Abstract: In a process for extruding a thermoplastic resin in a single screw extruder, a barrel of a single screw extruder has a channel, a feed section and a first melt seal located after the feed section. The process is improved by supplying solid polymer into the feed section and venting moisture extracted from the polymer during the conversion of the polymer from a solid to a melt into a vent area and through a rear vent positioned in the feed section. An unfilled area within the channel of the barrel between the rear vent and the first melt seal forms the vent area.

Abstract: The invention provides two new zoogloeal strains, mz1t and mz2t. The invention provides an isolated nucleic acid consisting of the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO:1. Examples of nucleic acids of mz1t include SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3. An example of a nucleic acid of mz2t is SEQ ID NO:4. The invention also provides an isolated nucleic acid consisting of the nucleic acid of SEQ ID NO:5. A method of detecting the presence of zoogloeal clusters in a wastewater sample is provided, comprising: a) contacting RNA from a sample of the wastewater with a nucleic acid comprising the nucleic acid of SEQ ID Nos:1,2,3,4 or 5 under conditions that permit specific hybridization; and b) detecting the presence of hybridization, the presence of hybridization indicating the presence of zoogloeal clusters. A new Hyphomicrobium spp. strain, designated M3, is provided herein. The invention provides novel nucleic acids of a Hyphomicrobium sp. M3. For example SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:7 rDNAs of M3.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reporter bacterium, comprising a bacterium that occurs naturally in a biological sludge and that contains a nucleic acid that encodes a reporter protein not found in the naturally occurring bacterium. The nucleic acid can encode a bioluminescent reporter protein. A method and apparatus are also provided for detecting the presence of toxicity in a wastewater treatment influent stream, comprising contacting the influent with a reporter bacterium of the present invention; monitoring the expression of the reporter protein by the reporter bacterium; and correlating a reduction in the expression of the reporter protein with the presence of toxicity.

Abstract: A liquid/dense gas extraction column process providing intimate contact between a dense gas and a fluid feed containing a solute and operating in an enhanced solubility region provides solubility of a solute in the dense gas to be at least 250% by weight greater than the solubility of the solute in the dense gas at the same operating temperature and 200 bar pressure. The enhanced solubility region for carbon dioxide is a pressure range of between 450 and 1200 bar in combination with a temperature range between 50 and 300.degree. C. The column has a diameter greater than about 3.5 centimeters and a height to diameter ratio greater than about 5.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making copolyesters of terephthalic acid and a diol component including ethylene glycol and includes the steps of adding terephthalic acid and diol to a first esterification reactor and then late addition of supplemental ethylene glycol subsequent to the first esterification reactor but prior to a point where the ethylene glycol partial pressure is reduced below about 300 torr.

Abstract: The ability to transport body liquids in consumer products such as diapers, incontinents and feminine napkins is a key factor in their performance. This invention is designed to provide specific high fluxes (volume of liquid/(time*mass of polymer) of aqueous liquids in designated directions using bundles of new specially designed fibers. The key factors for the bundles are a high specific adhesion for the liquid of interest, a high specific volume of the bundle itself, and alignment of the fibers within the bundle. The invention includes novel liquid acquisition/distribution systems and absorbent products that include a liquid acquisition/distribution system which may incorporate the novel bundles of fibers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for producing molded, shaped or extruded articles comprising the steps of:a) melt reacting, in the presence of a catalyst which is substantially free of Co compounds, at least one glycol and at least one dicarboxylic acid to form a polyester having an I.V. of at least about 0.5 dL/g, wherein said at least one glycol is selected from the group consisting of glycols having up to 10 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof and said dicarboxylic is selected from the group consisting of alkyl dicarboxylic acids having 2 to 16 carbon atoms, aryl dicarboxylic acids having 8 to 16 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof;b) adding an acetaldehyde reducing additive to said polyester to form a reduced acetaldehyde polyester; andc) forming said reduced acetaldehyde polyester into articles directly from step b.Thus, the present invention provides a process for directly producing from the melt article having extremely low acetaldehyde content.

Abstract: In a process for producing a profile by profile extrusion of a thermoplastic resin, a melt of the thermoplastic resin is extruded through a die to form the profile. The process is improved by utilizing a thermoplastic resin having a composition of from about 99.95 to about 98.0 weight percent amorphous or semicrystalline polyester and from about 0.05 to about 2.0 weight percent of a zinc salt of an organic acid. The improvement of the process is either by increasing speed or decreasing temperature of a profile extrusion process already operating at a maximum speed and/or temperature with experiencing melt fracture. When melt fracture is present in the profile extrusion process, a method for reducing melt fracture in a profile is accomplished by combining from about 99.95 to about 98.0 weight percent amorphous or semicrystalline polyester and from about 0.05 to about 2.

Abstract: Disclosed are head bands comprising a sliver of spontaneously wettable staple fibers. The fibers are of an irregular, grooved shape in cross section and are lightly bound together to permit easy separation into suitable lengths for head bands.

