A control device for marine animals comprises an electrical device that applies an electrical voltage directly to a marine animal in order to shock the marine animal, for control thereof. The device preferably comprises a pole or rod having electrical prongs at one end which my be applied to the marine animal, thereby applying and electrical signal having a voltage, amperage and frequency that stuns and/or shocks the animal. The character of the electrical signal is such that the animal is temporarily paralyzed, so that it may be safely handled by humans for bringing it into a watercraft without otherwise damaging the animal.

Method and apparatus for cutting out balsa blanket parts comprising the following steps: providing on a surface of a conveyor (12) a row of balsa blankets (1) abutting each other end edge to end edge in butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5); interjoining the balsa blankets (1) in the butt areas at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) to form a balsa blanket web; feeding the balsa blanket web in a direction of feed (F) to a cutting station (15) where the balsa blanket web is stepwise conveyed and cut through crosswise at positions to form the desired parts; providing a next row of balsa blankets on the surface of the conveyor when the rearmost end edge on the rearmost blanket of the balsa blanket web is at the last joining station (14.5), said blankets of the next row abutting each other end edge (4) to end edge (5) and the leading end edge of the foremost balsa blanket in the next row of balsa blankets abutting the rearmost end edge of the rearmost balsa blanket in the balsa blanket web; at the joining stations (14.1-14.5) interjoining the next row of the balsa blankets and joining it with the balsa blanket web in the butt areas.

Disclosed are electrochemical cells and methods for producing a halide of a non-alkali metal and for electrorefining the halide. The systems typically involve an electrochemical cell having a cathode structure configured for dissolving a hydrogen halide that forms the halide into a molten salt of the halogen and an alkali metal. Typically a direct current voltage is applied across the cathode and an anode that is fabricated with the non-alkali metal such that the halide of the non-alkali metal is formed adjacent the anode. Electrorefining cells and methods involve applying a direct current voltage across the anode where the halide of the non-alkali metal is formed and the cathode where the non-alkali metal is electro-deposited. In a representative embodiment the halogen is chlorine, the alkali metal is lithium and the non-alkali metal is uranium.

A supplemental control system for a materials handling vehicle comprises a wearable control device, and a corresponding receiver on the materials handling vehicle. The wearable control device is donned by an operator interacting with the materials handling vehicle, and comprises a wireless transmitter to be worn on the wrist of the operator and a travel control communicably coupled to the wireless transmitter. Actuation of the travel control causes the wireless transmitter to transmit a first type signal designating a request to the vehicle. The receiver is supported by the vehicle for receiving transmissions from the wireless transmitter.

A radiation detector is disclosed that includes a scintillation crystal and a plurality of photodetectors positioned to detect low-energy scintillation photons generated within the scintillation crystal. The scintillation crystals are processed using subsurface laser engraving to generate point-like defects within the crystal to alter the path of the scintillation photons. In one embodiment, the defects define a plurality of boundaries within a monolithic crystal to delineate individual detector elements. In another embodiment, the defects define a depth-of-interaction boundary that varies longitudinally to vary the amount of light shared by neighboring portions of the crystal. In another embodiment the defects are evenly distributed to reduce the lateral spread of light from a scintillation event. Two or more of these different aspects may be combined in a single scintillation crystal. Additionally, or alternatively, similar SSLE defects may be produced in other light-guiding elements of the radiation detector.

The invention relates to a thermal conduction element (20) for a package for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials, comprising: an internal part (30) intended to be in contact with a lateral body (14) of the package;an external part (34) intended to form a portion of an external envelope (24) of said package, holding radiological protection means (22);an intermediate part (32) arranged between the internal and external parts,the internal, external and intermediate parts being produced from copper and one of the alloys thereof. According to the invention, the external part (34) is equipped, at each of its two opposite ends, with an area (36) for connection by welding to another thermal conduction element (20), each connection area (36) being produced from steel.

