5454 results about "Water layer" patented technology

Active metal and active metal intercalation electrode structures and battery cells having ionically conductive protective architecture including an active metal (e.g., lithium) conductive impervious layer separated from the electrode (anode) by a porous separator impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte (anolyte). This protective architecture prevents the active metal from deleterious reaction with the environment on the other (cathode) side of the impervious layer, which may include aqueous or non-aqueous liquid electrolytes (catholytes) and/or a variety electrochemically active materials, including liquid, solid and gaseous oxidizers. Safety additives and designs that facilitate manufacture are also provided.

A system and method for treating bone abnormalities including vertebral compression fractures and the like. In one vertebroplasty method, a fill material is injected under high pressures into cancellous bone wherein the fill material includes a flowable bone cement component and an elastomeric polymer component that is carried therein. The elastomer component can further carry microscale or mesoscale reticulated elements. Under suitable injection pressures, the elastomeric component ultimately migrates within the flowable material to alter the apparent viscosity across the plume of fill material to accomplish multiple functions. For example, the differential in apparent viscosity across the fill material creates a broad load-distributing layer within cancellous bone for applying retraction forces to cortical bone endplates. The differential in apparent viscosity also transitions into a flow impermeable layer at the interface of cancellous bone and the flowable material to prevent extravasion of the flowable bone cement component.

The present invention provides bioactive polymer compositions that can be formulated to release a wound healing agent at a controlled rate by adjusting the various components of the composition. The composition can be used in an external wound dressing, as a polymer implant for delivery of the wound healing agent to an internal body site, or as a coating on the surface of an implantable surgical device to deliver wound healing agents that are covalently attached to a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer and/or embedded within a hydrogel. Methods of using the invention bioactive polymer compositions to promote natural healing of wounds, especially chronic wounds, are also provided. Examples of biodegradable copolymer polyesters useful in forming the blood-compatible, hydrophilic layer or coating include copolyester amides, copolyester urethanes, glycolide-lactide copolymers, glycolide-caprolactone copolymers, poly-3-hydroxy butyrate-valerate copolymers, and copolymers of the cyclic diester monomer, 3-(S)[(alkyloxycarbonyl)methyl]-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione, with L-lactide. The glycolide-lactide copolymers include poly(glycolide-L-lactide) copolymers formed utilizing a monomer mole ratio of glycolic acid to L-lactic acid ranging from 5:95 to 95:5 and preferably a monomer mole ratio of glycolic acid to L-lactic acid ranging from 45:65 to 95:5. The glycolide-caprolactone copolymers include glycolide and ε-caprolactone block copolymer, e.g., Monocryl or Poliglecaprone.

A disposable absorbent article includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips attached to an interior surface of an absorbent assembly in laterally opposing attachment zones. Each barrier cuff strip may include a water-impermeable layer and may be extensible. A longitudinally extending elastic gathering member is attached to each barrier cuff strip adjacent to its proximal edge. When the article is worn, the elastic gathering members contract and raise the barrier cuff strips to form side barriers. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. A portion of the absorbent assembly such as the portion that lies between the barrier cuff strip attachment zones may be extensible and may include a water-impermeable layer. The laterally opposing attachment zones may act as dams preventing a lateral flow of liquid bodily waste.

The present invention relates to an exothermic device for topically delivering an active agent comprising a liquid reservoir comprising water, a heating element comprising an oxidizable material, an oxygen-permeable outer-layer, an active agent, and a water-impermeable layer, wherein upon the rupturing of the liquid reservoir, the water contacts the heating element and the oxygen to create and exothermic reaction.

Methods and devices measure eye blinks and tear film lipid and aqueous layer thickness before and following ophthalmic formula application onto the ocular surface, especially wherein the ophthalmic formula is an artificial tear. The methods and devices are suitable for dry eye diagnosis. The methods and devices are suitable for use to evaluate ophthalmic formula effects on the tear film and to use such information to diagnose ophthalmic formula treatment of ocular disease conditions such as dry eye in the absence of contact lens wear or post-surgical eye drop treatment and diagnosis. The methods and devices are also suitable for use in the optimization of ophthalmic drug dosage forms and sustained drug release.

