Abstract: A production system and method of operating the production system. A fluid flows through a flow control device. The flow control device having an element that generates an acoustic signal indicative of a value of a parameter of the fluid in response to the fluid flowing through the flow control device. The processor receives the acoustic signal from the element, determines the value of the parameter of the fluid from the parameter of the acoustic signal, and changes an operation of the production system based on the value of the parameter of the fluid.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an electromechanical-brake-booster of a vehicle, having: an electronic-device to control an electric-motor of the electromechanical-brake-booster so that an output piston, connected indirectly to the electric-motor, of the electromechanical-brake-booster is displaceable out of its initial-position by the controlled electric-motor, such that only after a displacement of the output-piston out of its initial-position by at least a predefined limit displacement travel does a frictional engagement exist between the output-piston and an input-piston that is indirectly connected to the brake-pedal and is displaced by the actuation of the brake-pedal, and such that a speed of the output-piston displaced out of its initial-position by less than the limit displacement travel is at first increased from a reference-speed to a maximum-speed and is then reduced from the maximum-speed to the reference-speed.

Abstract: A method for characterization of mechanically induced pain experienced by an animal includes exposing the animal to an environment including a first region having a planar surface and a second region having a chainmail structure; characterizing an interaction of the animal with one or more of the first region of the environment and the second region of the environment; and determining a characterization of tactile hypersensitivity experienced by the animal based on the characterization of the interaction of the animal with one or more of the first and second regions of the environment.

Abstract: A supersonic vacuum generator device for oil wells including: a cylindrical chamber; a suction device; a central accelerator core inside the cylindrical chamber; a tubular chamber connected to the cylindrical chamber, the tubular chamber including an internal fluid feed space; a concentric accelerator core inside the tubular chamber and connected to the central accelerator core, the concentric accelerator core includes a central vacuum tube having a cylindrical shape with a fluid accumulation chamber; a conical section connected to the fluid accumulation chamber and to a reduced diameter fluid passage that diverges with an angle range between 3.5 to 9 degrees with respect to a center line of the fluid passage; a one-way valve located on each one of the inlets of the central accelerator core; and a one-way valve located on the central vacuum tube.

Abstract: Procedure for the thermal hydrolysis of organic matter in steady state, with a double steam explosion and total energy recovery, which consists, as a minimum, of the 1) feeding stage, stepped pressurization and sequential injection of low, medium and high pressure level steam; 2) first stage of hydrolysis by consecutive steam explosion operations with the production of medium pressure level steam and thermal reaction; 3) second stage of hydrolysis consisting of steam explosion and production of low pressure steam. An installation for the implementation of the process, which consists of comprising pumps for stepped pressurization, fluid-steam mixers, valves, mixers, decompression elements, tanks, piping and instrumentation and control systems.

Abstract: A load cell that is detachable from a suspension belt cable that is subjected to tension resulting from a suspended load; comprising a cell body with a rectangular parallelepiped configuration wherein the length is greater than the width of the cell body; at least one first, second and third protruding tabs projecting from a long longitudinal edge of the cell body and configured to mechanically couple with the suspension belt cable; and at least one strain gauge configured to be positioned above an intermediate zone of a long side of the cell body; such that the first, second and third protruding tabs are evenly distributed along the long longitudinal edge of the cell body and the first and third protruding tabs are positioned in on a distal plane parallel to the long longitudinal edge of the cell body; with the first and third tabs having protrusions that prevent the cell from shifting or coming off of the belt cable.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to compositions of NK cells for adoptive transfer. In particular, the disclosure relates to enhancing viability, proliferation and cytotoxicity of feeder-free NK cells following cryopreservation.

Abstract: Media skew correction is performed by determining a leading edge skew value for the media and selecting a respective media model from a memory for a media type, each media model including a paired slope and an intercept. Based on the paired slope and intercept for the respective media model, differential velocity of a pair of aligned media feed rollers in a media feed mechanism is adjusted to correct a trailing edge skew for the media to within a desired operational window.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a system and method to ensure the reproducibility of the position of the feet and lower parts of the legs during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, and to obtain robust quantitative information through the time. The system includes a device that is inserted into the radiofrequency coils of any MRI equipment. The device includes a foot support section, a leg support section and a base adapted to allow that the abovementioned sections be fixed in it. With this device and method, and through external and internal markers, quantitative studies of the evolution of pathophysiological phenomena that affect the anatomy and physiology of the feet and lower parts of the legs are performed.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods of culturing Natural Killer Cells that increase viability, proliferation and cytotoxicity following cryopreservation.

