Abstract: A flexible heating element for a vehicle seat or the like includes at least one flexible heating resistor element and at least two flexible supply electrodes arranged at a distance from each other and at least partly embedding the heating resistor element between them to form a layered structure. The flexible heating resistor is formed of a material having a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect. The layered structure includes a plurality of recesses formed therein defining a plurality of webs, the webs and recesses resulting in a net-like structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implanting a surgical apparatus including a first flange having an opening, a second flange having an opening, and a shaft having a lumen connecting the first and second flange openings. The surgical apparatus is inserted into a stoma formed in the trachea of a patient. The surgical apparatus receives and secures an oxygen supply line for patients who have difficulty breathing.

Abstract: A reclining chair, in particular a passenger chair, for use in a vehicle such as an aircraft, bus or mobile home. The chair includes a base assembly, a seat frame located above the base assembly, a seat attached to the seat frame, and a seat back connected to the seat frame. In various embodiments, the chair includes features such as an energy absorbing base assembly, an adjustable arm rest, a fully reclining seat back and a seat that increases its angle with respect to the horizontal as the seat back reclines, thereby forcing one back into the chair. The seat and seat back is also capable of achieving a fully horizontal position when the seat back is fully reclined.

Abstract: Dyed poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fibers having a lightfastness of 4 or higher after approximately 480 kJ incident UV radiation, and processes for preparing the fibers, are provided. The fibers are useful in automotive applications and other uses wherein UV absorption is likely.

Abstract: The electrode array is a device for making electrical contacts with cellular tissue or organs. The electrode array includes an assembly of electrically conductive electrodes arising from a substrate where the electrodes are hermetically bonded to the substrate. The electrodes also include an insulating layer which leaves at least one zone or at least one hole exposed for making focused electrical contact with the tissue. A hole passing completely or partially through the electrode may further provide an anchor to the living tissue, thereby stabilizing the array with respect to the tissue being examined. Also, a method of manufacture of an electrode array and associated circuitry is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated cytotoxic factor which is associated with multiple sclerosis and which is selected from the heterocomplex GM2AP/GM2/MRP14 and mutated GM2AP/GM2/MRP14, and to the method of detecting said factor in a biological sample to be tested. The inventive method comprises the following steps consisting in: (i) bringing the biological sample into contact with at least one capture antibody selected from antibodies that bind specifically to the GM2AP protein, to the mutated GM2AP protein, to the MRP14 protein, to the complex GM2AP/GM2, to the complex mutated GM2AP/GM2 and to the complex MRP14/GM2, and with at least one labeled detection antibody selected from antibodies that bind specifically to the GM2AP protein, to the mutated GM2AP protein, to the MRP14 protein, to the complex GM2AP/GM2, to the complex mutated GM2AP/GM2 and to the complex MRP14/GM2, and (ii) detecting and/or quantifying the cytotoxic factor by detecting and/or quantifying the labeled detection antibody.

Abstract: Glycerol-3-phosphate o-acyltransferase (GPAT) participates in the first step of oil biosynthesis and is expected to play a key role in altering the quantity of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) produced in oils of oleaginous organisms. The present application provides a nucleic acid fragment isolated from Mortierella alpina encoding a GPAT that is suitable for use in the manufacture of oils enriched in omega fatty acids in oleaginous organisms. Most desirably, the substrate specificity of the instant GPAT will be particularly useful to enable accumulation of long-chain PUFAs having chain lengths equal to or greater than C20 in oleaginous yeast, such as Yarrowia lipolytica.

Abstract: The present invention provides certain sulfonated copolyetherester compositions containing hydroxyalkanoic acids and processes for producing such sulfonated aromatic copolyetheresters. The invention further provides shaped articles, preferably in the shape of films, coatings and laminates, having improved thermal properties, wherein the shaped articles are produced from the certain sulfonated copolyetherester compositions. Some of these materials are also biocompostable. The sulfonated copolyetheresters are produced from a mixture of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component, hydroxyalkanoic acid component, a sulfonate component, a poly(alkylene ether) glycol component, a glycol component, an optional other glycol component, an optional branching agent, and an optional color reducing agent.

Abstract: This invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerases, a tryptophan biosynthetic enzyme. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene comprising the nucleic acid fragment, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerase in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: An encoded rhythmic pattern has several groups of velocity values, wherein the velocity values are sorted, such that the groups are included in sequence in an encoded rhythmic pattern. Now, the velocity values concentrated at the beginning of the encoded rhythmic pattern have a higher importance for characterizing the rhythmic gist of a piece of music than velocity values included in additional groups of velocity values. By using such an encoded rhythmic pattern, an efficient database access can be performed.

