A force-biased spring probe pin assembly includes a barrel member having a barrel wall defining an elongate internal cavity with a lower end and an upper end. The assembly also includes a first plunger member reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the lower end of the internal cavity. A spring member is positioned in the internal cavity between the plunger member and the second end of the internal cavity. At least one rectangular cavity formed in the plunger member with a movable cylindrical bearing in the cavity that applies a slight transverse force to the plunger member ensuring good electrical contact between the plunger and the wall of the barrel member. A force-biased spring probe pin assembly includes a barrel member having a barrel wall defining an elongate internal cavity with a lower end and an upper end. The assembly also includes a first plunger member reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the lower end of the internal cavity and a second plunger member reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the upper end of the internal cavity. A spring member is positioned in the internal cavity between the first plunger member and the second plunger member. At least one rectangular cavity formed in the first plunger member with a first movable cylindrical bearing in the cavity that applies a slight transverse force to the first plunger member ensuring good electrical contact between the first plunger member and the wall of the barrel member and at least one rectangular cavity formed in the second plunger member with a second movable cylindrical bearing in the cavity that applies a slight transverse force to the second plunger member ensuring good electrical contact between the second plunger member and the wall of the barrel member

A force biased spring probe pin assembly includes a barrel member having a barrel wall defining an elongate internal cavity with a lower end and an upper end. The assembly also includes a split plunger member comprised of an upper split plunger part separated from a lower split plunger part separated by a diagonal cut reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the lower end of the internal cavity. A spring member is positioned in the internal cavity between the upper split plunger part and the second end of the internal cavity. A force biased spring probe pin assembly includes a barrel member having a barrel wall defining an elongate internal cavity with a lower end and an upper end. The assembly also includes a first split plunger member reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the lower end of the internal cavity and a second split plunger member reciprocally mounted in the internal cavity proximate the upper end of the internal cavity. The first and second split plunger members are each comprised of two parts: a first upper plunger part separated from a first lower plunger part by a diagonal cut. A spring member is positioned in the internal cavity between the first and second upper split plunger parts. In each split plunger the diagonal surface of the upper split plunger part exerts a transverse force to the diagonal surface of the lower split plunger part ensuring good electrical contact between the lower split plunger member part and the barrel wall.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to ultrasonic inspection of turbine components. In one embodiment, a method for ultrasonic inspection of a turbine component can include mounting at least one array of transducer elements to the turbine component, (a) separately pulsing a transducer element of the at least one array of transducer elements to transmit a signal to the turbine component, (b) capturing reflected signals from the turbine component at each transducer element in the at least one array of transducer elements, repeating (a) and (b) for each of the other transducer elements in the at least one array of transducer elements, maintaining a constant relative position of the array of transducer elements with respect to the turbine component, analyzing the captured reflected signals using a computer, generating an image of the interior volume of the turbine component by reconstruction of the captured reflected signals and based at least in part on detecting an anomaly in the image of the interior volume of the turbine component, identifying at least one defect or failure in the turbine component.

The invention discloses methods and devices for rapidly detecting a biological and/or chemical residue in a liquid sample. In some embodiments of the instant invention, a single antenna is generally employed in proximity to an aqueous solution in a disposable cup, with electrical outputs being recorded by an electrical metering device in communication with the single antenna. Commercial plastic cups may be used for detection of electric fields related to cleanliness of water samples. General and specific target detection may be performed with various embodiments of the instant invention.

The invention provides a method for acquiring fragment ion spectra of substances in complex substance mixtures wherein a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (“TIMS”) is used as the ion mobility separation device coupled to a triple quadrupole mass filter assembly. The fragment ion spectra may be used for the identification of high numbers of proteins in complex mixtures, or for a safe quantification of some substances, by their fragment ion mass spectra in a mass spectrometer with upstream substance separator. TIMS, in particular equipped with parallel accumulation, provides the unique possibility to prolong the ion accumulation duration to find more detectable ion species without decreasing the measuring capacity for fragment ion mass spectra. The high measurement capacity for fragment ion mass spectra permits the repeated measurement of low abundance ion species such as to improve the quality of the fragment ion spectra.

A sensing device includes an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element includes a photodiode, including a p-n junction, and a local biasing circuit, coupled to reverse-bias the p-n junction at a bias voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the p-n junction by a margin sufficient so that a single photon incident on the p-n junction triggers an avalanche pulse output from the sensing element. A bias control circuit is coupled to set the bias voltage in different ones of the sensing elements to different, respective values that are greater than the breakdown voltage.

