Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for assembling polymer-forming molecular components such that highly-structured arrays of polymer strands, such as collagen fibrils, are formed without the need for cells. A polymer nanoloom is designed to control the self-assembly of monomers into fibrils and related tissue constructs including ligament, tendon, cartilage, and bone. A nanoloom system comprises a polymer printhead, a temperature controller, and a movable substrate for polymer printing. A polymer printhead contains one or more nanoreactors that can control the assembly of collagen fibrils or other polymers on a nanoscale. Methods are provided for temperature-driven, enzyme-driven, and cholesteric assembly of collagen or other polymers into two- or three-dimensional tissue constructs.

Abstract: The invention provides a solid phosphoric acid catalyst which has high activity and attains high dimer selectivity in olefin dimerization reactions and efficient methods of olefin dimerization. The solid phosphoric acid catalyst comprises a carrier and phosphoric acid supported thereon. When the solid phosphoric acid catalyst is heated at 250° C. for 20 minutes, heating loss of water is 50 mass % or more based on diphosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) derived from the phosphoric acid. A method of olefin dimerization comprises bringing an olefin-containing feed material containing water in an amount of 10-1000 mass ppm into contact with the catalyst to initiate the reaction.

Abstract: A reconfigurable piece of furniture having a two-dimensional pattern for storage and multiple three-dimensional functional patterns. The furniture piece includes a central base portion of circular, oval or polygonal shape, pivoting members disposed at discrete locations along an edge of the central base portion; plural radiating members that are bi-directionally pivotally or foldably attached to a corresponding pivoting member; and fastening members disposed on corresponding portions of radiating members. After pivoting or rotating the radiating members, adjacent radiating members are releasably secured to each other to provide structure to adjacent radiating members, forming a three-dimensional furniture piece.

Abstract: A resin composition for surface-mountable (SMT) camera modules which is excellent in the balance between heat resistance, rigidity, strength or moldability and surface exfoliation characteristics is provided by using a liquid-crystal polyester resin composition which comprises 100 parts by mass of a liquid-crystal polyester, 15 to 60 parts by mass of talc having a number-mean particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m, 25 to 50 parts by mass of glass fiber having a number-mean fiber length of 100 to 200 ?m, 6 to 20 parts by mass of titanium oxide, and 2 to 10 parts by mass of carbon black and which exhibits a melt viscosity of 10 to 100 Pa S as determined at a shear rate of 100 sec?1 and 370° C. and a deflection temperature under load of 220° C. or above.

Abstract: An antimicrobial and chemical deactivating composition for use in a liquid medium or for incorporation into a coating, structural plastic materials, thin microporous membranes, textiles and sponges. The composition includes macrosize or submicron particles of silver, platinum with silver and their salts with parabens, oxide, salicylate, acetate, citrate, benzoate and phosphate along with copper and zinc salts of the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making terephthalic acid by reacting a starting material and oxygen in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst and p-xylene as solvent to produce a solution of terephthalic acid (TPA). The starting material is p-xylene, p-toluic acid, 4 carboxybenzaldehyde, or a mixture of any two or more thereof. No solid TPA is formed during the reaction in contrast to previous manufacturing methods that utilize acidic solvents and precipitate TPA as it forms. By avoiding the direct precipitation of TPA during formation, the present methods avoid many shortcomings of the conventional manufacturing methods used to produce TPA. In particular, the present methods do not require additional purification steps to remove reaction byproducts; film grade TPA can be obtained directly from starting material in a one-step process.

Abstract: A plurality of interactive modules are disposed at spaced locations to form an adaptive wireless network. Each module is capable of receiving transmissions of messages or data packets from other modules, and of transmitting messages or data packets to other modules for forming selected transmission paths via one or more modules toward a base station. Upon failure of a transmission path, a module not capable of transmitting a message along a transmission path toward the base station, transmits a message to other of the plurality of modules to form a new transmission path via such other module.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a catalytic principle based on zeolite crystallites attached to support or incorporated in a matrix and a catalytically active principle incorporated in the zeolite, the said crystallites having a diameter of between 20 and 300 nm and said catalytically active principle having a formula corresponding to: CoMn2(O)(R—COO)6 L1k1 L2k2 wherein: R is an optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl; L1 is an optionally substituted nitrogen containing carboxylic acid or salts thereof; L2 is selected from the group consisting of H2O, an optionally substituted C1-C4 alkyl containing carboxylic acid, an optionally substituted C5-C6 cycloalkyl or heterocycle, an optionally substituted C5-C6 heteroaryl or aryl; and k1+k2=3; wherein the zeolite has an Si/Al atomic ratio of at least 8, as well as to a method for the oxidation of alkyl aromatics compounds employing the catalytic principle.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for determining and controlling the inertial attitude of a spinning artificial satellite without using a suite of inertial gyroscopes. The method and apparatus operate by tracking three astronomical objects near the Earth's ecliptic pole and the satellite's and/or star tracker's spin axis and processing the track information.

Abstract: In a process for fabricating large structures, a composite material panel is continuously pultruded in a pultrusion die assembly and cut transversely to the process direction to provide panel sections. The panel sections can be sufficiently long to extend from one end to an opposite end of the structure. The panel sections are assembled with a joint along adjacent edges using steel-to-composite and composite-to-composite joining technology. The joints can be integrated into the panel longitudinal edges, or separate joint assemblies can be fabricated. In this manner, fewer joints are required. A variety of in-plane and out-of-plane joint assemblies are provided.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods of video collaboration. End-users may participate in collaboration sessions in which inter-personal barriers are rapidly dissolved through the completing of collaborative tasks. The end-users may be grouped into teams to perform these collaborative tasks, and may be scored and/or ranked based not only on performance of the task but on the interactions between team members. In some examples a coach or moderator is provided to assist with task completion and/or to facilitate social interaction between participants. According to various examples, system architectures are described for facilitating video collaboration. In one example, the architecture includes a multi-gateway architecture that segregates functions associated with presentation of an integrated video display from functions associated with transmission of display streams to devices associated with end-users.

