Abstract: A biological culture unit comprises a chamber body and a valve plate. The chamber body has defined therein a growth chamber and an aliquot chamber. The valve plate is disposed on the top surface of the chamber body and is movable to define selectable configurations of the biological culture unit for: (1) loading the growth chamber; (3) transferring an aliquot from the growth chamber to the aliquot chamber via a path defined within the biological culture unit in the transfer position; and (4) extracting the aliquot from the aliquot chamber. The selectable positions may further include (2) a growth position, and (5) a termination position for putting a termination agent into the growth and aliquot chambers. The valve plate may further include a neutralizer port that is aligned with the aliquot chamber in the loading position, for loading a neutralizing agent into the aliquot chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus to effect at least partial breakdown of a discrete material or product item or a combination of discrete material or product items. The apparatus includes a treatment vessel in which the discrete material or product item or combination of discrete material or product items are located for treatment. There is at least one entry for introduction of at least one working fluid, at least one pressurisation arrangement to increase pressure on the material or product item or combination of material or product items within the treatment vessel. At least one decompression arrangement to rapidly reduce the pressure on the material or product item or combination of material or product items within the treatment vessel may also be provided. The at least one pressurisation arrangement and the at least one decompression arrangement are operable to cause repeated pressurisation and rapid decompression on the material or product item or combination of material or product items within the treatment vessel.

Abstract: A method of at least partially breaking down a material or product item or combination of material or product items. The method includes the steps of introducing said material or product item or combination of material or product items into a treatment vessel, introducing at least one working fluid into the treatment vessel, repeatedly increasing pressure on the material or product item or combination of material or product items in said treatment vessel to above atmospheric pressure and then subsequently depressurising the material or product item or combination of material or product items in the treatment vessel to achieve a pressure reduction in the vessel to effect at least partial breakdown of said material or product item or combination of material or product items.

Abstract: A perforating tool including a body, a first lid and a second lid, the first lid attachable to one end of the body and the second lid attachable to an opposite end of the body, to define an interior cavity of the body. The interior cavity has an air-tight seal with an exterior environment surrounding the body. In some aspects, one or more plates are disposable within the interior cavity such that the one or more plates are situated apart from an explosive charge when the explosive charge is disposed in the interior cavity, the one or more plates occupying part of a total interior volume of the interior cavity and thereby reducing a free interior volume inside the body.

Abstract: A perforating tool including a body, a first lid and a second lid, the first lid attachable to one end of the body and the second lid attachable to an opposite end of the body, to define an interior cavity of the body. The interior cavity has an air-tight seal with an exterior environment surrounding the body. In some aspects, one or more plates disposable within the interior cavity such that the one or more plates are situated apart from an explosive charge when the explosive charge is disposed in the interior cavity, the one or more plates occupying part of a total interior volume of the interior cavity and thereby reducing a free interior volume inside the body.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage.

Abstract: Simulation of downhole transient pressure effects due to propellant stimulation of a formation provides information that may be utilized to select a type of perforating tool system and other components that contribute to effective stimulation of a formation. A well simulator pressure vessel comprises a perforating tool system that comprises a type of perforating gun assembly that includes one or more shaped charges. A propellant disk assembly adjacent to a sample formation is coupled to the perforating tool system. The propellant disk assembly comprises one or more components for securing the propellant. A transient pressure effect may be measured once the one or more shaped charges are detonated and the propellant is ignited or deflagrated. The measured transient pressure effects may be utilized to alter or change the one or more components of the perforating tool system prior to, during, or after stimulation of the sample formation.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor included in a cochlear implant system used by a recipient is configured to generate a spectral input signal representative of spectral energy contained within a frequency band of a plurality of frequency bands of an audio input signal presented to the recipient. The sound processor further receives a predetermined system noise threshold that is determined prior to the audio input signal being presented to the recipient and that is based on a predicted or measured spectral energy level of system noise generated by a theoretical or test cochlear implant system associated with, but distinct from, the cochlear implant system. The sound processor determines whether a spectral energy level of the spectral input signal exceeds the system noise threshold and, based on this determination, performs an action that impacts stimulation provided to the recipient by the cochlear implant system. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for concurrent production use of an enterprise system and testing of a modified enterprise system is provided. The method includes obtaining inputs from one or more users of a production enterprise system; providing the inputs from the one or more users to the production enterprise system; determining, by at least a hardware processor, a subset of the inputs from among the one or more users to use to test the modified enterprise system; performing, by at least the hardware processor, one or more transactions on the subset of the inputs on the modified enterprise system and a copy of the production enterprise system; and analyzing, by at least the hardware processor, the one or more transactions to determine that the modified enterprise system is correctly configured.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage. Methods of forming such an expandable/retractable column are also presented.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor included in a cochlear implant system used by a patient generates a spectral input signal representative of spectral energy contained within a frequency band of an audio signal presented to the patient. The sound processor determines whether a spectral energy level of the spectral input signal exceeds a predetermined system noise threshold that is based on a characterization of system noise generated by the cochlear implant system within the frequency band. The sound processer then generates a spectral output signal by 1) including the spectral input signal in the spectral output signal if the spectral energy level exceeds the predetermined system noise threshold, and 2) excluding the spectral input signal from the spectral output signal if the spectral energy level does not exceed the predetermined system noise threshold. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage. Methods of forming such an expandable/retractable column are also presented.

Abstract: Simulation of downhole transient pressure effects due to propellant stimulation of a formation provides information that may be utilized to select a type of perforating tool system and other components that contribute to effective stimulation of a formation. A well simulator pressure vessel comprises a perforating tool system that comprises a type of perforating gun assembly that includes one or more shaped charges. A propellant disk assembly adjacent to a sample formation is coupled to the perforating tool system. The propellant disk assembly comprises one or more components for securing the propellant. A transient pressure effect may be measured once the one or more shaped charges are detonated and the propellant is ignited or deflagrated. The measured transient pressure effects may be utilized to alter or change the one or more components of the perforating tool system prior to, during, or after stimulation of the sample formation.

Abstract: A method for concurrent production use of an enterprise system and testing of a modified enterprise system is provided. The method includes obtaining inputs from one or more users of a production enterprise system; providing the inputs from the one or more users to the production enterprise system; determining, by at least a hardware processor, a subset of the inputs from among the one or more users to use to test the modified enterprise system; performing, by at least the hardware processor, one or more transactions on the subset of the inputs on the modified enterprise system and a copy of the production enterprise system; and analyzing, by at least the hardware processor, the one or more transactions to determine that the modified enterprise system is correctly configured.

Abstract: Described are compounds that inhibit androgen receptor action, pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds, and methods of using the compounds and compositions for treating disorders and conditions in a subject.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections engage adjacent individual sections to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections disengage from the adjacent individual sections and the column may be retracted for compact storage.

Abstract: A method may include positioning at least one calibration disk in a computed tomography (CT) scanner and positioning a pellet in the CT scanner. The at least one calibration disk and the pellet may both be made of a same powder exhibiting a known density. The method may further include scanning the at least one calibration disk and the pellet using the CT scanner to obtain one or more CT images of the pellet and the at least one calibration disk, and comparing a density of the pellet with the known density of the at least one calibration disk based on the one or more CT images.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fragmenting a discrete waste product item or a combination of discrete waste product items involving introducing the discrete waste product item or combination of discrete waste product items into a pressure vessel, subjecting the item or items to an atmosphere of superheated steam in the vessel of at least 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure, subsequently decompressing the vessel to achieve a pressure reduction of at least 0.5 bar in at most 5 seconds, and repeating the steps to effect fragmentation of the waste product item or combination of waste product items.