Abstract:
This invention relates to organic salt compositions useful in the preparation of organoclay compositions, polymer-organoclay composite compositions, and methods for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an organoclay composition comprising alternating inorganic silicate layers and organic layers, said organic layers comprising a quaternary phosphonium cation having structure X wherein Ar1, Ar2, and Ar3 are independently C2-C50 aromatic radicals; Ar4 is a bond or a C2-C50 aromatic radical; “a” is a number from 1 to about 200; “c” is a number from 0 to 3; R1 is independently at each occurrence a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C2-C20 aromatic radical; and R2 is a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, a C2-C50 aromatic radical, or a polymer chain.
Abstract:
The present invention provides the complete genomic sequence of a novel human coronavirus, coined as coronavirus-HKU1 (“CoV-HKU1”), isolated in Hong Kong from a patient who had a recent history of visit to Schenzhen, China. The virus belongs to the order Nidovirales of the family Coronaviridae, being a single-stranded RNA virus of positive polarity. The invention also provides the deduced amino acid sequences of the complete genome of the CoV-HKU1. The nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences of the CoV-HKU1 are useful in preventing, diagnosing and/or treating the infection by CoV-HKU1. Furthermore, the invention provides immunogenic and vaccine preparations using recombinant and chimeric forms as well as subunits of the CoV-HKU1 based on the nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences of the CoV-HKU1.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition useful for the treatment of diseases associated with viruses of the order Nidovirales of the family Coronaviradae, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) viruses in humans and other animals. In particular, this invention relates to a naturally occurring compound, namely, baicalin, extracted and purified from the Chinese medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Chinese name: Huang Qin), that exhibits potent antiviral activity against members of the order Nidovirales of the family Coronaviradae that infects humans and other animals; in particular, SARS viruses in humans (“hSARS virus”). The invention also relates to a therapeutic method, using pharmaceutical compositions comprising baicalin compounds, for the treatment, amelioration, management or prevention of diseases associated with members of the order Nidovirales of the family Coronaviradae, such as hSARS.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a diagnostic assay for the virus causing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in humans (“hSARS virus”). In particular, the invention relates to a real-time quantitative PCR assay for the detection of hSARS virus using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. Specifically, the quantitative assay is a TaqMan® assay using the primers and probes constructed based on the genome of the hSARS virus. The invention further relates to a diagnostic kit that comprises nucleic acid molecules for the detection of the hSARS virus.
Abstract:
This invention relates to organic salt compositions useful in the preparation of organoclay compositions, polymer-organoclay composite compositions, and methods for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a pyridinium salt having structure XV wherein Ar6, Ar7, and Ar8 are independently C2-C50 aromatic radicals; “b” is a number from 0 to 2; “d” is a number from 0 to 4; R3 and R4 are independently at each occurrence a halogen atom, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, or a C2-C20 aromatic radical; Z is a bond, a divalent C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a divalent C5-C20 cycloaliphatic radical, a divalent C2-C20 aromatic radical, an oxygen linking group, a sulfur linking group, a SO2 linking group, or a Se linking group; Ar9 is a C10-C200 aromatic radical, or a polymer chain comprising at least one aromatic group; and X− is a charge balancing counterion.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of making a polymer-organoclay composite composition comprising (a) contacting under condensation polymerization conditions a first monomer, a second monomer, a solvent, and an organoclay composition, said organoclay composition comprising alternating inorganic silicate layers and organic layers, to provide a first polymerization reaction mixture, wherein one of said first monomer and second monomers is a diamine and the other is an dianhydride; (b) carrying out a stoichiometry verification step on the first polymerization reaction mixture; (c) optionally adding additional reactant (monomer 1, monomer 2, or chainstopper) to the first polymerization reaction mixture to provide a second polymerization reaction mixture; and (d) removing solvent from the first polymerization reaction mixture or the second polymerization reaction mixture to provide a first polymer-organoclay composite composition comprising a polymer component and an organoclay component wherein the organoclay component is at least 10% exfoliated.
Abstract:
This invention relates to organic salt compositions useful in the preparation of organoclay compositions, polymer-organoclay composite compositions, and methods for the preparation of polymer nanocomposites. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a polymer-organoclay composite composition comprising (a) a polymeric resin; and (b) an organoclay composition comprising alternating inorganic silicate layers and organic layers, said organic layers comprising a quaternary phosphonium cation having structure XXXIII wherein Ar12, Ar13, Ar14 and Ar15 are independently C2-C50 aromatic radicals; and Ar16 is a C2-C200 aromatic radical, or a polymer chain comprising at least one aromatic group.
Abstract:
This invention is related to a method for making diether dianhydrides by the reaction of halophthalic anhydride and a metal salt of an aromatic dihydroxy compound in the presence of a solvent and a phase transfer catalyst. Typical phase transfer catalyst include guanidium salts, aminopyridinium salts, or phosphazenium salts.
Abstract:
Holographic storage media including a substrate and a dye material capable of undergoing a photo-induced change are disclosed. Data may be written into the holographic storage media using light of one wavelength and read using light of a different wavelength.
Abstract:
A learn-and-play programming method, for controlling a mechanical movement of an output shaft of a motorized toy and a domestic appliance, includes the steps of: learning the mechanical movement of the output shaft by inputting a movement data into the operation system corresponding to the mechanical movement of the output shaft and storing the movement data of the output shaft in a memorizing means; and reproducing the mechanical movement of the output shaft corresponding to the movement data in the memorizing means. Therefore, the operation system is executed through the learning program to repeatedly control the mechanical movement of the output shaft.