Old Dominion University Research Foundation Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140331993 | GREEN PROCESS TO HYDROLYZE CARBOHYDRATES FROM TOBACCO BIOMASS USING SUBCRITICAL WATER - Processes for recovering sugars and nicotine from a tobacco biomass include feeding a biomass of tobacco plants and subcritical water to a reactor, hydrolyzing the biomass of tobacco plants with the subcritical water at a temperature between about 150° C. and 305° C. and recovering a liquid product and a solid product from the reactor, wherein the liquid product contains water-soluble sugars and nicotine. | 11-13-2014 |
20140302569 | ALGAE STRAIN FOR BIODIESEL FUEL PRODUCTION - Use of an algal for biodiesel fuel selected for growing strain of production, the genus | 10-09-2014 |
20140296354 | SYNTHESIS OF PEPTOID-BASED SMALL MOLECULAR GELATORS FROM MULTIPLE COMPONENT REACTIONS - Described herein are the one-pot synthesis and characterization of a library of low molecular weight peptoid compounds that are able to form gels at room temperature. The compounds are synthesized from biologically-based starting materials, are biocompatible, and are resistant to degradation by proteases and peptidases. The compounds and gels synthesized therefrom can be used in such applications as tissue engineering, drug delivery, separation of biomolecules, and stimulus-responsive advanced materials | 10-02-2014 |
20140222126 | TREATMENT OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUES USING SUBNANOSECOND ELECTRIC PULSES - A system for treatment of biological tissues is provided. The system includes a lens having a hollow, substantially hemispherical shape with an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a substantially hemispherical cavity for inserting the biological tissues. The system further includes an antenna assembly for generating and directing electromagnetic radiation towards the outer surface. In the system, the lens is configured to direct the electromagnetic energy to an area in the cavity, a dielectric constant of the lens at the inner surface substantially matches a dielectric constant of the biological tissues, the dielectric constant monotonically increases from the outer surface to the inner surface, and the electromagnetic energy is generated via a series of pulses having a transient of less than about 1 nanosecond. | 08-07-2014 |
20140199384 | Facile Route to the Synthesis of Resorcinarene Nanocapsules - Described is a direct method for the fabrication of resorcinarene nanocapsules by photopolymerization of compounds of formula (I), such as resorcinarene tetraalkene tetrathiol (RTATT), in the absence of any template or preorganization. Further, by varying the polymerization media, a variety of other polymeric architectures like lattices, fibrous networks, and nanoparticles were obtained. The morphology and structure were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These morphologically distinct resorcinarene polymeric architectures contain residual thiol and ene functional groups offering potential functionalization opportunities. | 07-17-2014 |
20130318947 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATMENT OF GASES WITH REDUCING AGENTS GENERATED USING STEAM REFORMING OF DIESEL FUEL - Systems and methods for treatment of a heated exhaust gas including hydrocarbons are provided. A method includes providing a first gas including a gaseous mixture of vaporized diesel fuel and steam and treating the first gas using at least one corona discharge including a combination of streamers to transform the first gas into a second gas including volatile partially oxidized hydrocarbons (PO—HC) and hydrogen gas (H | 12-05-2013 |
20130284588 | METHOD FOR SCALING PLASMA REACTORS FOR GAS TREATMENT AND DEVICES THEREFROM - Systems and methods for the treatment of a gas are provided. A method includes providing multiple discharge chambers defined by dielectric sections, where each of the discharge chambers comprises sets of electrodes for producing electric fields in the discharge chambers, where the dielectric sections and the sets of electrodes are arranged to define a volume that inhibits the formation of volume-streamers and the discharge chambers are configured to either prevent pulsed electric fields generated in adjacent discharge chambers from substantially interacting or to allow interaction in constructive way. The method also includes directing the gas into the discharge chambers and treating the gas using a corona discharge in the discharge chambers produced by a pulsed electric field generated by each of the sets of the first and second electrodes in the discharge chambers, where the pulsed electric field is configured to produce the corona discharge to have surface-streamers and volume-streamers. | 10-31-2013 |
20130260435 | ELECTROPORATION-INDUCED ELECTROSENSITIZATION - Methods of enhancing membrane permeabilization in a cell are provided. A method includes disposing the cell between a first electrode and a second electrode and applying a plurality of electrical pulses between the first electrode and the second electrode. In the method, the plurality of electrical pulses include at least two trains of pulses separated by an interval greater than about 10 s. Further, the amplitude of the electrical pulses is selected to be greater than about 0.2 kV/cm. | 10-03-2013 |
