A method for disabling and re-enabling third-party advertisements is disclosed. An Internet accessible “virtual world” or interactive on-line community can have its advertisements disabled by the entering and subsequent validation of a registration code that is associated with a toy into a website, once validated, displaying a virtual representation of the toy on the website, providing virtual world content so that the virtual representation of the toy is caused to interact with the virtual world content and the toy virtual representations of other users, displaying advertisement on the website in a first mode and allowing customization of the virtual world content including the disabling of advertisements in a second mode. In a similar manner the third party advertisements can be re-enabled.

This invention relates, e.g., to a method for determining if a subject has myocardial ischemia, comprising (a) providing a blood sample obtained from a subject suspected of having myocardial ischemia; (b) determining in the sample the amount of one or more of the following proteins: (i) Lumican and/or (ii) Extracellular matrix protein 1 and/or (iii) Carboxypeptidase N; and (c) comparing the amount(s) of the protein(s) to a baseline value that is indicative of the amount of the protein in a subject that does not have myocardial ischemia, wherein a statistically significantly increased amount of the protein(s) compared to the baseline value is indicative of myocardial ischemia. Other proteins indicative of myocardial ischemia are also described, as are methods for treating a subject based on a diagnostic procedure of the invention, and kits for carrying out a method of the invention.

This invention provides a biomolecule modifying substrate comprising biomolecules selectively fixed to given regions thereon. The biomolecule modifying substrate comprises: a substrate at least comprising a first surface and a second surface; a first linker molecule comprising a hydrocarbon chain and a functional group capable of selectively binding to the first surface at one end of the hydrocarbon chain, which is bound to the first surface via such functional group; a second linker molecule comprising a reactive group capable of binding to the hydrocarbon chain of the first linker molecule, which is bound to the first linker molecule via a bond between the reactive group and the hydrocarbon chain; and a biomolecule bound thereto via the second linker molecule.

An apparatus for measuring a volume of fluid includes at least one emitter configured to project a signal toward a predetermined position of a sample container, at least one receiver configured to receive the signal after the signal interacts with the sample container and a fluid transfer device in communication with the receiver and sample container. A change in the signal received by the receiver indicates when the fluid has dropped below the predetermined position. The apparatus determines a volume of fluid that the fluid transfer device has removed from the sample container when the receiver detects that the fluid has dropped below the predetermined position.

The present invention relates to a high-temperature furnace for T(O)C measurement of a sample, which has a furnace housing which bounds a vaporization space and has a sample opening for the dropwise introduction of the sample and at least one flushing opening for introduction of a flushing liquid. According to the invention, the furnace housing is lined with a spinel ceramic on an inner side facing the vaporization space. By means of the spinel ceramic, the vaporization space is lined with a material which allows particularly high temperatures within the vaporization space and thus very complete combustion and is at the same time very resistant to temperature changes. This allows cleaning with a flushing liquid at essentially the operating temperature of the vaporization space and removal of deposited salts, in particular recrystallized organic salts, from the vaporization space in the flushing liquid in dissolved or undissolved form. Aging of the high-temperature furnace by deposited salts can thereby be avoided or at least significantly retarded.

The invention provides a binding layer comprising a polysaccharide substituted by carboxylic groups or derivatives thereof exhibiting high performance in the binding of ligand molecules and in the interaction thereof with analyte molecules. A method for the preparation of the binding layer and for the assaying of various analyte molecules is also provided.

Disclosed herein are antibody-nanoparticle conjugates that include two or more nanoparticles (such as gold, palladium, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, cobalt, iridium, or an alloy of two or more thereof) directly linked to an antibody or fragment thereof through a metal-thiol bond. Methods of making the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates disclosed herein include reacting an arylphosphine-nanoparticle composite with a reduced antibody to produce an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate. Also disclosed herein are methods for detecting a target molecule in a sample that include using an antibody-nanoparticle conjugate (such as the antibody-nanoparticle conjugates described herein) and kits for detecting target molecules utilizing the methods disclosed herein.

