Abstract: An ankle-foot orthosis having a foot plate defining a foot bed contoured to underlie the foot of the wearer, a flexible cuff configured to wrap around at least a portion of the shank of the wearer, and a strut assembly comprising a plurality of metal wires connecting the foot plate to the cuff. The plurality of metal wires may include piano wires. The foot plate may be fabricated with a computer aided manufacturing process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for separating phenolic acids, comprising a step a) of contacting a feed containing at least two different phenolic acids (PA) with an extraction solvent to extract the at least two different PAs in a first PA containing liquid. The process also comprises a step b) of contacting the first PA containing liquid with a solid molecular imprinted polymer (MIP), such that the MIP captures a target PA from the at least two different PAs, to thereby form a first PA bound MIP dispersed in a second PA containing liquid, where the second PA containing liquid comprises at least one PA and none or a substantially lesser amount of the target PA originally present in the first PA containing liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of electroreduction with a working electrode and counter electrode. The method includes a step of electrocatalyzing carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide in the presence of one or more nucleophilic co-reactants in contact with a catalytically active material present on the working electrode, thereby forming one or more carbon-containing products electrocatalytically.

Abstract: A process for additive manufacturing of a thermoset resin fiber reinforced composite comprises depositing a fiber material along a path having a direction; heating the fiber material using a heater to generate a moving thermal gradient in the fiber material trailing the heater relative to the path direction; and dispensing a thermosetting polymer material on the heated fiber material at a trailing distance the from the heater along the path. The thermosetting polymer dynamically wicks into the fiber material along the thermal gradient in the path direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising a PHA based copolymer layer comprising at least one of an electrospun ribbon of fibers of a polyhydroxyalkanoate based copolymer or the polarized polymeric composition obtained by the process of claim 1, wherein the layer is configured to exhibit one or more of a piezoelectric effect, a pyroelectric effect and a ferroelectric effect, wherein each of the electrospun ribbon of fibers and the polarized polymeric composition comprises a ?-form of the PHA based copolymer present in an amount of from about 10% to about 99%, as measured by x-ray diffraction. The device can be configured for use as a sensor, a actuator, a nanomotor, or a biobattery.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for vaccinating one or more avians in need thereof. The vaccination method comprises administering to the one or more avians a stable foam in an amount effective for inducing a neutralizing immune response against an infectious pathogen in the one or more avians. The foam comprises a gas and a liquid, and the liquid comprises a vaccine and a foaming agent. The avian may be a chick. Also provided is a method for preparing the stable foam.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stable non-naturally occurring cellular membrane vesicle for delivering an active agent into a target cell. The cellular membrane vesicle comprises a biological membrane from a parent cell and a liquid medium encapsulated by the biological membrane. The liquid medium comprises an active agent and does not comprise a native cytoplasmic component of the parent cell. The biological membrane is specific for the target cell, and the active agent remains active upon delivery into the target cell. Also provided are methods for delivering the active agent with the cellular membrane vesicle and methods of preparing the cellular membrane vesicles.

Abstract: Poly(aryl alkylene) polymers or poly(aryl-crown ether-alkylene) polymers with pendant cationic groups are provided which have an alkaline-stable cation, such as imidazolium, introduced into a rigid aromatic polymer backbone free of ether bonds. Hydroxide exchange membranes or hydroxide exchange ionomers formed from these polymers exhibit superior chemical stability, hydroxide conductivity, decreased water uptake, good solubility in selected solvents, and improved mechanical properties in an ambient dry state as compared to conventional hydroxide exchange membranes or ionomers. Hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells and hydroxide exchange membrane electrolyzers comprising the poly(aryl alkylene) polymers or poly(aryl-crown ether-alkylene) polymers with pendant cationic groups exhibit enhanced performance and durability at relatively high temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a new class of trans-cyclooctenes (TCOs), “a-TCOs,” that are prepared in high yield via stereocontrolled 1,2-additions of nucleophiles to trans-cyclooct-4-enone, which itself was prepared on large scale in two steps from 1,5-cyclooctadiene. Computational transition state models rationalize the diastereoselectivity of 1,2-additions to deliver a-TCO products, which were also shown to be more reactive than standard TCOs and less hydrophobic than even a trans-oxocene analog. Illustrating the favorable physicochemical properties of a-TCOs, a fluorescent TAMRA derivative in live HeLa cells was shown to be cell-permeable through intracellular Diels-Alder chemistry and to washout more rapidly than other TCOs.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a catalyst represented by Formula (I) wherein the moiety X[(ROa)(QOb)] and the moiety Z are mechanically mixed; wherein the weight percentage of the moiety Z is about 1% to about 99% of the total weight of the catalyst. Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a tunable, low-temperature, energy-efficient process for hydrocracking plastics to form a fuel, a lubricant, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A dynamically tunable composition, a device including the composition, a method of dynamically tuning radiation transmission through the composition, and a method of thermo-reversibly controlling operation of a filter formed from the composition. The composition includes a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in a single phase region of a binary solvent systems composed of a first solvent and a second solvent, the nanoparticles having a preferential wettability to the first solvent. Changing temperature of the composition causes it to transition thermo-reversibly from the liquid state to a gel state having bi-continuous domains, including a particle domain and a solvent domain. The particle domain features nanoparticles dispersed in a first-solvent-rich fraction of the binary solvent system, and the solvent domain is a second-solvent-rich fraction of the binary solvent system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are mono- and di-substituted tetrazines and methods of their preparation and converting an oxetanyl ester to a thio-substituted tetrazine, which is then converted to a mono-substituted tetrazine, a di-substituted tetrazine, or a vinylether disubstituted tetrazine.