20130189345 | WOUND CARE SYSTEM AND BACTERIDICAL METHODS AND DEVICES - A variety of article and systems including wound care systems, methods for making the wound care systems, bactericidal, and methods for treating wounds using these systems are disclosed. The wound care systems may include a first material comprising one or more fibers or porous media. The one or more fibers or porous media may be coated with a second material that is capable of inhibiting the growth of bacteria and killing the bacteria to render the wound care system sterile, increasing the absorbency of the first material, or both upon exposure to light. The first material may be cotton, or any suitable fibrous material, the second material may be TiO | 07-25-2013 |
20130172884 | MULTI-ELECTRODE ELECTRICAL PULSE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR TREATMENT OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUES - Systems and methods for treating or manipulating biological tissues are provided. In the systems and methods, a biological tissue is placed in contact with an array of electrodes. Electrical pulses are then applied between a bias voltage bus and a reference voltage bus of a distributor having switching elements associated with each of the electrodes. The switching elements provide a first contact position for coupling electrodes to bias voltage bus, a second contact position for coupling electrodes to the reference voltage bus, and a third contact position for isolating electrodes from the high and reference voltage buses. The switching elements are operated over various time intervals to provide the first contact position for first electrodes, a second contact position for second electrodes adjacent to the first electrodes, and a third contact position for a remainder of the electrodes adjacent to the first and second electrodes. | 07-04-2013 |
20130123469 | FRACTIONATION OF PROTEINS AND LIPIDS FROM MICROALGAE - Methods of fractionating proteins and lipids in algae are provided. The methods can extract peptides and amino acids from algae, can produce components used in food or fertilizer, and can improve algal biomass feed for biofuel production, as non-limiting examples. One embodiment of a method as disclosed herein comprises providing a feed material of algae saturated with water to a reactor, bringing the water saturating the algae to a subcritical temperature within the reactor and separating a reactor effluent into solids and liquid. | 05-16-2013 |
20130061518 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE PULSE ASSISTED AGGREGATION OF ALGAE - A method and device for aggregating algae in an aqueous solution is disclosed. The method can include providing an algae feed comprising a liquid and algae dispersed therein. The algae feed can be aggregated by applying a nanosecond pulsed electric field to the algae feed. The nanosecond pulsed electric field can include a plurality of electric pulses having a pulse duration ranging from 1 to 1,000 nanoseconds. The method can also include separating an aggregated algae stream from the algae feed and feeding the aggregated algae stream to a lipid extraction operation. | 03-14-2013 |
20120323044 | PRODUCTION AND SEPARATION OF GLYCEROL-RELATED PRODUCTS USING VARIOUS FEED STOCKS - Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol-related products. One process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing glycerol and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment. Another process for producing glycerol-related products comprises introducing a glycerol and tetramethylammonium hydroxide to a substantially oxygen free environment. | 12-20-2012 |
20120302806 | Process for the Selective Production of Hydrocarbon Based Fuels from Plants Containing Aliphatic Biopolymers Utilizing Water at Subcritical Conditions - Disclosed herein is the use of terrestrial plant materials (e.g., leaves and bark) that contain biopolymer materials to produce hydrocarbon-rich crude oils that can be refined further into hydrocarbon-based biofuels, via the hydrous pyrolysis method, which involves heating to subcritical temperatures and pressures in an aqueous medium. One can also isolate the aliphatic biopolymers and utilize them as feedstocks for production of the hydrocarbon-rich crude via hydrous pyrolysis. | 11-29-2012 |
20120237762 | DEVICE CONSTRUCTS AND METHODS OF COATING LUMINESCENT PHOSPHORS FOR DISPLAY AND LIGHTING APPLICATIONS - A device construct for lighting and display applications is fabricated from a substrate, a deposited phosphor layer over the substrate, and a layer of thermal and electrically-conductive luminescent material over the deposited layer. The layer of thermal and electrically-conductive luminescent material is a thin film that conforms to the morphology of the phosphor layer. The device is fabricated by providing a substrate, depositing a thin layer of phosphor powder on the substrate by any technique, and coating the phosphor layer with a layer of thermal and electrically-conductive luminescent material by atomic layer deposition. | 09-20-2012 |
