Abstract: A system to determine the mass of a precious metal existing with an alloy specimen where the purity concentration of the precious metal within the alloy is known by a user is provided. The system includes an assembly for weighing the alloy specimen, the assembly including an adjustable setting to permit the user to input the known purity concentration, a processor programmed to calculate the mass of the precious metal based upon the weight of the alloy and the purity concentration, and a display for visually displaying the precious metal mass to the user.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing modified lignin and the resulting non-natural modified lignin product in which a lignin-producing polymerization reaction is performed using a polymerizable monomer having the structure: wherein at least one of the polymerizable monomers is incorporated into the resulting lignin.

Abstract: Described is an isolated lignified plant cell wall including lignin, wherein the lignin includes a ferulate residue incorporated therein, such as from coniferyl ferulate and/or sinapyl ferulate. Also described is a method to make the isolated lignified plant cell wall, and the lignin produced by the method.

Abstract: This invention relates to anti-cancer compounds and to methods for treating or preventing cancer. In one aspect the invention concerns mitochondrially delivered pro-oxidant anti-cancer compounds that generate reactive oxygen species and induce apoptosis of cancerous cells. The delivery moiety can be a lipophilic cation and the pro-oxidant vitamin E analogue, such as ?-tocopheryl succinate, ?-tocopheryl maleate, ?-tocopheryl maleyl amide, or 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2R-(4R,8R,12-trimethyltridecyl)-chroman-6-yloxyacetic acid (?-tocopheryloxyacetic acid).

Abstract: Described is an isolated lignified plant cell wall including lignin, wherein the lignin includes a ferulate residue incorporated therein, such as from coniferyl ferulate and/or sinapyl ferulate. Also described is a method to make the isolated lignified plant cell wall, and the lignin produced by the method.

Abstract: A system for shipping and displaying a vehicle is disclosed. A display box includes a vehicle receiving area that has a display area and an enclosed area so that when the vehicle is located in the display box a prospective purchaser can sit on the seat. For shipping a vehicle is affixed to a first display box and a second vehicle is affixed to a second display box. The second display box is inverted and reversed and is located above the first display box to form a rectangularly shaped shipping combination. First and second disposable pillars are located between the first and second vehicles to support the two display boxes when combined to form the shipping combination. In a preferred embodiment, the pillars locate in foot receiving areas of the vehicles in the first and second display boxes.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an electromagnetic acoustic transducer. An apparatus comprises a conductive material and a current inducer. The conductive material is configured to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field has magnetic flux lines that are substantially fixed and the conductive material has a temperature that is equal to or less than a critical temperature at which the conductive material has substantially zero electrical resistance. The current inducer is configured to cause an electric current to flow in a test object that interacts with the magnetic field, wherein the electric current has a frequency that generates an acoustic wave in the test object.

Abstract: This invention relates to anti-cancer compounds and to methods for treating or preventing cancer. In particular, the invention concerns pro-oxidant anti-cancer compounds, such as pro-oxidant forms of vitamin E that selectively interact with complex II of the mitochondrial respiratory chain of cancerous cells, generate reactive oxygen species and induce apoptosis of those cells.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for selectively pre-rendering off-screen content for display before the content comes on-screen on a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request to display content on a device and dividing the content into a first displayable portion that is based on a size of a viewport of the device and a second displayable portion that is outside the viewport. The method also includes rendering and displaying the first displayable portion of content within the viewport, and selecting a subset of the second displayable portion of content for rendering off-screen based on a predetermined rule. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for selectively pre-rendering off-screen content for display before the content comes on-screen on a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request to display content on a device and dividing the content into a first displayable portion that is based on a size of a viewport of the device and a second displayable portion that is outside the viewport. The method also includes rendering and displaying the first displayable portion of content within the viewport, and selecting a subset of the second displayable portion of content for rendering off-screen based on a predetermined rule. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: A particle trap and an associated method of trapping particles are provided. The particle trap includes a body formed of a high temperature superconductor (HTS). The body defines a cavity therethrough. The particle trap also includes first and second HTS end plates or first and second electrodes positioned at opposite ends of the cavity. At least one of the end plates or at least one of the electrodes defines at least one opening into the cavity to permit charged particles to enter and exit the cavity.

Abstract: A system for shipping and displaying a vehicle is disclosed. A display box includes a vehicle receiving area that has a display area and an enclosed area so that when the vehicle is located in the display box a prospective purchaser can sit on the seat. For shipping a vehicle is affixed to a first display box and a second vehicle is affixed to a second display box. The second display box is inverted and reversed and is located above the first display box to form a rectangularly shaped shipping combination. First and second disposable pillars are located between the first and second vehicles to support the two display boxes when combined to form the shipping combination. In a preferred embodiment, the pillars locate in foot receiving areas of the vehicles in the first and second display boxes.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for selectively pre-rendering off-screen content for display before the content comes on-screen on a device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request to display content on a device and dividing the content into a first displayable portion that is based on a size of a viewport of the device and a second displayable portion that is outside the viewport. The method also includes rendering and displaying the first displayable portion of content within the viewport, and selecting a subset of the second displayable portion of content for rendering off-screen based on a predetermined rule. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for making a glass preform with nanofiber reinforcement. The apparatus comprises a container for melting one or more glass components in a mixture comprising the glass components and one or more nanofibers. The container has an opening that allows escape of any gas released from the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more heating elements for heating the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more electric field devices, positioned exterior to the glass components, that create an electric field in a volume of the mixture in order to orient the nanofibers within the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container.

Abstract: An aircraft component and method of attaching an additional component to an aircraft component are described. The aircraft component includes an exterior surface exposed to external airflow during flight, an interior surface, and a locally thickened fastening portion between the exterior and interior surfaces. An area of the interior surface on the locally thickened fastening portion is substantially parallel to an area of the exterior surface on the locally thickened fastening portion. The thickness of the aircraft engine housing component between the exterior surface and the interior surface is greater at the fastening portion than at an area surrounding the fastening portion. When the additional component is fastened to the substantially parallel area of the interior surface on the fastening portion with mechanical fasteners, the mechanical fasteners do not penetrate the exterior surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing modified lignin and the resulting non-natural modified lignin product in which a lignin-producing polymerization reaction is performed using a polymerizable monomer having the structure: wherein at least one of the polymerizable monomers is incorporated into the resulting lignin.

Abstract: A composite tube is made by applying a mixture of individual reinforcing fibers and a resin onto the interior cylindrical wall of the spinning mandrel.