It is reported herein that certain muscle diseases and conditions, including forms of muscular dystrophy, are characterized by impaired insulin-dependent signaling in the muscle tissue, in essence, a form of insulin resistance. The present disclosure relates to therapeutic agents, compositions and methods for treating a muscle disease or condition characterized by impaired insulin-dependent signaling by targeting components of the defective insulin signaling pathway. The disease or condition may be treated by administering a therapeutic agent that activates the insulin signaling pathway, in particular, therapeutic agents that act post-insulin receptor to modulate intracellular effector molecules. An exemplary modulator is metformin. Metformin may be administered alone or may be coadministered with another therapeutic agent for treating the muscle disease or condition, such as a corticosteroid.

The present invention provides a compound which functions as a selective vitamin D receptor modulator and has action-selectivity or tissue-selectivity such that it does not induce hypercalcemia but causes other effects. There is provided a compound represented by formula (I), a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof. wherein m and n each independently represent 1 or 0;R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group;Y represents an ethane-1,1-diyl group or an ethyne-1,2-diyl group; andZ1 represents a hydrogen atom and Z2 represents a hydroxyalkoxy group, orZ1 and Z2 jointly form a methylene group.

The present invention comprises formulations comprising at least one pesticide and at least one co-polymer comprising a) 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone as comonomer a); and b) 60-99 wt % at least one comonomer b) chosen from the group of laurylacrylate and vinyl ester of neodecanoic acid in polymerized form, methods of combating harmful insects and/or phytopathogenic fungi, a method of controlling undesired vegetation and methods of improving the health of plants based on the afore-mentioned formulations.

Novel active compound combinations comprising a carboxamide of the general formula (I) (group 1) in which A, R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the description,and the active compound groups (2) to (23) listed in the description have very good fungicidal properties.

Aqueous glyphosate formulations comprising a surfactant derived from metathesized natural oil feedstocks are disclosed. The formulations comprise a glyphosate salt, water, and a surfactant derived from a metathesis-derived C10-C17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives. The surfactant is selected from C10 or C12 amine oxides, C10 or C12 quats, C10, C12, or C16 amidoamines, C10 or C12 amidoamine oxides, C10 imidazoline quats, C10 or C12 amidoamine quats, C10, C12, or C16 betaines, C16 amidoamine betaines, C18 diamidoamines, C18 diamidoamine oxides, C18 diamidoamine diquats, C18 diamidoamine oxide quats, C18 diamidoamine oxide betaines, Cis diamidoamine monobetaines, C18 diamidoamine monobetaine quats, C18 ester amidoamine quats, and amidoamines and their oxidized or quaternized derivatives made from self- or cross-metathesized palm or soybean oil. The surfactants noted above impart substantial stability to highly concentrated glyphosate formulations at, above, and below room temperature and perform as well or better than commercial alternatives.

The present invention relates to novel active compound combinations comprising, firstly, at least one known compound of the formula (I) in which R1 and A have the meanings given in the description and, secondly, at least one further known active compound from groups (2) to (27) listed in the description, which combinations are highly suitable for controlling animal pests such as insects and unwanted acarids and also phytopathogenic fungi.

The present invention generally relates to a method for minimizing the formation of insoluble salts of phenoxy herbicides. The method comprises (1) mixing a compatibility agent, amine salts of phenoxy acid herbicides, and a chemical containing non-amine cations in a aqueous system to form a stable and non-nozzle plugging solution; and (2) application of said stable and non-nozzle plugging solution onto target plants.

The present invention relates to an pesticidal composition comprising an effective amount of a sulphur; an effective amount of at least one insecticide selected from the group consisting of cartap fipronil, pirimicarb, buprofezine, thiachloprid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, diafenthiuron, novaluron, flubendiamide, spirotetramat, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid or salts thereof, and at least one agrochemically acceptable excipient.

Described herein are methods and compositions for enhancing pathogen immunity in plants and improving plant growth.

Compositions and methods, including novel homogeneous microparticulate suspensions, are described for treating natural surfaces that contain bacterial biofilm, including unexpected synergy or enhancing effects between bismuth-thiol (BT) compounds and certain antibiotics, to provide formulations including antiseptic formulations. Previously unpredicted antibacterial properties and anti-biofilm properties of disclosed BT compounds and BT compound-plus-antibiotic combinations are also described, including preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-positive bacterial infections, and distinct preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-negative bacterial infections.

