Abstract: Modified thermoplastic hydrocarbon thermoplastic resins are provided, as well as methods of their manufacture and uses thereof in rubber compositions. The modified thermoplastic resins are modified by decreasing the relative quantity of the dimer, trimer, tetramer, and pentamer oligomers as compared to the corresponding unmodified thermoplastic resin polymers, resulting in a product that exhibits a greater shift in the glass transition temperature of the elastomer(s) used in tire formulations. This translates to better viscoelastic predictors of tire tread performance, such as wet grip and rolling resistance. The modified thermoplastic resins impart remarkable properties on various rubber compositions, such as tires, belts, hoses, brakes, and the like. Automobile tires incorporating the modified thermoplastic resins are shown to possess excellent results in balancing the properties of rolling resistance, tire wear, snow performance, and wet braking performance.

Abstract: Modified thermoplastic hydrocarbon thermoplastic resins are provided, as well as methods of their manufacture and uses thereof in rubber compositions. The modified thermoplastic resins are modified by decreasing the relative quantity of the dimer, trimer, tetramer, and pentamer oligomers as compared to the corresponding unmodified thermoplastic resin polymers, resulting in a product that exhibits a greater shift in the glass transition temperature of the elastomer(s) used in tire formulations. This translates to better viscoelastic predictors of tire tread performance, such as wet grip and rolling resistance. The modified thermoplastic resins impart remarkable properties on various rubber compositions, such as tires, belts, hoses, brakes, and the like. Automobile tires incorporating the modified thermoplastic resins are shown to possess excellent results in balancing the properties of rolling resistance, tire wear, snow performance, and wet braking performance.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one vulcanizable unsaturated hydrocarbon elastomeric compound, at least one non-fibril, water insoluble vinyl acetal polymer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: The present invention provides for immunogenic compositions and methods for producing an immunogenic composition with multiple immunity-inducing fractions of killed, whole-cell Streptococcus pneumoniae by selectively disrupting a whole cell bacterial preparation in such a manner that a soluble fraction that induces a primarily antibody response, and a cellular fraction that induces a primarily antibody-independent response, remain in the immunogenic composition.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one elastomeric compound, at least one vinyl acetal polymer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendering step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a flavan-3-ol, a flavonoid, and a fatty acid have been demonstrated to mitigate the oxidative damage arising from mitochondrial dysfunction. In preferred embodiments, the composition comprises epicatechin, quercetin, and cicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl ester. The disorders to be treated include neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS); neurological damage due to stroke; and ototoxicity arising from chemotherapy with cisplatin.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one elastomeric compound, at least one vinyl acetal polymer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one elastomer, at least one ionomer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one elastomer, at least one ionomer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one elastomeric compound, at least one vinyl acetal polymer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Abstract: A system for analyzing liquidity data for a client of a financial services provider includes processor(s), at the financial services provider, configured to execute computer program module(s). The modules are configured to receive a request from the client to generate a liquidity analysis based on client account(s), and, upon receiving the request, execute on the processors of the system, module(s) configured to aggregate liquidity data from a plurality of financial subsystems of the financial services provider as aggregated liquidity data. The aggregated data includes cash flows in transactions associated with the client accounts in one or more of the financial subsystems. The modules are further configured to execute on the processors, module(s) configured to generate a graphical depiction of at least a portion of the aggregated liquidity data over a time interval, based on the request, and transmit, for displaying on an electronic display at the client, the graphical depiction.

Abstract: In at least selected embodiments, an industrial size continuous Hipot testing system has defect mapping capability capable of finding pinholes, weak spots, and/or embedded conductive particles in non-conductive sheet materials. Continuous testing is made possible through a pair of uniquely designed rollers, such as conductive polymer rollers. Automatic defect mapping is also incorporated into the system through the integration of the Hipot testing and line scan camera systems. The unit potentially has wide applications in many industries, such as, for example, semi-conductors and electronics, medical, high end packaging, and so forth.

Abstract: A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user's work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague's computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of delivering a mutated tyrosine adeno-associated viral vector or a pharmaceutically active agent to an inner ear. The method comprises contacting the round window membrane with the vector or the pharmaceutically active agent, in which the permeability of the round window membrane having been enhanced to allow transport of the vector or the pharmaceutically active agent across it so as to deliver the vector or the pharmaceutically active agent to the inner ear. Also disclosed are methods to prevent or treat hearing loss and impaired balance in human subjects using the delivery method.

Abstract: The present invention provides for immunogenic compositions and methods for producing an immunogenic composition with multiple immunity-inducing fractions of killed, whole-cell Streptococcus pneumoniae by selectively disrupting a whole cell bacterial preparation in such a manner that a soluble fraction that induces a primarily antibody response, and a cellular fraction that induces a primarily antibody-independent response, remain in the immunogenic composition.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that improve data searching on mobile devices. A facet-based search application is provided that has a filter region, a results region, a facet navigation region, and a menu region. A user applies a facet-based filter to a set of data by selecting a number on a keypad or other area that correlates spatially to a filter option in the facet navigation region. A set of data in the results region is updated based on the applied facet-based filter. The user can also apply a freeform text filter to the data by selecting one or more characters for which to search. The data displayed in the results region is updated based on the applied freeform text filter. When input is received from the user to save the applied filter, an attribute label is displayed as a query term in the filter region.

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating a user interface for visualizing a cloud service based on status and performance data of the cloud service obtained from data stores. A configuration file including declarative code may declare particular queries to status/performance data sources. The configuration file may also declare particular queries to topology data sources to obtain topology information. In accordance with the obtained information, objects representing the cloud service may be displayed. The objects correspond to particular hardware and software components, or logical grouping thereof, that are identified by the topology information.

Abstract: Electrofluidic devices, visual displays formed from the electrofluidic devices, and methods for making and operating such electrofluidic devices Each electrofluidic device has a fluid vessel with first and second regions that contain an electrically conductive polar fluid and a non-polar fluid The polar and/or the non-polar fluids are externally visible external through a viewable area of the second region A voltage source is electrically connected to a capacitor having a hydrophobic surface that contacts the polar fluid and provides a first principal radius of curvature of the polar fluid that is convex and smaller than a second principal radius of curvature of the polar fluid in the first region The voltage source applies an electromechanical force to the polar fluid, thereby transferring the polar fluid from the first region to the second region and causing a spectral property of light transferred through the viewable area to change.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining interferon responsiveness in a patient suffering from multiple sclerosis. The method comprises determining an amount of a XAF-1 gene expression level in a blood sample, which is obtained from the patient undergoing interferon therapy. The amount of the XAF-1 gene expression level in the blood sample is then correlated with the responsiveness of the patient to the interferon.