684 results about "Charge density" patented technology

The invention provides a system and method for treating a subject having unwanted or overactive nerve activity. The method involves applying one or more of direct current, charge imbalanced time varying current and pulsatile current to a target nerve; and controlling the amplitude and the duration of the current such that there is a net charge delivered to the target nerve at a sufficient charge density to cause controlled ablation to the target nerve until unwanted or overactive nerve activity is reduced in one or both of the target nerve and a target body tissue innervated by the target nerve.

A personal cleansing composition comprising:a. from about 5% to about 50% by weight of an anionic detersive surfactant;b. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a first cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of less than about 4 meq / gm, wherein said first cationic polymer forms an isotropic coacervate;c. from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of a second cationic polymer having a cationic charge density of greater than or equal to about 4 meq / gm, wherein said second cationic polymer forms a lyotropic liquid crystal coacervate; andd. from about 20% to about 94% by weight of water.

Personal care compositions comprise (a) from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a water-soluble cationically modified starch polymer, wherein said water-soluble cationically modified starch polymer has a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 200,000 and a charge density from about 0.7 meq / g to about 7 meq / g; (b) from about 5 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of an anionic surfactant system, said anionic surfactant system comprising at least one anionic surfactant and having an ethoxylate level and an anion level, (i) wherein said ethoxylate level is from about 1 to about 6, and (ii) wherein said anion level is from about 1 to about 6; and (c) a cosmetically acceptable medium. Personal care compositions as described above further comprise from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of one or more oily conditioning agents. Methods of treating hair or skin comprise applying the personal care compositions as described above to the hair or skin and rinsing the hair or skin.

An enhanced reactive plasma processing method and system useful for deposition of highly insulating films. A variety of alternative embodiments are allowed for varying applications. In one embodiment, a tapped inductor is switched to ground or some common level to achieve substantial voltage reversal of about 10% upon detection of an arc condition. This reversal of voltage is maintained long enough to either afford processing advantages or to allow restoration of uniform charge density within the plasma prior to restoration of the initial driving condition. A technique for preventing arc discharges involving periodically either interrupting the supply of power or reversing voltage is effected through a timer system in the power source.

Personal care compositions comprise (a) from about from about 5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of a detersive surfactant; (b) at least about 0.05 wt. % of a galactomannan polymer derivative having a mannose to galactose ratio of greater than 2:1 on a monomer to monomer basis, the galactomannan polymer derivative selected from a cationic galactomannan polymer derivative and an amphoteric galactomannan polymer derivative having a net positive charge, the galactomannan polymer derivative having a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10,000,000 and a cationic charge density from about 0.9 meq / g to about 7 meq / g; and (c) at least about 20 wt. % of an aqueous carrier. Methods of treating hair or skin comprise applying the personal care composition as described above to the hair or skin and rinsing the hair or skin.

An apparatus and method for electrostatic spray deposition of small targets, such as medical devices like stents. The apparatus includes a target holder which applies a first electrical potential to the target, and an electrostatic dispensing nozzle which applies a second potential sufficient to attract the coating fluid from the nozzle toward the target. Because the entire dispensing nozzle is conductive, the coating fluid may receive a greater charge than may be obtained with internal electrode-type nozzles. Electrostatic attraction of the coating fluid to the target is enhanced by the combination of higher charge density imparted to the coating fluid by the conductive nozzle, and application of a momentary voltage spike to the target to provide consistent conductivity between the target and its holder, thereby ensuring the target is presents the full first potential applied to the holder. The voltage spike may also be used independently of the conductive nozzle.

A biodegradable, mixed polymeric micelle used to deliver a selected nucleic acid into a targeted host cell contains an amphiphilic polyester-polycation copolymer and an amphiphilic polyester-sugar copolymer. The polyester-polycation copolymer forms an electrostatic interaction with polyanionic nucleic acids, and the polyester-sugar copolymer directs the micelle-nucleic acid complex to cells in vivo. Additional copolymers with similar properties may also be included. The composition improves delivery efficiency by providing a particulate gene carrier for which particle size and charge density are easily controlled by multivariate means. Various kinds of ligands and other functional compounds may be also be introduced using the composition. The composition may be used in a method for transforming a targeted host cell with a selected nucleic acid.

