A carbon supported catalyst composition for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells is disclosed that shows a high mass activity and favorable stability and durability. The catalyst composition comprises an intermetallic phase or alloy comprising Pt and a metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V and Mo, and comprises an oxide of the metal. The carbon supported catalyst composition can be prepared at relatively low temperature either by first depositing and heating an oxide precursor of the metal on a suitable carbon to make a hybrid support, and then depositing and heating a Pt precursor on the hybrid support, or by depositing both an oxide precursor of the metal and a Pt precursor on a suitable carbon support, and directly heating to a final temperature.

A system according to one embodiment includes at least two write transducers for writing to a magnetic medium; and a low reluctance path from a first pole of a first of the write transducers to a second pole of a second of the write transducers. In another embodiment, either 1) the first pole of the first write transducer and the second pole of the second write transducer are positioned close enough to each other that a low reluctance path is present from the first pole of the first write transducer to the second pole of the second write transducer, or 2) a magnetic strap extends between the first pole of the first write transducer and the second pole of the second write transducer thereby creating a low reluctance path therebetween.

Provided are a supported metallocene catalyst, a method for preparing the same and a method for preparing polyolefin using the same. The supported metallocene catalyst prepared by incorporating a metallocene compound having a ligand substituted with alkoxide or aryloxide into a conventional supported metallocene catalyst and incorporating a borate compound as a second co-catalyst exhibits considerably superior catalyst activity and easily controls molecular weight distribution, as compared to the conventional metallocene-supported catalyst.

The present invention generally relates to a process that copolymerizes two or more polymerizable olefins, and to cataclyst comprising a metal-ligand complex (precatalyst). The present invention also generally relates to ligands useful for preparing the metal-ligand complex.

Provided are a solid catalyst for propylene polymerization and a method for preparing the same, specifically a solid catalyst for propylene polymerization which does not contain any environmentally harmful material and can produce a polypropylene having excellent stereoregularity with a high production yield, and a method for preparing the catalyst.

Catalyst component for the polymerization of olefins comprising Mg, Ti and an electron donor compound of the following formula (I) In which R1 to R4 groups, equal to or different from each other, are hydrogen, C1-C15 hydrocarbon groups, optionally containing an heteroatom selected from halogen, P, S, N and Si, R6 group is selected from C1-C15 hydrocarbon groups optionally containing an heteroatom selected from halogen, P, S, N and Si, and R5 is selected from phenyl groups mono or poly substituted with halogens, said groups R1-R4 being also optionally linked to form a saturated or unsaturated mono or poly cycle.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of propylene polymers in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst comprising a titanium compound having at least one titanium-halogen bond, and a blend of a diether compound and a succinate compound as internal electron donor, all supported on a magnesium halide in active form, an organoaluminium compound and an optional external donor.

Polyolefin production using an improved catalyst system and, in particular, a method for production of a polyolefin is disclosed. One or more monomers are contacted with a catalyst system. The catalyst system includes titanium tetrachloride as a catalyst precursor and magnesium ethylate as a support for the catalyst precursor. The catalyst system also includes a hydrocarbyl aluminum cocatalyst represented by the formula R3Al, where R is an alkyl radical having 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and where the molar ratio of the hydrocarbyl aluminum cocatalyst to the titanium tetrachloride catalyst precursor ranges from 50:1 to 400:1. The catalyst system also includes a halogenated hydrocarbon as a promoter, where the molar ratio of the halogenated hydrocarbon promoter to the titanium tetrachloride catalyst precursor ranges from 0.001:1 to 300:1.

A magnetic particle-polymer hybrid material can include: a substance having a structure of Formula 1 or derivative or salt thereof:Z(Y-Triazole-CH2—X—CH2—(FP)n)m (Formula 1), wherein Z is a magnetic particle smaller than 1 mm; n and m are independently integers; Y includes a first linker having an alkyl and/or aryl linked to the magnetic particle; X is CH2 or a heteroatom; FP is a functionalized polymer having: a first structure derived from a first norbornene compound linked to the magnetic particle through the Y-Triazole-CH2—X—CH2 linker; and one or more monomeric units each including a second structure derived from a second norbornene compound, where one of the monomeric units is linked to the first structure through a saturated or unsaturated alkyl, each monomeric unit includes a functional group capable of binding with another substance.

