Abstract: A dental guard (10) for preventing wear of the occlusal surfaces of a user's teeth resulting from bruxism is provided. The dental guard (10) can be can be custom-fitted to the teeth of the wearer. The guard (10) comprises a durable core (14) that is overmolded by a thermoplastic outer layer (12). The outer layer (12) can be softened through exposure to hot, but not boiling, water, and then formed around the user's teeth. The guard (10) may include one or more features (32, 84) that assist the user in proper positioning of the guard within his or her mouth during the custom fitting process.

Abstract: Described herein are methods of treating fibrosis and fibrotic diseases with certain aminoglycosides, e.g., kasugamycin derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention describes new applicators containing both a lip coloring applicator and a complementary-colored eyeshadow. Users may use these two-in-one applicators for simple applications of make-ups, and not be overwhelmed by color selections for lips and eye lids.

Abstract: A system passively cools, regulates humidity and/or rectifies diffusive transport of water vapor in an interior area within a structure. The system includes a membrane assembly covering a portion of the structure, wherein the membrane has an interior side facing the interior area and an exterior side. The membrane assembly defines a plurality of pores. When cooling, a supply of fluid is provided to the membrane assembly so that capillary action of the pores redistributes the fluid to create evaporation and, in turn, the desired heat flow. The membrane assembly can include an architectural membrane coated with a porous matrix coating to form the pores. A pump can provide the fluid to the interior side of the membrane assembly. Preferably, the architectural membrane is woven PTFE-coated fiberglass and the porous matrix coating is titanium dioxide, zeolites and/or silica gel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing acetone from cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) are disclosed. The disclosed methods involve cleaving CHP to form a cleavage product stream. In some embodiments, the cleavage product stream is separated into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream. The bottoms stream is neutralized, washed and then treated in a crude acetone column to provide a crude acetone stream. The overhead stream of the cleavage product is flashed forward in the process, bypassing the neutralization, washing, and crude acetone column and is then combined with the crude acetone stream. The combined acetone streams are provided to an acetone product column. According to some embodiments, the acetone product column comprises a side draw for obtaining a recycle acetone stream, which is recycled to the cleavage reactor(s). The recycle acetone side draw may be located lower on the acetone product column than the point from which product acetone is obtained.

Abstract: In a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) process, the purpose of the deethanizer and chilling train systems is to separate the cracked gas into a methane-rich tail gas product, a C2, and a C3 process stream. By the use of staged cooling, process-to-process inter-change against propane feed to the reactor and use of high efficiency heat exchangers and distributed distillation techniques, refrigeration power requirements are reduced and a simple and reliable design is provided by the process described herein.

Abstract: An oven has at least one of bake and broil heating elements which have a temperature switch as a portion of the replaceable heating element. Upon reaching a predetermined temperature, the switch opens and power through the heating element is secured. Once temperature is reduced below another predetermined temperature, the switch closes for normal operation.

Abstract: A customizable mandibular advancement device for use in treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea is provided. The device comprises upper and lower trays adapted to be fitted to a person's maxillary and mandibular arches. The upper tray comprises a stop member, which when engaged with a fin located on the lower tray, inhibits the posterior movement of the user's mandible thereby maintaining the mandible in an advanced position. Both the upper and lower trays comprise a core that is overmolded by a thermoplastic material that has a much lower softening temperature than the core.

Abstract: An advanced regulatory controller for a converter of a catalytic olefins unit is disclosed. A Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) type converter (i.e., reactor-regenerator) is combined with an ethylene style cold-end for product recovery. The regulatory controller operates using an Advanced Regulatory Control (ARC) application using variables, such as a controlled variable, four disturbance variables, associated variable, and a manipulated variable. The ARC application manipulates fuel oil or tail gas flow to a regenerator in response to an expected future steady state value of a regenerator bed temperature resulting from changes in the values of a selected set of the variables.

Abstract: An inbred corn line designated BX1998 is disclosed. The invention relates to the plants and seeds of corn inbred BX1998 and methods for producing a corn plant by crossing corn inbred BX1998 with itself or with another corn plant. The invention also relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more additional traits and to the corn plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to corn plants and plant parts derived from corn inbred BX1998 and to methods for producing other corn plants or plant parts derived from corn inbred BX1998, and to the corn plants and parts derived from those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid corn seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing corn inbred BX1998 or a locus conversion of BX1998 with another corn line.

