Abstract: Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away front the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.

Abstract: An umbilical having a plurality of sensors (single, multi-component, or distributed) disposed in a sealed encapsulant, optionally with “accessories” or connectors at the ends, and the methods or manufacturing and deploying such an umbilical for seismic imaging in geological formations and other applications.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and associated equipment for using irradiated, magnetic energy (6) to carry out pest control in plants and vegetable matter e.g. agricultural crops and vegetable foodstuffs. The invention is also suitable for pest control in woody materials and is useful for any material, which is reasonably transparent to B-field energy, to attack a pest (1) that is more opaque to B-field energy than the substrate on or within which the pest (1) is located, such as wasps inside a wall cavity, or slugs and snails under the soil, or mosquito larvae in water.

Abstract: An umbilical having a plurality of sensors (single, multi-component, or distributed) disposed in a sealed encapsulant, optionally with “accessories” or connectors at the ends, and the methods for manufacturing and deploying such an umbilical for seismic imaging in geological formations and other applications.

Abstract: An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. The method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures. The methods further include perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures with a second perfusate containing a substance for reacting with the organ. Condition of the organ may be automatically monitored, and the perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.

Abstract: An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. The method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures. The methods further include perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures with a second perfusate containing a substance for reacting with the organ. Condition of the organ may be automatically monitored, and the perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.

Abstract: An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. The method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures. The methods further include perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures with a second perfusate containing a substance for reacting with the organ. Condition of the organ may be automatically monitored, and the perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.

Abstract: An improved method for the preparation of a supported polymerisation catalyst system comprises the combination of (i) a porous support (ii) a polymerisable monomer, (iii) a polymerisation catalyst, and (iv) a cocatalyst, characterised in that the polymerisable monomer is added to the porous support before addition of one or both of the polymerisation catalyst and the cocatalyst. The preferred polymerisation catalyst is a metallocene complex and the preferred porous support is silica. The resultant supported catalysts are stable over long periods of time. The supported catalyst are particularly suitable for use in the gas phase.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a supported transition metal catalyst system which includes the steps of: (i) mixing together in a suitable solvent (a) an aluminoxane and (b) an ionic activator containing a cation and an anion, wherein the anion has at least one substituent containing a moiety having an active hydrogen, (ii) addition of the mixture from step (i) to a support material, and (iii) addition of a transition metal compound in a suitable solvent. The use of tetraisobutylaluminoxane as the aluminoxane results in a more stable activity profile and improved polymer properties in particular melt strength.

Abstract: Supported ionic metallocene catalyst systems may be prepared by a method comprising the following steps: i) mixing together in a suitable solvent: a) an organometallic compound, and b) an ionic activator comprising a cation and an anion; ii) addition of the mixture from step (i) to a support material; iii) addition of a metallocene complex in a suitable solvent; iv) further addition of an organometallic compound in a suitable solvent; and v) removal of the solvent. The preferred supported catalysts comprise a constrained geometry metallocene complex for example (t-butylamido)(tetramethyl-→5-cyclopentadienyl) dimethyl silanetitanium-→4-1,3-pentadiene and are particularly suitable for the polymerisation of ethylene or the copolymerisation of ethylene and &agr;-olefins having from 3 to 10 carbons in the gas phase.

Abstract: Supported inonic metallocene catalyst prepared by a process comprising the following steps; (i) mixing together in a suitable solvent (a) an metallocene complex, (b) an ionic compound comprising a cation and an anion having up to 100 non-hydrogen atoms and containing at least one substituent comprising a moiety having an active hydrogen, and (c) optionally a support material, (ii) treating the mixture obtained in (i) with an organometallic compound, and (iii) addition of a support material if not added in step (i), and (iv) removing the solvent.

Abstract: Supported ionic metallocene catalyst systems may be prepared by a method comprising the following steps: i) mixing together in a suitable solvent: a) an organometallic compound, and b) an ionic activator comprising a cation and an anion; ii) addition of the mixture from step (i) to a support material; iii) addition of a metallocene complex in a suitable solvent; iv) further addition of an organometallic compound in a suitable solvent; and v) removal of the solvent. The preferred supported catalysts comprise a constrained geometry metallocene complex for example (t-butylamido)(tetramethyl-5-cyclopentadienyl)dimethyl silanetitanium-→4-1,3-pentadiene and are particularly suitable for the polymerisation of ethylene or the copolymerisation of ethylene and &agr;-olefins having from 3 to 10 carbons in the gas phase.

Abstract: An underwater mining machine includes a chassis mounted on a powered drive arrangement for driving the chassis on an underwater surface, the chassis having a front end and a rear end and being adapted to be manoeuvrable and driven in at least a forward direction, a rotatable cutting drum secured to a boom which is attached to a cradle mounted on the chassis, and material gathering arms adapted to gather material which has been excavated or broken up by the cutting drum.

Abstract: A locket comprising a front cover and a back cover shaped to accommodate a leaf interposed between the covers when the locket is closed, wherein the leaf comprises an annular member having a central plane, a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion, the radially inner portion being thicker than the radially outer portion in a direction transverse to the central plane, such that the radially inner portion is thick enough to carry a photograph, picture etc whilst the radially outer portion is relatively thin thereby reducing the overall thickness of the locket.