Abstract: A DRI product and method of forming the DRI product. DRI is formed from a reducing process, and thereafter the DRI is subjected to another heat treatment that produces a DRI product. The DRI product formed has a metallic shell around at least a portion of a DRI core. The heat treatment may be delivered through the use of a plasma torch, a gas burner, an oven, or any other like heat source. The heat treatment may heat the DRI for a fraction of a second and quickly cool the DRI in order to melt the surface and form the metallic shell without vaporizing a significant portion of the DRI and without losing a significant amount of the latent energy in the DRI.

Abstract: Microencapsulated freeze-dried probiotics along with methods of making and using them are disclosed. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a probiotic microcapsule comprising a probiotic stasis pod, a nutrient rich carrier and a protective barrier layer. The microencapsulated probiotics as described are useful for inclusion in consumer and skincare products.

Abstract: Heat-triggered colorants for altering the color of a food, methods for changing the color of a food using heat-triggered colorants, and methods for making heat-triggered colorants for food. The heat-triggered colorants may comprise a mixture comprising a carrier having a melting point and a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) first food colorant having a color, and a coating encapsulating the mixture and masking the color of the first food colorant. When the heat-triggered colorant is exposed to a temperature greater than the melting point of the carrier, the carrier melts and releases the first food colorant, thereby unmasking the color of the first food colorant.

Abstract: Heat treatment of DRI is performed in order to form a DRI product with a metallic shell around at least a portion of the DRI. The heat treatment may be delivered through the use of a plasma torch, a gas burner, an oven, or any other like heat source. The heat treatment may heat the DRI for a fraction of a second and quickly cool the DRI in order to melt the surface and form the metallic shell without vaporizing a significant portion of the DRI and without losing a significant amount of the latent energy in the DRI. During storage and transport of the DRI product, the DRI product is less likely to fracture, the DRI product has less exposed surface area of DRI, and results in reduced DRI fines and/or DRI dust cause by the DRI product rubbing together when compared to traditional types of DRI.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and storage media provide for receiving a request to use a multiparty service offered by autonomous devices; determining whether persistence information exists that indicates one of the autonomous devices to which the request is to be routed; selecting one of the autonomous devices to transmit the request in response to determining that persistence information does not exist, and wherein the device has no knowledge which of the autonomous devices is to accept the request; transmitting the request; receiving a response; recognizing whether the request is accepted based on the response; storing persistence information indicating the one of the autonomous devices is servicing the request; and using the persistence information to transmit a subsequent request to use the multiparty service to the one of the autonomous devices, wherein the subsequent request pertains to a same session of the multiparty service as the request.

Abstract: An online comment contest service is described. Comments are submitted by users of the online comment contest service and are entered in an online comment contest which is configured to operate for a predetermined duration of time, Attributes associated with the comments in the contest are tracked during the duration of time, where the attributes include a total number of ratings of that comment by the users, an average rating of that comment by the users, a total number of follow-up comments to that comment by the users, and a total number of times that comment was shared by the users via a third party destination. Winning comment(s) of a contest are determining based on at least the tracked attributes associated with each of the comments entered into that comment contest. A reward is provided to the winning users.

Abstract: An encapsulated material containing an oxidation-sensitive core is covered by at least a dried phospholipid layer, and contains at least one phytosterol in the core, the phospholipid layer or in a further layer or layers. By using microencapsulation, oxidatively unstable materials may be provided with a synthetic protective barrier and rendered less susceptible to oxidative degradation.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and storage media provide for receiving a request to use a multiparty service offered by autonomous devices; determining whether persistence information exists that indicates one of the autonomous devices to which the request is to be routed; selecting one of the autonomous devices to transmit the request in response to determining that persistence information does not exist, and wherein the device has no knowledge which of the autonomous devices is to accept the request; transmitting the request; receiving a response; recognizing whether the request is accepted based on the response; storing persistence information indicating the one of the autonomous devices is servicing the request; and using the persistence information to transmit a subsequent request to use the multiparty service to the one of the autonomous devices, wherein the subsequent request pertains to a same session of the multiparty service as the request.

Abstract: A method is used to separate fractions from a seed. This can be done by: a) Physically breaking down the Chia seed into smaller particles; b) Adding a liquid carrier to the broken Chia seed to form a Chia liquid carrier blend; c) Optionally providing further processing of the Chia liquid carrier blend to further reduce the particle size of the Chia particles d) Optionally centrifuging the Chia liquid carrier blend; e) Optionally forming at least three discernible layers of materials within the centrifuged Chia liquid carrier blend; f) Optionally separating the composition of at least one layer from remaining layers; and g) Optionally combining the separated layers together into a desired combination/ratios h) Drying the separated layers or combined layers into a flowable powder.

