Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for efficiently producing hydroxy-L-lysine. The present invention provides a method for producing hydroxy-L-lysine, the method comprising allowing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent L-lysine hydroxylase, a cell containing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent L-lysine hydroxylase, a processed product of the cell, and/or a culture broth obtained by culturing the cell, to act on L-lysine to produce hydroxy-L-lysine represented by the following General Formula (I) (wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or hydroxyl group, with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2 and R3 represents a hydroxyl group).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel hydrolase, which is used when dialkyl 2-vinylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate is hydrolyzed with an enzyme, so as to efficiently obtain (1S,2S)-1-alkoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid that is useful as an intermediate for synthesizing therapeutic agents for hepatitis C. According to the present invention, there is provided a hydrolase protein, which consists of the amino acid sequence shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS. 2 to 5 and which has activity of catalyzing, at higher selectivity than the protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO. 1, a reaction of producing (1S,2S)-1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid from diethyl 2-vinylcyclopropane- 1,1 -dicarboxylate.

Abstract: Provided are methods and devices for storing and generating oxygen from a low temperature oxygen generating liquid. The oxygen storage method may use lithium chlorate plus water to store oxygen wherein all solids that may be present enter solution for delivery as a liquid to a reaction vessel. The oxygen production method may be a batch process with steps to heat the liquid, boil out the water, thermally decompose the lithium chlorate and then rinse out the remaining product. The apparatus for oxygen generation may use multiple reaction vessels operating sequentially to produce a continuous flow of oxygen with a rinse step in a separate area from the heat application area to remove end product solid. The device for oxygen storage includes a storage vessel and is configured to heat the oxygen generating liquid using waste heat present in the rinse liquid.

Abstract: This invention provides processes and apparatus to convert biomass, including wood and agricultural residues, into low-ash biomass pellets for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. Some embodiments provide processes for producing low-ash biomass from cellulosic biomass, comprising providing an aqueous extraction solution with acetic acid; extracting the feedstock to produce an extract liquor containing soluble ash, hemicellulosic oligomers, acetic acid, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; dewatering and drying the cellulose-rich, lignin-rich solids to produce a low-ash biomass; hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers to produce hemicellulosic sugars, wherein additional acetic acid is generated; removing a vapor stream comprising vaporized acetic acid from the extract; and recycling the vapor or its condensate to provide some starting acetic acid for the extraction solution. The disclosed processes can produce clean power from biomass.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method for producing (1R,2S)/(1S,2R)-1-amino-1-alkoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropane which is useful as a synthetic intermediate of therapeutic agents for hepatitis C and a synthetic intermediate thereof. According to the present invention, when a trans-2-butene derivative having a leaving group at each of the 1- and 4-positions is reacted with a malonic ester in the presence of a base, a specific amount of an alkali metal alkoxide or an alkali metal hydride is used as the base, and further a specific amount of a malonic ester is used to produce a cyclopropane diester, and further, chiral or achiral 1-amino-1-alkoxy-carbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropane and a salt thereof are synthesized using the cyclopropane diester.

Abstract: Plate heat exchanger consisting of a plate stack (2) and a housing (1) surrounding the plate stack, wherein the plates (2a) are connected with one another in the plate stack (2) in such a manner that a first and at least one further medium can flow alternately through adjacent plate interstices, and the one medium can be conducted to and away from the plate stack (2) by way of through-flow channels that run in the stack direction, while the other medium can be conducted to and away from the plate interstices assigned to it by way of an interstice between housing (1) and plate stack (2) on the outer circumference. It is essential, in this connection, that the following combination of materials is present: The plates (2a) of the plate stack (2) consist, in known manner, of corrosion-resistant material, whereas the housing (1) consists of a non-corrosion-resistant material that has an enamel coating on its inner side, which is impacted by medium.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel hydrolase, which is used when dialkyl 2-vinylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate is hydrolyzed with an enzyme, so as to efficiently obtain (1S,2S)-1-alkoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid that is useful as an intermediate for synthesizing therapeutic agents for hepatitis C. According to the present invention, there is provided a hydrolase protein, which consists of the amino acid sequence shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS. 2 to 5 and which has activity of catalyzing, at higher selectivity than the protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO. 1, a reaction of producing (1S,2S)-1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid from diethyl 2-vinylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to producing chemicals and biofuels from wood material, e.g. mixed forest biomass. Specifically, the invention concerns a process for conditioning spent liquor produced by SO2-ethanol-water (SEW) fractionation of wood chips for fermentation to butanol, ethanol and acetone/isopropanol (so called ABE process) by Clostridia bacteria.

Abstract: A system for indicating a point of impact of a projectile fired from a barrel of a gun including a dynamic aiming device mounted to the barrel having a camera and a range finder configured to be pointed at a target. The system also includes a display device coupled to the camera for displaying an image of the target, and processing circuitry for superimposing a crosshair image on the displayed image of the target. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a distance from the dynamic aiming device to the target using the range finder and to adjust a position of the crosshair image. The position of the crosshair image is adjusted relative to the distance for indicating the point of impact of the projectile fired from the barrel.

