Abstract: A process for the preparation of an alkene from an oxygenate comprising contacting a reactant feedstream comprising at least one oxygenate reactant and water with a supported heteropolyacid catalyst at a temperature of at least 170° C., wherein the process is initiated using a start-up procedure comprising the following steps: (i) heating the supported heteropolyacid catalyst to a temperature of at least 220° C.; (ii) maintaining the heat-treated supported heteropolyacid catalyst of step (i) at a temperature of at least 220° C. for a time sufficient to remove bound water from the heteropolyacid component of the supported heteropolyacid catalyst; (iii) under an anhydrous atmosphere, reducing the temperature of the heat-treated supported heteropolyacid catalyst of step (ii) to a temperature below 220° C.; and (iv) contacting the supported heteropolyacid catalyst of step (iii) with the reactant feedstream at a temperature of at least 170° C.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an alkene from an oxygenate comprising contacting a reactant feedstream comprising at least one oxygenate reactant and water with a supported heteropolyacid catalyst at a temperature of at least 170° C., wherein the process is initiated using a start-up procedure comprising the following steps: (i) heating the supported heteropolyacid catalyst to a temperature of at least 220° C.; (ii) maintaining the heat-treated supported heteropolyacid catalyst of step (i) at a temperature of at least 220° C. for a time sufficient to remove bound water from the heteropolyacid component of the supported heteropolyacid catalyst; and (iii) whilst maintaining the supported heteropolyacid catalyst of step (ii) at a temperature of at least 220° C., contacting the supported heteropolyacid catalyst with the reactant feedstream having a temperature of at least 220° C.

Abstract: A personal care composition is provided which includes from 0.1 to 30% of a dihydroxypropyltri(C1-C3 alkyl) ammonium salt by weight of the composition; from 0.0001 to 0.005% of a tri(C1-C3 alkyl)amine or protonated form thereof by weight of the ammonium salt; from 0.002 to 15% of an aluminum salt by weight of the composition; and a cosmetically acceptable carrier wherein the composition has a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.9. Unpleasant amine odor from trialkyl amines which arise from the dihydroxypropyltri(C1-C3 alkyl) ammonium salts is suppressed by the aluminum salt and by careful control of pH conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene, from a feedstock comprising ethanol, in the presence of a phosphotungstic acid catalyst.

Abstract: The use of glow-in-the-dark materials, such as phosphors or long-persistent glow materials which incorporate the use of rare earth elements (i.e. “glow materials”); wherein the glow crystal sizes are 0.5 mm to 10.0 mm in size and to be contained or placed in various forms such as solutions, polymer matrixes both rigid and non-rigid, containers, or flexible vacuum pouches or combinations of same wherein the concentration and size of such glow particles create a light source not heretofore achieved by prior art.

Abstract: An isolated extract of deer velvet which contains components which have molecular weights that are substantially are less than or equal to 10 kDa and which have a proliferative effect on endothelial cells and/or promote angiogenesis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a photo-darkening resistant optical fibre includes a waveguide having a numerical aperture less than 0.15. The waveguide includes a core having a refractive index n1 and a pedestal having a refractive index n2, and wherein the fibre includes a first cladding having a refractive index n3 surrounding the pedestal, wherein n1 is greater than n2, n2 is greater than n3. The core includes silica, a concentration of alumina of between approximately 0.3 to 0.8 mole percent, a concentration of phosphate of substantially 15 mole percent, a concentration of ytterbium substantially in the range 20000 to 45000 ppm. The pedestal can include silica, phosphate and germania. The core can have substantially zero thulium dopant.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a photo-darkening resistant optical fibre includes a waveguide having a numerical aperture less than 0.15. The waveguide includes a core having a refractive index n1 and a pedestal having a refractive index n2, and wherein the fibre includes a first cladding having a refractive index n3 surrounding the pedestal, wherein n1 is greater than n2, n2 is greater than n3. The core includes silica, a concentration of alumina of between approximately 0.3 to 0.8 mole percent, a concentration of phosphate of substantially 15 mole percent, a concentration of ytterbium substantially in the range 20000 to 45000 ppm. The pedestal can include silica, phosphate and germania. The core can have substantially zero thulium dopant.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus and method for isolating an wrist during aerobic exercise on an exercise machine such as a hand operated exercise bicycle or elliptical trainer, configured to be worn on the arm of a person having an wrist injury so that the person may operate the exercise machine with the arm having the wrist injury without pressure on the wrist, wherein weight and force are distributed from the exercise machine to the forearm and upper arm without implicating the wrist.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a photo-darkening resistant optical fiber includes a waveguide having a numerical aperture less than 0.15. The waveguide includes a core having a refractive index n1 and a pedestal having a refractive index n2, and wherein the fiber includes a first cladding having a refractive index n3 surrounding the pedestal, wherein n1 is greater than n2, n2 is greater than n3. The core includes silica, a concentration of alumina of between approximately 0.3 to 0.8 mole percent, a concentration of phosphate of substantially 15 mole percent, a concentration of ytterbium substantially in the range 20000 to 45000 ppm. The pedestal can include silica, phosphate and germania. The core can have substantially zero thulium dopant.

