Author: claimsbot

1. A method for execution by a device within a distributed storage and task network, the method comprises:
determining whether at least a portion of temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term, wherein the temporarily stored data is stored in a set of distributed storage and task (DST) units in accordance with a computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
when the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term:
identifying one or more DST units of the set of DST units storing the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
recovering the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data from the one or more DST units in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format to produce recovered data;
dispersed storage error encoding the recovered data into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with a long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the set of DST units.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including first dispersed storage error coding parameters that enables a DST unit of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, a sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from encoded data slices the DST unit stores; and
the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including second dispersed storage error coding parameters that prevents the DST unit from recovering, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from the encoded data slices the DST unit stores and requires retrieval of encoded data slices from multiple DST units of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
temporarily storing raw data, as the temporarily stored data, in the set of DST units in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
performing, by at least some of the DST units, a task on the temporarily stored data to produce found data; and
dispersed storage error encoding the found data, as the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
temporarily storing found data, as the temporarily stored data, in the set of DST units in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, wherein at least some of the DST units performed a task on raw data to produce the found data;
performing, by the at least some of the DST units, another task on the temporarily stored data to produce a sub-set of found data; and
dispersed storage error encoding the sub-set of found data, as the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersed storage error encoding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data comprises:
determining, in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, a data mapping of data-based encoded data slices of the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format;
generating redundancy-based encoded data slices based on the data-based encoded data slices and in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
organizing the data-based encoded data slices and the redundancy-based encoded data slices into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersed storage error encoding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data comprises:
dispersed storage error encoding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format into a plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
organizing the plurality of encoded data blocks into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the one or more DST units of the set of DST units comprises at least one of:
receiving a message regarding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, wherein the message identifies the one or more DST units;
receiving the message regarding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data and determining the one or more DST units based storage of the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data; and
determining that no further computations are to be performed on the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data.
8. A method for execution by a device within a distributed storage and task network, the method comprises:
determining that a task is to be performed on data, wherein the data is encoded into a plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with a long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function and the plurality of encoded data blocks are stored in a set of distributed storage and task (DST) units;
requesting reconfiguration of storage of the data from the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to a computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, wherein the data is encoded into groupings of encoded data blocks in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
requesting storage of the groupings of encoded data blocks by the set of DST units, wherein a DST unit of the set of DST units recovers a portion of the data from one of the groupings of encoded data blocks and performs a portion of the task on the recovered portion of the data to produce a partial task resultant;
receiving partial task resultants from the at least some of the set of DST units; and
compiling the partial task resultants to produce a task resultant.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprises:
the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including first dispersed storage error coding parameters that enables the DST unit of the set of DST units to recover, in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, a sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from encoded data slices the DST unit stores; and
the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including second dispersed storage error coding parameters that prevents the DST unit from recovering, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from the encoded data slices the DST unit stores and requires retrieval of encoded data slices from multiple DST units of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the reconfiguring storage of the data comprises:
decoding the plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to recover the data;
encoding the recovered data in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to produce the groupings of encoded data blocks; and
sending one of the groupings of encoded data blocks to the DST unit.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the reconfiguring storage of the data comprises:
identifying data-based encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
determining a data mapping of the data-based encoded data slices between the set of DST units and the at least some of the DST units; and
facilitating copying of at least some of the data-based encoded data slices to the at least some of the set of DST units in accordance with the data mapping.
12. A dispersed storage (DS) module of within a distributed storage and task network comprises:
a first module, when operable within a computing device, causes the computing device to:
determine whether at least a portion of temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term, wherein the temporarily stored data is stored in a set of distributed storage and task (DST) units in accordance with a computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and

