1461176176-c242980d-9ac5-40d8-a9d9-aa44d4a6fe75

1. A polymer-enhanced proppant transport fluid, comprising:
a suspension fluid comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
a plurality of proppant particles.
2. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation comprises:
at least one synthetic base polymer, and
a crosslinking agent, wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a dialdehyde or a dual crosslinker system.
3. The fluid of claim 2, wherein the dual crosslinker system comprising a dialdehyde and an organometallic reagent.
4. The fluid of claim 2, wherein the crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation comprises a second base polymer.
5. The fluid of claim 4, wherein the second base polymer is a synthetic base polymer.
6. The fluid of claim 5, wherein the at least one synthetic base polymer and the second base polymer are crosslinked.
7. The fluid of claim 6, wherein the crosslinking is performed by a crosslinking agent.
8. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation further comprises a hydrophobically associating base polymer with a tunable surfactant.
9. The fluid of claim 1, wherein the crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation further comprises a superabsorbent polymer with a water soluble polymer.
10. A method of improving production from an oil or gas well, comprising:
providing a formulation comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
delivering the formulation into the oil or gas well, whereby the formulation improves production from the well.
11. A method of water blocking or water shutoff in an oil or gas well, comprising:
providing a formulation comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
delivering the formulation into the oil or gas well, whereby the formulation provides water blocking or water shutoff in the well.
12. A method of enhancing oil recovery from an oil source, comprising:
providing a formulation comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
delivering the formulation into the oil source, whereby the formulation enhances oil recover from the oil source.
13. A method of treating a petroleum-containing formation to reduce sand production, comprising:
providing a formulation comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
delivering the formulation into the petroleum-containing formation, whereby the formulation reduces sand production in the formation.
14. A method of displacing fluid from a wellbore by viscous plug flow, comprising:
providing a formulation comprising a crosslinked synthetic polymer gel formulation, and
delivering the formulation into wellbore, whereby the formulation forms a viscous plug in the wellbore, thereby displacing fluid therefrom.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for treating a disease state in mammals characterized by abnormally low levels of inflammatory agents by up-regulating indigenous in vivo levels of an inflammatory agent comprising:
a. contacting the mammalian cells with an inflammatory regulator, comprising at least 2.8 mg pyruvate, or a pyruvate precursor or salt thereof, \u03b1-keto-isovaleric acid or a precursor thereof and mixtures thereof
b. wherein said inflammatory agents are selected from the group consisting of elastase, white blood cells, tumor necrosis factor-\u03b1 and cytokines selected from the group consisting of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23, and;
c. wherein the disease state is selected from the group consisting of pulmonary and upper respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and nicotine addiction.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulmonary and upper respiratory disease is selected from the group consisting of infected lungs and infected sinuses, bronchial asthma, acute bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis and diseases caused by organic dust, irritant gases, air pollution and chemicals.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pyruvate and its’ salts are selected from the group consisting of pyruvic acid, lithium pyruvate, sodium pyruvate, potassium pyruvate, magnesium pyruvate, calcium pyruvate, zinc pyruvate, manganese pyruvate, aluminum pyruvate, ammonium pyruvate, and mixtures thereof.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the pyruvate precursors are selected from the group consisting of pyruvyl-glycine, pyruvyl-alanine, pyruvyl-leucine, pyruvyl-valine, pyruvyl-isoleucine, pyruvyl-phenylalanine, pyruvamide, salts of pyruvic acid, and mixtures thereof.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the dosage of the inflammatory regulator ranges from about 2.8 mg to about 1.0 gram.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the disease state is an infected disease state caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising contacting the mammalian cells with a therapeutic agent.
8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of anti-bacterial agents, anti-viral agents, anti-fungals, anti-tumor agents, anti-histamines, proteins, enzymes, hormones, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, cytokines, steroids, nicotine, and insulin.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of insulin.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of nicotine.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the therapeutic agent is a steroid selected from the group consisting of fluticasone, (Flonase\xae), budesonide (Rhinocort\xae) beclomethasone, mometasone, flunisolide, triamcinolone and mixtures thereof.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is an anti-viral agent selected from the group consisting of acyclovir, foscarnet sodium, ribavirin, vidarabine, ganciclovir sodium, Ribavirim, zidovudine, phenol, amantadine hydrochloride, and interferon \u03b1-n3, interferon \u03b1-2a, and oseltamivir.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the anti-viral agent is selected from the group consisting of acyclovir, foscarnet sodium, ribavirin, vidarabine, and ganciclovir sodium.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is an anti-biotic agent selected from the group consisting of actinomycins, glutarimide antibiotics, sarkomycin, fumagillin, streptonigrin, Mupericin, tenuazonic acid, actinogan, peptinogan, and the anthracyclic antibiotics.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is an antihistamine selected from the group consisting of pseudoephedrine, loratadine, fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, famodidine, ranitidine, citirazine, and other H1- and H2-antagonists.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein the anti-viral agent is present in an amount of from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight.
17. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is a protein for the treatment of Alzeheimers’ disease
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the protein for the treatment of Alzeheimers’ disease is insulin.
19. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is administered prior to delivery of the inflammatory regulator.
20. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is administered concomitantly with delivery of the inflammatory regulator.
21. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapeutic agent is administered after delivery of the inflammatory regulator.
22. A method for treating a pulmonary and upper respiratory disease state by up-regulating abnormally low levels of inflammatory agents comprising:
a. contacting the mammalian cells with an inflammatory regulator, comprising at least 2.8 mg pyruvate, or a pyruvate precursor or salt thereof, \u03b1-keto-isovaleric acid or a precursor thereof and mixtures thereof
b. wherein said inflammatory agents are selected from the group consisting of elastase, white blood cells, tumor necrosis factor-\u03b1 and cytokines selected from the group consisting of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23, and;
c. wherein the disease state is selected from the group consisting of allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, nicotine addiction, infected lungs and infected sinuses, bronchial asthma, and acute bronchitis.
23. A method for treating an abnormal pulmonary and upper respiratory condition by up-regulating abnormally low levels of inflammatory agents comprising the administration of an inflammatory regulator, comprising at least 2.8 mg pyruvate, or a pyruvate precursor or salt thereof, \u03b1-keto-isovaleric acid or a precursor thereof and mixtures thereof;
b. wherein said inflammatory agents are selected from the group consisting of elastase, white blood cells, tumor necrosis factor-\u03b1 and cytokines selected from the group consisting of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23, and;
c. wherein the respiratory condition is selected from the group consisting of sinus irritation and congestion, lung irritation and congestion and snoring.

