Abstract: A process for the regeneration of loaded ion-exchange resin comprising (a) providing loaded resin for regeneration; (b) providing first stage and third stage regenerant suitable for regenerating loaded resin; (c) providing a plurality of regeneration vessels; (d) filling a regeneration vessel with a desired amount of the loaded resin before filling another regeneration vessel; (e) once a regeneration vessel has been filled, contacting the loaded resin within the vessel with first stage regenerant in a plug flow to provide a first stage regenerated resin; (f) contacting the first stage regenerated resin with third stage regenerant in a plug flow to provide regenerated resin and (g) removing and collecting third stage regenerant from a vessel containing regenerated resin and adding the collected regenerant to the first stage regenerant.

Abstract: The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive segments and conductance constricting segments of a nanowire, such as metallic, superconducting or semiconducting nanowire. The present invention provides structures and devices comprising conductive nanowire segments and conductance constricting nanowire segments having accurately selected phases including crystalline and amorphous states, compositions, morphologies and physical dimensions, including selected cross sectional dimensions, shapes and lengths along the length of a nanowire. Further, the present invention provides methods of processing nanowires capable of patterning a nanowire to form a plurality of conductance constricting segments having selected positions along the length of a nanowire, including conductance constricting segments having reduced cross sectional dimensions and conductance constricting segments comprising one or more insulating materials such as metal oxides.

Abstract: A method for inducing melanogenesis in a human subject having a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) variant allele associated with loss of or diminished receptor function comprises administering to said subject an amount of an ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone (?-MSH) analogue effective to induce melanogenesis by the melanocytes in the skin or other epidermal tissue of the subject.

Abstract: Bisphosphonate compounds and related methods of making and using are disclosed, including pyridinium-1-yl, quinolinium-1-yl, and related compounds. The activity of compounds is disclosed in the context of functional assays such as Leishmania major farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS) inhibition, Dictyostelium discoideum growth inhibition, human gamma delta T cell activation, and bone resorption. The applicability of bisphosphonate compounds in the context of parasitic infections, for example against trypanosomes, is disclosed. Further potential applications of the invention are disclosed regarding the treatment of one or more conditions such as bone resorption disorders, cancer, bone pain, infectious diseases, and in immunotherapy.

Abstract: A wellhead assembly to seal to a production casing including one or more pressure-containing wellhead body members defining a vertical bore, with the lowermost of the wellhead body members sealing to the production casing. A fracturing isolation tool is sealed in the vertical bore of the wellhead body members above the production casing, and forms a pressure barrier profile in its internal bore. A removable protector sleeve is located at least partially within the fracturing isolation tool to seal, protect, isolate and cover the pressure barrier profile against a fracturing pressure and a fracturing fluid. After fracturing the protector sleeve is removed and a pressure barrier is sealed in the pressure barrier profile of the fracturing isolation tool. The invention also extends to the method of isolating the wellhead body members and to the fracturing isolation tool assembly which includes the fracturing isolation tool and the protector sleeve.

Abstract: A parimutuel betting game featuring in-game wagers and payoffs, and real time parimutuel style odds, based on events unfolding during a live event, a principal objective being to acquire the largest number of betting tokens by the end of the event. An administrator oversees a plurality of betting lines associated with betting events. Players are allowed to bet tokens on an open betting line until it is closed by the administrator. The line will close at or before the time the situation in the live event changes appreciably, so the posted odds on the betting lines are in synch with the live event. When a line is closed, a new line may open. When a termination event occurs for a given betting event, the betting event is terminated and all lines that opened since the previous termination are paid off simultaneously in parimutuel style. The betting lines preferably have a hierarchical structure. The game may be played over the Internet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nixtamalization process wherein corn endosperm fractions, subfractions, or combinations thereof are individually nixtamalized to produce food products. The invention also comprises food products, including masa, instant masa, tortillas, and tortilla-related food products produced by the present invention's methods, including food products that have controllable fat and/or fiber levels.

Abstract: Provided is a method for polymerizing a polymer precursor, comprising: contacting a polymer precursor with a lithium carborane catalyst and an initiator under polymerizing conditions. A reaction solvent may be used, but is not necessary. Also provided is a method of preparing lithium carborane polymers, comprising: contacting a lithium carborane polymer precursor having a terminal alkenyl or alkynyl group with an initiator and an optional reaction solvent under polymerizing conditions. Functionalized carborane anions are also provided.

Abstract: Provided are a photoresist coating apparatus and a method of coating photoresist using the same. The apparatus includes a photoresist supply line through which photoresist is supplied. A fluid control valve is connected to the photoresist supply line to control the flow of the photoresist. A nozzle assembly is connected to the photoresist supply line at a rear end of the fluid control valve. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle located above the center of a semiconductor wafer loaded in a photoresist coating unit to spray the photoresist. A camera is located outside the photoresist coating unit to monitor the shape or spraying amount of the nozzle located at the tip of the nozzle assembly. A controller converts data monitored by the camera into an electric signal and processes the electric signal.

