Abstract: Methods for the design of exogenous regulatory molecules, comprising a DNA-binding domain and a functional domain, are provided. The methods rely on the identification, isolation and characterization of regulatory DNA sequences obtained on the basis of their accessibility in cellular chromatin.

Abstract: Absorbent structures that form superabsorbent polymers in situ. The structures include an absorbent material and a fibrous material containing an activating agent. The fibrous material releases the activating agent upon stimulation with an activator, which causes the polymer to become a superabsorbent polymer. The absorbent component is desirably a water-swellable, water-insoluble polymer. The absorbent structures form a superabsorbent composition in situ. Methods of making the activating agent containing fibrous material are provided.

Abstract: A distinctive absorbent article includes an absorbent core having multiple absorbent layers, wherein the absorbent layers interact in such a manner which preferentially locates absorbed liquid in an appointed, high saturation wicking layer. The localization of the liquid within this wicking layer increases the potential of this layer to move liquid through capillary action due to the higher saturation level and increased amount of liquid available. The intake capability of the absorbent system is maintained or improved over current systems by keeping a second layer of the absorbent system at low saturation levels through as many insults of the product as possible, while providing optimum intake performance through appropriate control of the composite properties.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of making carboxylated cellulose fibers whose fiber strength and degree of polymerization is not significantly sacrificed. The method involves the use of TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy free radical) as a primary oxidant and a hypohalite salt as a secondary oxidant in an aqueous environment. Preferably the oxidized cellulose is then stabilized against D.P. loss in alkaline environments and color reversion with a reducing agent such as sodium borohydride. Alternatively it may be treated with an oxidant such as sodium chlorite. The method results in a high percentage of carboxyl groups located at the fiber surface. The product is especially useful as a papermaking fiber where it contributes strength and has a higher attraction for cationic additives. The product is also useful as an additive to recycled fiber to increase strength. The method can be used to improve properties of either virgin or recycled fiber.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to absorbent composites having enhanced intake properties. The absorbent composites have a Composite Permeability (CP) value at full swelling of greater than about 100×10−8 cm2. Further, the absorbent composites have a Composite Permeability/3rd Insult Fluid Intake Flowback Evaluation (FIFE) intake relationship, which results in enhanced intake properties. The present invention also provides a method of making absorbent composites having enhanced intake properties. The present invention further provides absorbent composites and their applicability in disposable personal care products. The present invention utilizes superabsorbent materials having a Gel Bed Permeability (GBP) value of greater than about 70×10−9 cm2 and an Absorbency Under Load (AUL) value at 0.6 psi of less than about 25 g/g.

Abstract: Zero current transition (ZCT) topologies are presented for three-phase inverters and rectifiers. Such devices are used for example in AC adjustable speed drives for so-called zero-emission vehicles (i.e., electric and hybrid combustion/electric automobiles). Compared to existing three-phase ZCT techniques, the number of auxiliary switches is reduced from six to three, while not altering the necessary device rating. Correspondingly, the number of gate-drivers for the auxiliary switches is also reduced to three. Meanwhile, the merits of the existing three-phase ZCT techniques are still retained, i.e., all the main switches and the auxiliary switches are turned on and turned off under zero-current conditions, and the independent commutation for each main switch is achieved. The desired soft-switching features are achieved. Therefore, this invention will contribute to more cost-effective, reliable, and efficient high-performance three-phase inverters and rectifiers.

Abstract: A composite absorbent structure and method are disclosed including providing a first wicking layer having preferred liquid transport properties in a preferred contact with a second absorbent retention layer. The composite absorbent structure of the present invention provides preferred liquid transport and liquid retention properties. The composite absorbent structure has a first wicking layer in a preferred contact with the second retention layer by a novel intimate contact means effective to achieve a Contact Intimacy Ratio providing the preferred liquid transport and liquid retention functions when the first wicking layer and the second absorbent retention layer are combined together in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to absorbent composites having enhanced intake properties. The absorbent composites of the present invention have a Composite Permeability (CP) value at full swelling of greater than about 100 ×10−8 cm2. Further, the absorbent composites, of the present invention have a Composite Permeability/3rd Insult Fluid Intake Flowback Evaluation (FIFE) intake relationship, which results in enhanced intake properties. The present invention is also directed to a method of making absorbent composites having enhanced intake properties. The present invention is further directed to absorbent composites and their applicability in disposable personal care products.

Abstract: A floating frame for an optical disc loader. It includes a pivoting-type sub-chassis of 1-degree of freedom of movement. It is rigidly connected to a chassis without any floaters. Floaters are placed at the four comers of the chassis to support the entire loader. The floater has a wide mid-section and a narrow tip. Above the mid-section are upper slots, and below the mid-section are lower slots. The floater should preferably be made of flexible material such as rubber.

