Abstract: The present invention is directed to in situ methods for providing a definitive haplotype of a subject. The haplotype information generated by the methods described herein is more accurate than that provided by prior art methods that only give an inferred haplotype. Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides an in situ method for obtaining genetic information for a polyploid subject, the method including the steps of obtaining a biological sample from the subject, the sample containing: (i) at least one paternally-derived DNA molecule, and/or (ii) at least one maternally-derived DNA molecule, analyzing any one or more of the paternally- or maternally-derived DNA molecules for nucleotide sequence information, wherein the step of analyzing determines whether any two DNA markers are present in cis on one chromosome, or in trans across two sister chromosomes.

Abstract: A hybrid SOFC/gas turbine electric generating system comprising an SOFC stack, a hydrocarbon reformer, a first anode tailgas hydrogen-rich combustor to drive a first gas turbine stage, and a second stoichiometric combustor to drive a second gas turbine stage to drive a generator. Anode tailgas is also recycled into the reformer for substantially endothermic reforming of hydrocarbon fuel. Oxidant is provided as pure oxygen—which may be stored as liquid oxygen. All nitrogen may be excluded. Cathode exhaust is passed to the first combustor, to the second combustor, and is recycled into the cathodes. The turbine exhaust is passed through successive heat exchangers cooled by liquid oxygen being vaporized, precipitating water and solid CO2. The system is operated at about 800 kPa (about 8 atmospheres), thereby increasing the power output of the stack. The system may be operated with no gaseous exhaust or with by-products of water and CO2.

Abstract: A hybrid input differential engine system comprising a planetary gear set. Preferably, an ICE is connected to the planet gear carrier, the output shaft is connected to the ring gear, and the sun gear is connected to a supercharger/expander and an electric or hydraulic motor/generator. As engine torque increases, the supercharger speeds up, increasing torque still further, enabling a small displacement engine to have very high torque at low RPM. In cruise conditions, the sun gear direction is reversed by the motor/generator, causing the supercharger to act as an expander for efficiently throttling the engine. The motor/generator modulates the speed/torque relationships between the engine and the supercharger/expander. A second motor/generator may be used on the output shaft. The electric machines and electric storage may be downsized because less electrical power is needed for the operation of the system.

Abstract: A processing device and a machine-implemented method may be provided for tracking file system dependencies with respect to a volume residing on a storage device and guest volumes residing on virtual storage devices nested within the volume. A shim driver may receive an indication of a virtual storage device being surfaced and may parse contents to surface partitions and volumes contained within the virtual storage device to a system. The shim driver may open a guest volume nested within a host volume and may send a register request, regarding the guest volume, to a virtual disk mini-filter associated with the host volume. The virtual disk mini-filter may save information regarding a relationship between the host volume and the guest volume. The saved information may be used to prevent file system corruption when the host volume is dismounted or unexpectedly removed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for providing a definitive haplotype of a subject. The haplotype information generated by the methods described herein is more accurate than that provided by prior art methods that only give an inferred haplotype. Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a method for determining a definitive haplotype of a subject the method including the steps of providing a substantially isolated haploid element from the subject, and obtaining nucleotide sequence information from the haploid element. Applicants propose that the use of a substantially isolated haploid element eliminates the problem of incorrect or misleading inferences concerning the phase of two or more loci within a haplotype, and allows for revelation of two or more participatory genes within a haplotype, uncomplicated by differences in modes of inheritance.

Abstract: A system comprising a cylindrical housing containing a sorbent cartridge selective of one or more gases in a gaseous mixture. End caps on opposite ends of the housing seal to the ends of the cartridge and direct the flow of gas mixture through a portion of the cartridge. The first end cap has entrance and exit ports for the gas mixture and for a purging gas for cartridge regeneration. The second end cap includes a compartment to receive and return the gas mixture to the first cap exit port. The purging gas follows a similar pathway via the remaining portion of the cartridge. The cartridge is rotatable within the housing; thus, the exhausted portion of the medium may be rotated into position for regeneration while a regenerated portion of the medium is rotated into position for re-use, thus providing continuous adsorption from the gas mixture.

Abstract: An energy conversion system comprising ammonia for fueling an SOFC stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen-rich tailgas. In the SOFC stack, ammonia is cracked to hydrogen and nitrogen. Ammonia is stored in a metal halide complex and is released therefrom as gaseous ammonia by waste heat from the SOFC. A heat exchanger is positioned across the SOFC cathode such that incoming air is tempered by the cathode exhaust air. In a two-stage energy conversion system, the hydrogen-rich tailgas from the SOFC is supplied as fuel to a secondary energy conversion device which may be, for example, an internal combustion engine or a gas turbine engine which may operate, for example, either a generator for generating additional electricity or a vehicle for motive power, or a second fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for identifying a set of target nucleotide sequences capable of identifying a member of a group of related nucleotide sequences, the method comprising the step of dividing the nucleotide sequence of each member of the group into a plurality of subsequences, wherein at least two of the subsequences overlap. The method is useful in generating probe sets capable of assigning alleles at HLA or KIR loci.

Abstract: A catalytic reformer assembly is used to generate reformate from hydrocarbon fuels for fueling an energy producing source such as a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) assembly or an internal combustion engine (ICE). In the case of an SOFC assembly, it emits a tail gas (syngas) from the anodes which contains significant residual hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is very hot, and is completely anoxic. Syngas is thus an ideal medium for vaporizing and carrying higher boiling point fuels into the reformer. At least a portion of the anode syngas is recycled into a fuel vaporizer/mixer ahead of the reformer and ahead of the entry point of air into the fuel stream, such that the fuel dispersed into the fuel vaporizer/mixer is fully vaporized and heated prior to being combined with air for exothermic reforming. In the case of an ICE, hot exhaust is used as the recycled carrier gas.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling reformate delivered to an electrochemical cell in an electric power system. The system comprises: a reformate pressure sensor disposed in the reformate and configured to measure reformate pressure; a controllable valve configured to control the flow of reformate to the electrochemical cell; and a controller coupled to the reformate pressure sensor and the controllable valve. The controller receives a reformate pressure signal from the reformate pressure sensor, a controllable valve position signal from the controllable valve, and transmits a controllable valve command to the controllable valve.