The present invention provides polymerization processes utilizing a catalyst system containing an ansa-metallocene and a second metallocene compound for the production of olefin polymers.

The present invention provides polymerization processes utilizing an ansa-metallocene catalyst system for the production of olefin polymers. Polymers produced from the polymerization processes have properties that vary based upon the presence or the absence of hydrogen and/or comonomer in the polymerization process.

A method for preparing a catalyst system for heterogenous catalysis of an isobutylene polymerization reaction includes the steps of forming an alumina support in which the alumina support has pores formed therein, and reacting BF3/methanol catalyst complex with the alumina support. The ratio of methanol to BF3 in the catalyst complex ranges from 0.5 moles to 2 moles of methanol per mole of BF3. The alumina support is formed so as to have pores each having a diameter of greater than twenty nanometers. The alumina support can be in the form of beads or extrudates having a length significantly greater than a diameter. The extrudate can also have a tri-lobe configuration.

A method for producing a copolymer includes reacting a first monomer with a second monomer using a Pd-based catalyst, wherein the first monomer is a first hetero cyclic compound which includes a first hetero atom selected from S, N, and O, the first hetero cyclic compound in which a carbon atom adjacent to the first hetero atom is coupled with at least one hydrogen atom, and the second monomer is a second hetero cyclic compound which includes a second hetero atom selected from S, N, and O, the second hetero cyclic compound in which the second hetero atom is coupled with a carbon atom in which a halogen group selected from Br, Cl, and I is substituted.

A method for installing a paver system includes positioning a first grid substrate adjacent to a second grid substrate, the first and second grid substrates form a paver support surface. At least the first grid substrate includes an integrated boundary ridge extending along the first paver support surface. The first grid substrate is interlocked with the second grid substrate with a first paver piece bridging the first and second grid substrates to form a paver linkage. Movement of at least the first paver piece is arrested beyond the integrated boundary ridge by directly or indirectly engaging at least the first paver piece against the integrated boundary ridge. In another example, movement of the first paver piece is arrested by anchoring at least the first paver piece on the first and second paver support surfaces through distribution of forces incident on at least the first paver piece through the paver linkage.

An apparatus and method to install contraction joints in concrete slabs. The method uses a device, which inserts a strip of plastic or paper tape into freshly laced concrete, as the device is driven across a concrete slab. The tape is folded immediately prior to being inserted into freshly placed concrete, and functions to weaken the slab at the contraction joint location for the purpose of causing a crack to form in the slab. Plastic tape can be used, which functions as a moisture vapor retarder, and thereby, protects floor coverings from moisture damage, such as mold and mildew, at contraction joint locations.

An installation for cooling an electronic device includes an air conditioner having an air outlet for blowing cooling air to a room; a first detector adjacent to the air outlet of the air conditioner, for detecting a temperature of the cooling air; a rack accommodating the electronic device, the rack having an air inlet for receiving the cooling air from the air conditioner and an air outlet for exhausting air to the room; a second detector adjacent to the air inlet of the rack, for detecting a temperature of air received through the air inlet of the rack; and a controller for acquiring the temperatures detected by the first and the second detectors, and controlling a quantity of the cooling air blown from the air outlet of the air conditioner so as to decrease a difference between the temperatures detected by the first and the second detectors.

In various embodiments, an illumination apparatus includes an air gap between a sub-assembly and a waveguide attached thereto at a plurality of discrete attachment points, as well as a bare-die light-emitting diode encapsulated by the waveguide.

A method of processing content according to a workflow, where a digital content is processed on one of a plurality of processing devices according to process definition associated to the content, includes the steps, iterated at the processing device, of: a) receiving from a server a signed workflow information, a workflow information comprising a status of the content processing, a signature of the process definition and a hash of the content;b) verifying the workflow information;c) when the workflow information is verified, processing the content according to the process definition and according to status of the content processing;d) updating and signing the workflow information;e) sending to the server the signed workflow information;and the steps iterated at the server of:f) receiving from a processing device a signed workflow information;g) publishing the signed workflow information received from the processing device. A system for performing the method is also provided.

