Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided to use regulatable aptazymes for controlling gene expression and in assays to detect the presence of ligands or to detect activation by an effector of an aptazyme bound to a solid support such as a substrate or multi-well plate. Regulatable aptazymes are ribozymes that are allosterically regulated by an effector molecule. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for automating the selection procedures of the present invention.

Abstract: A sealant composition comprising an inverse emulsion polymer and methods of servicing a wellbore using the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of servicing a wellbore that penetrates a subterranean formation is disclosed. The method comprises placing a sealant composition comprising an inverse emulsion polymer into the wellbore to reduce a loss of fluid to the subterranean formation during placement of the fluid in the wellbore.

Abstract: A computational method is described which uses the process of cis-regulatory module evolution to identify conserved sequence patches which exhibit suppression of change by snp/indel occurrence, in the absence of having to execute multiple interspecific sequence comparison analysis, including libraries, and arrays that contain such cis-regulatory modules.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to subterranean fluids, and more particularly, to subterranean drilling fluids that may be useful for reducing the production of water from a portion of a subterranean formation and/or stabilizing an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation while drilling. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of reducing the flow of water from a portion of a subterranean formation that comprise contacting the portion of the subterranean formation with an organoaluminum compound, the organoaluminum compound being capable of forming a reaction product in the presence of water. The present invention also includes methods of drilling a well bore in a subterranean formation, methods of enhancing the stability of an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation, methods of stabilizing an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation, and drilling fluids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to removal of filter cakes in subterranean formations. More particularly, the present invention provides filter cake degradation compositions and methods of degrading filter cakes. The present invention provides methods of degrading a fluid-loss additive component in a portion of a filter cake in a subterranean formation comprising: contacting the fluid-loss additive component with a filter cake degradation composition that comprises a precipitation resistant enzyme, wherein the precipitation resistant enzyme is capable of degrading the fluid-loss additive component; and allowing the filter cake degradation composition to at least partially degrade the fluid-loss additive component in a portion of the filter cake. The present invention also provides filter cake degradation compositions comprising a precipitation resistant enzyme component that will at least partially degrade a portion of a filter cake.

Abstract: Methods of drilling and completing open hole well bores and methods of removing filter cake comprised of a gelling agent and calcium carbonate are provided. A method of the invention for removing filter cake comprised of a gelling agent and calcium carbonate from the walls of an open hole well bore is basically comprised of the steps of contacting the filter cake with a delayed clean-up solution comprised of water and a formate ester and removing the clean-up solution from the well bore.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly method and composition is provided for removing hydrogen sulphide from fluids at high pH. The method and composition are particularly suited for removing hydrogen sulphide from drilling fluids used in drilling boreholes in hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations, and are suitable for use with any drilling fluid, including polymer based drilling fluids. The sulphide scavenger used in the method and composition is a ferrous gluconate, an organic iron chelating agent stable at pH as high as 11.5, the pH preferred for drilling fluids that may encounter hydrogen sulphide. Further, this additive has been found to enhance the resilience of the rheological properties of drilling fluids to hot rolling and comparable field conditions.

Abstract: Methods of drilling and completing open hole well bores and methods of removing filter cake comprised of a gelling agent and calcium carbonate are provided. A method of the invention for removing filter cake comprised of a gelling agent and calcium carbonate from the walls of an open hole well bore is basically comprised of the steps of contacting the filter cake with a delayed clean-up solution comprised of water and a formate ester and removing the clean-up solution from the well bore.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided to make, isolate, characterize and use regulatable, catalytically active nucleic acids (RCANA). The present invention is directed to RCANA that transduce molecular recognition into catalysis. Also, RCANAs according to the invention can be used as regulatory elements to control the expression of one or more genes in a metabolic pathway. RCANAs can also be used as regulated selectable markers to create a selective pressure favoring (or disfavoring) production of a targeted bioproduct.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly method and composition is provided for removing hydrogen sulphide from fluids at high pH. The method and composition are particularly suited for removing hydrogen sulphide from drilling fluids used in drilling boreholes in hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations, and are suitable for use with any drilling fluid, including polymer based drilling fluids. The sulphide scavenger used in the method and composition is a ferrous gluconate, an organic iron chelating agent stable at pH as high as 11.5, the pH preferred for drilling fluids that may encounter hydrogen sulphide. Further, this additive has been found to enhance the resilience of the rheological properties of drilling fluids to hot rolling and comparable field conditions.

