Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a microcomposite comprising a highly fluorinated ion-exchange polymer containing pendant sulfonate functional groups, said polymer existing as aggregated particles entrapped within and dispersed throughout a network of silica. Due to their high surface area and acid functionality, these microcomposites possess wide utility as improved solid acid catalysts, particularly in the substitution of aromatic compounds, in the decomposition of hydroperoxides, and in the isomerization of olefins.

Abstract: Promoters capable of driving fruit-specific expression of DNA sequences in transgenic blackcurrant and other non-climacteric fruit are presented.

Abstract: A method of grinding the edge of a disc uses a grinding machine having mounted thereon a grooved grinding wheel, in which the groove is formed in situ using a forming wheel also mounted on the grinding machine. After a workpiece has been ground or after a succession of workpieces have been ground, re-engaging the grinding wheel and the forming wheel with the grinding wheel remaining in situ, to re-form the groove in the grinding wheel to correct for wear.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible virtual printer architecture is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided for driving multiple heterogeneous presentation devices. A presentation job is received on behalf of a presentation device, the presentation job includes a data stream which contains source data in the form of text, image, graphics, and/or other embedded objects. The source data is then reduced to an intermediate format. Based upon the intermediate format and control information associated with the data stream, device-specific data and device-specific control information are generated for the presentation device. Finally, the presentation device is driven by providing the device-specific data and device-specific control information to the presentation device.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds having the structure: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and stereoisomers thereof that are useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases which are mediated by LTB4 production, such as psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, IBD, and asthma.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of at least one spherically shaped porous microcomposite is provided which microcomposite comprises a perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer containing pendant sulfonic and/or carboxylic acid groups entrapped within and highly dispersed throughout a network of inorganic oxide, wherein the weight percentage of the perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer in the microcomposite is from about 0.1 to about 90 percent, and wherein the size of the pores in the microcomposite is about 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an optical retardation film comprising at least one layer of an anisotropic polymer material, to a method of rubbing a substrate for the alignment of liquid crystal or mesogenic material that can be used in the above process, to an optical retardation film obtainable by the above process, to the use of such an optical retardation film in a liquid crystal display, and to a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal cell and such an optical retardation film.

Abstract: A system for implementing a design for six sigma process having a plurality of sub-processes each having a plurality of sub-steps. The system includes an independent main application for implementing the design for six sigma process. A series of independent sub-process applications each implements one sub-process of the design for six sigma process. A tool library containing a plurality of executable tools is accessible by the main application and sub-process applications to access and execute the plurality of executable tools. A communications path interconnects the main application, the sub-process applications, and the tool library.

Abstract: This invention concerns fluorine-modified perfluorinated ion-exchange microcomposites, comprising a perfluorinated ion-exchange polymer containing pendant sulphonic acid groups and/or carboxylic acid groups, entrapped within and highly dispersed throughout a network of inorganic oxide, said network having a plurality of fluoride groups bonded thereto; processes for their preparation and their use as catalysts in chemical processes such as alkylation of aromatic compounds.

Abstract: A long-distance homology cloning method which involves a multi-oligonucleotide, multi-step and iterative strategy designed to identify DNA sequences that code for evolutionary conserved amino acid sequences.

Abstract: A workpiece alignment and shifting system for moving circular workpieces from a first inspection station to a second machining station, comprises workpiece holding means for attachment to the face of a disc workpiece to move the latter from one position to another. Robotic means controls the position of the workpiece holding means and is adapted to move in a least two orthogonal directions, both of which are parallel to the plane of the disc when it occupies the first station. The disc is rotated in the inspection station and in the machining station and inspection means determines the position of the geometric center of the disc as it is rotated. Computing means calculates from data delivered by the inspection means the two shifts required along the orthogonal directions of movement of the robotic means, to move the geometric center of the disc to a second desired position whose coordinates are known. The computing means includes memory means for storing the said coordinates.

Abstract: A method of grinding the edge of a disc uses a grinding machine having mounted thereon a grooved grinding wheel, in which the groove is formed in situ using a forming wheel also mounted on the grinding machine. After a workpiece has been ground or after a succession of workpieces have been ground, re-engaging the grinding wheel and the forming wheel with the grinding wheel remaining in situ, to re-form the groove in the grinding wheel to correct for wear.