Abstract: Present invention relates to a process for production of isomerization catalyst, containing a base of zirconia, a binder based on alumina and/or silica at-least one component of Group VI of the periodic table in the form of their oxyanions, a hydrogenation/dehydrogenation component loaded on the base, at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Sn, Re or mixtures thereof, and an peptization agent, wherein the peptizing agent is an organic acid and polymers, which improve the physicochemical properties of the isomerization catalyst for the production of C4-C12 paraffin's.

Abstract: A catalyst, methods of making, and process of dehydrogenating paraffins utilizing the catalyst. The catalyst includes at least 20 mass % Zn, a catalyst support and a catalyst stabilizer. The catalyst is further characterizable by physical properties such as activity parameter measured under specified conditions. The catalyst may also be disposed on a porous support in an attrition-resistant form and used in a fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: An overhead conveyor and wash assembly is provided for a citrus oil extractor. In one embodiment, a spray manifold is connected to a drive chain and has nozzles for applying a cleaning solution and water to the extractor rollers. A wiper bar assembly is pendulously suspended from the spray manifold and conveys citrus fruits through the extractor as needed. The wiper bar assembly is moved to a raised position to be retracted to the input end of the extractor. A second embodiment uses a spray manifold pendulously suspended from drive chains and conveys citrus fruit through the extractor as needed and also sprays cleaning solution and water as needed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treating volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated in a hydrocarbon treating process are disclosed. An effluent stream containing the VOCs, as well as carbon dioxide (CO2) is combined with hot exhaust gas from a turbine and provided to a waste heat recovery unit (WHRU). The WHRU is adapted to contain a catalyst bed containing oxidation catalyst capable of effecting the oxidation of the VOCs. The temperature of the catalyzing reaction can be tailored based on the position of the catalyst bed within the temperature gradient of the WHRU. The methods and systems described herein solve the problem of effecting the removal of VOCs from the effluent. Heating the CO2-containing effluent in the WHRU also lend buoyancy to the effluent, thereby facilitating its dispersal upon release.

Abstract: An isomerization method consists of a deisobutanizer column receives feed comprising n-butane. The deisobutanizer column delivers its bottoms a portion to a reboiler and another portion along with hydrogen is routed to a isomerization reactor and the reactor effluent is returned to the column. A stabilizer which is integrated with the column, an overhead stream used as a reflux and bottoms containing an iso-butane-rich stream that is the iso-butane product stream. The column overhead effluent is routed to separator, which splits the hydrocarbons and effluent, where the hydrocarbons are routed to deisobutanizer column and effluent recycled to stabilizer, where the stabilizer separates the reactor effluent into product streams contains an iso-butane product stream, a n-butane product stream, and a lighter hydrocarbon product stream.

Abstract: In a continuous roll of wrapping material for crops such as cotton or hay, or other objects, the individual wrapping segments are arranged so that a closing adhesive is part of a sealing accessory and otherwise protected by other structures of the sealing accessory until the point when this closing adhesive is to be exposed for securing a wrapping segment to itself, for example when encircling a subject bale harvested from a field, wherein adjacent wrapping segments separate from each other either at a point of weakness associated with perforations and the like.

Abstract: An advanced regulatory controller for a converter of a catalytic olefins unit is disclosed. A Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) type converter (i.e., reactor-regenerator) is combined with an ethylene style cold-end for product recovery. The regulatory controller operates using an Advanced Regulatory Control (ARC) application using variables, such as a controlled variable, four disturbance variables, associated variable, and a manipulated variable. The ARC application manipulates fuel oil or tail gas flow to a regenerator in response to an expected future steady state value of a regenerator bed temperature resulting from changes in the values of a selected set of the variables.

Abstract: A projectile for use with a firearm having a rifled barrel can include: a substantially cylindrical projectile body having at a front end a nose section and at a rear end a tail section; a driving band section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; a bore rider section formed on the projectile body between the nose section and the tail section; and a pilot band section formed on the projectile body forward of the driving band section. The nose section can be formed having an LD-Haack profile.

Abstract: A process where external fuel oil is used to wash entrained catalyst from a fluidized-bed propane dehydrogenation reactor effluent, where the fuel oil and catalyst mixture is returned to the reactor to provide the net fuel required for catalyst regeneration. Optionally the fluidized-bed propane dehydrogenation reactor effluent and the fuel oil are contacted in a direct contact inline device before entering a flash zone in the reactor vessel.

Abstract: A method of accelerated iris recognition includes acquiring an image comprising at least an iris and a pupil, segmenting the iris and the pupil using a fully convolutional network (FCN) model, normalizing the segmented iris, encoding the normalized iris, the normalizing and encoding using a rubber sheet model and 1-D log Gabor filter, and masking the encoded iris.