A method and system for the inland aquaculture of marine species using water from a saline aquifer having a heavy metals content within the acceptable limits of the EPA guidelines for drinking water. The aquifer is preferably the Coconino aquifer located in Arizona and New Mexico. The system can be used to culture microalgae, macroalgae, fish, shrimp and many other marine species. Nutrients and fertilizers can be added to the water to optimize culture conditions for particular species. Useful products can be isolated from the marine species or the cultured marine species can be harvested as useful products themselves.

A disposable absorbent article includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips attached to an absorbent assembly in laterally opposing attachment zones. Each barrier cuff strip includes an upper layer and a lower layer at least between its proximal edge and the attachment zones. A longitudinally extending elastic gathering member is attached to each barrier cuff strip adjacent to its proximal edge. When the article is worn, the elastic gathering members contract and raise the barrier cuff strips to form side barriers. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. A portion of the absorbent assembly such as the portion that lies between the barrier cuff strip attachment zones may be extensible and may include a water-impermeable layer. The laterally opposing attachment zones may act as dams preventing a lateral flow of liquid bodily waste.

Methods and devices measure eye blinks and tear film lipid and aqueous layer thickness before and following ophthalmic formula application onto the ocular surface, especially wherein the ophthalmic formula is an artificial tear. The methods and devices are suitable for dry eye diagnosis. The methods and devices are suitable for use to evaluate ophthalmic formula effects on the tear film and to use such information to diagnose ophthalmic formula treatment of ocular disease conditions such as dry eye in the absence of contact lens wear or post-surgical eye drop treatment and diagnosis. The methods and devices are also suitable for use in the optimization of ophthalmic drug dosage forms and sustained drug release.

The methods and compositions disclosed herein concern the synthesis of a novel class of “two-headed” phospholipid-phosphoinositide hybrids possessing a carbon backbone, such as 2,3-diacylthreitol, erythritol or a synthetic module. The second phospholipid head group allows introduction of a biochemical or chemical moiety in a position orthogonal in space to those occupied by the phosphoinositide head group and the two acyl chains. The diacyl moieties allow for the incorporation of Pea-PIP₂ into a lipid bilayer, while the Ptdlns(4,5)P₂ moiety in the aqueous layer is specifically recognized by lipid binding proteins. In alternative embodiments of the invention, reporters, for example biotin, fluorophores and/or spin labels, are attached to the free amino group of the head groups of such molecules to specifically target the reporters to the lipid-water interface.

An aluminum-containing substrate can be provided for use in lithographic printing plate precursors. Before radiation-sensitive layers are applied, a grained and sulfuric acid anodized aluminum-containing support is treated with an alkaline or acidic pore-widening solution to provide its outer surface with columnar pores. The diameter of the columnar pores at their outermost surface is at least 90% of the average diameter of the columnar pores. Directly on this treated surface, a hydrophilic layer is applied, which hydrophilic layer contains a non-crosslinked hydrophilic polymer having carboxylic acid side chains.

A method for optimizing the production of oil reservoirs, and notably the production schemes, while taking into account uncertainties inherent in any reservoir survey. The method sequentially has the following stages:

• • Stage 1: A sensitivity study to evaluate the impact, on the production of the oil reservoir, of the production scheme configurations tested (several well sites, . . . ) in relation to the uncertainties specific to the reservoir (permeability, aquifer force, . . . ).
  • Stage 2: A quantification study of the risks associated with the configurations being studied to determine whether it is necessary to seek an optimum production scheme.
  • Stage 4: A production scheme optimization study: having, the goal to determine the ideal production configuration for a given objective.

Disclosed are transdermal or transmucosal dosage forms which include a matrix and a drug where the total amount of drug present in the dosage form exceeds the solubility limit of the drug in the matrix. Also disclosed are transdermal or transmucosal dosage forms which include two or more drug-containing layers and one or more intervening hydrophilic layers where the two or more drug-containing layers being separated from one another by the one or more intervening hydrophilic layers. Methods for delaying release and delivery of an active from an active layer disposed in a transdermal or transmucosal dosage form are also disclosed, as well as methods for manufacturing transdermal or transmucosal dosage forms by providing a substrate and disposing at least one transdermal or transmucosal dosage form layer on the substrate using a printing process.