a second module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:
when the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term:
identify one or more DST units of the set of DST units storing the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
recover the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data from the one or more DST units in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format to produce recovered data;
dispersed storage error encode the recovered data into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with a long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
store the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the set of DST units.
13. The DS module of claim 12 further comprises:
the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including first dispersed storage error coding parameters that enables a DST unit of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, a sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from encoded data slices the DST unit stores; and
the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including second dispersed storage error coding parameters that prevents the DST unit from recovering, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from the encoded data slices the DST unit stores and requires retrieval of encoded data slices from multiple DST units of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data.
14. The DS module of claim 12 further comprises:
a third module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:
temporarily store raw data, as the temporarily stored data, in the set of DST units in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
perform, by at least some of the DST units, a task on the temporarily stored data to produce found data; and
dispersed storage error encode the found data, as the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
15. The DS module of claim 12 further comprises:
a fourth module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:
temporarily store found data, as the temporarily stored data, in the set of DST units in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, wherein at least some of the DST units performed a task on raw data to produce the found data;
perform, by the at least some of the DST units, another task on the temporarily stored data to produce a sub-set of found data; and
dispersed storage error encode the sub-set of found data, as the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
16. The DS module of claim 12, wherein the second module functions to dispersed storage error encode the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data by:
determining, in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, a data mapping of data-based encoded data slices of the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format;
generating redundancy-based encoded data slices based on the data-based encoded data slices and in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
organizing the data-based encoded data slices and the redundancy-based encoded data slices into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.
17. The DS module of claim 12, wherein the second module functions to dispersed storage error encode the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data by:
dispersed storage error encoding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format into a plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and
organizing the plurality of encoded data blocks into the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function.
18. The DS module of claim 12, wherein the second module functions to identify one or more DST units of the set of DST units by at least one of:
receiving a message regarding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, wherein the message identifies the one or more DST units;
receiving the message regarding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data and determining the one or more DST units based storage of the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data; and
determining that no further computations are to be performed on the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data.
19. A dispersed storage (DS) module of within a distributed storage and task network comprises:
a first module, when operable within a computing device, causes the computing device to:
determine that a task is to be performed on data, wherein the data is encoded into a plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with a long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function and the plurality of encoded data blocks are stored in a set of distributed storage and task (DST) units;

a second module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:
request reconfiguration of storage of the data from the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to a computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function, wherein the data is encoded into groupings of encoded data blocks in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function; and

a third module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:
request storage of the groupings of encoded data blocks by the set of DST units, wherein a DST unit of the set of DST units recovers a portion of the data from one of the groupings of encoded data blocks and performs a portion of the task on the recovered portion of the data to produce a partial task resultant; and
receive partial task resultants from the at least some of the set of DST units; and
compile the partial task resultants to produce a task resultant.
20. The DS module of claim 19 further comprises:
the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including first dispersed storage error coding parameters that enables the DST unit of the set of DST units to recover, in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, a sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from encoded data slices the DST unit stores; and
the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function including second dispersed storage error coding parameters that prevents the DST unit from recovering, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data from the encoded data slices the DST unit stores and requires retrieval of encoded data slices from multiple DST units of the set of DST units to recover, in the pre-dispersed storage error encoded format, the sub-portion of the portion of the temporarily stored data.
21. The DS module of claim 19, wherein the second module functions to reconfigure storage of the data by:
decoding the plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to recover the data;
encoding the recovered data in accordance with the computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function to produce the groupings of encoded data blocks; and
sending one of the groupings of encoded data blocks to the DST unit.
22. The DS module of claim 19, wherein the second module functions to reconfigure storage of the data by:
identifying data-based encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data blocks in accordance with the long-term-storage-orientated dispersed storage error coding function;
determining a data mapping of the data-based encoded data slices between the set of DST units and the at least some of the DST units; and
facilitating copying of at least some of the data-based encoded data slices to the at least some of the set of DST units in accordance with the data mapping.

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 compound of the formula:
wherein X1, X2 and X3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a bond or CReRf;
Y is O, CRaRb or NRc;
Z is O, CRaRb or NRc;
R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, hydroxyl, NRcRd, OR5 and (C\u2550O)OR5;
R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) cyano,
c) R5,
d) R7,
e) OR5, and
f) NRcRd;

