Abstract: Proppants for hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells are coated with a polyurea-type coating. In a preferred embodiment, the polyurea-type coating is formed by contacting a polymeric isocyanate with an amount of water a blowing catalyst at a rate and quantity sufficient to generate a reactive amine in situ on the outer surface of the proppant which thereby reacts with unconverted polymeric isocyanate to form a thin polyurea-type surface coating that is substantially solid and lacks foam or substantial porosity. Alternatively, the polyurea-type can he produed by selecting reactive amine compounds and isocyanates to develop the coated proppant. The coated proppants retain the discrete, free-flowing character of the original core solids but with the beneficial effects of the polyurea-type coating of the present invention.

Abstract: Proppants for hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells have a polymeric coating that is strengthened with reinforcing particulates that are reactive with, or chemically bonded to, the polymeric proppant coating. Preferably, these particulates are added into the coating during the coating process. In one embodiment, functionalized particulates are used that become grafted into the polymer of the proppant coating through the chemical functionality imparted to the particulates. If non-functionalized particulates are used, a coupling agent is preferably added to enhance the bond strength between the added particulates and the polymeric matrix of the proppant coating.

Abstract: Sealable and repositionable implant devices are provided with one or more improvements that increase the ability of implants such as endovascular grafts to be precisely deployed or re-deployed, with better in situ accommodation to the local anatomy of the targeted recipient anatomic site, and/or with the ability for post-deployment adjustment to accommodate anatomic changes that might compromise the efficacy of the implant. A surgical implant includes an implant body and a selectively adjustable assembly attached to the implant body, having adjustable elements, and operable to cause a configuration change in a portion of the implant body and, thereby, permit implantation of the implant body within an anatomic orifice to effect a seal therein under normal physiological conditions.

Abstract: A system includes a banking network (1) and a rewards server (2). An integrated wallet with mobile access (3) is connected to the banking network (1) and is configured to facilitate payment flows. A tracking device (4) is connected to the rewards server (2) and is configured to track and measure levels of financial knowledge and understanding of financial concepts of system users. The rewards server (2) is configured to store trading data as well as said measures of financial knowledge and by virtue of communicating to an interface, through which traders can accumulate reward points based on trading activity or level of financial knowledge. The foregoing components may be connected to an exchange system (5). Exchange system (5) may also be connected to a user trading terminals.

Abstract: Sealable and repositionable implant devices are provided with one or more improvements that increase the ability of implants such as endovascular grafts to be precisely deployed or re-deployed, with better in situ accommodation to the local anatomy of the targeted recipient anatomic site, and/or with the ability for post-deployment adjustment to accommodate anatomic changes that might compromise the efficacy of the implant. A surgical implant includes an implant body and a selectively adjustable assembly attached to the implant body, having adjustable elements, and operable to cause a configuration change in a portion of the implant body and, thereby, permit implantation of the implant body within an anatomic orifice to effect a seal therein under normal physiological conditions.

Abstract: A butt-end device or knob for a sports implement with a handle for holding the sports implement. The butt-end device or knob has an inner member or inner surface mountable adjacent to a longitudinal end of the handle and a hand-engaging surface to engage a user's hand when holding the handle, the hand-engaging surface being movable relative to the handle in order to follow movement of the user's hand when the user swings the sports implement.

Abstract: Proppants for hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells are coated with a polyurea-type coating. In a preferred embodiment, the polyurea-type coating is formed by contacting a polymeric isocyanate with an amount of water and a blowing catalyst at a rate and quantity sufficient to generate a reactive amine in situ on the outer surface of the proppant which thereby reacts with unconverted polymeric isocyanate to form a thin polyurea-type surface coating that is substantially solid and lacks foam or substantial porosity. Alternatively, the polyurea-type can be produced by selecting reactive amine compounds and isocyanates to develop the coated proppant. The coated proppants retain the discrete, free-flowing character of the original core solids but with the beneficial effects of the polyurea-type coating of the present invention.

Abstract: A butt-end device or knob for a sports implement with a handle for holding the sports implement. The butt-end device or knob has an inner member or inner surface mountable adjacent to a longitudinal end of the handle and a hand-engaging surface to engage a user's hand when holding the handle, the hand-engaging surface being movable relative to the handle in order to follow movement of the user's hand when the user swings the sports implement.

Abstract: A tubular bat is provided whereby at least one diaphragm is located within the internal cavity of the bat. The diaphragm is fastened at its peripheral edge to the inner surface of the bat wall, thereby dividing the internal cavity into two separated cavities, thus creating two sweet spots, or shifting the existing sweet spot forward towards the distal end of the bat. This improves player performance by providing an expanded number of optimal hitting zones or by moving the optimal hitting zone farther from the bat handle.

