Explore 12 of the most intriguing places on Mars with this interactive guide from MNN.

Mugge most recently worked at Ardonagh Group after moving across from Gallagher to Towergate in 2015.

Firm sees strong growth in mobile electronics and automotive paving way to significant opportunities

TruClean stops the growth of 99.999% of bacteria & viruses and controls microbial growth for up to 12 months and – has been applied to every surface of the casino, hotel and gas station

HUBBARD RADIO Chairman/CEO GINNY MORRIS released a company-wide memo which ALL ACCESS has obtained, regarding the downsizings. Hello Everyone, Today is a very tough and unprecedented day at … more

We review some recent results on the phenomenon of surface superconductivity in the framework of Ginzburg-Landau theory for extreme type-II materials. In particular, we focus on the response of the superconductor to a strong longitudinal magnetic field in the regime where superconductivity survives only along the boundary of the wire. We derive the energy and density asymptotics for samples with smooth cross section, up to curvature-dependent terms. Furthermore, we discuss the corrections in presence of corners at the boundary of the sample.

This paper is devoted to the study of the singularity phenomenon of timelike extremal hypersurfaces in Minkowski spacetime $mathbb{R}^{1+3}$. We find that there are two explicit lightlike self-similar solutions to a graph representation of timelike extremal hypersurfaces in Minkowski spacetime $mathbb{R}^{1+3}$, the geometry of them are two spheres. The linear mode unstable of those lightlike self-similar solutions for the radially symmetric membranes equation is given. After that, we show those self-similar solutions of the radially symmetric membranes equation are nonlinearly stable inside a strictly proper subset of the backward lightcone. This means that the dynamical behavior of those two spheres is as attractors. Meanwhile, we overcome the double roots case (the theorem of Poincar'{e} can't be used) in solving the difference equation by construction of a Newton's polygon when we carry out the analysis of spectrum for the linear operator.

Let $f colon X o X$ be a surjective endomorphism of a normal projective surface. When $operatorname{deg} f geq 2$, applying an (iteration of) $f$-equivariant minimal model program (EMMP), we determine the geometric structure of $X$. Using this, we extend the second author's result to singular surfaces to the extent that either $X$ has an $f$-invariant non-constant rational function, or $f$ has infinitely many Zariski-dense forward orbits; this result is also extended to Adelic topology (which is finer than Zariski topology).

In cite{S 2017}, Suh gave a non-existence theorem for Hopf real hypersurfaces in the complex quadric with parallel normal Jacobi operator. Motivated by this result, in this paper, we introduce some generalized conditions named $mathcal C$-parallel or Reeb parallel normal Jacobi operators. By using such weaker parallelisms of normal Jacobi operator, first we can assert a non-existence theorem of Hopf real hypersurfaces with $mathcal C$-parallel normal Jacobi operator in the complex quadric $Q^{m}$, $m geq 3$. Next, we prove that a Hopf real hypersurface has Reeb parallel normal Jacobi operator if and only if it has an $mathfrak A$-isotropic singular normal vector field.

We define local indices for projective umbilics and godrons (also called cusps of Gauss) on generic smooth surfaces in projective 3-space. By means of these indices, we provide formulas that relate the algebraic numbers of those characteristic points on a surface (and on domains of the surface) with the Euler characteristic of that surface (resp. of those domains). These relations determine the possible coexistences of projective umbilics and godrons on the surface. Our study is based on a "fundamental cubic form" for which we provide a closed simple expression.

Given spherically symmetric characteristic initial data for the Einstein-scalar field system with a positive cosmological constant, we provide a criterion, in terms of the dimensionless size and dimensionless renormalized mass content of an annular region of the data, for the formation of a future trapped surface. This corresponds to an extension of Christodoulou's classical criterion by the inclusion of the cosmological term.

The connection between visual input and tactile sensing is critical for object manipulation tasks such as grasping and pushing. In this work, we introduce the challenging task of estimating a set of tactile physical properties from visual information. We aim to build a model that learns the complex mapping between visual information and tactile physical properties. We construct a first of its kind image-tactile dataset with over 400 multiview image sequences and the corresponding tactile properties. A total of fifteen tactile physical properties across categories including friction, compliance, adhesion, texture, and thermal conductance are measured and then estimated by our models. We develop a cross-modal framework comprised of an adversarial objective and a novel visuo-tactile joint classification loss. Additionally, we develop a neural architecture search framework capable of selecting optimal combinations of viewing angles for estimating a given physical property.

