Abstract:
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from which pyrogen has been removed are provided for use in numerous biomedical applications. PHAs which have been chemically modified to enhance physical and/or chemical properties, for targeting or to modify biodegradability or clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), are described. Methods for depyrogenating PHA polymers prepared by bacterial fermentation processes are also provided, wherein pyrogens are removed from the polymers without adversely impacting the polymers' inherent chemical structures and physical properties. PHAs with advantageous processing characteristics, including low melting points and/or solubility in non-toxic solvents, are also described. PHAs are provided which are suitable for use in vivo applications such as in tissue coatings, stents, sutures, tubing, bone and other prostheses, bone or tissue cements, tissue regeneration devices, wound dressings, drug delivery, and for diagnostic and prophylactic uses. Properties which are selected for include degradability, elasticity, inclusion of functional groups or derivatized groups, which can in turn be used to attach targeting agents, and bioadhesion.
Abstract:
A fishing reel end plate may comprise a unitary disk having a generally central opening between a frame facing side and an exterior side thereof, a bridge proximate the frame facing side thereof and a wall joining a fundus and the exterior side thereof defining a first cavity open at the exterior side. The bridge may have a hole spaced apart from a generally central opening for receiving a stud. The unitary disk may have a second cavity open at the frame facing side and separated from the first cavity by a common portion of the wall, and the common wall portion may have an opening between the first and second cavities. The end plate may be mounted to the frame of a fishing reel.
Abstract:
A system and method for enhancing patent documents. A system is disclosed that includes: an extraction system for extracting non-patent references from a patent document; a system for cross-referencing an extracted non-patent reference with a metadata database to identify metadata information associated with the extracted non-patent reference; and a system for annotating the patent document with the metadata information.
Abstract:
A system and method for processing a document to generate a set of related documents. A system is provided that includes a textual analytics system that analyzes unstructured data contained in a source document and extracts a set of structured information about the source document; and a compare system that identifies a set of related documents by comparing the set of structured information with metadata indexed from a set of publications.
Abstract:
Belt material is wrapped around a small diameter mandrel. Instead of cutting the belt to length, the material is then continued to be wrapped around the mandrel, forming a belt material overlap, and held under tension. An ultrasonic welding horn is then traversed across the width of the belt overlap. As this horn is traversed across the overlapped joint, the horn not only joins the belt material wrapped around the mandrel but, as the trailing edge is held under tension, the horn also separates or severs the trailing edge of the material from the welded seam.
Abstract:
An inventive method for controlling spending is disclosed herein. The method includes providing multiple unique identifiers for an account and establishing a spending limit for each identifier.
Abstract:
A method of and software for determining effectiveness of sales call efforts in a marketing environment in which representatives make contact with a customer in accordance with a prioritized list, comprising the steps of: (1) creating on a computer an electronic prioritized list of customers for representatives of an organization to use in contacting customers, the prioritized list including an identification of a customer identity and a specified contact frequency for each such customer to be executed by the representatives; (2) adjusting the specified contact frequency for a selected subset of customers on said electronic prioritized list to create an electronic adjusted prioritized list; (3) communicating the electronic adjusted prioritized list to the representatives (e.g. by generating call lists for each representative or groups of representatives); and (4) measuring changes in the promotional response among the selected subset of customers and recording data relating to said changes in an electronic data storage system. The invention further includes a method of improving effectiveness of such sales call efforts by a further step of using the measured change in promotional response among the selected subset of customers as an input to creation of an updated prioritized list with a modified contact frequency targeting the customers most likely to yield additional sales.
Abstract:
A substrate transport apparatus comprising a drive section, a controller, an upper arm, forearm and substrate holder. A proximate end of the upper arm being rotatably mounted to the drive section at a shoulder joint. A proximate end of the forearm being rotatably mounted to a distal end of the upper arm at an elbow joint. The substrate holder being rotatably mounted to a distal end of the forearm at a wrist joint. The upper arm and the forearm being unequal in length from joint center to joint center. The substrate transport arm is adapted to transport substrate to and from at least two substrate holding areas with the drive section of the transport apparatus remaining in a fixed position relative to the holding areas. Each of the upper arm, forearm and substrate holder being independently rotatable with respect to each other.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to crystalline polymorphs of 3-O-(3′,3′-dimethylsuccinyl)betulinic acid di-N-methyl-D-glucamine salt (“DSB•2NMG)”), pharmaceutical compositions of the same and use of the same as an active pharmaceutical agent in the treatment of HIV related disorders.