Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for low noise and high efficiency photoelectric amplification based on cycling excitation process (CEP). In some aspects, a device for amplifying signals of light-induced photocurrent includes an anode connected to a positive terminal of a voltage source; a disordered material layer coupled to the anode, wherein the disordered material layer is structured to have a thickness of 100 nm or less; and a cathode coupled to the disordered material layer and connected to a negative terminal of the voltage source, in which the device is operable to amplify photoexcited carriers based on photon absorption to produce an external quantum efficiency of the device that is at least 100%.

Abstract: A composition for coating a medical device and a coated medical device are provided. The composition includes a polymeric matrix having non-toxic quantum dots or a fluorophore or both. The polymeric matrix contains the quantum dots or fluorophore and binds as a coating to the medical device. Coated medical devices can be readily identified within or outside of a body and in open or laparoscopically surgeries, greatly reducing or eliminating the risk of a retained foreign object.

Abstract: An ultra-low-power voltage reference generator in an integrated CMOS circuit includes a regular MOS transistor reference current source connected to a line voltage and a regular MOS transistor resistor between the regular MOS transistor reference current source and ground. A constant with temperature reference voltage VREF is generated from a terminal inter-connecting the regular MOS transistor reference current source and the regular MOS transistor resistor. An ultra-low-power current reference generator receives a reference voltage and generated ultra-low level current from the reference voltage with a temperature compensated gate-leakage array.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to laser ablation spectrometry systems. In one aspect, a system comprises a microscope, a laser, a continuous flow probe, and a gas confinement device. The laser is positioned to emit light through an objective lens of the microscope. The continuous flow probe is coupled to a spectrometer. An end of the continuous flow probe is positioned proximate a sample and between the sample and the objective lens. The gas confinement device defines a gas inlet, a chamber, a platform, a wall surrounding the platform, a plurality of vents, and a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of vents is positioned to direct a gas substantially parallel to the platform, and each of the plurality of vents is defined in the wall. The plurality of channels is operable to provide fluid communication between the chamber and the plurality of vents.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for imaging particles and/or cells using flow cytometry. In one aspect, a method includes transmitting a light beam at a fluidic channel carrying a fluid sample containing particles; optically encoding scattered or fluorescently-emitted light at a spatial optical filter, the spatial optical filter including a surface having a plurality of apertures arranged in a pattern along a transverse direction opposite to particle flow and a longitudinal direction parallel to particle flow, such that different portions of a particle flowing over the pattern of the apertures pass different apertures at different times and scatter the light beam or emit fluorescent light at locations associated with the apertures; and producing image data associated with the particle flowing through the fluidic channel based on the encoded optical signal, in which the produced image data includes information of a physical characteristic of the particle.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a polyketide synthase (PKS) capable of synthesizing an even-chain or odd-chain diacid or lactam or diamine. The present invention also provides for a host cell comprising the PKS and when cultured produces the even-chain diacid, odd-chain diacid, or KAPA. The present invention also provides for a host cell comprising the PKS capable of synthesizing a pimelic acid or KAPA, and when cultured produces biotin.

Abstract: Paper, cotton, corn stover, straw, and wood are converted into furanic products in high yields (based on their cellulose content) using a simple, inexpensive process involving concurrent hydrolysis, dehydration, and substitution reactions coupled with continuous extraction into an organic phase. In a simultaneous process, the hemicellulose fraction of these substrates is converted into furfural, and together these constitute an efficient means for the total exploitation of the carbohydrate content of biomass.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a class of compounds comprising peptides of the sequence (X-Y-Z)n, wherein X is an amino acid selected from aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, alanine and glutamine, and Y and Z are amino acids selected from alanine, serine, threonine, phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, and their derivatives. These compounds have the property of binding tightly and specifically to calcified surfaces, making them useful for a variety of applications including remineralization of tooth and bone surfaces, diagnosis of bone and tooth defects, treatment of bone and tooth defects, and analysis of the presence and location of calcified deposits both in vitro and in vivo and in industrial, synthetic, medical, dental, and research applications where identification, localization, or manipulation of calcification is desirable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a functionally integrated microanalytical system for performing fluorescence spectroscopy. A source of fluorescence-exciting radiation, typically a LED, is integrated onto a substrate along with a photodetector and, in some embodiments, an optical filter. A pixel-to-point laser lift-off process is used to effect this component integration. For those cases in which a filter is required, a thin film bandgap filter is typically used, such as CdS or CdSxSe1-x (0<x<1). A disposable microchannel containing the sample and its fluorescent tag is mounted onto the integrated assembly of LED, photodetector and (optionally) filter. This configuration of components allows the microchannel and sample to be readily removed and replaced, facilitating rapid analysis of multiple samples. Multiple LEDS, detectors and filters (if present) can also be integrated onto the same substrate, permitting multiple wavelength analysis of the sample to be performed concurrently.

Abstract: Submicron ferromagnets, of selected size and spacing, are introduced into semiconductor by means of ion implantation and subsequent heat treatments. The resulting semiconductor contains ferromagnets at high density and which exhibit Curie temperatures exceeding room temperature. The semiconductor retains its intrinsic physical properties, such as optical and transport properties, after incorporation of the ferromagnetic nanostructures.

Abstract: A micropump fabricated in a planar substrate is provided with a valving chamber which is communicated to a pumping chamber. The valving chamber has an inlet and outlet port. Both the valving chamber and pumping chamber have a liquid, electrically conductive piston disposed therein, which liquid piston is nonmiscible with the pumped working fluid and nonreactive with the substrate in which the chambers are formed. The valving piston is magnetohydrodynamically driven to selectively close either the inlet port or the outlet port. The pumping piston is magnetohydrodynamically driven to pull or push the working fluid through one of the inlet or outlet ports, through the valving chamber, into the pumping chamber, back out of the pumping chamber and through the other one of the inlet or outlet ports after activation of the valving piston. Both direct current and inductive magnetohydrodynamic drives are contemplated.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for testing gene expression in a cotton fiber cells. The methods comprise contacting the cell with Agrobacterium sp., comprising a recombinant T-DNA vector, which includes a plant promoter operably linked to a gene of interest; and detecting the product of the polynucleotide of interest, thereby testing for expression of the polynucleotide of interest.

Abstract: An active medium, typically a photochromic material and more typically spirbenzopyran, maintained in a three-dimensional matrix, typically of polymer, is illuminated in selected regions by two UV laser light beams, typically of 532 nm. and 1064 nm. wavelength, to change from a first, spiropyran, to a second, merocyanine, stable molecular isomeric form by process of two-photon absorption. Regions not temporally and spatially coincidently illuminated are unchanged. Later illumination of the selected regions by two green-red laser light beams, typically of 1064 nm wavelength each, causes only the second, merocyanine, isomeric form to fluoresce. This fluorescence is detectable by photodetectors as stored binary data. The three-dimensional memory may be erased by heat, or by infrared radiation, typically 2.12 microns wavelength. Use of other medium permit the three-dimensional patterning of three-dimensional forms, such as polystyrene polymer solids patterned from liquid styrene monomer.

Abstract: A class of optimal nonlinear decoding algorithms for data acquisition applications of Sigma Delta modulators is applicable to all current Sigma Delta structures, including single and double loop, cascade and interpolative modulators. The decoding method takes on a particularly simple form for the case of constant modular inputs. While the performance of the present invention is identical to other optimal nonlinear decoding schemes such as table look-up, the present invention is simpler to implement. Numerical results show that the performance of the invention exceed that of conventional linear decoding.