Abstract: An online story sharing service is described. The online story sharing service includes a server that includes a submit story application component that is configured to allow users of the story sharing service to submit stories, each story including one or more of a written component, an audio component, an image component, and a video component. The server further includes a view story application component that is configured to allow users to view stories that have been submitted. The server further includes an external destination share application component that is configured to allow users of the online story sharing service to share links of stories with one or more external destinations. The server further includes a story contest module to conduct story contest. Each story contest is for a predetermined duration of time and includes multiple entries.

Abstract: A method is used to separate fractions from a seed. This can be done by: a) Physically breaking down the Chia seed into smaller particles; b) Adding a liquid carrier to the broken Chia seed to form a Chia liquid carrier blend; c) Optionally providing further processing of the Chia liquid carrier blend to further reduce the particle size of the Chia particles d) Optionally centrifuging the Chia liquid carrier blend; e) Optionally forming at least three discernible layers of materials within the centrifuged Chia liquid carrier blend; f) Optionally separating the composition of at least one layer from remaining layers; and g) Optionally combining the separated layers together into a desired combination/ratios h) Drying the separated layers or combined layers into a flowable powder.

Abstract: Products comprising labile compounds, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, and having first and second encapsulants are disclosed. A first encapsulant can be a spray dried coating and the second encapsulant can be a prill coating. Methods of making the same are provided.

Abstract: Microencapsulated delivery vehicles comprising an active agent are disclosed. The microencapsulated delivery vehicles may be introduced into products such that, upon activation, the product provides a functional benefit to a substrate, such as a user's skin.

Abstract: A method provides a milled whole seed product from a whole seed having at least 0.01% by total weight of oil therein. The whole seed is added to an aqueous carrier which is physically milled at a shear rate of at least 3,000 r.p.m. The shearing is continued until at least 50% by weight of seed solids will pass through a square mesh screen having 1.2 mm screen hole dimensions. The solids in aqueous carrier is collected as a suspension or dispersion in the aqueous carrier. The collected seed solids in aqueous carrier are dried to form a free-flowing powder. The free-flowing powder is rehydrated with a second aqueous medium to form a non-mucilaginous suspension or dispersion.

Abstract: An article and process provides a stable technology that reduces the microbial content by providing molecular iodine to the stabilized reagents when at least two reactants are activated by aqueous and/or alcohol materials.

Abstract: Microencapsulated delivery vehicles comprising an active agent are disclosed. In one embodiment, the microencapsulated delivery vehicles are heat delivery vehicles capable of generating heat upon activation. The microencapsulated heat delivery vehicles may be introduced into wet wipes such that, upon activation, the wet wipe solution is warmed resulting in a warm sensation on a user's skin. Any number of other active ingredients, such as cooling agents and biocides, can also be incorporated into a microencapsulated delivery vehicle.

Abstract: An encapsulated material containing an oxidation-sensitive core is covered by at least a dried synthetic organelle layer and optional additional ingredients in the organelle layer or additional layers. By using microencapsulation to mimic or otherwise adapt the storage concepts used by seeds to protect triacylglycerol cores, oxidatively unstable materials may be provided with a synthetic, seed-like oxygen-resistant protective barrier and rendered less susceptible to oxidative degradation.

Abstract: An encapsulated material containing an oxidation-sensitive core is covered by at least a dried phospholipid layer, and contains at least one phytosterol in the core, the phospholipid layer or in a further layer or layers. By using microencapsulation, oxidatively unstable materials may be provided with a synthetic protective barrier and rendered less susceptible to oxidative degradation.

Abstract: An encapsulated material is formed by congealing droplets of a molten blend of oxidatively unstable material and phytosterol in a chilling gas stream to form prilled cores containing oxidatively unstable material and phytosterol, and encapsulating the prilled cores in one or more protective shell layers to form free-flowing microparticles.

Abstract: A method is used to separate fractions from a seed. This can be done by: a) Physically breaking down the Chia seed into smaller particles; b) Adding a liquid carrier to the broken Chia seed to form a Chia liquid carrier blend; c) Optionally providing further processing of the Chia liquid carrier blend to further reduce the particle size of the Chia particles d) Optionally centrifuging the Chia liquid carrier blend; e) Optionally forming at least three discernible layers of materials within the centrifuged Chia liquid carrier blend; f) Optionally separating the composition of at least one layer from remaining layers; and g) Optionally combining the separated layers together into a desired combination/ratios h) Drying the separated layers or combined layers into a flowable powder.