Abstract: High-yield chemimechanical lignocellulosic pulp is produced from non-woody species by cutting and screening the non-woody species, soaking them in an acidic aqueous solution preferably containing a chelating agent, treating the washed non-woody species with an alkaline peroxide solution containing a second chelating agent, and mechanical refining. To further increase the bleaching efficiency the non-woody species are impregnated with ozone or peracetic acid. The resulting pulp has a relatively high brightness while the consumption of peroxide is reduced compared to prior art processes.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to lectin derived carbohydrate binding peptides or derivatives thereof useful for suppressing inflammatory responses, inducing tolerance to an antigen, and suppressing cell adhesion, e.g., involved in metastasis. In particular, peptides capable of binding terminally linked &agr;-sialic acid(2-6)&bgr;Gal- and/or &agr;-sialic acid(2-3)&bgr;Gal-groups on structures or molecules comprising such groups are provided. Pharmaceutical compositions containing such lectin derived carbohydrate binding peptides are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for moving reservoir fluids from an underground reservoir using a wellbore extending from the surface to an end beneath the surface, wherein the wellbore communicates with the reservoir such that reservoir fluids enter the wellbore and separate into a liquid phase and a gas phase at a gas pressure. The apparatus includes a first pump, for containing within the wellbore in communication with the liquid, for pumping the liquid phase. The apparatus further includes a pump drive, for containing within the wellbore, operably connected to the first pump for driving the first pump. The pump drive is powered using the gas pressure of the gas phase in the wellbore. An intake communicates with the gas phase in the wellbore and directs the gas phase to the pump drive in order to power the pump drive, while an exhaust directs the gas phase from the pump drive. Further, the invention is a method for moving reservoir fluids from an underground reservoir using a wellbore.

Abstract: A seedling container and a method of making the same, that includes a sleeve filled with a compressed plant growth medium and having a first end, a second end, and a defining sidewall. The sidewall has at least one integrally formed tear away strip that extends between the first end and the second end. The tear away strip enables the sleeve to be readily removed to enable a seedling to be planted that is encased in plant growth medium.

Abstract: In an underground oil reservoir, an injection well is completed low in the reservoir and a production well is provided having a horizontal leg completed relatively high in the reservoir and a vertical leg completed low in the reservoir. Water is injected with the vertical leg open and the horizontal leg closed, so that a displacement front advances in an under-riding manner between the wells and oil is produced through the vertical leg. Once the water break-through in the vertical leg occurs, it is closed and the horizontal leg is opened. A rising, horizontal, gravity-stable displacement front then advances upwardly toward the horizontal leg, through which oil is produced. The open horizontal leg acts as a low pressure sink to induce the horizontal displacement front to advance up toward it. This two-stage process is characterized by a good vertical and lateral sweep.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions comprising an oligosaccharide of S. pneumoniae serotype 8 useful for stimulating an immune response to an antigen, methods of providing protective immunization against a bacterial pathogen using these compositions, methods of augmenting an immunogenic response to an antigen by administering these S. pneumoniae serotype 8 oligosaccharide compositions along with the antigen, and methods of making the immunostimulatory compositions described above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an atomization apparatus and method for the formation of substantially uniform, at least nearly spherical particles, particularly for the formation of metal particles. The present invention provides an atomization apparatus having a nozzle positioned at the bottom of a cooling chamber. Rayleigh wave instability may be induced by imparting vibrations to a stream of molten material which is released in an upward direction. This produces uniform droplets having an initial velocity sufficient to increase the residence time of the droplets in an inert atmosphere. The parabolic trajectory of the droplets over a 2 m vertical displacement is approximately five times longer than a freefall, thus significantly increasing the cooling time without increasing the cooling chamber height. Further the kinetic energy of each droplet is much lower throughout its trajectory which serves to improve the formation of spherical shaped particles and to lower the impact velocity.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining at least one property of a multiphase fluid. The method includes the steps of directing the multiphase fluid through a first flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the first flow passage to obtain a first signal representing a first flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, directing the multiphase fluid through a second flow passage, monitoring the multiphase fluid as it passes through the second flow passage to obtain a second signal representing a second flow characteristic of the multiphase fluid as a function of time, and then determining the property of the multiphase fluid by comparing the first signal and the second signal with a set of calibration maps. The second flow passage has a geometry different from the first flow passage which relates either to the cross section of the two flow passages or to the direction in which the multiphase fluid passes through the flow passages relative to gravity.

Abstract: On-line measurements of an amount of dissolved solids in a liquid sample are determined by using both conductivity and UV measurements. More particularly, an amount of dissolved solids in a pulp and paper mill process water or effluent is determined by irradiating at least a portion of a liquid sample with ultraviolet light and subsequently measuring an absorption of the light by the liquid sample. Furthermore the conductivity of the liquid sample is measured and subsequently a computation is from a first relationship between the measured absorption of the first wavelength by the liquid sample and the measured conductivity of the liquid sample using a suitably programmed processor.