A system and method for making a layered dental appliance. The system can include a first portion comprising a negative of a first layer of a layered dental appliance, and a second portion comprising a positive shape of a second layer of the layered dental appliance. The method can include providing a mold comprising a negative of an outer shape of a layered dental appliance, and positioning a slurry in the mold, forming a first layer of the layered dental appliance. The method can further include providing a solid structure comprising a positive shape of a second layer of the layered dental appliance, and pressing the solid structure into the slurry in the mold.

Disclosed is a negative C-type retardation compensator for a liquid crystal display. The negative C-type retardation compensator for the liquid crystal display includes polyarlate having a thio group or a sulfur oxide group in a polymer main chain thereof. Accordingly, the retardation compensator has an absolute value of negative retardation that is larger in a thickness direction that a retardation compensator which includes polyarylate having no thio group or sulfur oxide group in a polymer main chain thereof even though the retardation compensator having the thio group or sulfur oxide group and the retardation compensator having no thio group or sulfur oxide group are the same as each other in thickness. Thereby, the negative C-type retardation compensator for liquid crystal displays is capable of being desirably applied to the liquid crystal displays.

The present invention relates to a method for selecting an appropriate mode when performing a new broadcast, such as a 3D stereo broadcast, a UHDTV broadcast, and a multi-view broadcast, among others, while maintaining compatibility with existing broadcasting channels in an MPEG-2-TS format for transmitting and receiving digital TV, and to a method for recognizing a descriptor. To this end, the present invention suggests providing the descriptor which is related to synthesizing left and right images using the type of stream, existence of the descriptor, and a frame-compatible mode flag.

A process control system user display provides a display image containing control system information. The system may include a digital recording module including an image capture module for making a real-time digital recording of at least a portion of the display image, the image capture module buffering a terminal portion of the real-time digital recording. A storage module may store at least a portion of the real-time digital recording. A real-time digital recording may contain at least a portion of the display image, wherein, at any particular time, the real-time digital recording includes information from the control system for a predetermined duration proximate the particular time, and at least a portion of the real-time digital recording may be stored. A desired portion of the digital recording may be played back, optionally with process control system event and/or continuous history.

A cutting bit adapted to cut wood or metal is disclosed. The cutting bit is prepared by a process which includes the step of performing a forming operation on a metal blank so as to create a formed metal part that includes (i) a shaft having a polygonal shaped drive surface and defining an axis, (ii) a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the body being attached to the shaft, the body further having a first shoulder and a second shoulder at the distal end thereof, the first shoulder defining a first cutting edge segment, and the second shoulder defining a second cutting edge segment, the axis extending between the first cutting edge segment and the second cutting edge segment, (iii) a central cutting member extending from the body so that the central cutting member is aligned with the axis, (iv) a first cutting spur extending from the distal end of the body, the first cutting edge segment being interposed between the first cutting spur and the axis, and (v) a second cutting spur extending from the distal end of the body, the second cutting edge segment being interposed between the second cutting spur and the axis. The process of preparing the cutting bit further includes the step of performing a carburization operation on the formed metal part after the first step so as to create the cutting bit. The cutting bit is particularly useful in performing a drilling operation on a metal construction wall stud to form a hole therein.

The object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus that allow production of metal plate chip resistors having a relatively low resistance with high accuracy and yield through simple process. The object is achieved by apparatus for manufacturing metal plate chip resistors including cutting mold for cutting intermediate product strip transversely to obtain worked product chip, ohm meter for measuring the resistance of the worked product chip, control device having a calculating part for performing a calculation using the resistance measured by the ohm meter to work out a width in which the strip is to be cut transversely so as to obtain a worked product chip of a desired resistance, and cutting width adjustor for making an adjustment so that the strip is to be cut transversely in the width obtained from the calculating part.

A digital camera includes an image capture assembly; a print media transport assembly; a pagewidth ink jet printhead; a roll of print media; an internal chassis serving as a frame on which the image capture assembly, the print media transport assembly, and the printhead are directly supported; and an external casing completely encasing therewithin the internal chassis. The external casing is openable, and the internal chassis together with the assemblies and printhead supported thereon are removable from the external casing. The internal chassis is provided as an integral frame configured with pre-molded fittings adapted to receive and support the assemblies and printhead.