A device for mixing multiple (N) pulse density modulated (PDM) bit streams of a bit rate, the device comprises an input logic, an error accumulation circuit, an error correction circuit and an adder of more than N bits; wherein the device is arranged to output an output PDM bit stream that represents a mixture of the multiple input PDM bit streams; wherein the output PDM bit stream comprises a plurality of output PDM bits, wherein a certain output PDM bit of a plurality of output PDM bits that form the output PDM bit stream is generated during a certain clock cycle; wherein the input logic is arranged to select, during each fraction of the certain clock cycle, a current bit of a selected PDM bit stream, wherein different PDM bit streams are selected during different fragments of the certain clock cycle; wherein the error accumulation circuit is arranged to store intermediate values during a first fraction till a penultimate fraction of the certain clock signal and to store a last value during a last fraction of the certain clock signal.

An apparatus for coding a signal by means of amplitude shift keying comprises a class E amplifier including a switching transistor, to whose gate is supplied a voltage having an operating frequency for operating the class E amplifier. For achieving an amplitude shift keying in the output signal of the class E amplifier, a circuit for switching the operating frequency of the voltage supplied to the gate of the switching transistor, or the resonance frequency of the class E amplifier, between a first value and a second value is provided and in order to switch a deviation degree between the operating frequency and the resonance frequency between a first value and a second value.

An improved scraper plate assembly is provided on a comminuting device having compliant rounded edges, sloped walls, and reduced height for placement along recycle flow paths within a comminuting apparatus when circulating subdivided waste material from between a pair of scissor rolls for further delivery to a scissor roll for further movement and subdividing of the subdivided waste material. A comminuting apparatus is also provided.

The present invention is a method and material for using a sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury. The method for using sorbent material to capture and stabilize mercury contains the following steps. First, the sorbent material is provided. The sorbent material, in one embodiment, is nano-particles. In a preferred embodiment, the nano-particles are unstabilized nano-Se. Next, the sorbent material is exposed to mercury in an environment. As a result, the sorbent material captures and stabilizes mercury from the environment. In the preferred embodiment, the environment is an indoor space in which a fluorescent has broken.

An apparatus and method are provided for filling multi-chamber containers with different loose bulk materials. The apparatus and method may be particularly well-suited to packaging at least one bulk material, which is susceptible to water, chemicals, or other contaminants, with at least one other bulk material. The apparatus is a machine that includes separate hoppers for handling the separate bulk materials, and directs the separate bulk materials into different chambers of a multi-chamber container, which is then transported away from the machine for storage or use. The machine may include one or more movable hoppers supported on tracks, for moving the bulk materials to the hoppers that direct the bulk materials into different chambers of the multi-chamber container. A controller and data logger may be provided to control the apparatus and record the quantity and/or weight of the contents of each multi-chamber container.

A pressure-stable cylinder/piston unit which blocks water vapor and oxygen and is designed for a needle-free injector, with a chamber arranged in a cylinder, which blocks water vapor and oxygen, and designed for long-term and sterile storage of an injection solution, an end wall with at least one nozzle bore or one outlet element, a pressure-stable outer cylinder, and a pressure-stable piston arranged movably in the chamber and blocking water vapor and oxygen. Methods for bubble-free, automatic or manual filling of the cylinder/piston unit, also at atmospheric pressure are also disclosed.

The method includes subjecting the pozzolans in crushed state to a high energetic mechanical processing by grinding in a grinding equipment, whereby the pozzolan particles receive mechanical impulses, and the grinding is carried out for a predetermined time resulting in a compressive strength of a 2 inch side cube of mortar having 80% Portland cement and 20% natural pozzolan in a ratio of 1:2.75 to standard sand and in addition water required to obtain a flow of the mortar according to American standard ASTM C 109, which has been properly compacted under vibration and hardened at +20° C. in sealed condition, which after 28 days is ≧75% of the compressive strength of a 2 inch side cube, treated as the cube, of a mortar having a ratio of Portland cement:sand of 1:2.75 and water corresponding to 48.5% of the weight of Portland cement.

Precursors for use in depositing antimony-containing films on substrates such as wafers or other microelectronic device substrates, as well as associated processes of making and using such precursors, and source packages of such precursors. The precursors are useful for deposition of Ge2Sb2Te5 chalcogenide thin films in the manufacture of nonvolatile Phase Change Memory (PCM) or for the manufacturing of thermoelectric devices, by deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD).

