Abstract: A metal fixing material leadthrough for an igniter of airbags and/or belt tensioners includes a main body having a through-opening formed therein and at least one metal pin fused into a glass or glass-ceramic fixing material in the through-opening and having a core region. The at least one metal pin, at least in its core region, consists of ferritic stainless steel made to the EN 10020 standard. The ferritic stainless steel is selected in such a way that, when converted to a standard dimensioning of a metal pin diameter of 1.00±0.03 mm and a metal pin length of 11.68±0.02 mm, the at least one metal pin has a maximum elastic deflection Wmax of less than 0.24 mm.

Abstract: Compounds, compositions, and methods for controlling the level of a target protein in a cell are described. Compounds of the disclosure include those having according to the formula PTM-L-LTM, wherein PTM is a targeting moiety that binds the target protein, L is a covalent bond or linker moiety, and LTM is a ubiquitin ligase binding moiety that binds a plant ubiquitin ligase. Additionally novel cereblon binding moieties are provided that may be used as molecular glues or in bifunctional compounds to target proteins in plants and mammals.

Abstract: A metal fixing material leadthrough for igniters of airbags and/or belt tighteners includes at least one metal pin fused into a glass or glass-ceramic fixing material in a through-opening of a main body. The metal is present in a post-heated state, with an interface between the fixing material and the metal pin and an additional interface between the fixing material and an inner surface of the through-opening. The at least one metal pin, at least in its core region, consists of stainless steel, such as a chromium-containing stainless steel, the stainless steel having a thermal expansion coefficient.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system that tracks website usage without compromising user privacy. The system aggregates website usage data of multiple users across multiple websites. Website usage data is aggregated in a way that preserves each individual user's privacy. Specifically, information relevant to a particular user may be obtained from the aggregated information without exposing what was actually collected from that user. In some configurations, user-specific website usage data is aggregated using trusted execution environment computing hardware. This ensures that privacy is preserved while user-specific data is transferred to and processed by the system. The trusted execution environment applies differential privacy techniques to ensure that use of the aggregated information does not reveal actual information about a user's website usage history. In this way, privacy is maintained while still enabling many of the scenarios that would otherwise rely on third-party cookies.

Abstract: A medical station includes a cassette system provided at a moveable cart. The cassette system includes locking drawers, proximity sensors, each of which is associated with one of the drawers, and a computer system with an input device. The computer system receives data from the proximity sensors to determine a position of each of the drawers.

Abstract: A tire deflation and inflation system for a vehicle. The system includes a unit bearing having a plurality of wheel flanges for mounting a wheel thereto. The unit bearing is configured to receive therein a portion of an axle of the vehicle. A wheel hub is mounted to the unit bearing. An air chamber is defined by the unit bearing. In response to positive air pressure generated by an air pressure source, air flows through the air chamber to a tire of the wheel mounted to the unit bearing to increase air pressure of the tire. In response to negative air pressure generated by venting the system to atmosphere, air is drawn out of the tire through the air chamber.

Abstract: A cutting tool abnormality sensing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an image pickup device for taking individual images of teeth of the cutting tool. The apparatus further includes a triggering mechanism for triggering the image pickup device each time a tooth passes along a field of view of the image pickup device. One or more light sources are provided to illuminate the cutting tool. Further, the apparatus includes an image processor to process one or more criteria in the individual images for quantifying an extent of abnormality in the cutting tool.

Abstract: Methods of stimulating biogenic production of a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content are described. The methods may include accessing a consortium of microorganisms in a geologic formation that includes a carbonaceous material. They may also include providing a phosphorous compound to the microorganisms. The phosphorous compound stimulates the consortium to metabolize the carbonaceous material into a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content. Also, methods of stimulating biogenic production of a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content by providing a yeast extract amenment to a consortium of microorganisms is described. The yeast extract amendment stimulates the consortium to metabolize carbonaceous material in the formation into the metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content.