The present invention relates to a pyridazinone compound of the formula (I): wherein R1 represents hydrogen, a C1-6 alkyl group, and the like, R2 represents halogen, a cyano group, a nitro group, a C1-6 alkoxy group, and the like, G represents hydrogen, and the like, Z represents halogen, a cyano group, a nitro group, a C1-6 alkyl group, and the like, and n represents an integer of 1-5 useful as an active ingredient in a herbicide and a noxious arthropod controlling agent.

To provide a method which exerts excellent controlling effects on noxious organisms in a field of soybean, corn or cotton. A method for controlling noxious organisms in a field of soybean, corn or cotton, wherein at least one PPO inhibitor compound selected from the group consisting of flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, saflufenacil, oxyfluorfen, fomesafen-sodium, and a compound represented by formula (I): is applied to the field before, at or after sowing a soybean, corn or cotton seed treated with fludioxonil.

To provide a method which exerts excellent controlling effects on noxious organisms in a field of soybean, corn or cotton. A method for controlling noxious organisms in a field of soybean, corn or cotton, wherein at least one PPO inhibitor compound selected from the group consisting of flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, saflufenacil, oxyfluorfen, fomesafen-sodium, and a compound represented by formula (I): is applied to the field before, at or after sowing a soybean, corn or cotton seed treated with ethaboxam.

Herbicidal injury caused by 6-trisubstituted phenyl)-4-amino-2-pyridinecarboxylates in wheat and barley is reduced with the use of low rates of cloquintocet.

Provided herein are herbicidal compositions containing (a) aminopyralid or an agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof and (b) propanil. The compositions provide synergistic weed control of undesirable vegetation, e.g., in rice, wheat, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, corn or maize, oilseed rape/canola, vegetables, pastures, grasslands, rangelands, fallowland, turf, tree and vine orchards, industrial vegetation management or rights-of-way.

This invention describes the use of S-abscisic acid (S-ABA) and ethylene producing-agents such as ethephon to synergistically improve red color in grapes and to alter the sensory characteristics of wine.

A pesticidal composition comprises a synergistically effective amount of a flonicamid-based selective homopteran feeding blocker compound and a pesticide selected from N-(3-chloro-1-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-N-ethyl-3-((3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)thio)propanamide (I), N-(3-chloro-1-(pyridine-3-yl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-N-ethyl-3-((3,3,3-trifluoropropyl) sulfinyl)propanamide (II), or any agriculturally acceptable salt thereof. A method of controlling pests comprises applying the pesticidal composition near a population of pests. A method of protecting a plant from infestation and attack by pests comprises contacting the plant with the synergistic pesticidal composition.

The methods described herein enable the evaluation of compounds on subjects to assess their therapeutic efficacy or toxic effects. The target of analysis is the underlying biochemical process or processes (i.e., metabolic process) thought to be involved in disease pathogenesis. Molecular flux rates within the one or more biochemical processes serve as biomarkers and are quantitated and compared with the molecular flux rates (i.e., biomarker) from control subjects (i.e., subjects not exposed to the compounds). Any change in the biomarker in the subject relative to the biomarker in the control subject provides information to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of an administered drug or a toxic effect and to develop the compound further if desired. In one aspect of the invention, stable isotope-labeled substrate molecules are administered to a subject and the label is incorporated into targeted molecules in a manner that reveals molecular flux rates through metabolic pathways of interest.

A subject information acquisition apparatus includes a first holding member that holds a subject, a probe that receives an elastic wave from the subject through the first holding member, a first holding member deformation amount measuring unit that measures an amount of deformation of the first holding member, and a processing unit that creates an area for generating subject information by using the amount of deformation of the first holding member and position information of the first holding member deformation amount measuring unit and generates an information value of subject information corresponding to the area for generating subject information by using a signal outputted by the probe.

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a signal indicative of one or more types of individual measurable device characteristic/s that are unique to a given electronic device by providing a signal indicative of the measurable and unique device characteristic/s in a passive manner from the electronic device. The signal indicative of one or more types of individual measurable device characteristic/s may be so provided without requiring operational power to be applied to any active electronic circuitry of the device, and without requiring any power to be generated by the device.

A method of performance monitoring in a data processing environment is provided. The data processing environment includes multiple systems, each of which has resources. Each resource relates to a resource type, wherein at least one performance parameter is defined for each resource type. The method includes determining a value of the at least one performance parameter for at least one resource, aggregating performance parameter values and related resources of a resource type, creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level which includes all resources relating to the resource type and associating all performance parameter values to this aggregation level, and repeating the creating for at least a part of the resources a next predefined aggregation level until a predefined target aggregation level of the data processing environment has been reached.