The present invention relates to a block polymeric material. Typically the block polymer comprises units capable of having an average cationic charge density of about 15 or less, preferably 5 or less, more preferably from about 0.05 to about 5, even more preferably from about 0.05 to about 2.77, even more preferably from about 0.1 to about 2.75, most preferably from about 0.75 to about 2.25 units per 100 daltons molecular weight at a pH of from about 4 to about 12. The polymeric material is a suds enhancer and a suds volume extender for personal care products such as soaps and shampoos. The compositions have increased effectiveness for preventing re-deposition of grease during hand and body washing. The polymers are also effective as a soil release agent in fabric cleaning compositions. The polymeric material is also effective in oil well treating foam, fire-fighting foam, hard surface cleaning foam, shaving cream, post-foaming shaving gel, dephiliatories and as a coagulant / retention aid for titanium dioxide in paper making.

Particular aspects provide capacitors, and particularly ultracapacitors, comprising molecules suitable to substantially increasing the capacitance of the capacitor, and methods for making same Particular aspects provide ultracapacitors that include nanoparticles optionally coated with molecules, such as polymer electrolytes. Certain aspects provide an energy storage device or capacitor, comprising at least three layers sealed in a fluid-tight covering, wherein a first layer comprises at least one electrolytic polymer molecule of positive charge and at least one nanoparticle; a second dielectric layer comprising at least one insulative polymer; a third layer comprising at least one electrolytic polymer molecule of negative charge and at least one nanoparticle. In certain aspects, the electrolytic polymer of the first layer comprises at least one high charge density polymer electrolyte of positive charge, and wherein the electrolytic polymer of the third layer comprises at least one high charge density polymer electrolyte of negative charge.

An apparatus and method for electrostatic spray deposition of small targets, such as medical devices like stents. The apparatus includes a target holder which applies a first electrical potential to the target, and an electrostatic dispensing nozzle which applies a second potential sufficient to attract the coating fluid from the nozzle toward the target. Because the entire dispensing nozzle is conductive, the coating fluid may receive a greater charge than may be obtained with internal electrode-type nozzles. Electrostatic attraction of the coating fluid to the target is enhanced by the combination of higher charge density imparted to the coating fluid by the conductive nozzle, and application of a momentary voltage spike to the target to provide consistent conductivity between the target and its holder, thereby ensuring the target is presents the full first potential applied to the holder. The voltage spike may also be used independently of the conductive nozzle.

The compositions of the present invention relate to personal cleansing compositions having from about 4% to about 50%, by weight, of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of a dispersed, water insoluble solid particles or solid, temperature stable particles; from about 0.025% to about 5% by weight of an organic, non crosslinked, cationic homopolymer or copolymer having a cationic charge density of from about 2 meq / gm to about 10 meq / gm and an average molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 5,000,000; from about 0.1% to about 10%, by weight, of a phase separation initiator selected from the group consisting of electrolytes, amphiphiles and mixtures thereof; and from about 50% to about 95%, by weight, of water.

Shampoo compositions comprise (a) from about 5% to about 50% of one or more detersive surfactants; (b) a dispersed gel network phase comprising: (i) at least about 0.05% of one or more fatty amphiphiles; (ii) at least about 0.01% of one or more secondary surfactants; and (iii) water; (c) at least about 0.05% of a galactomannan polymer derivative with a net positive charge and having a mannose to galactose ratio of greater than 2:1 on a monomer to monomer basis, wherein the galactomannan polymer derivative has: (i) a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10,000,000; and (ii) a cationic charge density from about 0.7 meq / g to about 7 meq / g; and (d) at least about 20% of an aqueous carrier; all by weight of the shampoo composition.

A clay stabilizer which is capable of inhibiting swelling in a wide variety of clay types and is also capable of restoring permeability in formations which have previously been damaged by clay swelling. Amine salts of differing molecular weights configurations and ionic strength are combined to provide transport into micropores, mesopores and macropores in the formation and to effect cationic change therein. A poly quaternary amine having a high to very high charge density is added along with lower molecular weight amine salts to substantially permanently exchange cations with the clay in the formation.

Shampoo compositions comprise (a) from about 5% to about 50% of one or more detersive surfactants; (b) a dispersed gel network phase comprising: (i) at least about 0.05% of one or more fatty amphiphiles; (ii) at least about 0.01% of one or more secondary surfactants; and (iii) water; (c) at least about 0.05% of a galactomannan polymer derivative with a net positive charge and having a mannose to galactose ratio of greater than 2 : 1 on a monomer to monomer basis, wherein the galactomannan polymer derivative has: (i) a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10,000,000; and (ii) a cationic charge density from about 0.7 meq / g to about 7 meq / g; and (d) at least about 20% of an aqueous carrier; all by weight of the shampoo composition.

