Abstract: Membrane proteins are difficult to express in recombinant form, purify, and characterize, at least in part due to their hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic properties. The membrane scaffold proteins (MSP) of the present invention assemble with target membrane or other hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic proteins or membrane fragments to form soluble nanoscale particles which preserve their native structure and function; they are improved over liposomes and detergent micelles. In the presence of phospholipid, MSPs form nanoscopic phospholipid bilayer disks, with the MSP stabilizing the particle at the perimeter of the bilayer domain. The particle bilayer structure allows manipulation of incorporated proteins in solution or on solid supports, including for use with such surface-sensitive techniques as scanning probe microscopy or surface plasmon resonance.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a blasting network (16) for use where spurious command signals may be passed through a blasting controller (12) to the blasting network, for example when the controller is connected to the Internet or Intranet (10). The system includes a firewall (14) whereby the communication link (20) between the controller and the blasting network can be placed in a control mode by a switch (19). In the control mode, any previously designated unsafe message such as a fire command is prevented from reaching the blasting network by, for example, disregarding the unsafe message or scrambling it so that it is no longer unsafe. In an operational mode of the communication link, any scrambled unsafe message may be unscrambled and any unsafe message may be transmitted to the blasting network.

Abstract: A choke valve useful for sub-sea application, having a valve body forming a bore extending therethrough which provides a body inlet, a body outlet and an insert chamber therebetween, and a removable insert assembly positioned in the insert chamber. The insert assembly includes a tubular cartridge having a side wall forming an internal bore and having a port communicating with the body inlet, whereby high pressure fluid enters through the body inlet; a bonnet connected with and closing the upper ends of the cartridge and the body, the bonnet being disengagably connected with the body, and a pressure reducing flow trim positioned in the cartridge bore, the flow trim having a restrictive opening whereby fluid from the body inlet may enter the flow trim at reduced pressure and pass through the body outlet.

Abstract: A cathode assembly for magnetron sputtering of a workpiece, and sputtering apparatus and methods of sputtering using same are provided. The cathode assembly includes a tubular cathode, which may be cylindrical in cross section along its length, or which may be curved or flexible, depending on the shape of workpiece that is to be sputtered, and which has a sputtering length of Ls. The cathode assembly also includes a magnet package, or a plurality of spaced magnet packages, each magnet package including either one magnet or a plurality of spaced magnets of alternating polarity, and having a magnet package length Lpkg which is less than Ls. The cathode assembly further includes one or more means for positioning, and preventing radial displacement of, the cathode along the axis of symmetry of the cathode.

Abstract: The present invention provides ferroelectric liquid crystal and liquid crystal compounds, among which are compounds which possess large X.sup.(2), i.e. second order nonlinear susceptibility and thus make them useful in optical and nonlinear optical applications. The invention includes chiral nonracemic compounds of formula ##STR1## where one of n or m is 1; k is 1 and B is COO or OOC; R' is a straight-chain or branched alkyl or monoalkene group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms where one or more of the non-neighboring carbon atoms in R', except any unsaturated carbon atoms, can be replaced with O, S or a Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2 group; and R' is a chiral nonracemic tail group selected from the group consisting of --O--C*H(CH.sub.3)R.sub.c, --O--C*H(CH.sub.3)COOR.sub.d and --O--CH.sub.2 C*HF--C*HF--R.sub.6 in which the * indicates an asymmetric carbon enriched in one stereoconfiguration which for --O--CH.sub.2 C*HF--C*HF--R.sub.e is either the (S,S) or (R,R) stereoconfiguration wherein: R.sub.

Abstract: A mordant composition for dyeing fibers is provided which comprises a colloidal suspension of aluminum hydroxide in an aqueous medium. The composition is formed by adding an aluminum sulfate salt to sodium or potassium carbonate in aqueous solution at a weight ratio of about 7:1 aluminum sulfate salt to carbonate salt. The preferred aluminum sulfate salt is alum.