Disclosed are improved methods and structures for actively stabilizing the oscillation frequency of a trapped ion by noninvasively sampling and rectifying the high voltage RF potential at circuit locations between a step-up transformer and a vacuum feedthrough leading to the ion trap electrodes. We use this sampled/rectified signal in a feedback loop to regulate the RF input amplitude to the circuit. By employing techniques and structures according to the present disclosure we are advantageously able to stabilize a 1 MHz trapped ion oscillation frequency to

This invention provides co-cultures of photosynthetic microorganisms and biofuel producing microorganisms. In certain embodiments, polysaccharide-producing, photosynthetic microorganisms are microalgae having frustules provide a substrate on which biofuel-producing microorganisms can grow. In other embodiments, the photosynthetic microorganisms produce a lipid and the non-photosynthetic microorganisms produce a solvent in which the lipid is soluble.

A multi-stage reactor system for preparing biodiesel is used to increase efficiency and yield and reduce impurities. A three-stage transesterification reaction for preparing biodiesel can include one high-shear cavitation reactor and two low-shear cavitation reactors, preferably in series, and optionally one or more separation vessels for removing waste and recycling triglyceride feedstock, catalyst and alcohol to the high-shear cavitation reactor.

The invention relates to methods for the conversion of lignocellulosic matter into fuel products. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for the generation of a bio-oil product from specific component(s) of lignocellulosic matter.

A device for preparing bio-oil, a system for preparing bio-oil and a method for preparing bio-oil using the same are provided. Biomass is supplied to an inclined portion of a reactor, and high-temperature hot sand is supplied to an upper side of the biomass supplied to the inclined portion. Then, a heater heats the inclined portion. Thus, the fast pyrolysis performance of the biomass can be enhanced, thereby increasing the yield of bio-oil. Also, combustion gas produced from the heater is supplied to the interior of the reactor, so that the interior of the reactor can be simply formed under a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Accordingly, the device for preparing bio-oil can be manufactured into a very simple structure.

A compound having formula (I) wherein G represents at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C1-C12 alkyl and C1-C12 alkoxy.

A method for marking a petroleum hydrocarbon or a liquid biologically derived fuel by adding at least one compound having formula (I), wherein R1 and R2 independently represent hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl groups, and G represents hydrogen or at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C1-C18 alkyl and C1-C18 alkoxy.

Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to control the conversion of carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a process having a control system that enables the system to produce a fuel of uniform quality, even with a change in biomass supply.

Polytetrahydrobenzoxazines and bistetrahydrobenzoxazines, obtainable by (A) reacting at least one diamine of the formula H2N-A-NH2 with a C1- to C12-aldehyde and a C1- to C8-alkanol at 20 to 80° C. with elimination and removal of water, (B) reacting the condensation product from (A) with a phenol which bears a long-chain substituent at 30 to 120° C., and optionally (C) heating the reaction product from (B) to 125 to 280° C. The resulting polytetrahydrobenzoxazines and bistetrahydrobenzoxazines are suitable as fuel or lubricant additives, especially as detergent additives for diesel fuels.

A two-stage reactor is disclosed for the conversion of solid particulate biomass material. The reactor is designed to maximize conversion of the solid biomass material, while limiting excess cracking of primary reaction products. The two-stage reactor comprises a first stage reactor, in which solid biomass material is thermally pyrolyzed to primary reaction products. The primary reaction products are catalytically converted in a second stage reactor.

The moisture absorption capacity of biofuels can be more or less 10 times that of fossil diesel oil, causing biofuels to form acids that induce metal corrosion and form deposits in the fuel tank and pipe lines. Methods for removing moisture from stored biofuels and plant oils are described wherein glycerol is used as a solvent to extract the moisture from the bioliquid or oil, comprising the steps of placing the biofuel or oil in fluid contact with glycerol, incubating for a time, and then removing the glycerol. A cellulous ester dialysis or other semi-permeable membrane may be used to prevent the glycerol from contaminating the biofuel while allowing moisture to pass. Crude glycerol produced as a byproduct of biodiesel production may be used in the method of the disclosed invention with good result. Preferred embodiments of apparatus that employ the method of the subject invention are described.

A process is provided comprising subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber, wherein a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers is produced; and densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce one or more densified biomass particulates, wherein said biomass fibers are densified without using added binder.

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A preparation method of Bacillus subtilis biological composite material loaded with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles with core-shell structure includes the following steps: 1) preparation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, 2) preparation of Fe3O4@mSiO2 nanoparticles, 3) preparation of Fe3O4@mSiO2@MANHE nanoparticles; and 4) preparation of Bacillus subtilis@Fe3O4@mSiO2@MANHE composite.