A calibration system may be provided for calibrating displays in electronic devices during manufacturing. The calibration system may include calibration computing equipment and a test chamber having a light sensor. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to operate the light sensor and the display to gather display performance data. The calibration computing equipment may extract display performance statistics from the display performance data and adaptively select and perform display calibration sequences using the display performance statistics. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to determine whether or not to perform display calibration and whether or not to gather additional display performance data based on display performance statistics extracted during a preceding display calibration sequence. The calibration computing equipment may be configured to iteratively and adaptively perform display calibration sequences until a display is successfully calibrated.

A photosensitive resin composition for an insulating film of a display device includes (A) an alkali soluble resin including a polybenzoxazole precursor, polyamic acid, polyimide, or a combination thereof; (B) a photosensitive diazoquinone compound; (C) an ultraviolet (UV) absorber having a maximum absorption wavelength of about 300 to about 400 nm; and (D) a solvent. An insulating film and a display device can include the photosensitive resin composition.

A method of producing a polymeric compound containing a structural unit that decomposes upon exposure to generate an acid, the method including: synthesizing a precursor polymer by polymerizing a water-soluble monomer having an anionic group, washing the precursor polymer with water, and subsequently subjecting the precursor polymer to a salt exchange with an organic cation. Also, a polymeric compound produced using the method of producing a polymeric compound, and a method of forming a resist pattern using the resist composition.

Provided is a hard coat film having high hardness and excellent restorability in view of the above circumstances. A hard coat film comprising: a light-transmitting substrate; and a hard coat layer, the hard coat layer comprising a cured product of a composition for a hard coat layer, the composition including an isocyanuric skeleton-containing urethane(meth)acrylate.

The present invention relates to a polymerization-curable composition for the preparation of biodegradable, biocompatible, cross-linked polymers on the basis of polyvinyl alcohol comprising: 5 to 100% by weight of (a) vinyl ester monomer(s) of one of the general formulas (I) to (III): wherein X is oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or phosphorus; n is 1 to 1000, at least 20% of the n being ≧2; the R1 are selected from hydrogen; straight, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, n-valent hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, which optionally have heteroatoms and are optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from —OH, —COON, —CN, —CHO, and ═O, and n-valent radicals of biodegradable, biocompatible oligomers and polymers; m is an integer from 1 to 5; the R2 are selected from hydrogen, —OH, ═O, and the options listed for R1; and the R3 are selected from hydrogen, —OH, and the options listed for R1; 0 to 50% by weight of ethylenically unsaturated co-monomers; 0 to 10% by weight of (a) polymerization initiator(s); and 0 to 95% by weight of solvent(s).

This invention relates to film composites with a single coating of hard coat material which have a significant improved adhesion together with improved weather resistance while also increasing resistance to abrasion and cracking. In one embodiment, this film composite is comprised of a transparent base sheet having on one side thereof a weather resistant hard coat comprised of: at least one multifunctional acrylate monomer or oligomer; a dual-curable resin comprising an aliphatic urethane acrylate resin having isocyanate functional groups and an aliphatic urethane acrylate having hydroxyl functional groups; an ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer; and a photoinitiator.

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

The present invention relates to processes for making synthetic polyisoprene latex and synthetic polyisoprene condoms. A process for making a compounded synthetic polyisoprene latex suitable for making a latex film comprises (a) compounding a synthetic polyisoprene latex with suitable compounding ingredients, (b) maturing the latex and optionally (c) storing the latex; characterized in that steps (a), (b) and (c) if included are carried out at a low temperature so as to minimize prevulcanization of the latex. Condoms can be made from latexes produced according to the process of the invention.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

The present invention relates to a polarizing plate, a method for producing the same, and an image display device comprising the same, and more specifically to a polarizing plate which is characterized by comprising: a) a polarizer, b) a hardening resin layer which is provided on at least one side of the polarizer and formed from a photocurable composition comprising: 4 to 95 parts by weight of (A) a photocurable acrylic polymer, 4 to 95 parts by weight of (B) a poly-functional acrylic monomer, and 1 to 20 parts by weight of (C) a photo-polymerization initiator, based on 100 parts by weight of the photocurable composition, a method for manufacturing the same, and an image display device using the same. According to the present invention, a polarizing plate, which exhibits excellent polarizing properties and durability, has high surface hardness, and may be formed as a thin plate, may be provided.