1461176166-d7b9a808-2303-4132-aa7f-48f585fded8e

1. A storage and retrieval system, comprising:
at least one mast, said at least one mast adapted to be supported at a lower mast end on a lower rail via at least one running wheel and is adapted to be driven along the running rail by at least one driven running wheel;
an upper guide rail at an upper mast end, said upper guide rail extending parallel to the running rail having at least one guide roller, said at least one guide roller being mounted such that said at least one guide roller bears against said guide rail so as to guide said mast;
at least one friction roller, wherein said at least one friction roller rolls on said upper guide rail and bears against said upper guide rail; and
an eddy current brake driven by said friction roller, said at least one friction roller mounted for movement with said upper mast end, said eddy current brake damping oscillations of said upper mast end.
2. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eddy current brake is selectively electrically actuated, wherein said eddy current brake is electrically actuated when said upper mast end moves into an intended stopping position.
3. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said friction roller is attracted to said upper guide rail by means of magnetic attraction.
4. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 3, including a gear assembly for operating said eddy current brake.
5. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said gear assembly includes an adjustable transmission ratio, wherein an amount of damping is adjustable by adjusting the transmission ratio.
6. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the guide rollers defines said friction roller.
7. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said eddy current brake is in the form of an electric motor.
8. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electric motor is in the form of a squirrel-cage asynchronous motor having an air gap.
9. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the size of the air gap being selected to produce a correspondingly large magnetic field.
10. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said air gap is constant.
11. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eddy current brake comprises a synchronous motor having a short-circuited winding.
12. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eddy current brake is only electrically activated when moving into an intended stopping position of said mast and remains electrically deactivated during the remaining driving time of said mast.
13. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said friction roller is attracted to said upper guide rail by means of magnetic attraction.
14. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, including a gear assembly for operating said eddy current brake.
15. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said gear assembly includes an adjustable transmission ratio, wherein an amount of damping is adjustable by adjusting the transmission ratio.
16. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the guide rollers defines said friction roller.
17. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eddy current brake is in the form of an electric motor.
18. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said electric motor is in the form of a squirrel-cage asynchronous motor having an air gap.
19. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the size of the air gap being selected to produce a correspondingly large magnetic field.
20. The storage and retrieval system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said air gap is constant.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. Microelectromechanical apparatus, comprising:
a substrate;
one or more movable microelectromechanical elements formed in the substrate; and
one or more stationary elements that comprise electrically operative elements of the apparatus and that comprise a protective layer for the movable microelectromechanical elements.
2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 which comprises an electrostatic micromechanical resonator.
3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the stationary elements are sense and drive electrodes of the resonator.
4. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the stationary elements cover the movable microelectromechanical elements on sides and top thereof and are separated therefrom by narrow gaps realized using a sacrificial layer.
5. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein the stationary elements have openings in them for sacrificial layer removal.
6. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the openings in the stationary elements are closed by a nonconformal thin film.
7. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the stationary elements completely cover the top surface of the movable elements.
8. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the nonconformal thin film is a PECVD insulator film such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride.
9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising a substantially impermeable thin film disposed on top of the sealed stationary elements to maintain a high level of vacuum andor hermeticity for the encapsulated movable elements.
10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the substantially impermeable film is an evaporated metal film.
11. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the impermeable film is a CMOS-compatible insulating thin film.
12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein the CMOS-compatible insulating thin film comprises LPCVD silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or polysilicon.
13. The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising one or more integrated circuit devices formed on the substrate beside or on top of the apparatus.
14. Acoustic resonator apparatus, comprising:
a silicon resonating micromechanical element formed in a substrate; and
one or more stationary electrodes separated from the resonating element by narrow capacitive gaps, wherein the electrodes extend on top of the resonating element to encapsulate it.
15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein the electrodes are made of polycrystalline silicon.
16. The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein the electrodes are sealed by a nonconformal thin film.
17. The apparatus recited in claim 16 wherein the nonconformal sealing film comprises an insulating PECVD thin film.
18. The apparatus recited in claim 14 further comprising a substantially impermeable film covering the nonconformal sealing film.
19. Microelectromechanical apparatus, comprising:
a substrate; and
a microelectromechanical structure formed in the substrate comprising one or more top electrodes, which electrodes encapsulate the apparatus.
20. The apparatus recited in claim 19 further comprising one or more integrated circuit devices formed on the substrate beside or on top of the microelectromechanical structure.