An apparatus for endosurgical use includes an instrument having an end effector and a staple cartridge insertable into the end effector. The staple cartridge includes staples, staple apertures, a resistive member, and a medical fluid. When coupled to a power source, the medical fluid is vaporized by the resistive member and expelled out the staple apertures onto the stapled tissue. The power source may be contained within the instrument. In one configuration, a resistive strip with strip contacts may electrically couple to a conductor in the end effector. The medical fluid may also be divided into a plurality of sealant pads corresponding to the staple apertures, and the medical fluid may be a depolymerizable cyanoacrylate, a sprayable thermoplastic urethane, or any vaporizable medicament or pharmaceutical. The staple drivers may include one or more apertures to permit the medical fluid to pass through or around the staple drivers.

A surgical stapler is provided. The stapler includes a tubular body portion. A cartridge assembly is disposed at a distal end of the body portion for expelling an annular array of staples. Each of the staples of the annular array of staples has a generally bent backspan. An anvil member disposed at the distal end of the tubular body portion is positioned opposite the cartridge assembly to clinch the staples in tissue upon expulsion of the staples from the cartridge assembly. The anvil member has a corresponding annular array of staple forming buckets. Each of the buckets is configured to accommodate the generally bent configuration of the staples to facilitate formation thereof.

An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt lying substantially in a single plane; and staples fixed to and frangibly separable from the feeder belt. A cartridge may hold at least one feeder belt, where that cartridge may be detachably held by a receiver. The cartridge itself may be reloadable. A surgical method may include providing a surgical instrument including a detachable cartridge holding a feeder belt, where staples are fixed to and frangibly separable from the feeder belt; deforming at least one staple to a deformed state; frangibly separating at least one deformed staple from the feeder belt; and removing the cartridge from the surgical instrument.

Multilayer structures including a porous layer and a non-porous layer are useful as buttresses when associated with a surgical stapling apparatus.

A surgical stapling device and method for joining tissue portions are provided including a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, and an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device. The anvil assembly includes a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft. A sleeve member is slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and is transitionable between a first position, where the sleeve member engages the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in an un-tilted condition, and a second position, where the sleeve member is disengaged from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to tilt.

A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly, wherein each surgical buttress is secured to the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly by at least one anchor; a release assembly associated with the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly; and a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly between proximal and distal positions, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor to free the surgical buttress from the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly.

A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions includes a handle assembly, and a tubular body portion having a staple cartridge assembly containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array. The surgical stapling device includes an anvil assembly having a shaft for removably connecting the anvil assembly to the tubular body portion. The anvil assembly and the tubular body portion are juxtaposed with respect to one another along the shaft and are arranged so as to be approximated with respect to one another. The surgical stapling device includes a buttress material supported by the tubular body portion and disposed between the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge assembly. The surgical stapling device includes a suture material that is adapted for engagement with the tubular body portion and the buttress material to secure the buttress material to the tubular body portion.

An end effector for use with a surgical stapler comprising a staple cartridge having a tissue contacting surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, an anvil plate having a tissue contacting surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces of each of the staple cartridge and anvil plate have overmolded zones, a buttress releasably disposed on the tissue contacting surfaces of each of the staple cartridge and the anvil plate, and a pair of sutures wherein each suture is bonded to the respective overmolded zones of the first and second side surfaces configured to retain the respective buttress atop the respective tissue contacting surfaces.

The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus and the application of variable compression to tissue. More specifically, the presently disclosed surgical fastener applying apparatus act to limit the flow of blood through tissue immediately adjacent a cut-line formed therein to effectuate hemostasis, while maximizing the flow of blood through tissue more removed from the cut-line to limit unnecessary necrosis. In one embodiment, a surgical fastener applying apparatus is disclosed having a tool assembly coupled to a distal end thereof with first and second jaws respectively including an anvil and a surgical fastener cartridge. The surgical fastener cartridge includes, among other things, angled pushers that engage surgical fasteners of varying lengths.

