Abstract: Treating a non-wine alcoholic beverage including: exposing the non-wine alcoholic beverage to an ion exchange matrix. The ion exchange matrix includes a mixture of cation exchange media and anion exchange media that includes: (1) cation exchange media that are in hydrogen form, (2) cation exchange media that are in mineral form comprising potassium mineral form, (3) anion exchange media that are in hydroxide form, and (4) anion exchange media that are in chloride mineral form. The exposing results in: binding ions of the mixture to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the pretreated beverage, reducing concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and maintaining a conductivity value of the treated beverage equal to or greater than the pretreated beverage's conductivity value. An apparatus for treating a non-wine alcoholic beverage and a treated non-wine alcoholic beverage prepared by a process are also disclosed.

Abstract: Treating a non-wine alcoholic beverage including: exposing the non-wine alcoholic beverage to an ion exchange matrix. The ion exchange matrix includes a mixture of cation exchange media and anion exchange media that includes: (1) cation exchange media that are in hydrogen form, (2) cation exchange media that are in mineral form comprising potassium mineral form, (3) anion exchange media that are in hydroxide form, and (4) anion exchange media that are in chloride mineral form. The exposing results in: binding ions of the mixture to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the pretreated beverage, reducing concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and maintaining a conductivity value of the treated beverage equal to or greater than the pretreated beverage's conductivity value. An apparatus for treating a non-wine alcoholic beverage and a treated non-wine alcoholic beverage prepared by a process are also disclosed.

Abstract: A treated wine beverage prepared by a process including exposing a pretreated wine beverage to an ion exchange matrix. The ion exchange matrix includes a mixture of cation exchange media and anion exchange media that includes: (1) cation exchange media that are in hydrogen form, (2) cation exchange media that are in mineral form comprising potassium mineral form, (3) anion exchange media that are in hydroxide form, and (4) anion exchange media that are in chloride mineral form. The exposing results in: binding ions of the mixture to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the pretreated wine, reducing concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the wine and maintaining a conductivity value of the treated wine equal to or greater than the pretreated wine beverage's conductivity value.

Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing a beverage to an ion exchange matrix that includes a mixture of cation exchange beads and anion exchange beads each capable of binding to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the beverage and thereby reduce concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and capable of maintaining a pH of the beverage within ±0.5 pH units of the beverage's pretreatment pH value. The cationic or anionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans and the cation exchange beads include a cationic mineral form and the anion exchange beads include a chloride mineral form.

Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing a beverage to an ion exchange matrix that includes a mixture of cation exchange beads and anion exchange beads each capable of binding to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the beverage and thereby reduce concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and capable of maintaining a pH of the beverage within ±0.5 pH units of the beverage's pretreatment pH value. The cationic or anionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans and the cation exchange beads include a cationic mineral form and the anion exchange beads include a chloride mineral form.

Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing a beverage to an ion exchange matrix that includes a mixture of cation exchange beads and anion exchange beads each capable of binding to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the beverage and thereby reduce concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and capable of maintaining a pH of the beverage within ±0.5 pH units of the beverage's pretreatment pH value. The cationic or anionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans and the cation exchange beads include a cationic mineral form and the anion exchange beads include a chloride mineral form.

Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing a beverage to an ion exchange matrix that includes a mixture of cation exchange beads and anion exchange beads each capable of binding to one or more cationic or anionic constituents present in the beverage and thereby reduce concentrations of the one or more cationic or anionic constituents in the beverage and capable of maintaining a pH of the beverage within ±0.5 pH units of the beverage's pretreatment pH value. The cationic or anionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans and the cation exchange beads include a cationic mineral form and the anion exchange beads include a chloride mineral form.

Abstract: A surface patterned contact lens is composed of a silicon hydrogel and has one or more surface regions that are patterned with nano-scale roughness features, micro-wells, micro-protrusions, and/or micro-channels. The micro-wells, micro-protrusions, and/or micro-channels have depths and heights that are on nanometer dimensions. The nano-scale roughness features have dimensions less than 200 nm in width, depth or height. The surface patterns do not diffract light and do not inhibit the clarity that can be detected by the eye. A method of preparing the surface patterned contact lens involves molding, where a complementary negative of the surface patterned contact lens is displayed by the mold.