Abstract: A method for fuel cell system thermal management includes: maintaining a first zone at a first selected temperature range, maintaining a second zone at a second selected temperature range, and maintaining a third zone at a third selected temperature range. The second zone is in thermal communication with a first sensor and comprises a reformer, while the third zone is in thermal communication with a second sensor and comprises a fuel cell stack. The second selected temperature range is greater than the first selected temperature range, while the third selected temperature range is greater than the second selected temperature range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of property or real estate. In one form, the invention relates to the rating of property. In another form, the present invention relates to the ranking of property based on various inputs into the system and method of the present invention. The rating and/or ranking is determined in accordance with a numerical value.

Abstract: A lossless encoder and decoder are provided for transmitting a multichannel signal on a medium such as DVD-Audio. The encoder accepts additionally a downmix specification and splits the encoded stream into two substreams, such that a two-channel decoder of meagre computational power can implement the downmix specification by decoding one substream, while a multichannel decoder can decode the original multichannel signal losslessly using both substreams. Further features provide for efficient implementation on 24-bit processors, for confirmation of lossless reproduction to the user, and for benign behaviour in the case of downmix specifications that result in overload. The principle is also extended to mixed-rate signals, where for example some input channels are sampled at 48 kHz and some are sampled at 96 kHz.

Abstract: A method of operating a compression ignition engine is disclosed. The method comprises, introducing an enriching component into a combustion chamber during an intake stroke, igniting the enriching component during the compression stroke, introducing a main injection of fuel to the combustion chamber after the ignition of the enriching component, igniting the main injection of fuel, and introducing a supplemental gas to the combustion chamber after igniting the main injection of fuel.

Abstract: An extended rich mode engine configured and operated extremely rich of stoichiometric to produce a substantially continuous hydrogen rich engine exhaust. Oxygen enrichment devices further optimize production of hydrogen rich engine exhaust. Engines include a free piston gas generator with rich homogenous charge compression, a rich internal combustion engine cylinder system with an oxygen generator, and a rich inlet turbo-generator system with exhaust heat recovery. Oxygen enrichment devices to enhance production of hydrogen rich engine exhaust include pressure swing absorption with oxygen selective materials, and oxygen separators such as a solid oxide fuel cell oxygen separator and a ceramic membrane oxygen separator.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a forging for forming a split casing comprising the steps of creating a forging, for example, by a ring rolling process and then deforming the forging by compressing it along a first axis and/or extending it along a second axis.

Abstract: A trap for an energy conversion device comprises a trapping system comprising a filter element and a trap element, and fluidly coupled to a reforming system. The trapping system is monitored by a combination of devices including an on-board diagnostic system, a temperature sensor, and a pressure differential sensor, which can individually or in combination determine when to regenerate the trapping system. The method for trapping sulfur and particulate matter using the trapping system comprises dispensing fuel into the energy conversion device. The fuel is processed in a reformer system to produce a reformate. The reformate is introduced into the trapping system and filtered to remove particulate matter and sulfur.

Abstract: A method for fuel cell system thermal management includes: maintaining a first zone at a first selected temperature range, maintaining a second zone at a second selected temperature range, and maintaining a third zone at a third selected temperature range. The second zone is in thermal communication with a first sensor and comprises a reformer, while the third zone is in thermal communication with a second sensor and comprises a fuel cell stack. The second selected temperature range is greater than the first selected temperature range, while the third selected temperature range is greater than the second selected temperature range. The method may further include sensing a second zone temperature in the second zone, determining whether the second zone temperature is at the second selected temperature range, and adding a process air flow to the second zone if the second zone temperature rises above the second selected temperature range.

Abstract: A process for removing contaminants from a reformer comprises removal of particulate matter under operating, or stand-by conditions, or at the start of a shutdown procedure, by introducing a gas mixture to the reformer system having an oxidant-to-fuel ratio concentration leaner than a normal oxidant-to-fuel ratio concentration and at a gas flow rate less than a peak flow rate. The process produces elevated temperatures at the reformer inlet and elevated levels of carbon dioxide and water that combine to remove the contaminants. Another embodiment includes removal of particulate matter during a shutdown procedure by cycling the flow of fuel and air on and off; monitoring an exit temperature of a catalyst substrate and alternatively, cycling the oxidant flow on and off when the exit temperature is less than or greater than a threshold temperature such that the exit temperature of the catalyst substrate is maintained below the temperature at which aging of the catalyst and/or a washcoat material may occur.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a preheated micro-reformer system is disclosed comprising a reformer and a micro-reformer in fluid communication with the reformer. The micro-reformer being electrically preheatable. An apparatus comprising a micro-reformer including a first zone and a second zone, the first zone being preheatable to a first temperature and the second zone being preheatable to a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature. A method of using a micro-reformer that is electrically preheatable is disclosed comprising initiating an electrically preheatable micro-reformer. The micro-reformer is preheated. The preheating can be accomplished by converting electrical energy into thermal energy. A method of using a preheated micro-reformer is disclosed comprising preheating a first zone, preheating a second zone to a temperature higher than the first zone, vaporizing a fuel air mixture in the first zone, and reforming the fuel air mixture in the second zone.