Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing 1,2-propanediol, in which a glycerol-containing stream, especially a stream obtained on the industrial scale in the production of biodiesel, is subjected to a hydrogenation in an at least three-stage reactor cascade.

Abstract: Processes for the continuous fractional distillation of a mixture containing morpholine (MO), monoaminodiglycol (ADG), ammonia and water from a reaction of diethylene glycol (DEG) with ammonia, the process including: (i) separating off ammonia from the mixture at a top of a first distillation column K10; (ii) feeding a bottom fraction from K10 to a second distillation column K20, in which water and an organic product are separated off at the top at a temperature at the top in the range from 45 to 198° C. and a pressure in the range from 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of 5-acetyl-2,5-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-tetrahydrofuran-3-one (diacetyl dimer of formula (I)) in the form of one of its stereoisomers or in the form of a mixture consisting of or containing two, three or four of its stereoisomers (i) for imparting, intensifying and/or modifying a creamy and/or fatty sensation in the mouth, (ii) for imparting, intensifying and/or modifying a sweet, buttery, cream-like and/or creamy flavor; and/or (iii) as an aromatic and/or flavoring substance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing L-menthol in solid form, specifically in the form of flakes, by bringing an L-menthol melt into contact with two chilled surfaces distanced from one another. Moreover, the present invention relates to the L-menthol in solid form obtainable by said method, and also to its use for incorporation into utility and consumer goods of all kinds.

Abstract: The invention relates to photopolymerizable flexographic printing elements which contain ethylenically unsaturated, alicyclic monomers and hard flexographic printing plates, in particular cylindrical continuous seamless flexographic printing plates, which can be produced therefrom.

Abstract: A process for the production of a molded article is disclosed. The process comprise a) placing a plastic film abutting the inside wall of a first half of a mold, said mold including a first and second halves, b) combining said second half with said first half in a manner creating a mold cavity, c) injecting resin into said cavity to produce an article to which surface adherently bonded is said plastic film, d) separating one of the halves from the other half, said article remaining with said other half, e) combining a supplemental half with said other half in a manner forming a gap between the inner wall of said supplemental half and the surface of said molded article, f) injecting lacquer into said gap, g) curing the lacquer to produce a lacquered molded article, and h) cooling and removing the lacquered molded article from the mold. The inventive process is particularly suitable for making vehicular mirrors.

Abstract: A pyrolysis apparatus comprises a furnace (1) operating by fluidized bed combustion, a pyrolyzer (4) and flow paths, which connect the furnace (1) and the pyrolyzer (4) for arranging the circulation (C) of carrier material of the fluidized bed combustion between the furnace and the pyrolyzer .The apparatus also comprises a supply inlet (14) for supplying fuel to be pyrolyzed to the pyrolyzer (4), fluidizing gas supply means (5) arranged in the pyrolyzer for fluidizing the mixture of carrier material and fuel, and an outlet (6) for taking condensible gaseous substances separated from the fuel to be pyrolyzed out of the pyrolyzer (4), and a condenser for condensing the condensible gaseous substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of amphiphilic self-assembling proteins for formulating poorly water-soluble effect substances.

Abstract: A method of distributed cryptography for high consequence security systems which employs shared randomness between operating parties. Shared randomness is accomplished by sharing cryptographic keys stored in secure hardware tokens by potentially less secure software or general purpose computing units that perform distributed cryptography. The shared randomness is based on shared keys (at the tokens) and unique context. Shared random values are incorporated into the computation of partial results used in the distributed cryptographic calculation. The incorporation of shared randomness provides a hand-shake among the hardware tokens. When the operation is successful, a result is computed with assurance that the correct parties have taken part in forming the result. The hand-shake assures binding of operating parties and added system security.

Abstract: Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition, which includes a halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer rubber dispersed in a polyamide resin in order to improve the fatigue durability of a polyamide resin, while maintaining high flowability of the polyamide. A thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a continuous phase composed of a modified polyamide resin (A) and a dispersed phase composed of a halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer rubber (B) is provided. The modified polyamide resin (A) is a resin obtained by melt-kneading 100 parts by weight of a polyamide resin (C) with not less than 0.05 part by weight and less than 3 parts by weight a compound (D), such as a monofunctional epoxy compound, capable of binding to a terminal amino group of the polyamide resin at a temperature not lower than the melting point of the polyamide resin (C). The composition can be used as an inner liner of a pneumatic tire.