Abstract: A main data center with first and second backup data centers also has a translator for assisting a failover module of a failed server at the main data center in implementing failover of the failed server to a corresponding server at the first backup data center. The translator intercepts a command from the failover module to a store of the main data center, where the command directs the store to disable writes to particular storage space in the store associated with the failed server, but does not identify with specificity which of a store of the first data center and a store of the second data center is enabled to write to such particular storage space. Thus, the translator determines an identification of the store of the first backup data center, and modifies the command from the failover module based on the determined identification.

Abstract: A push-pull capacitive micromechanical ultrasound transducer (CMUT) is provided for ultrasound imaging or therapy. Gaps and electrodes on both sides of an electrostatic membrane provide push-pull operation. The membrane is oriented to flex in a direction of acoustic propagation. A surface connected to the membrane may better expose the movement to the acoustic medium even in the push-pull arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a vessel having a conduit extending therefrom, and a stirrer, a section of which is adapted to be located within the conduit and a section of which is adapted to be located within the vessel, said stirrer being adapted such that, in use, material within the conduit is conveyed in a direction towards the vessel and/or in a direction away from the vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supported heteropolyacid catalyst, to a process for producing alkenes from oxygenates in the presence of said catalyst, and to the use of said catalyst in a process for producing alkenes from oxygenates at a higher productivity whilst reducing the formation of alkanes.

Abstract: A process for the production of ethene by the vapour phased chemical dehydration of a feed comprising ethanol, water and ethoxyethane in a reactor at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a bed of catalyst comprising a supported heteropolytungstic acid characterised in that the reactor is maintained or configured so that it operates in a regime which satisfies the following parameters: 0.05<(Pwater/Pethanol+Pethoxyethane))/(8×10?5×GHSV+0.75) (1) and ?20<Treaction?Tdew point?40×Ptotal feed+40×Pinerts<+80 (2) wherein Pwater, Pethanol and Pethoxyethane are respectively the partial pressures of water, ethanol and ethoxyethane in the thermodynamic equilibrium composition of the feed at the operating temperature and pressure of the process (in MPa), GHSV is the gas hourly space velocity of feed over the catalyst in hr?1, Treaction is the temperature of reaction in ° C.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus and method for isolating an wrist during aerobic exercise on an exercise machine such as a hand operated exercise bicycle or elliptical trainer, configured to be worn on the arm of a person having an wrist injury so that the person may operate the exercise machine with the arm having the wrist injury without pressure on the wrist, wherein weight and force are distributed from the exercise machine to the forearm and upper arm without implicating the wrist.

Abstract: A compact end launch transition for providing a connection between a housing having an electrical terminator and a waveguide component and associated method are described. The transition includes a having a rear side presenting a substantially flat surface to abut the housing and has a front side having an aperture. An antenna located within the body is configured to interact with the aperture to form an end launch transition. An electrical connector is in electrical communication with the antenna and exposed from the rear side of the body to connect directly to the electrical terminator. This avoids the need to use cable to connect the housing and waveguide component and provides a particularly compact device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a vessel having a conduit extending therefrom, and a stirrer, a section of which is adapted to be located within the conduit and a section of which is adapted to be located within the vessel, said stirrer being adapted such that, in use, material within the conduit is conveyed in a direction towards the vessel and/or in a direction away from the vessel.

Abstract: A personal care composition is provided which includes from 0.1 to 30% of a dihydroxypropyltri(C1-C3 alkyl) ammonium salt by weight of the composition; from 0.0001 to 0.005% of a tri(C1-C3 alkyl)amine or protonated form thereof by weight of the ammonium salt; from 0.002 to 15% of an aluminum salt by weight of the composition; and a cosmetically acceptable carrier wherein the composition has a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.9. Unpleasant amine odor from trialkyl amines which arise from the dihydroxypropyltri(C1-C3 alkyl) ammonium salts is suppressed by the aluminum salt and by careful control of pH conditions.