A process for inhibiting formation of calcium scale in a reverse osmosis desalination membrane during desalination involving desalinating an aqueous salt solution comprising water, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate with the reverse osmosis desalination membrane, while concurrently irradiating the aqueous salt solution with a UV light source that emits UV light with a wavelength of 250-400 nm. Scale formation is inhibited by treating a salt solution with the UV light in a continuous or a non-continuous process.

The last time J Balvin was at Oracle arena was back on Feb. 15, 2015 when he was the opening act for Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias' joint tour. I was at that show with my mom as my date, and vividly remember her saying, “one day he’s going to headline his own tour here.” I brushed off her comment, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe that he was talented.…

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The present invention refers to a process for classifying tumor samples of unknown and/or uncertain primary origin, specifically including the steps of obtaining patterns of biological activity modulation of tumor of unknown and/or uncertain primary origin and comparing them to an specific and unique group of biomarkers which determine the profiles of biological activity modulation of known origin tumors. The present invention belongs to the molecular biology and genetics field.

A microbial gaseous-fluid sampler for collecting microbial particles from gaseous fluid includes a gaseous-fluid intake portion having a sample head with a plurality of holes. The gaseous-fluid intake portion further includes a collar configured to receive a Petri dish including agar. The plurality of holes define an exit plane that is positioned a distance from the agar within a range of 5.5 millimeters to 7.5 millimeters. The velocity of the air exiting the plurality to holes is within a range of 18.5 meters per second to 20.5 meters per second.

Highly efficient and rapid filtration-based concentration devices, systems and methods are disclosed with sample fluidic lines and a filter packaged in a disposable tip which concentrate biological particles that are suspended in liquid from a dilute feed suspension. A sample concentrate or retentate suspension is retained while eliminating the separated fluid in a separate flow stream. The concentrate is then dispensed from the disposable tip in a set volume of elution fluid. Suspended biological particles include such materials as proteins/toxins, viruses, DNA, and/or bacteria in the size range of approximately 0.001 micron to 20 microns diameter. Concentration of these particles is advantageous for detection of target particles in a dilute suspension, because concentrating them into a small volume makes them easier to detect. All conduits by which the disposable tip attaches to the instrument are combined into a single connection point on the upper end of the tip.

An assay and a method for identifying a prebiotic to treat a subject in need thereof to promote intestinal barrier integrity or to blunt an inflammatory response are provided.

Multi-biotinylated reactants are provided which can be used in divalent complexes for various applications such as colocalization, labeling, immobilization, and purification. Methods for constructing, purifying, and using the bis-biotinylated reactants are also provided. In certain embodiments, two bis-biotinylated reactants are bound to a single streptavidin tetramer to provide a complex having a 1:1 stoichiometry with respect to the bis-biotinylated reactants.

Viruses and other bioagents are of high medical and biodefense concern and their detection at concentrations well below the threshold necessary to cause health hazards continues to be a challenge with respect to sensitivity, specificity, and selectivity. Ideally, assays for accurate and real time detection of viral agents and other bioagents would not necessitate any pre-processing of the analyte, which would make them applicable for example to bodily fluids (blood, sputum) and man-made as well as naturally occurring bodies of water (pools, rivers). We describe herein a robust biosensor that combines the sensitivity of surface acoustic waves (SAW) generated at a frequency of 325 MHz with the specificity provided by antibodies and other ligands for the detection of viral agents. In preferred embodiments, a lithium tantalate based SAW transducer with silicon dioxide waveguide sensor platform featuring three test and one reference delay lines was used to adsorb antibodies directed against Coxsackie virus B4 or the negative-stranded category A bioagent Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a member of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae, negative-stranded RNA viruses. Rapid detection (within seconds) of increasing concentrations of viral particles was linear over a range of order of magnitude for both viruses, although the sensor was approximately 50×104-fold more sensitive for the detection of SNV. For both pathogens, the sensor's selectivity for its target was not compromised by the presence of confounding Herpes Simplex virus type 1. The biosensor was able to detect SNV at doses lower than the load of virus typically found in a human patient suffering from hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Further, in a proof-of-principle real world application, the SAW biosensor was capable of selectively detecting SNV agents in complex solutions, such as naturally occurring bodies of water (river, sewage effluent) without analyte pre-processing.