Given a fixed graph $H$ that embeds in a surface $Sigma$, what is the maximum number of copies of $H$ in an $n$-vertex graph $G$ that embeds in $Sigma$? We show that the answer is $Theta(n^{f(H)})$, where $f(H)$ is a graph invariant called the `flap-number' of $H$, which is independent of $Sigma$. This simultaneously answers two open problems posed by Eppstein (1993). When $H$ is a complete graph we give more precise answers.

Provided are an anti-static and anti-microbial surface treatment agent including a quaternary ammonium salt compound as an active ingredient and a method of preventing a polymer fiber from developing static electricity by using the surface treatment agent. The quaternary ammonium salt compound has excellent anti-static and anti-microbial effects for the prevention or improvement of static electricity in a polymer fiber. Accordingly, the quaternary ammonium salt compound is suitable for use as a fabric softener, or an anti-static agent, and also, provides anti-microbial effects to a polymer fiber.

Provided is a surface treated calcium carbonate filler for resins, which comprises calcium carbonate particles, the surface of which has been treated with at least one surface active agent (A) selected from the group consisting of saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, alicyclic carboxylic acids, resin acids, and salts thereof and with at least one compound (B) having the ability to chelate alkaline earth metals, the compound (B) being selected from the group consisting of phosphonic acids, polycarboxylic acids, and salts thereof. The surface treated calcium carbonate filler for resins of the present invention deteriorates little with time, has satisfactory dispersibility in resins, and can give a sheet or film which has a satisfactory balance among durability, weatherability, strength, and thermal stability, and is useful as a battery separator or a light reflector.

Disclosed herein are surface treatments for soft silicone gel materials such as silicone intraocular lenses.

The present invention relates to a subsurface refuse collection system comprising an underground bunker (4), a refuse container (3), a deposit bin (1) and a cover (2) with automatic opening and closing which can be powered electrically using a solar system. The container (3) is collected by means of an automated crane (18) with automatic hitching to facilitate collection. The system is equipped with multiple devices to measure volume and weight of the refuse deposited in the deposit bin (1), for the purpose of system monitoring or improvements to the management of truck routes. It also includes a safety device to prevent accidental fails into the underground bunker during collection.

The present invention aims to provide a surface modification method for a rubber vulcanizate or a thermoplastic elastomer, which can impart excellent sliding properties and excellent durability against repeated sliding motion and can allow the surface to maintain the sealing properties, without using expensive self-lubricating plastics. The present invention relates to a surface modification method for modifying a rubber vulcanizate or a thermoplastic elastomer as an object to be modified, the method including: step 1 of forming polymerization initiation points on the object to be modified; step 2 of radically polymerizing a monomer, starting from the polymerization initiation points, by irradiation with LED light at 300 nm to 400 nm to grow polymer chains on a surface of the object to be modified; and step 3 of esterifying, transesterifying or amidating side chains of the polymer chains.

The invention relates to process for the treatment of a hydrophobic surface by a liquid film comprising an aqueous phase comprising the coating of said surface by the liquid whose aqueous phase comprises an effective amount of an agent of modification of the properties of surface and an active agent.

An aqueous delivery system is described including at least one surfactant and at least one water insoluble wetting agent. Further described are low surface energy substrates, such as microporous polytetrafluoroethylene, coated with such an aqueous solution so as to impart a change in at least one surface characteristic compared to the surface characteristics of the uncoated low surface energy substrate.

An elongated segmented soap bar is segmented longitudinally into a plurality of soap bodies separate and discrete from one another. Adjacent soap bodies are movable with respect to one another between at least two different configurations including at least an arc configuration with the plurality of soap bodies disposed in an arc. At least one coupler couples the plurality of soap bodies together to allow the adjacent soap bodies to move with respect to one another between the at least two different configurations.

Methods employing detergent compositions effective for reducing soil redeposition and accumulation on hard surfaces are disclosed. The detergent compositions employ phosphinosuccinic acid adducts in combination with an alkalinity source and gluconic acid or salts thereof, copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acids or salts thereof, sodium hypochlorite, sodium dichloroisocyanurate or combinations thereof.

