Abstract: An electro-active contact lens system and a method for making the electro-active contact lens system is disclosed. The system includes a contact lens, an electro-active element attached to the contact lens, a view detector attached to the contact lens and in electronic communication with the electro-active element, and a power source attached to the contact lens. In certain embodiments, the view detector may be a rangefinder which determines the distance of an object being viewed and these embodiments further include a means to stabilize the rangefinder between the opening of the eyelids when the electro-active contact lens system is worn by a wearer. The electro-active contact lens system provides electro-active vision correction of one or more focal lengths.

Abstract: Polyurethanes or polyurethane-ureas prepared from: (a) polytrimethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 1,000 to about 4,000 and unsaturated end groups in the range of about 0.003 to about 0.015 meq/g; (b) diisocyanate; and (c) diol or diamine chain extender; and their manufacture, intermediates and use.

Abstract: This invention concerns a fluorometer preferably combined with a thermal cycler useful in biochemical protocols such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA melting curve analysis. The present flourometer features a low heat-generating light source such as a light emitting diode (LED), having a one-to-one correspondence to each of a plurality of sample containers, such as capped PCR tubes in a standard titer tray. The flourometer of the present invention further comprises an optical path between each LED and its correspondingly positioned container, and another optical path between each flourescing sample within the positioned container and an optical signal sensing means. The instrument can be computer controlled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making durable titanium dioxide pigment by vapor phase deposition of surface treatments on the titanium dioxide particle surface by reacting titanium tetrachloride vapor, an oxygen containing gas and aluminum chloride in a plug flow reactor to form a product stream containing titanium dioxide particles; and introducing silicon tetrachloride into the reactor at a point down stream of the point where the titanium tetrachloride and oxygen were contacted and where at least 97% of the titanium tetrachloride has been converted to titanium dioxide or where the reaction temperature is no greater than about 1200° C., and preferably not more than about 1100° C.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the discovery that ethylene-acid copolymers that have low melt flow index MFI (namely less than 100 g/10 min measured according to ASTM D1238 at 190° C., 2.16 kg) even with low acid content (such as less than 20 wt. %) can provide stable aqueous dispersions directly in aqueous media (i.e. free from any other solvent) with less than 1 wt. % non-dispersibles in single bases even at mild dispersion process conditions, at temperature less than 100°C., atmospheric pressure, and with low agitation speed.

Abstract: A polymer dispersant for pigments based on a graft copolymer which contains a new type of urea functional group as the pigment anchoring group. The urea groups are attached to the graft copolymer by a convenient method which involves reaction of hydroxyl functional groups built in the graft copolymer with a diisocyanate that is capped at one end with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine. The reaction is convenient and clean. Substantial crosslinking or gelling of the polymer can be easily avoided by judicious selection of appropriate ingredients and processing conditions. These materials are effective in dispersing and stabilizing a wide range of pigments in solvent based systems and are particularly useful in forming pigment dispersions that are used in a variety of solvent borne coating compositions for automobiles and trucks, where they provide improved efficiency of pigment use, lower paint viscosity, and reduced emission of volatile organic solvent.

Abstract: An electro-optic display, having at least one pixel capable of achieving any one of at least four different gray levels including two extreme optical states, is driven by displaying a first image on the display, and rewriting the display to display a second image thereon, wherein, during the rewriting of the display, any pixel which has undergone a number of transitions exceeding a predetermined value without touching an extreme optical state, is driven to at least one extreme optical state before driving that pixel to its final optical state in the second image.

Abstract: The invention provides a molded composition having improved noise damping properties, made of a blend of a soft thermoplastic polyether elastomer and a hard polyester resin reinforced with a fibrous or particulate filler, the molded composition having an inhomogeneous structure comprising a surface part which is rich in elastomer and depleted in the polyester resin and the reinforcing filler compared to its inner part, obtained by monocomponent injection molding of a blend of the soft and the hard polyester resin wherein only the polyester resin contains the reinforcing particulate filler. The molded composition has a flex modulus Fm in the range 0.5 to 10 GPa, and maintains a sufficient minimum tan delta damping factor t_ over a temperature range of ?50° C. to 170° C.

Abstract: Process for producing cables, in particular electrical cables for low-voltage power transmission or for telecommunications, which have self-extinguishing properties and produce a low level of fumes, in which the flame-retardant coating layer is obtained by extruding a flame-retardant composition comprising a polymer base, an inorganic flame-retardant filler and a dehydrating agent. The presence of the dehydrating agent makes it possible to obtain a smooth and uniform flame-retardant layer which is virtually free of pores.

Abstract: Porous microcomposites have been prepared from perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer and metal oxides such as silica using the sol-gel process. Such microcomposites possess high surface area and exhibit extremely high catalytic activity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for achieving a system, including: a polyphase machine having a plurality of sets of polyphase windings, each of the respective windings of a first of the sets of polyphase windings being inductively linked to one of each of the respective windings of the remaining sets of polyphase windings; a polyphase inverter operable to receive power from the windings of the first set and to produce a polyphase output; and a plurality of single-phase inverters, each operable to receive power from the windings of a respective one of the remaining sets and to produce a single-phase output, wherein each of the respective phases of the polyphase output may be coupled in series or parallel with one of the respective single-phase outputs to produce an aggregate polyphase output.

Abstract: A rotatable shunting socket housing for telecommunication devices includes a body having two sockets respectively defined at two opposite side thereof. Each of the sockets is provided with a plurality of metal feet. A cover is mounted on a side of the body and between the sockets. A connector is rotatably mounted on the cover, and has a plug provided at an exterior side thereof. The plug is perpendicular to the sockets and electrically connected with the metal feet. The body and the cover can be rotated about the connector, and plugs of mounting cords inserted in the can be parallel to a wall, so that the mounting cords are not bent or twisted.

Abstract: Use of homopolymers or copolymers of 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate as an additive in aqueous cathodically depositable coatings to suppress the formation of surface defects in coating films, in which the proportion by mass of the comonomers in the monomer mixture used for the preparation of the copolymers does not exceed 35%.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for analyzing, sensing and measuring information related to the concentrations of various gases, including NOx, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxygen, in a multi-component gas system using chemical sensors and chemical sensor arrays. The sensors and sensor arrays use chemo/electro-active materials to analyze and detect the presence of gases.

Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding starch synthase isoform V. are presented. Recombinant DNA constructs encoding all or a portion of starch synthase isoform V, in sense or antisense orientation, can be made, wherein expression of the recombinant DNA construct results in production of altered levels of the starch synthase isoform V in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: A droplet polymerization process is provided to create efficacious molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Such imprinted polymers have increased surface area for adsorptive or catalytic reactions. This method provides for monomer-template interactions in the absence of a suspending medium, thereby permitting formation of MIPs with increased template selectivity and substantial processing advantages. The process is particularly useful for separating isoflavones from soy whey.

Abstract: A coating composition useful as an electrical insulation layer for metal conductors, particularly wires, that has improved de-coating properties for the partial de-coating of coated conductor by the use of laser irradiation; the coating composition comprises A) 1 wt. % to 90 wt. %, based on the total weight of the binder, of one or more binders, B) 0.3 wt. % to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the binder, of one or more reactive particles based on an element-oxygen bound network with elements from the series of aluminum, tin, boron, germanium, gallium, lead, silicon, zinc, the transition metals and the lanthanides and actinides, and C) 0 wt. % to 95 wt.

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