Author: claimsbot

1. A process for producing an unsubstituted or R-substituted poly(trimethylene carbonate) glycol comprising,
preparing a reaction mixture consisting essentially of an unsubstituted or R-substituted trimethylene carbonate, an acidic ion exchange resin as a catalyst, and one or more solvents at a temperature within the range of from the freezing point of the solvent(s) to about 30 degrees Celsius,
wherein the one or more solvents are substantially non-reactive with the unsubstituted or R-substituted trimethylene carbonate, and
wherein poly(trimethylene carbonate) glycol is produced in the reaction mixture.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the ion exchange resin is selected from the group consisting of ion-exchange resins comprising poly(styrenesulfonic acid) crosslinked with divinylbenzene.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein the acidic ion exchange resin is a (tetrafluoroethyleneperfluoro(4-methyl-3,6-dioxa-7-octene-1-sulfonic acid) copolymer.
4. The process of claim 3, wherein the substantially non-reactive one or more solvents is selected from the group consisting of methylene chloride, toluene and dioxane.
5. The process of claim 1, further comprising isolating the poly(trimethylene carbonate) glycol.
6. The process of claim 1, wherein the unsubstituted or R-substituted poly(trimethylene carbonate) glycol has the structural formula,
wherein,
each R substituent is independently H, C1-C20 alkyl; C3-C20 cyclic alkyl; C6-C25 aryl; C6-C20 alkaryl; C6-C20 arylalkyl; and wherein each R substituent may form a cyclic structural group with adjacent R substituents; and n is 2 to 100.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A field equipment managing system comprising:
a field equipment;
a data collecting section for collecting a parameter of the field equipment at a predetermined period;
a field equipment database for storing the collected parameter; and
a diagnosing section for conducting a diagnosis of the field equipment by using the stored parameter.
2. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a controller for controlling the field equipment,
wherein the data collecting section starts collecting the parameter when the controller recognizes the field equipment.
3. The field equipment managing system according to claim 2, wherein the data collecting section stops collecting the parameter when the field equipment becomes unrecognized by the controller.
4. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a storing section for storing a collecting parameter defining file which designates the parameter to be collected,
wherein the data collecting section collects the parameter based on the collecting parameter defining file.
5. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a collecting parameter setting section,
wherein the collecting parameter setting section designates the parameter to be collected by the data collecting section, for every field equipment.
6. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a collecting parameter setting section,
wherein the collecting parameter setting section designates the period of collecting the parameter by the data collecting section, for every parameter.
7. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a controller for controlling the field equipment,
wherein the controller issues at least any one of an instruction to start collecting the parameter and an instruction to stop collecting the parameter, to the data collecting section.
8. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, wherein the field equipment database stores an individual identifier of the field equipment and a logical identifier of the field equipment, in association with the parameter.
9. The field equipment managing system according to claim 1, wherein, when the field equipment is replaced with another field equipment, the diagnosing section selects to handle the parameter of the field equipment before the replacement and the parameter of the field equipment after the replacement as the parameters from the same field equipments or from the different field equipments.
10. The field equipment managing system according to claim 2, wherein the diagnosing section acquires at least any one of a history of a failure of the field equipment and a history of an alarm in a process from the controller, correlates the parameter stored in the field equipment database with the acquired history, and conducts the diagnosis of the field equipment based on the acquired history and the correlated parameter.
11. The field equipment managing system according to claim 10, wherein the diagnosing section conducts a failure prediction of the field equipment.

1. A method of making a cutting element comprising:
forming a continuous table of polycrystalline diamond material integrally bonded to a tungsten carbide substrate comprising a facing table having a generally planar, generally circular end working surface, and a generally cylindrical peripheral working surface;
treating at least part of each of the end working surface and the peripheral working surface to remove catalyzing material therefrom,
exposing untreated superhard material between the end and peripheral working surfaces, by machining away the polycrystalline diamond material,
preferentially wearing the exposed, untreated polycrystalline diamond material of the cutting element forming a pair of protruding lips with diamond material which is continuous between the protruding lips, wherein the step of preferentially wearing the exposed, untreated polycrystalline diamond material comprises machining away the polycrystalline diamond material.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A microcapsule composition comprising at least one polymer substantially disposed as a semi-permeable shell around an aqueous solution of at least one salt, the salt containing at least one salt ion, wherein the salt ion permeates through the shell, and wherein the composition is suitable for delivery to mammals.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt is selected from calcium salts, phosphate salts, fluoride salts and mixtures thereof.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the molecular weight of the polymer is from about 1,000 gmole to about 50,000 gmole.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the microcapsule has a diameter of about 1 micron to about 3 mm.
5. A product for tissue mineralization comprising the composition of claim 1.
6. A bone mineralization product comprising the composition of claim 1 that causes an increase in bone mass of the mammal.
7. The bone mineralization product of claim 6 in the form of a bone cement or bioactive glass.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt ions prevent tooth demineralization or cause tooth remineralization of a tooth within the oral cavity of the mammal.
9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt ions cause tooth whitening in the oral cavity of the mammal.
