Abstract: Process flow sequences for the reduction of equipment fouling in the fractional distillation of light end hydrocarbon components, such as those produced by pyrolysis or steam cracking, wherein conventional multiple hydrogenation unit configurations are replaced with upstream hydrogenation unit configurations. The upstream hydrogenation units of the invention are located at either side draws or in the reboiler circuit of deethanizers, in front-end demethanizer and front-end deethanizer sequences, or depropanizers, in front-end depropanizer sequences and obviate the need for most of the conventionally used hydrogenation units downstream.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved balloon catheter apparatuses for use in therapies requiring delivery of uniform light to a treatment area. The improved apparatus comprises a balloon having a defined treatment window where the window is delineated using a reflective material. The apparatus may further comprise a fiber optic cable that terminates in a diffusion tip where the diffusion tip is longer than the treatment window. The present invention further provides improved therapeutic methods that use the improved balloon catheters of the present invention.

Abstract: A gamma detection and modeling system in which the energy deposition and incident locations on two detectors are used to calculate the source. The detector assembly and processing means are provided as distinct units allowing the detectors' use in radioactive and other inaccessible areas. The gamma radiation image can be superimposed on an optical image of the monitored location. Various detector arrays from a simple pair of detectors through single first and multiple second detectors to combinations of such detector pairs are disclosed together with a method for their use.

Abstract: Fatty acid esters of sucrose wherein the fatty acid groups consist essentially of short chain fatty acid radicals containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and long chain fatty acid radicals containing from 20 to 24 carbon atoms in a molar ratio of short chain:long chain radicals of 3:5 to 5:3, the said esters having a degree of esterification of about 7 to 8. The compounds are useful as nondigestible substitutes for solid fats in foods.

Abstract: An electronic structure, and associated method of fabrication, that includes a substrate having attached circuit elements and conductive bonding pads of varying thickness. Pad categories relating to pad thickness include thick pads (17 to 50 microns), medium pads (10-17 microns), and thin pads (3 to 10 microns). A thick pad is used for coupling a ball grid array (BGA) to a substrate with attachment of the BGA to a circuit card. A medium pad is useful in flip-chip bonding of a chip to a substrate by use of an interfacing small solder ball. A thin copper pad, coated with a nickel--gold layer, is useful for coupling a chip to a substrate by use of a wirebond interface. The electrical structure includes an electrical coupling of two pads having different thickness, such that the pads are located either on the same surface of a substrate or on opposite sides of a substrate.

Abstract: A sleeve-type package having upper and lower rows of individual product containing containers wherein the upper row is located within the tubular rectangular sleeve and the lower row has its container tops within the rectangular sleeve with the bottoms of the lower rows projecting down out of a cutout in the bottom of the rectangular sleeve. A generally flat spoon insert having a spoon panel with a plurality of spoon blanks and at least one protective panel is positioned within the rectangular sleeve between the upper and lower rows of product containers. Several embodiments of blanks with a plurality of spoons are shown and described.

Abstract: A channel interface architecture for a time division multiplexed (TDM) data communication system has a plurality of TDM communication ports coupled to serial TDM communication channels. The channel interface architecture interfaces data from any channel of any TDM communication port with any TDM communication channel of any other TDM communication port, on a per time slot/channel basis. The architecture includes a parallel data bus portion, an address bus portion, and a control portion. Each of a plurality of TDM communication channel interface units, associated with the ports, includes a multipage memory that stores data received from an associated serial communication link. The memory also selectively stores data that has been asserted onto the data bus portion of the bus architecture from another interface unit.

Abstract: Cooking speed and efficiency are increased in radiant ovens by reducing the intensity of energy emitted by the oven's radiant energy source that does not deeply penetrate food. Undesired photochemical reactions in the cooked food are also reduced or eliminated. In one embodiment, the radiant energy source includes at least one lamp having a coating that reflects at least some of the radiant energy that does not deeply penetrate food. In another embodiment, a plate that reflects or absorbs at least some of the radiant energy that does not deeply penetrate food is disposed between the radiant energy source and a location within the oven where food to be cooked is placed.

Abstract: A composition comprising a mononucleate solid crop protection particle coated with a water-insoluble coating material has a diameter in the range of 0.5 to 50.mu.. This composition is made by a process which results in substantial non-agglomeration of the coated particles. In a particular embodiment, a crop protection composition comprises a mononucleate solid crop protection particle coated with either wood rosin, rosin derivatives, waxes, fatty derivatives, sterols, long-chain sterol esters and sulfur. Alternatively, the coating material may be a water-insoluble synthetic latex polymer. The composition may be used in a mixture which also includes a crop protection chemical partner comprising a solid particle. The partner ordinarily degrades the solid crop protection particle when stored or aged together as a solid particle mixture. However, when the composition solid particle is coated, this degradation is prevented.