Abstract: In some variations, the invention provides a process for fractionating biomass, comprising: in a digestor, fractionating a biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, sulfur dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; substantially removing the cellulose-rich solids from the liquor; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce hemicellulosic monomers; hydrolyzing the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose; neutralizing, with lime, a hydrolysate liquid containing the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose, thereby generating gypsum; heating the gypsum to form calcium sulfate; reducing the calcium sulfate with a reductant (such as syngas) to generate calcium oxide and sulfur dioxide; and recycling the calcium oxide and the sulfur dioxide.

Abstract: This invention provides processes to convert biomass into energy-dense biomass for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. Some embodiments provide processes for producing fermentable sugars and energy-dense biomass from cellulosic biomass, comprising extracting the feedstock with steam and/or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; separating the extract liquor, to produce dewatered cellulose-rich solids; hydrolyzing the dewatered cellulose-rich solids, thereby removing a portion of the cellulose, to produce intermediate solids (with higher energy density) and a hydrolysate; drying the intermediate solids to produce energy-dense biomass; and recovering fermentable sugars from the hydrolysate. The energy-dense biomass may be pelletized into biomass pellets, which may have a similar energy density as torrefied pellets from wood.

Abstract: Processes are described for fractionating lignocellulosic biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, comprising fractionating lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of a solvent for lignin (such as ethanol), a hydrolysis catalyst (such as sulfur dioxide), and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to produce hemicellulosic monomers; saccharifying the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose; recovering the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose, separately or in a combined stream, as fermentable sugars; and fermenting the fermentable sugars to a fermentation product having a higher normal boiling point than water. Process integration of mass and/or energy is disclosed in many specific embodiments. The fermentation product may include an organic acid, an alcohol, a diol, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to TRPV1 selective agonist topical compositions including capsaicinoid and analgesic agent compositions and methods of manufacture and methods of providing pain relief as well as treating a variety of disorders with such compositions.

Abstract: A method for the production water insoluble reactive lignin having low sulfur content and lignosulfonates from lignocellulosic material in a batch or continuous process. Lignocellulosic material is fractionated to produce water insoluble native lignin and lignosulfonates in various ratios, while preserving the cellulose and hydrolyzed hemicelluloses using water, ethanol and sulfur dioxide.

Abstract: This invention provides processes to convert biomass, including wood and agricultural residues, to levulinic acid and co-products. Some variations treat feedstock with steam and/or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers, lignin, and cellulose-rich solids, wherein the hemicellulosic oligomers comprise C5 hemicelluloses and C6 hemicelluloses; separate the cellulose-rich solids from the extract liquor, to produce dewatered solids containing cellulose and lignin; dehydrate the hemicellulosic oligomers to convert the C6 hemicelluloses directly to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; and convert the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to levulinic acid. Also, the cellulose may be dehydrated directly to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, which may then be converted to additional levulinic acid. Various biorefinery embodiments are disclosed, in which C5 and C6 sugars are processed separately or in combination.

Abstract: In some variations, the invention provides a deicer composition comprising alkali acetate, a solvent (such as water) for the alkali acetate, and a corrosion inhibitor comprising lignin or a lignin derivative. The acetate and the lignin or lignin derivative are preferably each derived from the same biomass feedstock. In some embodiments, the alkali is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the alkali acetate is present in a concentration from about 30 wt % to about 99 wt %. Deicer products may be a crystallized or dried form of the deicer composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition useful for pain relief. The composition is high concentration capsaicinoid topical composition comprising an analgesic agent that eliminates or reduces the burning or stinging sensation or erythema of the capsaicinoid.

Abstract: A method is presented for the production of cellulosic ethanol, acetic acid and derivatives from the extract containing fibers and hemicelluloses after steam cooking of biomass in a host plant. The process is integrated with the host plant process to minimize the effect of loss of heat value from the extracted hemicelluloses and eliminate the need for the waste water treatment plant.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to novel soluble forms of planar ring structured organic compounds including flavonoids, and their production. The invention also includes the use of these novel formulations of planar ring structured organic compounds in the preparation of formulations and products. The invention also relates to a wide variety of applications of the formulations of the invention. The subject invention includes novel soluble forms and various formulations of flavonoids. Further, the invention includes novel methods of manufacturing the flavonoid formulations. The invention also relates to a wide variety of applications of the flavonoid formulations.

Abstract: A continuous spin-draw-winding process to prepare a drawn polyester yarn suitable for use in high-speed tires and run-flat tires having high energy to break in combination with a good dimensional stability, including extruding molten polyester through spinning holes in a spinneret to form a bundle of molten spun filaments, solidifying the spun filaments by a gaseous cooling medium, fixing the spinning speed of the solidified filaments at a first godet in the range of 4050 to 5000 m/min, drawing the solidified filaments at a draw ratio less than 1.75 to form drawn filaments. The drawn polyester yarn has a high amorphous orientation distribution, a high crystallinity and a coarse structure. Dipped cords including such polyester drawn yarns exhibit excellent dimensional stability at higher temperatures.