Abstract: A ceramic composite and method of making are provided. The ceramic composite may be transparent and may serve as transparent armor. The ceramic portion of the composite may be single crystal sapphire. The composite may provide adequate protection from projectiles while exhibiting large surface areas and relatively low areal densities.

Abstract: A method for developing products for a company comprises dividing a product development process into a plurality of project phases; for each of the plurality of project phases, defining deliverables by functional groups within the company; specifying a plurality of project gates between at least two pairs of adjacent phases; defining a plurality of key initiatives of the company; for each of the key initiatives, defining at least one of tasks, tools and resources as a function of the project phases that are designed to facilitate achieving the key initiatives; and for each of the project gates, defining gate decisions to be made before proceeding to a subsequent phase.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features an interferometer assembly for use in a lithography tool used for fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer, wherein the lithography tool includes a support structure and a stage for positioning the wafer relative to the support structure, the interferometer assembly including an interferometer configured to direct a measurement beam between the stage and the support structure and combine the measurement beam with another beam to form an output beam which includes a phase related to a position of the stage relative to the support structure, wherein the interferometer is mechanically secured to the lithography tool through an interferometer surface selected to cause the phase of the output beam to be insensitive to thermal changes of the interferometer over a range of temperatures.

Abstract: Fluid sensor methods and systems adapted for monitoring and/or controlling distillation operations in fluidic systems, such as batch distillation operations or continuous distillation operations, are disclosed. Preferred embodiments are directed to process monitoring and/or process control for unit operations involving endpoint determination of a distillation, for example, as applied to a liquid-component-switching operation (e.g., a solvent switching operation), a liquid-liquid separation operation, a solute concentration operation, a dispersed-phase concentration operation, among others.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of hydantoin compounds useful for treating or preventing autoimmune disorders. The present invention also provides compositions and uses thereof.

Abstract: Method for preparing a mixed powder sample by mixing two or more different powders comprising transferring a quantity of a first powder to a mixing vessel and transferring a quantity of a second powder to the mixing vessel to form a powder bed in the mixing vessel comprising the first and second powders. The quantities of the powders are selected so the mixed sample has a predetermined ratio of first powder to second powder. The powder bed is fluidized to mix the powders and produce a mixed sample. The mixed sample weighs about 5 grams or less. The invention also includes apparatus for preparing mixed powder samples by mixing two or more different powders.

Abstract: Linear measurements of items are made by selecting a field of view including the items. A reference marker of known length is placed in the field of view. A digital image of which is taken and stored. Digital image information is processed by a program, and with the reference marker is resolved in the image. A user may locate a cursor at an end of the reference marker and click to register the position. An electronic distance, e.g., a number of pixels between the ends of the reference marker, is normalized to the length of the reference marker. A user selects points on the image on a display to define a line segment on a dimension of interest to be determined. Calculations relate the length of the line segment to the length of the reference marker. A number indicated the desired dimension may be displayed on the image.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for producing a coating. The method may include providing a substrate material and initiating a coating-deposition process to apply a coating material to the substrate material to produce a coating on the substrate material, wherein the coating includes a diamond-like carbon coating. The method may further include monitoring an intensity of hydrogen-alpha emission of a plasma produced during the coating-deposition process and adjusting at least one process variable of the coating-deposition process to facilitate production of the diamond-like carbon coating.

Abstract: A protective member, preferably an extruded plastic is used to enclose, at least partially, a component of a bed frame so as to provide protection against inadvertent injury to a user striking the otherwise sharp edges of the component. The components are normally a side rail and a center rail and the protective member is snapped fitted to that component by the presence of curved lips that at least partially encircle the external edges of the component. There are also ribs formed in the protective member and which position the protective member a predetermined distance away from the particular component. In the case of the center rail, the protective member is spaced away from the upper surface of the center rail so as to compensate for the lower position of that surface with respect to the head and foot cross members so that a box spring resting upon the side rails and the center rail is supported evenly and does not bow at its center due to a spatial difference between the center rail and the cross members.

Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining the structured stability and configuration of golf course sand bunker borders which method comprises excavating the soil area adjacent the bunker edge, rigidly positioning adjacent open-top, uniquely designed compartments in the excavated area along the edge of the bunker, filling the compartment with soil to the top of each compartment and leveling the soil on top of the compartments. Each compartment comprises side panels, front and back panels and a bottom closure panel. The compartment is rigidly positioned by means of spikes driven through the back and front panel into the soil at the edge of the bunker and a spike through the bottom closure into the soil beneath the sand in the bunker.

Abstract: This invention relates to silicone compositions which can be crosslinked, preferably into elastomers, by hydrosilylation of at least one PolyOrganoSiloxane -A- carrying unsaturated bonds, using at least one polyorganohydrosiloxane —B— in the presence of a carbene-based metal catalyst —C— as defined in the description and which optionally comprises at least one inhibitor -D- of the hydrosilylation reaction.

