Abstract:
A method and apparatus are described for indicating or measuring contact pressure distribution over a surface, in which method and apparatus, a pressure-transmitting member having a plurality of point-contact projections is used to transmit the contact pressure, in the form of a plurality of localized points, to a photoelastic member. The photoelastic member is one whose optical properties are changed when the member is subjected to pressure, and the changes in optical properties are optically displayed by directing polarized light onto the photoelastic member to produce interference patterns at the localized points of contact pressure.
Abstract:
There is provided a novel primary cell which comprises in combination an anode made of lithium, of sodium or of a dischargeable alloy of same, which has a melting point above 80 DEG C., an electrolyte comprising a solvent or solvent mixture which is suited to dissolve a polysulfide to attain a concentration of at least 0.01 M, and to dissolve an electrolyte salt to give a solution of at least 0.1 M, said solvent or solvent system having an own EMF against the anode which is low enough so as not to prevent the reaction of the anode material with said polysulfide to form a M2S solid electrolyte interphase, said electrolyte containing a polysulfide M2Sn where M is selected from lithium and sodium, the concentration of the polysulfide being high enough and n being low enough to result in a predetermined low selfdischarge of the cell, and an inert porous current collector. The current collector may be charged with sulfur. The solvent system may contain a solvent which reduces the solubility of the polysulfide, thus increasing the conductivity of the electrolyte.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are described for controlling the mixing of two fluids in which an active element is driven to induce, in the vicinity of the beginning of the mixing region, oscillations of the two fluids about an axis substantially normal to the mixing region flow axis. The active element may be driven by an external drive, or by the kinetic energy in the fluids. Several applications of the invention are described including promoting combustion in jet engines, suppressing audible jet noise, and increasing the output of ejector pumps or thrust augmentors.
Abstract:
A method of detecting cancer in a patient by detecting alteration of activity of the gene coding for human type protein phosphatase 2C (PP2Cnull and PP2Cnull) and genetic polymorphisms thereof in a specimen isolated from the patient is disclosed. The invention further provides a method of treating cancer including the steps of first determining the type of cancer and cells expressing the cancer and then preparing a vector which will specifically target the cancer cells and can include regulatory elements to control the expressibility of PP2Cnull. The vector is then administered to the patient. Alternatively an antisense vector can be prepared.
Abstract:
Human herpes virus (HHV) 7 is capable of binding to the CD4 antigen and the HHV-7 or a binding protein derived therefrom is thus useful as a CD4-ligand for various therapeutic applications. HHV-6 or HHV-7 are lymphotropic and are thus useful as lymphotropic vectors for delivering DNA into lymphocytes.
Abstract:
A waveguide for guiding electromagnetic radiation of a given range of wavelengths includes a transparent substrate made from non-polymer material, preferably glass, into which at least one elongated channel is etched. A polymer material with a higher refractive index than that of the substrate is deposited within, and extends along, the channel, so as to define a waveguide. The regions of the substrate adjacent to the ends of the channel are preferably treated, such as by ion-exchange, to form secondary waveguide portions, optically coupled to the polymer waveguide, for input and output optical coupling with the waveguide. Also disclosed is a production method for such waveguides.
Abstract:
A method for automatic partial correction of the color contrast and intensity of color images. The images are processed in a manner similar to that by which the visual system processes signals related to color vision, to achieve better color contrast and to enhance achromatic contrast intensity for both still and video images.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for using null-particle energy loss to measure the thickness and stoichiometry of films grown by molecular beam epitaxy and other methods. The apparatus for measuring the thickness of films grown on a substrate in a growth chamber, comprises a protective housing having an aperture opening into the growth chamber, a solid state detector disposed in the protective housing, a shutter for opening and closing the aperture, a shield disposed in the housing between the aperture and the solid state detector for shielding the detector, and a calibration source disposed between the shield and the detector for calibrating the measurements made by the detector. A second calibration source disposed between the shutter and the shield, for measuring deposition on the shield.
Abstract:
A method and system for managing data objects that are organized hierarchically according to type. The data objects are assigned to projects and subprojects independently of their type. At any one time, only one of the projects is nullactivenull: by default, identifiers of data objects assigned to the active project are displayed for user access and newly created data objects are assigned to the active project. One embodiment of the invention uses a database to mirror the existing hierarchy. Another embodiment keeps all the data objects of each project in a single respective folder. Identifiers of the data objects of the active project are made collectively accessible at a graphical user interface, along with a project history.