Abstract: This invention comprises a method for generating functional neural networks using neural progenitor cells on microelectrode arrays (MEAs). The method involves dissociating neural progenitor cells from an embryo, propagating the neural progenitor cells, passaging the neural progenitor cells and seeding the neural progenitor cells on MEAs to produce a functional neural network. The neural progenitor cells may be continuously passaged to propagate an endless supply of neural progenitor cells. The resultant passaged progenitor cell derived neural network MEA may be used to detect and/or quantify various biological or chemical toxins.

Abstract: A method of: introducing hydrogen and a feed gas containing at least 50 vol % carbon dioxide into a reactor containing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst; and heating the hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a temperature of at least about 190° C. to produce hydrocarbons in the reactor. An apparatus having: a reaction vessel for containing a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, capable of heating gases to at least about 190° C.; a hydrogen delivery system feeding into the reaction vessel; a carbon dioxide delivery system for delivering a feed gas containing at least 50 vol % carbon dioxide feeding into the reaction vessel; and a trap for collecting hydrocarbons generated in the reaction vessel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new ionic liquid monomer salt and methods of is synthesis and polymerization. The ionic liquid monomer salt is prepared by mixing equimolar amounts of an amine, such as tris[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)-ethyl]amine and an acid functionalized polymerizable monomer, such as 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), which is stirred at ambient temperature until salt formation is complete. Also disclosed is a new ionic liquid polymer salts and method for making the same. The synthesis of AMPS-ammonium salt polymer is accomplished by adding 2,2?-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) to the ionic liquid monomer salt and heating the homogeneous melt at 70° C. for 18 hr.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for attaching a fluid cell to a planar substrate. The planar substrate may have on it sensors or devices for detecting components within the fluid, and/or be treated to selectively bind or react with components within the fluid. Substrates might include solid-state IC integrated circuit sensor microchips, glass slides, genomic and proteomic arrays, and or other suitable substrates that can make conformal contact with the fluid cell. The fluid cell can be mounted directly on top of the substrate to easily create a fluidic system in a wide variety of implementations. The assembly does not require modification of the substrate; all the fluidic connections are inherent in the apparatus. The present device can be made using low-cost materials and simple methods.

Abstract: Provided a system and method for detecting an event while discriminating against false alarms in a monitored space using at least one sensor suite to acquire signals, transmitting the signals to a sensor system device where the signal is processed into data packets, transmitting the data packets to a data fusion device, where the data packets are aggregated and algorithmic data fusion analysis is performed to generate threat level information. The threat level information is distributed to a supervisory control system where an alarm level can be generated when predetermined criteria are met to indicate the occurrence of an event in the monitored space.

Abstract: A method of laser forward transfer is disclosed. Photon energy is directed through a photon-transparent support and absorbed by a polymer interlayer coated thereon. The energized interlayer causes the transfer of a biological material coated thereon across a gap and onto a receiving substrate.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method as follows. Providing a list of target sequences associated with one or more organisms in a list of organisms. Providing a list of candidate prototype sequences suspected of hybridizing to one or more of the target sequences. Generating a collection of probes corresponding to each candidate prototype sequence, each collection of probes having a set of probes for every subsequence having a predetermined, fixed subsequence length of the corresponding candidate prototype sequence. The sets consist of the corresponding subsequence and every variation of the corresponding subsequence formed by varying a center nucleotide of the corresponding subsequence. Generating a set of fragments corresponding to each target sequence, each set of fragments having every fragment having a predetermined, fixed fragment length of the corresponding target sequence. Calculating the binding free energy of each fragment with a perfect complimentary sequence of the fragment.

Abstract: A boosting—based method and system for fusing a set of classifiers that performs classification using weak learners trained on different views of the training data. The final ensemble contains learners that are trained on examples sampled with a shared sampling distribution. The combination weights for the final weighting rule are obtained at each iteration based on the lowest training error among the views. Weights are updated in each iteration based on the lowest training error among all views at that iteration to form the shared sampling distribution used at the next iteration. In each iteration, a weak learner is selected from the pool of weak learners trained on disjoint views based on the lowest training error among all views, resulting in a lower training and generalization error bound of the final hypothesis.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a surface ligand; preparation of the ligand; colloidal nanoparticle, such as quantum dot bearing one or more of the ligand; and a bioconjugate characterized by a nanoparticle bearing one or more of the ligand conjugated to a biomolecule. The ligand is characterized by the presence of a first module containing atoms that can attach to an inorganic surface; a second module that imparts water-solubility to the ligand and to the inorganic surface that may be attached to the ligand; and a third module that contains a functional group that can, directly or indirectly, conjugate to a biomolecule. Order of the modules can be different and other modules and groups can be on the ligand. Preparation of the ligand includes the steps of reacting a compound having atoms that can attach to an inorganic surface with a water-solubilizing compound that imparts the property of water-solubility to the ligand and the inorganic surface to which it may be attached and purification thereof.

Abstract: A polyurethane coating made by: applying to a surface a polyol composition and an isocyanate composition, such that a mixture of the polyol composition and the isocyanate composition is formed during the application; and allowing the mixture to cure to the polyurethane coating. The polyol composition has a polyol monomer having the chemical formula: R1 is a divalent radical selected from aliphatic, aromatic, and ether-containing group. R2 is a monovalent radical selected from aliphatic, aromatic, ester-containing group, ether-containing group, and acrylic-containing group. R2 is free of —O—CH2—CH(OH)— groups, and the polyol monomer is free of epoxy groups and amino hydrogens. The isocyanate composition comprises an isocyanate compound having at least two isocyanate groups. The polyol composition or the isocyanate composition comprises a water scavenger. The polyol composition or the isocyanate composition comprises a polyurethane catalyst.