20120200566 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MESH REFINEMENT - A method for generating and refining meshes for a three-dimensional domain. The method includes generating a initial Delaunay mesh; identifying selection balls whose radius-edge ratio is greater than an upper bound value; and refining the generated Delaunay mesh by inserting points within the selection balls to reduce the radius-edge ratios of all tetrahedral in the mesh below a given upper bound value. Selection balls include one-dimensional selection balls, two-dimensional selection balls, and three-dimensional selection balls. The selection balls of a lower dimension are refined before the selection balls of a higher dimension are refined. | 08-09-2012 |
20120154397 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING MESH FROM IMAGES - A method for generating mesh from an image. The method includes inputting an image; setting a quality bound and a fidelity bound for a mesh to be generated; generating an initial mesh for the image with a maximum fidelity and a very high quality; generating a refined mesh by coarsening the initial mesh while maintaining the quality bound and the fidelity bound. The refined mesh includes a smaller number of elements than that of the initial mesh. | 06-21-2012 |
20120109263 | Medical Instrument for Delivery of High Voltage Pulses and Method of Delivering the Same - An instrument | 05-03-2012 |
20120097539 | NANOPORE-BASED NANOPARTICLE TRANSLOCATION DEVICES - A nanoparticle translocation device includes a first reservoir having a first reservoir electrode, a second reservoir having a second reservoir electrode, and at least one nanopore providing fluid communication between the first and second reservoirs. The device also includes one or more inner electrode portions on an inner wall of the nanopore and one or more outer electrode portions disposed on an outer wall of the nanopore. The device further includes at least one DC voltage supply for selectively applying a DC voltage to each of the first reservoir electrode, the second reservoir electrode, and the outer electrode layer, where the inner electrode portions, the outer electrode portions, and the nanopore are in a substantially coaxial arrangement. | 04-26-2012 |
20120089209 | Method and System for Treating a Biological Target Region Using Pulsed Electromagnetic Radiation - A method of treating a patient is described herein. The method can include the steps of identifying a target that contains biological tissue and directing one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation at the target. The pulses of electromagnetic radiation can cause a temperature increase per unit of time in the biological tissue. Additionally, the temperature increase per unit of time can cause the change in the cell function in the biological tissue and can be within a range of approximately one degree Celsius per second to approximately one degree Celsius per microsecond. | 04-12-2012 |
20120080313 | ELECTROOSMOTIC DEVICES - Electroosmotic (EO) devices are provided which are not subject to mechanical wear and tear and with no moving parts, and having improved flow rates and electrical properties. Atomic layer deposition can be used to prepare three electrical terminal active zeta potential modulated EO devices from porous membranes. First, second, and further thin layers of materials can be formed with the pores. Thus, embedded electrodes can be formed along the length of the pores. The zeta potential in the pores can be modified by use of a voltage potential applied the embedded electrode, thereby achieving active control of surface zeta potential within the pores and active control of flow through the pores. | 04-05-2012 |
20120035511 | SYSTEM AND METHODS OF TREATMENT USING ELECTROMAGNETIC ILLUMINATION - A method of inducing local cell death in patient tissue is provided. The method includes generating first and second radiation, conveying the radiation to a focusing element, and focusing the radiation on a target with the focusing element. A system for inducing local cell death in patient tissue is also provided. The system includes a power source for generating narrow-band and/or ultra-wideband radiation, and a focusing element for focusing the radiation on a target. | 02-09-2012 |
20120034410 | MULTIPLE WALLED NESTED COAXIAL NANOSTRUCTURES - Multiple walled nested coaxial nanostructures, methods for making multiple walled nested coaxial nanostructures, and devices incorporating the coaxial nanostructures are disclosed. The coaxial nanostructures include an inner nanostructure, a first outer nanotube disposed around the inner nanostructure, and a first annular channel between the inner nanostructure and the first outer nanotube. The coaxial nanostructures have extremely high aspect ratios, ranging from about 5 to about 1,200, or about 300 to about 1200. | 02-09-2012 |
