A composition comprising an extruded inorganic support comprising an oxide of a metal or metalloid, and at least one catalytically active metal, wherein the extruded inorganic support has pores, a total pore volume, and a pore size distribution, wherein the pore size distribution displays at least two peaks of pore diameters, each peak having a maximum, wherein a first peak has a first maximum of pore diameters of equal to or greater than about 120 nm and a second peak has a second maximum of pore diameters of less than about 120 nm, and wherein greater than or equal to about 5% of a total pore volume of the extruded inorganic support is contained within the first peak of pore diameters.

The present disclosure describes the manufacture and use of soft surfaces such as fabrics bearing surface-grafted antimicrobial polymers.

A paper coating or binding formulation comprises an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a copolymer obtained by polymerization of an unsaturated monomer and a carbohydrate derived compound and a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent. The carbohydrate derived compound can be selected from the group consisting of dextrins, maltodextrins, and mixtures thereof. Methods of preparing a paper coating or binding formulation and improving the whitening properties of paper are also provided. Furthermore, paper including a copolymer obtained by polymerization of an unsaturated monomer and a carbohydrate derived compound and a tetrasulfonate-based fluorescent whitening agent is also disclosed.

A method for making particles containing carboxyalkyl cellulose, comprising blending a carboxyalkyl cellulose and a starch in water to provide an aqueous gel; treating the aqueous gel with a crosslinking agent to provide a crosslinked gel; drying the crosslinked gel to provide a solid; comminuting the solid to provide a plurality of particles.

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming fibers. First and second precursors, each possessing a core and at least one functional group known to have click reactivity, are mixed. The mixed precursors are then extruded under heat to cross-link during fiber production.

One-part binder compositions are described that may include a protein and a crosslinking combination. The crosslinking combination may include at least a first crosslinking compound and a second crosslinking compound. The first and second crosslinking compounds are individually crosslinkable with each other and with the protein. Examples of the protein include soy protein. Fiber products and methods of making the fiber products are also described. The fiber products may include organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or both, in a cured thermoset binder based on solutions of the one-part binder compositions.

An adhesive composition for use in adhering insulation panels to roofing substrates and roofing membranes to the insulation panels include two components that are mixed prior to application on the roofing substrate. The first component may include a renewable polyol and catalyst. The renewable polyol is selected from any non-petroleum based polyol that is derived from a renewable source. The second component includes isocyanate, and may also include a polyol and a catalyst. The isocyanate and the polyol may each be any non-petroleum based isocyanate or polyol that is derived from a renewable source.

A process is disclosed for producing plastic materials by providing a biology based feedstock and reacting the biology based feedstock to form a feedstock capable of reaction to form the plastic material, wherein the plastic material is selected from polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The present invention provides stable aqueous thermosetting binder compositions having a total solids content of 15 wt. % or higher, preferably, 20 wt. % or higher, and having extended shelf life comprising one or more reducing sugar, one or more primary amine compound, and one or more stabilizer acid or salt having a pKa of 8.5 or less. The total amount of stabilizer used may range from 5 to 200 mole %, based on the total moles of primary amine present in the binder. The stabilizer may be an organic stabilizer chosen from a monocarboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a fatty acid, an acid functional fatty acid ester, an acid functional fatty acid ether, or an inorganic stabilizer chosen from a mineral acid, a mineral acid amine or ammonia salt, and a Lewis acid, and mixtures thereof. The compositions can be used to provide binders for substrate materials including, for example, glass fiber.

A modular process for organosolv fractionation of lignocellulosic feedstocks into component parts and further processing of said component parts into one or more of a de-lignified cellulose stream, a sugar stream, small-chain alcohol streams and four structurally distinct classes of lignin derivatives. The modular process comprises a first processing module configured for digesting lignocellulosic feedstocks with an organic solvent thereby producing a cellulosic solids fraction and a liquid fraction, a second processing module configured for recovering small-chain alcohols and optionally a first class of lignin derivatives from the cellulosic solids fraction, a third processing module configured for recovering from the liquid fraction at least one of a second class and a third class of lignin derivatives or mixtures thereof, and waste stream comprising a fourth class of lignin derivatives. The fourth processing module may optionally recover the fourth class of lignin derivatives.

