Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for isothermal amplification of a plurality of different target nucleic acids, wherein the different target nucleic acids are amplified using universal primers and colonies produced thereby can be distinguished from each other. The method, therefore, generates distinct colonies of amplified nucleic acid sequences that can be analyzed by various means to yield information particular to each distinct colony.

Abstract: Titanium dioxide nanopowder is produced by a process, comprising: (a) reacting titanium tetrachloride and an oxygen containing gas in the vapor phase in a flame reactor, at a flame temperature of at least about 800° C.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of increasing particle surface area and decreasing the concentration of over-sized particles in a process for making metal oxide particles, particularly nanoparticle TiO2, in an inlet-fed, plug flow, plasma reactor by vapor phase reaction of titanium tetrachloride and oxygen in the presence of a source of hydrogen to form titanium dioxide particles.

Abstract: Titanium dioxide nanopowder is produced by a process, comprising: (a) reacting titanium tetrachloride and an oxygen containing gas in the vapor phase in a flame reactor, at a flame temperature of at least about 800° C. in the presence of (i) water vapor in an amount ranging from about 1000 to about 50,000 parts per million, based on the weight of titanium dioxide under production, (ii) a diluent gas in an amount greater than about 100 mole percent based on the titanium tetrachloride and oxygen containing gas and (iii) a nucleant consisting essentially of a cesium substance wherein the cesium substance is present in an amount ranging from about 10 to about 5000 parts per million, based on the weight of the titanium dioxide under production, the pressure of reaction being sufficient to form titanium dioxide nanopowder.

Abstract: A process for preparing superparamagnetic transition metal nanoparticles by introducing into a gas stream a hydrocarbon and a transition metal carboxyl wherein the transition metal carbonyl is introduced downstream from the hydrocarbon; wherein at the point of introduction of the hydrocarbon the gas stream is in the form of a plasma, and wherein at the point of introduction of the transition metal carbonyl the gas stream is at a temperature of at least 1000° C.; followed by quenching to form carbon-coated transition metal nanoparticles; and wherein the gas stream consists essentially of at least one inert gas and hydrogen.

Abstract: Electrochemical double layer capacitors are disclosed that advantageously include separators having at least one porous layer of nanofibers having average diameters of between about 50 nm and about 1000 nm that provide improved combinations of reduced thickness, barrier against the development of soft short-circuits and low ionic resistance as compared with known capacitor separators.

Abstract: An optical waveguide fiber comprises: (a) a core with a refractive index profile having, a radius, an alpha and a relative refractive index characterized by delta % that varies along the radius; (b) at least one cladding surrounding the core; wherein the alpha is less than 2.5, peak refractive index delta % is between 0.34% and 0.4%, the relative refractive index is less than 0.01% for all radii greater than 7 ?m, and this optical waveguide fiber has a mode field diameter MFD at a wavelength of 1310 nm of no more than 9.54 ?m, and attenuation less than: (a) 0.329 dB/km at a wavelength of 1310 nm, (b) 0.290 dB/km at a wavelength of 1383 nm, (c) 0.255 dB/km at a wavelength of 1410 nm, and (d) 0.189 dB/km at a wavelength of 1550 nm.

Abstract: An optical waveguide fiber comprises: (a) a core with a refractive index profile having, a radius, an alpha and a relative refractive index characterized by delta% that varies along the radius; (b) at least one cladding surrounding the core; wherein the alpha is less than 2.5, peak refractive index delta % is between 0.34% and 0.4%, the relative refractive index is less than 0.01% for all radii greater than 7 pm, and this optical waveguide fiber has a mode field diameter MFD at a wavelength of 1310 nm of no more than 9.54 ?m, and attenuation less than: (a) 0.329 dB/km at a wavelength of 1310 nm, (b) 0.290 dB/km at a wavelength of 1383nm, (c) 0.255 dB/km at a wavelength of 1410 nm, and (d ) 0.189 dB/km at a wavelength of 1550 nm.

Abstract: Titanium dioxide nanopowder is produced by a process, comprising: (a) reacting titanium tetrachloride and an oxygen containing gas in the vapor phase in a flame reactor, at a flame temperature of at least about 800° C.

Abstract: Alkaline and lithium batteries are disclosed that advantageously include separators comprising at least one porous layer of fine fibers having a diameter of between about 50 nm and about 3000 nm that provide improved combinations of reduced thickness, dendritic barrier against short-circuiting and low ionic resistance as compared with known battery separators.

Abstract: Substituted heteroaryl fused pyridine, pyrazine, and pyrimidine compounds that act as selective modulators of CRF 1 receptors are provided. These compounds are useful in the treatment of a number of CNS and periphereal disorders, particularly stress, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disorders, and eating disorders. Methods of treatment of such disorders and well as packaged pharmaceutical compositions are also provided. Compounds of the invention are also useful as probes for the localization of CRF receptors and as standards in assays for CRF receptor binding. Methods of using the compounds in receptor localization studies are given.

