Abstract: A system for dilating tissue includes a retractor having a pair of retractor blades that are movable towards and away from each other to retract tissue of a patient. The retractor blades have longitudinal guide channels. A first pin is attachable to a first vertebra. The system also includes an interbody spacer insertion device that has a guide channel for slidably engaging the longitudinal channel guide and is releasably attachable to an interbody spacer. The interbody spacer insertion device is configured to guide the interbody spacer into a space between adjacent vertebrae. A method for using the system includes advancing the retractor blades towards first and second vertebrae. The first retractor blade is attached to the first vertebra using the first pin and the retractor blades are moved away from each other. The interbody spacer insertion device is translated towards the vertebrae to position the interbody spacer between the vertebrae.

Abstract: The present invention includes elastomeric compositions of BIMS elastomers suitable for abrasion resistant, high traction and/or air barrier articles. The compositions and articles made from those compositions of the invention can be described in any number of embodiments. In one embodiment, the composition suitable for an abrasion resistant article includes from 5 to 100 phr of a terpolymer of C4 to C7 isoolefin derived units, p-alkylstyrene derived units and p-bromomethylstyrene derived units; at least one filler such as carbon black, silica, precipitated silica, clay, or combinations thereof, and from 0.1 to 3 phr of at least one thiourea. The composition can also include from 5 to 80 phr of at least one elastomer selected from natural rubbers, polyisoprene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene rubber, isoprene butadiene rubber (IBR), styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber (SIBR), butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene rubber (SNBR), and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Transparent and colorable elastomeric compositions are provided. The transparent elastomeric compositions can be covulcanized with rubbers such as polybutadiene, polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber, isoprene-butadiene rubber, or natural rubber and polybutene processing oil. The colorable rubber compositions have sufficient properties to function as a reinforcing member in a shoe sole or automobile tire. Preferably, both the transparent and colorable elastomeric compositions include at least one copolymer of a C4 to C7 isoolefin and a p-methylstyrene, silica and a high cis-polybutadiene rubber.

Abstract: The present invention includes elastomeric compositions of BIMS elastomers suitable for abrasion resistant, high traction and/or barrier articles. The compositions and articles made from those compositions of the inventions can be described in any number of embodiments. In one embodiment, the composition suitable for an abrasion resistant article includes from 5 to 100 phr of a terpolymer of C4 to C7 isoolefin derived units, p-alkylstyrene derived units and p-bromomehtylstyrene derived units; at least one filler such as carbon black, silica, precipitated silica, clay, or combinations thereof; and from 0.1 to 3 phr of at least one thiourea.