Abstract: The present invention is an elastomeric polyolefin terpolymer comprising about 5 to 25 weight percent ethylene units, from greater than about 5 to about 40 weight percent hexene units, and about 35 to less than about 90 weight percent propylene units, wherein the total weight percent of monomer units equals 100 percent. The high molecular weight terpolymer is amorphous, is elastomeric, has a melt flow rate of about 0.01 to 500 grams per 10 minutes and has a tensile set of about 65 to 120 percent, according to ASTM D-412.

Abstract: A novel process for making an alkylpolyglycoside comprises reacting a monosaccharide with an alcohol in the presence of a binary sulfate catalyst under heat. The particular binary sulfate catalyst is a mixture of H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and inorganic base at a normal ratio of about 0.7:1 to 1.1:1 of H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 to inorganic base. Also the alkylpolyglycoside product from the reaction mixture can be isolated so that the alkylpolyglycoside process contains less than 5 weight percent free alcohol, and further separated into a white, free flowing powder of high DP (degree of polymerization) alkylpolyglycoside and a low DP alkylpolyglycoside paste.

Abstract: A polyester resin composition is calendered to produce a film or a sheet. The polyester resin composition is a polyester having a crystallization half time from a molten state of at least 5 minutes combined with an additive for preventing sticking of the polyester to calendering rolls.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the isolation of fatty acids and fatty acid esters from complex naturally occurring mixtures which contain sterols, triglycerides and phospholipids.

Abstract: A polyester having increased UV absorption comprising (i) a residue of a dicarboxylic acid component comprising terephthalic and from about 1 to about 20 mole % of isophthalic acid, (ii) a residue of a glycol component comprising ethylene glycol, and (iii) from about 0.01 mole % to about 15 mole % of a residue of an aromatic diol derivative, wherein the aromatic diol derivative has a least two polyester reactive groups that are capable of participating in a polyester-forming reaction and the total mole % for components (i), (ii) and (iii) is 200 mole %.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel thermoplastic article having a high-relief, molded or embossed surface produced by contacting a laminate comprising a first or outer copolyester sheet material and a second or backing copolyester sheet material with heat and pressure using a heated element which simultaneously causes the material to be bonded and a high-relief, decorative appearance to be produced on at least one surface of the thermoplastic article. Also disclosed is an embossed or molded, bonded laminate comprising, in order, (1) a first or outer copolyester layer, (2) a second layer comprising a film which is colored or which bears an image or pattern, and (3) a third or backing copolyester layer, wherein the first and third layers are composed on the above-described copolyester. The copolyesters of the thermoplastic articles and laminates are selected from copolyesters having an inherent viscosity of 0.5 to 1.2 dL/g, when measured at 25.degree. C. using 0.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward efficient, high-yield processes for making ascorbic acid, 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, and esters of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid. The processes comprise reacting the appropriate starting materials with a hydrolase enzyme catalyst such as a protease, an esterase, a lipase or an amidase.

Abstract: Blood cholesterol and/or blood triglycerides are reduced in a mammalian subject by administering an effective amount of tert-butylhydroquinone or a salt thereof. The mammalian subject is preferably human. Additionally, a preparation of tert-butylhydroquinone in dosage unit form is provided to reduce blood cholesterol and/or blood triglycerides. The preparation is advantageously designed for oral administration.

Abstract: A branched random aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters suitable for foaming has increased melt viscosity and melt strength during extrusion and comprises repeating units of:[--{(O--R.sup.1 --O).sub.a --(CO--R.sup.2 --CO).sub.b }--{(O--R.sup.3 --O).sub.c --(CO--Ar--CO).sub.d }--](BA).sub.x.The mole percent of the acid components and diol components are each based on 100 mole percent. The aliphatic acid residue, --CO--R.sup.2 --CO--, is present in an amount b ranging from 30 to 95 percent and the aromatic acid residue, --CO--Ar--CO--, is present in an amount d ranging from 5 to 70 percent. The diol residues, --O--R.sup.1 --O-- and --O--R.sup.3 --O--, are present in an amount a of 0 to 100 mol percent and in an amount c of 100 to 0 mol percent, respectively. The branching agent, BA, is present in an amount x of 0.01 to 10 weight percent based on the total weight of acid residues, diol residues and branching agent. A foamed article of the branched random aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for rupturing microalgae in an aqueous suspension is disclosed. In one embodiment the aqueous suspension is passed through a constriction into a liquid phase at a pressure sufficient to rupture the cells by circulating the aqueous suspension through a constriction in a pump loop at a pressure and a percent recycle sufficient to rupture the cells. Cells of the alga Dunaliella salina can be ruptured by the method of the invention to promote froth flotation and mechanical filtration of the cells for recovery of mixed carotenoids.

Abstract: A method for producing a processed polymeric sheet to be adhesively secured to a cover to form a seal, the sheet having properties such that the seal does not have branching peel defects when it is separated. A polymeric sheet is formed from a source of polymeric material, and at least one side of the polymeric sheet is coated with silicone. The polymeric sheet is further processed while implementing a static neutralization method to substantially eliminate electrostatic discharge across the polymeric sheet during such further fabrication, producing a processed polymeric sheet. Preferably the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, acrylics, acrylonitrile, polycarbonates, polyimide, and cellulosics.