Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes repeatedly selecting, by a control system for the environment, control settings for the environment based on internal parameters of the control system, wherein: at least some of the control settings for the environment are selected based on a causal model, and the internal parameters include a first set of internal parameters that define a number of previously received performance metric values that are used to generate the causal model for a particular controllable element; obtaining, for each selected control setting, a performance metric value; determining that generating the causal model for the particular controllable element would result in higher system performance; and adjusting, based on the determining, the first set of internal parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes identifying a procedural instance; determining a temporal extent for the procedural instance based on temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities in the procedural instance; selecting control settings for the procedural instance; monitoring environment responses to the control settings that are received for the one or more entities; determining which of the environment responses to attribute to the procedural instance in a causal model; and adjusting, based at least in part on the environment responses that are attributed to the procedural instance, the temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes repeatedly selecting control settings for the environment based on (i) a causal model that identifies causal relationships between possible settings for controllable elements in the environment and environment responses that reflect a performance of the control system in controlling the environment and (ii) current values of a set of internal parameters; and during the repeatedly selecting: monitoring environment responses to the selected control settings; determining, based on the environment responses, an indication that one or more properties of the environment have changed; and in response, modifying the current values of one or more of the internal parameters.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of functional group containing resins wherein an alkyl-dithiol is added to the polymerizing mixture of styrene and divinyl benzene part way through the polymerization. On completion of the polymerization, the product is a thiol functionalized styrene-divinyl benzene resin.

Abstract: This invention provides a new ion exchange resin which is characterized by having carbodithioate functionality (e.i. P--CS.sub.2.sup.- M.sup.+ where P--represents the resin bead and where M is selected from Na, K and Li).The present ion exchange resin may be prepared from a suitable non-functionalized resin bead by subjecting it to bromination, lithiation and treatment with carbon disulfide. Alternatively, a styrene-divinylbenzene resin which contains from 10 to 50 weight % DVB may be functionalized by lithiation and treatment with CS.sub.2.The carbodithioate functionalized resin of this invention is resistant to hydrolysis and is effective for the removal of Group VIII precious metals (e.g. rhodium) from chemical process streams.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adduct of a hydrogenated nitrile rubber and a sulfenyl chloride.The adducts are characterized by having a surprisingly low level of gel, as determined by the amount of adduct which is insoluble in methyl ethyl ketone after 16 hours at 30.degree. C.The adducts may be vulcanized and used to prepare seals, gaskets or mechanical goods.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing rhodium-containing catalyst residue from a solution of hydrogenated nitrile rubber. The process utilizes an ion exchange resin which must be both macroreticular and modified with a selected amine, thiol, carbodithioate, thiourea and/or dithiocarbamate functional group. The process is capable of removing rhodium from viscous rubber solutions containing less than 10 ppm rhodium. In a preferred embodiment, the process is undertaken in an ion-exchange column.

Abstract: The present invention relates to adducts of a partially hydrogenated acrylonigrile-butadiene rubber and a halogen selected from chlorine and bromine. The preferred adducts are characterized by having a surprisingly low gel content of less than ten weight percent, as measured by weight percent insoluble in methyl ethyl ketone after sixteen hours at 30.degree. C.