Stellenbosch University Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160069910 | DETECTING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING COMPOUNDS - A method and a detection device for detecting endocrine disrupting compounds are provided. The detection device includes a support structure and ligand binding domains (LBD) of at least one sex hormone receptor, immobilised on the support structure. The detection device further includes a linker molecule between the support structure and the ligand binding domains, for immobilising the LBD's on the support structure. | 03-10-2016 |
20150324764 | Enabling a User to Transact Using Cryptocurrency - A system and method of enabling a user to transact using cryptocurrency of a value defined in relation to a different medium of exchange or financial instrument is provided. In the method, a request to create a voucher having a face value remaining defined in relation to the medium of exchange or financial instrument is received. A voucher having key data being associated with a voucher cryptocurrency address holding a token amount of cryptocurrency included therein is generated. A transaction ledger is monitored to determine whether a redeeming transaction against the voucher address has occurred against a destination cryptocurrency address. Responsive to a redeeming transaction against the voucher address occurring, an additional amount of cryptocurrency is transferred to the destination address. The additional amount of cryptocurrency being calculated such that the sum of the token and additional amounts substantially matches a cryptocurrency equivalent of the face value of the voucher. | 11-12-2015 |
20150303767 | MACHINE WITH TWO CO-AXIAL ROTORS - A machine having two co-axial and relatively rotatable rotors and a coaxial stator or housing with respect to which both rotors are rotatable is provided wherein two bearing arrangements mutually support the two rotors with respect to each other and with respect to the stator or housing. One of the bearing arrangements comprises multiple support bearings angularly spaced apart with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotors relative to the stator with the support bearings each having an axle or shaft that is fixed relative to one of the rotors or the stator. Each support bearing cooperates with a raceway provided on a concentric adjacent rotor or stator. The machine may be an electromechanical machine such as a wind turbine in which rotational movement of one of the rotors relative to the other and relative to the stator generates electrical energy. | 10-22-2015 |
20150292773 | SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR MULTIPLE HELIOSTATS - A support structure ( | 10-15-2015 |
20150141279 | Method for Diagnosing Tuberculosis Disease by Detecting Induced Markers After Stimulation of T-Cells With Antigens - A method of diagnosing | 05-21-2015 |
20150120567 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THIRD PARTY ACCESS TO A RESTRICTED ITEM - A system and method for monitoring third party access to a restricted item is provided. Key data is embedded in the restricted item, the key data being associated with a store of value and usable to conduct a transaction against the store of value. A record of the transaction becomes visible in a transaction ledger. The transaction ledger is monitored to determine whether a transaction against the store of value has occurred, and the restricted item is designated as accessed by a third party in the event that a transaction against the store of value has occurred. | 04-30-2015 |
20140367243 | DEPHLEGMATOR - A dephlegmator is provided comprising two stages connected in series wherein a first stage includes an air-cooled reflux condenser and a second stage includes a generally horizontal tube bundle of smooth or finned tubes that can be operated selectively in either an air-cooled (dry) mode under selected ambient conditions or in a wet evaporatively cooled mode under other selected ambient conditions including that of elevated ambient temperature. Spray nozzles may be installed above the tube bundle whereby water can be sprayed onto the tube bundle. One or more collection troughs are preferably provided beneath the tube bundle for collecting run-off water and enabling recycling of excess deluge water. Preferably, the tube bundle comprises at least two, and preferably three groups of tubes communicating with each other wherein the second group of tubes has appreciably fewer tubes in it than the first group of tubes and any third group of tubes has appreciably fewer tubes in it than the second group of tubes. | 12-18-2014 |