A wood-containing composite are described that may include a lignocellulosic material, and a formaldehyde-free binder in contact with at least a portion of the lignocellulose material. The binder is formed from a binder composition that includes a soy flour, a polymer, and a crosslinking agent, at least a portion of each of which are covalently crosslinked to each other in the binder. Also described are methods of making wood-containing composites by providing a pre-mixed, one-part binder composition of at least 60 wt. % soy flour, a polymer, and a crosslinking agent. The binder composition is applied to lignocellulosic material, and the combination may be heated at a temperature of about 100° C. or more to cure the binder composition into a binder. The cured binder has the soy protein, polymer, and crosslinking agent covalently bonded to each other.

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.

A hydrogel tissue adhesive having decreased gelation time and decreased degradation time is described. The hydrogel tissue adhesive is formed by reacting an oxidized polysaccharide containing aldehyde groups with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine in the presence of a thiol additive. The thiol additive accelerates the process to form the hydrogel and accelerates the degradation of the hydrogel formed. The hydrogel may be useful as a tissue adhesive or sealant for medical applications, such as a hemostat sealant or to prevent undesired tissue-to-tissue adhesions resulting from trauma or surgery.

The present invention relates to a novel method for synthesizing a composition of polymers, copolymers, terpolymers and tetrapolymers, and to the use thereof, said composition being made from: cyclodextrins, in particular α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, the derivatives or corresponding mixtures thereof, and/or calix[n]arene(s) and/or of calix[n]arene derivative(s) and/or a mixture of two or more different calix[n]arenes selected from calix[n]arenes (n=4-20) and/or the derivatives thereof, and to the uses thereof. A method was developed on the basis of direct-melt polycondensation. The invention can be used in the pharmaceutical, human medicine, veterinary medicine, chemistry, separation chemistry, environmental, electronics, biological, diagnostics, phytosanitation, medicinal food, agri-food, and cosmetics fields, and in the nutraceutical field and in the field of molecular imprints (MIP).

A method for preparing lignin graft copolymer comprising: reacting lignocellulosic materials with an acrylic compound by bulk condensation under nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of a non-oxidizing strong organic acid as catalyst; separating the reaction mixture to obtain a solid phase mainly containing lignocellulosic materials and a liquid phase containing lignin graft copolymer and unreacted acrylic compound; and removing solvent from the liquid phase to obtain the lignin graft copolymer.

The invention provides protein adhesives and methods of making and using such adhesives. The protein adhesives contain ground plant meal or an isolated polypeptide composition obtained from plant biomass.

The present disclosure relates to a novel benzindocyanine compound for labeling biomolecules and a method for preparing the same.

One-part binder compositions are described that may include a protein and a crosslinking combination. The crosslinking combination may include at least a first crosslinking compound and a second crosslinking compound. The first and second crosslinking compounds are individually crosslinkable with each other and with the protein. Examples of the protein include soy protein. Fiber products and methods of making the fiber products are also described. The fiber products may include organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or both, in a cured thermoset binder based on solutions of the one-part binder compositions.

A polymer composition suitable for wood treatment or binding comprises a reaction product of at least a polyol and at least a crosslinking agent. The crosslinking agent has at least 2 carboxylic acid groups per molecule. A wood product comprising a wood substrate and a polymer composition as well as a wood treatment process are also disclosed.

A sizing composition for insulating products based on mineral wool, in particular on glass or on rock, includes at least one monosaccharide and/or at lest one polysaccharide, and at least one organic polycarboxylic acid having a molar mass of less than or equal to 1000. Another subject-matter of the present invention is the insulating products based on mineral fibres thus obtained and the process for the manufacture thereof.

A cellulose resin produced by binding cardanol or a derivative thereof and abietic acid or a derivative thereof to cellulose or a derivative thereof.

A polyester resin is a polycondensate obtained by reacting a divalent alcohol, a divalent carboxylic acid, and a mono- or divalent rosin by the use of a zinc compound as a reaction catalyst.

Water based lignoepoxy resins, and methods for their preparation and use are provided. Methods of making lignoepoxy resins without the use of volatile organic compounds are also provided.