The present invention is directed to provide a semiconductor surface treating agent; composition which is capable of stripping an anti-reflection coating layer, a resist layer, and a cured resist layer in the production process of a semiconductor device and the like easily and in a short time, as well as a method for treating a semiconductor surface, comprising that the composition is used. The present invention relates to a semiconductor surface treating agent; composition, comprising [I] a compound generating a fluorine ion in water, [II] a carbon radical generating agent; , [III] water, [IV] an organic solvent, and [V] at least one kind of compound selected from a group consisting of hydroxylamine and a hydroxylamine derivative represented by the general formula [1], as well as a method for treating the semiconductor surface, comprising that the composition is used: (wherein R1 represents a linear, branched or cyclic C1-6 alkyl group, or a linear or branched C1-4 substituted alkyl group having 1 to 3 hydroxyl groups; R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear, branched or cyclic C1-6 alkyl group, or a linear or branched C1-4 substituted alkyl group having 1 to 3 hydroxyl groups).

PCT No. PCT/CH96/00292 Sec. 371 Date May 22, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date May 22, 1998 PCT Filed Aug. 23, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/08592 PCT Pub. Date Mar. 6, 1997A method by which an elastomer is applied to a model (1) with relief marks to be reproduced. The purpose of the elastomer once set is to form a mold membrane (14) and incorporate within its own material the shape of the marks on the model. The mold membrane is then separated from the model and filled with a setting material, and the mold membrane is applied to a support in order to transfer the marks after preliminary pasting.

A surface modifying composition comprises an amphiphilic compound which is non-cellulose based, the amphiphilic compound including a covalently linked ionic moiety with the following formula: where M=metal oxide or binary metal oxide, Ai is selected from compounds with surface energy greater than or equal to 25 dynes cm−1, A2 is selected from compounds with surface energy greater than or equal to 12 dynes cm−1, A3 is selected from compounds having more than one reactive functional group, x=NH2, NHR' or NR'2 (R'=methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl), y=COOH, SO3H or PO3H, and R=H or halogen; and where one of the A1-x, A2, or A3-y may be replaced by a second O—R.

Compounds of the formula where R1 each individually is identical or different and is a hydrocarbon radical, R2 each individually is hydrogen or a methyl radical, n is an integer from 6 to 11, and m is 0 or 1, with the proviso that the sum of the number of carbon atoms in the three radicals R1 in the compound of the formula (I) is 6 to 24, can be admixed with curable polymer compositions to form products with hydrophilic surfaces, or can be applied to surfaces to render them hydrophilic.

Substrates, surfaces, assemblies, kits, compositions, and methods are provided for forming touch screens and other appliance surfaces exhibiting good hydrophobicity, oleophobicity, and abrasion resistance. Methods are provided for increasing a population density of hydroxyl groups on a touch surface of a touch screen substrate without affecting the compressive strength of the back surface. The treated touch surface of the substrate can then be coated with a coating that includes an organo-metallic and/or silane, for example, a fluorosilane such as a perfluoropolyether alkoxysilane. A substrate can retain its compressive resistance to breakage by impact applied to the touch surface while minimizing any decrease in compressive strength against impact against the touch surface. Examples of such substrates include touch screens for mobile and desktop electronic devices, components of 3D display devices, and components for electrowetting display devices.

Medical devices having a wettable, biocompatible surface are described herein. Processes for producing such devices are also described.

A method of treating a surface of a substrate using modified urushiol derived from Toxicodendron vernicifluum is provided. More particularly, the reactivity of a hydroxyl group of urushiol extracted from fresh Toxicodendron vernicifluum is removed before the lacquer is used as a UV coating agent for a substrate such as a steel sheet. Therefore, the substrate may have high antibacterial activity, and excellent appearance and functionalities such as far-infrared radiation, blocking of electromagnetic waves, enhanced corrosion resistance, high crosslinking speed when a low content of a photoinitiator is used, excellent surface gloss and high scratch resistance.

Systems and methods for subsurface secondary and/or tertiary oil recovery optimization based on either a short term, medium term or long term optimization analysis of selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters and/or fields.

Various technologies described herein pertain to computing surface normals for points in a point cloud. The point cloud is representative of a measured surface of a physical object. A point in the point cloud can be set as a point of origin, and points in the point cloud can be modeled as electrostatic point charges. Moreover, a point of least electrostatic potential on a sphere centered at the point of origin can be computed as a function of the electrostatic point charges. Further, unit vector with a direction from the point of origin to the point of least electrostatic potential on the sphere can be assigned as a normal for the point of origin.

The invention relates to the application of a coating to a substrate in which the coating includes a polymer material and the coating is selectively fluorinated and/or cured to improve the liquid repellance of the same. The invention also provides for the selective fluorination and/or curing of selected areas of the coating thus, when completed, providing a coating which has regions of improved liquid repellance with respect to the remaining regions and which remaining regions may be utilized as liquid collection areas.