A fastener cartridge can comprise a support portion, a tissue thickness compensator positioned relative to the support portion, and a plurality of fasteners positioned within the support portion and/or the tissue thickness compensator which can be utilized to fasten tissue. In use, the fastener cartridge can be positioned in a first jaw of a surgical fastening device, wherein a second jaw, or anvil, can be positioned opposite the first jaw. To deploy the fasteners, a staple-deploying member is advanced through the fastener cartridge to move the fasteners toward the anvil. As the fasteners are deployed, the fasteners can capture at least a portion of the tissue thickness compensator therein along with at least a portion of the tissue being fastened.

A surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of rows of staple receiving slots and an anvil assembly having a plurality of rows of staple forming recesses. The staple cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly, or both have one or more attachment members overmolded thereon. A staple line reinforcement material is attached to the attachment members.

An end effector includes a first jaw member, a second jaw member, a drive beam, and a drive screw. The second jaw member is pivotally movable relative to the first jaw member between an open position and a closed position. The drive beam is positioned to engage the second jaw member and is longitudinally movable through the first and second jaw members. The drive screw is supported within the first jaw member and includes a threaded portion coupled to the drive beam such that rotation of the drive screw imparts longitudinal movement of the drive beam along the second jaw member to move the first and second jaw members from the open position to the closed position.

A surgical fastening instrument is provided. The surgical fastening instrument includes a handle portion and an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis along a length thereof. The surgical fastening instrument also includes an end effector assembly that includes an anvil and a cartridge supported adjacent a distal end of the elongate portion. Each of the anvil and the cartridge includes a tissue contacting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. One or more independently movable pushers is configured to support one or more surgical fasteners. A thrust bar is operatively coupled to the elongate portion, wherein the thrust bar is movable over a predetermined stroke to effect sequential ejection of at least two surgical fasteners of the plurality of surgical fasteners from the cartridge.

A surgical stapling device is provided having a shell assembly including an outer housing portion having areas of varying wall thicknesses. Individual staple pockets in a row of staple pockets are positioned in areas of thinner wall thicknesses. Areas of increased wall thicknesses form longitudinally extending strengthening ribs along an inner surface of the outer housing portion. The longitudinally extending strengthening ribs may be solid, indented in the wall of the outer housing portion and or bisected by a slot extending through the outer housing portion.

A surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described. The device includes a handle assembly and an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly. The distal end of the elongated body is adapted to engage a disposable loading unit. A control rod having a proximal end operatively connected to the handle assembly includes a distal end extending through the elongated body. A control rod locking member is provided to prevent movement of the control rod until the disposable loading unit is fully secured to the elongated body of the stapling device.

A surgical device including a handle assembly, an elongated body extending from the handle assembly, and an articulation mechanism connected to the handle assembly and configured to selectively articulate and lock an articulable tool assembly in one or more positions is provided. The articulation mechanism includes a main shaft member mounted for rotation and connected to an articulation linkage, a locking member configured to be received about the shaft portion of the main shaft member, the locking member defining a plurality of notches, an articulation handle fixedly secured to shaft portion of the main shaft member and configured for rotation relative to the locking member, and a lug member operatively mounted on the articulation handle and including a locking tab configured to be selectively received within a notch of the plurality of notches formed in the locking member.

Devices for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue include a sheath and a staple push rod. The sheath has a distal end configured to be pressed against the target tissue. The staple push rod is disposed within at least a portion of the sheath and is slidable relative thereto. The staple push rod includes a pair of stakes. Each stake is dimensioned to abut a surface of a staple to apply pushing forces thereto. The stakes are biased to assume a bow-like shape such that an intermediate portion of a staple extends tautly between the first stake and the second stake when the stakes are extending beyond the distal end of the tubular member. Methods for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue are also disclosed.