There are provided a novel compound, a polymeric compound, a resist composition, an acid generator and a method of forming a resist pattern the compound represented by general formula (1-1):wherein each of R1 and R3 independently represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; A represents a divalent linking group; each of R2 and R4 independently represents a hydroxyl group, a hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent, or a group represented by general formula (1-an1), (1-an2) or (1-an3), provided that at least one of R2 and R4 represents a group represented by general formula (1-an1), (1-an2) or (1-an3); and n0 is preferably 0 or 1, andwherein Y1 represents a single bond or —SO2—; R5 represents a linear or branched monovalent hydrocarbon group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cyclic monovalent hydrocarbon group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms or monovalent hydrocarbon group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms having a cyclic partial structure which may be substituted with a fluorine atom; and M+ represents an organic cation or a metal cation,

Disclosed is an aqueous polyurethane dispersion obtained by dispersing in water a reaction product obtained by reacting a reaction mixture comprising at least one organic, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic di, tri or poryisocyanate, at least one isocyanate reactive polycarbonate diol, triol or polyol, at least one compound comprising at least one isocyanate reactive group and at least one free radically polymerizable unsaturated group, and at least one compound comprising at least one isocyanate reactive group and at least one at least dispersing active group, and optionally at least one compound comprising at least two isocyanate reactive groups and having a molecular weight of less than 1000 g/mol.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one propylene-based polymer comprising less than 0.1 wt. % diene-derived units based on the weight of the propylene-based polymer, an antioxidant, and a co-agent. The composition can be at least partially crosslinked by electron beam irradiation in a dose of less than 200 kGy, and may be further formed into articles including fibers, yarns, films, and nonwovens, among others. The propylene-based polymer of the present invention may be a polymer blend formed by forming a reactor blend from of two or more polymers produced in two or more reactors.

The invention relates to a dental material which comprises a polymerizable bisphosphonic acid of Formula I: The invention also relates to the use of a polymerizable bisphosphonic acid of Formula I for the preparation of a dental material and in particular for the preparation of an adhesive, cement or composite.

A separator includes a centrifugal drum having a vertical axis of rotation and a feed line for material to be centrifuged. A drive spindle for the centrifugal drum is rotatably mounted on a housing via a bearing, the housing being supported elastically on a machine frame. A drive device includes a motor housing and an electric motor having a stator and an armature which is aligned with the drive spindle. The drive device and the motor housing move with the drive spindle as co-vibrating units during an operation of the separator. The drive device is connected to the machine frame below the bearing at a lower axial end of the bearing via one or more joint elements.

The spinning disc centrifuge rotor includes a sample holder formed from a cylindrical disc body and a cover plate that are made from a transparent material, such as polycarbonate. The disc-shaped body has two concentric or coaxial recesses defined therein. The first recess forms a cylindrical well or sample chamber for receiving a generally cylindrical rock sample. The second recess has a larger diameter than the first recess, and is shallower, forming a fluid collection area above the sample well, the second recess forming an annular ring extending around the top edge or rim of the sample well. An O-ring snugly within the outer wall of the second recess and forms a seal between the cover plate and the floor of the second recess, preventing fluid leakage. A rotor shaft extends from the bottom face of the cylindrical disc.

An apparatus for separating at least two discrete volumes of a composite liquid into components, comprising a valve design that facilitates loading and unloading of sets of blood bags. The valves comprise a jaw mounted on a shaft, the jaw being adapted to apply radio frequency energy to seal a tube, a stepper motor section, and at least two position sensors. The valve sections are mounted on an upper plate, and the stepper motor sections are mounted on a lower plate. A main radio frequency coil is selectively electrically coupled to each of the valves through a multiplexing switch.

A platelet collection device comprising a centrifugal spin-separator container with a cavity having a longitudinal inner surface. A float in the cavity has a base, a platelet collection surface above the base, an outer surface. The float density is below the density of erythrocytes and above the density of plasma. The platelet collection surface has a position on the float which places it below the level of platelets when the float is suspended in separated blood. During centrifugation, a layer of platelets or buffy coat collects closely adjacent the platelet collection surface. Movement of a float having a density greater than whole blood through the sedimenting erythrocytes releases entrapped platelets, increasing the platelet yield.

The invention is a method of processing tarry or resinous liquids. Tarry liquids include wet scrubber liquids containing tars and chars derived from gasification, pyrolysis or drying of biomass. Resinous liquids include those derived from processing coniferous biomass. Tarry or resinous liquid is processed by a horizontal axis centrifuge having a discharge chamber containing a scraper to prevent centrifuge clogging or fouling. The removed tar and char can be used as solid fuel or recycled to the gasification or pyrolysis process. Polymers, for instance cationic polymers, can be added to the tarry or resin containing liquid prior to centrifugation to assist in solids/liquids separation. Removed resin can be recycled for further use. Tar, char or resin depleted wet scrubber liquid can be recycled for further use or more easily treated prior to disposal.