Abstract: Garments for concealing male genitalia of a wearer, the garment having a compressible region configured to be disposed over the genitalia of the wearer. Adjustment of tensile forces exerted on the compressible region resolve to compression forces exerted by the compressible region on the wearer's genitalia. Embodiments include garments having a primary portion and a connector portion configured to connect a front portion to a back portion, the connector having an adjustable length between a connection to the front portion and connection to the back portion, wherein adjustment of the length is used for adjusting the tensile forces.

Abstract: Electrochemical devices including electrochemical pumps (ECPs) and fuel cell systems comprising a fuel cell and an ECP are disclosed. In particular, this electrochemical device can be an ECP that comprises an anode, a cathode and an anion exchange polymer separating the anode from the cathode. The ECP can be coupled to a hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cell (HEMFC) that is disclosed herein as a fuel cell system. These devices can be used in methods for removing carbon dioxide from air and for generating electricity.

Abstract: A monitoring system for use with a human simulator for simulating interaction between a human baby and a bonded human and method of operating thereof are disclosed. The simulator comprises a housing having an outer layer configured to contact the baby, the housing having a surface contoured to simulate a torso of the bonded human; a respiration simulation system configured to simulate a respiration motion of the bonded human; and a heartbeat simulation system configured to simulate a heartbeat of the bonded human. The monitoring system comprises a smart device having a first communication interface; one or more sensors for detecting one or more biological parameters of the bonded human; at least one processor programmed with machine readable instructions to activate the sensor(s) and to transmit a signal corresponding to the detected biological parameters from the first communication interface to a second communication interface connected to the simulator.

Abstract: Dimethoxyphenol-based monomers containing polymerizable functional groups such as [meth]acrylate groups are useful for the preparation of polymers, wherein one or more dimethoxyphenyl moieties are part of side chains pendant to the backbones of the polymers. The polymers thereby obtained may have different, improved properties, such as higher glass transition temperatures, thermal stability and solvent resistance, as compared to polymers based on other types of lignin-derived monomers.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump for an additive manufacture application includes a motor having a rotatable output shaft, at least one rotatable gear or rotatable screw that is attached to the output shaft of the motor, and a passage defined downstream of said at least one rotatable gear or rotatable screw. The gear or screw is configured to receive material, and expel the material out of the pump at a flow rate proportional to a rotation rate of the output shaft of the motor and at a constant flow rate for a fixed rotation rate of the output shaft regardless of changes in system pressure.

Abstract: Medical treatment simulation systems and devices are disclosed. One device includes an overlay, a simulated treatment structure, at least one feedback device, and at least one processor. The overlay is configured to be secured to the live subject and to cover at least a portion of a body of the live subject. The simulated treatment structure is configured to simulate a structure associated with the medical procedure. The at least one feedback device is configured to provide a feedback signal to the live subject. The at least one processor is connected to the simulated treatment structure and the at least one feedback device. The processor is programmed to operate the feedback device to provide the feedback signal based upon input generated from interaction between a treatment provider and the simulated treatment structure. The disclosed devices may be used to simulate intravenous, catheter, defibrillation, and/or thoracic treatments.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the integration of direct air capture of carbon dioxide with thermochemical water splitting, the latter optionally driven by solar energy. The disclosure is also directed to a process comprising extracting carbon dioxide from an air stream by contacting the air-stream with an alkali metal ion-transition metal oxide of empirical formula AxMO2 (0.1<x?1), where A represents the alkali metal ion comprising sodium ion, potassium ion, or a combination thereof and M comprises iron, manganese, or a combination thereof to form a transition metal composition comprising an oxidized ion extracted-transition metal oxide.

Abstract: Skeletonized blood vessels for use as vascular grafts are protected from biomechanical injury and/or certain cellular and extracellular changes by application of a biocompatible hydrogel to the vessel exterior. The hydrogel may be applied to the vessel graft before or after harvesting from a donor patient.