Abstract: A straw splitter for longitudinally splitting pieces of cereal straw into separated strands for use in making a panel, board or beam is provided. A cutting shear roller and a gripping shear roller are rotatable around their longitudinal axis at different circumferential speeds. The pieces of straw are split due to shear between the cutting shear roller and the gripping shear roller. The shear rollers each comprise parallel grooves with cutting edges oriented at a predetermined angle to the roller axis such that the grooves of the gripping shear roller cross the grooves of the cutting shear roller providing a scissoring action for splitting the straw into long strands.

Abstract: The invention provides immunogenic oligosaccharide compositions and methods of making and using them. In particular, the compositions comprise oligosaccharides covalently coupled to carrier protein, wherein the resultant conjugate has been shown to contain specific immunogenic epitopes and elicits a protectively immunogenic response.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring and controlling a characteristic of process waters or effluents from wood pulp bleaching, pulping and paper making processes utilizing a bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2), Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.4, ClO.sub.2, Cl.sub.2 or O.sub.3 or a pulp delignification process utilizing a delignification agent such as NaOH, Na.sub.2 S, O.sub.2, Na.sub.2 SO.sub.3, and enzymes including ligninase, xylanase, mannanase, laccase, and peroxidase are disclosed. This is done by obtaining at least three measurements of ultraviolet-visible light from the effluent by taking a first measurement measured at a first wavelength, a second measurement measured at a second wavelength, and a third measurement at a third wavelength, formulating two ratios from the three measurements and using the ratios for computing an empirical value of the characteristic of the effluent.

Abstract: Structured packing for mass-exchange or energy-exchange processes uses a stack of parallel, flat sheets forming flat channels therebetween. A number of tabs extends between adjacent pairs of sheets to form both bridges for fluid flow and spacers for structural rigidity of the packing. Some of the tabs serve predominantly to divert fluid over the entire surface of a given sheet to prevent so-called channeling, while other tabs are disposed to predominantly enhance fluid transfer between the adjacent sheets. Fluid communication between both sides of each sheet is facilitated due to perforations caused by the manufacturing of the tabs. The design allows for the use of very thin sheets resulting in a light-weight packing assembly.

Abstract: Antibody-mediated xenograft rejection is attenuated by (1) removing preformed antibodies to various identified carbohydrate xenoantigens from the recipient's circulation prior to transplantation by extracorporeal perfusion of the recipient's blood over a biocompatible solid support to which the xenoantigens are bound and/or (2) parenterally administering a xenoantibody-inhibiting amount of an identified xenoantigen to the recipient shortly before graft revascularization and thereafter.

Abstract: Individual sweet glycosides are obtained from the stevia rebaudiana plant. A mixture of sweet glycosides extracted from the stevia rebaudiana plant are processed to remove impurities by using two ion exchange columns. After removing the mixed sweet glycosides from the second column with methanol the solution is dried. Upon refluxing the dried solids in a methanol solution and then cooling the solution, Stevioside precipitates out. The filtrate is further concentrated and cooled to precipitate out Rebaudioside A. This Rebaudioside A can be further purified as can the previously obtained Stevioside.

Abstract: A structural shell for protective headgear includes a shell-form body composed of a plurality of cells. This structural shell can withstand loads much greater than conventional single walled structural shells, without buckling.

Abstract: The sampling device of the present invention for taking sterile samples of a fluid such as biological samples from a fermenter or bio-reactor provides a simplified system for collecting sterile samples and preventing contamination of the samples. The sampling apparatus includes a holder in fluid communication with the fermenter or bio-reactor for removably connecting sample collecting containers. An adaptor is removably connected to the holder for steam sterilization of the holder between collection of successive samples. According to the present invention, presterilized bottles or containers are filled with sterile samples without the need to presterilize an entire bottle, cap, and valve sample collection assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to methods for the synthesis of sialyl Lewis.sup.x derivatives modified at the C-2 and/or C-6 position of GlcNAc employing chemoenzymatic synthesis. The derivatives find use in the treatment and prevention of diseases.

Abstract: A structural panel, board, or beam and method of making same, with straw that is oriented is provided. The straw is preferably oriented such that strands are parallel oriented in one or more directions. The straw strands are chopped, split, and a binder such as MDI is added.

Abstract: Disclosed is the trisaccharide .alpha.-D-Glcp-(1-2)-.alpha.-D-Glcp-(1-3)-.alpha.-D-Glcp and compounds related thereto as well as pharmaceutical compositions thereof.