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for auto-installing an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) includes issuing an auto-installation command from the IRD to an outdoor unit (ODU) and receiving a plurality of tones from the ODU in response to the auto-installation command, each tone representing a center frequency of available user bands (UBs). The auto-installation also includes acquiring a UB center frequency by the IRD, requesting the ODU to confirm a UB number corresponding to the acquired UB center frequency, and receiving confirmation from the ODU that a UB number corresponds to the acquired UB center frequency. The auto-installation also includes sending an acceptance of the assigned UB number from the IRD to signal the ODU that it may mark the assigned UB as assigned.

A transmit pad inspection device includes a magnetic coupling device, which includes an inductive circuit that is configured to magnetically couple to a primary circuit of a charging device in a transmit pad through an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. The inductive circuit functions as a secondary circuit for a set of magnetically coupled coils. The magnetic coupling device further includes a rectification circuit, and includes a controllable load bank or is configured to be connected to an external controllable load back. The transmit pad inspection device is configured to determine the efficiency of power transfer under various coupling conditions. In addition, the transmit pad inspection device can be configured to measure residual magnetic field and the frequency of the input current, and to determine whether the charging device has been installed properly.

An insertion and removal assembly for installing and removing hard drives from an enclosure, such as a computer chassis, is provided. The insertion and removal assembly includes a sliding member configured to receive a hard drive, a lever handle rotatably connected to the sliding member and an attachment wall having a plurality of protrusions defining a plurality of slots, each slot configured to receive one sliding member. A user reveals a slot for accepting the installation of the hard drive in the enclosure by pushing a tab on the attachment wall near a distal portion of the lever handle to release the lever handle and then pulling the lever handle outward exposing the sliding member. A hard drive is inserted into the sliding member and pushed inwardly into the chassis. Conversely, the sliding member can contain a hard drive which is partially ejected by unlatching and subsequently pulling the lever.

Source support arm of a liquid crystal panel transportation device is provided, which includes a primary arm section. The primary arm section includes a plurality of ancillary arm sections that are rotatable to open mounted thereon. A liquid crystal panel transportation device is also disclosed, which includes a support arm having a primary arm section and ancillary arm sections that are mounted to the primary arm section and are rotatable to open.

A method and system for tracking a body's bio-readings and environmental information in which such bio-readings are generated is disclosed. Conventional bio-reading sensor technology may be used in combination with technology for receiving information from electronic tags associated with items in a body's environment. Such technology may include RFID smart tags associated with items in an environment. Such smart tags store information describing the item associated with the smart tag. An RFID smart tag reader may be provided for retrieving item description information stored in such smart tags. The combination of bio-reading data and environmental data provide a power tool in evaluating behavioral and environmental variables that affect a body's bio-readings.

Disclosed are polyvalent macromolecules, compositions comprising the macromolecules, and methods of use. The polyvalent macromolecules have a polymer backbone and pendent groups attached to the polymer backbone. Some or all of the pendent groups have optionally a linker, a surface-seeking group capable of binding strongly to a metal surface, and a spectroscopically detectable chromophore detectable.

A process for the purification of organometallic compounds or heteroatomic organic compounds from oxygen, water and from the compounds deriving from the reaction of water and oxygen with the organometallic or heteroatomic compounds whose purification is sought, comprising the operation of contacting the organometallic or heteroatomic compound to be purified in the liquid state or in form of vapor, pure or in a carrier gas, with a hydrogenated getter alloy, and optionally also with one or more gas sorber materials selected among palladium on porous supports and a mixture of iron and manganese supported on zeolites.

A method is provided for producing a fiber-reinforced material which is composed, at least in a region of a surface layer, of a ceramic composite and has carbon-containing fibers reaction-bonded to a matrix containing the elements Si and C. In particular a method of producing fiber-reinforced silicon carbide is provided in which a structure of a matrix contains cracks and/or pores, at least at ambient temperature, because of a high thermal expansion coefficient compared with that of the fibers. Metals are selectively electrodeposited in the open pores and cracks of the matrix and, in particular, in a region of the electrically conductive reinforcing fibers. As a result, the open pores and cracks are filled and, in addition, metallic top layers are optionally formed that are firmly keyed to the ceramic composite and that may serve as an interlayer for glass top layers or ceramic top layers. A fiber-reinforced composite material, as well as moldings, in particular brake discs, brake linings or clutch plates, composed of such a composite material, are also provided.

