Abstract: The present invention includes a method for producing a liquid inoculant containing a desiccant. The method can improve survival and stability of bacteria in liquid inoculants in pack and on seeds. The method includes providing a liquid inoculant of a bacteria grown to a substantially stationary phase. A desiccant treatment containing a desiccant is added to the liquid inoculant to form a partially desiccated inoculant product. The partially desiccated inoculant product can be packaged and stored. The partially desiccated inoculant product can also be applied to seeds.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for producing a liquid inoculant containing a desiccant. The method can improve survival and stability of bacteria in liquid inoculants in pack and on seeds. The method includes providing a liquid inoculant of a bacterium grown to a substantially stationary phase. A desiccant treatment containing a desiccant is added to the liquid inoculant to form a partially desiccated inoculant product. The partially desiccated inoculant product can be packaged and stored. The partially desiccated inoculant product can also be applied to seeds.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for selective modulation of certain protein kinases, and especially mTor complexes. The methods and compositions are particularly useful in inhibiting mTor selectively for therapeutic applications.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for producing a liquid inoculant containing a desiccant. The method can improve survival and stability of bacteria in liquid inoculants in pack and on seeds. The method includes providing a liquid inoculant of a bacteria grown to a substantially stationary phase. A desiccant treatment containing a desiccant is added to the liquid inoculant to form a partially desiccated inoculant product. The partially desiccated inoculant product can be packaged and stored. The partially desiccated inoculant product can also be applied to seeds.

Abstract: One photovoltaic module includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells and at least one device selected from a sensor, a data storage device and an indicator. Another photovoltaic module includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells and a flexible circuit configured to act as an antenna for electromagnetic radiation. Methods of using such photovoltaic modules are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cable joint includes at least two cables each having inner conducting elements. At least one of the cables has a layer of paper insulation impregnated with an oil. The inner conducting elements of the cables are secured to each other at a junction. A sealing tape has an inner layer and an outer layer. The sealing tape is wrapped about the junction such that the inner layer is in contact with the cables. The inner layer is provided with a deformable oil barrier including a sealing mastic that is resistant to chemical attack from the oil and resistant to migration of the oil there through. The outer layer carries the inner layer. The outer layer is provided with a substantially rigid tape that is resistant to deformation and expansion of the inner layer that forms a protective sleeve about the inner layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes a first photovoltaic cell, a second photovoltaic cell, and a transparent barrier disposed over the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. The transparent barrier includes least one inorganic layer and at least one electrical conductor which electrically connects the first photovoltaic cell to the second photovoltaic cell. The transparent barrier may include a flexible sheet, web, foil or ribbon containing at least one glassy layer.

Abstract: The method relates generally to an improved method for the recovery of hydro-carbons from bitumen/oil deposits such as oil sands, tar sands, oil shales and conventional oil deposits. The method charges the silicon particles thus repulsing the oil, at the same time the hydrogen peroxide selectively reacts with metals, metal compounds and the charged silicon particles giving off energy and oxygen which then floats the oil to the surface, By reacting with the organo-metallic compounds it destroys them, thus freeing the oil from transition metals and producing a much cleaner product.

Abstract: One photovoltaic module includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells and at least one device selected from a sensor, a data storage device and an indicator. Another photovoltaic module includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells and a flexible circuit configured to act as an antenna for electromagnetic radiation. Methods of using such photovoltaic modules are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cable joint and a method of assembling a cable joint include at least two cables having inner conducting elements secured to each other at a point of connection. At least one of the cables is a paper-insulated lead cable including paper insulation impregnated with oil. A deformable elastomeric sleeve covers the point of connection. A flexible tape is wound about the elastomeric sleeve. The flexible tape restrains expansion of the elastomeric sleeve resulting from expansion of the oil in the paper insulation of the paper-insulated lead cable.

Abstract: A joint for a paper-insulated lead covered cable (PILC) including paper insulation impregnated with oil, the joint comprising a first PILC and a retaining jacket having a hollow interior, the first PILC having an inner conducting element that is conductively secured to an inner conducting element of a further cable within the hollow interior of the retaining jacket, the joint further comprising a sealant forming a sealant layer within the hollow interior of the retaining jacket and a retaining structure positioned within the sealant layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved electrochemical process for winning platinum group and incidental precious metals from ore. The process utilizes a peroxide leach in combination with electricity to produce higher valency metals and comprises the following steps: combining ground ore with a solution comprising water with a selected amount of H2O2 and an anion source to form a slurry; applying a direct current while allowing the metal in the ore to leach into the solution for a selected period of time; filtering and clarifying the leached slurry to obtain a pregnant solution; and treating the pregnant solution to yield metal, metal salts or both.

Abstract: A cable joint includes at least two cables each having inner conducting elements. At least one of the cables has a layer of paper insulation impregnated with an oil. The inner conducting elements of the cables are secured to each other at a junction. A sealing tape has an inner layer and an outer layer. The sealing tape is wrapped about the junction such that the inner layer is in contact with the cables. The inner layer is provided with a deformable oil barrier including a sealing mastic that is resistant to chemical attack from the oil and resistant to migration of the oil there through. The outer layer carries the inner layer. The outer layer is provided with a substantially rigid tape that is resistant to deformation and expansion of the inner layer that forms a protective sleeve about the inner layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module includes a plurality of PV cells and a plurality of reconfigurable interconnects which electrically interconnect the plurality of PV cells.

Abstract: The invention provides a thin flexible photovoltaic cell for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) applications. The photovoltaic cell is deposited on a thin metallic substrate and is integrated with residential structures. These residential structures may be roofing slates, roofing tiles, building claddings and the like. An arrangement of conducting layers is described for increasing the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic cell. The arrangement of the conducting layers result in high current collection. The photovoltaic cell is encapsulated by encapsulating layers, wherein the encapsulating layers are made of chemically inert and ultraviolet ray resistant polymers.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes a first photovoltaic cell, a second photovoltaic cell, and an interconnect comprising an electrically insulating carrier and at least one electrical conductor which electrically connects the first photovoltaic cell to the second photovoltaic cell.

Abstract: A heat-shrink tube for an electrical power cable comprises a sleeve having an insulating inner layer, a conductive outer layer and a thermoplastic mid-layer located between the inner and outer layers. The mid-layer is recovered by the application of heat thereto. The insulating inner layer is preferably comprised of an elastomeric material and the thermoplastic mid-layer is rigid and acts to retain the inner layer in a radially expanded state prior to its recovery.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for producing a liquid inoculant containing a desiccant. The method can improve survival and stability of bacteria in liquid inoculants in pack and on seeds. The method includes providing a liquid inoculant of a bacterium grown to a substantially stationary phase. A desiccant treatment containing a desiccant is added to the liquid inoculant to form a partially desiccated inoculant product. The partially desiccated inoculant product can be packaged and stored. The partially desiccated inoculant product can also be applied to seeds.

Abstract: A speech communication or computing device comprises at least one speech input device for receiving noisy speech uttered by a speaker. A speech processing function comprises a voice recognition function, which comprises a noise reduction function (235) having a Wiener Filter (335) with adjustable filter co-efficients. The speech input device also comprises multiple microphones (142, 144) configured to provide a substantially continuous noise signal to a noise spectrum estimation function (325) of the noise reduction function (235) to provide a substantially continuous estimate of noise. The noise estimate is used to adjust the filter co-efficients of the Wiener Filter (335), thereby removing noise from the noisy speech. A microphone array and a method for speech recognition are also described. By using the noise estimate from, say, a microphone array, the Wiener filter coefficients can be updated substantially continuously, for example, each speech frame.