20110314881 | Process for the Selective Production of Hydrocarbon Based Fuels from Algae Utilizing Water at Subcritical Conditions - Disclosed herein is the production of hydrocarbon based fuel from micro-organisms and algae that comprise algaenan without requiring prior removal of water, as well as the production of hydrocarbon based fuel directly from the algaenan itself. Also disclosed herein are feed material for the processes disclosed herein comprising modified algae and algaenan that selectively produce hydrocarbon of desired chain lengths, along with the process of modifying the algae and algaenan. Also disclosed herein is the production of both hydrocarbon and organic fertilizer from algae without the need to remove the water from the algae prior to processing. | 12-29-2011 |
20110311639 | Facile Route to the Synthesis of Resorcinarene Nanocapsules - Described is a direct method for the fabrication of resorcinarene nanocapsules by photopolymerization of compounds of formula (I), such as resorcinarene tetraalkene tetrathiol (RTATT), in the absence of any template or preorganization. Further, by varying the polymerization media, a variety of other polymeric architectures like lattices, fibrous networks, and nanoparticles were obtained. The morphology and structure were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These morphologically distinct resorcinarene polymeric architectures contain residual thiol and ene functional groups offering potential functionalization opportunities. | 12-22-2011 |
20110306962 | Method and Device for Treatment of Conditions Aggravated by Amyloid Fibrils - A method and device for treating a condition aggravated by the presence of amyloid fibrils is disclosed. The method includes applying a plurality of ultra-short pulses to target tissue comprising amyloid fibrils. The plurality of ultra-short pulses produce an electric field in the target tissue sufficient to change a molecular structure of the amyloid fibrils without causing the death, destruction, or serious injury of healthy cells surrounding the target tissue. For example, the plurality of ultra-short pulses can be sufficient to change the molecular structure of amyloid fibrils without causing apoptosis or necrosis of surrounding cells. The ultra-short pulses can be applied using an electrode device or a wideband antenna. The ultra-short pulses can have a duration ranging from 1 ps to 10 ns, an amplitude ranging from 100 V to 1 MV, and can apply an electrical field to the target tissue ranging from 1 kV/cm to 1 MV/cm. | 12-15-2011 |
20110292208 | HIGH-RESOLUTION URBAN TRUE ORTHOIMAGE CREATION - A method, system, and computer readable medium for producing orthoimages of the images of a (typically) high-resolution imager of an urban area, the orthoimages of high buildings being imaged with improved accuracy by increasing constraint conditions on the building edges, such as perpendicularity, collinearity. These constraint conditions are merged into an orthorectification model for orthorectifying the images captured at a predetermined elevation, whether by airborne or spaceborne. Constraint conditions may be formed by the building edge points, such as corners, and may be used with a digital building model. Thus, an aspect of embodiments is that the constraint conditions may be directly formed from the building themselves. The higher the buildings, the more effective the constraint controls. | 12-01-2011 |
20110289830 | Production of Glycerol-Related Products from a High Temperature Reaction - Disclosed are processes for producing glycerol related products. One process comprises introducing a biomass and an alkylation reagent to a substantially oxygen free environment, hydrolyzing at a temperature at or above 200° C. one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass, methylating one or more fatty acids in the biomass with methyl groups from the alkylation reagent, wherein the hydrolyzing and methylating occur contemporaneously and separating resulting biodiesel and methylated glycerol-related products from a residue of the biomass by condensation. | 12-01-2011 |
20110288545 | Method and Device for Ablation of Cancer and Resistance to New Cancer Growth - Methods and devices designed to eliminate and/or ablate cancer or other abnormal growths of cells or tissues or eliminate and/or ablate cells or tissue with abnormal functions. In particular, using sub-microsecond electric pulses to treat cancer cells by, inter alia, inducing programmed cell death or other type of cell death. These methods and devices are expected to greatly improve the prevention, treatment and management of cancer by increasing the effectiveness of cancer treatments and development of resistance to new cancer growth. | 11-24-2011 |
20110184411 | SURGICAL TOOL FOR PECTUS BAR EXTRACTION - A pectus bar extraction tool for removing a pectus bar having posterior and anterior sides includes a handle, an engagement member fixed to and extending from the handle for extending from the anterior to the posterior sides of the pectus bar to engage the posterior side of the pectus bar, and a lever arm fixed to and extending from the handle opposite to the engagement member for engaging the pectus bar on the anterior side of the pectus bar. A system and method for removing a pectus bar are also disclosed. | 07-28-2011 |
