Abstract: Disclosed herein is a multilayer coating system present on a substrate and including at least three coating layers L1, L2 and L3 different from one another, namely a first pigmented coating layer L1 applied over at least a portion of the substrate, a second coating layer L2 applied over the first pigmented coating layer L1, and a third coating layer L3 applied over the second coating layer L2, where the second coating layer L2 is formed from a coating composition including at least one block copolymer containing a backbone and at least two blocks B1 and B2 and side chains S1 and S2 including different polymeric moieties M1 and M2. Also disclosed herein are a method of preparing said multilayer coating system, a coated substrate obtainable therefrom, and a method of using a coating composition including the block copolymer for improving the chromaticity of the multilayer coating system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stand assist apparatus that can be positioned over an armless seat or toilet to assist the user in standing up and/or being seated. The stand assist apparatus includes a first and second frame, each frame having a front leg and a back leg, a support bar interconnecting the front leg and the back leg and a handle portion disposed directly above the front leg, an upper adjustable member and a lower adjustable member for adjusting the distance between the first and second frames, means for pivoting the upper and lower adjustable members about the first and second frames, and means for locking the upper and lower adjustable members between the first and second frames. The stand assist apparatus is foldable by releasing the means for locking and allowing the frames to fold together vertically as the adjustable members simultaneously pivot therebetween.

Abstract: A system reduces health-insurance costs including the cost of fraud and overbilling by medical providers. The system uses an identification card to allow doctors to obtain a patient's medical history. The identification card can either hold the medical history itself or can link the provider to a database containing the medical history. A method reduces healthcare costs. The method includes the steps of providing a patient with a card including a computer-readable memory for storing a patient medical history, giving the card from the patient to a healthcare provider, storing the patient's medical history on a medium read with the card, and then diagnosing the patient with the medical history. A method for a patient to sign a bill digitally before a payor/insurer remits the bill is provided.

Abstract: A scaled-down representation of input to a compute-intensive application is created. A computing requirement based on the scaled-down representation is calculated. A turn-around time and an actual cost to a customer to run the compute-intensive application with the input, on one or more processors, based on the calculated computing requirement, is calculated and then sent to the customer.

Abstract: A detachable fiber optic connector has an improved nose block (800) which enhances cooling of power dissipating components, simplifies assembly, improves yield and reduces cost. The improved nose block (800) includes an upper tray (802) and lower tray (804) which slidingly receive an improved aluminum nitride optical subassembly (700). The subassembly (700) and nose block (800) are held together, properly aligned, and then fixated. The nose block (800) also has symmetrical protrusions (850) which allow the nose block (800) to be placed easily and precisely into mating protrusions (230, 240) in a seal ring (200). The nose block (800) provides a direct thermal pathway between power dissipating components, such as an opto-electronic component (750) and optical driver IC (730), and an aluminum package base (400). Various alternative nose blocks (810, 820, 830) are illustrated, and an alternative base (410) is also shown.