Abstract: The invention provides CVD-based methods for growing single-walled or multi-walled carbon nanotubes. In the methods of the invention, the nanotube growth environment is separated from the carbon-containing gas feed environment using a membrane which is substantially impermeable to gas flow but permits diffusion of carbon through the membrane. A catalyst for carbon nanotube growth is located on the growth side of the membrane while a catalyst for decomposition of carbon-containing gas is located on the feed side of the membrane. A path for diffusion of carbon through the membrane is provided between the growth and decomposition catalysts. Control of the size and shape of the carbon nanotube growth catalyst enables control over the nanotube structure formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to compounds providing antibacterial therapeutic agents and preparations, and related methods of using and making antibacterial compounds. Antibacterial compounds of the present invention include chalcone, alkylpyrimidine, aminopyrimidine and cyanopyridine compounds and derivatives thereof exhibiting minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) similar to or less than conventional antibacterial compounds in wide use. For example, the present invention provides chalcone and cyanopyridine compounds, and derivatives thereof, exhibiting high antibacterial activities having multiple electron withdrawing group substituents, such as halogens and fluorinated alky groups, and optionally having hydroxyl and/or alkoxyl groups substituents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first optically active layer (32) that is present at least in some areas and comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material. According to the present invention, a second optically active layer (34) that is present at least in some areas is provided, the first and the second layer (32, 34) being stacked in an overlap area. Here, the first optically active layer (32) selectively reflects light in a first wavelength range having a first circular polarization direction, and the second optically active layer (34), either itself or, in the overlap area, in coaction with the first optically active layer (32), selectively reflects light in a second wavelength range having a second direction of circular polarization.

Abstract: This invention is a temperature-based smart insole capable of continuously or intermittently measuring the foot temperature of the patient at one or more locations of the foot while the insole is worn. The device provides feedback to the patient alerting the individual of risk based on his/her plantar temperatures. Benefits of this device include: its ability to free the patient from the clinical setting and increase patient's confidence to be mobile, thus enhancing circulation while at the same time allowing the patient to self-monitor their feet.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle transmission during a gear change thereof, the method comprising operating a plurality of power shift clutches to disengage the power shift input gearing and the power shift output gearing, disengaging the driving connection between the range shift input shaft and the range shift output shaft by means of the range selection gearing, engaging at least two of the power shift clutches to vary the rotational speed of the power shift output shaft and hence the range shift input shaft, and operating the range selection gearing to establish a driving connection between the range shift input shaft and the range shift output shaft.

Abstract: A biocompatible biological component is provided comprising a membrane-mimetic surface film covering a substrate. Suitable substrates include hydrated substrates, e.g. hydrogels which may contain drugs for delivery to a patient through the membrane-mimetic film, or may be made up of cells, such as islet cells, for transplantation. The surface may present exposed bioactive molecules or moieties for binding to target molecules in vivo, for modulating host response when implanted into a patient (e.g. the surface may be antithrombogenic or antiinflammatory) and the surface may have pores of selected sizes to facilitate transport of substances therethrough. An optional hydrophilic cushion or spacer between the substrate and the membrane-mimetic surface allows transmembrane proteins to extend from the surface through the hydrophilic cushion, mimicking the structure of naturally-occurring cells.

Abstract: Compounds and related methods for synthesis, and the use of compounds and combination therapies for the treatment of cancer and modulation of apoptosis in cells are disclosed. Particularly disclosed are phosphonate esters. Compounds, methods of making the compounds, medicaments and method of manufacture of medicaments and therapeutic methods with applications against cancer including breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, leukemia and lymphoma, and other cancer cells are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides plasmonic crystals comprising three-dimensional and quasi comprising three-dimensional distributions of metallic or semiconducting films, including multi-layered crystal structures comprising nanostructured films and film arrays. Plasmonic crystals of the present invention include precisely registered and deterministically selected nonplanar crystal geometries and spatial distributions providing highly coupled, localized plasmonic responses in thin film elements and/or nanostructures of the crystal. Coupling of plasmonic responses provided by three-dimensional and quasi-three dimensional plasmonic crystal geometries and structures of the present invention generates enhanced local plasmonic field distributions useful for detecting small changes in the composition of an external dielectric environment proximate to a sensing surface of the plasmonic crystal.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and devices for fabricating 3D structures and patterns of 3D structures on substrate surfaces, including symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns of 3D structures. Methods of the present invention provide a means of fabricating 3D structures having accurately selected physical dimensions, including lateral and vertical dimensions ranging from 10s of nanometers to 1000s of nanometers. In one aspect, methods are provided using a mask element comprising a conformable, elastomeric phase mask capable of establishing conformal contact with a radiation sensitive material undergoing photoprocessing. In another aspect, the temporal and/or spatial coherence of electromagnetic radiation using for photoprocessing is selected to fabricate complex structures having nanoscale features that do not extend entirely through the thickness of the structure fabricated.

Abstract: In a method for transmitting a data stream, especially a reducible data stream, from a producer to a plurality of viewers, wherein producer and viewers are subscribers in a network having point-to-point connections, the producer transmits the data stream over a point-to-point network connection to at least one viewer, at least one viewer receives the data stream over a point-to-point network connection and promptly transmits it in identical or reduced form to at least one additional viewer, and every viewer is promptly supplied with the data stream in identical or reduced form by either the producer or another viewer over a point-to-point network connection.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Punica granatum plant named ‘PIIPG-I’, characterized by its compact, upright spreading growth habit, lustrous, dark green foliage, reddish-orange flowers, maroon-purple fruits, and cold hardiness to USDA Hardiness Zone 7.