Abstract: The invention relates to a device for in vivo sampling of biological species, comprising: a tubular sheath extending between a proximal end of said sheath and a distal end of said sheath, said distal end of the sheath having a projecting part, a rod extending between a proximal end of said rod and a distal end of said rod, capable of sliding in the sheath between a retracted position in which the distal end of the rod is located inside the sheath and a deployed position in which the distal end of the rod extends beyond the distal end of the sheath, said rod comprising a capturing support for capturing said biological species, made from a porous material, arranged in a distal region of the rod on a portion of the circumference of the rod such that the capturing support is located outside the sheath when the rod is in the deployed position of same.

Abstract: The electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst is an electrochemical process for producing hydrogen peroxide using a cathode formed as a nanostructured titania (TiO2) electrode surface treated with nitrogen. An anode and the cathode are immersed in an alkaline solution saturated with oxygen in an electrolytic cell. An electrical potential is established across the cathode and the anode to initiate electrochemical reduction of the oxygen in the alkaline solution to produce hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution. The hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution is then collected from the cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds which are inhibitors of the polymerization of tubulin, to the methods for the production thereof, and to the uses of same.

Abstract: A system and a method provide a photovoltaic system which regenerates the output characteristics of the photovoltaic at different ambient condition with high precision under all environmental conditions. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic array, a buck/boost converter, a DC link capacitor to connect the buck/booster converter to a load/inverter, an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference maximum power point tracking controller, a voltage control loop, a proportional integral controller to maintain the output voltage of the photovoltaic array to the reference voltage by adjusting the duty ratio of buck/boost converter.

Abstract: The hybrid solar thermal enhanced oil recovery system with an oxy-fuel combustor is an enhanced oil recovery system utilizing solar thermal enhanced oil recovery during the daytime and utilizing an oxy-fuel combustor in the nighttime. A solar heater is used for the solar thermal enhanced oil recovery, generating steam injected into an oil field having an oil well for enhanced oil recovery. During the nighttime, when solar heating is not available, an oxy-fuel combustor produces carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The carbon dioxide is injected into the oil field for miscible enhanced oil recovery and the nitrogen is separately injected into the oil field for immiscible enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: The enhanced oil recovery (EOR) system includes a solar tower that heats air, which is fed to an ion transport membrane (ITM) unit. The ITM unit separates oxygen from the preheated air. The separated oxygen is injected into the oil well to burn part of the well's oil, thereby generating the heat required for thermally enhance oil recovery. Combustion of part of the well's oil reduces the viscosity of the remainder, enhancing extraction of oil from the well.

Abstract: A Method for retrieving at least one image from a database (DB) of images based on at least two input images (image i, image j), comprises the steps of determining (120) first low level feature correspondences (LC1) between said at least two input images (image i, image j), searching (200) within said database (DB) for at least two sets (Mi, Mj) of images respectively matching said at least to images (image i, image j), determining (120) second low level features correspondences (LC2) between respective images from said at least two sets of images (Mi, Mj), determining (130) a first set of relationships (RLC1) between entities of said at least two input images (image i, image j) based on said first low level feature correspondences (LC1), determining (130) a second set of relationships (RLC2) between respective entities of said respective images from said at least two sets of images (Mi, Mj) based on said second low level feature correspondences (LC2), identifying (300) matching relationships between said fir

Abstract: The diethylammonium salts of phenyl-substituted thiobarbituric acid as anti-diabetic agents include compounds having the formula: wherein X is: and wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, halogen, methyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, and nitro, and R2 is either halogen or hydrogen, the R1 and R2 substituents being independently bonded to an ortho-, meta-, or para-carbon of the phenyl substituent.

Abstract: A solar powered cooling system that obtains a plurality of cooling temperatures in a simultaneous fashion. The system includes a heliostat field, a steam-Rankine cycle (SRC), absorption-refrigeration cycle (ARC), an ejector-refrigeration cycle (ERC) and a cascaded-refrigeration cycle (CRC). The heliostat field directs solar energy to a receiver included in the SRC to heat molten-salt. The heated molten salt transfers heat energy to form vapors of a first refrigerant. A steam turbine transfer the power to drive the vapor compression system (CRC) system and vapor at the turbine exit is fed to the ERC cooling system. The ERC achieves a first cooling temperature range by driving an ejector-nozzle by the vapors of the first refrigerant. The steam turbine drives a first compressor and a second compressor included in the CRC to obtain a second cooling temperature range. A condenser included in the ARC portion condenses the vapors of the first refrigerant to obtain a third cooling temperature range.

Abstract: The steam methane reforming reactor includes a substantially cylindrical housing or shell and a tube disposed concentrically within the substantially cylindrical shell. The tube includes one or more catalysts. A hydrogen selective membrane extends through a central portion of the tube. The hydrogen selective membrane can be formed from a hydrogen selective material such as a palladium alloy. The membrane defines a central passage or permeate zone. A feed zone including the catalyst extends around the permeate zone. A sweep gas, such as air, nitrogen or the like, may be injected in the permeate zone, via an inlet, and pass through the permeate zone, exiting via an outlet. An annular heated fluid passage is defined between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the substantially cylindrical housing or shell. A heating medium may be injected into the heated fluid passage to pass therethrough.

