Abstract: The present invention relates to antibodies with pH dependent binding to its antigen such that the affinity for antigen binding at physiological pH (i.e., pH 7.4) is greater than at endosomal pH (i.e., pH 6.0 or 5.5). In other words, the KD or koff ratio at pH 5.5/pH 7.4 or at pH 6.0/pH 7.4 is more than, or ranges between, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 16, 20, 30, 40, or 100 or more. Such pH dependent antibodies preferentially dissociate from the antigen in the endosome. This can increase antibody half life, as compared to antibodies with equivalent KDs at pH 7.4 but with no pH dependent binding, when the antigen is one that undergoes antigen-mediated clearance (e.g., PCSK9). Antibodies with pH dependent binding can decrease total antigen half life when the antigen undergoes reduced clearance when bound to antibody (e.g., IL6). Antibodies with pH dependent binding can also prolong the decrease in antigen which is not antibody-bound.

Abstract: Hydrogen and carbon monoxide impurities are removed from a dry gas comprising the impurities, wherein the dry gas is at least substantially free of carbon dioxide, by passing the dry gas with sufficient residence time, e.g. at least 1.5 s, through a layer of catalyst comprising a mixture of manganese oxide and copper oxide. The use of expensive noble metal catalysts to remove hydrogen may thereby be avoided. In addition, regeneration of the catalyst using oxygen-containing regeneration gas does not reduce the effectiveness of the catalyst.

Abstract: An improved hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners having a novel anvil design that prevents inadvertent user needle sticks during operation of the hand tool and a needle having a novel casing that further prevents inadvertent user needle sticks during the replacement of the hand tool needle. The casing has a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot at the front of the handle portion. The hand tool further has a hollow needle disposed on one end of a needle assembly. The hand tool further has a trigger that is pivotally mounted within the casing that extends out from the trigger slot. The trigger is capable of moving the needle assembly between the retracted and extended positions. The anvil has a needle guard, a main portion, and a fabric slot. The fabric slot separates the needle guard from the main portion.

Abstract: An improved hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners having a novel anvil design that reduces inadvertent user needle sticks during operation of the hand tool and a needle having a novel casing that further reduces inadvertent user needle sticks during the replacement of the hand tool needle. The hand tool has a gun shaped casing with a barrel portion and a handle portion. The casing has a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot at the front of the handle portion. The hand tool further has a hollow needle disposed on one end of a needle assembly. The needle assembly is slidably movable back and forth between a retracted position disposed substantially within casing and an extend position disposed substantially out of the casing through the needle assembly opening. The hand tool further has a trigger that is pivotally mounted within the casing that extends out from the trigger slot.

Abstract: A device and method of eddy current based nondestructive testing of tubular structures made of electrically conductive materials is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of excitation electromagnets having an axis of symmetry and magnetoresistive sensors having an easy axis for magnetic field sensing; wherein the magnetoresistive sensors are arranged in a circular array on a single plane with the easy axis aligned radially with respect to the circular pattern and wherein the electromagnets are arranged in a circular pattern on both sides of the plane with their axes of symmetry being arranged parallel to the plane and orthogonal to radii of the circular pattern on which the electromagnets are placed.

Abstract: Hydrogen and carbon monoxide impurities are removed from a dry gas comprising the impurities, wherein the dry gas is at least substantially free of carbon dioxide, by passing the dry gas with sufficient residence time, e.g. at least 1.5 s, through a layer of catalyst comprising a mixture of manganese oxide and copper oxide. The use of expensive noble metal catalysts to remove hydrogen may thereby be avoided. In addition, regeneration of the catalyst using oxygen-containing regeneration gas does not reduce the effectiveness of the catalyst.

Abstract: A method for servicing a redundant array of independent storage drives (i.e., RAID) includes performing a service call on the RAID by performing the following steps: (1) determining whether the RAID includes one or more consumed spare storage drives; (2) in the event the RAID includes one or more consumed spare storage drives, physically replacing the one or more consumed spare storage drive with one or more non-consumed spare storage drives; and (3) initiating a copy process that copies data from a storage drive that is predicted to fail to a non-consumed spare storage drive associated with the RAID. The service call may then be terminated. After the service call is terminated, the method waits for an indication that a number of non-consumed spare storage drives in the RAID has fallen below a selected threshold. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dual operating mode hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners and a method for transitioning the hand tool from a first operating mode to a second operating mode is provided. The hand tool tagging gun can be used both to dispense a plastic fastener to attach labels, price tags or other items to articles, and also to dispense a plastic fastener to maintain certain articles of clothing in a folded condition. The hand tool has a gun shaped casing, a hollow needle, a needle assembly, a trigger, a locking switch, a safety button, and a hinged anvil. In the first operating mode the hand tool is best adapted to dispense plastic fasteners to maintain an article of clothing in a folded condition. In the second operating mode the hand tool is best adapted to dispense plastic fasteners to attach labels, price tags, or other items to an article of clothing.

Abstract: An improved hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners having a novel anvil design that reduces inadvertent user needle sticks during operation of the hand tool and a needle having a novel casing that further reduces inadvertent user needle sticks during the replacement of the hand tool needle. The hand tool has a gun shaped casing with a barrel portion and a handle portion. The casing has a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot at the front of the handle portion. The hand tool further has a hollow needle disposed on one end of a needle assembly. The needle assembly is slidably movable back and forth between a retracted position disposed substantially within casing and an extend position disposed substantially out of the casing through the needle assembly opening. The hand tool further has a trigger that is pivotally mounted within the casing that extends out from the trigger slot.

