The present invention relates to an expandable polymeric composition comprising: a) a polymeric matrix containing vinyl aromatic polymers and/or copolymers; b) from 0.1% to 20% by weight, calculated on the polymeric matrix (a), of an athermanous agent; c) from 0.01% to 10% by weight, calculated on the polymeric matrix (a), of at least one non-polymeric brominated flame retardant additive; d) from 0.01% to 10% by weight, calculated on the polymeric matrix (a), of at least one brominated polymer containing at least 50% bromine; e) from 0.01% to 5% by weight, calculated on the polymeric matrix (a), of a synergistic flame retardant additive; f) from 1% by weight to 10% by weight of at least one blowing agent.

A method for producing a porous resin particle including a mesoporous structure portion and an outer shell portion integrally formed on a surface of the mesoporous structure portion includes, in a state that an oil-phase liquid, in which a polymerizable monomer and an oil-soluble polymerization initiator having a polymerization initiating ability to the polymerizable monomer are dissolved or dispersed in a hydrophobic solvent, is dispersed as oil droplets in an aqueous medium containing a water-soluble polymerization initiator having a polymerization initiating ability to the polymerizable monomer, generating a plurality of mesopores inside the porous resin particle by forming a solid medium, by polymerizing the polymerizable monomer by acting the oil-soluble polymerization initiator and the water-soluble polymerization initiator at the same time on the polymerizable monomer.

A resin composition includes 100 parts by weight of an unsaturated C?C double bond-containing polyphenylene ether resin and 20 parts by weight to 150 parts by weight of a homopolymer of Formula (1). The resin composition is useful for making different articles, including a prepreg, a resin film, a laminate or a printed circuit board, which may achieve excellent multi-layer board thermal resistance, thermal resistance after moisture absorption and rigidity and achieve high glass transition temperature, low dissipation factor, and low Z-axis ratio of thermal expansion. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to an aqueous dispersion, comprising or consisting of A) at least one cyclic olefin copolymer, B) at least one surfactant; optionally C) at least one adhesion promoter; optionally D) at least one film-forming resin; optionally E) at least one additive; and F) water. Additionally, the invention relates to methods of manufacturing the aqueous dispersion, to an article, which comprises at least one substrate and at least one coating layer obtained from the aqueous dispersion and applied onto the substrate; and to methods of improving MVTR of a substrate.

A substrate is described having a treated contact surface comprising a carbon or silicon compound comprising from 1 to 30 atomic percent oxygen, from 0.1 to 30 atomic percent nitrogen, or both, each as measured by XPS. The treated contact surface has a biomolecule recovery percentage greater than the biomolecule recovery percentage of the surface before treatment according to the method.

The present invention concerns methods of treating systemic, regional, or local inflammation from a patient suffering or at risk of inflammation comprising administration of a therapeutically effective dose of a sorbent that sorbs an inflammatory mediator in said patient. In some preferred embodiments, the sorbent is a biocompatible organic polymer.

The present invention is a method to start-up a process to make expandable vinyl aromatic polymer pellets comprising, a) providing a pelletizer (S) containing means to introduce the molten vinyl aromatic polymer comprising the expandable agent and optionally additives, a die plate having a plurality of holes of small diameter, typically in the range 0.8 to 1.6 mm and cutting means to make pellets, b) providing a pelletizer (L) containing means to introduce the molten vinyl aromatic polymer comprising the expandable agent and optionally additives, a die plate having a plurality of holes of large diameter, typically in the range 3 to 5 mm and cutting means to make pellets, c) sending the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer pellets comprising an expandable agent and optionally additives to the pelletizer (L) until the polymer flow rate is in the operating range of the pelletizer (S) and provided the proportion of expandable agent and optional additives are in the specifications, d) switching the molten vinyl aromatic polymer stream comprising the expandable agent and optionally additives to the pelletizer (S) and operating said pelletizer (S) at conditions effective to produce expandable vinyl aromatic polymer pellets, e) recovering from pelletizer (S) the expandable vinyl aromatic polymer pellets, f) recovering the pellets produced at step c) for optional subsequent recycling in the molten state at step d). In another embodiment while the pelletizer (S) is in production and troubles happen in the introduction of the expanding agent and/or the optional additives or in any equipment or even an equipment needs maintenance the production is switched from the pelletizer (S) to one or more pelletizers (L). When the troubles are over, the production is switched from the pelletizer (L) to the pelletizer (S). In an embodiment while the pelletizer (S) is in production the die plate of the pelletizer (L) having a plurality of holes of large diameter is removed and replaced by a die plate having a plurality of holes of small diameter to convert said pelletizer (L) into a pelletizer (S) capable to produce expandable vinyl aromatic polymer pellets. By way of example said established pelletizer (S) is used during maintenance of the other pelletizer (S).

A resin composition and uses thereof are provided. The resin composition includes: (A) a polyfunctional vinyl aromatic copolymer; and (B) a compound having a structure of formula (I),

##STR00001## wherein the polyfunctional vinyl aromatic copolymer (A) is prepared by copolymerizing one or more divinyl aromatic compounds with one or more monovinyl aromatic compounds, and in formula (I), Y.sub.1 is an organic group.

A method for preparing a polymeric material doped with at least one first metal element and at least one second metal element, including: a) copolymerization of a first monomer containing a first metal element and of a second monomer containing a chelating group of a second metal element, to obtain a polymeric material containing (i) recurrent units deriving from the polymerization of the first monomer, the recurrent units containing the first metal element and (ii) recurrent units deriving from the polymerization of the second monomer, the recurrent units containing chelating groups of a second metal element, and when the first metal element is different from the second metal element, b) contacting the material from a) with a solution containing the second metal element, in return for which the second metal element is complexed with the chelating groups, where b) is optional when the first and second metal element are identical.

The present invention concerns methods of treating systemic, regional, or local inflammation from a patient suffering or at risk of inflammation comprising administration of a therapeutically effective dose of a sorbent that sorbs an inflammatory mediator in said patient. In some preferred embodiments, the sorbent is a biocompatible organic polymer.