One embodiment of the present invention is a system comprising one or more subsystems, which can be practiced alone or in combination, which together allow for monitoring of groundwater, rock, and casing for production flow and leakage of hydrocarbon fluids. A flow measurement subsystem measures flow of hydrocarbons in the horizontal casing string. A well mechanical integrity monitoring subsystem monitors the mechanical integrity of the natural gas production well, including the junctures of a completed well. An aquifer monitoring subsystem directly monitors water aquifer(s) underneath and surrounding a natural gas production well or pad, including monitoring wells or existing water wells. A communication subsystem is used to communicate measurements taken downhole to the surface. The present invention may be used to enhance the production from a gas bearing shale formation, mitigate liability associated with hydrocarbon migration, and monitor for a loss of mechanical integrity of a well.

A fuel cell with a gas diffusion media having a hydrophobic layer adjacent a flow field plate and a hydrophilic layer adjacent the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell. The two layers enable balanced humidification of reactant gas along with a basis for managing capillary water addition into the gas diffusion media. The combination of balanced moisture flux (via the hydrophobic layer) and the retention of water (via the hydrophilic layer) for humidifying reactant gas sustains hydration of the proton exchange membrane while preserving the catalyst at full activity.

A vulnerability assessment method of water inrush from an aquifer underlying coal seam includes steps of: collecting main control factors determined by geological data of a target area to be assessed; quantifying relevant data against the main control factors to form thematic maps; performing normalization processing against attribute data corresponding to the respective thematic maps; establishing databases of normalized attribute data corresponding to the normalized thematic maps by utilizing GIS; determining a weight of each main control factor based on a constant weight model; determining a variable weight of each main control factor based on a zonation variable weight model; performing composite superimposition on the normalized thematic maps of the respective single main control factors, and newly building a topological relation of the relevant data among the attribute databases for performing multi-factor fitting analysis; and establishing a vulnerability assessment model based on the zonation variable weight model.

The invention discloses a synthesis process of acesulfame potassium, which uses acetylacetamide as raw material and inert organic solvent as solvent. Under the low temperature of -50-15 DEG C, catalyst and cyclizing reagent are added for ring closure reaction, after the reaction, the temperature is controlled in the range of -15-60 DEG C, and water is added for hydrolysis; after the hydrolysis, the reaction liquid stands to laminate, the water layer is extracted by the inert organic solvent to remove the aqueous phase and combine the organic phase, then water is added in the organic phase to wash and remove the aqueous phase, base is added in the organic phase for neutralizing and resting to laminate, the organic phase is recycled and the aqueous phase is decompressed and concentrated to obtain the crude acesulfame potassium, and finally the pure acesulfame potassium is obtained through decoloration by activated carbon and purification by recrystallization. The synthesis process of the acesulfame potassium uses the acetylacetamide as the raw material and has the characteristics of simple process, short procedure, low cost and good product quality.

The invention relates to a surface hydrophilic modification method for a polytetrafluoroethylene bulked membrane, which is characterized by comprising the steps of: pretreating a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane by adopting low-pressure glow discharge plasma to make the surface of the polytetrafluoroethylene membrane generate active groups, and grafting acrylic acid to form a relatively stable hydrophilic layer. The method has the advantages that: the active groups are generated on the surface of the polytetrafluoroethylene membrane by low-pressure plasma treatment, and the relatively stable hydrophilic layer can be formed on the surface of the membrane by acrylic acid grafting treatment, so that the hydrophilicity of the polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is effectively improved, and the effect is lasting; and the polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is treated by the low-pressure plasma induction and acrylic acid grafting, so the treatment method is simple, high-efficiency, water and energy-saving, and suitable for industrialized production.

This invention relates a method for combined precipitation with pit phreatic water and aquifer layers including the following steps: applying one well structure to a precipitation well, closing a controllable water valve when evacuating the phreatic water, analyzing 3-D underground water seep to determine limit elements, pumped volume and influence radius, when the dig reaches to a water-isolation layer, the water in the aquifer layer is pumped to reduce water pressure to determine the dig depth, water-pump volume, orifice of wells, numbers, the influence radius of water power fall and sedimentation of surrounding ground using a method for computing limit elements determined based on 3-D underground water seepage and ground sedimentation based on plane diameters of the pit, dig depth, embedded depth of underground wall and structure condition of the aquifer layer.