Abstract: Techniques for generating optimized surgery schedules are described in various implementations. In one example implementation, a method that implements the techniques includes receiving a plurality of surgery scheduling requests for surgical procedures to be performed at a surgical facility having a plurality of operating rooms. The method also includes identifying resource constraints associated with the surgery scheduling requests, and identifying an optimization goal for the surgical facility, the optimization goal being defined using weighted optimization parameters. The method also includes generating a proposed surgery schedule for the surgical facility that includes sequencing and operating room assignments for each of the surgical procedures to be performed, the proposed surgery schedule satisfying the resource constraints and being optimized based on the optimization goal for the surgical facility.

Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove sulfur compounds.

Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove nitrogen compounds.

Abstract: A process for removing a sulfur compound from a low nitrogen content vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the low nitrogen content vacuum gas oil feed comprising the sulfur compound with a VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced sulfur compound content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed. It was found that the amount of the sulfur compound being removed was significantly improved by treating a low nitrogen content vacuum gas oil. The low nitrogen content and especially a low level of polar nitrogen compounds increases the amount of sulfur compounds that can be removed.

Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove carbon residue compounds.

Abstract: A process for removing a nitrogen compound and a sulfur compound from a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed comprising the nitrogen compound and the sulfur compound with a VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced nitrogen compound and sulfur compound content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed. It was found that the amount of the sulfur compound being removed was significantly improved by first removing the nitrogen compounds, especially polar nitrogen compounds.

Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove metal compounds.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for purifying a biomass-derived pyrolysis oil are provided. The method comprises the step of contacting the biomass-derived pyrolysis oil with a first deoxygenating catalyst in the presence of hydrogen at first predetermined hydroprocessing conditions to form a first low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent. The low-oxygen biomass-derived pyrolysis oil effluent is contacted with an ionic liquid to remove phenolic compounds, nitrogen compounds and other impurities. This ionic liquid step may be followed by a second deoxygenation step or the deoxygenating may be completed and then followed by the ionic liquid purification step.

Abstract: A method for producing a linear alkylbenzene product from a bio-renewable feedstock having a mixture of naturally-derived hydrocarbons includes separating the mixture of naturally-derived hydrocarbons into a naphtha portion and a distillate portion, reforming the naphtha portion, and using a high purity aromatics recovery process on the reformed naphtha portion to produce benzene. The method further includes separating a normal paraffins portion from the distillate portion and dehydrogenating the normal paraffins portion to produce mono-olefins. Still further, the method includes reacting the benzene and the mono-olefins to produce the linear alkylbenzene product.

Abstract: The invention provides novel compounds having the general formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, A1, A2 and n are as described herein, compositions including the compounds and methods of using the compounds.

Abstract: A driver circuit for driving an LED includes a rectifier circuit to receive AC voltage and to convert the AC voltage to DC voltage. The driver circuit further includes a filter circuit for filtering the DC voltage. The driver circuit further includes a detection circuit for determining a change in the filtered DC voltage over a predetermined time interval. The driver circuit further includes a dampening circuit for dampening the filtered DC voltage responsive to the detection circuit determining that the change in filtered DC voltage over the predetermined time interval exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A process for removing a refractory nitrogen compound from a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed comprising the nitrogen compound with a VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced refractory nitrogen compound content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed.

Abstract: The present invention involves a process for removing one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds from a vacuum gas oil comprising contacting the vacuum gas oil with a vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the vacuum gas oil and the vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid, and separating the mixture to produce a vacuum gas oil effluent and a vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid effluent, the vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid effluent comprising the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antibody directed to a beta cell marker protein, in particular to an antibody directed to the protein TMEM27.

Abstract: A process for removing a refractory nitrogen compound from a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed comprising the nitrogen compound with a VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced refractory nitrogen compound content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating a fuel are provided. In one embodiment, a method of evaluating a fuel includes providing a testing specimen of the fuel. Also, the method includes analyzing the testing specimen and identifying a compound in the testing specimen. The method also provides for determining the fuel is biologically-sourced based on the identified trace compound.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating a diesel fuel are provided. In one embodiment, a method of evaluating a diesel fuel includes obtaining a testing sample from the diesel fuel and analyzing the testing sample to detect an amount of at least one selected component. The method also provides for determining if the diesel fuel is green depending on either detection of at least one selected component in the testing sample or observation of at least one non-normal molecular class distribution in the testing sample. Further, the specific component can indicate the specific biological feedstock used to produce the green diesel based on the molecular fingerprinting database.

Abstract: The present invention involves a process for removing one or more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds from a vacuum gas oil comprising contacting the vacuum gas oil with a vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the vacuum gas oil and the vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid; and separating the mixture to produce a vacuum gas oil effluent and a vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid effluent, the vacuum gas oil-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid effluent comprising the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compound.

Abstract: The invention provides novel compounds having the general formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, A1, A2 and n are as described herein, compositions including the compounds and methods of using the compounds.