Abstract: A gas (or steam) turbine is disclosed including: a rotor with at least one array of rotor blades, a stator with a casing and a shroud ring; the shroud ring extends around the array of blades rotor and the casing extends around the shroud ring. The shroud ring has radial size independent from temperature due to its material and is movably coupled with the casing so to allow the casing of the stator to thermally expand and contract during operation of the turbine while maintaining the shroud ring radial size. Also, the rotor thermally expands and contracts during operation of the turbine, and, at working temperature, tip regions of the rotor blades are in close proximity to an inner region of the shroud ring so that clearance is small or zero at working condition.

Abstract: An improved corkscrew includes a unidirectional clutch mechanism that enables the user to grasp the corkscrew handle, place the screw tip impinging on the cork, and to rotate the handle reciprocally to advance the screw unidirectionally and embed it in the cork. The mechanism features a clutch spring that transfers rotation of the handle to the screw in one direction only, and rotates freely in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An improved corkscrew includes a unidirectional clutch mechanism that enables the user to grasp the corkscrew handle, place the screw tip impinging on the cork, and to rotate the handle reciprocally to advance the screw and embed it in the cork. The mechanism features a clutch spring that transfers rotation of the handle to the screw in one direction only. As a result, fatigue of the user's hand and wrist is substantially reduced, and repetitive stress injuries are diminished.

Abstract: There is disclosed a diagnostic assay for adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), comprising (a) measuring the amount of selected unsaturated free fatty acids (FFAs) and saturated FFAs in a body fluid, and (b) determining a ratio value comprising the sum of the unsaturated FFAs divided by the sum of the saturated FFAs. There is further disclosed a diagnostic assay for ARDS, sepsis, MOD and SIRS, comprising (a) measuring the amount of 9- or 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (HODE) and 5-hydroxy-6-trans-8,11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) in a body fluid, and (b) determining a ratio value of HETE and HODE.

Abstract: There is disclosed a diagnostic assay for determining the presence of a neoplasia or a tumor burden in a mammal comprising (a) measuring the amount of unsaturated free fatty acids (FFAs) linolenate and arachidonate in a body fluid, and (b) determining a ratio value comprising the sum of linolenate and the sum of arachidonate.