Abstract: A composite having a stack of a repeating pattern of layers of: a layer of a nonconductive magnetic material, a first layer of a dielectric material; a layer of a semiconducting material; and a second layer of the dielectric material. The composite has a magnetic resonance frequency and a magnetic anti-resonance frequency and a plasma frequency at higher frequencies than the magnetic resonance frequency.

Abstract: A solid mixture of La2NiO4+? and an ionic conductive material. A solid oxide fuel cell having a cathode interlayer having a La2NiO4+? layer and a doped ceria layer, a lanthanum strontium cobaltite or lanthanum strontium manganate cathode current collector, an anode; and an ionic conductive electrolyte between and in contact with the cathode interlayer and the anode.

Abstract: An electro-optic modulator includes a substrate, at least two parallel optical waveguides, at least one ground plane, at least one active electrode with at least two lower portions of the active electrode, and an upper portion connected to the lower portions, the lower portions spaced apart from each other, each of the two lower portions of the active electrode extending over one of the optical waveguides. An electro-optic phase modulator has at least one optical waveguide and at least one active electrode formed on a face of the substrate, the active electrode having a wider upper portion and a narrower lower portion, the lower portions of the active electrode aligned with and extending over one of the optical waveguides. A bridge electrode has at least one narrower lower portion, and a wider upper portion, the lower portion for being arranged over an optical waveguide formed in a substrate.

Abstract: A carborane-siloxane compound is provided having the repeat unit Q contains any of —SiR2—, —SiR2—O—, —C?C—C?C—, carboranyl, and U?. Each R and R? is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, haloalkyl, haloaryl, or mixtures thereof. Each U? is derivable from hydrosilation of an alkenyl or alkynyl group. Each T is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, haloalkyl, haloaryl, mixtures thereof, —(O—SiR?2)xH, or the repeat unit. Each x and x? is a positive integer. The compounds may be made be reacting a carborane-siloxane precursor having unsaturated end groups with a siloxane crosslinker in the presence of a hydrosilation catalyst.

Abstract: A carborane-siloxane compound is provided having the repeat unit Q contains any of —SiR2—, —SiR2—O—, —C?C—C?C—, carboranyl, and U?. Each R and R? is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, haloalkyl, haloaryl, or mixtures thereof. Each U? is derivable from hydrosilation of an alkenyl or alkynyl group. Each T is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, haloalkyl, haloaryl mixtures thereof, —(O—SiR?2)xH, or the repeat unit. Each x and x? is a positive integer. The compounds may be made be reacting a carborane-siloxane precursor having unsaturated end groups with a siloxane crosslinker in the presence of a hydrosilation catalyst.

Abstract: A hollow core photonic bandgap chalcogenide glass fiber includes a hollow core for passing light therethrough, a Raman active gas disposed in said core, a microstructured region disposed around said core, and a solid region disposed around said microstructured region for providing structural integrity to said microstructured region. A coupler can introduce at least one light signal into the hollow core of the chalcogenide photonic bandgap fiber. The method includes the steps of introducing a light beam into a hollow core chalcogenide photonic bandgap glass fiber filled with a Raman active gas disposed in the core, conveying the beam through the core while it interacts with the gas to form a Stokes beam of a typically higher wavelength, and removing the Stokes beam from the core of the fiber.

Abstract: A sensor and a method for sensing a change in mass of a reflective microbeam in a sensor, the sensor having a reflective layer disposed on a substrate and spaced apart from the reflective microbeam. The microbeam receives amplitude modulated laser energy at a first wavelength and is photothermally excited into resonance at the frequency of amplitude modulation, the reflective microbridge and the reflective layer receive optical energy at a second wavelength and reflect the optical energy toward a receiver. A change in reflectivity of the microbeam at different frequencies is determined. A change in reflectivity indicates a change in resonant frequency of the microbeam. Mass of the microbeam changes when a chemoselective material on the microbeam sorbs a target chemical.

Abstract: An apparatus having within or as part of a housing; a sample port; a microarray port; a lysis module; a purification module for containing a solid phase for binding of oligonucleotides; a thermocycling module for containing a polymerase chain reaction; a fragmentation module; and a microarray module for holding a microarray and a liquid in contact with the microarray. The apparatus is configured to be coupled to a device for: pumping a liquid through, in order, the lysis, purification, thermocycling, fragmentation, and microarray modules; sonicating any contents of the lysis module; thermocycling the thermocycling module to perform the polymerase chain reaction; heating the fragmentation module to fragment any oligonucleotides contained therein; circulating a fluid over the surface of the microarray; and performing one or more washing or staining steps on the microarray.

Abstract: A ceramic made by providing a composition and pyrolyzing the composition. The composition has siloxane polymer, metallic polymer, siloxane thermoset, and/or metallic thermoset having a backbone having: an acetylenic repeat unit; and —SiR2—(O—SiR2)n— and/or —SiR2—(O—SiR2)n-[Cb-SiR2—(O—SiR2)n]m. R is an organic group, Cb is a carborane, and n and m are integers greater than or equal to zero. Any crosslinking is a crosslink between acetylene groups and/or a polycarbosiloxane crosslink. The composition also has free metal atoms, metal clusters, or metal nanoparticles dispersed homogeneously throughout the composition; (MLx)y-acetylene complex in the backbone; and/or a metallic compound for forming a (MLx)y-acetylene complex. M is a metal, L is a ligand, x and y are positive integers.

Abstract: A computer-implemented biological sequence identifier (CIBSI) system and method for selecting a subsequence from biological sequence data according to at least one selection parameter. The at least one selection parameter corresponds to a likelihood of returning a meaningful result from a similarity search.