Abstract: A financial product. The financial product includes an underlying portfolio component, a fixed income component, and a scale-in component. The underlying portfolio component includes an initial investment allocation into an alpha-generating portfolio. The fixed income component is structured and arranged to generate a predictable rate of return and includes an initial investment allocation into a fixed income portfolio. The scale-in component is structured and arranged to increase the investment allocation into the underlying portfolio component when a cumulative return of the alpha-generating portfolio exceeds a threshold amount.

Abstract: A financial product. The financial product includes a fixed income component and an alpha engine component. The fixed income component is structured to provide asset-liability matching and/or spending rule benefits. The alpha engine component includes an investment in an alpha-generating portfolio. The investment includes a cash investment and/or a derivative investment in the alpha-generating portfolio.

Abstract: A financial product. The financial product includes a cash component, an alpha engine component, a private equity component and a beta component. The cash component includes an investment in a liquid portfolio. The alpha engine component includes an investment in an alpha-generating portfolio. The private equity component includes an investment in the private equity portfolio. The beta component is structured to track a total return of one or more indices.

Abstract: A palladium-on-silica catalyst for the anthraquinone-hydroquinone method of preparing hydrogen peroxide is prepared by adding acid solutions of a palladium compound and of an additive metal salt to an aqueous slurry of silica particles, lowering the pH of the slurry to about 0.8-1.0, then incrementally raising the pH of the slurry to 2.3-2.7, to 3.8-4.2, then to 6.8-7.2, and then reducing the palladium compound to palladium metal.

Abstract: The amounts of methacrolein-, dihydrofuran-and aldehydic impurities in THF made from acetylene and formaldehyde can be significantly reduced by hydrogenating them during an interval in the multi-stage distillation THF refining procedure.

Abstract: 1,4-Butynediol is catalytically hydrogenated under conventional conditions to produce a reaction product containing 1,4-butanediol. This reaction product is then hydrogenated under acid conditions, i.e., pH 1-6 and temperatures of 120.degree.-150.degree. C., to produce a 1,4-butanediol product. Upon further separation, the 1,4-butanediol is practically free from compounds that would produce color when the diol is used to make polyesters.