The present invention relates to in vitro methods of assessing the susceptibility or responsiveness of a subject to the treatment with an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor/antagonist, wherein the subject has been diagnosed or suspected of suffering from inflammation-associated. These methods comprise determining the level of expression of EGFR in myeloid cells in a sample from the subject, wherein an expression of EGFR in the myeloid cells is indicative of the subject being susceptible to the treatment with an EGFR inhibitor/antagonist. The invention also relates to EGFR inhibitors/antagonists for use in the treatment or amelioration of inflammation-associated cancer. The invention furthermore provides in vitro methods of prognosing the survival time, progression-free survival time or disease course of a subject that has been diagnosed or suspected of suffering from from inflammation-associated cancer. In addition thereto, the invention relates to in vitro diagnostic methods of assessing the proneness of a subject to develop inflammation-associated cancer in which the expression of EGFR is determined in myeloid cells from the subject.

The present invention provides detection methods for detecting a pre-cancerous epithelial cell signature. The present invention further provides reagents for use in the detection methods. A subject detection method is useful in various imaging, diagnostic, prognostic, and patient monitoring methods, which are also provided.

A system and method for detecting a biomarker in exhaled breath condensate nanodroplets comprises noninvasively collecting exhaled breath condensate nanodroplets of a subject, and analyzing said nanodroplets utilizing immuno-quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect one or more target biomarkers.

The present invention relates to methods of determining if a subject has an increased risk of suffering from memory impairment. The methods comprise analyzing at least one sample from the subject to determine a value of the subject's exosomal profile or combined biomarker profile (lipids plus exosomal cargo) and comparing the value of the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile with the value of a normal exosomal or biomarker profile, respectively. A change in the value of the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile, including a change in the subject's exosomal or combined biomarker profile, over normal values is indicative that the subject has an increased risk of suffering from memory impairment compared to a normal individual.

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A gas turbine that includes: a combustor coupled to a turbine that define a working fluid flowpath; a compressor discharge cavity; a staged injection system that includes the forward injector and a staged injector; a stator blade positioned extending across the working fluid flowpath between an inboard sidewall and an outboard sidewall. A one-way continuous coolant flowpath that includes: an intake section that comprises an upstream port connected to the compressor discharge cavity and a downstream port formed through one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; an outtake section that comprises a downstream port connected to the staged injector and an upstream port formed through the same one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; and a cooling circuit extending through an interior of the airfoil of the stator blade and connecting to the downstream port of the intake section and the upstream port of the outtake section.

There is provided coal gasification unit including: a coal gasifier; a char recovery unit; flare equipment; an air flow rate adjustment valve and an oxygen supply flow passage that supply oxygen-containing gas to the coal gasifier; an inert gas supply flow passage that supplies nitrogen gas to an upstream side of the char recovery unit; and a control unit that controls a supply amount of the oxygen-containing gas and a supply amount of the nitrogen gas, in which the coal gasifier has a starting burner, and in which the control unit controls the supply amount of the nitrogen gas prior to starting combustion of starting fuel by the starting burner so that an oxygen concentration of mixed gas in which combustion gas generated by combustion of the oxygen-containing gas and the starting fuel has been mixed with the nitrogen gas becomes not more than an ignition concentration.

A component for a gas turbine engine including a gas path wall having a first surface and a second surface. A cooling hole extends through the gas path wall from an inlet in the first surface through a transition to an outlet in the second surface. Cusps are formed on the transition.

A system includes a gas turbine system having a turbine combustor, a turbine driven by combustion products from the turbine combustor, and an exhaust gas compressor driven by the turbine. The exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and supply an exhaust gas to the turbine combustor. The gas turbine system also has an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The EGR system is configured to recirculate the exhaust gas along an exhaust recirculation path from the turbine to the exhaust gas compressor. The system further includes a main oxidant compression system having one or more oxidant compressors. The one or more oxidant compressors are separate from the exhaust gas compressor, and the one or more oxidant compressors are configured to supply all compressed oxidant utilized by the turbine combustor in generating the combustion products.

Various embodiments of the invention can include a portable power system with multiple power generation modes and mode based adjustable drag configuration. Embodiments of the invention include a system with an adjustable inlet ram air inlet, a ram air powered section (e.g. a ram air powered turbine with an adjustable ram air inlet), a fuel powered section, e.g., jet fuel powered auxiliary power unit, which is used when insufficient ram air is present or a power surge requires augmented power generation, and a generator section selectively coupled with the ram air powered section and the fuel powered section.

