Abstract: A three-wedge double block isolation chamber including a body with an internal chamber bounded by an inlet and an outlet having a wedge assembly positioned in the chamber. The wedge assembly may be configured as either a blind wedge assembly to block the flow of liquid through a pipeline; a flow-through wedge assembly to permit flow of liquid through a pipeline; or a meter wedge assembly to meter the flow of liquid through the pipeline. The wedge assembly includes an upstream wedge, a downstream wedge, and a force wedge. The wedge assembly seats in the internal chamber of the body. The upstream wedge and the downstream wedge each include a seal and are positioned respectively against the inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A lubricating oil especially useful as a natural gas engine lubricating oil that has extended life as evidenced by reductions in viscosity increase, oxidation and nitration relative to current commercial and reference oils is provided. The oil comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a mixture of metallic detergents comprising: (i) a neutral calcium alkylsalicylate detergent and (ii) a second neutral or overbased metallic detergent or mixture of detergents other than neutral calcium alkylsalicylate selected from the group consisting of calcium and barium sulfonates, phenates and alkylsalicylates. The composition is further characterized as having low or no zinc.

Abstract: Improved processes for extracting polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biomass containing the polyhydroxyalkanoate including the steps of: combining the biomass containing the polyhydroxyalkanoate with a solvent selected from lower chain ketones, and mixtures thereof to form a biomass liquor wherein the biomass liquor comprises less than about 25% water; mixing the biomass liquor for from about 10 to about 300 minutes at a temperature in the range of from about 70° C. to about 120° C.; separating the polyhydroxyalkanoate from the biomass liquor to form a PHA-enriched liquor, wherein the separating occurs at a temperature of at least about 40° C.; mixing the PHA-enriched liquor with water to form precipitated polyhydroxyalkanoate and an impure solvent liquor, wherein the water is mixed with the PHA-enriched liquor in the ratio of from at least about 0.4-1 parts of water to one part solvent; and recovering the precipitated polyhydroxyalkanoate from the impure solvent liquor.

Abstract: A method and system for incorporating trusted metadata in a computing environment is described.

Abstract: A method and system for constructing and using a personalized database of trusted metadata is described. One illustrative embodiment constructs a personalized database of trusted metadata for a computer user by establishing an informer network associated with the computer user, the informer network including the computer user and at least one informer, each informer in the informer network being trusted by the computer user either directly or indirectly, each indirectly trusted informer being trusted directly by at least one other informer in the informer network; receiving metadata from the informer network, the metadata including at least one report, each of the at least one report including a subjective assertion regarding the quality of an item or an expression of a degree of trust in an informer; and storing the at least one report in the personalized database of trusted metadata.

Abstract: A lubricating oil with very low phosphorus content, and having long life as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation and nitration, comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of a mixture of neutral and overbased metallic detergents, at least a zinc dialkyldithiocarbamate and a zinc dialkyldithiophosphate antiwear additive and at least a dihydrocarbylthiocarbamoyl.

Abstract: A gas engine oil of enhanced life as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation, nitration. TAN increase, and TBN depletion comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and at minor amount of a phenolic anti oxidant and a viscosity index improver, but excluding amine type anti oxydants.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes for extracting polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biomass, comprising admixing the biomass with an organic solvent for from 1 second to 15 minutes at a first temperature of from 5° C. below the melting point of the polyhydroxyalkanoate to 10° C. above the melting point of the polyhydroxyalkanoate and at a pressure of from 1 bar to 10 bar to provide a composition comprising the organic solvent and polyhydroxyalkanoate.

Abstract: A fabric conditioning article for use in a clothes dryer. The fabric conditioning article having a flexible sheet and a fabric conditioning composition deposited on the sheet. The fabric conditioning composition includes a fabric conditioning agent, perfumed particles and minor components. The perfume particles are a perfume composition incorporated into a porous mineral carrier such as clay and/or zeolite. Optionally, the perfume composition comprises low levels of unstable perfume components. Alternatively, the perfumed particles have a coating material encapsulating at least a portion of the particles. Optionally, the articles are packaged in a container having a moisture barrier to prevent premature release of the perfume therefrom.