A curable aqueous composition is disclosed comprising a carbohydrate, a crosslinking agent, and an amine base, wherein the curable aqueous composition has a pH adjusted by the amine base. Further disclosed is a method of forming a curable aqueous solution.

An electrical device not only controls train signals as trains advance, but also alters the voltage in the tracks leading up to the signals so that the trains will actually stop at a red signal, slow at an amber aspect and continue on at full speed when the signal is showing green. The electrical device of the present invention can change the “block signal” from “green” to “red”, thereby signaling the engineer behind the train to come to a stop. In addition, the electrical device can simultaneously change the voltage in the tracks to stop the approaching train at the red signal. Only when the forward train has cleared will the approaching train get a clear signal and voltage to resume its forward progress.

The invention relates to a molding tool for the production of components composed of fiber composite materials, in which the molding tool has a fiber composite structure and an electrical resistance heating element, whereby carbon fibers or carbon filaments are embedded into the fiber composite structure of the molding tool in a plastic matrix, close to the shaping surface of the molding tool. Such a molding tool is further developed in that the carbon fibers or carbon filaments in the plastic matrix, close to the shaping surface, essentially determine the mechanical strength of the molding tool, and that the electrical resistance heating element is interconnected in such a manner that at least individual sections of the electrical resistance heating element form an electrical parallel circuit with one another.

The present invention provides templating methods for replicating patterned metal films from a template substrate such as for use in plasmonic devices and metamaterials. Advantageously, the template substrate is reusable and can provide plural copies of the structure of the template substrate. Because high-quality substrates that are inherently smooth and flat are available, patterned metal films in accordance with the present invention can advantageously provide surfaces that replicate the surface characteristics of the template substrate both in the patterned regions and in the unpatterned regions.

Magnetically adjusting color-converting particles within a matrix and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. A magnetic-adjustment process can include applying a magnetic field to a mixture including a non-solid matrix and a plurality of color-converting particles (e.g. magnetically anisotropic color-converting particles). The magnetic field can cause the plurality of color-converting particles to move into a generally non-random alignment (e.g., a generally non-random magnetic alignment and/or a generally non-random shape alignment) within the non-solid matrix. The non-solid matrix then can be solidified to form a solid matrix. A magnetic-adjustment process can be performed in conjunction with testing and/or product binning of solid-state radiation transducer devices. For example, a position, direction, strength, or duration of a magnetic field used to perform a magnetic-adjustment process can be controlled according to optical output collected from a solid-state radiation transducer device. Measuring the optical output and performing the magnetic-adjustment process can be at least partially concurrent.

The present invention describes novel indenofluorene derivatives which can preferably be employed as matrix materials for phosphorescent dopants or as electron-transport materials, in particular for use in the emission and/or charge-transport layer of electroluminescent devices. The invention furthermore relates to polymers which comprise these compounds as structural units and to a process for the preparation of the compounds according to the invention and to electronic devices which comprise same.

Compounds (including polymers) for use in hybrid host materials which can be used in electroluminescent devices. The compounds comprise at least one electron-transporting moiety and at least one hole-transporting moiety which are joined by a flexible linker. Hybrid host materials comprising the compounds exhibit stability against phase separation, elevated glass transition temperature, morphological stability against crystallization, and isolation of the electron transporting moiety and hole transporting moiety π-systems.

The present invention relates to a system and method of managing a group of dairy animals. More particularly, the invention relates to measuring one or more milk parameters, comparing this parameter to a criterion, and allowing an animal access to a pasture based on this comparison. The milk parameter is related to the composition of milk obtained from a dairy animal in as far as the composition is defined by at least one of the amount of protein and the energy intake of the dairy animal. The measured milk parameter is, for example, urea. Access to the pasture will be completely or partly blocked for a dairy animal having a high content of urea. This dairy animal is thus prevented from taking in an undesirably large amount of protein.

There is described a system and method for recycling carbon-containing material, in particular tires and plastics materials. The system includes a heating arrangement for anaerobically heating carbon containing material to produce carbon-containing gases. A condensing arrangement is also used to condense a proportion of the carbon-containing gases to provide condensed gases and non-condensed gases. In addition, a recirculating arrangement is provided for recirculating the non-condensed gases into the heating arrangement. Further systems and methods for pre- and post-processing of the carbon-containing material are also disclosed and products of the systems and methods are also described.

