Abstract: Synergistic surfactant blends are disclosed. In one aspect, the blend comprises an anionic surfactant and a metathesis-based cationic surfactant comprising a quaternized derivative. The quaternized derivative is a quaternized fatty amine, quaternized fatty amidoamine, imidazoline quat, or esteramine quat made from a metathesis-derived C10-C17 monounsaturated acid or its ester derivative. Also disclosed are synergistic surfactant blends comprising a cationic surfactant and a metathesisbased anionic surfactant comprising a sulfonated derivative. The sulfonated derivative is a fatty ester sulfonate, fatty acid sulfonate, sulfoestolide, fatty amide sulfonate, sulfonated fatty ester alkoxylate, imidazoline quat sulfonate, sulfonated amidoamine oxide, or sulfonated amidoamine betaine. The synergistic blends have a negative value or a reduced interfacial tension (IFT) when compared with an expected IFT value calculated from the individual surfactant components.

Abstract: Sulfate and sulfonate derivatives of unsaturated fatty alcohols, processes for making them, and methods of using them are disclosed. In one aspect, a monounsaturated fatty alcohol composition is made by reducing a metathesis-derived monounsaturated alkyl ester. The fatty alcohol composition is then converted to a sulfate or sulfonate derivative by one or more of alkoxylation, sulfation, sulfonation, and sulfitation. Of particular interest are the sulfate and ether sulfate derivatives.

Abstract: Unsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylates, processes for making them, and methods of using them are disclosed. In one aspect, a monounsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylate is made by reducing a metathesis-derived monounsaturated alkyl ester, followed by alkoxylation of the resulting monounsaturated alcohol. Microscopy reveals that the monounsaturated alkoxylates have isotropic and lamellar phases over a wider range of actives levels compared with their saturated analogs. This attribute expands formulating latitude for many end-use applications. The unsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylates are valuable in, for example, agricultural solvents, nonionic emulsifiers for agricultural compositions, hard surface cleaners, laundry detergents, specialty foams, additives or surfactants for paints or coatings, and surfactant compositions for enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the identification of synaptic vessel glycoprotein SV2 as the BoNT/A receptor and the further identification of various BoNT/A-binding fragments of SV2. The disclosure here provides new tools for diagnosing and treating botulism.

Abstract: A molecular construct comprises a donor label, an acceptor label, a linker peptide disposed between the donor and the acceptor, the linker having a cleavage site sequence, and a spacer between at least one of (a) the donor and the cleavage site sequence and (b) the acceptor and the cleavage site sequence. Preferably, the construct is selected from the group consisting of CFP-(SGLRSRA)-SNAP-25-(SNS)-YFP, and CFP-(SGLRSRA)-synaptobrevin-(SNS)-YFP. In preferred embodiments, the linker peptide is a substrate of a botulinum neurotoxin selected from the group consisting of synaptobrevin (VAMP), syntaxin and SNAP-25, or a fragment thereof that can be recognized and cleaved by the botulinum neurotoxin. Advantageously, the spacer increases the electronic coupling between the donor label and the acceptor label relative to a corresponding construct without the spacer.

Abstract: An optical fiber assembly includes an optical fiber connector, and an optical fiber adapter mating with the optical fiber connector. The optical fiber connector includes a fiber joining assembly, a first sealing member, an elastic member, and a housing assembly sleeved on the fiber joining assembly. The elastic member is slidably sleeved in the housing assembly with two ends of the elastic member resisting with the housing assembly. The optical fiber adapter includes a base board, a fixing seat protruding out from the base board, and a second sealing member sleeved on the outer surface of the fixing seat. The optical fiber adapter further includes two latching arms protruding out from the base board positioned at opposite sides of the fixing seat. The fixing seat axially defines an assembling groove for receiving the fiber joining assembly of the optical fiber connector.

Abstract: An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acids 506-582 of SV2A, wherein position 573 is N and is glycosylated, or amino acids 449-525 of SV2B, wherein position 516 is N and is glycosylated. The present invention also provides an antibody that binds specifically to the polypeptide, an isolated nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide that encodes the polypeptide; a method for reducing BoNT/E toxicity in an animal; a method for identifying an agent that blocks or inhibits binding between BoNT/E and an SV2A or SV2B protein; a method for monitoring synaptic vesicle endo- or exocytosis, a method for specifically delivering a chemical entity to a cell which has a specific receptor to a BoNT toxin.

Abstract: Sulfomethylsuccinates of the formula: wherein R is an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxylated alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, branched alkyl, branched alkenyl, branched alkynyl, branched alkoxylated alkyl, aromatic, substituted alkyl aromatic, substituted alkenyl aromatic or substituted alkoxylated aromatic group; M is a cation, hydrogen, amine or ammonium salt or combinations thereof, and each M may be the same as or different from the other; and n is from 1 to about 6. Processes for synthesizing the sulfomethylsuccinates are also provided. The sulfomethylsuccinates can be used as surfactants, emulsifiers, skin feel agents, film formers, rheological modifiers, solvents, release agents, lubrication agents, conditioners, and dispersants, etc.

Abstract: A method for increasing performance of a recycle operation in a solid state drive, comprising the steps of (A) creating an empty physical-to-logical address map in a memory having a plurality of entry locations, (B) filling one of the plurality of entry locations with a physical page address associated with each data write operation to a block, where the block has a plurality of pages, (C) writing the physical-to-logical address map to a last of the plurality of pages during a write to a second to last page of the block and (D) initiating a recycle operation of the block by reading the address map to determine whether the pages contain valid data.

