Abstract: Method for preparing melamine from urea via a high-pressure process in which solid melamine is obtained by transferring the melamine melt coming from the reactor to a vessel where the melamine melt is cooled with an evaporating cooling medium. The melamine melt comes from the melamine reactor at a temperature between the melting point of melamine and 450° C. and is sprayed into a cooling vessel, via spraying means, and cooled by means of an evaporating cooling medium to form melamine powder. The cooling vessel has an ammonia environment with an increased ammonia pressure. The melamine melt is thereby converted into melamine powder having a temperature of between 200° C. and the solidification point of melamine. The melamine powder is then cooled to a temperature below 200° C. with the powder mechanically agitated and being cooled directly or indirectly, after which the ammonia pressure is released and, if necessary, the melamine powder is cooled further.

Abstract: Process to separate linear 5-formylvaleric acid from a mixture of 5- and 3- and 4-formylvaleric acids, wherein the separation is performed by fractional extraction with two immiscible solvents of which one solvent is an aqueous solvent and the other solvent is an organic solvent, in which the organic solvent has a higher or lower affinity for 5-formylvaleric acid than its affinity for the 3-formylvaleric acids and for the 4-formylvaleric acid. Furthermore the invention relates to an improved process to prepare ∈-caprolactam starting from a mixture of branched and linear formylvaleric acids or starting from pentenoic acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple and selective method for the deacylation of 4-acylated statins during the preparation of statins from a fermentation broth, more specifically a reduction of impurities from the process, by increasing the pH of the fermentation broth.

Abstract: A polymerization catalyst obtained by contacting metallic magnesium with an aromatic halide, RX, under conditions effective to obtain a first reaction product and solid residual products is disclosed. The first reaction product is then separated from the solid residual products. A silane compound containing an alkoxy or aryloxy group is added to the first reaction product between −20° C. to 20° C. to obtain a precipitate which is purified to obtain a second reaction product. Subsequently, the second reaction product is contacted with a halogenized titanium compound, such as, titanium tetrachloride, to obtain a further reaction product. The polymerization catalyst is obtained by purifying the further reaction product. In the aromatic halide, R represents an aromatic group containing from 6 to 20 carbon atoms and X represents a halide. An electron dopor such as dibutyl phthalate may also be present during the titanium addition.

Abstract: A radiation curable resin composition comprising (A) a first linear (meth)acryloyl and aromatic group-containing compound, (B) a second branched (meth)acryloyl group-containing compound, (C) a radiation polymerization initiator, and (D) silica particles having a secondary average particle diameter of 0.5 to 5 &mgr;m. The composition is suitable for use as a printable heat-resistant protective coat which is used for information recording media such as thermosensible recording cards and thermosensible photographic printing paper.

