Abstract: A method for digesting lignocellulosic material includes combining a lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass, a polymerized naphthalene sulfonate, a sodium xylene sulfonate, and a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide to form a mixture. Further, the method includes heating the mixture to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material.

Abstract: Spacecraft servicing devices or pods and related methods may include a body configured to be deployed from a host spacecraft at a location adjacent a target spacecraft and at least one spacecraft servicing component configured to perform at least one servicing operation on the target spacecraft.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for minimizing fouling and/or reducing the viscosity of black liquor in a Kraft pulping process are provided. An exemplary composition includes an anionic sulfate or sulfonate surfactant; an anionic sulfate or sulfonate dispersant; and a nonionic alkoxylated surfactant.

Abstract: A system for detecting external leaks in a cabin of a vehicle includes sensors and onboard vehicle controls disposed on the vehicle. Control modules of the system have processors, memory, and input/output (I/O) ports. The I/O ports communicate with the sensors and onboard vehicle controls. The control modules execute program code portions stored memory. The program code portions include first and second algorithm portions. The first algorithm portion receives data from the sensors and controls and determines that the data from the sensors and controls meets initialization threshold values. When the data from the sensors and controls meets the threshold values, the second algorithm portion generates a cabin leak detection output including: a first output, a second output, or a third output. The first output indicates a large leak, the second output indicates no leak, and the third output indicates that a small leak has been detected.

Abstract: Nodulisporic acids (NAs) comprise a group of indole diterpenes known for their potent insecticidal activities; however, biosynthesis of NAs by its natural producer, Hypoxylon pulicicidum (Nodulisporium sp.) is exceptionally difficult to achieve. The identification of genes responsible for NA production could enable biosynthetic pathway optimization to provide access to NAs for commercial applications. Obtaining useful quantities of NAs using published fermentations methods is challenging, making gene knockout studies an undesirable method to confirm gene function. Alternatively, heterologous gene expression of H. pulicicidum genes in a more robust host species like Penicillium paxilli provides a way to rapidly identify the function of genes that play a role in NA biosynthesis. In this work, we identified the function of four secondary-metabolic genes necessary for the biosynthesis of nodulisporic acid F (NAF) and reconstituted these genes in the genome of P.

Abstract: A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel includes providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass, providing an alkyl polyglycoside, an alkoxylated alcohol, and a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture, and heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material. The alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively. The mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol. The process has increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.

Abstract: A modular and hierarchical DNA assembly platform for synthetic biology is described. This enabling technology, termed MIDAS (for Modular Idempotent DNA Assembly System), can precisely assemble multiple DNA fragments in a single reaction using a standardised assembly design. It can be used to build genes from libraries of sequence-verified, reusable parts and to assemble multiple genes in a single vector. We describe the design and use of MIDAS, and its application in the reconstruction of the metabolic pathway for production of paspaline, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of a range of indole diterpenes—a class of economically important secondary metabolites produced by several species of filamentous fungi.

Abstract: A method of reducing contaminants in a pulp or papermaking process includes the steps of: providing a lignocellulosic pulp comprising lignocellulosic fibers and at least one hydrophobic contaminant; providing a cationic polymer; providing a cleaning blend comprising a vegetable oil alkyl ester and at least one surfactant; and applying the cationic polymer and the cleaning blend to the lignocellulosic pulp to reduce a content of the at least one hydrophobic contaminant in the pulp or papermaking process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that cleans a plurality of beverage dispensers which sit in respective holsters. Cleaning solution conduits are oriented to spray cleaning solution towards respective tops of holsters. One or more fluid valves alternatively permit and block said cleaning solution to flow to said cleaning solution conduits, respectively. A power supply flow signals to the fluid valve, respectively, wherein the valve transitions between permitting and blocking flow responsive to transitioning of the flow signals, respectively. A transmitter signals the power supply to transition the flow signals to cause the fluid valve to permit the cleaning solution to flow to the cleaning solution conduits.

Abstract: Nodulisporic acids (NAs) comprise a group of indole diterpenes known for their potent insecticidal activities; however, biosynthesis of NAs by its natural producer, Hypoxylon pulicicidum (Nodulisporium sp.) is exceptionally difficult to achieve. The identification of genes responsible for NA production could enable biosynthetic pathway optimization to provide access to NAs for commercial applications. Obtaining useful quantities of NAs using published fermentations methods is challenging, making gene knockout studies an undesirable method to confirm gene function. Alternatively, heterologous gene expression of H. pulicicidum genes in a more robust host species like Penicillium paxilli provides a way to rapidly identify the function of genes that play a role in NA biosynthesis. In this work, we identified the function of four secondary-metabolic genes necessary for the biosynthesis of nodulisporic acid F (NAF) and reconstituted these genes in the genome of P.

