Abstract: A liquid desiccant air conditioning system (LDAC). The LDAC has a plurality of modules including at least an initial module and a terminal module that may include one or more intermediate modules. The liquid desiccant is passed through each module and contacts an airstream in each module and subsequently collected in a basin. The liquid desiccant is supplied to a common heat exchanger where thermal energy is exchanged between the liquid desiccant and a refrigerant. The liquid desiccant is supplied from the common heat exchanger to a desiccant distributor for each of the plurality of modules such that the concentration and temperature of the liquid desiccant is essentially the same at each desiccant distributor.

Abstract: A concentration processor for a liquid desiccant air conditioning system (LDAC). The LDAC has a level tank with a level sensor fluidly coupled to the basin (or basins) of the LDAC to provide a height of the liquid desiccant. A pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the basin (or basins) of the LDAC to provide a mass or weight of the liquid desiccant. Optionally, a temperature sensor fluidly coupled to the basin (or basins) to provide the temperature of the desiccant solution. The concentration processor uses the known geometry of the basin (or basins) to calculate the density or concentration of the liquid desiccant. The concentration of the liquid desiccant is determinable in real time and as a result may be used to automatically adjust and/or maintain the concentration to a desired level in order to optimize overall system performance, store concentrated desiccant as a means to store energy, and to operate the overall systems in a way that minimizes energy use.

Abstract: A modular building construction system comprising a plurality of panels, each panel having two spaced apart sheets; an insulating core portion positioned between said spaced apart sheets, wherein edge portions of the spaced apart sheets define a hollow cavity, the cavity extending along peripheral portions of the panel wherein the panel comprises a length (l) and a height (h) wherein top and bottom channel members face outwardly and extend along the length (l) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along in-use top and bottom peripheral portions of the panel respectively; and wherein first and second opposite side channels face outwardly and extend along the height (h) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along each of the lateral peripheral portions of the panel respectively and wherein during use the channel members are adapted to be interconnected with one or more building elements positioned along said peripheral portions.

Abstract: An elongate connector for connecting a first building panel and second building panel, the connector comprising: a hollow and elongate recess defined by two spaced apart side walls separated by a top wall, the recess being arranged to receive a load bearing member positioned above the first building panel and wherein the top wall and side walls are arranged to be received into a channel of the second building panel thereby positioning and inter-connecting the second building panel above the first building panel; a flashing portion extending along the length of one of the side walls, said flashing portion depending downwardly from one of said side walls to lap over an edge portion of said one of the building panels.

Abstract: A modular building construction system comprising a plurality of panels, each panel having two spaced apart sheets; an insulating core portion positioned between said spaced apart sheets, wherein edge portions of the spaced apart sheets define a hollow cavity, the cavity extending along peripheral portions of the panel wherein the panel comprises a length (l) and a height (h) wherein top and bottom channel members face outwardly and extend along the length (l) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along in-use top and bottom peripheral portions of the panel respectively; and wherein first and second opposite side channels face outwardly and extend along the height (h) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along each of the lateral peripheral portions of the panel respectively and wherein during use the channel members are adapted to be interconnected with one or more building elements positioned along said peripheral portions.

Abstract: A method of determining an absorption or turbidity coefficient of a liquid involves storing a set of data describing a plurality of droplets or other discrete bodies of liquid of different shapes, sizes and absorption or turbidity coefficients. Each body is captured as a combination of a measurable transmission parameter obtained by modelling the interaction of light with a drop, and of one or more dimensional measurements selected from lengths, areas and volumes. The absorption or turbidity coefficient is indicated also. By measuring the transmission of light through a real body of liquid, and making measurements allowing the droplet to be specified, the absorption or turbidity coefficient associated with a droplet giving rise to the same behaviour in transmitting light can be identified from the data set.