Abstract: An optical fiber (10) having a first section (10A) with little or no small-angle scattering (SAS) and a second section (10B) with an increased amount of SAS is disclosed. The optical fiber is formed by changing the draw temperature (TD) and/or the draw speed (VD) so as to induce index of refraction perturbations (P) at a core interface (40). The SAS optical fiber is useful in forming an evanescent optical fiber sensor (400), wherein the increased SAS enhances an evanescent wave portion (436) of a guided wave (434), which leads to increased sensitivity when measuring a property of a test medium (500).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles using a high temperature process. The reactor chamber includes a high temperature gas heated by means such as a plasma torch, and a reaction chamber. The homogenizer includes a region between the reactant inlets and the plasma (the spacer zone) to ensure that feeds from the reactant inlets are downstream of the recirculation zone induced by the high temperature gas. It also includes a region downstream of the reactant inlets that provides a nearly I dimensional (varying only in the axial direction) flow and concentration profile in the reaction zone to produce nanoparticles with narrow size distribution.

Abstract: The present invention is a dispersion composition comprising (1) a curable mixture of monomers, oligomers, or a combination thereof; and (2) superparamagnetic particles dispersed in the mixture of part (1) and a method for preparing such superparamagnetic particles. The composition of the present invention can be useful as a tool for detecting and/or deterring theft, counterfeiting, or the like in commercial transactions.

Abstract: A positive electrode plate-making process for a lead acid battery that produces an active material precursor comprising tetrabasic lead sulfate crystals with an average crystal width less than 20 ?m. The process includes mixing a lead and/or lead oxide powder and a paste additive with sulfuric acid to form a positive electrode paste composition, wherein the paste additive comprises ground tetrabasic lead sulfate crystals having an average particle size in the range of 1-20 ?m. The paste is then cured on a positive battery grid to form a positive electrode plate having the desired active material precursor containing tetrabasic lead sulfate crystals with an average crystal width less than 20 ?m. In an embodiment, curing is performed directly after applying the paste to the grid, with no intermediate steaming process.

Abstract: A handwritten Chinese character input method and system is provided to allow users to enter Chinese characters to a data processor by adding less than three strokes and one selection movement such as mouse clicking or stylus or finger tapping. The system is interactive, predictive, and intuitive to use. By adding one or two strokes which are used to start writing a Chinese character, or in some case even no strokes are needed, users can find a desired character from a list of characters. The list is context sensitive. It varies depending on the prior character entered. Compared to other existing systems, this system can save users considerable time and efforts to entering handwritten characters.

Abstract: The invention provides a stroke and phonetic text input entry system that has substantially the same definition of stroke match as that used in T9, where the input is a phrasal input rather than a character input. The invention solves the problem of Chinese phrasal stroke and phonetic text input by allowing users to enter an arbitrary number of strokes for each character in a phrase, where each character is separated by a delimiter. In this way, the invention provides a system that is easily learned and efficiently applied. Thus, the invention makes it possible for users to enter multiple characters while keeping their single character input habits. Each Chinese character has a standard stroke sequence in Guo Biao (GB), which is the standard for mainland China, or multiple sequences for BIG5 Chinese Character Encoding for Traditional (Complex) Characters, which is the de facto standard in Taiwan but not used in mainland China.

Abstract: A DCF adapted to compensate for dispersion and slope of a length of SMF in the C-band window that includes a core surrounded by a cladding layer of refractive index ?c. The core includes at least three radially adjacent segments, a central core segment having a positive ?1, a moat segment having a negative refractive index ?2, and a ring segment having a positive refractive index ?3, wherein ?1>?3>?c>?2. The DCF exhibits a negative Dispersion Slope (DS), where ?0.29 (ps/nm2·km) at 1546 nm, a dispersion (D), where ?100<D<?120 (ps.nm·km) at 1546 nm, and a ? value (D/DS) at 1546 nm that is preferably between 250 and 387 nm. The DCF preferably has a cutoff wavelength (?c) less than 1500 nm, attenuation at 1550 nm of less than 0.6 dB/km, and a bend loss of less than 0.01 dB/m on a 40 mm mandrel at 1550 nm. A transmission link including the combination of a SMF and a DCF having a dispersion (D), where ?100<D<?120, is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of increasing particle surface area and decreasing the concentration of over-sized particles in a process for making metal oxide particles, particularly nanoparticle TiO2, in an inlet-fed, plug flow, plasma reactor by vapor phase reaction of titanium tetrachloride and oxygen in the presence of a source of hydrogen to form titanium dioxide particles.

Abstract: A process for minimizing and even eliminating over-sized particles in a vapor phase synthesis of metal oxide-containing particles comprising reacting oxygen with one of more vapor streams comprising a titanium halide, a silicon halide and a compound selected from the group consisting of phosphorous, germanium, boron, tin, niobium, chromium, silver, gold, palladium aluminum, and mixtures thereof in a plug flow, plasma reactor.