Abstract: A design for equipment and process for reliquefaction of LNG boiloff gas, primarily for shipboard installation, has high thermodynamic efficiency and lower capital cost, smaller size (volume, footprint), lower weight, and less need for maintenance than systems utilizing the prior art. The main refrigerant gas compressor is reduced to a single stage turbocompressor. Optional elements include: compression of boiloff gas at ambient temperature; compression of boiloff gas in one or two stages; turboexpansion of refrigerant gas incorporating one or two turboexpanders; turboexpander energy recovery by mechanical loading, compressor drive, or electric generator; refrigerant sidestream for cooling at the lowest temperatures.

Abstract: A signal input port of a reverse amplifier is provided by an FIC connector, for direct connection to an F-port output of a forward amplifier, thereby eliminating the need for jumper cables. Also, via this connection, the reverse amplifier remotely provides power to the forward amplifier.

Abstract: An aspirator cassette includes a housing having first and second ends sealed off by first and second end caps, respectively. A partition mechanism is enclosed within the housing for dividing its internal volume into first and second regions. First and second fluid flow ports are mounted on the first and second end caps, respectively, to provide fluid flow paths into and from the first and second regions, respectively. When the first region is filled with liquid, its associated first port is connected to a vacuum source for sucking the liquid out of the region, whereby as the liquid is removed, the partition mechanism responds by decreasing the volume of the first region, and increasing the volume of the second region causing its second port to draw a vacuum for sucking fluid from an aspiration device connected to the second port.

Abstract: A system and process for coating pieces or cores of confectionery material, such as chewing gum, with a sugar-based coating or a sugarless-based coating. The solid content of the sugar or sugarless material in the syrup solution is increased, thus reducing the water content and allowing the successive coating layers to be dried more quickly. The syrup solution is maintained at an elevated temperature in order to prevent the syrup solids from precipitating or crystallizing out of solution.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of reducing the nicotine content of a tobacco plant to less than addictive levels. The method includes the step of administering to the tobacco plant an effective amount of a nicotine reducing agent sufficient to reduce the level of nicotine in the tobacco plant so that the resulting nicotine content in the plant is reduced to a level wherein a tobacco product produced from the plant will yield a non-addictive level of nicotine in the central nervous system blood plasma of the user. The present invention is further directed to tobacco plants prepared by the method.

Abstract: A post mount guide includes a tubular body having a throughhole for non-frictionally freely slidably receiving therethrough an upright support portion of a post mount, at least one pair of mounting panels having each panel positioned 90° from the other and adjacent to one another, the panels extending spaced apart from and connected at one end to the tubular body, wherein the mounting panels of each pair of panels are adapted to resiliently bend and configured to receive and retain a fastener therethrough, and a stop mechanism is included with each pair of panels for stopping the panels from bending beyond a fixed position toward the tubular body. The stop mechanism includes first and second end portions of the adjacent mounting panels, respectively, being configured for reversible abutting engagement with one another upon bending inward to the fixed position toward the tubular body.

Abstract: A food testing device for testing for the presence of harmful contaminants in a food sample, includes a vessel adapted for holding a liquefied food sample, a liquefier operatively associated with the vessel for converting an unliquefied food sample into a liquefied food sample, at least one test assay dispensable from the device, wherein the test assay includes at least one assay reagent having an affinity for at least one harmful contaminant, and capable of both detecting the presence of the harmful contaminant in the liquefied food sample, and producing a visual cue upon recognition of the harmful contaminant; and a radiation detector disposed proximately to the vessel for indicating the presence of ionizing radiation in the food sample at amounts exceeding normal background levels to detect the presence of a radioactive agent as the harmful contaminant.

Abstract: A service station is provided with a plurality of vehicle servicing islands including liquid fuel blending pumps for dispensing and blending fuel components from underground storage tanks for refueling standard gasoline engine driven vehicles, standard diesel engine vehicles, vehicles with engines requiring dual fuels, vehicles with HCCL engines require low octane gasoline blended with standard diesel fuel, and fuel cell powered vehicles having onboard reformers. Other service islands include pumps for dispensing compressed hydrogen to fuel cell powered vehicles that do not include onboard reformers. In addition, service islands are provided for recharging the batteries of pure electric powered vehicles. A service station is further provided with a wireless communicator for receiving signals indicative of a vehicle's fuel requirements and transmitting signals to direct the vehicle to a service island capable of servicing the vehicle.

