Abstract:
Electrically conductive polymers are obtained by chemical oxidation of pyrrole and other aromatic heterocycles by means of a metal oxidant in anhydrous medium. In the presence of a mineral or organic filler, a moldable powder comprised of particles coated with electrically conductive polymer is obtained.
Abstract:
A directional antenna system comprises an elongate dielectric waveguide (28) for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic energy of a frequency at which the waveguide propagates, adjustable means (32) having a plurality of conductive portions spaced apart along a lengthwise region adjacent and substantially parallel to the waveguide, and controlling means (34) to vary over a continuous range the spacing between the conductive portions and thus to control the angle of maximum radiation.
Abstract:
Apparatus for carrying by a diver while under water (and at the surface between dives) and for providing information useful for enabling the diver to ascend therefrom both expeditiously and safely in order to avoid decompression sickness. A corrosion-resistant ceramic transducer (60) provides an electrical capacitance responsive to the pressure of the water thereon, in an electronic circuit (52), comprising also a resistance (61), for providing a signal (at 53) responsive to the time constant therein and substantially unaffected by normally encountered variations in supply voltage. Electronic data processing means (40-51), responsive to the signal, computes the water pressure, the depth of the transducer (60) in the water, the minimum depth to which the diver can from there ascend safely, the minimum time within which the diver then can ascend safely to the surface of the water, and the elapsed time since the beginning of the dive. Displays (48, 49) provide indications to the diver of the computed values.
Abstract:
A dendrometer (10) for use on soft stemmed herbaceous plants. The dendrometer uses elongated jaws (20, 21) to engage the plant stem securely but made without appreciable distortion or collapse of the stem. A transducer (15) made of flexible, non-corrodible and temperature stable material spans between the jaws which engage the plant stem. Strain gauges (R1, R2, R3, R4) are attached at appropriate locations on a transducer member and are connected to a voltage source and voltmeter to monitor changes in plant stem size. A microprocessor can be used to integrate the plant stem size information with other relevant environmental parameters and the data can be recorded on magnetic tape (101) or used in other data processing equipment.
Abstract:
Two nip rolls (2, 3) are mounted between two arms of a stirrup (17) articulated about an axis (18) integral with a second stirrup (21) articulated about an axis (22). Said rolls are given by a motor (25) and the knitted fabric is rolled about a winding bar (4) driven by a motor (14). Two force sensors (28, 29) measure respectively the tension exerted by the knitted fabric (1) between the roll (3) and the bar (4) via the stirrup (21) articulated about the axis (22) and the tension exerted by the knitted fabric (1) between the roll (2) and the knitting machine needles via the stirrup (17) articulated about the axis (18). As the tensions of the knitted fabric are merged with the axes (18, 22), the tensions applied to those axes do not generate any torque to the levers articulated to said respective axes so that the motors (14, 25) set by the sensors (28, 29) adjust independently the tensions in the knitted fabric ends upstream and downstream of the rolls (2, 3).
Abstract:
The apparatus comprises a housing (1) intended to contain water wherein two electrodes (9, 10) are immersed and are connected to an alternating current source (S). A conduit (13) terminated by a nozzle (14) connects the top of said housing (1) to a venturi (15) connected upstream with the atmosphere and downstream with an inhalation mask (17) so as to form an air-water vapour mixture at controlled temperature.
Abstract:
Wet cellulose is treated by gaseous HCl without cooling, which results in a preliminary degradation of the material and deformation of an aqueous acid solution of oligomer sugars. This solution is then supersaturated by HCl in order to complete the hydrolysis, resulting in the formation of reversion oligomers and, after degasing, recovery of a portion of HCl and addition of water, said oligomers are transformed into glucose by boiling in a diluted acid medium.
Abstract:
The present invention is a method of hydrogenation using a catalyst in the form of a plurality of porous particles wherein each particle is a support having nickel metal catalytic phase or reduced nickel deposited thereon in a first dispersed phase and an additional ruthenium metal deposited onto the support in a second dispersed phase. The additional ruthenium metal is effective in retarding or reducing agglomeration or sintering of the nickel metal catalytic phase thereby increasing the life time of the catalyst during hydrogenation reactions.
Abstract:
The present invention is a catalyst in the form of a plurality of porous particles wherein each particle is a support having nickel metal catalytic phase or reduced nickel deposited thereon in a first dispersed phase and an additional metal deposited onto the support in a second dispersed phase. The additional metal, which is selected among copper, tin, rhenium and silver, is effective in retarding or reducing agglomeration or sintering of the nickel metal catalytic phase without substantially affecting the catalytic activity, thereby increasing the life time of the catalyst.
Abstract:
The production of hEGF is achieved in both whole plants and plant cell culture wherein the hEGF has a length of at least 200 amino acids. For epidermal growth factor this would comprise at least a tetramer of EGF units. Effectiveness or production of the translation process has been increased according to the present invention by (1) cloning of pre-pro-EGF cDNA of approximately 4.5 kb into both whole plants and cell culture to increase overall titers of active hEGF; (2) synthesizing cDNA and transforming plants and cell culture for production of an oligomeric polypeptide consisting of repeated hEGF domains; and (3) increasing the overall size of the gene to be expressed with a fusion construct encoding hEGF linked to a protein that is efficiently produced in plant systems. As needed, synthetic cDNA includes plant-specific proteolytic cleavage sites between EGF repeats to facilitate correct processing in planta. Appropriate proteolytic cleavage sites upstream and downstream of hEGF are added if needed to obtain final product. In whole plants, use of a regulatory element confers hEGF production characteristics into traditionally non-saleable portions of crop plants, such as the leafy tops of potatoes. Use of potato tops under post-harvest conditions, results in overexpression production of hEGF in non-saleable plant portions towards the end of the harvesting season, without affecting crop quality.