Abstract: A process for producing a pulp suitable for papermaking from a nonwood fiber source material. Representative nonwood fiber source materials include corn stover and wheat straw. The process includes the steps of providing a nonwood fiber source material; digesting the nonwood fiber source material with an alkaline pulping solution at at least about atmospheric pressure; reducing the pH of the nonwood fiber source material to an acidic pH with an acid solution; treating the nonwood fiber source material having an acidic pH with ozone; and treating the nonwood fiber source material with a bleaching solution to form a papermaking pulp.

Abstract: A noise and recoil suppressor that is intended to be mounted within the terminal portion of a firearm barrel. The suppressor is a unitary structure having a cylindrical body and a plurality of chambers extending transversely therethrough and spaced-apart in the longitudinal direction of the device. The chambers are configured so as to restrain and slow the passage of the exhausting gases resulting from a bullet that has discharged and passing therethrough so as to suppress both the resulting noise and recoil from the discharging firearm. The suppressor is provided with external threads adjacent its outer end, and a firearm barrel into which the device is to be slidably inserted is suitably drilled-out and provided with internal threads for threadable securement of the device within the end of a firearm barrel. A second and shorter embodiment of the suppressor is disclosed that primarily functions as a recoil suppressor.

Abstract: A sanding machine for sanding the surfaces of work pieces placed upon a conveyor that transports the work pieces along a first direction towards and beneath a sanding head. The sanding head comprises a sanding belt entrained around an upper tension roller and a lower contact roller. The tension roller and contact roller are provided with a single translational orbital movement by a pair of eccentric shafts operatively connected thereto and rotatably driven by an operatively connected motor. At least one of the upper tension roller and lower contact roller is also driven by an operatively connected motor so as to provide the endless rotation of the sanding belt around the upper tension roller and lower contact roller. In this fashion, the sanding belt is provided with two contemporaneous superimposed movements consisting of rotational movement about the tension roller and contact roller and a single orbital translational movement imparted by the rotating pair of eccentric shafts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of introgressing soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) or soybean cyst nematode (SCN) resistance into non-resistant soybean germplasm. Loci associated with SDS resistance or with SCN resistance in soybean lines known to be resistant to SDS or the SCN are used in marker assisted selection during introgression of SDS or SCN resistance into elite germplasm. In addition, the method may be used to confirm selection of resistance in new soybean cultivars.

Abstract: A planting machine for delivering liquid pesticides to the soil mixing zone preceding the furrow closing mechanism to effectively distribute liquid pesticide throughout soil covering seed in a furrow. The planting machine has a furrow opening mechanism, seed dispensing means, and furrow closing mechanism and includes a seed positioning means mounted on the seed dispensing means for effectively locating seeds in the furrow. Also, the planting machine includes means for liquid pesticide spray delivery mounted thereon so as to direct a spray towards the furrow closing mechanism and into the soil mixing zone being created by the furrow closing mechanism. The means for spray delivery can be mounted on the conventional seed positioning means as well as independently mounted on the planting machine.

Abstract: The invention proposes a handling apparatus for moving sheet-like articles, in particular an inserter for pushing inserts into envelopes, in which apparatus a link hand, which forms part of a rectilinear-guidance mechanism formed from three links, has spring-loaded fingers which are articulated at the free end of the link hand and slide over a base plate during the operating stroke, while, during a return stroke, the fingers are raised off together from the base plate by means of a control guide arrangement. Said apparatus operates at high cycle speeds without disruption and requires the arrangement as a whole to be of just a small overall height.

Abstract: A directional antenna assembly includes a dielectric structure having a surface. An array of wire antenna elements is positioned within or on the surface of the dielectric structure. At least one of the wire antenna elements is active, and the remainder of the wire antenna elements are passive.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing packet loss recovery when transmitting compressed video over a lossy packet-based network include transmitting packets of compressed video data from a sender to a receiver. In response to detecting lost or erroneously received packets, the receiver transmits a retransmission request to the sender. In response to receiving the retransmission request, the sender changes the periodic temporal dependency distance of a frame to be transmitted such that the frame depends on the frame associated with the retransmitted packets. The receiver receives the retransmitted packets and restores the frame corresponding the retransmitted packets in a frame buffer. The receiver uses the restored frame to decode a frame transmitted after the retransmitted packets.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an overhead pusher finger guide system, preferably for use with a sheet handling apparatus. The guide system prevents the lower conveyor run from sagging or otherwise moving out of the proper feed plane. Accordingly, superior sheet handling is achieved.

Abstract: A rack assembly for mounting telecommunications equipment is provided which includes a pair of novel reinforcement gussets welded at the upright-to-base junctures at the bottom of the equipment rack in order to provide improved structural integrity and simplified manufacturing requirements to the telecommunications equipment rack.

Abstract: A cutter module with an integrated trim disposal mechanism is disclosed. The integrated trim disposal mechanism results in the lack of need for using large expensive external trim disposal devices. The trim disposal mechanism chops the trim into small pieces that are easily collected in a trim fragment collection receptacle. A full trim fragment collection receptacle can either be emptied and reused or discarded and replaced with a new empty trim fragment collection receptacle.