Abstract: Circuitry is formed on a substrate having at least one plated through-hole employing two different photoresist materials. A first photoresist is applied on a conductive layer located on a substrate and is developed to define a desired conductive circuit pattern. A second photoresist is laminated onto the structure and is developed so that the second photoresist material remains in the vicinity of the through-hole. The conductive layer is etched to provide the desired circuit pattern, and the remaining portions of the second and first photoresists are removed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented for analyzing directly obtained electrochemical noise measurements at cellular surfaces to assess cellular behavior and metabolic activity. The apparatus comprises a container (1) into which culture medium containing the cells to be assessed (2) has been introduced. Located within the container and partially submerged by the culture medium is a main electrode (3) which is a chemically inert electrically conductive surface such as gold film. This electrically conductive surface supports the adherent, viable cells to be assessed, and which may have been previously grown on the electrode to near confluence. The container is closed by a lid (4) which is penetrated by a tube (5) filled with an electrochemically conducting medium that is in electrochemical contact with a reference electrode. The end of the tube (5) is immersed in the culture medium.

Abstract: An improved fishing rod of the type having a substantially cylindrical body with a peripheral surface. The improvement is a mark on the body situated so that the circumference of the fishing rod body with the mark thereon simulates the torso of a selected species of fish, with the mark having markings characteristic of markings on the torso of the selected fish species.

Abstract: To sequence DNA, DNA samples marked with flourscent infrared dye are applied at a plurality of locations for electrophoresing in a plurality of channels through a gel electrophoresis slab. The channels are scanned with a laser and a sensor, that include a microscope focused on the gel slab. The focal point and slab are adjusted with respect to each other so that the focal point of the microscope remains on the gel slab during a scan. The data from the scan is directly used to amplitude modulate density readings on a display, and the scan is displayed in a horizontal sweep of a cathode ray tube, whereby said cathode ray tube provides intensity displays of bands representing DNA. Different sizes of glass gel sandwiches may be mounted to the same console for different sequencing tasks.

Abstract: One or more deployable thermal panels (24, 28, 70) are actively controlled throughout the orbit of a satellite (20) to provide thermal dissipation. Adjusting the incident angle between the panel (24, 28, 70) and the sun and controlling the flow of fluid through optional flexible heat pipes loads and unloads heat to provide thermal stability for components (62) which have special thermal requirements. An optional antenna panel (70) on a nadir side (64) of the satellite (20) offers an antenna side (74) on one surface and a thermal radiating side (72) on an opposing surface. In addition, thermal panel movements are controlled (96) to provide counter-disturbance torques (140).

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for applying building panels, such as siding panels, to building surfaces, such as walls. The panels are of a type which undergo expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature, and they are applied to a building surface, such as a wall, by nails, screws, staples or the like. In order to accommodate the expansion and contraction of the panels, the panels are provided with an attachment hem, preferably fabric-like in nature, and having a visually distinct fastener zone defined by one or more generally horizontal lines and/or horizontally spaced-apart locater spots, with said lines and/or spots being preferably different by color from the remainder of the attachment hem and from some or all of each other, to provide an installer with a preferred indication of where fasteners should be applied.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of determining the status of a multiple sclerosis patient, i.e., predicting the transition from a status of relapsing-remitting to a progressive phase of multiple sclerosis, comprising the step of measuring the levels of urinary myelin basic protein-like material in the patient. The present invention also provides a method of determining the amount of lesions and total lesion area of a multiple sclerosis patient, comprising the step of measuring the levels of urinary myelin basic protein-like material in the patient. Further provided is a method of monitoring myelination in a developing child, comprising the step of: measuring the levels of myelin basic protein-like material in the urine of said child.

Abstract: In the prevention of the spread of fires and for directly fighting fires, a cross-linked, water-swellable additive polymer in water/oil emulsion produced by an inverse phase polymerization reaction to be added to the firefighting water is disclosed. The additive has the properties of absorbing large quantities of water, high viscosity for adherence to vertical and horizontal surfaces, and retention of sufficient fluidity to be educted in standard firefighting equipment. The method of adding this additive to the firefighting water by eduction or by a batch addition to the water source is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for forming bilayer resist images with a chemically-amplified, radiation-sensitive bilayer resist. The bilayer resist is disposed on a substrate and comprises (i) a top imaging layer comprising a radiation-sensitive acid generator and a vinyl polymer having an acid-cleavable silylethoxy group and (ii) an organic underlayer. The bilayer resist is used in the manufacture of integrated circuits.

Abstract: Three-dimensional scenes or movies are generated by a user of a computer system by interactively selecting a stage from among several available 3D stages, each of which has at least one predetermined feature such as a pedestal, lighting characteristics, a camera path or the like. The user may import predefined 3D objects into the selected stage and move and resize the objects as desired to compose a scene. Once composed, the scene is rendered to generate an image or a series of successive scenes is rendered to generate an animated movie.

Abstract: Plants may be regenerated from stomatal cells or protoplasts of such cells. Prior to regeneration the cells or protoplasts may be genetically transformed by the introduction of hereditary material most preferably by a DNA construct which is free of genes which specify resistance to antibiotics. The regeneration step may include callus formation on a hormone-free medium. The method is particularly suitable for sugar beet.