Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles to provide customized cooking instructions to users via a communications device. The user is provided with audio/visual prompts depicting one or more ending characteristics of a food product, such as texture or doneness. The user provides a selection of the one or more ending characteristics according to the user's preferences. A processor-based device determines one or more output food preparation parameters based on the user's selection of the one or more ending characteristics for the food product. The one or more determined output food preparation parameters are provided to a communication device of the user so that the user may cook the food product according to the output food preparation parameters.

Abstract: A process for remediation of target bacteria, particularly sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB), in waters (“target water”) having a multiplicity and diverse host target bacteria by employing serial or staged bacteria culturing and lysing of dominant bacteria. Remediation of sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB) is effected by application of a series of bacteriophage isolated from the staged culturing and bacteriophage lysing of successive aliquots of waters containing a multiplicity of SRB.

Abstract: Bacterial contamination of industrial water systems lead to bacterial induced corrosion. This invention provides a method for control of corrosion of industrial water systems caused by bacteria by the destruction of targeted problematic bacteria with naturally occurring, non-engineered bacteriophage virulent for targeted bacteria. The invention also provides a staged sequencing of control to adapt to changing conditions.

Abstract: There is provided a safe, natural, environmentally sound means of controlling bacterial contamination, corrosion, and souring of oil and gas wells and reservoirs that result from bacteria-contaminated water in a well. In one aspect it is a process for remediation of souring of petroleum reservoirs and coalbeds by adding to the water used in flooding and “fracing” operations an effective amount of virulent (non-lysogenic) bacteriophages (phages) specific for problematic target bacteria. The invention also provides a means for combating loss of effectiveness of bacterial control by staging bacteriophage production and application to control dominant and sub-dominant target bacteria in a community of target bacteria.

Abstract: Petroleum reservoir souring caused by microbially induced production of hydrogen sulphide and other sulphur compounds and the attendant corrosion are remediated by isolating bacteriophage specific for the problematic bacteria (target bacteria) and adding an effective amount of such bacteriophage to water introduced into or resident in the reservoir to kill at least some of the target bacteria. Suitable virulent bacteriophage may be indigenous in the water or located in surrounding areas or taken from a known banked stock. Means of concentrating solutions of bacteriophage are also disclosed.

Abstract: As bacteriophage use in industrial application grows there is a need for commercial quantities of identified bacteriophage. This invention discloses a continuous flow bacteriophage proliferation process that can provide commercial quantities of desired bacteriophage in concentrations suitable for industrial use. Host bacteria and virulent bacteriophage are fed into a reactor vessel where the phage attach to, infect and lyse the host bacteria providing multiple replications of it and coincidentally concentrating the phage.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for control in oil and gas wells and related facilities of prokaryote caused souring, fouling and corrosion by reduction of problematic prokaryotes with naturally occurring lysing organisms, particularly sulfate-reducing prokaryotes by proliferating suitable virulent lysing organisms under conditions in which problematic prokaryotes thrive, including in a gas production wellbore. The process provides in situ proliferation of virulent lysing organism in a wellbore by providing both virulent lysing organisms and their host prokaryotes to selectively grow an effective control amount and concentrations of lysing organisms in a well formation.

Abstract: Petroleum reservoir souring caused by microbially induced production of hydrogen sulphide and other sulphur compounds and the attendant corrosion are remediated by isolating bacteriophage specific for the problematic bacteria (target bacteria) and adding an effective amount of such bacteriophage to water introduced into or resident in the reservoir to kill at least some of the target bacteria. Suitable virulent bacteriophage may be indigenous in the water or located in surrounding areas or taken from a known banked stock. Means of concentrating solutions of bacteriophage are also disclosed.

Abstract: Petroleum reservoir souring, caused by microbially induced production of hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds, and the attendant corrosion are remediated by isolating bacteriophage(s) specific for the problematic bacteria (target bacteria) and adding an effective amount of such bacteriophage(s) to water introduced into or resident in the reservoir to kill at least some of the target bacteria. Suitable virulent bacteriophage(s) may be indigenous to the water, located in surrounding areas, or taken from a known banked stock. Means of concentrating solutions of bacteriophage(s) are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for control in oil and gas wells and related facilities of prokaryote caused souring, fouling and corrosion by reduction of problematic prokaryotes with naturally occurring lysing organisms, particularly sulfate-reducing prokaryotes by proliferating suitable virulent lysing organisms under conditions in which problematic prokaryotes thrive, including in a gas production wellbore. The process provides in situ proliferation of virulent lysing organism in a wellbore by providing both virulent lysing organisms and their host prokaryotes to selectively grow an effective control amount and concentrations of lysing organisms in a well formation.