20140308724 | Yeast Expressing Saccharolytic Enzymes for Consolidated Bioprocessing Using Starch and Cellulose - The present invention is directed to a yeast strain, or strains, secreting a full suite, or any subset of that full suite, of enzymes to hydrolyze corn starch, corn fiber, lignocellulose, (including enzymes that hydrolyze linkages in cellulose, hemicellulose, and between lignin and carbohydrates) and to utilize pentose sugars (xylose and arabinose). The invention is also directed to the set of proteins that are well expressed in yeast for each category of enzymatic activity. The resulting strain, or strains can be used to hydrolyze starch and cellulose simultaneously. The resulting strain, or strains can be also metabolically engineered to produce less glycerol and uptake acetate. The resulting strain, or strains can also be used to produce ethanol from granular starch without liquefaction. The resulting strain, or strains, can be further used to reduce the amount of external enzyme needed to hydrolyze a biomass feedstock during an Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process, or to increase the yield of ethanol during SSF at current saccharolytic enzyme loadings. In addition, multiple enzymes of the present invention can be co-expressed in cells of the invention to provide synergistic digestive action on biomass feedstock. In some aspects, host cells expressing different heterologous saccharolytic enzymes can also be co-cultured together and used to produce ethanol from biomass feedstock. | 10-16-2014 |
20140151910 | SPLASH GRIDS FOR RAIN OR SPRAY ZONES - A splash grid is provided for installation in a rain zone of liquid gas contacting industrial equipment. The splash grid has a supporting frame assembly and multiple generally parallel elongate elements supported by the frame assembly. The elongate elements each has a transverse dimension, in plan view, not exceeding 3 mm, and a spacing in plan view not exceeding 10 mm. The elongate elements may be of a molded plastic material that is optionally integral with a surround that forms, or is attached to, the supporting frame assembly. Alternatively, the elongate elements may be separately manufactured flexible filament or cord supported by a surround that forms or is attached to the supporting frame assembly. The elongate elements may be staggered in the vertical direction and gaps may be provided for larger objects to pass through the splash grid. A liquid cooling installation having a rain zone fitted with a splash grid is also provided. | 06-05-2014 |
20140045946 | Compositions and Methods for Treatment of Glaucoma - A new use for paracetamol in a method of treating glaucoma, which method comprises administering to a patient in need of such treatment 500 mg to 1000 mg of paracetamol in oral format 4 to 6 hourly. An ophthalmic solution is also provided containing between 0.1 to 5% of paracetamol which is administered as one to two drops in each eye 4 to 6 hourly. The ophthalmic solution further includes one or more of the following excipients: hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, benzalconium chloride, polyacrylic acid such as Teargel®. | 02-13-2014 |
20140000583 | THERMAL STORAGE FACILITY ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER INSTALLATIONS | 01-02-2014 |
20130244295 | Biofuel Production - The invention relates to the combination of the TLG1 glucoamylase from | 09-19-2013 |
20130233501 | MODIFICATION OF XYLAN - The invention provides a method of modifying soluble xylan which contains glucuronic acid and/or arabinose side chains so that it can be adsorbed onto other substrates. The method includes the steps of enzymatically modifying the xylan by selectively removing glucuronic acid and/or arabinose side chains from the xylan with α-D-glucuronidase and/or α-L-arabinofuranosidase, and allowing the modified xylan to adsorb onto the substrate. The substrate may be a cellulosic substrate like pulp or paper or a non-cellulosic substrate. The enzymes are able to remove a sufficient number of the xylan side chains so as to decrease water solubility of the xylan, induce xylan precipitation and allow adsorption of the xylan onto other substrates. A pulping process which incorporates modification of xylan and adsorption onto cellulosic material is also provided, as are products which contain the modified xylan. | 09-12-2013 |
20130214541 | SPLIT PERMANENT MAGNET MACHINE - The invention relates to an electrical energy conversion system ( | 08-22-2013 |
20130185037 | System for Modelling the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Materials - A system for modelling the conversion of crystalline insoluble cellulose to ethanol is provided which includes a processor configured to calculate the production rate for ethanol based on a number of inputs and as a function of specific equations. The system can form part of a control system for controlling the operation of a plant which produces ethanol from cellulose. | 07-18-2013 |