10. The composition of claim 1 that causes a decrease in tissue sensitivity in the oral cavity of the mammal.
11. A dental product comprising the composition of claim 1 in the form of a paste, gel, foam, rinse, dentifrice, tooth whitening product, breath freshener, artificial saliva system, varnish, desensitizer, dental restorative, composite, adhesive, cement, bioactive glass, glass ionomer, compomer, giomer, resin, denture tooth, denture base material, root canal filler, sealer, dental implant tissue regeneration material, pulp capping material and filling restorative.
12. The composition of claim 11 further comprising an additive selected from the group comprising preservatives, antitartar, agents, anticalculus agents, antimicrobial agents, flavorings, sweeteners and dyes.
13. A tissue mineralization product comprising a plurality of the microcapsules of claim 1, wherein the microcapsules contain different aqueous salt solutions.
14. A controlled release delivery system for the release of salt ions comprising the composition of claim 1, the delivery system comprising a plurality of microcapsules having different and distinct profiles of salt ion release.
15. A product comprising as an active ingredient the composition of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of tablets, capsules, candies, lozenges and chewable gums.
16. A food material incorporating the composition of claim 1.
17. A pharmaceutical compound which comprises the composition of claim 1.
18. A microcapsule composition comprising at least one polymer substantially disposed as a shell around an aqueous solution of at least one salt, the salt containing at least one salt ion, and wherein the composition is suitable for delivery to mammals.
19. A dental product for reduction or prevention of caries comprising microcapsules, said microcapsules comprising an aqueous solution selected from at least one of Ca(NO3)2, K2HPO4 and NaF and wherein said microcapsules are prepared by an interfacial polymerization of a reverse emulsion.
20. A method of forming a microcapsule suitable for delivery to a mammal for use in tissue mineralization, the method comprising combining at least one polymer and at least one aqueous salt solution, wherein the polymer substantially forms a shell around the salt solution.
21. A method of forming microcapsules by surfactant free inverse emulsion interfacial polymerization suitable for delivery to mammals for tissue mineralization, the method comprising contacting (a) an aqueous salt solution, (b) an oil phase, (c) a polymer, and (d) an emulsifying agent, wherein the polymer substantially forms a shell around the aqueous salt solution.
22. The method of claim 20 or 21 wherein the shell is semi-permeable or non-permeable.
23. The method of claim 20 or 21 wherein the tissue is bone or tooth.
24. The method of claim 20 or 21 wherein the mammal is a human.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein the salt is selected from calcium salt, phosphate salt, fluoride salt or mixtures thereof.
26. The method of claim 21 wherein the polymer is an amphiphilic polyurethane.
27. The method of claim 21 further comprising adding a diol, an isocyanate or both.
28. The method of claim 21 wherein the oil phase is methyl benzoate.
29. The method of claim 21 wherein the emulsifying agent is a polyglyceryl-3-polyricinoleate.
30. A method of forming semi-permeable polymer microcapsules by surfactant free inverse emulsion interfacial polymerization suitable for delivery to mammals for tissue mineralization, the method comprising contacting (a) water, (b) an oil phase, (c) a polymer, and (d) an emulsifying agent, wherein the polymer substantially forms a semi-permeable shell layer around water molecules and wherein the tissue is bone or tooth.
31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of contacting the microcapsules formed in the process of claim 30 with an aqueous salt solution.
32. A method of loading the microcapsules of claim 1 with salt ions in the oral cavity, the method comprising contacting the microcapsules in the oral cavity with an aqueous salt solution wherein salt ions from the aqueous salt solution permeate through the semi-permeable polymer shell of the microcapsules into the microcapsules for subsequent use in tooth remineralization.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of loading of the microcapsules results from administering into the oral cavity a dental product comprising said aqueous salt solution, wherein the dental product is selected from a paste, gel, foam, rinse, dentifrice, artificial saliva system, varnish, or adhesive.
34. A method of increasing bone mass or preventing loss of bone mass in bone of a mammal, the method comprising locally administering to said bone a compound comprising microcapsules containing an aqueous solution of salt substantially encapsulated by a semi-permeable polymer shell, said salt solution releasing salt ions that permeate out of the microcapsules through the semi-permeable shell, in an amount sufficient to induce mineralization of the bone and thereby to increase bone mass or to prevent loss of bone mass.
35. A method of tooth remineralization comprising administering into the oral cavity of a mammal a dental compound comprising microcapsules containing an aqueous solution of salt substantially encapsulated by a semi-permeable polymer shell, said salt solution releasing salt ions that permeate out of the microcapsules through the semi-permeable shell into the oral cavity.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the salt ions also cause whitening of the teeth in the oral cavity.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein said dental compound is selected from a paste, gel, foam, rinse, dentifrice, whitening product, breath freshener, artificial saliva system, varnish, desensitizer, dental restorative, composite, adhesive, cement, bioactive glass, glass ionomer, compomer, resin, denture tooth, denture base material, root canal filler, sealer, dental implant tissue regeneration material, pulp capping material and filling restorative.
38. A method of tooth remineralization comprising the steps of (1) administering into the oral cavity of a mammal a dental compound comprising microcapsules containing an aqueous solution of salt substantially encapsulated by a polymer shell, and (2) releasing said salt ions out of the microcapsules into the oral cavity by mechanical agitation in the oral cavity.
39. The method of claim 38 wherein the salt ions are released from the microcapsules by a toothbrush, dental floss, teeth, or tongue.