Abstract: As bacteriophage use in industrial application grows there is a need for commercial quantities of identified bacteriophage. This invention discloses a continuous flow bacteriophage proliferation process that can provide commercial quantities of desired bacteriophage in concentrations suitable for industrial use. Host bacteria and virulent bacteriophage are fed into a reactor vessel where the phage attach to, infect and lyse the host bacteria providing multiple replications of it and coincidentally concentrating the phage.

Abstract: Petroleum reservoir souring, caused by microbially induced production of hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds, and the attendant corrosion are remediated by isolating bacteriophage(s) specific for the problematic bacteria (target bacteria) and adding an effective amount of such bacteriophage(s) to water introduced into or resident in the reservoir to kill at least some of the target bacteria. Suitable virulent bacteriophage(s) may be indigenous to the water, located in surrounding areas, or taken from a known banked stock. Means of concentrating solutions of bacteriophage(s) are also disclosed.

Abstract: An airborne cargo-carrying apparatus includes support and lower structural frames; a retaining mechanism securing a cargo carrier to the support frame; collapsible nose and tail cones coupled to the frames; flexible side panels coupled to the cones and frames; and a cargo door mounted on the lower structural frame. The support frame includes a top panel. The cones and panels are arranged—with the cones collapsed, side panels folded, and cargo door open—to enable the support frame and the cargo carrier to be secured together with the retaining mechanism engaged. The cones, panels, and cargo door are arranged—with the cones expanded, side panels unfolded, and cargo door closed—to substantially envelop the cargo carrier secured to the support frame within an aerodynamic enclosure.

Abstract: A disclosed flying craft includes a suspension structure having a first end and a second end, a lift unit, and a payload unit. The lift unit includes a nacelle and a tailboom, and pivotally couples to the first end of the suspension structure, and a payload unit couples to the structure's second end. Thus the tailboom can pivotally couple with respect to the payload unit, which advantageously permits the tailboom to assume an orientation desirable for a particular mode of flight. During vertical flight or hover, the tailboom can hang from the lift unit in an orientation that is substantially parallel to the suspension structure and that minimizes resistance to downwash from the lift unit. During horizontal flight, the tailboom can be orthogonal to the suspension structure, extending rearward in an orientation where it can develop pitching and yawing moments to control and stabilize horizontal flight. Advantageous variations and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed vertical lift flying craft includes a lift unit that, during operation, develops a force including an upward component. A payload unit suspends from the lift unit. The payload unit suspends from the lift unit in such a way as to impart lateral stability while remaining capable of horizontal flight, without incurring the adverse effects of a downward pitching moment. In addition to a lift unit and a payload unit, the vertical lift flying craft includes a pair of bearings and a suspension structure, which cooperate to suspend the payload unit from the lift unit. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed flying craft includes a suspension structure having a first end and a second end, a lift unit, and a payload unit. The lift unit includes a nacelle and a tailboom, and pivotally couples to the first end of the suspension structure, and a payload unit couples to the structure's second end. Thus the tailboom can pivotally couple with respect to the payload unit, which advantageously permits the tailboom to assume an orientation desirable for a particular mode of flight. During vertical flight or hover, the tailboom can hang from the lift unit in an orientation that is substantially parallel to the suspension structure and that minimizes resistance to downwash from the lift unit. During horizontal flight, the tailboom can be orthogonal to the suspension structure, extending rearward in an orientation where it can develop pitching and yawing moments to control and stabilize horizontal flight. Advantageous variations and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed vertical lift flying craft includes a lift unit that, during operation, develops a force including an upward component. A payload unit suspends from the lift unit. The payload unit suspends from the lift unit in such a way as to impart lateral stability while remaining capable of horizontal flight, without incurring the adverse effects of a downward pitching moment. In addition to a lift unit and a payload unit, the vertical lift flying craft includes a pair of bearings and a suspension structure, which cooperate to suspend the payload unit from the lift unit. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed vertical lift flying craft includes a lift unit that, during operation, develops a force including an upward component. A payload unit suspends from the lift unit. The payload unit suspends from the lift unit in such a way as to impart lateral stability while remaining capable of horizontal flight, without incurring the adverse effects of a downward pitching moment. In addition to a lift unit and a payload unit, the vertical lift flying craft includes a pair of bearings and a suspension structure, which cooperate to suspend the payload unit from the lift unit. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A brake shoe, in which a friction lining is secured to a platform of a shoe body solely by a thermosetting adhesive resin cured at elevated temperature, has a friction material including fibrous reinforcement materials and an uncured thermosetting binder, roll formed to define a green lining element which is sandwiched with the adhesive between the platform and a bearing surface that applies small constraining pressure by way of the major faces but not minor faces. The resins of the adhesive and lining element are cured together in situ on, and into intimate conformity with, the platform. The constraining pressure is preferably long enough to overcome any tendency for the curing friction material to expand in thickness or fall in density due to evolution of gases therein, by easy escape of gases from the unconstrained minor faces permitting the small constraining pressure on the major surfaces.