A fullerene derivative, with a solubility in n-hexane of not lower that 0.1 mg/ml at 25° C., includes a fullerene skeleton and three or more organic groups attached to the fullerene skeleton, where each of the organic groups is represented by the general formula (III): —CH2—X (R2)(R3)(R4) (III) where X represents an element belonging to the group 14 in the periodic table; and R2, R3 and R4 may be the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon group, alkoxy group or amino group.

Volatile liquid precursors are provided for use in the formation of alkali metal-containing materials. The compound includes an alkali metal and an amide ligand and is a liquid at a temperature of less than about 70° C.

The novel metallocenes of the formula I in which, preferably, M1 is Zr or Hf, R1 and R2 are alkyl or halogen, R3 and R4 are hydrogen, R5 and R6 are alkyl or haloalkyl, —(CR8R9)m—R7—(CR8R9)n— is a single- or multi-membered chain in which R7 may also be a (substituted) hetero atom, m+n is zero or 1, and R10 is hydrogen, form, together with aluminoxanes as cocatalysts, a very effective catalyst system for the preparation of polyolefins of high stereospecificity and high melting point.

A mask for forming polysilicon has a first slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, a second slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, a third slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width, and a fourth slit region where a plurality of horizontal slit patterns are arranged in the vertical direction while bearing the same width. The slit patterns arranged at the first to fourth slit regions are sequentially enlarged in width in the horizontal direction in multiple proportion to the width d of the slit pattern at the first slit region. The centers of the slit patterns arranged at the first to fourth slit regions in the horizontal direction are placed at the same line. The slit patterns arranged at the respective slit regions in the vertical direction are spaced from each other with a distance of 8*d. Alternatively, the first to fourth slit regions may be arranged in reverse order, or in the vertical direction.

A method for the production of alkyl lithium compounds is disclosed, in which metallic lithium is reacted with an alkyl halide in a solvent, whereby the metallic lithium is introduced in the form of lithium particles, generated by spraying molten lithium into an inert atmosphere or into a vacuum.

A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon active layer for use in a thin film transistor is provided. The method includes forming a buffer layer over a substrate, forming an amorphous silicon layer over the buffer layer, applying a catalytic metal to a surface of the amorphous silicon layer, crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer having the catalytic metal thereon into a polycrystalline silicon layer, annealing the polycrystalline silicon layer in an N2 gas atmosphere to stabilize the polycrystalline silicon layer, etching a surface of the polycrystalline silicon layer using an etchant, and patterning the polycrystalline silicon layer to form an island-shaped active layer.

A method by which a halogen atom of a halogen compound can be efficiently replaced with an electrophilic group. Also provided are: a reagent for converting a functional group through a halogen-metal exchange reaction, characterized by comprising either a mixture of a magnesium compound represented by the formula R1—Mg—X (I) (wherein R1 represents a halogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon residue; and X1 represents a halogen atom) and an organolithium compound represented by the formula R2—Li (II)(wherein R2 represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbon residue) or a product of the reaction of the magnesium compound with the organolithium compound; and a process for producing with the reagent a compound in which a halogen atom of a halogen compound has been replaced with an electrophilic group.

Barium, strontium, tantalum and lanthanum precursor compositions useful for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanate thin films. The precursors have the formula M(Cp)2, wherein M is strontium, barium, tantalum or lanthanum, and Cp is cyclopentadienyl, of the formula (I), wherein each of R1-R5 is the same as or different from one another, with each being independently selected from among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 amino, C6-C10 aryl, C1-C12 alkoxy, C3-C6 alkylsilyl, C2-C12 alkenyl, R1R2R3NNR3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl, and pendant ligands including functional group(s) providing further coordination to the metal center M. The precursors of the above formula are useful to achieve uniform coating of high dielectric constant materials in the manufacture of flash memory and other microelectronic devices.