Abstract: In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a contact structure includes the steps of forming a conductive stack on the semiconductor substrate; forming a patterned mask on the conductive stack; forming a depression in an upper portion of the conductive stack; forming a spacer layer on the surface of the depression and the patterned mask; forming a mask block filling the depression; removing a portion of the spacer layer not covered by the mask block; and removing a portion of the conductive stack by using the mask block and the patterned mask to form the contact structure including at least one tall contact plug under the patterned mask and at least one the short contact plug under the mask block.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of implementing a computerized brand affinity engine. The apparatus, system and method include at least a plurality of computerized access points having accessible thereto a plurality of sites mentioning at least one sponsor, a categorized, hierarchical database of keywords, wherein at least the keywords falling in at least one category of the hierarchy correspond to a sponsor category of the at least one sponsor, and a tracker, wherein the tracker tracks positive ones of the mentions of the at least one sponsor on ones of the plurality of sites and negative ones of the mentions of the at least one sponsor on ones of the plurality of sites, in accordance with positive and negative keywords of the categorized, hierarchical database in the sponsor category, and wherein the tracker issues an rating with regard to the at least one sponsor in accordance with the positive ones and the negative ones of the mentions.

Abstract: There are provided an A/D converting circuit (10) for converting, into a digital signal, a broadband intermediate frequency signal which is output from a frequency converting circuit (5), and a DSP (11) for generating and outputting control data to control gains of an antenna damping circuit (3) and an LNA (4) based on a level of the broadband digital intermediate frequency signal which is output from the A/D converting circuit (10), and the broadband intermediate frequency signal which is output from the frequency converting circuit (5) is A/D converted and supplied to the DSP (11). Consequently, it is possible to reduce a frequency of a signal input to the A/D converting circuit (10). Thus, it is also possible to reduce a consumed current without requiring the use a special AD converter corresponding to a radio frequency input.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating material comprising (A) at least one binder as component (A) and (B) at least one photocatalytically active particle comprising a core composed of at least one first substance having a diameter of 0.1 to 1 ?m and at least one envelope at least partly surrounding the core and composed of at least one second substance having an average layer thickness of 0.1 to 10 nm as component (B).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing neral (cis-citral) in pure or enriched form by distillatively separating neral from substance mixtures comprising essentially neral and geranial (trans-citral). This distillative separation is performed in a dividing wall column or in a connection of two distillation columns in the form of a thermal coupling.

Abstract: The invention relates to insect attractants containing compounds with pentagonal heterocyclic structures that are effective in attracting fruitflies.

Abstract: Methods for the purification of steam, systems for purifying steam, methods for measuring and/or controlling steam flow rates, and uses for purified steam are provide. Also provided are substantially gas-impermeable membranes, such as perfluorinated ionomers (e.g., perfluoroethylene-sulfonic-acid/tetrafluoroethylene membranes), having a high ratio of water vapor permeation relative to gas permeation through the membrane. Also provided are methods of operation of such membranes at relatively high operating temperatures for the purification of steam and for operation of such membranes at relatively low temperature and sub-atmospheric pressures for the purification of steam. In a preferred embodiment, the system 400 for purifying steam comprises heater 404 for creating a source of a steam feed, and a purification device 416 for housing a substantially gas-impermeable membrane 424. In the operation of system 400, water, such as deionized water, is added to vessel 402 to provide a source of the steam feed.

Abstract: Processes for preparing an amine, which processes comprise: reacting a reactant selected from the group consisting of primary alcohols, secondary alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and mixtures thereof, with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary amines, secondary amines and mixtures thereof, in the presence of a zirconium dioxide-, copper- and nickel-containing catalyst; wherein the catalyst comprises a catalytically active composition which comprises, before reduction with hydrogen, oxygen compounds of zirconium, copper, nickel and tin, and 0.5 to 8.0% by weight of an oxygen compound of cobalt, calculated as CoO, and wherein the catalytically active composition does not comprise any ruthenium.

Abstract: A system for and method of providing Short Message Service (SMS) message notification to a cellular telephone customer regarding missed incoming calls that are missed while the cellular telephone is unavailable such as when the telephone is powered off. This is accomplished by generating a notification message at a SS7 gateway that includes caller ID/name ID information and/or time of the missed call. The message is preferably generated at the SS7 gateway only upon receipt of an “access denied” response with a reason code of at least one of MS Inactive, Busy, No Page Response or Unavailable that is sent from a home location register in response to a location request sent by the SS7 gateway. Once the generated message is complete it is sent to a message center where it is stored until it is retrieved by the cellular telephone soon after registration with the cellular network.