Abstract: A method of treating an beverage, comprising exposing the beverage to an ion exchange matrix that bind one or more ionic constituents present in the beverage and reduce concentrations of the one or more ionic constituents in the beverage, wherein the ionic constituents have a noxious effect on humans.

Abstract: An oral rinse composition that comprises an aqueous solution that includes a high molecular weight polymer and an energy supplement that stimulates central nervous system activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel silicon-based polymers, particularly silicon-based polymers having citrate groups, and their use as chelating agents, for forming nanostructures, as surfactants, as reducing agents and as stabilizers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel silicon-based polymers, particularly silicon-based polymers having citrate groups, and their use as chelating agents, for forming and as stabilizers.

Abstract: The use of NIPAM polymers to prevent or reduce the formation of protein deposits on the surfaces of medical devices is described. The invention is particularly directed to reduction of the adsorption of proteins on surfaces of contact lenses and other medical prosthetics.

Abstract: A cleaning formulation comprising a cleaning agent, a particulate clay material and an aqueous carrier. The formulation has a pH less than about 4.0 and is characterized by at least a 90% reduction in viscosity at 25° C. at a shear rate of up to about 0.10 s?1. The cleaning formulation is thixotropic and has a highly desirable combination of acid stability, temperature stability, electrolyte stability and ultraviolet radiation stability.

Abstract: The use of NIPAM polymers to prevent or reduce the formation of protein deposits on the surfaces of medical devices is described. The invention is particularly directed to reduction of the adsorption of proteins on surfaces of contact lenses and other medical prosthetics.

Abstract: Cleaning compositions for contact lenses are described. The compositions contain multifunctional anionic surfactants that include at least two hydrophilic dissociating head groups. The multifunctional surfactants described (e.g., LED3A) possess both surface active and chelating properties, and have been found to be particularly effective in removing protein deposits from contact lenses.

Abstract: The use of inorganic nanoparticles to stabilize aqueous hydrogen peroxide solutions is described. The preferred nanoparticles are formed from clays. The use of nanoparticles formed from synthetic smectite clays is particularly preferred. The stabilized hydrogen peroxide solutions may be utilized for various purposes, but are particularly useful as contact lens disinfecting solutions.

Abstract: The use of organic buffers to enhance the antimicrobial activity of aqueous pharmaceutical compositions is described. The buffers have tri-hydroxy functional groups and terminal acid groups, and are zwitterionic at physiological pH conditions. The most preferred buffer is tricine. The invention is particularly directed to the use of tricine to enhance the antimicrobial activity of ophthalmic compositions, such as solutions for disinfecting contact lenses and artificial tear compositions.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamic contact angle measurement on a curved material are disclosed. One embodiment of the method comprises: initializing a video-based contact angle measuring apparatus; preparing the curved material for contact angle measurement; performing a sessile drop procedure to deposit a drop of liquid on the curved material; capturing an image of the drop on the curved material at a preset time; determining a drop-curved material interface on the image; determining a drop profile on the image; and calculating a set of dynamic contact angles based on the drop-curved material interface and the drop profile. The contact angle measuring apparatus can further comprise a processor for executing software instructions, a software module comprising processor-executable software instructions for performing at least some of the steps of the method and a memory, operably coupled to the processor, for storing the processor-executable software instructions.

Abstract: The use of nanoparticles of inorganic materials (e.g., synthetic smectite clays) in ophthalmic and otic pharmaceutical compositions is described. The nanoparticles are utilized as biologically inert carriers or depots for ophthalmic and otic drugs. The nanoparticles may also be utilized to modify the rheological properties of the compositions, so as to enhance the viscosity or flow characteristics of the compositions and/or increase the retention time of the compositions in the eye or ear.