Abstract: A method for detecting servo data and an interleaved dibit detection apparatus are provided for servo data detection in a direct access storage device. The interleaved dibit detection apparatus includes a new dibit threshold detector for detecting a predefined threshold level of a new interleave servo signal and providing a new detected dibit output. An old dibit threshold detector detects the predefined threshold level of an old interleave servo signal and provides an old detected dibit output. A combining function coupled to the new dibit threshold detector and the old dibit threshold detector provides a combined detected dibit output.

Abstract: A grinding pin (53) for notch grinding is provided. The grinding pin comprises a cylindrical region of formable grinding material and in which is formed a groove (18) for forming a notch. The length of the cylindrical region is such that further grooves (20) can be formed therein as each groove becomes too worn to form a notch.

Abstract: A grinding or polishing machine comprises a rigid platform on which a workhead spindle and a grinding wheel spindle are located. The grinding wheel spindle is mounted on a sub-assembly which is attached to the platform by means of flexures which permit limited movement of the sub-assembly in a direction generally parallel to the direction in which the wheel has to advance to achieve grinding or polishing of a workpiece mounted on the workhead spindle. The flexures generally inhibit movement of the sub-assembly in all other directions. Two grinding wheels are mounted on the platform, one on each of two sub-assemblies, and each sub-assembly is attached to the platform by flexures as aforesaid. The flexure mounting points are located generally centrally of the machine and are located on either side of and close to the machine centre line.

Abstract: A digitized image compression system employs several different compression techniques to compress the luminance and chrominance information and encodes the selected technique “on the fly” by inserting selected escape and header codes into the encoded data stream. More particularly, during compression, each image is divided into non-overlapping contiguous regions, referred to hereinafter as blocks and image data is compressed on a block-by-block basis. Each encoded block begins with a one-byte header that indicates, in conjunction with a previous escape code, the compression technique which was used to encode the block. Therefore, interpretation of the encoded data is a hierarchical process: the escape codes indicate a stream interpretation mode which, in turn, determine the meaning of header values which follow and the header values, in turn, determine the meaning of the encoded data in each block.

Abstract: A semantic-based system is provided to upgrade software written in a high level language of the kind having a type system and being statically compiled in compilers which check types and usages at compile time. The system employs conversion declarations which are inserted into the source code of the software and executed by the compiler. These declarations comprise a list of substitutable parts, with each substitutable part having a list of properties, a set of semantic patterns to be matched using the substitutable parts, and a result pattern showing what will be substituted for each matching portion of source code.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of methanol from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising: contacting a vaporous mixture comprising the feedstock and steam in a steam reforming zone with a catalyst effective for catalysis of at least one reforming reaction; recovering from the reforming zone a synthesis gas mixture comprising carbon oxides, hydrogen and methane; supplying material of the synthesis gas mixture to a methanol synthesis zone charged with a methanol synthesis catalyst and maintained under methanol synthesis conditions; recovering from the methanol synthesis zone a product gas mixture comprising methanol and unreacted material of the synthesis gas mixture; supplying material of the product gas mixture to a methanol recovery zone maintained under methanol recovery conditions; recovering from the methanol recovery zone a crude methanol product stream and a vaporous steam comprising unreacted material of the synthesis gas mixture; separating material of the synthesis gas mixtur

Abstract: A method of making an electrically heated window from at least two plies of transparent glazing material, at least one ply of interlayer material and an electrically resistant heating area device extending over one of the plies includes laying at least one length of busbar strip on one of the plies to form part of a busbar, positioning a separate corner piece of busbar strip adjacent the length of busbar strip to form a corner of the busbar, and electrically connecting the corner piece and the length of busbar strip to one another. An electrical connection device is arranged to extend from the electrically resistant area heating device past the peripheral edge of the window to terminate outside the window. The plies of glazing material are then laminated together with the ply of interlayer material and the electrically resistant area heating device extending between them.

Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for managing and controlling the size and location of windows in a GUI-based computer system. Specifically, a window control mechanism is provided to enhance the basic functional features of a window in any windowing environment. By interacting with the window control mechanism, a user can quickly and easily relocate and resize a window without unnecessary mouse movement. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user invokes the window control mechanism by positioning the cursor over the title bar of a window and using both buttons of a two button mouse. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user invokes the window control mechanism by positioning the cursor over a window decoration and using both buttons of a two button mouse. Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the user to specify a keyboard keystroke combination to invoke the window control mechanism.