Abstract: An Ephemeral List navigation panel provided in conjunction with an Object-Action navigation tool which is a temporary “parking space” for objects encountered within other portions or modules of the Object-Action navigation tool. The panel represents a history, preferably in the form of a push-down stack, of products and/or objects encountered by the user. Items and objects within the panel are selectable by the user, and may be acted upon as indicated by the user such as adding, deleting, filtering and sorting them. The panel may be populated directly or indirectly by other processes associated with the Object-Action navigation tool, and the panel may cause actions within the other processes directly or indirectly responsive to user actions on the panel.

Abstract: An information aggregation and management system and method having selective “drill-down” capabilities and employing an Object-Action Navigation methodology. A user first selects an object of interest, and then selects one or more actions to perform on said selected object. An informational object may be selected from a Context Pane, and then an available action for that object may be selected from execution. A Content Pane displays the results of the actions on the object or objects. The user may rearrange, summarize, maximize, filter and sort information for display to effectively manage display area and minimize operations necessary to obtain information and analysis of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to specific bacterium and proteins with xylanase activity derived from the bacteria, in particular to xylanases which are free of any significant cellulase activity and which are active at high temperature and at neutral to alkaline pH. Xylanases having these characteristics are particularly useful in the bleaching of wood pulps, such as kraft pulps. The preferred bacterium designated B230 was isolated from white-rotted kerri wood in Western Australia; a sample of which has been deposited under the provision of the Budapest Treaty in the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories under the accession number N94/41262. This preferred bacterium is a gram positive, obligatively aerobic, rod-shaped with a centrally-located spore and has the taxomonic characteristics of Bacillus subtilis (by VITEK method).

Abstract: A apparatus for gearless shifting, includes at least one crank, and an arm assembly, coupled to the at least one crank, for telescoping to adjust a length of the at least one crank, to selectively and controllably adjust a stroke length of the at least one crank. A pump also is provided including a variable-stroke length apparatus.

Abstract: A system for storing a container containing a mixture therein having blended constituents, includes a frame, a drive roller mounted on the frame, and a passive roller mounted on the frame, a container being received on an outer periphery of the drive roller and the passive roller. The drive roller rotates the container such that the mixture held in the container is maintained blended.

Abstract: The invention relates to specific bacterium and proteins with xylanase activity derived from the bacteria, in particular to xylanases which are free of any significant cellulase activity and which are active at high temperature and at neutral to alkaline pH. Xylanases having these characteristics are particularly useful in the bleaching of wood pulps, such as kraft pulps. The preferred bacterium designated B230 was isolated from white-rotted kerri wood in Western Australia; a sample of which has been deposited under the provision of the Budapest Treaty in the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories under the accession number N94/41262. This preferred bacterium is a gram positive, obligatively aerobic, rod-shaped with a centrally-located spore and has the taxomonic characteristics of Bacillus subtilis (by VITEK method).

Abstract: A laser having a radial flow configuration which may be utilized to achieve lasing in both chemically and electrically excited gas lasers.