Abstract: Coated articles include a substrate and a periodic mesoporous organosilica layer adhered to a surface of the substrate. The coated articles may further include a secondary silane layer covalently attached the periodic mesoporous organosilica layer. Depending on the compositions of the layers, the combination of the periodic mesoporous organosilica layer and the secondary silane layer renders the surface of the substrate superhydrophobic or omniphobic. Methods for coating a surface of a substrate include contacting the surface with a mixture of a hydrolyzed organosilane and a poloxamer and curing the mixture on the surface to form a PMO-coated substrate. The methods may further include contacting the PMO-coated article with a secondary silane coating solution of one or more silanes, then curing the secondary silane coating solution to form a dual-coated article comprising a secondary alkylsilane layer covalently attached to the periodic mesoporous organosilica layer on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for collecting a compound from a surface, the method comprising providing a silicone adhesive collector comprising a silicone adhesive layer on a backing; contacting the silicone adhesives collector and a first solvent to provide a wetted collector; contacting the silicone adhesive layer of the silicone adhesive collector and a surface to be analyzed to provide a loaded collector; and removing the loaded collector from the surface to collect the compound. The disclosure also relates to a system for collecting a chemical compound from surfaces, the system comprising a silicone adhesive collector comprising a backing, and a silicone adhesive layer disposed on the backing; a first solvent; and instructions to dispose the first solvent on the silicone adhesive collector, the surface, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method for collecting a compound from a surface, the method comprising providing a silicone adhesive collector comprising a silicone adhesive layer on a backing; contacting the silicone adhesives collector and a first solvent to provide a wetted collector; contacting the silicone adhesive layer of the silicone adhesive collector and a surface to be analyzed to provide a loaded collector; and removing the loaded collector from the surface to collect the compound. The disclosure also relates to a system for collecting a chemical compound from surfaces, the system comprising a silicone adhesive collector comprising a backing, and a silicone adhesive layer disposed on the backing; a first solvent; and instructions to dispose the first solvent on the silicone adhesive collector, the surface, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A safety syringe assembly is provided which can be united for use and disposed thereafter in a safe manner. Accidental punctures and cross-contamination from used needles are eliminated by use of the retractable needle and removable shroud. The syringe assembly is efficient in operation, low in cost and the method of use is easily learned due to the relatively small number of syringe components employed.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc. Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc, after some period of time. Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc. Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.

Abstract: Compounds are provided for use in an electrolyte comprising repeating unit selected from the group consisting of cyclic and heterocyclic species having y carbon atoms and z heteroatoms, X, and where y is 4, 5 or 6 and z is 0, 1 or 2. The heteroatom is selected from the group consisting of O, S and N. The repeating unit is further substituted by four to six pendant groups having the formula, (CHR.sub.1).sub.m O(CHR.sub.1 CHR.sub.1 O).sub.n Y, where the majority of pendant groups comprises at least two O and further,in which m is 0 or 1,in which n is in the range of 0 to 25,in which each R.sub.1 is the same or different and R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, allylic and alkenyl radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and Y, andin which each Y is the same or different and Y is a functional group selected from the group consisting of polymerizable functionalities, plasticizing agents and ionic species. Electrolytes, plasticizers and macroions prepared from these compounds are described.

Abstract: Compounds are provided for use in an electrolyte comprising repeating unit selected from the group consisting of cyclic and heterocyclic species having y carbon atoms and z heteroatoms, X, and where y is 4, 5 or 6 and z is 0, 1 or 2. The heteroatom is selected from the group consisting of O, S and N. The repeating unit is further substituted by four to six pendant groups having the formula, (CHR.sub.1).sub.m O(CHR.sub.1 CHR.sub.1 O).sub.n Y, where the majority of pendant groups comprises at least two O and further,in which m is 0 or 1,in which n is in the range of 0 to 25,in which each R.sub.1 is the same or different and R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, allylic and alkenyl radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and Y, andin which each Y is the same or different and Y is a functional group selected from the group consisting of polymerizable functionalities, plasticizing agents and ionic species. Electrolytes, plasticizers and macro-ions prepared from these compounds are described.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for producing and delivering a rapidly setting composition and method of delivering a rapid setting cementitious grout. The rapidly setting composition comprises a first interactive component and a second interactive component. The first component comprises a retarded cementitious grout and the second is a gelling agent therefor, the rate of addition of the gelling agent being selected so as to control the rate of set of the deliverable composition. The particular apparatus includes means for supplying the gelling agent through an auxiliary pipeline to the main supply pipeline and means for monitoring the flow rate of the first component through the main supply line, means for monitoring the flow rate of the gelling agent through the auxiliary supply line, and means for adjusting the flow rate of the gelling agent to reduce difference between the monitored value and a reference value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fat substitute comprising an ethoxyloted sugar or sugar alcohol sucrose fatty acid ester. Between 1 and about 50 alkoxyl groups are attached by ether linkages to each polyol molecule. Each ethoxylated polyol is esterified with between about 6 and about 8 fatty acid groups, the fatty acids containing between about 2 and about 24 carbon atoms. The invention also relates to a low calorie fat-containing food composition which comprises: (a) non-fat ingredients; and (b) fat ingredients, from about 10% to about 100% by weight of said fat ingredients consisting essentially of the above-described fat substitute.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a circuit breaker comprising a cover having a snap action blade attached thereto, with a movable contact mounted on the snap action blade, the optimum position of the movable contact with respect to a preselected locus is first determined and the movable contact is adjusted to the optimum position prior to closure of the circuit breaker. The optimum position prevents frying of the circuit breaker during operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat exchanger tube support for supporting a plurality of heat exchanger tubes in a conduit of a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger tube support includes three identical elements each having a flattened W-shaped configuration defined by a central projection and two diverging leg sections. A channel is defined in the area between each leg section and the projection. The elements are secured together with a leg section of each element being welded to a leg section of each adjacent element and with the projections extending radially outward. The elements enclose an interior area through which a central heat exchanger tube passes. Six outer heat exchage tubes are supported in a radial array on the heat exchanger tube support within each channel. The leg sections of each element extend to the inside wall of the conduit to space the heat exchanger tubes from the inside wall.

Abstract: A power antenna actuator mechanism has a worm and gear drive for a cable storage drum which is integral with the worm gear. A covering, which cooperates with a housing to enclose the actuator mechanism, has a rib portion which abuts a circumferential surface of the storage drum for an arcuate distance adjacent the mesh point of the worm and worm gear to provide a support member for the storage drum in a radial direction transverse to the axis of the worm.

Abstract: A drive and storage drum is comprised of input and output frusto-conical sections. The input section has a resilient drive member and locking tangs disposed thereon which cooperate with slots disposed on the output section to provide a resilient drive connection and axial positioning between the input and output sections. An antenna cable is drivingly connected to the output section while a drive motor is drivingly connected through a worm drive to the input section. The resilient drive connection permits relative angular motion between the input and output sections when the end of cable travel is reached but the drive motor is not concurrently stopped.

Abstract: A closure for a heat exchanger of the shell and tube type in which fluid under high pressure is circulated through one or more tubes mounted in the shell. The pressure of the fluid flowing through the shell is lower than the pressure of the fluid in the tubes. The closure includes a single seal member for sealing between the tube sheet and the shell terminal member and between the tube sheet and the closure member and between the terminal member and the closure member. The tubes are bent in a hairpin shape with a separate closure at each end of the tubes. An opening in the end of the shell allows the tube and tube sheet to be inserted into and removed from the interior of the shell.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc, after some period of time. Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.