R3 is selected from the group consisting of:
a) hydrogen,
b) C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, OR5 and NRcRd,
c) C3-8 cycloalkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, OR5 and NRcRd,
d) heterocyclyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, oxo, R5, OR5 and NRcRd,
e) heteroaryl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, oxo, R5, OR5 and NRcRd;
f) C4-8 cycloalkenyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, OR5 and NRcRd,
g) (C\u2550O)R2,
h) (C\u2550O)R5,
i) S(O)mR5, and
j) S(O)mR7;

or R2 and R3 can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 3 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring, wherein said ring may contain from one to three heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein the sulfur is optionally oxidized to the sulfone or sulfoxide, and which ring is optionally substituted with one to four substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) oxo,
c) cyano,
d) OR5,
e) NRcRd,
f) SO3H,
g) S(O)mR5,
h) S(O)mR7
i) R5,
j) R6,
k) R7,
l) (C\u2550O)R5,
m) (C\u2550O)OR5,
n) (C\u2550O)R7, and
o) (C\u2550O)NRcRd;

R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, cyano, OR5, aryl, heteroaryl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C4-8 cycloalkenyl, C4-8 heterocycloalkyl and C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, OC1-3 alkyl, NRcRd and hydroxyl;
R5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) hydroxyl,
c) OC1-6 alkyl,
d) NRcRd,
e) (C\u2550O)NRcRd,
f) S(O)m,
g) S(O)mR8,
h) S(O)mR7,
i) R7, and
j) OR7;

R6 is C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo and hydroxyl;
or R5 and R6 can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 4 to 8 membered heterocyclic, 3 to 8 membered carbocyclic, aryl or heteroaryl ring, wherein said heterocyclic and heteroaryl rings may contain from one to three heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein said heterocyclic, carbocyclic, aryl and heteroaryl rings are optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) oxo,
c) cyano,
d) hydroxyl,
e) C1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three halo,
f) C3-8 cycloalkyl,
g) OC1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three halo, and
h) OC3-8 cycloalkyl;

R7 is selected from the group consisting of C4-8 heterocyclyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, C4-8 cycloalkenyl, aryl or heteroaryl, wherein said heterocyclyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) cyano,
c) hydroxyl,
d) oxo,
e) C1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl and NRcRd,
f) OC1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl NRcRd and aryl,
g) C3-8 cycloalkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl and NRcRd,
h) aryl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl, S(O)mNRcRd, C(O)NRcRd and NRcRd,
i) heteroaryl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl, S(O)mNRcRd, C(O)NRcRd and NRcRd,
j) heterocyclyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, OC1-3 alkyl and NRcRd,
k) C4-8 cycloalkenyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo, cyano, heterocyclyl, OC1-3 alkyl and NRcRd;

R8 is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) cyano,
c) hydroxyl,
d) OC1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, halo and NRcRd, and
e) C3-8 cycloalkyl;

Ra is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-6 alkyl;
Rb is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-6 alkyl;
Rc is selected from the group consisting of:
a) hydrogen and
b) C1-3 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxyl, cyano, heteroaryl, aryl, NH(C1-3 alkyl), N(C1-3 alkyl)2, OC1-6 alkyl, and C3-8 cycloalkyl;

Rd is selected from the group consisting of:
a) hydrogen,
b) C3-8 cycloalkyl,
c) C3-6 heterocyclyl,
d) C1-3 alkyl,
e) (C\u2550O)C1-3 alkyl,
f) aryl, and
g) heteroaryl;

wherein said cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl groups are each optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxyl, cyano, R8, SO2R8, OC1-6 alkyl and C3-8 cycloalkyl or Rc and Rd can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 3 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring, wherein said ring may contain from one to three heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein the sulfur is optionally oxidized to the sulfone or sulfoxide, and which ring is optionally substituted with one to four substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano, hydroxyl, C1-3 alkyl and OC1-3 alkyl;
Re is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-3 alkyl;
Rf is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1-3 alkyl;
m is an integer from zero to two,
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
2. The compound of claim 1 wherein X1, X2 and X3 are each a bond, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
3. The compound of claim 2 wherein Y is O or CRaRb and Z is O or CRaRb; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
4. The compound of claim 3 wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen and C1-3 alkyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
5. The compound of claim 4 wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen and halo, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
6. The compound of claim 5 wherein R2 and R3 can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 3 to 8 membered heterocyclic ring, wherein said ring may contain from one to three heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein the sulfur is optionally oxidized to the sulfone or sulfoxide, and which ring is optionally substituted with one to four substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) oxo,
c) cyano,
d) OR5,
e) NRcRd,
f) SO3H,
g) S(O)mR5,
h) S(O)mR7
i) R5,
j) R6,
k) R7,
l) (C\u2550O)R5,
m) (C\u2550O)OR5,
n) (C\u2550O)R7, and
o) (C\u2550O)NRcRd;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
7. The compound of claim 6 wherein R2 and R3 can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 6 membered heterocyclic ring, wherein said ring may contain from one to three heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, wherein the sulfur is optionally oxidized to the sulfone or sulfoxide, and which ring is optionally substituted with one to four substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of:
a) halo,
b) oxo,
c) OR5,
d) NRcRd,
e) S(O)mR5,
f) S(O)mR7,
g) R5,
h) R6,
i) R7,
j) (C\u2550O)R5,
k) (C\u2550O)OR5, and
l) (C\u2550O)R7.

