Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the barrier properties of porous materials particularly at low flow rates through the porous materials with the capability to separate flow through a test sample from flow through a particle counting means. The invention approximates real world situations and provides significant advantages in time and cost, especially in medical applications.

Abstract: Cooling systems and methods for cooling heat-generating equipment, such as steam driven turbines, can operate in multiple modes including a closed loop mode, an open loop mode and a helper mode. During normal operation in the closed loop mode, cooling water may be circulated in a closed cooling system through an integrated cooling tower, without drawing from or discharging into a water source, thereby minimizing the effect of the cooling system on the water source. In open loop operation, water can be drawn from a water source to cool the equipment without the use of the cooling tower and can then be discharged. The open loop mode can be advantageous when the cooling tower may be out of service. In the helper mode, cooling water drawn from a source cools the equipment and may then be partially or fully circulated through the cooling tower prior to discharge.

Abstract: A non-impact process and apparatus for coating printing cylinders with layers of a coating liquid, especially for coating flexographic printing sleeves with infrared sensitive layers.

Abstract: Novel addressing schemes for controlling bistable electronically addressable displays include the use of addressing signals with additional signals having opposite polarity and equal integrated signal strength, and addressing schemes that minimize the number of state changes that a display element undergoes. In one embodiment, pre-pulses are employed to apply a pre-stress to an display element that is equal and opposite to the electrical stress applied in addressing the element. In another embodiment, the addressing signal is followed by a post-stressing pulse. Methods for minimizing the number of display elements that must change state to change the image displayed include the determination of a set of elements that must be deactivated and a set of elements that must be activated to change the image depicted by a display. Alternatively, only the elements forming one image are deactivated before the elements forming a different image are activated.

Abstract: Olefins, such as ethylene, are polymerized using as a polymerization catalyst a complex of a selected transition metal with a monoanionic ligand that has at least three atoms that may coordinate to the transition metal. Also disclosed are the above selected transition metal complexes, and intermediates thereto.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cosmetic or pharmaceutical topical compositions containing at least one cyclic nucleotide having its 2′ hydroxyl group replaced by a hydrogen atom for inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor is in combination with a magnesium buffer and a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention also includes methods for treating or preventing inflammation or irritation such as is common in the skin disease, atopic dermatitis, which is known to be related to the uncontrolled activity of phosphodiesterase.

Abstract: Process for curing powder lacquers by coating substrates with the powder lacquers and irradiating by radiation in the near infrared range (NIR radiation), which is characterized in that the curing times and/or the surface temperatures, obtainable by means of the radiation during certain curing times, of the substrates coated with the powder lacquers are controlled by setting the barium sulfate and/or aluminium oxide content of the powder lacquers to 1 to 50 wt. % and/or setting the carbon black content of the powder lacquers to 0.1 to 5 wt. %, the percentages by weight relating to the entire powder lacquer composition in each case.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a process for making &agr;-methylenelactones and &agr;-substitute hydrocarbylidene lactones. More specifically, the present invention obtains high yields of &agr;-methylene-&ggr;-butyrolactone by heating &ggr;-butyrolactone and diethyl oxalate in the presence of a base. The second step comprises treatment of the &agr;-oxalyl enolate salt with formaldehyde to afford the &agr;-methylene-&ggr;-butyrolactone.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising A) a stationary acid component selected from the group consisting of a perfluorinated ion exchange polymer on an inert support, a silane modified perfluorosulfonic acid, and a sulfated metal oxide; and B) a mobile acid component selected from the group consisting of chlorosulfonic acid, fluorosulfonic acid, a fluorinated monosulfonic acid, a fluorinated sulfonimide, a fluorinated disulfonic acid, and an adjunct acid mixture is disclosed.

Abstract: Refrigerant compositions include mixtures of difluoromethane and isobutane, butane, propylene or cyclopropane; pentafluoroethane and propylene or cyclopropane; 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane and propane; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and cyclopropane; 1,1,1-trifluoroethane and DME or propylene; 1,1-difluoroethane and propane, isobutane, butane or cyclopropane; fluoroethane and propane or cyclopropane; 1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoropropane and butane, cyclopropane, DME, isobutane or propane; or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane and butane, cyclopropane, isobutane or propane.

Abstract: Process for producing a multi-layer lacquer finish, in which a surfacer coating compound is applied to a substrate optionally pre-coated with a priming layer and/or further coating layers, and a top coating comprising a color-imparting and/or special-effect-imparting base lacquer layer and a transparent clear lacquer layer, or a top coating comprising a pigmented one-layer top lacquer, is then applied, in which the surfacer coating compound which is used is one which either contains binders which are curable exclusively by free radical and/or cationic polymerization, wherein the said binders are cured by means of high-energy radiation, or is one which contains binders which are curable by free radical and/or cationic polymerization, wherein the said binders are cured by means of high-energy radiation, and additionally contains chemically cross-linking binders.