An adaptive gaseous fuel ignition control method for use in consumer and commercial appliances that reduces stress on and increases the life of a hot surface igniter without resulting in a failure to ignite condition is provided. The method provides a preheating period, a full temperature period, and a trial for ignition period. The preheating period gradually increases the power applied to reduce the stress resulting therefrom. Once a gas valve has been commanded open, the controller monitors the time for ignition of the gaseous fuel. If the time is longer than a threshold, either the applied power or the period of time during which the power is applied is increased to shorten the time. If, however, the ignition period is shorter than the threshold, either the power applied or the period of time during which the power is applied before commanding the gas valve open is lowered or shortened.

Lubrication additives of the current invention require formation of emulsions in base lubricants, created with an aqueous salt solution plus a single-phase compound such that partitioning within the resulting emulsion provides thermodynamically targeted compounds for boundary layer organization thus establishing anti-friction and/or anti-wear. The single-phase compound is termed “boundary layer organizer”, abbreviated BLO. These emulsion-contained compounds energetically favor association with tribologic surfaces in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and will organize boundary layers on those surfaces in ways specific to the chemistry of the salt and BLO additives. In this way friction modifications may be provided by BLOs targeted to boundary layers via emulsions within lubricating fluids, wherein those lubricating fluids may be water-based or oil-based.

Provided is a surface-coated cemented carbide insert obtained by containing at least WC powder and Co powder as raw materials, including a WC-based cemented carbide obtained by forming and sintering mixed raw materials containing at least any of (a) Zr compound powder, Nb compound powder, and Ta compound powder, (b) complex compound powder of Nb and Ta, and Zr compound powder, (c) complex compound powder of Nb, Ta, and Zr, (d) complex compound powder of Nb, Zr, and Ta compound powder, and (e) complex compound powder of Ta and Zr, and Nb compound powder, as essential powder components, as a substrate, and forming a hard coating layer on the substrate by vapor deposition, in which a Co enrichment surface region is formed in a substrate surface, Co content in the Co enrichment surface region satisfies to be between 1.30 and 2.10 (mass ratio) of Co content in cemented carbide.

A system for imposing and analyzing surface acoustic waves in a substrate to determine characteristics of the substrate is disclosed. Optical elements and arrangements for imposing and analyzing surface acoustic waves in a substrate are also disclosed. NSOM's, gratings, and nanolight elements may be used to impose surface acoustic waves in a substrate and may also be used to measure transient changes in the substrate due to the passage of surface acoustic waves therethrough.

A surface wave assisted system having an aperture layer with a surface and an aperture, and a plurality of grooves around the aperture. The plurality of grooves is configured to generate an optical transfer function at the aperture by inducing a surface wave for interfering with transmission of light of a range of spatial frequency.

A component part has a catalyst surface. This surface has metallic components and components of MnO2 (13) in contact with the former. The metallic components are preferably formed of Ag and/or Ni. These material pairs achieve a great improvement in catalyst action compared to the pure metals. Especially in the case of use of Ni, which is toxicologically safe, these surfaces, for example, may also find use in ambient air purification for reduction of the ozone content. The surface can be applied, for example, by a coating of the component part, in which case the metallic component and the component of MnO2 are applied in two layers.

The present invention relates to a composite of a porous substrate and one-dimensional nanomaterial, which is manufactured by a hydrothermal method. The method for manufacturing the composite of the present invention is simple and low-cost, and the one-dimensional nanomaterial is homogeneously distributed on the porous substrate with tight binding at the interface. The present invention also relates to a surface-modified composite and a method for preparing the same. The composite of the present invention which is hydrophobically modified at the surface can adsorb organic solvents such as toluene, dichlorobenzene, petroleum ether and the like, and greases such as gasoline, lubricating oil, motor oil, crude oil and the like, with a weight adsorption ratio of >10.

Oil compositions having a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids are described for use in various applications including use as drying oils, in ink compositions and coating compositions. Oil compositions wherein the double bonds of the fatty acids are substantially epoxidized are described and used as plasticizers and thermal stabilizers for various halogenated polymer compositions.

Decontamination of nuclear facilities is necessary to reduce the radiation field during normal operations and decommissioning of complex equipment. In this invention, we discuss gel and foam based diphosphonic acid (HEDPA) chemical solutions that are unique in that these solutions can be applied at room temperature; provide protection to the base metal for continued applications of the equipment; and reduce the final waste form production to one step. The HEDPA gels and foams are formulated with benign chemicals, including various solvents, such as ionic liquids and reducing and complexing agents such as hydroxamic acids, and formaldehyde sulfoxylate. Gel and foam based HEDPA processes allow for decontamination of difficult to reach surfaces that are unmanageable with traditional aqueous process methods. Also, the gel and foam components are optimized to maximize the dissolution rate and assist in the chemical transformation of the gel and foam to a stable waste form.