A hair conditioning composition comprising:a) from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative having a mannose to galactose ratio of greater than 2:1 on a monomer to monomer basis, said non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative selected from the group consisting of a cationic non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative and an amphoteric non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative having a net positive charge;i. wherein said non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative has a molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10,000,000; andii. wherein said non-guar galactomannan polymer derivative has a cationic charge density from about 0.7 meq / g to about 7 meq / g;b) a conditioning agent selected from the group consisting of cationic surfactants, cationic polymers, nonvolatile silicones, nonvolatile hydrocarbons, saturated C14 to C22 straight chain fatty alcohols, nonvolatile hydrocarbon esters, and mixtures thereof; andc) wherein said hair conditioning composition is substantially free of an anionic surfactant.

The invention relates to an electroconductive textile material and method of preparation thereof. The method consists mainly of two stages: 1) special pretreatment of the fabric substrate for activation and making it suitable for subsequent application and strong attachment of a conductive coating with the use of a layer-by-layer technique (LBL); 2) subsequent application and strong attachment of a conductive coating by means of a layer-by-layer technique. The first stage may be carried out thermally, thermochemically, by treating in hot solutions, or plasma-chemically by plasma treatment. The pre-treatment may be performed, e.g., for swelling and / or for the formation of unsaturated chemical bonds or uncompensated charges in the fabric material. The pretreatment is needed to ensure more efficient penetration of chemical components into the fabric structure during subsequent LBL applications of treatment solutions that contain nano-particles and that determine the density of the molecular layer. The types and amounts of the nano-particles determine their charge density (solution pH is very important for charge density) in the sublayer. Such a pretreatment increases bonds of the applied layers with the substrate material.

The present invention relates to an improved controlled delivery system that can be incorporated in soap bars to enhance deposition of active ingredients and sensory markers onto skin. The carrier system also provides controlled release or prolonged release of these actives from the skin over an extended period of time. The controlled delivery system of the present invention comprises substantially free-flowing, powder formed of solid hydrophobic, positively charged, nanospheres of encapsulated active ingredients, that are encapsulated in moisture sensitive microspheres. The high cationic charge density of the nanosphere improves deposition of active ingredients onto skin. The high cationic charge density on the nanosphere surface is created by incorporating a cationic conditioning agent into the solid hydrophobic matrix of the nanospheres, by incorporating a cationic charge “booster” in the moisture sensitive microsphere matrix, or by using a cationic conditioning agent in the nanosphere matrix in conjunction with a cationic charge “booster” in the microsphere matrix. The invention also pertains to soap products comprising the controlled release system of the present invention.

A free piston engine is configured with a pair of opposed engine cylinders located on opposite sides of a fluid pumping assembly. An inner piston assembly includes a pair of inner pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, with a push rod connected between the inner pistons. The push rod extends through an inner pumping chamber in the fluid pumping assembly and forms a fluid plunger within this chamber. An outer piston assembly includes a pair of pistons, one each operatively located in a respective one of the engine cylinders, with at least one pull rod connected between the outer pistons. The pull rod extends through an outer pumping chamber in the fluid pumping assembly and forms a fluid plunger within this chamber. Each outer piston cooperates with an integrated scavenge pump in order to compress the charge air, thus significantly increasing the air charge density into the engine cylinders for each stroke of the engine.

The present invention relates to the discovery that biocompatible anionic polymers can effectively inhibit fibrosis, scar formation, and surgical adhesions. The invention is predicated on the discovery that anionic polymers effectively inhibit invasion of cells associated with detrimental healing processes, and in particular, that the effectiveness of an anionic polymer at inhibiting cell invasion correlates with the anionic charge density of the polymer. Thus the present invention provides a large number of materials for use in methods of inhibiting fibrosis and fibroblast invasion. Anionic polymers for use in the invention include but are not limited to natural proteoglycans, and the glycosaminoglycan moieties of proteoglycans. Additionally, anionic carbohydrates and other anionic polymers may be used. The anionic polymers dextran sulfate and pentosan polysulfate are preferred. In a more preferred embodiment, dextran sulfate, in which the sulfur content is greater than about 10% by weight, may be used. In a more preferred embodiment, the average molecular weight is about 40,000 to 500,000 Daltons. The present invention provides compositions and methods to inhibit fibrosis and scarring associated with surgery. The invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit glial cell invasion, detrimental bone growth and neurite outgrowth. In a preferred embodiment, the inhibitory compositions further comprise an adhesive protein.