An autoxidisable coating composition comprising i) 10 to 60 wt % of an autoxidisable material with: a) a number average molecular weight

A method for securing an implantable medical device onto a balloon which includes applying a coating, which includes a film-forming polymer and at least one solvent, to the outer surface of the balloon. The solvents can include alcohol, water, ether and combinations thereof. The film-forming polymer can include a zwitterionic polymer, such as, for example a phosphorylcholine polymer. The coating can be applied to the entire balloon surface or a portion of the surface. The implantable medical device is then positioned on the outer surface of the balloon and secured. The film-forming polymer is then allowed to cure in order to define an adhesive layer between an inner surface of the implantable medical device and the outer surface of the balloon. This method prevents or reduces the leaching or redistribution of any therapeutic agents dispersed within or on the surface of the implantable medical device.

A device and method for delivering a vascular device to a target site is provided that maintains a proximal portion of the vascular device within a tubular sleeve by positioning a stop of an inner member at a distal opening of the tubular sleeve to block the opening. Once the stop has been moved distally via movement of the inner member to clear the opening, a band of increased thickness on the inner member can urge the proximal portion of the vascular device out of the tubular sleeve to deploy the vascular device. The vascular device may be recaptured within a delivery sheath prior to the full deployment of the proximal portion of the vascular device from the tubular sleeve by re-positioning the stop at the distal opening to hold the vascular device within the tubular sleeve as the delivery device is retracted with respect to the delivery sheath.

A collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes a stent and a valve assembly. The stent has an annulus section with a relatively small cross-section, and an aortic section with a relatively large cross-section. The valve assembly, including a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, is secured to the stent in the annulus section such that the valve assembly can be entirely deployed in the native valve annulus and function as intended while at least a portion of the aortic section is held by the delivery device in a manner that allows for resheathing. The configuration of the prosthetic valve is such that the valve leaflets can fully coapt and the valve can function properly even when the stent and/or valve assembly become distorted upon deployment or use.

An intraocular lens is disclosed with an optic that changes shape in response to forces exerted by the zonules of the eye. A haptic with an inner and outer ring couples the optic to the capsular bag of the eye. The haptic stresses the optic when the intraocular lens is in a natural state such that the internal stress is present throughout the accommodation range in order to prevent ripples and/or waves in the optic.

An accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) includes an optic adapted to produce a trapezoidal phase shift and a plurality of haptics. Each haptic extends from a haptic-optic junction to at least one transverse arm contacting a capsular bag of the eye, and each haptic has sufficient length and rigidity to stretch a capsular bag of the eye to contact ciliary muscles of the eye. The haptic-optic junctions vault the optic forward relative to the haptics and compression of the haptics by the ciliary muscles moves the anterior optic forward. A combined accommodative power produced by the motion of the anterior optic and the trapezoidal phase shift is at least 0.5 Diopters.

An implant for marking an area within a living body includes a matrix material and a marking material. The implant is formable to fit the shape and size of a cavity in the human body. The implant is configured to support tissue surrounding the cavity and to allow in-growth of fibrous tissue into and replace at least a portion of the matrix material.

The invention discloses a novel method of controlling the open circuit potential (OCP) of a medical implant by coupling it with small amounts of metals having a lower OCP than the implant. Coupling of Mg to less than 1% of the surface area of a titanium implant is shown to induce cathodic polarization of the titanium that inhibits cell proliferation at the surface of the implant. Mg—Ti coupling in medical devices promises to attenuate or eliminate potential complications of surgery such as peri-implantitis and bacterial infections at the site of implantation.

A spinal implant includes a wave spring configured to surround a nucleus. The spring may be formed from a shape memory material. The implant may further include an artificial nucleus configured to simulate a disc nucleus.

Implants, tools and methods for performing unilateral posterior lumbar interbody fusion are provided. An interbody implant includes a body having a top and bottom surface extending along a length thereof; and first and second side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces on opposite sides of the body. The height of the first side surface is greater than the height of the second side surface.

An elbow prosthesis is provided and may include a first stem component attached to one of a humerus and an ulna, a second stem component attached to the other of the humerus and the ulna, and a joint disposed between and coupling the first stem component and the second stem component to permit relative movement between the first stem component and the second stem component about a first axis. The elbow prosthesis may additionally include a condyle extending from the joint and including an axis of rotation that is eccentric from the first axis.

The present invention comprises devices, systems, and methods for elongating bone using an extension implant having a first end and a second end. The first end of the extension implant is inserted into an opening in the live bone and the second end of the extension implant is combined with an enlarged implant. A plurality of channels extend through the components to serve as conduits for delivering fluids and physiological signals which induce bone formation. Some embodiments include a subcutaneous cage assembly for helping to support the implant as the bone heals around it.