Abstract: Techniques to provide run-time access to a database image through a target database management system (DBMS) are described. An empty database in the target DBMS (the “target database”) is created having substantially the same schema as the database image. At run-time, queries directed to the target database are intercepted and redirected to the database image. Information returned in response to the redirected query is modified so that internal database identifiers retrieved from the database image are replaced with like database identifiers associated with the target database management system. Thus, run-time access to database image content is provided without the need to load the database image's data content into a target database.

Abstract: A rotor for a combine harvester comprises a thresher portion to which a plurality of thresher elements are fitted for threshing the crop material and a driver portion for driving the threshed material rearwardly through the housing. Impeller blades are fitted to the front of the rotor for facilitating the entry of the crop material into the cylindrical housing. A plurality of pins are attached to the driver portion of the rotor to drive the threshed material rearwardly through the combine harvester and at the same time to separate the crop from the chaff.

Abstract: A lubricating oil with very low phosphorus content, and having long life as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation and nitration, comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of a mixture of neutral and overbased metallic detergents, at least a zinc dialkyldithiocarbamate antiwear additive and at least a dihydrocarbylthiocarbamoyl.

Abstract: A fabric conditioning article for use in a clothes dryer. The fabric conditioning article having a flexible sheet and a fabric conditioning composition deposited on the sheet. The fabric conditioning composition includes a fabric conditioning agent, perfumed particles and minor components. The perfume particles are a perfume composition incorporated into a porous mineral carrier such as clay and/or zeolite. Optionally, the perfume composition comprises low levels of unstable perfume components. Alternatively, the perfumed particles have a coating material encapsulating at least a portion of the particles. Optionally, the articles are packaged in a container having a moisture barrier to prevent premature release of the perfume therefrom.

Abstract: A long life lubricating oil, as evidenced by a reduction in oil thickening, oxidation and nitration, comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of a mixture of neutral and overbased metallic detergents and at least one trinuclear molybdenum compound.

Abstract: A bottle handling device for assisting in inserting a number of similar sized bottles into a secondary container, such as a partitionless beer carton. The device comprises a frame which, when inserted into the empty carton, provides a number of similar sized cells or compartments equal to the number of bottles which would completely fill the carton. The frame is maintained by support means above the shoulders of the bottles when located in the carton. Each bottle is inserted into, and its main body passes through, the frame until the bottle sits on the carton floor, the walls of each cell preventing a bottle in that cell from toppling over and hindering the insertion of further bottles and completion of filling of the carton. Upon completion and filling of the carton, the device is readily removed for reuse and the bottles are maintained in their upright condition by contacting adjacent bottles and the carton walls.

Abstract: Techniques to provide run-time access to a database image through a target database management system (DBMS) are described. An empty database in the target DBMS (the “target database”) is created having substantially the same schema as the database image. At run-time, queries directed to the target database are intercepted and redirected to the database image. Information returned in response to the redirected query is modified so that internal database identifiers retrieved from the database image are replaced with like database identifiers associated with the target database management system. Thus, run-time access to database image content is provided without the need to load the database image's data content into a target database.

Abstract: A gas engine oil of enhanced life as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation, nitration. TAN increase, and TBN depletion comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and at minor amount of a phenolic anti oxidant and a viscosity index improver, but excluding amine type anti oxydants.

Abstract: A bottle handling device for assisting in inserting a number of similar sized bottles into a secondary container, such as a partitionless beer carton. The device comprises a frame which, when inserted into the empty carton, provides a number of similar sized cells or compartments equal to the number of bottles which would completely fill the carton. The frame is maintained by support means above the shoulders of the bottles when located in the carton. Each bottle is inserted into, and its main body passes through, the frame until the bottle sits on the carton floor, the walls of each cell preventing a bottle in that cell from toppling over and hindering the insertion of further bottles and completion of filling of the carton. Upon completion and filling of the carton, the device is readily removed for reuse and the bottles are maintained in their upright condition by contacting adjacent bottles and the carton walls.