Abstract: A method validating a particulate monitoring device includes generating a final gas stream having a particulate material concentration that corresponds to a target particulate material concentration, using the particulate monitoring device to measure the particulate material concentration in the final gas stream, and evaluating an accuracy of the particulate monitoring device based on a comparison of the particulate concentration in the final gas stream that was measured by the particulate monitoring device with the target particulate material concentration.

Abstract: Solid proppants are coated with a coating that exhibits the handling characteristics of a pre-cured coating while also exhibiting the ability to form particle-to-particle bonds at the elevated temperatures and pressures within a wellbore. The coating includes a substantially homogeneous mixture of (i) at least one isocyanate component having at least 2 isocyanate groups, and (ii) a curing agent comprising a monofunctional alcohol, amine or amide. The coating process can be performed with short cycle times, e.g., less than about 4 minutes, and still produce a dry, free-flowing, coated proppant that exhibits low dust characteristics during pneumatic handling but also proppant consolidation downhole for reduced washout and good conductivity. Such proppants also form good unconfined compressive strength without use of an bond activator, are substantially unaffected in bond formation characteristics under downhole conditions despite prior heat exposure, and are resistant to leaching with hot water.

Abstract: In an embodiment, at a network element in a network, a domain name query is intercepted from a client. Metadata associated with a network application or service that is the object of the domain name query is obtained from a domain name system server. A policy is determined to enforce, based on the metadata, and the policy is enforced with respect to the client's access of the network application or service.

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing network traffic policies. A domain name system (DNS) infrastructure is accessed to obtain metadata associated with a destination address of a traffic flow; the traffic flow is classified by the destination address and the metadata; and a policy is applied to the traffic flow, wherein the policy is determined on the basis of the classification of the traffic flow.

Abstract: Solid proppants are coated with a coating that exhibits the handling characteristics of a pre-cured coating while also exhibiting the ability to form particle-to-particle bonds at the elevated temperatures and pressures within a wellbore. The coating includes a substantially homogeneous mixture of (i) at least one isocyanate component having at least 2 isocyanate groups, and (ii) a curing agent comprising a monofunctional alcohol, amine or amide. The coating process can be performed with short cycle times, e.g., less than about 4 minutes, and still produce a dry, free-flowing, coated proppant that exhibits low dust characteristics during pneumatic handling but also proppant consolidation downhole for reduced washout and good conductivity. Such proppants also form good unconfined compressive strength without use of an bond activator, are substantially unaffected in bond formation characteristics under downhole conditions despite prior heat exposure, and are resistant to leaching with hot water.

Abstract: A colored coating composition comprising a white base paint and at least one colored pigment in a form that can be readily mixed with the white base paint, the white base paint comprising a film-forming polymer, a liquid carrier, one or more opacifying white pigments and one or more extenders, the colored coating composition having a light reflectance value Y less than 110, and greater than that defined by the equation Y=mC+K, where 25>C>1.0, C being the chroma of the colored coating composition, m and K being empirical coefficients selected according to the type and number of the type of the at least one colored pigment, and dependant on the hue angle of the coating composition.

Abstract: A butt-end device or knob for a sports implement with a handle for holding the sports implement. The butt-end device or knob has an inner member or inner surface mountable adjacent to a longitudinal end of the handle and a hand-engaging surface to engage a user's hand when holding the handle, the hand-engaging surface being movable relative to the handle in order to follow movement of the user's hand when the user swings the sports implement.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for mobile image capture and processing of financial transaction where one or more programmed processors perform the steps.

Abstract: A sealable vascular endograft system for placement in a vascular defect includes a delivery catheter shaped to be disposed within a blood vessel. The delivery catheter includes an implant delivery catheter sheath defining an implant delivery catheter lumen and an endovascular implant removably disposed within the implant delivery catheter lumen in a compressed or folded state for delivery thereof to the vascular defect. The endovascular implant includes a tubular implant body and a sealable circumferential collar including a variable sealing device and a control lead traversing from the variable sealing device to a user and controlling variability of the variable sealing device by the user. The sealing device and the control lead cooperate to reversibly expand and contract the sealable circumferential collar to circumferentially adjust during deployment thereof to achieve a repositionable fluid-tight seal between the sealable circumferential collar and the internal walls proximal to the vascular defect.

Abstract: A sealable vascular system includes an endovascular implant to be delivered in a compressed or folded state to an implantation site. The endovascular implant includes a tubular implant body and a sealable circumferential collar at said tubular implant body and including a variable sealing device and a control lead traversing from said variable sealing device to a user for controlling said variable sealing device by the user, said variable sealing device and said control lead being cooperatively operable to reversibly expand and contract said sealable circumferential collar such that said sealable circumferential collar is circumferentially adjustable during deployment thereof to achieve a repositionable fluid-tight seal between said sealable circumferential collar and the internal walls of the implantation site.