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
8. A compound selected from
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
9. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of claim 1, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
10. A method for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease comprising administering a compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof, to a patient in need thereof.

1. A fuel cell comprising:
an anode;
a cathode;
a proton exchange membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode;
a fluid distribution chamber associated with the cathode having a gas entrance and a gas exit side;
a fluid distribution chamber associated with the anode having a gas entrance and a gas exit side;
a diffusion medium disposed within the fluid distribution chamber associated with the cathode, the fluid distribution chamber associated with the anode, or both, wherein the diffusion medium spans the fluid distribution chamber from the entrance side to the exit side, and wherein at least one of the diffusion media comprises:
an electrically conductive porous material;
a hydrophobic polymer deposited on the porous material defining hydrophobic areas; and
a hydrophilic polymer deposited on the porous material defining hydrophilic areas.
2. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
3. A fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
4. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic polymer comprises polyaniline.
5. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic polymer comprises polypyrrole.
6. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the diffusion media comprising hydrophobic polymer and hydrophilic polymer has a different content of hydrophobic polymer in an area of the diffusion medium adjacent the entrance side than in an area of the diffusion medium adjacent the exit side.
7. A fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein a diffusion medium disposed adjacent the cathode has a higher content of hydrophobic polymer in an area of the diffusion medium adjacent the exit side than in an area adjacent the entrance side.
8. A fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein the porous material comprises carbon fiber paper.
9. A method of preparing a diffusion medium having hydrophobic areas and hydrophilic areas, comprising;
a) depositing a hydrophobic polymer onto a porous substrate in a pattern such that a portion of the substrate is left uncovered with polymer; and thereafter
b) depositing an electroconductive polymer onto the uncovered portion of the substrate.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the electroconductive polymer comprises polyaniline or polypyrrole.
13. A method according to claim 9, comprising depositing the hydrophobic polymer predominantly on one side of the substrate and the electroconductive polymer predominantly on the other side.
14. A method according to claim 9, wherein step a) comprises:
wetting the substrate which is a sheet of carbon fiber paper with solvent in an aqueous emulsion comprising the hydrophobic polymer;
contacting the wet sheet with a pattern member comprising one or more openings oriented to correspond to a predetermined pattern; and
evaporating the solvent from the sheet while the sheet is in contact with the pattern member, whereby the hydrophobic polymer is concentrated on the sheet at the openings.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the contacting step comprises holding the sheets between two mold surfaces, wherein at least one mold surface comprises openings through which the solvent can evaporate.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein one mold surface comprises openings and the other mold surface is solid.
17. A method according to claim 14, wherein both mold surfaces comprise openings, and wherein a pattern of hydrophobic polymer is deposited on both sides of the sheets.
18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the pattern member comprises a screen.
19. A method according to claim 14, wherein evaporating is accomplished by heating the sheet to remove solvent.
20. A method according to claim 14, wherein at least one side of the sheet is coated over 10 to 90% of its area with fluorocarbon polymer.
21. A method according to claim 14, wherein at least one side of the sheet is coated over 10 to 60% of its area with fluorocarbon polymer.
22. A method according to claim 9, wherein step b) comprises depositing the electroconductive polymer from an aqueous solution of monomers by electrochemical polymerization.
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the solution comprises an electrolyte and a monomer selected from the group consisting of pyrrole, thiophene, aniline, furan, azulene, carbazole, and derivatives thereof.
24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the monomer comprises aniline.
25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the monomer comprises pyrrole.
26. A diffusion medium for use in a PEM fuel cell containing hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas for improved water management comprising:
a porous conductive substrate having two sides
a hydrophobic polymer deposited on the substrate defining the hydrophobic areas; and
an electroconductive polymer deposited on the substrate defining the hydrophilic areas.
27. A diffusion medium according to claim 26, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.
28. A diffusion medium according to claim 27, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
29. A diffusion medium according to claim 26, wherein the eletroconductive polymer comprises polyaniline or polypyrrole.
30. A diffusion medium according to claim 26, wherein the hydrophobic areas are predominantly on one side of the substrate and the hydrophilic areas are predominantly on the other side.
31. A diffusion medium according to claim 26, wherein the substrate comprises a carbon fiber paper.
32. A diffusion medium according to claim 31, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises a fluorocarbon polymer.