The heat exchanger system includes a first heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of airfoil members circumferentially spaced in a flow stream of an annular duct. Each airfoil member including a radially inner end and a radially outer end and a first internal flowpath configured to channel a flow of cooled fluid therethrough. The heat exchanger assembly includes a second heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of fin members extending proximate the flow stream and a second internal flowpath configured to channel a flow of cooled fluid therethrough. The heat exchanger assembly includes a header system including a conduit path configured to couple the first heat exchanger assembly and the second heat exchanger assembly in flow communication. The header system includes an inlet connection configured to receive a flow of hot fluid from thermal loads and an outlet connection configured to direct cooled fluid to thermal loads.

The heat exchanger assembly includes a first internal flow path configured to channel a flow of fluid to be cooled from a first inlet to a first outlet. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a second internal flow path configured to channel a flow of a first coolant from a first inlet to a first outlet. The heat exchanger assembly further includes an external flow path configured to receive a flow of a second coolant proximate a surface of the external flow path.

An assistance device for an aircraft free-turbine turbine engine, the device including first electrical power supply for powering a winding of a starter rotary machine, referred to as a “first” winding, in order to provide first assistance in accelerating the gas generator of the engine. The device further includes a monitor for monitoring the first assistance, and a second power supply for electrically powering a second winding of the rotary machine to provide second assistance in accelerating the gas generator if the monitor observes that the first assistance is insufficient.

A method for operating a stationary gas turbine at partial load, having at least one compressor, at least one expansion turbine and a combustion chamber provided with at least one burner, which gas turbine further includes a hydraulic gap adjuster, wherein the method has the following steps: operating the gas turbine at partial load; operating the a hydraulic gap adjuster; during the operation of the hydraulic gap adjuster, increasing the fuel supply to the burner while increasing the temperature of the combustion gases which are guided to the expansion turbine.

A gas turbine engine duct turns radially inwardly in the downstream direction. The duct includes a plurality of radially extending stator vanes. A generally circumferentially extending splitter vane is provided between two circumferentially neighbouring stator vanes. The splitter vane improves the flow near to the radially inner wall of the duct. This can allow greater design freedom in the duct geometry.

The modular platform for offshore constructions, composed of more than two separate buoyancy elements partially immersed in water, which move along with the water wave movement and which, in the part above the water level, are connected to the structural elements forming a rigid horizontal spatial structure, characterized in that the buoyancy element (1) is given the shape of a cuboid or cylinder having at least one vertical hollow (2) to accommodate the structural element, i.e. piston (3), which forms the axis along which the buoyancy element (1) moves, and which is connected to the horizontal structural element (4) fitted to take external loads.

A gas turbine engine includes a combustion section arranged between a compressor section and a turbine section that extend in an axial direction. A fan section is arranged upstream from the compressor section. An airfoil is arranged in one of the fan section, the compressor section and the turbine section. The airfoil includes pressure and suction sides extending in a radial direction from a 0% span position at an inner flow path location to a 100% span position at an airfoil tip. The airfoil has a leading edge that is projected onto a plane from various views and the plane is perpendicular to a viewing direction which corresponds to the various views. The plane is parallel with the axial direction in a 0° view. The various views include the 0° view which projects into an axial plane in the axial direction. A 90° view projects into a tangential plane in a tangential direction normal to the axial direction and views between the 0° and 90° views. The airfoil has a maximum leading edge projection in a 20° to 40° view. The radial direction is normal to the axial and tangential directions.

A fuel nozzle assembly includes a premix chamber, an air flow divider extending radially and axially within the premix chamber between an inner wall and an outer wall and a plurality of guide vanes disposed within the premix chamber. One or more of the guide vanes includes a fuel port in fluid communication with the flow divider. The fuel nozzle assembly further includes a premix plate that extends radially between the inner and outer walls and circumferentially between first and second side walls downstream from the fuel ports. The premix plate includes an upstream side axially spaced from a downstream side and a plurality of passages that provide for fluid flow from the premix chamber through the premix plate.

A bituminous composition is used as an adhesive binder. The bituminous composition has at least one acidic additive of general formula (I): R—(COOH)z in which R is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon-based chain having from 4 to 68 carbon atoms, preferably from 4 to 54 carbon atoms, more preferentially from 4 to 36 carbon atoms and z is an integer ranging from 1 to 4, preferably from 2 to 4.

A pattern-forming method includes providing a first ion beam at a first incidence angle and a second ion beam at a second incidence angle to a surface of an etch target layer formed on a substrate. Patterns are formed by patterning the etch target layer using the first and second ion beams. The first ion beam and the second ion beam are substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to a normal line that is perpendicular to a top surface of the substrate. Each of the first and second incidence angles is greater than 0 degrees and smaller than an angle obtained by subtracting a predetermined angle from 90 degrees.