Abstract: A control installation for solid cleaning members circulating in a heat exchanger includes interception arrangements interposed on the heat exchanger outlet pipe, a return pipe which recycles toward the inlet pipe a return flow containing the solid cleaning members, and a control device for the solid cleaning members. Between the interception arrangements and the control device there is a concentration device dividing the return flow into two parts. The return pipe is part of circulation arrangements which generate a counter-current flow through the interception arrangements and which include suction arrangements in line with the interception device to take up the solid cleaning members retained thereby.

Abstract: The formwork system is based on the use of modules that can be coupled to each other, both laterally and vertically, with each one comprised of a pair of metal sheets (2) that determine the inner and outer faces of the formwork, with threaded transverse rods (25) that join the sheets (2) to each other, and welded to the outer sides of these are a series of trapezoidal profiles (7) and two edge profiles (7′). The system includes stiffeners (10) that are provided with tensioning devices, with the stiffeners (10) connected to the trapezoidal profiles (7) by triangular plates (13) on which act the tensioning devices in order to move these triangular plates and thereby to curve the panel, maintaining the curvature in the blocked position by means of a device installed between the triangular plate (13) and the corresponding trapezoidal profile (7) and by another tensioning device (12) applied to the stiffeners (10).

Abstract: Disclosed are physical blends of poly(1,3-propylene 2,6-naphthalate) polymer compositions with other polymers in which the concentration of poly(1,3-propylene 2,6-naphthalate) is from 1 to 99 mole %.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a beamformer having a feed port and a one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrangement of output ports, radiating antenna elements coupled with output ports of the beamformer, and an antenna control unit coupled with the beamformer to steer a beam of the antenna system. The antenna system forms an electrically steerable, phased array antenna having a beam steering angle which is constant over a very broad band of frequencies. Specific applications for the antenna system include satellite communications including tracking low earth orbiting satellites, radar systems and data links using a steerable antenna for self-installation, self-healing and adaptation.

Abstract: This invention relates to crosslinked polymer foam compositions of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer or ionomer, and a crosslinking agent. Such compositions exhibit enhanced melt strength, as well as lower density and compression set. They are especially useful as midsoles or insoles for footwear.

Abstract: The present invention relates to film-forming compositions containing ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers with a vinyl acetate percentage that causes film-forming problems and processability problems and an alkylene bisoleamide which is used to enhance the film forming capabilities of theses high VA content resins. The invention also relates to films prepared from theses compositions and to coating compositions.

Abstract: A composition that can be used as lubricant for high electric field including spark plug boots is disclosed. The composition comprises, or is produced by combining, a halogenated oil such as a perfluoropolyether, a polytrichlorofluoroethylene, a fluorosilicone, or combinations of two or more thereof; a basic thickener; and optionally an additional thickener in which the basic thickener is a metal hydroxide, a metal salt, an ammonium salt, or combinations of two or more thereof. The optional additional thickener is polytetrafluoroethylene, talc, silica, clay, boron nitride, metal soaps, titanium dioxide, polydimethylsiloxane, polyurea, polyurethane, or combinations of two or more thereof. Also provided is a spark plug boot that comprises the composition applied thereto.

Abstract: This invention relates to an aqueous dispersion of (a) from 0.5 to 99.5 weight percent of a fluoropolymer having an average particle size of from 0.01 to 30 microns; and (b) from 0.5 to 99.5 weight percent of an ethylene copolymer which comprises at least 50% by weight ethylene, 1-35% by weight of an acid-containing unsaturated mono-carboxylic acid, and optionally 0-49% by weight of a moiety selected from at least one of alkyl acrylate, alkyl methacrylate, vinyl ether, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, and further wherein the acid groups are neutralized from 0-100% by a metal ion or other cations, the weight percents being based on the total amounts of (a) and (b) only. The invention also relates to a coprecipate of this aqueous dispersion and a dry powder made by drying the aqueous dispersion or coprecipitate.

Abstract: A process for multi-coat lacquering by applying a coat of filler and/or other coating compounds on to a substrate and then a top coat consisting of a base coat/clear lacquer construction or of a pigmented one-coat finish, at least one of the coats in the multi-coat construction being prepared from a coating compound which is at least partially curable by high-energy radiation, and irradiating this (these) coat(s) with UV radiation and IR radiation, a UV source having a proportion of IR radiation in its emission spectrum being, used for the irradiation with UV and IR radiation and, by alternately adding a UV filter and an IR filter and/or alternately adding and removing a UV filter or an IR filter in front of the radiation source, at least two irradiation intervals being formed, during which irradiation is variously carried out with UV radiation, IR radiation or UV radiation and IR radiation simultaneously.