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 device for imitating diamonds and their common substitutes used in jewelry, in the sense that it exhibits thermal conductivity and electrical resistance of diamonds and their.
2. Device as in claim 1, which comprises a set of separate members, one imitating diamonds with their high thermal conductivity and very high electrical resistance, another imitating silicon carbide with its high thermal conductivity and small but measurable electrical conductivity, yet another imitating silicon carbide with greater electrical conductivity, yet another for those diamond imitations which possess low thermal conductivity, and, finally, an electrically conductive member for verifying ability of the gem tester to detect when gem setting, like a ring, is touched by the probe accidentally instead of the gem.
3. Device as in claim 1, with members, which have desirable combination of thermal and electrical properties, made in a sandwich form with:
top layer made of metal or alloy, which is touched by thermal-electrical sensor of a gem tester and has required thermal conductivity and a very small electrical resistance;
middle layer made of material with required electrical resistance; and
bottom layer made of a good conductor through which the test voltage is applied.
4. Device as in claim 1, where the members, which imitate gems with high thermal conductivity, like diamond and silicon carbides, has a top layer made of any material, most likely metal or alloy, with high thermal conductivity and very low electrical resistance.
5. Device as in claim 1, where the member, which imitates diamond fakes with low thermal conductivity has the top layer made of any material, most likely metal or alloy, with sufficiently low thermal conductivity and very low electrical resistance, e.g. stainless steel, which can be made to have specified thermal conductivity.
6. Device as in claim 1, where the member which imitates diamonds has the middle layer made of a good insulator, e.g. insulating plastic or air.
7. Device as in claim 1, where the members, which imitate gems with measurable electrical conductivity, have their middle layer made of anti-static plastics, like Durathane, or other high resistivity material, which can be made to have required electrical resistance; two different grades are used for the members imitating high and low resistance silicon carbide crystals.
8. Device as in claim 1, where the member, which imitates diamond fakes with low thermal conductivity that do not require electrical testing has the middle layer made of a good insulator, e.g. insulating plastic or air.
9. Device as in claim 1, which is equipped with a member made of metal for applying test voltage via a finger of the person using it, or any other means for connecting to a test voltage source.
10. Device as in claim 1, where all members are mounted on an electrically conductive base, typically made of metal, through which test voltage can be delivered to those members of the device whose electrical resistance must be evaluated in the course of a test, namely the conductive pad imitating metal and the middle layers of the members imitating diamond substitutes with measurable electrical conductivity.
11. Device as in claim 1, where all members are assembled in a compact block in a piece of electrically insulating material with very low thermal conductivity.
12. Device as in claim 1, where the block of members as in claim 11 is placed in a protective casing, to prevent accumulation of moisture or other foreign substance on its surface, which could cause electrical leakage across the surface.
13. A method for simulating thermal conductivity and electrical resistance of materials by using three substitute materials, each exhibiting one of the required properties, assembled in a layered structure as in claim 3.
14. A method for verifying performance of gem and diamond testers, which employ measurement of thermal and electrical conductivities, using the apparatus as in claim 1.