Methods and apparatus for processing of waste and low-value products to produce useful materials in reliable purities and compositions, at acceptable cost, without producing malodorous emissions, and with high energy efficiency are disclosed. In particular, multi-stage processes are disclosed to convert various feedstocks such as offal, animal manures, municipal sewage sludge, tires, and plastics, that otherwise have little commercial value, to useful materials including gas, oil, specialty chemicals, and carbon solids. Disclosed processes subject the feedstock to heat and pressure, separates out various components, then further applies heat and pressure to one or more of those components. Various materials produced at different points in the process may be recycled and used to play other roles within the process. Also disclosed are apparatus for performing multi-stage processes of converting waste products into useful materials, and at least one oil product that arises from the process.

A method and an apparatus for pyrolysing a solid organic feed material are disclosed. Solid organic material is moved through a reaction chamber and exposed to a temperature profile within the chamber that dries and pyrolyses the organic material and releases water vapour and a volatile products gas phase. The water vapour phase and the volatile products gas phase are moved counter-current to the solid organic material so that the water vapour phase and condensable components of the volatile products gas phase condense in cooler upstream sections of the chamber and form a liquid water product and a separate liquid oil product. The liquid water product is discharged via an outlet along the length of the chamber and a dried and pyrolysed solid product is discharged from a downstream outlet in the chamber. The chamber includes a plurality of heat transfer members extending within the chamber and a supply of oxygen-containing gas for establishing and maintaining the temperature profile within the chamber.

The method produces a hydrocarbonaceous fluid (a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, or in other words a mixture of hydrocarbons which is liquid at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure), which functionally is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, from a feed of waste plastic. The method can comprise the steps of: (step 1) melting a feed of substantially solid waste plastic in an aerobic atmosphere (for instance, air) whereby a waste-plastic melt is produced; (step 2) distilling at least a portion of the waste-plastic melt whereby a hydrocarbonaceous distillate is produced; and (step 3) collecting the hydrocarbonaceous distillate. That distillate is generally referred to above as a condensate. The method can include the step of comminuting the feed of substantially solid waste plastic into pieces substantially no greater than about 1.5 cm2 prior to step 1. The method can also include the step of adding an effective amount of a cracking catalyst to the waste plastic prior to step 2.

A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream.

A process is disclosed for converting biomass to fuels and/or valuable chemicals. The process comprises the steps of a) activating biomass to make it more susceptible to conversion; c) partially converting the biomass to a solubilized material; and d) subjecting the unconverted biomass to a second conversion step. The process optionally comprises a step b) of adding a solvent to the activated biomass. In a preferred embodiment the solubilized biomass obtained in step c) is removed before the unconverted biomass is subjected to step d).

A method for mixing a chemical into a process liquid including: injecting the chemical into the process liquid flowing through a flow pipe; forming reaction products by a reaction involving the chemical occurring in the process flow; applying an electric field or magnetic field to a region of the flow pipe adjacent to the reaction occurring in the process flow, and suppressing the precipitation of the chemical or the reaction products on the surfaces of the pipe due to the electric or magnetic field.

A combination usable together in an automotive vehicle includes an engine block, a cover, and a band clamp. The engine block includes an opening configured to provide access to an interior volume, a first flange having a periphery that surrounds the opening, and a first engagement surface disposed proximate the first flange. The cover includes a second flange disposed around a periphery of the cover, and a second engagement surface disposed proximate the second flange, the second engagement surface configured to mate with the first engagement surface, wherein when the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface are disposed in engagement with each other the first flange and the second flange in combination define an exterior surface having a first profile. The band clamp includes an interior surface with a second profile that is complementary with the first profile.

A USB interface to provide power delivery negotiated through a dedicated transmission channel includes a transmitter circuit including a digital-to-analog converter having an output coupled with an input of a transmission filter, a receiver circuit including an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled with an output of a receiving filter, and a switching circuit configured in an operating mode of the USB interface to connect an output of the transmission filter and an input of the receiving filter to a connection node of the dedicated transmission channel.