Abstract: Composite adsorbent beads have a porous and non-adsorbent core comprising at least one inorganic material and a porous and adsorbent shell comprising at least one adsorbent layer comprising a porous adsorbent material on the surface of the core. The core preferably comprises agglomerated inorganic particles having a mean particle size equal to or smaller than the mean particle size of the surrounding agglomerated adsorbent particles. The beads preferably are manufactured by calcining together a non-sintered core and the adsorbent layer. The beads can be used at the outlet end of an adsorption column to improve performance.

Abstract: Method for recovering a desired component from a waste gas comprising (a) at an operating facility, introducing a waste gas comprising the desired component and one or more undesired components into an adsorber containing adsorbent material selective for the desired component, adsorbing at least a portion of the desired component therein, (b) terminating flow of waste gas into the adsorber; and (c) recovering and concentrating the desired component by either (1) isolating the adsorber, transporting the adsorber to a central processing facility, or (2) withdrawing from the adsorber an intermediate gas enriched in the desired component, compressing the intermediate gas and storing it in a vessel, isolating the vessel, transporting the vessel to a central processing facility to provide a concentrated product further enriched in the desired component.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to receive a verbal request to active an audio playback application on a remote device wirelessly connected to the processor. The processor is also configured to relay the request to the remote device for handling. The processor is further configured to receive a request from the remote device for audio playback. The processor is also configured to select a source channel for incoming audio. The processor is additionally configured to receive incoming audio from the remote device over the selected source channel and playback the incoming audio over a vehicle output.

Abstract: The invention describes a polymeric material comprising repeating units of Formulae I-III and methods of preparation. Novel polymeric materials, gas separation membranes and fluid component separation methods are also described.

Abstract: Both power and H2 are produced from a gaseous mixture, comprising H2 and CO2, using first and second pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems in series. The gaseous mixture is fed at super-atmospheric pressure to the first PSA system, which comprises adsorbent that selectively adsorbs CO2 at said pressure, and CO2 is adsorbed, thereby providing an H2-enriched mixture at super-atmospheric pressure. A fuel stream is formed from a portion of the H2-enriched mixture, which is combusted and the combustion effluent expanded to generate power. Another portion of the H2-enriched mixture is sent to the second PSA system, which comprises adsorbent that selectively adsorbs CO2 at super-atmospheric pressure, and CO2 is adsorbed, thereby providing a high purity H2 product. In preferred embodiments, the division of H2-enriched mixture between forming the fuel stream and being fed to the second PSA system is adjustable.

Abstract: An Internet delivery method delivers electronic information products to a plurality of users via the Internet. A plurality of display formats are stored in a database. The display formats including at least a default display format and a custom display format. Information is also stored for each user indicating whether the user is a specific type of user. When a user logs in, the user is identified as being that specific type of user. If the user is identified as the specific type of user, then an electronic information product is delivered to the user in the custom display format. The electronic information products are accessed via computers connected to the Internet, including wireless devices.

Abstract: An improved hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners having a novel anvil design. The hand tool has a gun shaped casing with a barrel portion and a handle portion. The casing has a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot at the front of the handle portion. The hand tool further has a hollow needle disposed on one end of a needle assembly, and a trigger that is pivotally mounted within the casing that extends out from the trigger slot. The trigger is capable of moving the needle assembly between the retracted and extended positions. The hand tool further has an anvil. The anvil has a needle guard, a main portion, and a fabric slot. The fabric slot separates the needle guard from the main portion.

Abstract: The invention describes a polymeric material comprising repeating units of Formulae I-III and methods of preparation. Novel polymeric materials, gas separation membranes and fluid component separation methods are also described.

Abstract: A feed gas comprising CO2, H2S and H2 is treated to produce an H2-enriched product and an H2S-lean, CO2 product. The feed gas is separated to provide the H2-enriched product and a stream of sour gas. The stream of sour gas is divided into two parts, one of which is processed in an H2S removal system to form one or more streams of sweetened gas, and the other of which bypasses the H2S removal system, the stream(s) of sweetened gas and the sour gas bypassing the H2S removal system then being recombined to form the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas. The division of the sour gas between being sent to and bypassing the H2S removal system is adjusted responsive to changes in the H2S content of the sour gas, so as to dampen or cancel the effects of said changes on the H2S content of the H2S-lean, CO2 product gas.

Abstract: Hydrogen sulfide is removed from a hydrogen rich gas stream using adsorbents having a low loss of carbon dioxide adsorption capacity upon sulfur loading including high purity silica gels, titania or highly cross-linked, non-chemically reactive resins. The adsorbents may be used to adsorb both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, or may be used as a guard bed upstream of a separate carbon dioxide adsorbent.

Abstract: The present invention discloses the improvements to a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process used for Xe recovery. By only collecting the recovered gas mixture after the initial evacuation of N2 from the adsorbent vessel and void space, the recovered Xe is not diluted by N2 contained in the adsorbent vessel and void space. The concentration of the recovered Xe can by increased (high purity), simultaneously little Xenon is lost. During the initial evacuation of N2, the vessel has been evacuated to a pressure less than 1 atmospheric pressure, for example, from 100 to 1 torr.