A device for attaching a sheet-like implant to a target tissue. The device includes a fastener push rod including a first portion, a second portion and a force limiting mechanism operably coupled between the first portion and the second portion. A fastener is carried by the second portion of the fastener push rod. The force limiting mechanism transmits longitudinal movement of the first portion to the second portion while the forces applied to the fastener by the fastener push rod are less than a predetermined value such that longitudinal movement of the first portion of the fastener push rod causes substantially equivalent longitudinal movement of the second portion. The force limiting mechanism allows relative longitudinal motion between the first and second portions while the forces applied to the fastener are equal to or greater than the predetermined value such that the application of undue forces to the fastener is prevented.

Circular stapling instruments and anvil assemblies. The anvil assemblies may have collapsible anvil support members that may be inserted through an opening in a patient and then expanded to be attached to an anvil plate assembly that has a staple-forming surface thereon. The anvil support member is attachable to the anvil plate assembly in such a way that when the anvil assembly is coupled to the stapling head of a circular stapler, the staple-forming surface is in substantial registry with the staples supported in the stapling head. A variety of different anvil support members and anvil plate assemblies are disclosed. Various embodiments have a tissue-piercing feature.

An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a shaft defining a lumen therein; articulation bands extending through and slidable generally longitudinally within the lumen of the shaft; an end effector affixed to the articulation bands; and generally annular segments positioned about the articulation bands along at least a portion of the length of the articulation bands to define an articulated region, where the segments laterally constrain the articulation bands.

A circular stapling instrument including a stapling forming assembly that is actuated independently from actuation of the cutting assembly is provided. The instrument includes a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly mounted on a distal end of the elongate body. The cartridge assembly includes a pusher and a knife assembly. The knife assembly is selectively fixed relative to the pusher.

The present invention relates to a tin-containing organolithium compound which can be used as anionic polymerization initiators, represented by the following formula (1): R4−xSn(Ya—Zm—Yb—Li)x (1)Wherein R, Z and Y are defined as in the specification; x represents a value of 1 or 2; m represents a value of 0 or 1; a represents a value of 0 to 6, b represents a value of 0 to 6, a+b is from 0 to 6, provided that m=1 when x=1. The tin-containing organolithium compounds according to the present invention can be used as initiators to initiate the polymerization of conjugated dienes and/or monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, thereby synthesizing various linear, star or telechelic polymers. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the tin-containing organolithium compounds according to the present invention.

Disclosed herein is a colorless or pale-colored liquid composition comprising a cationic substance, wherein the liquid composition contains in combination a cationic substance and a nonionic polymeric substance.

Methyllithium is prepared by reacting chloromethane with a dispersion lithium metal in an aromatic organic solvent with methyltetrahydrofuran.

The invention relates to a process for preparing Grignard compounds of the formula I. The invention additionally relates to compounds of the formula I and to polymer-bound compounds of the formula Ia. The invention further relates to the use of the process for preparing substance libraries and to the use of the compounds of the formulae I and Ia in chemical synthesis.

A process for preparing alkyllithium compounds by reacting a sodium-lithium alloy with alkyl halides at temperatures of about 50 to 125° 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.

The present invention is directed to a reagent for use in the preparation of organomagnesium compounds as well as to a method of preparing such organomagnesium compounds. The present invention furthermore provides a method of preparing functionalized or unfunctionalized organic compounds as well as the use of the reagents of the present invention in the preparation of organometallic compounds and their reaction with electrophiles. Finally, the present invention is directed to the use of lithium salts—LiY in the preparation of organometallic compounds and their reactions with electrophiles and to an organometallic compound which is obtainable by the disclosed method.

The present invention is directed to a reagent for use in the preparation of organomagnesium compounds as well as to a method of preparing such organomagnesium compounds. The present invention furthermore provides a method of preparing functionalized or unfunctionalized organic compounds as well as the use of the reagents of the present invention in the preparation of organometallic compounds and their reaction with electrophiles. Finally, the present invention is directed to the use of lithium salts—LiY in the preparation of organometallic compounds and their reactions with electrophiles and to an organometallic compound which is obtainable by the disclosed method.

A process for preparing a functionalized polymerization initiator, the process comprising combining a functionalized styryl compound and an organolithium compound.