Examples of adapters for transmitting signals are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an adapter may include a first connector communicatively couplable to PCIe port of a computing system via a first plurality of pins and a second connecter communicatively couplable to an electronic device via a second plurality of pins. The first plurality of pins is communicatively coupled to the second plurality of pins. Additionally, signals of a first type are transmittable between the computing system and the electronic device via a first subset of the first and the second pluralities of pins and signals of a second type are transmittable between the computing system and the electronic device via a second subset of the first and the second pluralities of pins. The second subset of the first plurality of pins and the second plurality of pins conforms to the SFF 8639 standard.

Nanoparticle-enhanced phase change materials (NEPCM) including nanoparticles dispersed with a base phase change material and that exhibit enhanced thermal conductivity in comparison to the base phase change material.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for treating air by using porous organic-inorganic hybrid materials as an absorbent, which comprises an inlet passage for receiving air from outside; a dehumidifying part comprising porous organic-inorganic hybrid materials as an adsorbent for removing moisture from the air receiving through the inlet passage; a regenerating unit for regenerating the adsorbent of the dehumidifying part; and an outlet passage for discharging the dehumidified air to outside. Said apparatus preferably comprises two dehumidifying parts of two-bed switching type and two switch valves, wherein said two dehumidifying parts are alternatively operated for dehumidification and for regeneration by switching said switch valves to convert direction of air flow.

The thermal energy storage material (TESM) system includes a container having a wall surface, and a TESM in at least partial contact with the wall surface. The TESM may include, consist essentially of, or consist of a metal containing compound comprising lithium, one or more different metal cations (i.e., different from lithium) and one or more polyatomic anions. The TESM may have a liquidus temperature, TL, from about 100° C. to about 250° C. The TESM may exhibits a heat storage density from 1 MJ/l to 1.84 MJ/l, as measured from 300° C. to 80° C. The TESM system may be free of water. If any water is present in the TESM system, the water concentration preferably is less than 10 wt. %. Preferably, the TESM system is generally resistant to corrosion at temperatures of about 300° C.

The present invention provides a process for recovering valuable metals from precious metal smelting slag, comprising: smelting the precious metal smelting slag and a flux in a top-blown rotary furnace to produce a lead-bismuth alloy, wherein the precious metal smelting slag comprises Au, Ag, Bi and Pb; electrolyzing the lead-bismuth alloy at a current density ranging from 60 to 110 A/m2 to obtain lead cathode and lead anode slime; refining the lead anode slime to produce bismuth and silver-zinc crust, and extracting gold and silver separately from the silver-zinc crust. Through utilizing a top-blown rotary furnace as the smelting apparatus and adjusting the ratio of the flux, the present invention enriches the valuable metals gold, silver, bismuth, lead or the like to lead-bismuth alloy, ensures lower contents of gold, silver, bismuth and lead in the reducing slag and thereby increases the comprehensive recovery rates of gold, silver, bismuth and lead from the precious metal smelting slag.

The invention is directed to a process and apparatus for recovering metals from bottom ash from incineration plants, such as municipal waste incineration plants. The process includes directing a feed containing ash into an oxidizing unit, wherein at least part of the metals is oxidized in the presence of one or more acids and at least one oxygen donor, thus producing a stream comprising metal ions. From this stream the metals of interest are selected and converted into metallic form.

The present invention aims at improving a recovery rate of a positive-pole active substance and preventing a recovery loss of valuable metals when a positive-pole active substance is separated from a lithium ion battery. In the present invention, a material resulting from battery dismantling obtained by dismantling a lithium ion battery is stirred using a surfactant solution, whereby a positive-pole active substance is separated from a positive-electrode substrate. Also, it is preferable that an alkaline solution is added to a positive-electrode material of a material resulting from battery dismantling, thereby dissolving a positive-electrode substrate to which a positive-pole active substance adheres to obtain a slurry containing the positive-pole active substance, and a surfactant solution is added to the slurry to disperse the positive-pole active substance in the slurry, whereby the positive-pole active substance is separated from the alkaline solution.