Abstract: Zero current transition (ZCT) topologies are presented for three-phase inverters and rectifiers. Such devices are used for example in AC adjustable speed drives for so-called zero-emission vehicles (i.e., electric and hybrid combustion/electric automobiles). Compared to existing three-phase ZCT techniques, the number of auxiliary switches is reduced from six to three, while not altering the necessary device rating. Correspondingly, the number of gate-drivers for the auxiliary switches is also reduced to three. Meanwhile, the merits of the existing three-phase ZCT techniques are still retained, i.e., all the main switches and the auxiliary switches are turned on and turned off under zero-current conditions, and the independent communication for each main switch is achieved. The desired soft-switching features are achieved. Therefore, this invention will contribute to more cost-effective, reliable, and efficient high-performance three-phase inverters and rectifiers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fibrous absorbent structure that is wet stable and has large void volume with a density below the critical density of the fiber employed. In one embodiment, the fibrous absorbent uses open-celled foam technologies to keep the fibrous structure expanded and bonded. In other embodiments, the resulting fibrous structure resembles an open-celled polymeric foam, with fibers serving as struts stabilized by binder material. In another embodiment, the resulting fibrous structure is filled with hydrophilic open-celled foams with the cell size substantially smaller than the fibrous pores. Such a wet-stable, high void volume fibrous absorbent can be used in a disposable product intended for the absorption of fluid such as body fluid, including extensible absorbent articles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fibrous absorbent structure that is wet stable and has large void volume with a density below the critical density of the fiber employed. In one embodiment, the fibrous absorbent uses open-celled foam technologies to keep the fibrous structure expanded and bonded. In other embodiments, the resulting fibrous structure resembles an open-celled polymeric foam, with fibers serving as struts stabilized by binder material. In another embodiment, the resulting fibrous structure is filled with hydrophilic open-celled foams with the cell size substantially smaller than the fibrous pores. Such a wet-stable, high void volume fibrous absorbent can be used in a disposable product intended for the absorption of fluid such as body fluid, including extensible absorbent articles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heterogeneous polymer gel comprising at least two gel networks. One embodiment of the present invention concerns a heterogeneous polymer gel comprising a first gel network comprising an environmentally-stable gel and a second gel network comprising an environmentally-unstable gel wherein the first gel network interpenetrates the second gel network. The heterogeneous polymer gel exhibits controlled changes in volume in response to environmental changes in condition, such as of temperature or of chemical composition.

Abstract: There is provided an absorbent system for personal care products which may be transversely divided into about an equally sized center zone, two intermediate zones and two end zones where the ratio of the amount of liquid stored in the center zone to the amount of liquid stored in at least one of the end zones 30 minutes after each of three insults of 80 ml according to a MIST Evaluation Test is less than 5:1. Such an absorbent system may be used in personal care products like diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, absorbent underpants, adult incontinence products, and the like.

Abstract: A method of carrier recovery in a wireless communications system using a known synchronization word, for example an IS-54 TDMA system, operates in two stages to produce an estimate of carrier phase. In the first stage, a complex fading factor, embodying carrier phase information, is estimated from the synchronization word in the received signal using a least square criterion. In the second stage, the carrier phase is estimated from this complex fading factor by averaging. The averaging can provide a recursive average or a moving average, or can be implemented using Kalman filtering which also provides an estimated amplitude factor and frequency shift. The method and apparatus provide a substantial improvement over phase locked loop carrier recovery.

Abstract: A disc loading mechanism for a optical disc drive,. The loading mechanism includes a chassis, loader tray, a linear gear bar, lifter, motor, gear train, and a sub-chassis. The pivoting sub-chassis, which supports an optical reader, rotates around a fixed axis and has 1-degree of freedom. The loader tray is slidably attached to the chassis such that it can move from a fully out-position, the position where a disc would be loaded, to a fully in-position, the position where the optical reader would engage the disc. The linear gear bar has a long rigid body with gear teeth along the length of its body. It is slidably attached to the loader tray and performs multiple functions including facilitating the movement of the loader tray, the lifting of the sub-chassis, and the timing of the loading mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heterogeneous polymer gel comprising at least two gel networks. One embodiment of the present invention concerns a heterogeneous polymer gel comprising a first gel network comprising an environmentally-stable gel and a second gel network comprising an environmentally-unstable gel wherein the first gel network interpenetrates the second gel network. The heterogeneous polymer gel exhibits controlled changes in volume in response to environmental changes in condition, such as of temperature or of chemical composition.

Abstract: Timing recovery, with or without frame synchronization, in a cellular TDMA communications system is carried out by a method comprising estimating indirect variables, which embody sampling delay information, of a linear complex vector using a maximum likelihood criterion, and recovering the sampling delay from the estimated indirect variables. For recovering the sampling delay, an optimal procedure and three sub-optimal, but computationally simpler, procedures are described, along with their physical implementations. For frame synchronization, the timing recovery sampling delay is supplemented by a number of sample spacings determined by a maximum of signal amplitudes of a plurality of samples, calculated from the estimated indirect variables and the timing recovery sampling delay.

Abstract: A multifunctional material is provided for use in personal care products. The multifunctional material has a permeability between 100 and 10000 Darcys and a capillary tension between about 2 and 15 cm. Structures containing this multifunctional material can have a runoff rate of less than 25 ml per 100 ml insult, over its life. The multifunctional material should have between about 30 and 75 weight percent of a slow rate superabsorbent, between 25 and 70 weight percent of pulp and from a positive amount up to about 10 percent of a binder component. The material preferably has a density between about 0.05 and 0.5 g/cc. The material has a liquid pass through function which desorbs a surge material across time frames consistent with user conditions and releases the liquid for distribution to remote storage locations. The material, when combined with the intake and distribution materials, defines a composite structure for use in personal care products.

Abstract: In a TDMA cellular communications system, optimal sampling of symbols in an information sequence is maintained by a method of timing tracking in which, recursively, indirect variables of a linear complex vector are estimated from received samples and previous estimates of the indirect variables, the sampling delay, and a complex fading factor, and the complex fading factor and the sampling delay are estimated by non-linear transformations of the estimated indirect variables. The timing tracking follows a timing recovery process which produces initial estimates. An implementation of the method uses a Kalman filter having constant filter gains and a transformation of the received samples and sampling delay to a reduced time interval.