Abstract: A process is described for denaturing native double-stranded nucleic acid material into its individual strands in an electrochemical cell. The process disclosed is an electrical treatment of the nucleic acid with a voltage applied to the nucleic acid material by an electrode. The process may also employ a promoter compound such as methyl viologen to speed denaturation. The process may be used in the detection of nucleic acid by hybridizing with a labelled probe or in the amplification of DNA by a polymerase chain reaction or ligase chain reaction.

Abstract: Conductive polyphenylene ether-polyamide compositions having excellent ductility are prepared by melt blending polyphenylene ether, an unsaturated impact modifying polymer and a functionalizing compound in an initial step, optionally in combination with a portion of the polyamide, and subsequently melt blending with the remainder of the polyamide and conductive carbon black having a low volatiles content. A mixture of polyamides, illustrated by mixtures of polyamide-6 and polyamide-66, is employed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer blend composition containing an aromatic carbonate polymer and a rubber-modified monovinylidene aromatic copolymer comprising a star-branched rubber and optionally, a linear rubber. The polymer blend compositions according to the invention have a desirable balance of processability and when molded, impact strength.

Abstract: A nucleic acid primer is bound to a soluble carrier macromolecule, a multitude of primer molecules thus being carried by each carrier macromolecule, and hybridisation of the primer to a template followed by extension of the primer to replicate the template in complementary form is carried out as part of a PCR procedure or other amplification, or to form an extended primer of greater hybridisation affinity. A second primer used in the amplification may also be bound to a carrier macromolecule.

Abstract: A nucleic acid primer is bound to a soluble carrier macromolecule, a multitude of primer molecules thus being carried by each carrier macromolecule, and hybridisation of the primer to a template followed by extension of the primer to replicate the template in complementary form is carried out as part of a PCR procedure or other amplification, or to form an extended primer of greater hybridization affinity. A second primer used in the amplification may also be bound to a carrier macromolecule.

Abstract: A process is described for denaturing native double-stranded nucleic acid material into its individual strands in an electrochemical cell. The process disclosed is an electrical treatment of the nucleic acid with a voltage applied to the nucleic acid material by an electrode. The process may also employ a promoter compound such as methyl viologen to speed denaturation. The process may be used in the detection of nucleic acid by hybridizing with a labelled probe or in the amplification of DNA by a polymerase chain reaction or ligase chain reaction. A process is described for annealing complementary strands of nucleic acid by application of an electrical voltage.

Abstract: Conductive polyphenylene ether-polyamide compositions having excellent ductility are prepared by melt blending polyphenylene ether, an unsaturated impact modifying polymer and a functionalizing compound in an initial step, optionally in combination with a portion of the polyamide, and subsequently melt blending with the remainder of the polyamide and conductive carbon black having a low volatiles content. A mixture of polyamides, illustrated by mixtures of polyamide-6 and polyamide-66, is employed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for rapid and improved accuracy acoustic position determination comprising simultaneous and mutually distinguishable wide-band acoustic transmissions emitted from a plurality of spatially diverse transmitters and reception thereof by one or more receivers. The receivers identify the transmitters by directly (non-demodulated) correlating the received signal against stored or regenerated replicas of the transmitted signals. The location of the receiver is determined relative to the identified transmitter locations according to the measured times-of-flight from the identified transmitters to the receiver. Further embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention provides yaw, pitch and roll determination with a plurality of co-located receivers, and an extended and enhanced operating area.

Abstract: A device for use with a computer mouse including a platform for defining a surface for movement of the computer mouse thereon. Also included is a support supporting the platform in an operable position. A frame is mounted on the platform for defining a predetermined area in the platform surface for limiting movement of the mouse to the predetermined area.

Abstract: A refrigeration system for an ethylene plant uses a low pressure demethanizer and a binary refrigerant comprising a mixture of methane and ethylene or methane and ethane. The refrigeration composition may be constant throughout the system or separators may be used to divide the refrigerant into a methane-rich binary refrigerant and an ethylene- or ethane-rich binary refrigerant.

Abstract: In an olefins plant for the production and recovery of ethylene and propylene, the hydrogenation of the C.sub.2 acetylenes, the C.sub.3 acetylenes and dienes and the C.sub.4 and heavier acetylenes, dienes and olefins and the selective separation of the resulting products is carried out by the use of various arrangements of one or more reaction distillation columns. These columns contain a hydrogenation catalyst in enriching and stripping sections and concurrently perform a catalytic hydrogenation reaction and a distillation function.

