the volume phase holographic element converts a Gaussian light beam emitted by the semiconductor laser into an annular beam that is more suitable for long distance transmission in multimode fibers.

Abstract: A process is provided for preparing chirally pure S-enantiomers of &agr;-amino acids comprising the steps of: a) preparing an organometallic reagent from an alkyl halide of the formula (R)2CH(CH2)nCH2X; b) adding the organometallic reagent to carbon dioxide to afford a carboxylic acid; c) activating the carboxylic acid with an acid chloride, phosphorus trichloride, acid anhydride, or thionyl chloride in the presence of a tertiary amine base; d) reacting the product of step c) with an alkali metal salt of S-4-benzyl-2-oxazolidinone; e) treating the product of step d) with a strong non-nucleophilic base to form an enolate anion; f) trapping the enolate anion with 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenesulfonyl azide to afford an oxazolidinone azide; g) hydrolyzing the oxazolidinone azide with an aqueous base to afford an &agr;-azido acid; h) reducing the &agr;-azido acid to the &agr;-amino acid; and i) recrystallizing the &agr;-amino acid to the chirally pure &agr;-amino acid.

Abstract: A method is provided for allocating bandwidth to a subscriber in a service provider domain that is part of a packet switched network such as the Internet, for example. In accordance with the method, a number of shares of bandwidth are assigned to the subscriber based on an agreement between the subscriber and a service provider. A subscriber identifier and the number of shares assigned thereto are distributed to the routers in the domain of the service provider. The routers will in turn allocate bandwidth to packets they receive based on the number of shares assigned to the subscriber transmitting or receiving the packet. The subscriber may include one or more different user terminals that aggregate traffic onto a single datastream. The shares assigned to the user may denote absolute amount of bandwidth, or alternatively, may denote a relative bandwidth allocation.

Abstract: What is disclosed is an arrangement of field of label augmented, multi-protocol routing of data packets in a network utilizing fixed length labels that are negotiated between adjacent label routing routers in the network. Portions of each routing label may be assigned by both upstream and downstream routers in the network. Routing labels are used in lieu of conventional address headers to route data packets through said network; and by using routing labels the routers have more flexibility in routing data packets through said network and can use network links between routers that normally carry less traffic.

Abstract: An improved process for the commercial production of malononitrile by the dehydration of cyanoacetamide employs cyanuric chloride in the presence of a catalytic amount of N,N-dimethylformamide and in a polar solvent that is removed by vacuum distillation at a temperature below 100° C. The N,N-dimethylformamide is added in a molar ratio of 0.16 moles for each mole of cyanoacetamide present in the starting solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stabilized self-emulsifying system, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of o-(chloroacetylcarbamoyl)fumigillol, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a stabilizing component, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises an oily constituent and at least one surfactant. The stabilizing component comprises from about 1% to about 15% water relative to the weight of the self-emulsifying system, an acid, an adsorbent, or a complex-forming agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stabilized self-emulsifying system, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of o-(chloroacetylcarbamoyl)fumigillol, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a stabilizing component, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises an oily constituent and at least one surfactant. The stabilizing component comprises from about 1% to about 15% water relative to the weight of the self-emulsifying system, an acid, an adsorbent, or a complex-forming agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stabilized self-emulsifying system, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of o-(chloroacetylcarbamoyl)fumigillol, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a stabilizing component, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises an oily constituent and at least one surfactant. The stabilizing component comprises from about 1% to about 15% water relative to the weight of the self-emulsifying system, an acid, an adsorbent, or a complex-forming agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a general synthesis for producing secondaryalkoxy-1-alkenes in commercial quantities in good yields by reacting cyclic and acyclic ketones and the corresponding alcohol with a secondary alkyl orthoformate ester in the presence of an acid catalyst, a Lewis acid, ferric chloride being preferred, and recovering the produce as a liquid of high purity.

Abstract: In an arrangement where a plurality of cache servers are interconnected to form a virtual cache, each cache server includes a selection module and a caching module. The selection module determines whether the cache server can service an incoming request for information, whether the request ought to be directed to another one of the cache servers, or whether the request be routed to the site from whence the information is requested. In making this determination, in accordance with one embodiment, the module consults a table that associates sites or/and sub-sites with specific ones of the cache servers. In another embodiment, the determination is made by translating the address of the site, or sub-site, or web page that is requested; for example, with a hash function. The caching module determines whether a request for information from a particular site will be cached in the cache server of the caching module, if it is not already being cached by one of the cache servers.

Abstract: A glare shielding and light polarizing visor comprising a board body having an upper portion and a lower portion, being provided with a viewing window thereon, said upper portion of the board body being pivotally secured adjacent to the rearview mirror of a vehicle. An adjustable disc having a hollow body frame rotatably secured to said board body, a first lens being mounted to said body frame and corresponding to the viewing window and a second lens being mounted to one lateral side of the board body and covered the viewing window and corresponding to said first lens. Thereby rotating the adjustable disc causes a variation of the polarized angle formed by the first and second lens and thus change the light transmittancy of the first and the second lens.

Abstract: A sun visor for-automobiles includes a frame having a first circular opening and a second circular opening concentric with the first circular opening, a first lens fixedly mounted in the first circular opening, an adjust wheel rotatably fitted within the second circular opening, a second lens fixedly mounted in the adjust wheel, and control means for driving the adjusting wheel, whereby the amount of light transmitted through the sunshield can be adjusted as desired.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the synthesis of mitomycin and analogs thereof that are useful as anticancer antibiotics. The invention further relates to analogs of mitomycin, which can be prepared according to the methods of synthesis provided. The synthetic method of the invention provides for reacting a derivitized indole with a dialkylvinylsulfonium salt to yield a tricyclic skeleton having the precursors of the fourth ring in one step, followed by an oxidation step or steps to close the fourth ring and prepare mitomycin or a related compound.