Abstract: A peeling device supports a fresh commodity in a first position in a nonspecific orientation. The commodity is impelled using a thruster toward a scoring structure for scoring the peel to a predetermined depth into two sectors. Peel grippers hold the peel between the scores and release the peeled commodity, such that the peel is retained on the gripping means. The thruster is positioned and adapted to force the commodity along a path to engage the cutting and peel-gripping elements, the thruster bottom surface changeable from a first, generally concave orientation for conforming to a shape of the commodity to a second, generally convex orientation for releasing the commodity from the peel.

Abstract: An integral compressor rotor spacer cartridge fits within the dovetail region of the rim of a compressor rotor wheel to retain the dovetail portion of the rotor blade and maintain an angular spaced relationship between the rotor blades. The dovetail portion of the rotor blade is retained in a pocket or notched portion of the spacer cartridge.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided to make, isolate, characterize and use regulatable, catalytically active nucleic acids (RCANA). RCANA may be used for regulating gene expression and in assays to detect the presence of ligands or to detect activation by an effector of an RCANA bound to a solid support such as a chip or multi-well plate. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for automating the selection procedures of the present invention.

Abstract: An integral compressor rotor spacer cartridge fits within the dovetail region of the rim of a compressor rotor wheel to retain the dovetail portion of the rotor blade maintain an angular spaced relationship between the rotor blades. The dovetail portion of the rotor blade is retained in a pocket or notched portion of the spacer cartridge.

Abstract: A peeling device supports a fresh commodity in a first position in a nonspecific orientation. The commodity is impelled using a thruster toward a scoring structure for scoring the peel to a predetermined depth into two sectors. Peel grippers hold the peel between the scores and release the peeled commodity, such that the peel is retained on the gripping means. The thruster is positioned and adapted to force the commodity along a path to engage the cutting and peel-gripping elements, the thruster bottom surface changeable from a first, generally concave orientation for conforming to a shape of the commodity to a second, generally convex orientation for releasing the commodity from the peel.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly method and composition is provided for removing hydrogen sulphide from fluids at high pH. The method and composition are particularly suited for removing hydrogen sulphide from drilling fluids used in drilling boreholes in hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formations, and are suitable for use with any drilling fluid, including polymer based drilling fluids. The sulphide scavenger used in the method and composition is a ferrous gluconate, an organic iron chelating agent stable at pH as high as 11.5, the pH preferred for drilling fluids that may encounter hydrogen sulphide. Further, this additive has been found to enhance the resilience of the rheological properties of drilling fluids to hot rolling and comparable field conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing rind from a spheroidal food article, such as a melon is provided. The apparatus includes a carriage assembly having revolving spindles that retain a melon on its axis and revolve the melon on its equator. The spindles are aligned with a first axis when the carriage assembly is in an initial position. A cutting assembly is located adjacent to the carriage assembly. The cutting assembly includes reciprocating knifes that are positioned on either side of the melon and aligned with the equator thereof. The knifes are configured with a blade dimensioned to extend through the rind of the melon, without extending substantially into the flesh of the melon. A rotating assembly is provided for rotating the carriage assembly between the initial position and a completed position, and parallel to the first axis. The spindles revolve the melon on its equator, so that the knifes initially remove rind from the melon along the equator thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of solid monammonium phosphate with good granulation properties suitable for use in compound fertiliser manufacture. An improvement in product quality is obtained when between 20% and 80% of an aqueous slurry of ammonium phosphate, formed by the ammoniation of wet-process phosphoric acid, is mixed with a second acid prior to entry into a moisture disengagement unit. This treatment precipitates some monammonium phosphate crystals which provide nuclei for further crystal growth. After a short time delay to allow crystals to form, the remainder of the slurry is then added separately to the moisture disengagement unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of solid monammonium phosphate in a suitable form for use as an ingredient in the granulation of NPK compound fertilizers. It has been found that some wet-process phosphoric acids used in the manufacture of fertilizer grade ammonium phosphate contain impurities in amounts and/or ratios which can give rise to hard oversize product in known methods of manufacture with the result that extra milling of the product is required. The process of the invention overcomes the need for extra milling by providing an improved product form. The improvement is achieved by mixing separately at one stage in a process of the kind described between 15% and 85% by volume of the total secondary acid feed with the aqueous ammonium phosphate slurry and adding the remainder of the secondary acid to the treated slurry at a later stage.