20110003350 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE PULSE ASSISTED AGGREGATION OF ALGAE - A method and device for aggregating algae in an aqueous solution is disclosed. The method can include providing an algae feed comprising a liquid and algae dispersed therein. The algae feed can be aggregated by applying a nanosecond pulsed electric field to the algae feed. The nanosecond pulsed electric field can include a plurality of electric pulses having a pulse duration ranging from 1 to 1,000 nanoseconds. The method can also include separating an aggregated algae stream from the algae feed and feeding the aggregated algae stream to a lipid extraction operation. | 01-06-2011 |
20100286573 | SYSTEM AND METHODS OF TREATMENT USING ULTRA-WIDEBAND, HIGH POWERED FOCUSING EMITTERS - A method of inducing local hyperthermia in patient tissue is provided. The method includes generating ultra-wide-band radiation, conveying the ultra-wideband radiation to a focusing element, and focusing the ultra-wideband radiation on a target with the focusing element. A system for inducing local hyperthermia in patient tissue is also provided. The system includes a power source for generating ultra-wideband radiation, and a focusing element for focusing the ultra-wideband radiation on a target. | 11-11-2010 |
20100280513 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING PLASMA SPARKS TO TISSUE - A pulse delivery system for producing a spark in tissue is disclosed. The system can include at least two electrodes having sharp surface features, where the at least two electrodes are electrically isolated from one another. The sharp features of the electrodes can be separated by a distance of about 2 to 20 mm. The system can also include a pulse generator for delivering pulsed voltage differences between the at least two electrodes. The pulsed voltage differences can producing a voltage difference ranging from about 2.5 kV to about 35 kV for a duration of about 50 ns to 3 μs. The system can include a controller for determining whether the plurality of pulsed voltage differences produced a spark between the at least two electrodes. A method of producing a spark in tissue for both therapeutic and cosmetic, i.e., non-therapeutic, applications is also disclosed. | 11-04-2010 |
20100278401 | WIDEBAND BIO-IMAGING SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS - An imaging and recordation system is provided. The system includes a high-power, focusing antenna for illuminating biological tissue. The system further includes a power source for powering the antenna. The system further includes a data acquisition module, for recording the dielectric properties of tissues illuminated by the high-power, focusing antenna. The system illuminates the tissues using ultrashort electrical pulses. | 11-04-2010 |
20100211331 | DEVICE FOR MEASURING LOAD AND DEFLECTION OF MATERIALS - A system for measuring normal load and deflection of a material that includes a portable load deflection device and a method of using the same is disclosed. The system includes a support arm having a first end and a second end opposite said first end. The first end can be attached to a base surface. The support arm can provides at least three degrees of freedom of movement and includes at least one sensor for determining a position of the second end. A uniaxial load cell can be operably attached to the second end. The system can also include a processing system operable to receive position data and corresponding force data when the support arm is used to apply a non-normal compression force to the test surface. The data can be used to calculate normal force versus deflection data for the test surface. | 08-19-2010 |
20100031561 | Raceways for Cultivating Algae - A raceway for cultivating algae in a liquid medium, comprising one or more precipitators positioned along the raceway, and at which precipitators the algal biomass produced in the raceway is precipitated from the liquid medium and concentrated. | 02-11-2010 |
20090158638 | Direct Conversion of Biomass to Biodiesel Fuel - Disclosed is the direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel from a biomass comprises reacting a feed stock comprising a biomass and an alkylation reagent in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze one or more lipid glycerides in the biomass and alkylated one or more fatty acids in the reaction. The process may comprise reacting a feed stock comprising an algal biomass and tetramethylammonium hydroxide in a substantially oxygen free environment at a temperature between 250° C. and 500° C. The direct conversion process for producing biodiesel may further comprise reacting oil containing lipid glycerides with an alkylation reagent at a sufficient temperature to esterify the oil. The fatty acid alkyl esters produced from the reacted feed stock are recovered. The recovered fatty acid alkyl esters, as an essential component of biodiesel, may be formulated into biodiesel. | 06-25-2009 |