Abstract: A solar powered cooling system that obtains a plurality of cooling temperatures in a simultaneous fashion. The system includes a heliostat field, a steam-Rankine cycle (SRC), absorption-refrigeration cycle (ARC), an ejector-refrigeration cycle (ERC) and a cascaded-refrigeration cycle (CRC). The heliostat field directs solar energy to a receiver included in the SRC to heat molten-salt. The heated molten salt transfers heat energy to form vapors of a first refrigerant. A steam turbine transfer the power to drive the vapor compression system (CRC) system and vapor at the turbine exit is fed to the ERC cooling system. The ERC achieves a first cooling temperature range by driving an ejector-nozzle by the vapors of the first refrigerant. The steam turbine drives a first compressor and a second compressor included in the CRC to obtain a second cooling temperature range. A condenser included in the ARC portion condenses the vapors of the first refrigerant to obtain a third cooling temperature range.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system and method for assessing the accuracy of a surgical navigation system. The method may include acquiring an X-ray image that captures a surgical instrument. The method may also include segmenting the surgical instrument in the X-ray image. In an embodiment, the segmenting may be performed using edge detection or pattern recognition. The distance between the predicted location of the surgical instrument tip and the actual location of the surgical instrument tip may be computed. The distance between the predicted location of the surgical instrument tip and the actual location of the surgical instrument tip may be compared with a threshold value. If the distance between the predicted location of the surgical instrument tip and the actual location of the surgical instrument tip is greater than the threshold value, the user may be alerted.

Abstract: The electrochemical method of producing hydrogen peroxide using a titanium oxide nanotube catalyst is an electrochemical process for producing hydrogen peroxide using a cathode formed as a nanostructured titania (TiO2) electrode surface treated with nitrogen. An anode and the cathode are immersed in an alkaline solution saturated with oxygen in an electrolytic cell. An electrical potential is established across the cathode and the anode to initiate electrochemical reduction of the oxygen in the alkaline solution to produce hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution. The hydrogen peroxide dissolved in the alkaline solution is then collected from the cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for in vivo sampling of biological species, comprising:—a capture medium made from a nanoporous material, having a capture surface for said species, said capture medium being supported by a plate,—a gripping rod,—an articulation comprising a first limb coupled to the gripping rod and a second limb coupled removably to the plate supporting the capture medium, such that the capture surface can be selectively oriented relative to the gripping rod, so as to adjust the orientation of the capture medium relative to the gripping rod.

Abstract: A system and a method provide a photovoltaic system which regenerates the output characteristics of the photovoltaic at different ambient condition with high precision under all environmental conditions. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic array, a buck/boost converter, a DC link capacitor to connect the buck/booster converter to a load/inverter, an adaptive network-based fuzzy inference maximum power point tracking controller, a voltage control loop, a proportional integral controller to maintain the output voltage of the photovoltaic array to the reference voltage by adjusting the duty ratio of buck/boost converter.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a terminal for exchanging messages by placing tokens near it. The terminal comprises communication means to exchange information with a database, detection means for identifying local tokens placed near the terminal, display means for displaying remote tokens, and proximity logic configured to assert a proximity relationship between tokens or between a token and a reference point. The terminal exchanges information about the topology of its tokens and that of tokens present at other terminals via the database. The terminal displays tokens present near remote copies of the local tokens, based on information obtained from the database.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology include a micromachined implantable drug delivery devices, grippers, and syringes that are wirelessly powered and controlled by frequency tuning of external radiofrequency (RF) magnetic fields. An illustrative device can be designed and constructed with passive circuitry and microvalves that operate without batteries, e.g., through thermal actuation of hydrogel microvalves and/or shape-memory alloy members. The frequency selectivity in the device control provides not only a path to achieving reliable and safe operation of drug delivery but also potential applications for selective delivery of multiple drugs.

Abstract: A method for reducing vortex formation in molten metal when bottom tapping the molten metal from a metallurgical vessel in a metal making process. The method includes the steps of tapping the molten metal via a tapping hole in the metallurgical vessel, and providing a flow of the molten metal in the metallurgical vessel while tapping via a time-varying electromagnetic field applied to the metallurgical vessel, the flow of the molten metal being such that it constantly moves vortices in the molten metal away from a tapping hole region during the tapping to thereby prevent accumulation of the vortices for vortex formation over the tapping hole. It is also presented an arrangement for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A male contact assembly includes a contact body having a mating end and a wire end opposite the mating end. The wire end has a wire barrel configured to receive and be terminated to a wire conductor. The male contact assembly includes a spring body having a front end and a rear end. The rear end is coupled to the mating end of the contact body such that the rear end of the spring body and the mating end of the contact body are coaxially aligned for a mating length. The front end of the spring body includes a male connector comprising at least one compliant beam. The at least one compliant beam of the male connector is resiliently deflected when connected to an external female connector.