Abstract: Conductive polyphenylene ether-polyamide compositions having excellent ductility are prepared by melt blending polyphenylene ether, an unsaturated impact modifying polymer and a functionalizing compound in an initial step, optionally in combination with a portion of the polyamide, and subsequently melt blending with the remainder of the polyamide and conductive carbon black having a low volatiles content. A mixture of polyamides, illustrated by mixtures of polyamide-6 and polyamide-66, is employed.

Abstract: An electron beam pumped semiconductor laser which includes a substrate, an optical gain structure provided on the substrate, the optical gain structure being comprised of a plurality of alternating quantum well layers and isolation layers, the quantum well layers being spaced apart from one another by respective, intervening ones of the isolation layers by a sufficient distance to substantially isolate the quantum well layers from one another, and a first reflective layer provided on a first surface of the optical gain structure. With this construction, the quantum well layers are quantum mechanically uncoupled. Further, the optical gain structure has a total thickness which is sufficient to enable the optical gain structure to be coupled to excitation of an electron beam produced by an electron beam pumping device and directed through the first reflective layer and incident upon the optical gain structure.

Abstract: A process is described for denaturing native double-stranded nucleic acid material into its individual strands in an electrochemical cell. The process disclosed is an electrical treatment of the nucleic acid with a voltage applied to the nucleic acid material by an electrode. The process may also employ a promoter compound such as methyl viologen to speed denaturation. The process may be used in the detection of nucleic acid by hybridizing with a labelled probe or in the amplification of DNA by a polymerase chain reaction or ligase chain reaction.

Abstract: A process is described for denaturing native double-stranded nucleic acid material into its individual strands in an electrochemical cell. The process is an electrical treatment of the nucleic acid with a voltage applied to the nucleic acid material by an electrode. The process employs a promoter which is an inorganic multivalent cation such as a magnesium ion to speed denaturation. The process may be used in the detection of nucleic acid by hybridizing with a labelled probe or in the amplification of DNA by a polymerase chain reaction or ligase chain reaction.

Abstract: An aperture control system comprising a computer aided design workstation for generating CAD aperture data, a data converter for reading the aperture data and generating, in response to the aperture data, converted aperture data, and a PCB optical, laser or other suitable plotter for generating a mask from the converted aperture data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of mammalian ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases. These enzymes can be manufactured using recombinant DNA technology and are useful in regulation of proteins involved in key metabolic pathways.

Abstract: A key punch apparatus is provided for selectively removing notches of material from a key blank. The apparatus includes a punch and die subassembly which is rotatable between first and second positions. A carrier holds the key blank in an operative relation with the subassembly. An actuating handle is operatively coupled to the punch to cause an axial cutting stroke. Cutting a notch with the subassembly in the first position results in a notch having a first shape, while cutting a notch with the subassembly in the second position results in a notch having a second shape.

Abstract: A bottle holder holds a bottle having a perimeter, a height, a top, and a bottom. The bottle has a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end. The bottom is attached to the first end to create an interior volume. A neck with an opening is attached to the second end of the cylindrical body to create the opening connecting the interior volume to a volume exterior to the bottle. A first material is adapted to be extended substantially around the perimeter of the bottle to form a seam. The first material also extends substantially from the bottom of the bottle to the top of the bottle. The seam extends longitudinally approximately from the bottom of the bottle to the top of the bottle. A second material is attached to the first material that covers the bottom of the bottle. An apparatus, such a zipper, snaps, buttons, and velcro, is positioned along the seam to selectably close the seam to hold said bottle in place.

Abstract: The C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 and heavier acetylenes and dienes in a thermally cracked feed stream are hydrogenated without significantly hydrogenating the C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 olefins. Additionally, the C.sub.4 and heavier olefins may be hydrogenated. Specifically, the cracked gas feed in an olefin plant is hydrogenated in a distillation reaction column containing a hydrogenation catalyst without the necessity of separating the hydrogen out of the feed and without any significant hydrogenation of the ethylene and propylene. A combined reaction-fractionation step known as catalytic distillation hydrogenation is used to simultaneously carry out the reactions and separations while maintaining the hydrogenation conditions such that the ethylene and propylene remain substantially un-hydrogenated and essentially all of the other C.sub.2 and heavier unsaturated hydrocarbons are hydrogenated. Any unreacted hydrogen can be separated by a membrane and then reacted with separated C.sub.