Abstract: A self-supporting conductive polymer film having distributed therein an electrically conductive polymer composition containing linearly conjugated ?-electron systems and residues of sulfonated lignin or a sulfonated polyflavonoid. The conductive polymer film preferably has a surface resistivity of from about 102 ohms per square to about 1010 ohms per square and is preferably formed from a liquid dispersion of thermoplastic polymer having the electrically conductive polymer composition distributed therein. In a preferred embodiment, heat sealable conductive fluoropolymer films are prepared.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to an inkjet ink composition comprising a soluble colorant and a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises an aqueous continuous phase and a microemulsified oil phase. The invention also pertains to an ink set containing this inkjet ink, as well as methods of printing using the inkjet ink and/or ink set.

Abstract: The present invention refers to the chemical synthesis and potentiality for application in several biochemical assays, of a potent agonist of the ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone (?-MSH), labeled with an amino acid-type paramagnetic spin probe (Toac, or 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-amino-4-carboxylic acid), valuable for use in electron spin resonance and fluorescence allowing biochemical-clinical investigation of relevant physiological roles of ?-MSH in animal organism. The referred analogue of the present invention, acetil-Toac0-(Nle4, DPhe7)-?-MSH, where (Nle4, DPhe7)-?-MSH is nominated commercially as Melanotan™ and although containing a non-natural compound in its structure such as Toac, maintained entirely its potent agonist potency.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a Myb-related transcription factor. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the Myb-related transcription factor, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the Myb-related transcription factor in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions include a novel nucleotide sequence for an inducible promoter for the gene encoding a maize 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenase. A method for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the promoter sequences disclosed herein is provided. The method comprises stably incorporating into the genome of a plant cell a nucleotide sequence operably linked to the root-preferred promoter of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant that expresses the nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: A method for addressing a bistable electro-optic display having at least one pixel comprises applying an addressing pulse to drive the pixel to a first optical state; leaving the pixel undriven for a period of time, thereby permitting the pixel to assume a second optical state different from the first optical state; and applying to the pixel a refresh pulse which substantially restores the pixel to the first optical state, the refresh pulse being short relative to the addressing pulse.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate having a primary surface, an array lying along the primary surface, wherein the array includes one or more radiation-emitting components, one or more radiation-responsive components, or any combination thereof, and a first edge connector. In a direction parallel to the primary surface, the first edge connector lies between the array and a perimeter of the substrate. In one embodiment, the electronic device is designed, such that during normal operation, the first edge connector has a temperature difference, due to current flow through the first edge connector, of no more than 10° C. In another embodiment, the array has an emission homogeneity of at least 75% over a lifetime of the electronic device. The electronic device can be operated with good emission intensity and have an extended electronic device lifetime compared to an electronic device having edge connectors that can cause local heating.

Abstract: Dimming of an electrical lamp of the type driven by a ballast is provided by a reactive power device in series between the AC supply and the ballast. The reactive power device provides a variable auxiliary voltage out of phase by 90 or 270 degrees with the current such that a smaller magnitude voltage is applied to the lamp. The dimming device has a switch to enable/disable dimming. When the switch is enabled, the voltage applied to the lamp is controlled by a half-bridge inverter with a pair of totem pole power electronic switches, along with a pair of DC series capacitors and a low-pass filter.

Abstract: A system of electronically active inks is described which may include electronically addressable contrast media, conductors, insulators, resistors, semiconductive materials, magnetic materials, spin materials, piezoelectric materials, optoelectronic, thermoelectric or radio frequency materials. We further describe a printing system capable of laying down said materials in a definite pattern. Such a system may be used for instance to: print a flat panel display complete with onboard drive logic; print a working logic circuit onto any of a large class of substrates; print an electrostatic or piezoelectric motor with onboard logic and feedback or print a working radio transmitter or receiver.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement for an electron collector of an electron beam tube has a plurality of solid dielectric spacers surrounding the corrector with an electrically insulative and thermally conductive dielectric liquid in gaps between the spacers. A water cooling system is arranged in thermal contact with the spacers and the liquid dielectric to provide cooling by water circulation. The cooling arrangement is a hybrid of oil and water cooling systems in which the electrically non conductive oil is arranged in gaps between dielectric spacers, the dielectric spacers provide a support for the surrounding water coolant system and ordinary water may be used to be pumped through the water cooling system.