An apparatus for activating a chemistry disposed upon a target structure includes a handle having an axis of orientation; a structure contacting element attached to the handle a radiant energy source having an emissive outlet adjacent to the structure contacting element wherein a vector associated with the application of the apparatus to a structure intersects and is normal to the axis of orientation and passes through the structure contacting surface.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the energy modulation agent.

Compositions comprising branched C.sub.10 mercaptans selected from the group consisting of 5-methyl-1-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-1-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-1-mercapto-octane, 2-butyl-1-mercapto-hexane, 5-methyl-2-mercapto-nonane, 3-propyl-2-mercapto-heptane, 4-ethyl-2-mercapto-octane, 5-methyl-5-mercapto-nonane, and combinations thereof.

According to the present invention, there can be provided a process for producing 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC), comprising culturing, in a medium, a 7DHC-producing Labyrinthulea microorganism in which sterol 24-C-methyltransferase activity is reduced or lost as compared to a parent strain, allowing 7DHC to be produced and accumulated in the culture, and collecting the 7DHC from the culture; and a process for producing vitamin D3, comprising irradiating, with ultraviolet light, 7-dehydrocholesterol produced by the production process.

A light irradiation multi-sample parallel reaction device comprises: a base (1), a support disc (2) horizontally fixed and mounted above the base (1), a top disc (3) mounted above the support disc (2), a rotating disc (4) rotatably mounted below the support disc (2), and a plurality of reaction flasks (5), wherein a plurality of light transmission holes are circumferentially formed in the support disc (2); the plurality of reaction flasks (5) are placed on the light transmission holes in a one-to-one correspondence; a plurality of reaction flask through-holes for the reaction flasks (5) to pass through are formed in the top disc (3); a plurality of sets of stirrers (7) corresponding to the reaction flasks (5) are mounted between the top disc (3) and the support disc (2), and used for stirring liquids in the reaction flasks (5); the rotating disc (4) is arranged coaxially with the support disc (2); and a plurality of light sources (9) are arranged on an upper surface of the rotating disc (4). The device enables the irradiation intensity of light entering solutions to be consistent, improving experimental accuracy.

Methods for the photoreduction of molecules are provided. The methods use diamond having a negative electron affinity as a photocatalyst, taking advantage of its ability to act as a solid-state electron emitter that is capable of inducing reductions without the need for reactants to adsorb onto its surface. The methods comprise illuminating a fluid sample comprising the molecules to be reduced and hydrogen surface-terminated diamond having a negative electron affinity with light comprising a wavelength that induces the emission of electrons from the diamond directly into the fluid sample. The emitted electrons induce the reduction of the molecules to form a reduction product.

Novel nail gel curing devices and methods of their use are disclosed. Novel shields for nail gel curing devices and methods of their use are also disclosed. The devices and shields are useful for curing nail gels and more particularly where light emitting diode LED equipped devices are used to cure UV-VIS curable nail gel resins.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.

A liquid thin film is disposed on a conveyor surface (e.g., a roller or belt) that moves the thin film into a precisely controlled gap (or nip) region in which the liquid thin film is subjected to an electric field that causes the liquid to undergo electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning deformation, whereby portions of the liquid thin film form patterned liquid features having a micro-scale patterned shape. A curing mechanism (e.g., a UV laser) is used to solidify (e.g., in the case of polymer thin films, cross-link) the patterned liquid inside or immediately after exiting the gap region. The patterned structures are either connected by an intervening web as part of a polymer sheet, or separated into discreet micro-scale structures. Nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes or nanowires) disposed in the polymer become vertically oriented during the EHD patterning process. Segmented electrodes and patterned charges are utilized to provide digital patterning control.

The invention provides an anti-fouling lighting system (1) configured for preventing or reducing biofouling on a fouling surface (1201) of an object (1200) that during use is at least temporarily exposed to a liquid, by providing an anti-fouling light (211) to said fouling surface (1201), the anti-fouling lighting system (1) comprising: a lighting module (200) comprising a light source (210) configured to generate an anti-fouling light (211); and an energy system (500) configured to locally harvest energy and configured to provide electrical power to said light lighting module (200), wherein the energy system (500) comprises (i) a sacrificial electrode (510), and (ii) a second energy system electrode (520), wherein the energy system (500) is configured to provide electrical power to the lighting module (200) when the sacrificial electrode (510) and the second energy system electrode (520) are in electrical contact with the liquid.