Abstract: Nanoparticles made from a select group of lipids and optionally containing a therapeutically active agent are employed in pharmaceutical compositions for delivery to targeted tissues and/or cells for the treatment or diagnosis of such diseases as cancer.

Abstract: A container lid for a cup-type beverage which includes within the lid a disc-shaped media in which the lid is adapted to be releasably affixed to the beverage container and where the lid is protected from the beverage within the container and wherein the disc may be removed from the lid and utilized for entertainment purposes.

Abstract: Operation of a DI HCCI engine is optimized for maximizing load capability and load ranges via matching fuel ignitability with the compression ratio of the engine.

Abstract: A cosmetic container includes a nail grooming structure on the container. For example, a nail polish cap includes an integral nail file. For example, the nail file may be made from a flexible sheet having a roughened surface on one side and an adhesive backing on the other. The nail polish cap may include a recessed portion with the flexible nail file affixed thereto.

Abstract: A book holder includes a tray for holding a book, a ball joint and swivel assembly connected between the back of the tray and one end of a gooseneck, and a C-clamp connected to the other end of gooseneck, whereby the book holder can be attached to an arm of indoor and outdoor furniture with the tray being rotatable in the plane of its front face over 360° to a desired position, rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the gooseneck to a desired position, and the gooseneck bent to further position the tray, thereby permitting a user to be sitting or prone with a book positioned on the tray in a desired reading position, or permitting the book holder to be moved while still attached to the furniture, to a non-use position out of the way of a user.

Abstract: A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials includes a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough. The second end of the volume body is adapted for attachment to the opening of a container holding the free flowing material. The device further includes a measuring partition operatively associated with the second end of the volume body. The measuring partition includes a barrier lip portion extending therefrom into the volumetric channel, and a measuring opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, wherein the selective movement of the measuring opening simultaneously causes the barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the measuring opening.

Abstract: An accurate method for inversely verifying a therapeutic radiation dose delivered to a patient via an x-ray delivery system without involving any computational iteration was developed. The usage of it includes detecting the transmitted radiation dose image after passage through the patient, imaging the patient during treatment to anatomically record information of the patient, followed by inversely verifying through use of both the detected radiation image and the imaging data, the actual radiation dose delivered to the patient, and comparing the level of the dose delivered to a previously planned dose to determine whether the planned dose was delivered, or whether an overdose or underdose occurred.

Abstract: In oil-filled pressure sensors, the measured pressure is applied to a compliant isolation diaphragm, which causes the pressure of the internal oil to increase until it equals the external pressure. The pressure is sensed by a pressure sensing capsule, such as a MEMS piezoresistive pressure sensor. The invention incorporates an electromagnetic force generator, such as a coil and a magnetic core, within the pressure sensor in order to generate simulated pressure. When the coil is energized, the electromagnetic field creates a uniform distributed force, which moves the isolation diaphragm directly, or via an external flexure, in a manner to cause the pressure of the internal oil to increase, which is sensed by the pressure sensing capsule, which responds by producing an output signal proportional to the electromagnetic force. The simulated pressure is employed in order to perform sensor operation monitoring and self-calibration via measurement of the output signal.

Abstract: A knot tying tool for tying knots in cords or lines of material including those for attaching the line to an eyelet of an object, includes a base member having first and second ends, a first post extending from the first end of the base member, a second post extending from the second end of the base member, a loop retainer operatively associated with the second post for retaining a portion of one loop of a line forming part of a knot being tied, wherein the line includes a working end and a standing end, a support member operatively associated with the first post, wherein the support member includes a catch positioned spaced apart from the loop retainer for holding a portion of the retained loop of the line, and a rotatably-actuated clamp assembly for receiving and releasably retaining the standing end of the line.

Abstract: A new class of nanostructured RE-doped SiO2-base materials that display superior fluorescence properties is provided. In particular, high gain combined with a broad and flat spectral band width is observed in material composed of a high fraction of a nano-dispersed metastable silicate phase in a glassy SiO2 matrix, produced by partial devitrification (crystallization) of several glassy Al2O3/Er2O3- and Y2O3/Er2O3-doped SiO2 compositions. Also, a highly deconvoluted spectral emission, with several prominent peaks, is observed in completely devitrified material, consisting of a uniform nano-dispersion of an equilibrium silicate phase in a crystobalite SiO2 matrix. Such enhanced fluorescence properties were observed in heat treated nanopowders prepared by vapor-phase, solgel, rapid solidification, and spray-pyrolysis methods.