Abstract: A cross member that can be used with a bed frame or bed rails to provide support for a box spring and mattress. The cross member is attachable to the side rail of the bed by a snap-in system where the ends of the cross member are comprised of slide ends that interfit into receptacles located along the side rails. A leg is used to support a bed frame member that is self adjusting by a mechanism that can be unlocked by a person to drop the leg downwardly by gravity to contact the floor and is then lockable in that extended length.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a dissolution profile of a sample material, and for solubilization screening of a library defined by an array comprising multiple sample materials are disclosed. The methods and systems are particularly advantageous for sampling and evaluation of very small samples, and can be advantageously applied in connection with evaluation of drug candidates.

Abstract: A system for providing purified drinking water for populations and persons having minimal access to modern water purification systems and therefore rely on water sources which contain microorganisms known to cause illness and death to large segments of such populations. Membranes are known which are pervious to water and impervious to the contaminants in such drinking water. The invention provides for gravity flow passage of water from the dirty (contaminated) water containment area to a clean (purified) water containment area and a filter including such a membrane whereby the flow of water has to penetrate through the membrane and in the process filters out the illness-producing microorganisms. The invention enables the use of commonly available jugs or jars requiring only a gravity flow passage between the jugs or jars and the filter contained in the passage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a miniature rheometer, a parallel rheometer, and improved force sensor elements which may advantageously be used in combination with the miniature rheometer and the parallel rheometer. The miniature rheometer is adapted to determine rheological characteristics of materials which are provided in the form of small quantity samples. The miniature rheometer comprises an actuating element, a sensing element and a feedback circuit to provide rebalance of the shear force applied by the sample to the sensing element, which insures an exceptional stiffness in determining the shear strain so as to allow measurements of high accuracy. The parallel rheometer of the present invention allows simultaneous measurements of a plurality of samples so as to allow of a plurality of samples within a short time period. The force sensor element according to the present invention allows simultaneous measurement of a shear force and a normal force applied to the sensor element.

Abstract: An interferometer that includes a first beam-splitting surface positioned to separate an input beam into a first beam and a second beam. A first set of optics is positioned to receive the first beam, direct it to contact a first reflector multiple times and produce a first intermediate beam. The first intermediate beam follows a nominal output path when the first reflector has a first alignment normal to the first beam prior to reflection by the first reflector. The first set of optics includes a second beam-splitting surface, a third beam-splitting surface, and a first fold optic that are positioned to reduce displacement of the first intermediate beam from the nominal output path when the first reflector has an alignment different from the first alignment.

Abstract: An interferometer for receiving a measurement beam from a target location on a stage of a semiconductor lithography machine and a reference beam from a reference location separated from the target location by a separation distance. The interferometer has a reference path to be traversed by the reference beam within the interferometer and a measurement path to be traversed by the measurement beam within the interferometer. Both the measurement path and the reference path are at least as long as the separation distance between the reference location and the target location.

Abstract: A system for connecting side rails of a bed frame with a headboard and/or footboard. A hook plate is affixed to the side rails and has a pair of hooks extending outwardly from the ends of the side rails. The hooks form slots in the hook plates and the slots have forward edges formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical. A receiver housing is affixed to the headboard and/or footboard and has a vertical opening with a pair of transverse pins that span that opening. The side rails are affixed to the headboard and/or footboard by inserting the hooks into the vertical opening to engage the pins. A lever arm, pivotally affixed to the receiver housing, can be pivoted to force the hook plate downwardly to forcefully engage and lock the forward edge of the slots with the pins.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems for performing high-throughput preparation and screening of salts and polymorphs of drug candidates. The invention is directed towards enhancing the pre-formulation discovery process used for drug development. In particular, processes that determine suitable salts and processes that discover substantially every polymorph that can form from a particular drug candidate are provided. The processes are performed using several apparatuses that are specifically configured to carry-out various steps in a high-throughput characterization process. One such apparatus is configured for synthesizing a plurality of library members based on, for example, a library model generated by a computer system. Another apparatus may filter the synthesized solution to provide a substantially pure mixture that can be subjected to salt or polymorph testing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for screening combinatorial libraries of materials by measuring the response of individual library members to mechanical perturbations is described. The apparatus generally includes a sample holder for containing the library members, an array of probes for mechanically perturbing individual library members, and an array of sensors for measuring the response of each of the library members to the mechanical perturbations. Library members undergoing screening make up a sample array, and individual library members constitute elements of the sample array that are confined to specific locations on the sample holder. During screening, the apparatus mechanically perturbs individual library members by displacing the sample array (sample holder) and the array of probes. Typically, all of the elements of the sample array are perturbed simultaneously, but the apparatus also can also perturb individual or groups of sample array elements sequentially.