Abstract: A method of eliciting an immune response against an antigen in a vertebrate subject, the method comprising the steps of providing an antigen-adjuvant composition comprising the antigen and a substantially non-toxic adjuvant molecule having biological activity in mucosal tissues, and administering said antigen-adjuvant composition to the vertebrate subject in a manner such that initial contact occurs in mucosal tissue of the vertebrate subject, whereby an immune response is elicited. Cytokines are preferred adjuvants. Preferred cytokines are interleukin-1&agr; (IL-1&agr;) and interleukin-1&bgr; (IL-1&bgr;).

Abstract: A guardrail system for enhanced fall protection during the construction of a multi-story building subsequent to steel erection. The guardrail system includes an elongated bar comprising a first relatively short portion and a second relatively long portion that define an obtuse angle therebetween, and one or more apertures in both the first portion and the second portion of the bar. A plate is provided to be bolted to the first portion of the elongated bar in order to removably attach the bar to a perimeter frame element of a multi-story building frame with the second portion extending upwardly and inwardly into the building. Cable is then pulled through one or more apertures of the second portions of a selected plurality of elongated bars secured to a perimeter frame element to complete the guardrail system.

Abstract: An air-cooled shaft seal comprises an annular body having an inner surface and an outer surface. One or more helical channels are formed on the inner surface. A plurality of external surfaces such as radial fins are disposed in axially spaced relationship on the outer surface, and extend radially in a direction away from a longitudinal axis of the annular body. The external surfaces present a substantially increased surface area through which heat energy is transferred from polymeric material contained in the seal to the atmosphere. The seal may be installed on one or shafts of a gear pump for transporting a viscous material under pressure.

Abstract: A process for purifying the bacterial fermentation product ivermectin, particularly for use as a reference standard compound in a governmental regulatory approval process. The process includes the use of reversed-phase flash column chromatography coupled with gradient elution. An exemplary eluent mixture includes acetonitrile, methanol and water.

Abstract: A client/server architecture for database driven insertion and mail piece tracking system, method, and computer program product is disclosed. A database is populated with database driven insertion data comprising instructions for handling mailpiece material. A server manages the database by responding to requests for mail processing instructions from clients and storing mailpiece data received from clients. A scanning device reads key code marked mailpiece material in which the key code corresponds to a database location containing instructions for handling mailpiece material. A client processor receives the key code from the scanning device, and transmits a request to the server for accessing the database location containing the instructions for handling mailpiece material. The server retrieves the instructions for handling mailpiece material, and transmits the instructions to the client.

Abstract: A process for introducing a textile treatment material into a textile treatment system, particularly a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2) treatment system. The process includes the steps of providing a preparation vessel in fluid communication with a textile treatment system; loading a textile treatment material into the preparation vessel; dissolving or suspending the textile treatment material in near-critical liquid carbon dioxide or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide in the preparation vessel; and introducing the dissolved or suspended textile treatment material into the textile treatment system. The textile treatment material can be selected from a group including a brightening agent, a whitening agent and a dye. A system suitable for use in carrying out the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: A liquid smoke coloring agent solution having total water miscibility, a benzopyrene content under about 5 ppb, and a pH above about 11, and a related method for making same by contacting liquid smoke with water and an alkaline agent. The liquid smoke coloring agent solution may be made from commercially existing liquid smoke compositions.

Abstract: A method for remedying contamination of a subsurface environment by a non-aqueous phase liquid that is denser than water (DNAPL). The subsurface environment has a resident aqueous phase and a DNAPL phase. A dense aqueous solution that has a density greater than a density of the DNAPL phase is introduced to the subsurface environment. The dense aqueous solution displaces the resident aqueous phase and causes the DNAPL phase to rise above the greater density aqueous solution. The DNAPL phase is then recovered, which substantially remedies the contamination of the subsurface environment. An alternative method provides for introducing a dense solution layer that has a density greater than the density of the DNAPL phase beneath the subsurface region contaminated with the DNAPL phase. Next, the water table is lowered so as to create an unsaturated porous medium above the dense solution layer and to downwardly mobilize the DNAPL phase to the top of the dense solution layer.

Abstract: Magnetic Vector Steering (MVS) and Half-Cycle Amplitude Modulation (HCAM) are novel techniques which enhance the powering and control of multiple arbitrarily oriented implant devices. Together, these techniques enable arbitrarily oriented implants to receive power and command, programming, and control information in an efficient manner that preserves battery life and transmission time while reducing overall implant device bulk. By steering the aggregate magnetic field from a near-orthogonal set of AC-energized coils, selected implants can be powered or communicated with at desired times. Communication with individual implants can also be enhanced through half-cycle amplitude modulation—a technique that allows bit rates up to twice the energizing frequency. Unlike prior art systems, power and data transfer can be realized over the same frequency channel.