Abstract: A method for booting to an operating system stored on a solid state drive. The method comprises the steps of (A) determining if a boot list has one or more entries, (B) pre-reading one or more logical block addresses of each of the entries from the boot list, (C) receiving a command from a host, (D) reading the command from a memory internal to the solid state drive if the command is in a cache area of the pre-read logical block addresses and (E) reading the command from a main portion of the solid state drive if the command is not in the cache.

Abstract: Provided are alkyl lactyllactate compositions that can be prepared from (1) lactide or alternatively lactic acid, and (2) a hydroxyl containing compound such as an alcohol, preferably a fatty alcohol or an alkoxylated alcohol, with (3) an acid catalyst. Preferably, the fatty alcohol contains from about 6 to 18 carbon atoms, such as lauryl alcohol. The alkyl lactyllactates can be used as surfactants, emulsifiers, skin feel agents, film formers, thickeners, rheological modifiers, etc., for personal care and other application areas. Compositions containing at least one alkyl lactyllactate are also provided. The compositions can further contain at least one surfactant.

Abstract: An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from amino acids 506-582 of SV2A, wherein position 573 is N and is glycosylated, or amino acids 449-525 of SV2B, wherein position 516 is N and is glycosylated. The present invention also provides an antibody that binds specifically to the polypeptide, an isolated nucleic acid comprising a polynucleotide that encodes the polypeptide; a method for reducing BoNT/E toxicity in an animal; a method for identifying an agent that blocks or inhibits binding between BoNT/E and an SV2A or SV2B protein; a method for monitoring synaptic vesicle endo- or exocytosis, a method for specifically delivering a chemical entity to a cell which has a specific receptor to a BoNT toxin.

Abstract: An adapter for an optical fiber connector includes a fixing base and two terminals. The fixing base has a main portion and two assembly portions formed on the main portion. The terminal has a positioning portion, a connecting portion, and an inserting portion. The connecting portion and the inserting portion extend from opposite ends of the positioning portion, and the positioning portion is positioned in the assembly portion of the fixing base.

Abstract: A method for allocating resources in a wireless communications environment comprises receiving a mapping between a first hop-port and frequency range, and determining whether to map a second access terminal to a second hop-port that is mapped to at least the same frequency range during a substantially similar instance in time, the determination made as a function of characteristics relating to a first access terminal associated with the first hop-port. The method can further include determining that the first access terminal is a candidate for employing Space-Division Multiple Access (SDMA), and mapping the second-hop port and associating the second access terminal with the second hop-port when the second access terminal is also a candidate for employing SDMA.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector is used for fastening a cable. The optical fiber connector includes a front housing, a fiber joining assembly, a fastening sleeve, and a rear housing. The front housing includes a base portion and a fixing portion extending from an end of the base portion. The fixing portion is applied for fastening the cable. The fastening sleeve is sleeved on the fixing portion of the front housing. The fiber joining assembly is received in the base portion of the front housing. The rear housing is sleeved on the fixing portion and is fastened to the base portion.

Abstract: Provided are alkyl lactyllactate compositions that can be prepared from (1) lactide or alternatively lactic acid, and (2) a hydroxyl containing compound such as an alcohol, preferably a fatty alcohol or an alkoxylated alcohol, with (3) an acid catalyst. Preferably, the fatty alcohol contains from about 6 to 18 carbon atoms, such as lauryl alcohol. The alkyl lactyllactates can be used as surfactants, emulsifiers, skin feel agents, film formers, thickeners, rheological modifiers, etc., for personal care and other application areas. Compositions containing at least one alkyl lactyllactate are also provided. The compositions can further contain at least one surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the identification of synaptic vessel glycoprotein SV2 as the BoNT/A receptor and the further identification of various BoNT/A-binding fragments of SV2. The disclosure here provides new tools for diagnosing and treating botulism.

Abstract: It is disclosed here that synaptotagmin I (syt I) and synaptotagmin II (syt II) are the cellular receptors for botulinum neurotoxin B (BoNT/B) that mediate the cellular entry and toxicity of BoNT/B. The BoNT/B binding domains of syt I and II are also disclosed. While syt I needs gangliosides for BoNT/B binding, syt II can bind to BoNT/B in the absence of gangliosides. Various nucleic acids and polypeptides that relate to the BoNT/B binding domain of syt I or II are disclosed. Further disclosed are methods of reducing BoNT/B toxicity, methods of identifying agents that can block the binding between BoNT/B and syt I or II, methods of identifying agents that can bind to the BoNT/B binding domain of syt I or II, methods of detecting BoNT/B or Clostridium botulinum and kits for use thereof.

Abstract: A signaling channel that punctures traffic channels is used to send signaling, e.g., acknowledgments (ACKs). To send signaling, resources for the signaling channel are determined, e.g., based on a frequency hopping pattern. Signaling is spread with a spreading code (e.g., a Walsh code) to generate spread signaling, which is mapped to the resources for the signaling channel. Each resource may be partitioned into multiple clusters. A signaling message may be mapped to different clusters to achieve diversity. Traffic data may also be mapped to other resources for a traffic channel assigned for use. Traffic data mapped to the other resources for the signaling channel is punctured. The mapped signaling and traffic data are further processed (e.g., for OFDM or SC-FDMA) and transmitted.