The invention relates to a method for producing Grignard compounds, according to which magnesium is reacted in a suitable fluid reaction medium in a protective atmosphere with hologen-substituted organic compounds by means of microwave radiation.

The present invention provides a raw material for forming a strontium-containing thin film of a cyclopentadienyl-based strontium compound, which is in the liquid state at room temperature to 50° C., can be purified by distillation, present as a monomer, has high vapor pressure, and suitable for mass production, and a process for preparing the same. Sr[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 is prepared by reacting Na[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 or K[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2 with SrI2 in THF to produce a THF adduct of Sr[C5(CH3)4(C3H7)]2; evaporating THF and extracting the residue with toluene to give a toluene solution; evaporating toluene and drying the residue under reduced pressure; and heating to 100 to 160° C. in vacuo to dissociate and remove THF and distilling.

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 provides a novel dicarbanionic initiator of formula (I). The present process further provides a process for the preparation of dicarbanionic initiator of formula (I) comprising reacting 1-bromo-4-(4'-bromophenoxy)-2-pentadecyl benzene of formula (II) with alkyllithium compound for an effecting halogen-lithium exchange reaction of 1-bromo-4-(4'-bromophenoxy)-2-pentadecyl benzene with sec-butyllithium in the presence of a non polar solvent, at a temperature in the range of 0 to 25° C. and its use as an initiator for the synthesis of telechelic polydienes and polystyrenes and SBS or SIS triblock copolymers.

A diorganomagnesium-containing synthesis means, a method for its preparation and its use.

A process is described for preparing aryllithium compounds by reaction of metallic lithium in an ether-containing solvent with an aryl halide, wherein prior to or at the beginning of the reaction a catalyst is added, the catalyst containing a halogen-free, polynuclear aromatic (aryl catalyst) or consisting of such a compound.

This invention provides a process for reducing the amount of soluble halide in a solution comprising a liquid organic medium, at least one viscosity reducing agent, at least one dihydrocarbylmagnesium compound, and an initial amount of soluble halide. The process comprises mixing at least one alkali metal with the solution at a mole ratio of alkali metal to magnesium of less than about 1:2.5, thereby forming precipitated soluble halides. Also provided by this invention is a process for reducing the amount of soluble halide in a slurry comprising a liquid organic medium, at least one viscosity reducing agent, at least one dihydrocarbylmagnesium compound, solids from the formation of said dihydrocarbylmagnesium compound, and an initial amount of soluble halide. This process comprises mixing at least one alkali metal with the slurry at a mole ratio of alkali metal to magnesium of less than about 1:1.25, thereby forming precipitated soluble halides.

[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.

Disclosed are ionomer compositions neutralized by a combination of cesium and potassium that have antistatic properties. Also disclosed are articles, including laminates and monolayer or multilayer structures comprising such compositions to which neither powders nor dusts easily adhere electrostatically.

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 method of preparing 2-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol from a Grignard-type reaction of a benzylmagnesium halide with isobutylene oxide, and the use of the 2-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol as a fragrance or flavoring, cosmetic agent, or detergent component.

A notching apparatus for notching both an outer lamination and an inner lamination from a single lamination blank at s single station using a single press device includes a multi-piece die assembly provides multiple outer slot punches, multiple inner slot punches, and a separator punch. The outer slot punch portion, inner slot punch portion, and separator punch portion of the multi-piece die assembly are all selectively positionable in respective punching positions and non-punching positions to facilitate a controlled notching operation.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for driving a PDP (plasma display panel). An image signal processor of the apparatus performs gamma correction and error diffusion processes of input image signals. A quantization error compensator compensates quantization errors with respect to an automatic power control (APC) level of image data output from the image signal processor. An error diffuser sets part of the image data output from the quantization error compensator as display errors and diffuses the display errors to peripheral pixels. A memory control and address driver generates sub-field and address data corresponding to image data that have undergone error diffusion by the error diffuser, and applies the data to the PDP. An APC and sustain/scan pulse generator generates a sub-field arrangement structure according to the APC level, generates control signals based on the generated sub-field arrangement, and applies the control signals to the PDP.