Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to nanoparticle stabilized firefighting foam concentrates, firefighting foam solutions, and firefighting foams prepared from a concentrate or solution of the present invention containing one or more silica nanoparticles (e.g., surface modified silica nanoparticles) and any or all of one or more components selected from one or more organic solvents, one or more surfactants, one or more biopolymers, and one or more alcohols. The present invention is also directed to methods for increasing the resistance of a firefighting foam to a polar solvent. The present invention is further directed to methods for preparing firefighting foam concentrates including silica nanoparticles (e.g., surface modified silica nanoparticles).

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and associated methods for facilitating a noninvasive stimulation protocol that targets corticospinal-motoneuronal synapses of multiple upper and lower limb muscles simultaneously using principles of spike-timing dependent plasticity. The system applies pre-synaptic and post-synaptic stimuli to cortico-neuronal pairs during each session of the stimulation protocol for rehabilitation of multiple peripheral nerves at a time. The system includes a controller that modulates a post-synaptic pulse initiation time such that an interstimulus interval between an arrival time of a pre-synaptic stimulus and an arrival time of a post-synaptic stimulus is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-destructive method for measuring the elasticity of templates of materials for lining automotive vehicle components, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: applying a tensile pre-load with a predetermined value P1 in a longitudinal direction to a template section (41); applying a tensile load with a predetermined value P2 in a longitudinal direction to said section (41) and measuring the longitudinal deformation produced; removing the load applied to said section (41) and measuring the residual longitudinal deformation produced. The invention also comprises an apparatus (11) for carrying out the method which comprises two fixing elements (15, 17) for fixing the section (41), one of which elements is a fixed element (15) and the other is a moving element (17), a device for applying a tensile load to the moving element (17) connected to a dynamometer (29), and a rule (31) for measuring the longitudinal deformation of said section (41).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the adaptability of lining materials for automotive vehicle components, which materials are joined thereto by means of an adhesive, comprising the following steps: obtaining samples (13) of the material with several diameters Dmi; providing disc-shaped jigs (11) with a central recessed area (15) and an intermediate area (17), the diameter Dz of the latter being greater than the diameters Dmi, and such diameters Dmi being smaller than the diameter Dc of the central recessed area (15); applying said adhesive to the samples (13) and the jigs (1) and placing the samples (13) on the jigs (11) inside the intermediate area (17); detecting the presence or absence of creases in the samples (13); determining the adaptability according to the difference of the diameter Dmi of the samples (13) that do not have creases with respect to the diameter Dc of the central recessed area (15).

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-destructive method for measuring the elasticity of templates of materials for lining automotive vehicle components, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: applying a tensile pre-load with a predetermined value P1 in a longitudinal direction to a template section (41); applying a tensile load with a predetermined value P2 in a longitudinal direction to said section (41) and measuring the longitudinal deformation produced; removing the load applied to said section (41) and measuring the residual longitudinal deformation produced. The invention also comprises an apparatus (11) for carrying out the method which comprises two fixing elements (15, 17) for fixing the section (41), one of which elements is a fixed element (15) and the other is a moving element (17), a device for applying a tensile load to the moving element (17) connected to a dynamometer (29), and a rule (31) for measuring the longitudinal deformation of said section (41).

Abstract: Motor-vehicle steering wheel with a module (13) that houses an airbag and a plurality of control knobs and that does not rotate together with the steering column thanks to a spring device (41, 43, 45), in which said spring device is inserted inside a plastic helical body that includes a groove 35 in its outer part for locating the cables (37) necessary for providing the electrical connection to the airbag and control knobs located in the module (13).