Pulverulent solid which consists essentially of at least one metal alkyl compound bound chemically and/or physically to a finely divided, porous, mechanically stable and chemically inert support, has a proportion by weight of metal alkyl compound of at least 5% by weight, based on the support, and has an angle of repose, determined in accordance with ISO 4324, of up to 48°. The solid allows trouble-free metering as active component into a reactor.

The present invention relates to a synthesis method of metal cyclopentadienide by direct reaction of dicyclopentadiene with a group 1 metal in the presence of an aprotic solvent. Unlike the conventional method depending on retro Diels-Alder reaction of dicyclopentadiene to generate indirectly cyclopentadiene, the method of the present invention favors generation of cyclopentadiene and metal cyclopentadienide as well by adding dicyclopentadiene directly when the reaction temperature reaches to the boiling point of a reaction solvent.

Barium, strontium, tantalum and lanthanum precursor compositions useful for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanate thin films. The precursors have the formula M(Cp)2, wherein M is strontium, barium, tantalum or lanthanum, and Cp is cyclopentadienyl, of the formula wherein each of R1-R5 is the same as or different from one another, with each being independently selected from among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 amino, C6-C10 aryl, C1-C12 alkoxy, C3-C6 alkylsilyl, C2-C12 alkenyl, R1R2R3NNR3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl, and pendant ligands including functional group(s) providing further coordination to the metal center M. The precursors of the above formula are useful to achieve uniform coating of high dielectric constant materials in the manufacture of flash memory and other microelectronic devices.

[Problem] To provide a preparation process by which an organic alkali metal compound is obtained in a high yield and a process for preparing an organic transition metal compound using the organic alkali metal compound. [Means to solve the problem] A process for preparing an organic alkali metal compound, which is characterized by adding a compound represented by the following formula (2) in the reaction of an active proton-containing compound represented by the following formula (1) with an alkali metal compound. RHp (1) In the formula (1), R is a hydrocarbon group or an amino group and may contain a halogen atom, a silicon atom, an oxygen atom or a nitrogen atom, H is an active proton, and p is the number of hydrogen atoms abstracted in the reaction with the alkali metal compound. In the formula (2), Ra to Rc are each an atom or a group selected from a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heteroatom-containing group and a silicon-containing group and may be the same as or different from each other, and the neighboring substituents may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

Barium, strontium, tantalum and lanthanum precursor compositions useful for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanate thin films. The precursors have the formula M(Cp)2, wherein M is strontium, barium, tantalum or lanthanum, and Cp is cyclopentadienyl, of the formula wherein each of R1-R5 is the same as or different from one another, with each being independently selected from among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 amino, C6-C10 aryl, C1-C12 alkoxy, C3-C6 alkylsilyl, C2-C12 alkenyl, R1R2R3NNR3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl, and pendant ligands including functional group(s) providing further coordination to the metal center M. The precursors of the above formula are useful to achieve uniform coating of high dielectric constant materials in the manufacture of flash memory and other microelectronic devices.

A method of purifying crude organometallic compounds using a stripping column and a gas stream is provided. This method removes relatively more volatile impurities as compared to the organometallic compound.

A developmental toy for infants including an infant support surface having an open and a folded operative orientation, a first pair of circumferential elements associated therewith and having an open and a folded operative orientation and a second pair of elements, generally similar in configuration to the first pair of circumferential elements, arranged to support toy objects above the infant support surface and having an open and a folded operative orientation and a locking assembly for selectably locking the first and second pairs of circumferential elements in their respective open operative orientations, the open operative orientation of the infant support surface being an angular separation of 180 degrees, the open operative orientation of the first pair of circumferential elements being an angular separation of 180 degrees and the open operative orientation of the first pair of circumferential elements being an angular separation of substantially less than 180 degrees.

Singlet oxygen metastables can be formed. A catalytic coating is formed on an interior surface of a flow reactor, and an oxygen containing species is flowed into the flow reactor to produce singlet oxygen metastables by a chemical reaction in the presence of the catalytic coating.

Novel methods and systems for miniaturized lasers are described. A photonic crystal is bonded to a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The photonic crystal includes air-holes and can include a waveguide which couples the laser output to a silicon waveguide.