Abstract: One or more cells can be cultured when confined in space by barriers. The distance between barriers can be comparable to the size of a cell to be cultured. The space between barriers can also be sufficiently small to allow control of cell properties or monitoring of the cell(s) cultured therein. The cell(s) may be confined completely or may be mobile between two opposing barrier surfaces. The gap between two opposing barriers may be sufficiently narrow to allow only a monolayer of cells to be cultured. A barrier can be transparent. The surfaces of the barriers may have one or more pre-selected characteristics that mimic the characteristics of a biological niche of the cells(s). The number of cells in a cell culture may be limited to permit control of properties of individual cells. The cultured cell(s) may be monitored, such as imaged, over a long period of time, using standard bright field or fluorescent imaging techniques.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a) a catalytic composite comprising a support structure and a catalytic species that is deposited on the support structure, b) a process for the selective oligomerization of lower alkenes and mixtures of alkenes, which process comprises contacting the lower alkenes with the catalytic composite in a catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions, and c) a process for producing high octane products, which process comprises hydrogenating one or more catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions.

Abstract: An electrode material having carbon and sulfur is provided. The carbon is in the form of a porous matrix having nanoporosity and the sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity of the carbon matrix. The carbon matrix can have a volume of nanoporosity between 10 and 99%. In addition, the sulfur can occupy between 5 to 99% of the nanoporosity. A portion of the carbon structure that is only partially filled with the sulfur remains vacant allowing electrolyte egress. In some instances, the nanoporosity has nanopores and nanochannels with an average diameter between 1 nanometer and 999 nanometers. The sulfur is sorbed into the nanoporosity using liquid transport or other mechanisms providing a material having intimate contact between the electronically conductive carbon structure and the electroactive sulfur.

Abstract: A method and system for full-field fringe-projection for 3-D surface-geometry measurement, referred to as “triangular-pattern phase-shifting” is disclosed. A triangular grey-scale-level-coded fringe pattern is computer generated, projected along a first direction onto an object or scene surface and distorted according to the surface geometry. The 3-D coordinates of points on the surface are calculated by triangulation from distorted triangular fringe-pattern images acquired by a CCD camera along a second direction and a triangular-shape intensity-ratio distribution is obtained from calculation of the captured distorted triangular fringe-pattern images. Removal of the triangular shape of the intensity ratio over each pattern pitch generates a wrapped intensity-ratio distribution obtained by removing the discontinuity of the wrapped image with a modified unwrapping method. Intensity ratio-to-height conversion is used to reconstruct the 3-D surface coordinates of the object.

Abstract: To assess relative degradation resistance of different materials, one or more samples of each of the materials is irradiated with a beam of laser. The laser is chosen or tuned such that the laser beam has no wavelength sufficient to cause a photochemical reaction in material samples but the degree of irradiation is sufficient to degrade each material. A measure of degradation of each material sample is determined in consequence of the irradiation. The relative degradation resistance of each material is ranked based on these measures of degradation. In one approach, each sample may be irradiated until about the same pre-selected laser energy has been absorbed by the sample. In another approach, each sample may be irradiated for about the same time, while maintaining the irradiated portion of the sample at a same pre-selected temperature.

Abstract: A fluid treatment chamber is provided for the deactivation of microorganisms in a fluid. The fluid treatment chamber comprises a housing and an electrode assembly. The housing comprises a fluid inlet for receiving fluid to be treated and a fluid outlet for allowing treated fluid to be retrieved. The electrode assembly is located within the housing and comprises at least two electrodes for generating an electric field there between. The electrodes have opposing convex electrode surface sections defining there between a biconcave treatment zone for treatment of the fluid by the most intense electric field generated by the electrode assembly. The treatment zone comprises a channel between the opposing convex electrode surface sections through which the fluid is to flow to receive treatment. The channel width tapers towards a vertical midsection of the channel due to the convex configuration of the opposing electrode surface sections.

Abstract: A wedge anchor comprising a barrel having a wedge receiving face opposite a rod receiving face, a passage extending therethrough between the wedge receiving face and the rod receiving face, the passage narrowing toward the rod receiving face and having an axial cross-sectional profile defining a convex arc; and, a plurality of wedges insertable into the passage, each of the wedges having a respective inner wedge face for defining a rod receiving passage for receiving a rod and an outer wedge face, opposite the inner wedge face, in axial cross-section having a profile complementary to the convex arc.

Abstract: A method and system for predicting channel fading, particularly in a mobile wireless environment, that is accurate for long-range predictions. The method comprises estimating a model parameters based on a current channel estimate, and recursively adapting the model parameters to predict future channel fading coefficients until a predetermined re-acquisition condition is satisfied. Once the re-acquisition condition has been satisfied, the model parameters are again estimated based on a current channel estimate. The acquired model parameters are adaptively updated and used in a Kalman filter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an artificial synovial fluid composition that mimics the tribological properties of human, osteoarthritic synovial fluid (SF) for the main purpose of in vitro wear testing. There is described an artificial synovial fluid composition comprising: a) a mammalian serum having i) a total protein concentration of from about 10 to about 45 g/L; ii) an albumin fraction of from about 55% to about 80% w/w %; iii) an ?-1 globulin fraction of from about 3% to about 6% w/w %; iv) an ?-2 globulin fraction of from about 5% to about 10% w/w %; v) a ?-globulin fraction of from about 3% to about 20% w/w %; vi) a ?-globulin fraction of from about 5% to about 20% w/w %; vii) a calcium (Ca) concentration of from about 0.1 mmol/L to about 3 mmol/L; viii) a magnesium (Mg) concentration of from about 0.05 mmol/L to about 0.8 mmol/L; ix) an inorganic phosphate (P) concentration of from about 0.1 mmol/L to about 1.5 mmol/L; x) an iron (Fe) concentration of from about 0.001 mmol/L to about 0.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and decoding multiple signals. A low-complexity MIMO detector that combines sphere decoding and m-algorithm approaches, while accounting for the effect of channel condition on the decoding operation, is provided. Taking into account the channel condition effectively controls the size of the search tree, and consequently the search complexity, in an adaptive manner. The channel condition is exploited in the construction of the tree to manage the number of branches in the tree and to avoid undesirable growth.