Abstract: An educational maze navigated through responses to questions provided at points in the maze enhances factual assimilation and retention for the user. The user selects responses to travel through the maze and is not immediately informed whether the selected responses are correct. Various indications can be provided to inform the user about the correctness of responses or whether they are on a path towards the maze exit. The indications may be dead ends, loops, suggested reference materials or other information that tends to assist the user in assimilating facts or navigating the maze. The user may receive a reward for providing correct responses or successfully completing the maze. The problem-solving and cognitive judgment skills applied to navigate the maze tends to help users assimilate and retain the factual information represented by the queries and responses.

Abstract: The present invention comprises the design, synthesis and development of a new class of chemotherapeutic agents for prophylactic and therapeutic treatments in a mammal, particularly a human, believed to be at risk of suffering from a hormone-responsive disorder. In an aspect of the invention, such treatments include therapeutic compositions comprising novel steroidal antiestrogen and antiandrogen compounds. In a preferred aspect, such a novel compound of the present invention has an address and a message component, which are made into a single composite entity for more aggressive intervention and effective treatment of hormone-responsive disorders, thereby prolonging the disease-free interval for the patient and reducing a number of side effects.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a non-human animal model for a hereditary autosomal dominant disease. The non-human animal model expresses at least one phenotype associated with the disease and is obtained by a genetic determinant. The invention also relates to sperm cells and embryos comprising the genetic determinant for an autosomal dominant disease. Furthermore, methods for producing the non-human animal model, sperm cell, and embryos are disclosed.

Abstract: A breakaway cable is provided with a plug that has a number of wires that are arranged so as to disconnect in a predetermined sequence. The disconnect plug is designed to fit into a standard plug assembly. This end of the plug presents the same set of pins as a truck, thus extending the existing cable by the extender length. The breakaway cable is configured to break in a controlled manner in the event a vehicle to which the cable is connected should pull away.

Abstract: A tiedown system foundation adapter system provides greater flexibility in spotting equipment on a support surface. An adapter module includes a plate assembly that drops into a slotted track system and is slid along the track system until it fits into an attachment point that restrains the plate assembly from vertical pullout and motion transverse to the track. The plate assembly is then locked into position to restrain it from further translation along the track. An equipment fitting is translatably mounted with respect to the upper surface and attaches to a complementary attachment fitting on the bottom of a piece of equipment. By locating a number of modules in desired locations along the tracks and locating the equipment fitting in each module, a piece of equipment can be oriented in virtually any position and location in the space to be furnished. A deck system for a flush floor is also provided.

Abstract: Rather than trying to immobilize a living, moving organ to place the organ in the fixed frame of reference of a table-mounted robotic device, the present disclosure teaches mounting a robot in the moving frame of reference of the organ. That task can be accomplished with a wide variety of robots including a miniature crawling robotic device designed to be introduced, in the case of the heart, into the pericardium through a port, attach itself to the epicardial surface, and then, under the direct control of the surgeon, travel to the desired location for treatment. The problem of beating-heart motion is largely avoided by attaching the device directly to the epicardium. The problem of access is resolved by incorporating the capability for locomotion. The device and technique can be used on other organs and on other living bodies such as pets, farm animals, etc. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used in construing the claims.

Abstract: To densify thin porous substrates (1) by chemical vapor infiltration, the invention proposes using loading tooling (10) comprising a tubular duct (10) disposed between first and second plates (12, 13) and around which the thin substrates for densification are disposed radially. The tooling as loaded in this way is then placed inside a reaction chamber (20) in an infiltration oven having a reactive gas admission inlet (21) connected to the tubular duct (11) to enable a reactive gas to be admitted into the duct which distributes the gas along the main faces on the substrates (1) in a flow direction that is essentially radial. The reactive gas can also flow in the opposite direction, i.e. it can be admitted into the tooling (10) from its outer envelope (16) and can be removed via the duct (11).

Abstract: A method for partially metallizing a product comprising a first surface, a first polymer material, and a second surface, a second polymer material, wherein the method comprises the sequential steps of exposing the first and second surfaces to conditions which render the first surface hydrophilic, and the second surface hydrophobic; contacting the first and second surfaces with water or aqueous solution; contacting the first and second surfaces with a solution of a film former in a water-immiscible solvent; evaporating the solvent to allow formation of a film by the film former on the second surface; adherence of a film by the film former on the first surface is prevented by the presence of the water or aqueous solution thereupon; performing a conventional metallization process to deposit a metal layer on the first and second surface; and removing the metallized film from the second surface to render the first surface metallized.

Abstract: Pump (1) comprising a rotary shaft (30), a bearing housing (80) that is fixed relative to the rotary shaft, at least one rolling bearing (70) the inner ring (71) of which is connected to the said rotary shaft and the outer ring (76) of which is able to slide in this housing along the axis of rotation of the rotary shaft. The bearing housing (80) comprises a shoulder (81) situated on one side of this bearing and able rigidly to prevent translational movement of the outer ring (76) along the axis of rotation, and a deformable elastic device (100) fixed to the housing on the other side of the bearing (70) so that the bearing lies between the shoulder and the elastic device.