Abstract: An inflow promotion arrangement including a housing; and a promotion configuration within the housing, the promotion configuration actuatable by fluid from a relatively higher productivity index zone of a wellbore.

Abstract: A flow control device includes a first tubular having an outer surface, and a second tubular arranged radially outwardly of the first tubular. The second tubular includes an inner surface portion and an outer surface portion. The inner surface portion is spaced from the outer surface of the first tubular by a gap. The second tubular includes a plurality of openings extending through the outer surface and the inner surface. A plate is moveably arranged in the gap adjacent to at least one of the plurality of openings. The plate includes a surface section spaced from the inner surface portion a selected distance.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions useful for treating patients with inflammatory, auto-immune and age related conditions. The disclosure relates to using Natural Killer cells and derivatives thereof in order to induce therapeutic benefit to patients affected by disease and conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes mellitus, thyroid autoimmune disease, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases. In some embodiments the disclosure permits physiological compensation for disease conditions by reduction of inflammatory cytokine levels in plasma and of senescent peripheral blood mononuclear cells thereby prolonging the time until medical intervention may be required. In alternate embodiments the disclosure permits physiological compensation for disease conditions by reduction of inflammatory cytokine levels in plasma and reduction of senescent peripheral blood mononuclear cells following medical intervention.

Abstract: A media alignment calibration system determines a slope relating a trailing edge skew value to its paired leading edge skew value and an intercept representing native skew based on a linear regression of a predetermined number of a set of paired leading and trailing edge skew values for a media type stored in a buffer. Based on the slope and intercept, a media model for the media type is updated based on the linear regression to adjust a differential velocity of a pair of aligned media feed rollers in a media feed mechanism to correct both a future native skew and future paired leading and trailing edge skew values in the buffer to within a desired operational window.

Abstract: A borehole system including a completion in a borehole; an interval of the borehole having a plurality of productivity zones therein, at least one of the zones being a lower productivity zone and at least one of the zones being a higher productivity zone; a pump connected to the at least one lower productivity zone of the interval and configured to bring production from the lower productivity zone to a production capacity of the higher productivity zone of the interval.

Abstract: An inflow promotion arrangement including a housing; and a promotion configuration within the housing, the promotion configuration actuatable by fluid from a relatively higher productivity index zone of a wellbore.

Abstract: A thermal load based automatic valve arrangement including an actuator responsive to fluid temperature flowing through the arrangement, a closure member operably connected to the actuator, and a seat receptive to the closure member to prevent or restrict fluid flow through the arrangement in a first direction when actuated while still allowing fluid flow in a second direction. A method for controlling steam movement in a production string of a SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) installation including sensing with an actuator, temperature of fluid moving through a valve arrangement, automatically adjusting the valve arrangement pursuant to thermal load on the actuator.

Abstract: An insulating insert for a packaging system includes six pockets and multiple sealed dividers. The six pockets are rectangular in shape and are each filled with an insulating material. The six pockets include a bottom pocket configured to contact a bottom inside surface of a box, four side pockets each configured to contact a respective side inside surface of the box, and a top pocket configured to contact a top inside surface of the box when the insulating insert is placed into the box. Each sealed divider is located between two adjacent pockets. The sealed dividers provide fold locations to permit the insulating insert to be folded and installed within the box so that each of the six pockets contacts a respective inside surface of the box.

Abstract: Examples of techniques for enhanced reservoir modeling are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method includes estimating, by a processing device, a plurality of reservoir fluid values. The reservoir fluid values includes a density of the fluid, a velocity of the fluid, a pressure differential of the fluid, a temperature of the fluid, a viscosity, and an absolute pressure of the fluid. The method further includes modeling, by the processing device, a mass flow rate based at least in part on the plurality of reservoir fluid values. The method further includes applying the modeled mass flow rate to a wellbore operation.

Abstract: A method of assembling a substrate with a part is provided. The method includes a step of structuring the substrate by a pulsed laser. In one example, the substrate is metallic and the part is polymer-based. The structuring step engraves grooves into the substrate in a pattern determined by the relative motion of the beam and the substrate. The pattern is configured to provide improved adhesion between the structured substrate and a part after assembling the substrate and the part by laser welding. The method of assembling may further include a pre-treatment step of the structured surface to allow improve laser absorption during the welding assembling.