A label has a water dissolvable or water dispersible paper with a coating of a type which can be printed with direct thermal printing. The label is produced by passing a length of such paper with a freshly applied coating of the above type through an oven for drying before the coating has an opportunity to deteriorate the surface of the paper.

Methods to produce pH-sensitive microparticles that have an active agent dispersed in a polymer matrix have certain advantages over microcapsules with an active agent encapsulated in an interior compartment/core inside of a polymer wall. The current invention relates to pH-sensitive microparticles that have a corrosion-detecting or corrosion-inhibiting active agent or active agents dispersed within a polymer matrix of the microparticles. The pH-sensitive microparticles can be used in various coating compositions on metal objects for corrosion detecting and/or inhibiting.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water dispersion paper having quick water dispersion property and high strength (printability) and whose paper surface pH is 6 to 8 (neutral range), and also to provide a water dispersion coated paper designed to ensure quick water dispersion property and prevent discoloration over time. A water dispersion paper made of wood pulp and/or non-wood pulp, wherein said water dispersion paper is characterized in that purified pulp containing α-cellulose by 88 percent by weight or more accounts for 15 to 95 percent by weight of all pulp, as well as a water dispersion coated paper having a water-soluble coating layer on said water dispersion paper.

Provided is a direct thermal media containing a regular repeating pattern of color-forming thermally-imageable stripes printed parallel to the print head element line and a system for using such direct thermal media in color direct thermal printers including an optical registration system optimized for use with this media and an image processing unit that monitors the position of the stripe pattern relative to the print head and synchronizes the start of the printing process. This direct thermal media together with the optical registration system and image processing unit comprise an operative system in that the design of the thermal media, the optical registration system and image processing unit used to control printing are optimized for use with each other. This system may be utilized, for example, in color thermal printers for documents, receipts, tags, tickets or labels.

A heat-sensitive color-developing composition containing a hydroxyquinoline compound having a methyl group and an acid anhydride compound represented by general formula (1): wherein ring A represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3, and a heat-sensitive recording material containing the composition in a recording layer.

A method for enabling D2T2 printing onto non-D2T2 printable substrates uses a diffusible primer material provided on a dye-sheet or ribbon. The primer comprises a polymer, a release agent and a plasticizer. The release agent and the plasticizer are diffused into the substrate, while the polymer remains on the dye-sheet or ribbon. Printing of the primer onto the PC substrate is controlled via a computer image program corresponding to a colored image. This computer image program also controls the printing of the colored image at the primed locations. Accordingly, image-wise treatment of a plastic material via the primer selectively renders the PC substrate surface D2T2 printable at the point of personalization, providing for a 100% PC full card body having the colored image.

The invention discloses an improved multistage fischer tropsch process scheme for the production of hydrocarbon fuels comprising feeding gaseous phase syngas and liquid stream hydrocarbons in a counter current manner such as herein described into the reaction vessel at a number of stages containing reaction catalysts; wherein fresh syngas enters into the stage where the product liquid stream leaves and the fresh liquid stream enters into the stage where the unreacted syngas leaves; wherein further the temperature of each stage can be controlled independently. More particularly the invention relates to improving the heat release in different reactors, product selectivity and reactor productivity of FT reactors.

The present invention pertains to a process for carrying out a high-speed stop in a Fischer-Tropsch process which comprises providing a feed to a fixed bed reactor comprising a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the reactor being at reaction temperature and pressure, and withdrawing an effluent from the reactor, wherein the high-speed stop is effected by blocking provision of feed to the reactor and simultaneously blocking the withdrawal of effluent from the reactor.

A method is described for optimizing the operation of a reaction section for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from a feed comprising synthesis gas, operated in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt, said method comprising the following steps: a) determining the theoretical partial pressure of CO in the reaction section;b) optionally, adjusting the partial pressure of CO determined in step a) to a value of 4 bar or higher;c) determining a new value for the theoretical partial pressure of CO in the reaction section.

A method of producing an alumina-supported catalyst for use in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction, which comprises: calcining an initial γ-alumina support material at a temperature of at least 550° C. to produce a modified alumina support material; impregnating the modified alumina support material with a source cobalt; calcining the impregnated support material at a temperature of 700° C. to 1200° C., and activating the catalyst.