Abstract: Radiation-curable compositions, having high elongation at break and toughness after cure can include the following pre-mixture components: a) a polymer, oligomer or monomer having at least one (meth)acrylate functional group; b) an oligomer or monomer, exclusive of (meth)acrylate functional groups, having an ethylenically unsaturated functional group; and c) an elongation promoter; wherein the composition, after radiation-cure, has an elongation at break of at least about 200%. Glass substrates and optical fibers are coated with the radiation-curable composition. Monofilament fiber or a plurality of fiber filaments, such as sewing thread, are coated with the radiation-curable binder composition, which after cure, demonstrates high elongation at break.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a yeast cell comprising at least two copies of a desired gene integrated into its chromosomal genome, wherein said genome comprises at least two DNA domains suitable for integration of one or more copies of said desired gene, which domains share substantial sequence homology and are non-ribosomal RNA encoding DNA domains, and wherein at least two of said substantially homologous non-ribosomal RNA encoding DNA domains have at least one copy of the said desired gene integrated. The invention also provides methods for making yeast cells according to the invention, as well as the use thereof for making a protein, a peptide or a metabolite.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of melamine from urea via a high-pressure process in which dry melamine powder is obtained by transferring the melamine melt leaving the reactor to a vessel in which the melamine melt is cooled by means of ammonia characterized in that the melamine melt is sprayed into a cooling vessel and cooled by droplets of evaporating liquid ammonia which is sprayed into the same cooling vessel at a pressure above 0.1 MPa and a temperature between 50° C. and the melting point of the melamine in the cooling vessel.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing L-aspartic acid by enzyme-catalyzed reaction of fumaric acid with ammonia, in which process L-aspartic acid is precipitated out by nitric acid and the resultant mother liquor is subjected to a nanofiltration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure process for producing melamine from urea in which highly pure melamine is obtained by transferring melamine melt leaving a melamine reactor to a cooling vessel where the melamine melt is cooled to a temperature of between 1° C. and 30° C. above the melting point of melamine after which the liquid melamine can be transferred to a second cooling vessel in which vessel the melamine melt is further cooled using cold ammonia by which solid melamine is obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting gas-liquid contact in a system in which the liquid is the continuous phase, the apparatus consisting of a vertical column fitted with a series of perforated trays. The perforated trays provide openings near the edges of the trays or between the trays and the inside of the column wall for the transport of liquid. The trays also include a downwardfacing flange at or near the tray edge to establish and maintain a gas cushion under the tray, the height of the flange being between 5-50% of the tray-to-tray spacing The trays further including an upwardly-facing rim on the top side of the tray within which are provided perforations designed for gas flow, the height of the rim being between 5-50% of the tray-to-tray spacing. Between adjacent trays is provided a generally cylindrical tube having a diameter smaller than that of the downwards-facing flange and larger than the upwards-facing rim, the height of the cylinder being 40-80% of the distance between two successive trays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bread improver composition containing lipase, hemicellulase and amylase, preferably in combination with shortening. The enzyme preparation of the invention has an advantageous effect on the crumb softness of the final bakery product. The combination of the enzyme preparation of the invention and shortening can replace emulsifiers like SSL and monoglycerides which are used as a crumb softener.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photosensitive resin composition for rapid prototyping comprising: a. about 30 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of at least two epoxy resins, at least one of these resins is solid at room temperature and comprises aromatic groups, and at least one of these resins is liquid, having a viscosity at 25° C. lower than about 1,000 Pa.s, b. about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of at least one multifunctional acrylate compound c. about 5 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of a hydroxyfunctional compound d. about 1 wt. % to about 6 wt. % cationic photoinitiator e. about 1 wt. % to about 6 wt. % free radical photoinitiator. The invention further relates to a process for the manufacturing of 3-dimensional objects, known as rapid prototyping, wherein the photosensitive resin composition is used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation curable composition comprising a mono or mulit valent carboxylic ester of a &bgr;-hydroxyalkylamide group containing compound, in which the carboxylic ester is derived from an &agr;,&bgr;-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid. A coating composition based on this composition has a high rate of polymerisation and shows the desired chemical and mechanical properties.

Abstract: Method for preparing a salt of aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester from N-protected aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester involving cleaving off the protective group by treatment with an acid, in the course of which, first of all, N-protected aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester is caused to react in an aqueous medium and in the presence of methanol at a temperature of from 0 to 80° C. with from 0.8 to 2 equivalents of acesulphamic acid for at least such a time that the conversion to the salt of aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester and acesulphamic acid has been completed to an adequate degree, and then the salt formed in the first step is isolated in precipitated form at a temperature of 30° C. or lower.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of melamine from urea via a high-pressure process in which solid melamine is obtained by transferring the melamine melt leaving the melamine reactor to a cooling vessel where the melamine melt is cooled by means of liquid ammonia. The melamine melt is cooled to a temperature of between about 50° C. and about 350° C. by means of liquid ammonia, a mixture comprising ammonia and melamine being formed, after which all or part of this mixture is transferred to an expansion vessel, the composition being contacted with ammonia for about one minute to about five hours, following which solid melamine is liberated from the composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optical fiber coatings, inks and matrix material structures such as bundles or ribbons, and methods of curing the same, using low power electron beam radiation. The optical fiber substrate is not substantially degraded following exposure to the low power electron beam radiation during the curing process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric article,comprising the following steps: heating a mixture comprising a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group comprising styrene based thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers, and an effective amount of a water releasing chemical compound, to a temperature at which the water releasing chemical compound releases water, which is above the melting point of the thermoplastic elastomer, and releasing the resulting heated mixture to atmospheric conditions. The invention also relates to a foamable polymeric composition as well as to a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric article.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleotide sequences encoding human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) as well as recombinant DNAs, expression cassettes, transformed host cells, and recombinant expression methods comprising such sequences. Additionally, the invention describes proteins having hIL-3 activity, as purified, recombinantly produced, or fusion protein forms of hIL-3, as well as methods of using such proteins to produce antibodies capable of immunospecific reaction with hIL-3.