20130089592 | METHOD OF PRODUCING A HYDROGEL - The invention provides a method of enzymatically modifying xylan by selectively removing glucuronic acid and/or arabinose side chains from the xylan with a-D-glucuronidase and/or a-L-arabinofuranosidase, and allowing the modified xylan to form into a hydrogel when the xylan becomes insoluble. A bioactive substance, such as a protein, enzyme, antimicrobial agent, bactericide or pharmaceutical compound can be added to the xylan so that the substance is encapsulated within the hydrogel or incorporated onto its surface. The hydrogel can be used as a drug delivery agent, such as for sustained-release or targeted drug delivery, rectal drug delivery or a dressing for a wound, burn or scar. The hydrogel can also be used as a coating, such as on medical gloves, catheters, surgical drainage systems, utensils or the like, or can be used in a scaffold for tissue engineering. | 04-11-2013 |
20120169063 | PERMANENT MAGNET GENERATOR - A new configuration for a double-sided rotor, radial flux, air-cored, permanent magnet electric generator ( | 07-05-2012 |
20120069965 | METHOD FOR POSITIONING AN INSTRUMENT - A method of positioning a surgical instrument is provided which includes mapping a volume adjacent an operating table by taking mapping images from two orientations of a calibration object which includes a 3-dimensional array of radio opaque markers in a known configuration. A patient is positioned on the operating table with a patient target area within a mapped volume, and an instrument holder carrying a known configuration of radio opaque markers positioned adjacent the target area. Further fluoroscopic target images of the target area and instrument holder are obtained from the two orientations and the target area then reconstructed in 3-dimensions by comparing the target images to the mapping images. An instrument holder orientation is then calculated from the reconstruction. | 03-22-2012 |
20110247311 | YARN AND A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURE THEREOF - A yarn spun from a plurality of nano-fibres is provided and is characterized in that at least some of the nano-fibres are folded with the folds occurring at predeterminable distances which are integer multiples of a specific spacing. The folds result from spinning the nano-fibres onto a plurality of moving conductive strips which are inclined to their direction of movement. A process and apparatus for producing such yarn is also provided. | 10-13-2011 |
20110230114 | TOY EXHIBITING BONDING BEHAVIOR - A toy capable of exhibiting bonding behavior toward a user and a method of simulating such behavior. The toy includes input sensors for receiving interactive input from users, an output apparatus for communicating with users, a processor and memory containing machine instructions causing the processor to receive interactive input, process received input and send control signals to the output apparatus. The processor classifies received input as either positive or negative and adjusts an accumulated input, stored in the memory, in accordance with the classification. The control signals, in turn, are dependent on the accumulated input. | 09-22-2011 |
20110225965 | WAVE ENERGY CONVERTOR - A wave energy convertor ( | 09-22-2011 |
20110177542 | METHOD FOR ENHANCING CELLOBIOSE UTILIZATION - The present invention relates to methods for improving a host cell's ability to utilize the disaccharide cellobiose. In some embodiments, a transformed cell expresses intracellular β-glucosidase. In other embodiments, a transformed host cell is able to grow on media wherein cellobiose is the sole carbon source. In other embodiments, selection methods are provided which improve a host cell's ability to grow on cellobiose-containing media. | 07-21-2011 |
20110156321 | Method and Apparatus for the Production of Fine Fibres - A method and apparatus provided for the production of fine fibres by electrospinning fibres by applying an electrical field between a primary electrode and a counter electrode ( | 06-30-2011 |
20110129888 | Method for Fermenting Cellulosics - The present invention is directed to host cells capable of fermenting cellulosic materials for the production of ethanol. Microorganisms engineered to be able to use amorphous cellulosic materials in a fermentation process to produce ethanol are disclosed. Additionally, methods of using the host organisms of the invention and compositions for producing ethanol according to the invention are disclosed. | 06-02-2011 |
20110124074 | Heterologous Expression of Fungal Cellobiohydrolases in Yeast - The present invention provides for heterologous expression of polypeptides encoded by wild-type and codon-optimized variants of cbh1 and/or cbh2 from the fungal organisms | 05-26-2011 |
20110098359 | Compositions and Methods for Treatment of Glaucoma - A new use for paracetamol in a method of treating glaucoma, which method comprises administering to a patient in need of such treatment 500 mg to 1000 mg of paracetamol in oral format 4 to 6 hourly. An ophthalmic solution is also provided containing between 0.1 to 5% of paracetamol which is administered as one to two drops in each eye 4 to 6 hourly. The ophthalmic solution further includes one or more of the following excipients: hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, benzalconium chloride, polyacrylic acid such as Teargel®. | 04-28-2011 |