Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for economically manufacturing high quality TiC powder, TiCN powder or ultrafine nanophase TiC+Ni (Co, Al) and TiCN+Ni (Co, Al) composite powders by means of metallothermic reduction. The method comprises the steps of preparing a starting solution of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) in a carbon chloride, feeding the starting solution into a closed container containing molten magnesium (Mg) under inert atmosphere, vacuum-separating unreacted liquid-phase Mg and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) remaining after reduction of magnesium from the closed container, and collecting a TiC compound from the closed container. TiC powder, TiCN powder or ultrafine nanophase TiC+Ni (Co, Al) and TiCN+Ni (Co, Al) composite powders having a particle size of a few tens nm can be manufactured in a simpler manner using economically advantageous starting materials such as titanium tetrachloride and carbon chlorides.

Abstract: A method for removing volatile and semi-volatile contaminants from groundwater in which the contaminants are stripped from the groundwater by sparging with an inert carrier gas and the stripped contaminants are transported into a bioactive zone into which at least one gaseous oxidant and at least one nutrient are independently injected, thereby stimulating at least one microbial culture associated with the bioactive zone to remove the stripped contaminants from the bioactive zone. By decoupling the sparging of the groundwater from the introduction of oxidants and nutrient feed gases into the bioventing bioactive zone of the subsurface, the oxygen and nutrient inputs to the bioactive zone can be adjusted (or carbureted) and controlled independently from the hydrocarbon input to the bioactive zone to achieve good kinetic performance in the bioactive zone while avoiding the problems of plugging of groundwater sparging due to biofilm and precipitate formation.

Abstract: A magnetic field enhanced photovoltaic device includes a photoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, a ferro-antiferromagnetic exchange coupling layer and an applied magnetic field. The first electrode and the second electrode are respectively disposed on two surfaces of the photoelectric conversion layer to collect electrons and holes generated by the photoelectric conversion layer. The first electrode is pervious to light. The incident light reaches the photoelectric conversion layer through the first electrode. The applied magnetic field polarizes the spin state of electrons. The ferro-antiferromagnetic exchange coupling layer adjoins the photoelectric conversion layer and pins the spin state of electrons.

Abstract: Clusters of plant genes that are regulated in response to one or more stress conditions are provided, as are isolated plant stress-regulated genes, including portions thereof comprising a coding sequence or a regulatory element, and to consensus sequences comprising a plant stress-regulated regulatory element. In addition, a recombinant polynucleotide, which includes a plant stress-regulated gene, or functional portion thereof, operatively linked to a heterologous nucleotide sequence, is provided, as are transgenic plants, which contain a plant stress-regulated gene or functional portion thereof that was introduced into a progenitor cell of the plant. Also provided are methods of using a plant stress-regulated gene to confer upon a plant a selective advantage to a stress condition, methods of identifying an agent that modulates the activity of a plant stress-regulated regulatory element, and methods of determining whether a plant has been exposed to a stress.

Abstract: This invention relates to (organothiomethyl)chlorosilanes and methods for their preparation by the dehydrohalogenative Si—C coupling reaction of oranothiomethyl halides with Si—H containing chlorosilanes (hydrosilanes), wherein a mixture of oranothiomethyl halide and hydrosilane is heated in the presence of tertiary amine or organic salts (quaternary organoammonium and organophosphonium halides to give (organothiomethyl)chlorosilanes, which is existing a sulfur atom in alkyl chain, (formula: R2SCH2SiCl2R1) in good yield. wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, halogen, or C1–C6 alkyl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of C1–C6 alkyl or an aryl group. Especially, this reaction using organic salt as a catalyst provide better economical matter and yield compared with conventional methods, because only catalytic amount of organic salt is required and the catalyst can be separated from the reaction mixture and recycled easily.

Abstract: The present invention provides a metal slurry for electrode formation which slurry is high in dispersion property and enables formation of high density electrode films. The metal slurry for electrode formation is composed of a spherical metal powder of 0.1 to 2.0 ?m in mean particle size and a dispersion medium. By making the spherical metal powder have a mean particle size falling within the range from 0.1 to 2.0 ?m, there can be obtained a metal slurry for electrode formation which slurry can be coated through a nozzle and is high in dispersion property, without using expensive nanoparticles. In addition, as the dispersion medium, water or lower molecular weight alcohols can be used. Furthermore, the dispersion property can be improved by further adding a dispersant of 10 wt % or below (exclusive of zero) in relation to the metal powder.

Abstract: A component for the inkjet print head and the manufacturing method thereof are disclosed where photosensitive polymer is used as the substrate. Orifices and ink chambers are made on the substrate by photolithography. Conductive traces for interconnection to a print head chip are integrated to the substrate by combining photolithography and electroforming procedures.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery of new methods for obtaining a tissue graft. The method can be carried out, for example, by implanting a biocompatible scaffold into a mammal and then removing the scaffold from the mammal. The scaffold is implanted in direct contact with (i.e. physically touching over at least a portion of its external surface), or adjacent to (i.e. physically separated from) mature or immature target tissue, for a period of time that is sufficient to allow cells of the target tissue to associate with the scaffold. The invention also features grafts generated by the methods described herein and methods for using those grafts to treat patients who have a defect in a target.