Abstract: At least one analytical agent extracts a plurality of attributes from each of a plurality of member input vectors. Each member input vector includes raw data characterizing contextual aspects about an associated and different user. Thereafter, a content search vector is generated for each user by the at least one analytical agent that includes the attributes extracted from the member input vector associated with such user and weights corresponding to each attribute that are particular to such user. A search engine, accessing a content library, then matches each content search vector with one of a plurality of content workflows based on both the attributes and weights within such content search vector. A context engine then initiates execution of each matching content workflow which results in tailored messages specified by the matching content workflow being sent to the user associated with the matching content workflow.

Abstract: The ceiling fan blade cleaning vacuum attachment may comprise a housing, an upper brush, a lower brush, and a pneumatic brush motor. The ceiling fan blade cleaning vacuum attachment may clean an individual blade selected from a plurality of blades of a ceiling fan. A vacuum hose coupled to a vacuum cleaner may be separably couple to a neck of the housing. The individual blade may be inserted into a blade slot of the housing. Suction generated by the vacuum cleaner may draw air through the blade slot and through the neck of the housing. The air may turn a turbine rotor of the pneumatic brush motor, which may drive the upper brush and the lower brush 256 to sweep the individual blade.

Abstract: A method for producing a high yield Kraft pulp is provided. In particular, the method involves adding a composition comprising an organic amine phosphonate and a sulphonated linear alcohol ethoxylate surfactant to a pulping process. The composition enhances the delignification of cellulosic fiber in chemical wood pulps.

Abstract: A pulp mixture includes a lignocellulosic material, water, lignin, an inorganic salt, and a copolymer including two or more structural units chosen from ethylene oxide units, propylene oxide units, (meth)acrylic acid units, ethyl acrylate units, and combinations thereof. The copolymer is free of silicone-containing structural units and the lignin is present in an amount of greater than about 150 ppm, based on a total weight of the pulp mixture.

Abstract: A modular and hierarchical DNA assembly platform for synthetic biology is described. This enabling technology, termed MIDAS (for Modular Idempotent DNA Assembly System), can precisely assemble multiple DNA fragments in a single reaction using a standardised assembly design. It can be used to build genes from libraries of sequence-verified, reusable parts and to assemble multiple genes in a single vector. We describe the design and use of MIDAS, and its application in the reconstruction of the metabolic pathway for production of paspaline, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of a range of indole diterpenes—a class of economically important secondary metabolites produced by several species of filamentous fungi.

Abstract: Scale build-up on metal surfaces of a black liquor evaporator is prevented or mitigated by treating the black liquor with a deposit inhibiting concentration of a water-soluble polymer containing a polycarboxylate chain and a 3-mercaptopropionic acid end group.

Abstract: Nodulisporic acids (NAs) comprise a group of indole diterpenes known for their potent insecticidal activities; however, biosynthesis of NAs by its natural producer, Hypoxylon pulicicidum (Nodulisporium sp.) is exceptionally difficult to achieve. The identification of genes responsible for NA production could enable biosynthetic pathway optimization to provide access to NAs for commercial applications. Obtaining useful quantities of NAs using published fermentations methods is challenging, making gene knockout studies an undesirable method to confirm gene function. Alternatively, heterologous gene expression of H. pulicicidum genes in a more robust host species like Penicillium paxilli provides a way to rapidly identify the function of genes that play a role in NA biosynthesis. In this work, we identified the function of four secondary-metabolic genes necessary for the biosynthesis of nodulisporic acid F (NAF) and reconstituted these genes in the genome of P.

Abstract: Provided is a system 300 for watercraft lease management for providing a first web portal whereby a plurality of watercraft owners 304 are able to register the leasing details for respective watercraft on a database in a memory arrangement of system 300, the leasing details including the watercraft specifications and insurance data. The processor also provides the second web portal whereby at least one potential watercraft lessee 302 is able to browse said database to select a particular watercraft for lease. The processor then registers the lease request, via the second web portal, which indicates the lessee's interest in leasing a particular watercraft, the lease request specifying the lease period and lessee data. Following this, the processor collates the request and relevant leasing details into an insurance request and transmits the insurance request via the network interface to an insurance provider 306 specified by the insurance data.

Abstract: A pulp mixture includes a lignocellulosic material, water, lignin, an inorganic salt, and a copolymer including two or more structural units chosen from ethylene oxide units, propylene oxide units, (meth)acrylic acid units, ethyl acrylate units, and combinations thereof. The copolymer is free of silicone-containing structural units and the lignin is present in an amount of greater than about 150 ppm, based on a total weight of the pulp mixture.