Abstract: This invention relates to a PCR fluorescence reference standard and to a method for manufacturing a PCR fluorescence reference standard. The PCR fluorescence reference standard comprises a fluorophore suspended in a thermoplastic polymer matrix. The PCR fluorescence reference standard of the invention has a greater shelf life than fluorophores dissolved in a solution and can advantageously be used to validate a fluorescence signal obtained in a thermal cycler.

Abstract: A method of determining an absorption or turbidity coefficient of a liquid involves storing a set of data describing a plurality of droplets or other discrete bodies of liquid of different shapes, sizes and absorption or turbidity coefficients. Each body is captured as a combination of a measurable transmission parameter obtained by modelling the interaction of light with a drop, and of one or more dimensional measurements selected from lengths, areas and volumes. The absorption or turbidity coefficient is indicated also. By measuring the transmission of light through a real body of liquid, and making measurements allowing the droplet to be specified, the absorption or turbidity coefficient associated with a droplet giving rise to the same behaviour in transmitting light can be identified from the data set.

Abstract: A removable modular slab for use in the construction industry includes an upper surface, a lower surface, first and second opposing end surfaces, and a conduit extending from an aperture in the upper surface to an aperture in an end surface. The slab is end-to-end abuttable with a second removable modular slab, having: (i) a conduit extending from an aperture in the upper surface to an aperture in an end surface, and/or (ii) a cavity extending from an aperture in an end surface into the slab, whereby the conduits are mateable so as to form an elongate conduit through the two slabs. Such elongate conduit is accessible through the apertures in the upper surfaces of each slab. By such access, a first joining structure is removably locatable to join the two slabs together. Cavities may terminate within the second slab and only be accessible through the aperture in the upper surface of the first slab, into which a joining structure is removably locatable to join the two slabs together.

Abstract: This invention relates to a PCR fluorescence reference standard and to a method for manufacturing a PCR fluorescence reference standard. The PCR fluorescence reference standard comprises a fluorophore suspended in a thermoplastic polymer matrix. The PCR fluorescence reference standard of the invention has a greater shelf life than fluorophores dissolved in a solution and can advantageously be used to validate a fluorescence signal obtained in a thermal cycler.

Abstract: This invention relates to a PCR fluorescence reference standard and to a method for manufacturing a PCR fluorescence reference standard. The PCR fluorescence reference standard comprises a fluorophore suspended in a thermoplastic polymer matrix. The PCR fluorescence reference standard of the invention has a greater shelf life than fluorophores dissolved in a solution and can advantageously be used to validate a fluorescence signal obtained in a thermal cycler.

Abstract: A removable modular slab for use in the construction industry includes an upper surface, a lower surface, first and second opposing end surfaces, and a conduit extending from an aperture in the upper surface to an aperture in an end surface. The slab is end-to-end abuttable with a second removable modular slab, having: (i) a conduit extending from an aperture in the upper surface to an aperture in an end surface, and/or (ii) a cavity extending from an aperture in an end surface into the slab, whereby the conduits are mateable so as to form an elongate conduit through the two slabs. Such elongate conduit is accessible through the apertures in the upper surfaces of each slab. By such access, a first joining structure is removably locatable to join the two slabs together. Cavities may terminate within the second slab and only be accessible through the aperture in the upper surface of the first slab, into which a joining structure is removably locatable to join the two slabs together.

Abstract: A removable modular slab for use in the construction industry includes upper, lower, and first and second opposing end surfaces, and a conduit extending from the upper surface to an end surface. The slab is abuttable with a second removable modular slab, having: (i) a conduit extending from the upper surface to an end surface, and/or (ii) a cavity extending from an end surface into the slab, whereby the conduits mate to form an elongate conduit through the two slabs. By access through apertures in each slab, a first joining structure is removably locatable to join the two slabs. Cavities may terminate within the second slab and only be accessible through the upper surface of the first slab. A modular surface system includes two such slabs and a joining structure to join the two slabs together.