Abstract: A process for the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and the heavy aromatics comprises: subjecting a first stream of toluene, and a stream enriched in aromatics of nine carbon atoms to toluene disproportionation and transalkylation reactions in the presence of hydrogen in a first reaction zone to produce a first product mixture comprising benzene, aromatics of eight carbon atoms and heavy aromatics of ten and more carbon atoms; subjecting a second stream of toluene, and a stream enriched in heavy aromatics of ten and more carbon atoms to transalkylation reaction in the presence of hydrogen in a second reaction zone to produce a second product mixture comprising benzene, aromatics of eight carbon atoms and aromatics of nine carbon atoms; and isolating and recovering benzene and aromatics of eight carbon atoms from the first and second product mixtures.

Abstract: Novel TNF receptor death domain (“TNF-R1-DD”) ligand proteins are disclosed. Polynucleotides encoding the TNF-R1-DD ligand protein are also disclosed, along with vectors, host cells, and methods of making the TNF-R1-DD ligand protein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the TNF-R1-DD ligand protein, methods of treating inflammatory conditions, and methods of inhibiting TNF-R death domain binding are also disclosed. Methods of identifying inhibitors of TNF-R death domain binding and inhibitors identified by such methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An identification tag identifies a unique item from among a plurality of items with a similar appearance. Tagged items are searched by scanning the items with an interrogation signal. The tag emits an observable signal to indicate when it receives an identification that matches the identification contained in the tag. When the reader's interrogation is not present, the tag either sleeps at a very low power level or is passively unpowered.

Abstract: An oily solution of water-insoluble aliphatic alcohol is allowed to react with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution in the presence of a catalyst containing a metal compound belonging to Group 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table in a heterogeneous solution system. As a result, a carbonyl compound can be produced from an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution under mild conditions in high yield. Also, the reaction operation is simple and easy, a step for removing solvent after completion of the reaction is not necessary and influence and toxicity upon the environment and human body are markedly small. Thus, a carbonyl compound can be produced safely, simply and efficiently.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for precise angular positioning of an object. A first pivot arm and a second pivot arm each is pivotally mounted with respect to a base. A pivot base flex member is operatively connected to the first pivot arm and allows the first pivot arm to pivot with respect to the base, within a particular plane. A second pivot base flex member is operatively connected to the second pivot arm and allows the second pivot arm to pivot with respect to the base, and also within either the same plane or a different plane as the plane within which the first pivot arm pivots. Support structures maintain each of the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm within the particular plane or planes. An interconnect flex member connects the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm. With a relatively small base and thus overall apparatus, an input movement, such as a linear input of about 10 mm can be translated into an output movement of about 7200 radians.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an integrated circuit dielectric. A structure-directing agent (SDA) is provided. Preferably this structure-directing agent is a salt of a polycyclic organic compound. By use of the structure-directing agent, a film of a zeolite having a framework density below 15 T atoms per 1000 cubic angstroms and comprising primarily silicon and/or germanium atoms in the T positions is provided on a semiconductor substrate. Preferably the zeolite has the LTA structure. The structure-directing agent is removed from the film. The removal may be effected, for example, by heating or by chemically and/or photochemically decomposing the structure-directing agent, preferably in a manner which allows it to be recovered. The film is then optionally modified to reduce its hydrophilicity.

Abstract: A structure of the stacked inkjet head is composed of a stacked fluid structure and an actuator. At least one of the several plates in the stacked fluid structure has a junction with a tuning hole for enhancing the connection strength of the junction, accommodating overflown adhesive, and reducing structural deformation resulted from the temperature. The invention also avoids the troubles of inhomogeneous etching speeds when making nozzles or channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of identifying and characterizing properties of polymers to provide information about the polymer such as the charge of the polymer, the number and types or characteristics of units of the polymer and the sequence of the polymers. The invention also relates to methods of sequencing polymers such as nucleic acids, polypeptides and polysaccharides and methods for identifying a polysaccharide-protein interaction.

Abstract: A method, used in connection with a pulse-echo type sensor for determining the speed of sound in a gas, for improving the accuracy of speed of sound measurements. The sensor operates on the principle that speed of sound can be derived from the difference between the two-way travel time of signals reflected from two different target faces of the sensor. This time difference is derived by computing the cross correlation between the two reflections. The cross correlation function may be fitted to a parabola whose vertex represents the optimum time coordinate of the coherence peak, thereby providing an accurate measure of the two-way time diffference.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved method for refining cellulose that produces a highly refined cellulosic material. The method comprises soaking raw material in a mild NaOH using reduced temperatures and pressures, and refining the material with a plate refiner so that a waste water stream is reduced in volume and has a pH within a range of 8 to 9. The present invention also comprises a HRC gel having a lignin concentration of at least about one (1)% by weight, and a water retention capacity of about 25 to at least about 56 g H2O/g dry HRC.

Abstract: A large mode-area microstructured optical fiber includes a core, at least one axially oriented element disposed in the core, and a cladding about the core. The axially oriented element has a refractive index less than a refractive index of the core. The axially oriented element(s) defines sectional regions in the core. The sectional regions defined by the axially oriented element(s) can discriminate between symmetric and antisymmeteric modes of an optical beam that propagates through the optical fiber.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the design of non-native (i.e. heterologous) polypeptides comprising a proportion of hydrophobic amino acids which have an increased probability of being efficiently expressed in an expression system such as a bacterial host (e.g. E. coli). The methods involve identifying one or more hydrophobic peptide sequences within a polypeptide of interest, and arranging or re-locating at least one of the hydrophobic peptide sequences within said polypeptide so as to generate a candidate polypeptide with reduced amplitude in hydrophobicity and/or length of any hydrophobic region(s). Such methods are particularly useful for designing polyepitope polypeptides, and specific examples of such are described for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).