The invention pertains to methods of producing artificial composite tissue constructs that permit coordinated motion. Biocompatable structural matrices having sufficient rigidity to provide structural support for cartilage-forming cells and bone-forming cells are used. Biocompatable flexible matrices seeded with muscle cells are joined to the structural matrices to produce artificial composite tissue constructs that are capable of coordinated motion.

The present disclosure relates to methods of facilitating bone growth. The method may include positioning a device around at least a portion of a bone exhibiting a defect, the device capable of retaining bone segments and micro-structured particles. The method may also include applying micro-structure particles within the device to the defect, wherein each of the micro-structure particles include at least one pore therein. In addition, the method may include aligning at least a portion of the micro-structure particles and applying a polymer to the particles and solidifying the polymer.

A method of making a stent, including preparing a solution containing a composition, the composition comprising a biodegradable polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor of a kind, including argatroban, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7, the composition dissolved in a solvent selected from the group consisting of a mixture of a lower alkyl ketone and methanol, a mixture of a lower alkyl ester and methanol or a mixture of a lower halogenated hydrocarbon and methanol; coating at least an outer surface of a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces with a diamond-like thin film coated on the surfaces; and after the coating, removing the solvent to complete a first coated layer.

A device for improving the function of a heart valve comprises a first loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a first side of the heart valve, and a second loop-shaped support, which is configured to abut a second side of the heart valve opposite to said first side, whereby a portion of the valve tissue is trapped between the first and second supports. An outer boundary of the second support is greater than an outer boundary of the first support.

A mixture comprising a molecule of formula (I); in which A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6, which may be the same or different, are each N or —CH; Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5 and Y6, which may be the same or different, are each hydrogen or C1 to C12 alkoxy; X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6, which may be the same or different, are each hydrogen, C1 to C12 alkoxy or alkyl C1 to C12; and R7, R8, R9, R10, R11 and R12 are each hydrogen, or each of R7 and R8, R9 and R10 and R11 and R12 may form a bond; and a molecule of formula (II); in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6, which may be the same or different, are each alkyl or substituted (and/or chiral) alkyl C1 to C16, acyl C1 to C16, polyethyleneoxy, a flexible connection to a polymer backbone or part of a polymer backbone in homopolymers, copolymers or block copolymers; and B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6a, which may be the same or different, are each, hydrogen, alkyl C1 to C16, alkoxy C1 to C16, nitro, halogeno, cyano, amido, diazo or ester, e.g. alkyl C1 to C16 ester.

The present invention relates to a rapid, sensitive, simple, and cost-effective spectrophotometric method of detecting and quantifying mycolic acid in a mycolic acid-fuschin dye complex with absorbance maxima ranging between 490-500 nm in the presence of various test compounds, for screening mycolic acid biosynthesis inhibitors useful as anti-microbial agents and a diagnostic kit thereof comprising basic fuschin dye in the concentration ranging between 0.1-1.0 gm/100 ml, phenol and 95% ethanol in the ratio ranging between 1:4 to 2:1 (v/v), and phenol and distilled water in the ratio ranging between 1:14 to 1:25.

Thermoplastic composition and articles containing UV absorbers that protect the articles contents from harmful UV radiation are disclosed as well as methods for making the thermoplastic articles and methods for using the articles to contain and protect materials sensitive to UV radiation. The UV absorbers contain oxazolone and/or azine functional groups that absorb UV radiation and prevent its transmission into the article. Many of the compounds are novel compositions of matter. The generally clear thermoplastic articles of this disclosure are particularly useful for containing a variety of UV sensitive consumer products that would otherwise have to be packaged in opaque containers.

The present invention provides a switching element that has a stable bistable characteristic and a high transition voltage and demonstrates excellent cyclic performance. The switching element has two stable resistance values with respect to the voltage applied between electrodes, wherein a first electrode layer, an organic bistable material layer, and a second electrode layer are successively formed as thin films on a substrate and the organic bistable material constituting the organic bistable material layer is a quinomethane-based compound or a monoquinomethane-based compound. A metal constituting the second electrode layer is diffused into the organic bistable material layer. It is preferred that the second electrode layer be formed by vapor deposition and the temperature of the substrate during the vapor deposition be 30-150° C.