Carbothermic reduction of magnesium oxide at approximately 2200 degrees Kelvin yields a high temperature mixture of magnesium vapors and carbon monoxide gas. Previous processes have sought to cool or alter the mixture to cause the yield of pure magnesium, which is then used in subsequent processes for its reducing properties. The present invention takes advantage of the stability and inertness of carbon monoxide at elevated temperatures enabling the magnesium vapor/carbon monoxide gas mixture from the carbothermic process to be used directly for the production of other metals at high temperatures. Chromium oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide and sulfide, and several other metal compounds can be reduced by the magnesium vapor/carbon monoxide gas mixture at temperatures high enough to prevent the gas mixture from back-reacting to magnesium oxide and carbon.

The invention provides a recycling step in an oxidative pressure leaching process for recovery of metals using halide ions, in which a portion of the leached solids are recycled back to the feed to the autoclave, to allow two or more passes through the high temperature leaching step.

A composition to decommission firearms is presented. The composition comprises a monomer, a quantity of calcium chloride; and sulfur-containing compound. The sulfur containing compound includes sodium persulfate and/or sodium thiosulfate.

Aqueous compositions useful as pretreatments prior to painting and to prevent the formation of white rust in the uncoated condition include an organopolyphosphonic acid or salt thereof, an organosilane, and a trivalent chromium compound. A method for treating a surface of a zinc-containing metal includes contacting the surface with an aqueous composition including an organopolyphosphonic acid or salt thereof, an organosilane, and a trivalent chromium compound. The composition may also include an agent for reducing hydrophilicity, such as a polyacrylic acid. The aqueous composition has been found to be particularly well-suited for treating a zinc-containing metal to passivate the surface, improve paint adhesion, and/or improve corrosion resistance.

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.

Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.

A hand-operated implement has a guide bar on which is fitted a cutting chain for cutting mineral and metal materials. The cutting chain is driven around the guide bar by a chain sprocket. The chain sprocket is arranged in a chain sprocket chamber which is delimited by a chain sprocket cover. A cutting element has an outer side facing a sidewall of the chain sprocket cover which lies in a first notional plane. The distance between the sidewall and the first notional plane measured perpendicular to the first notional plane and centrally between the top of the cutting element and the peripheral wall is less than approximately 0.8 cm over at least 30% of the section between a second notional plane containing the central axis of a fixing bolt on the guide bar and the exit opening at which the cutting chain leaves the chain sprocket chamber.

A method of extracting hydrocarbon-containing organic matter from a hydrocarbon-containing material includes the steps of providing a first liquid comprising a turpentine liquid; contacting the hydrocarbon-containing material with the turpentine liquid to form an extraction mixture; extracting the hydrocarbon material into the turpentine liquid; and separating the extracted hydrocarbon material from a residual material not extracted.

A method for manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include obtaining a spacer textile material a stabilization structure. A tensile member is removed from an area of the spacer textile material where the stabilizing structure is absent. The tensile member is located between a first polymer element and a second polymer element. Additionally, (a) the first layer is bonded to the first polymer element, (b) the second layer is bonded to the second polymer element, and (c) the first polymer element and the second polymer element are bonded together around a periphery of the tensile member.

This document provided methods and materials involved in treating medical conditions. For example, methods and materials for using anti-Interleukin 4, anti-Interleukin 5, and/or anti-Interleukin 13 antibodies to treat asthma in a mammal identified as having a Th2 immune response using a whole blood cell-based cytokine whole blood cell-based cytokine assay are provided.

A composite material includes a composite body having a composite surface, and a reinforcing element extending through the composite body in a first plurality of stitches and a second plurality of stitches. The first plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially similarly to each other. The second plurality of stitches are aligned relative to the composite surface substantially dissimilarly to each other.

The steps of the irrigation method include: flowing a stream of water having input and output and intermediate location; interposing a feeding device into the stream of water at the intermediate location, the feeding device having input and output ends; inserting a quantity of nutrient fertilizer into the feeding device; converting the nutrient fertilizer from the viscous state to the less viscous state through the flow of water through the feeding device; and intermixing the viscous nutrient fertilizer with the water entering the feeding device whereby the water leaving the device to plants and soil will include a fertilizer.