Abstract: A negative-working imageable element has an imageable layer that includes an initiator composition including an iodonium cation and a boron-containing anion at a molar ratio of at least 1.2:1, an infrared radiation absorbing compound, a primary polymeric binder, and a spirolactone or spirolactam colorant precursor. The imaged element exhibits improved print-out.

Abstract: A negative-working imageable element having an imageable layer on a substrate can be used to form an imaged element by imagewise exposing it to form exposed and non-exposed regions in the imageable layer. The imageable element also has a water-soluble topcoat disposed on the imageable layer. With or without a preheat step, the water-soluble topcoat is at least partially removed with water or an aqueous solution that incompletely or not at all removes the non-exposed regions of the imageable layer. The element is then mounted in a printing press and contacted with a fountain solution, a lithographic printing ink, or a combination of a fountain solution and a lithographic printing ink, thereby removing non-exposed regions of the imageable layer at the beginning of the printing operation.

Abstract: A negative-working, imageable element comprises a substrate and an IR-sensitive imageable layer comprising a dispersion of nanofibers of a preformed IR-sensitive polymer. The nanofibers can be composed of polyaniline, polypyrrole, or polythiophene. The IR-sensitive imageable layer containing the nanofibers can be imaged using infrared radiation and used for printing without further processing. Thus, both imaging and printing can be carried out on-press.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imageable element including a lithographic substrate and an imageable layer disposed on the substrate. The imageable layer includes a radically polymerizable component, an initiator system, and a polymeric binder. The imageable element further includes a tetraarylborate salt. The presence of the tetraarylborate salt may provide improved imaging speed and may enhance press life due to better adhesion between the imageable layer and the substrate. The tetraarylborate salt may be present in the imageable layer, an interlayer, or a separate layer between the substrate and the imageable layer. The imageable element may be imaged and mounted on-press without a separate development step.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imageable element including a lithographic substrate and an imageable layer disposed on the substrate. The imageable layer includes a radically polymerizable component, an initiator system, and a polymeric binder. The imageable element further includes a tetraarylborate salt. The presence of the tetraarylborate salt may provide improved imaging speed and may enhance press life due to better adhesion between the imageable layer and the substrate. The tetraarylborate salt may be present in the imageable layer, an interlayer, or a separate layer between the substrate and the imageable layer. The imageable element may be imaged and mounted on-press without a separate development step.

Abstract: Thermally imageable elements useful as on-press developable lithographic printing plate precursors are disclosed. The elements comprise a substrate and a layer of an imageable composition over the substrate. The imageable composition comprises a photothermal conversion material, particles of a polyurethane polymer, and, optionally, a water soluble polymer. The polyurethane polymer comprises urethane linkages in the main chain, but does not comprise side chain urethane groups.

Abstract: A method to reduce effluence during or immediately after imaging of a printing plate is described. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises: (a) applying to a substrate a coating composition comprising a photothermal converter and at least one polymer comprising thiosulfate groups to obtain a coating; and (b) applying a water soluble topcoat to the coating. Preferably, the water soluble topcoat does not comprise a photothermal converter. In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises applying to a substrate a composition comprising: (a) a photothermal converter; (b) at least one polymer comprising thiosulfate groups; and (c) an additive selected from the group consisting of diazonium, iodonium, copper(I), alkoxypyridinium or maleimide additives.

Abstract: Thermally imageable elements useful as on-press developable lithographic printing plate precursors are disclosed. The elements comprise a substrate and a layer of an imageable composition over the substrate. The imageable composition comprises a photothermal conversion material, particles of a polyurethane polymer, and, optionally, a water soluble polymer. The polyurethane polymer comprises urethane linkages in the main chain, but does not comprise side chain urethane groups.

Abstract: The present invention provides a negative working printing plate precursor including a substrate and a thermally sensitive layer. The thermally sensitive layer includes nitrocellulose particles and a photothermal conversion material. The printing plate precursor may be imagewise exposed to radiation and then mounted on a printing press without requiring a separate development step.

Abstract: Methods of preparing hybrid seed are described. One such method comprises interplanting a male parent plant which is male fertile and homozygous recessive female sterile and a female parent plant which is homozygous recessive male sterile and female fertile, allowing cross-pollination and obtaining the seed produced therefrom. The genomic material of each parent plant may also have integrated therein a gene construct comprising a promoter sequence-responsive to the presence or absence of an exogenous chemical inducer, optionally operably linked to one or more enhancer or intron sequences, operably linked to a gene which fully restores the fertility of each parent plant, the gene being expressed by the application to the plant of an external chemical inducer thereby allowing each parent to self-pollinate.

Abstract: A method to reduce effluence during or immediately after imaging of a printing plate is described. In one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises: (a) applying to a substrate a coating composition comprising a photothermal converter and at least one polymer comprising thiosulfate groups to obtain a coating; and (b) applying a water soluble topcoat to the coating. Preferably, the water soluble topcoat does not comprise a photothermal converter. In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises applying to a substrate a composition comprising: (a) a photothermal converter; (b) at least one polymer comprising thiosulfate groups; and (c) an additive selected from the group consisting of diazonium, iodonium, copper(I), alkoxypyridinium or maleimide additives.

Abstract: The present invention provides inter alia, a polynucleotide comprising at least a first region encoding a first protein capable of conferring on a plant, or tissue comprising it, resistance or tolerance to a first herbicide, and a second region encoding a second protein likewise capable of conferring resistance to a second herbicide, with the provisos (i) that the polynucleotide does not encode a fusion protein comprising only a 5-enol-pyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase (EPSPS) and a glutathione S transferase (GST); (ii) that the polynucleotide does not comprise only regions encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S transferase (GST), and (iii) that the polynucleotide does not comprise only regions encoding GST and phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT).

Abstract: The biosynthesis of lignin in plants is regulated by insertion into the plant genome by altering the plant's ability to synthesise the enzyme O-methyl transferase, an enzyme involved in the lignin biosynthetic pathway. Production of O-methyl-transferase may be enhanced by insertion into the plant genome by transformation of one or more additional copies of the O-methyl-transferase gene or production may be inhibited by insertion of a gene encoding anti-sense mRNA directed against the mRNA encoded by the endogenous O-methyl-transferase gene.