A method for the elimination of carbon dioxide from waste gases includes the following steps. First, waste gases, which include carbon dioxide, are provided from a source for waste gases. Next, the waste gases are contacted with an absorbent composition that includes perfluorodecalin solution. The waste gases, especially the carbon dioxide, are then absorbed by the absorbent composition. The absorbent composition thereby absorbs the waste gases to eliminate the carbon dioxide.

Provided is a catalyst material comprising aggregates of nanoneedles of mainly R-type manganese dioxide and having a mesoporous structure. With this, water can be oxidatively decomposed under visible light at room temperature to produce oxygen gas, proton and electron. Also provided is a catalyst material comprising aggregates of nanoparticles of mainly hydrogenated manganese dioxide. With this, acetic acid or an inorganic substance can be synthesized from carbon dioxide gas.

An organic light emitting device includes a substrate; a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer including an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The organic layer includes a first intermediate layer including a first host and a first dopant, a second intermediate layer including the first dopant, and a third intermediate layer including a second host and the first dopant interposed between the first electrode and the emission layer. The organic light emitting device has a long lifetime.

An arc melting furnace apparatus is provided which reduces an operation burden on a worker and shortens working hours. An arc melting furnace apparatus 1 includes a housing 2 having formed therein a melting chamber 2a, a hearth 4 provided within the melting chamber 2a and having a recessed portion 4a, and a heating mechanism 10 for heating and melting a metal material supplied into the recessed portion 4 to generate an alloy ingot. The apparatus comprises a turning member 23 rotatably supported on a supporting member 21 standing within the melting chamber 2a, a perimeter edge of the turning member 23 rotating and moving along the inner surface of the recessed portion 4a to lift the alloy ingot generated in the recessed portion 4a above the hearth 4 and turn it over, and a resilient turn-over assisting member 24 provided above an upper end of the recessed portion 4a. Further, the turn-over assisting member 24 is arranged to flex by a predetermined amount when the alloy ingot abuts it, and to return to its original state from the flexed state so that the alloy ingot is urged to drop into the recessed portion 4a.

An in-liquid plasma electrode according to the present invention is an in-liquid plasma electrode for generating plasma in a liquid and has an electrically conductive member having an electric discharge end surface in contact with the liquid, and an electrically insulating member covering an outer periphery of the conductive member at least except the electric discharge end surface. Preferably, d and x satisfy −2d≦x≦2d, where d is a length of a minor axis of the cross section when a conductive end portion of the electrically conductive member having the electric discharge end surface has an approximately circular cross section, or d is a length of a short side of the cross section when the conductive end portion has an approximately rectangular cross section, and x is a distance from a reference plane to a plane containing the electric discharge end surface when the reference plane is an end surface of the electrically insulating member that is approximately parallel with the electric discharge end surface. Owing to this construction, it is possible to provide an in-liquid plasma electrode which can simply generate plasma in a wide variety of liquids including a conductive liquid such as water and alcohol, and furthermore an in-liquid plasma generating apparatus having this electrode, and an in-liquid plasma generating method using this electrode.

The invention relates to a safety device (1) for detecting electrode breakage in an electric arc furnace, wherein an electrode (6) is secured on an electrode support arm (4), and wherein a conduit is filled with a medium under a constant pressure and a pressure drop is produced at an electrode breakage, which is detected as an alarm signal. Here, the conduit (7a-d,3) is integrated in a protective component that is arranged beneath the electrode support arm (4) thereon, wherein in case of an electrode breakage, the conduit (7a-d,3) is damaged by a produce electric arc and the pressure drop takes place.

The invention relates to an electronic circuit and a method for feeding power to at least one electrode of an alternating-current electric-arc furnace, particularly for melting metal. Known circuits of this type typically comprise a series connection with a transformer for providing a supply voltage for the electric-arc furnace from a power grid (1) and a AC power controller (8) connected between the transformer (6) and the electrode (11) for regulating the current through the electrode (11). According to the invention, a further development for such electronic circuits is proposed, which development has a simple design, is inexpensive and prevents overload of the AC power controller (8) even in operating modes of the electric-arc furnaces at high electrode currents. This further development provides to bypass the AC power controller with a bypass switch (9) that is opened or closed with the help of a controller as a function of the amount of current flowing through the electrode (11).