Abstract: Methods of stimulating biogenic production of a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content are described. The methods may include accessing a consortium of microorganisms in a geologic formation that includes a carbonaceous material. They may also include providing hydrogen and one or more phosphorous compounds to the microorganisms. The combination of the hydrogen and phosphorous compounds stimulates the consortium to metabolize the carbonaceous material into the metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content. Also, methods of stimulating biogenic production of a metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content by providing a carboxylate compound, such as acetate, to a consortium of microorganisms is described. The carboxylate compound stimulates the consortium to metabolize carbonaceous material in the formation into the metabolic product with enhanced hydrogen content.

Abstract: Disclosed are strategies for the economical microbial generation of hydrogen, useful as an alternative energy source, from hydrocarbon-rich deposits such as coal, oil and/or gas formations, oil shale, bitumen, tar sands, carbonaceous shale, peat deposits and sediments rich in organic matter through the management of the metabolism of microbial consortia.

Abstract: An isolated microbial consortium is described that includes a first microbial consortium having Thermacetogenium phaeum to metabolize a complex hydrocarbon substrate into metabolic products comprising an acetate compound. The consortium also includes a second microbial consortium having a methanogen to convert the acetate compound into a final product that includes methane. Also, a method of increasing production of materials with enhanced hydrogen content. The method includes isolating Thermacetogenium phaeum from geologic formation water, culturing the isolated Thermacetogenium phaeum to increase the Thermacetogenium phaeum population, and introducing a consortium of the cultured Thermacetogenium phaeum, which may include spores of Thermacetogenium phaeum, into a hydrocarbon formation containing a complex hydrocarbon substrate.

Abstract: A method of transferring an interest in microbial rights associated with a parcel of land. The method includes recognizing a microbial estate that includes the microbial rights, where ownership interests in the microbial estate are separately transferable from other estates associated with the parcel of land, and transferring one or more of the microbial rights of the microbial estate to a party that is not in possession or ownership of the microbial estate. Also, a method of searching interests in a microbial estate, where the method may include identifying a location for a parcel of land associated with the microbial estate, searching records associated with the identified parcel of land, and identifying in the records a name of one or more parties having an interest in the microbial estate. Methods of auctioning a microbial right in microbial property are also described.

Abstract: A method to stimulate the biogenic production of a metabolite with enhanced hydrogen content that includes forming an opening in a geologic formation to provide access to a consortium of microorganisms, and injecting water into the opening to disperse at least a portion of the consortium over a larger region of a hydrocarbon deposit. The method may also include measuring a change in the rate of production of the metabolite in the formation. Also, an method to stimulate biogenic production of a metabolite that includes measuring a salinity level of formation water in a geologic formation, and injecting water into the opening to reduce the salinity level of the formation water in the formation. The method may also include measuring a change in the rate of production of the metabolite in the formation.

Abstract: A microbial consortia for biogenically increasing the hydrogen content of a carbonaceous source material, where the consortia includes a first microbial consortium to metabolize the carbonaceous source material into one or more first intermediate hydrocarbons, a second microbial consortium, which includes one or more species of Thermotoga microorganisms, to convert the first intermediate hydrocarbons into one or more second intermediate hydrocarbons and oxidized carbon. and a third microbial consortium to convert the second intermediate hydrocarbons into one or more smaller hydrocarbons and water, where the smaller hydrocarbons have a greater mol. % hydrogen than the carbonaceous source material.

Abstract: A microbial consortia for biogenically increasing the hydrogen content of a carbonaceous source material, where the consortia includes a first microbial consortium to metabolize the carbonaceous source material into one or more first intermediate hydrocarbons, a second microbial consortium, which includes one or more species of Pseudomonas microorganisms, to convert the first intermediate hydrocarbons into one or more second intermediate hydrocarbons and oxidized carbon and a third microbial consortium to convert the second intermediate hydrocarbons into one or more smaller hydrocarbons and water, where the smaller hydrocarbons have a greater mol. % hydrogen than the carbonaceous source material.