A process for preparing crystalline alumino-silicate compositions has been developed. The process involves preparing a charge density mismatch reaction mixture comprising sources of aluminum, silicon, optionally an E metal and at least one charge density mismatch (CDM) template. The CDM template is an organic nitrogen containing template, in the hydroxide form, e.g. tetraethylammonium hydroxide and is characterized in that it is incapable of inducing crystallization. To this mixture there is added a solution comprising a second templating agent termed a crystallization template (CT). The CT can be an organic template different from the CDM template, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal and mixtures thereof.

Existing epiretinal implants for the blind are designed to electrically stimulate large groups of surviving retinal neurons using a small number of electrodes with diameters of several hundred μm. To increase the spatial resolution of artificial sight, electrodes much smaller than those currently in use are desirable. In this study we stimulated and recorded ganglion cells in isolated pieces of rat, guinea pig, and monkey retina. We utilized micro-fabricated hexagonal arrays of 61 platinum disk electrodes with diameters between 6 and 25 μm, spaced 60 μm apart. Charge-balanced current pulses evoked one or two spikes at latencies as short as 0.2 ms, and typically only one or a few recorded ganglion cells were stimulated. Application of several synaptic blockers did not abolish the evoked responses, implying direct activation of ganglion cells. Threshold charge densities were typically below 0.1 mC / cm2 for a pulse duration of 100 μs, corresponding to charge thresholds of less than 100 pC. Stimulation remained effective after several hours and at high frequencies. To demonstrate that closely spaced electrodes can elicit independent ganglion cell responses, we utilized the multi-electrode array to stimulate several nearby ganglion cells simultaneously. From these data we conclude that electrical stimulation of mammalian retina with small-diameter electrode arrays is achievable and can provide high temporal and spatial precision at low charge densities. We review previous epiretinal stimulation studies and discuss our results in the context of 32 other publications, comparing threshold parameters and safety limits.

A particulate fluorescent conjugated polymer surfactant complex and method of making and using same. The particles are between about 15 and about 50 nm and when formed from a lipsome surfactant have a charge density similar to DNA and are strongly absorbed by cancer cells.

Disclosed herein are double-layer cathode active materials comprising a nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material and a transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte. Since the nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material has high-capacity characteristics and the transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte has superior thermal safety, the double-layer cathode active materials have high capacity, high charge density, improved cycle characteristics and superior thermal safety.

A method of processing backwash water by use of a membrane separation process is disclosed. Specifically, the following steps are taken to process backwash water: collecting backwash water in a receptacle suitable to hold said backwash water; treating said backwash water with one or more water soluble polymers, wherein said water soluble polymers are selected from the group consisting of: amphoteric polymers; cationic polymers, wherein, said charge density is from about 5 mole percent to about 100 mole percent; zwitterionic polymers; and a combination thereof; optionally mixing said water soluble polymers with said backwash water; passing said treated backwash water through a membrane, wherein said membrane is an ultrafiltration membrane or a microfiltration membrane; and optionally back-flushing said membrane to remove solids from the membrane surface.

The present invention generally provides compositions including carbon-based nanostructures, catalyst materials and systems, and related methods. In some cases, the present invention relates to carbon-based nanostructures comprising a high density of charged moieties. Methods of the invention may provide the ability to introduce a wide range of charged moieties to carbon-based nanostructures. The present invention may provide a facile and modular approach to synthesizing molecules that may be useful in various applications including sensors, catalysts, and electrodes.

Personal care compositions comprise (a) from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a water-soluble cationically modified starch polymer, wherein said water-soluble cationically modified starch polymer has a molecular weight from about 250,000 to about 15,000,000 and a charge density from about 0.2 meq / g to about 5 meq / g; (b) from about 5 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of an anionic surfactant system, said anionic surfactant system comprising at least one anionic surfactant and having an ethoxylate level and an anion level, (i) wherein said ethoxylate level is from about 1 to about 6, and (ii) wherein said anion level is from about 1 to about 6; and (c) a cosmetically acceptable medium. Personal care compositions as described above further comprise from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of one or more oily conditioning agents. Methods of treating hair or skin comprise applying the personal care compositions as described above to the hair or skin and rinsing the hair or skin.