A method of producing a molecularly-imprinted material comprises synthesizing a peptide, oligosaccharide or oligonucleotide on a disposable surface modified support to produce a support surface-attached peptide, oligosaccharide or oligonucleotide, providing a selected monomer mixture, contacting the monomer mixture with the support surface-attached peptide, oligosaccharide or oligonucleotide, initiating polymerisation or at least one crosslinking reaction, dissolving or degrading the support surface-attached peptide, oligosaccharide or oligonucleotide and support, and obtaining molecularly imprinted material.

Provided is a zinc-plated steel sheet for hot pressing having outstanding surface characteristics, comprising: a steel foundation plate comprising a metal surface diffusion layer of which the Gibbs free energy reduction per mole of oxygen during oxidation is less than that of Cr; an aluminum-rich layer containing at least 30 wt. % of aluminum formed on the surface diffusion layer, and a zinc plating layer formed on the aluminum-rich layer. In this way, a metal having a low affinity for oxygen is coated to an effective thickness prior to annealing and thus the creation of annealing oxides at the surface of the steel sheet is suppressed and a uniform zinc plating layer is formed, and alloying of the zinc plating layer is promoted during press-processing heat treatment. Cracking in the steel foundation plate during hot press molding is prevented.

Provided is an optical disk drive including a carrying roller for carrying an optical disk in a first direction. The carrying roller includes a first roller portion and a second roller portion which are aligned in a second direction along the optical disk and orthogonal to the first direction and which are so disposed as to make contact with a surface on one side of the optical disk. An axis of the first roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the first roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward a central portion of the carrying roller. An axis of the second roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the second roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward the central portion.

A surface drainage structure formed above a subgrade may include an elongate drain conduit disposed partially within the subgrade. The elongate drain conduit may define at least one drain slot extending through a wall thereof. The structure may include a pavement layer with an exposed top surface and a drainage channel extending therefrom. The drainage channel may be in fluid communication with the drain slot of the elongate drain conduit. A method of forming the surface drainage structure includes placing the elongate drain conduit in the subgrade, forming the pavement layer, cutting an upper channel along the elongate drain conduit, and cutting a lower channel and the drain slot in the elongate conduit.

A method and a system for applying a road surface using a mixing plant for producing laying material, a road finishing machine processing the laying material to a road surface, and a supply chain transporting the laying material from the mixing plant to the road finishing machine. Request commands are transmitted from the road finishing machine to the mixing plant and/or to the supply chain, and, depending on these request commands, the production rate of the laying material in the mixing plant, the temperature of the laying material produced in the mixing plant, and/or the mass flow of laying material supplied to the road finishing machine per time unit by means of the supply chain are adjusted.

A method of repairing cracks in a paved surface includes identifying at least one crack in the surface that needs to be repaired. The crack is then filled with an asphalt sealer including approximately 40-55% by weight of slag sand.

A powered, spray cleaning device that can be operated in an inverted orientation is provided. The cleaning device includes a cleaning head and an elongated handle configured to be grasped by a user. A container of cleaning solution is removably received by the handle, and when received by the handle, fluid from the container fills a fluid accumulator. Fluid in the fluid accumulator is prevented from flowing back into the container when the device is inverted, thus allowing the device to spray fluid when inverted.

An internal tissue puncture closure method and apparatus. The method and apparatus provide a folded sealing plug that provides more surface area than conventional plugs to more fully cover and seal an external situs of an internal tissue puncture. The folded sealing plug may have a weave pattern that tends to cause the sealing plug to corkscrew into the internal tissue puncture as it is compressed toward an anchor placed inside of the tissue puncture.

A machined ceramic article having an initial surface defect density and an initial surface roughness is provided. The machined ceramic article is heated to a temperature range between about 1000° C. and about 1800° C. at a ramping rate of about 0.1° C. per minute to about 20° C. per minute. The machined ceramic article is heat-treated in air atmosphere. The machined ceramic article is heat treated at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of up to about 24 hours. The machined ceramic article is then cooled at the ramping rate, wherein after the heat treatment the machined ceramic article has a reduced surface defect density and a reduced surface roughness.