Abstract: Newly identified fungal sweet-taste modifying proteins, and the cDNA encoding said proteins are described. Specifically, Myd proteins active in sweet taste activation, and the cDNA encoding the same, are described, along with methods for isolating such cDNA and for isolating and expressing such proteins. Also disclosed is use of a sweetening composition which includes the proteins of the invention, and methods to provide improved flavor to a product for oral administration.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to rendering animations in a multi-layered animation system and to rendering an element with an animation that uses multiple levels of animation properties. In one scenario, a computer system establishes an operating system (OS)-specified animation value for at least one property of a user interface (UI) element that is to be animated. The computer system receives a user-specified animation value for at least one property of the UI element that is to be animated and determines, based on the UI element property, how to combine the OS-specified animation value and the user-specified animation value. The computer system then combines the OS-specified animation value and the user-specified value for the UI element in the determined manner and renders the animation for the element using the combined animation values.

Abstract: Rendering different types of graphical content using a single primitive type. Embodiments enable graphical elements of different content types representing a scene to be rendered as a batch based on the single primitive type, thereby reducing data transfer and improving processing performance. For example, each graphical element in a batch of graphical elements can rendered based modifications to instances of a template shape, which represents a single primitive type usable for rendering different types of graphical content. The modifications to each instance can include modifying the instance according transformation data, clip data, and/or width and height data to position the instance in a scene, and filling the modified instance according to one or more of shape or brush data corresponding to the graphical element.

Abstract: Primitive-based composition techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a global composition system may be configured to perform rendering for a plurality of applications. For example, the global composition system may be configured to expose one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) that are accessible to the applications. The APIs may then be used to cause a single composition engine to perform the rendering for the plurality of applications. Further, the composition engine may support the use of primitives, which include one or more rendering instructions and thus an element associated with a visual to be rendered may be something other than a bitmap.

Abstract: Performing real-time atlasing of graphics data and creation and maintenance of texture atlases for applications having dynamic graphics content. Embodiments include allocating a texture atlas configured to store textural elements for use in rendering graphical elements, and providing a graphics processing unit (GPU) access to the texture atlas. During subsequent execution of an application, when a graphical element of the application is to be rendered by the GPU, a block of space can be allocated within the texture atlas and a textural element corresponding to the graphical element can be stored within the allocated block. The GPU therefore has access to the textural element when rendering the graphical element.

Abstract: Performing primitive composition within a user interface thread, enhancing the ability to scale a user interface framework to computing devices having limited resources. In one or more embodiments, a user interface thread walks a user interface hierarchy that describes elements of a program's user interface and directly generates static Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) data structures representing at least a portion of the user interface hierarchy. The user interface thread passes the static GPU data structures to a composition thread, which uses these static GPU data structures during generation of a plurality of video frames. This includes the composition thread, based on the static GPU data structures, sending GPU data and GPU commands for the plurality of video frames to a GPU for rendering.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to rendering animations in a multi-layered animation system and to rendering an element with an animation that uses multiple levels of animation properties. In one scenario, a computer system establishes an operating system (OS)-specified animation value for at least one property of a user interface (UI) element that is to be animated. The computer system receives a user-specified animation value for at least one property of the UI element that is to be animated and determines, based on the UI element property, how to combine the OS-specified animation value and the user-specified animation value. The computer system then combines the OS-specified animation value and the user-specified value for the UI element in the determined manner and renders the animation for the element using the combined animation values.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to maintaining layout properties when aliasing a live element and to independently inheriting animation properties using aliases. In one scenario, a computer system generates aliases for a live element displayed in a user interface (UI). The aliases represent the live element in a UI layout which includes live element properties that are inherited hierarchically. The computer system removes the live element from the UI such that the live element is no longer visible on the UI, and integrates the generated aliases into the UI layout. The aliases inherit properties of the UI layout depending on where in the layout the alias was attached. The computer system then initiates an animation for the live element using the aliases which are integrated into the UI layout according to the properties inherited from the position of the aliases in the layout.

Abstract: Performing real-time atlasing of graphics data and creation and maintenance of texture atlases for applications having dynamic graphics content. Embodiments include allocating a texture atlas configured to store textural elements for use in rendering graphical elements, and providing a graphics processing unit (GPU) access to the texture atlas. During subsequent execution of an application, when a graphical element of the application is to be rendered by the GPU, a block of space can be allocated within the texture atlas and a textural element corresponding to the graphical element can be stored within the allocated block. The GPU therefore has access to the textural element when rendering the graphical element.

Abstract: Performing primitive composition within a user interface thread, enhancing the ability to scale a user interface framework to computing devices having limited resources. In one or more embodiments, a user interface thread walks a user interface hierarchy that describes elements of a program's user interface and directly generates static Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) data structures representing at least a portion of the user interface hierarchy. The user interface thread passes the static GPU data structures to a composition thread, which uses these static GPU data structures during generation of a plurality of video frames. This includes the composition thread, based on the static GPU data structures, sending GPU data and GPU commands for the plurality of video frames to a GPU for rendering.

Abstract: Rendering different types of graphical content using a single primitive type. Embodiments enable graphical elements of different content types representing a scene to be rendered as a batch based on the single primitive type, thereby reducing data transfer and improving processing performance. For example, each graphical element in a batch of graphical elements can rendered based modifications to instances of a template shape, which represents a single primitive type usable for rendering different types of graphical content. The modifications to each instance can include modifying the instance according transformation data, clip data, and/or width and height data to position the instance in a scene, and filling the modified instance according to one or more of shape or brush data corresponding to the graphical element.