Abstract: A for traceably determining an unknown optical path length of a sample in an optical measuring device comprises the steps of: providing a drop analyzer connected to a standard spectrophotometer; providing a certified reference material contained in first and second closed high accuracy cuvettes; measuring absorbance of the certified reference material to obtain a first absorbance measurement for the first specified path length; measuring absorbance of the certified reference material for a second path length to obtain a second absorbance measurement; using a dropping device to drop a specified volume of the solvent on an optical surface so that the path length of the specified volume can be determined by reference to the first and second absorbance measurement; and using the dropping device to drop the same volume of sample as the specified volume of solvent on the optical measuring device.

Abstract: Reference cell (8) for use with a fiber optic probe (1) comprising a base wall (11), upstanding walls (12) each having an optical window (13, 15), and a top wall (14) having a further optical window (16) adapted to allow light to pass to and from a fiber optic probe. The base wall (11) comprises a reflector (19) which reflects incident light from the fiber optic probe back to said probe (1). The top wall (14) has an attachment for receiving an emitting and a receiving end of a fiber optic probe (1). The cell (8) allows use of standard fiber optic probe (1) with other optical equipment when the path length and the probe optical characteristics require validation to international standards. The calibration of the probe (1) is analogous to calibration of laboratory spectrophotometers and can therefore be validated. The device (8) enables probes (1) to be used for applications where precision and accuracy are essential.

Abstract: We have developed a versatile plant viral vector system based on Alternanthera mosaic virus (AltMV), suitable for infection by agroinfiltration or in vivo T7 transcripts from the same clone; agroinfection is enhanced by coinfiltration of a T7 RNA polymerase construct. Variants adapted for efficient protein expression, or for virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), are based on a specific amino acid substitution (L88P) in the triple gene block 1 (TGB1) protein affecting RNA silencing suppression. A bipartite delivery system developed for AltMV delivers replicase (RdRp) functions separately from movement and encapsidation (TGB and coat protein, CP) functions by agroinfiltration, resulting in precise recombination of RdRp and TGB-CP constructs in planta. The bipartite delivery system has potential for high throughput protein expression or VIGS with the appropriate TGB1 variant, for hosts including Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana.

Abstract: A chewing gum composition containing at least 25 wt. % water-soluble portion containing a least one simple sugar and at least one water-soluble fiber; and at least 25 wt. % water-insoluble portion containing at least 10 wt. % chewing gum base filler and at least 10 wt. % chewing gum non-filler base composition. Such a combination of water-soluble and water-insoluble materials produces a healthy amount of fiber, while creating a chewing gum with an acceptable mass duration, elasticity, cohesion, flavor delivery, and sweetness delivery.

Abstract: A multiple position pipe hanger clamp (800) enables more efficient installation of piping. The clamp (800) includes a support member (825) and an upper clamp component (810) attached to the support member (825). A first section extends away from the support member (825) to an upper hinge end (815) and a second section extends away from the support member (825) to an upper tightening end. A lower clamp component (805) includes a lower hinge end (820) and a lower tightening end. A multiple position clamp mechanism (830) clamps the lower tightening end to the upper tightening end. The upper hinge end (815) is hingedly attached to the lower hinge end (820), and the clamp mechanism (830) is movable between a loose position that supports the lower tightening end loosely adjacent the upper tightening end, and a tight position that supports the lower tightening end tightly adjacent the upper tightening end.

Abstract: A for traceably determining an unknown optical path length of a sample in an optical measuring device comprises the steps of: providing a drop analyser connected to a standard spectrophotometer; providing a certified reference material contained in first and second closed high accuracy cuvettes; measuring absorbance of the certified reference material to obtain a first absorbance measurement for the first specified path length; measuring absorbance of the certified reference material for a second path length to obtain a second absorbance measurement; using a dropping device to drop a specified volume of the solvent on an optical surface so that the path length of the specified volume can be determined by reference to the first and second absorbance measurement; and using the dropping device to drop the same volume of sample as the specified volume of solvent on the optical measuring device.