Abstract: Branched copolymers of polypropylene (PP) and polysilanes are prepared by procedures involving melt phase hydrosilylation. Such branched copolymers may be formed in situ during the melt phase hydrosilylation or may be prepared by subsequent processing. The branched copolymers exhibit superior properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a) a catalytic composite comprising a support structure and a catalytic species that is deposited on the support structure, b) a process for the selective oligomerization of lower alkenes and mixtures of alkenes, which process comprises contacting the lower alkenes with the catalytic composite in a catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions, and c) a process for producing high octane products, which process comprises hydrogenating one or more catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions.

Abstract: A micro-positioning device adapted for displacement in a direction of travel. The device has a frame, an actuator attached to the frame, and a hydraulic booster attached to the frame and operably connected to the actuator. The actuator is adapted for activation and de-activation in sequence to achieve a displacement in the direction of travel. The hydraulic booster is adapted for amplifying or de-amplifying displacement in the direction of travel. The hydraulic booster converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy and converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy to modify the displacement.

Abstract: A process for the synthesis of arborescent polymers comprises epoxidation of a first polymer and grafting thereto a second polymer having groups reactive to the epoxide groups on the first polymer. The epoxidation and grafting steps can be repeated. In an additional embodiment, the present invention provides a one-pot method for the synthesis of arborescent polymers. In a reaction pot, a first polymer is copolymerized and then reacted with an activating compound in order to generate a polyfunctional macroinitiator. Monomers are then added to the reaction pot, the monomers having functional groups reactive towards reactive sites on the first polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sample chamber for a centrifugal permearmeter for testing permeant conductivity of a porous sample, the sample chamber comprising a rigid outer sleeve; a resilient inner sleeve mountable over the sample and within the rigid outer sleeve; fluid inlet means for introducing fluid between the inner and outer sleeves; sealing means acting between the inner and outer sleeves for maintaining the fluid therebetween; a porous top member for mounting over a top face of the sample and supplying the permeant to the sample, the top being movable with the sample to maintain a radially outward permeant force on the sample as the sample is being spun in the centrifugal permeameter; a permeant supply for supplying the permeant to the porous top; and, a permeant accumulator for receiving and accumulating permeant which has passed through the sample.

Abstract: A method of measuring changes in signal level output of an integrated circuit sensor by providing a direct current (DC) or low frequency (AC) bias to the sensor and placing a floating gate semiconductor device on-chip and coupling the floating gate of the semiconductor device with the sensor. As a result, changes in signal level output of the sensor modulate charge at the gate. The semiconductor device in turn converts the modulated charge at the gate into output signals proportional to the changes in the signal level output. The measurement method provides a resolution in the sub-atto range.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of sulphur trioxide, solutions of sulphuric acid, or organic derivatives thereof, using organic compounds and/or supercritical fluids, and catalyst. The process comprises the steps of passing a mixture of SO2 and an oxygen-containing gas over an activated carbon catalyst at a temperature of at least 15° C. and preferably at a pressure of 1-200 atmospheres, and stripping the activated carbon with either (i) a liquid organic compound selected from the group consisting of ketones, ethers, decalin, tetrahydrofurans, sulpholanes, glymes and formamides and which is non-reactive with sulphur trioxide or sulphuric acid, or (ii) a liquid organic compound capable of forming organic sulphates or sulphonates by reaction with sulphur trioxide or sulphuric acid. The process may be used to obtain sulphuric acid, or organic sulphates or sulphonates.

Abstract: A process for the synthesis of branched graft polymers comprises acylating a first polymer and grafting thereto a second polymer, the second polymer having reactive groups capable of being bound to the acyl groups on the first polymer. The acylation and grafting steps can be repeated to produce graft polymers having a dendritic architecture. The invention also provides polymers produced by the above process, which may be simple branched (comb) polymers, or dendritic polymers.

Abstract: A method for determing the potential in a three-dimensional domain containing a source domain of source particles and a target domain of target particles involves assigning the source particles into source particle clusters and the target particles into target particle clusters, assigning a collection point to each of the clusters, and determing the inverse distance from each particle to the collection point of its respective cluster. A pseudo-particle representative of each particle within the cluster is defined at the collection point of each cluster in accordance with the determined inverse distances and the charge-like measure of each of the particles. The potential, and/or its gradient, at any of the target particles is then determined from the position and the charge-like measure of the associated pseudo-particle.

Abstract: A groundwater velocity probe is provided comprising a surface with a first portion and a second portion, an injector for injecting a tracer proximate the first portion, a detector for detecting the tracer proximate the second portion, and a timer for measuring time elapsed between injecting the tracer and detecting the tracer.