Abstract: A photovoltaic system comprises a photovoltaic cell, a substrate, and a light-conversion layer. The photovoltaic cell converts incident light into electricity and is responsive to a range of frequencies of incident light that is less than all frequencies of the incident light. The substrate is disposed between the photovoltaic cell and the incident light so that the incident light passes through the substrate to illuminate the photovoltaic cell. The light-conversion layer is disposed on the substrate so that incident light illuminates the light-conversion layer and the light-conversion layer converts a broad frequency band of incident light outside the range to light within the range and is emitted toward the photovoltaic cell to illuminate the photovoltaic cell with converted light.

Abstract: A method can include receiving real-time, time series data from equipment at a wellsite that includes a wellbore in contact with a fluid reservoir; processing the time series data as input to a trained machine learning model to predict a future solids event related to influx of solids into the wellbore from the fluid reservoir; and outputting a time of the future solids event.

Abstract: A clock buffer or driver is gated pending reception of verifiable crypto keys. These clock buffer or divers remain gated, thus disabling a processor from any meaningful function, till crypto keys are decoded, verified, and applied to the clock buffer or driver. A low frequency pseudorandom frequency hopping time sequence is generated and used for randomizing spread-spectrum to modulate a reference clock (or output clock) of a frequency synthesizer. This hopping time sequence holds the key to unlocking the crypto keys. The PWM modulated crypto keys are carried by the hopping time sequence. To decode the PWM modulated crypto keys, the hopping time sequence is used. The reference clock which is modulated with crypto keys in the spread-spectrum is sent to a decoder (in a processor) along with the hopping time sequence. The crypto keys are decoded and then used to un-gate the clock buffer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of biocementation comprising contacting a granular, cohesionless soil with a solution, wherein the solution comprises urea, urease, a source of calcium ions, and a source of non-urease proteins, wherein the urea, urease, source of calcium ions, and source of non-urease proteins are provided in effective amounts suitable to cause crystallization of calcium carbonate.

Abstract: A community safety system (CSS) including a notification management entity (NME) comprising servers, the NME communicatively coupled to multiple user devices and one or more administrator devices (collectively, registered user devices). The CSS includes a plurality of registered users, wherein registered users may share their own location, as well as sighting information about the location of a source of an emergency (e.g. a perpetrator) with the NME of the CSS. The NME may generate and provide display objects on a visualization interface of one or more users mobile devices displaying a map, the display objects indicative of user locations and/or emergency source location in the map displayed (e.g., in accordance with the map coordinate system).

Abstract: A method for chemically reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) with a red mud catalyst composition is provided includes introducing a gaseous mixture of CO2 and H2 into a reactor containing particles of the red mud catalyst composition. The method further includes reacting at least a portion of the CO2 and H2 in the gaseous mixture in the presence of the red mud catalyst composition at a temperature of 200 to 800° C., and under a pressure ranging from 5 to 100 bar to form a gaseous product including a chemical reduction product of the CO2. A volume ratio of the CO2 to the H2 in the gaseous mixture is in a range of 1:10 to 10:1.

Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment or repair of regurgitant cardiac valves, such as a mitral valve. An illustrative annuloplasty device can be placed in the coronary sinus to reshape the mitral valve and reduce mitral valve regurgitation. The disclosure also provides improved techniques for cardiac pacing.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes a plurality of ribbons; and a composite panel comprising a core layer and a skin layer supported by a surface of the core layer, where the core layer includes a core material and the skin layer is formed of a matrix material and a plurality of parallel fibers aligned with the ribbons and disposed in the matrix material. A method of making a photovoltaic module includes applying a pair of skin layers to a core layer, each skin layer including a skin material and a plurality of parallel fibers disposed in the skin material to make a composite sandwich panel; and layering a component including ribbons between the composite sandwich panel and a thin, transparent front sheet; wherein the parallel fibers are aligned with the ribbons; where the composite sandwich panel has a coefficient of thermal expansion matching the coefficient of thermal expansion of the component.

Abstract: Examples include: a leveling system for a top feeder of a printer, where the top feeder includes a media positioning arrangement. The leveling system has a detector for detecting reflected light and generating a three-dimensional image comprising at least one media positioning region corresponding to the media positioning arrangement on a top sheet of a media stack installed into the top feeder. Also, the leveling system has an actuator configured to adjust heights of different points of the bottom of the media stack. Further, it has a controller for selecting, based on the three-dimensional image, adjustments to the heights for improving leveling of at least one of the at least one media positioning region; and controlling the actuator to implement the adjustments.

Abstract: In a general aspect, calibration is performed in a quantum computing system. In some cases, domains of a quantum computing system are identified, where the domains include respective domain control subsystems and respective subsets of quantum circuit devices in a quantum processor of the quantum computing system. Sets of measurements are obtained from one of the domains and stored in memory. Device characteristics of the quantum circuit devices of the domain are obtained based on the set of measurements, and the device characteristics are stored in a memory of the control system. Quantum logic control parameters for the subset of quantum circuit devices of the domain are obtained based on the set of measurements and stored in memory.

Abstract: There is disclosed a conductive concrete structure for electromagnetic shielding comprising a first planar surface; a metal mesh positioned on a first face of the first planar surface; and cast concrete positioned on or around the metal mesh. There is also disclosed a method of assembling a conductive concrete structure for electromagnetic shielding. The method comprises positioning a metal mesh comprising a plurality of metal wires on a first planar surface and casting concrete on the metal mesh.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of plant species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, Hemipteran and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for distortion rectification and fingerprint crossmatching. In one example, a method includes selecting an electronic, perspective distorted fingerprint sample; and generating an unwarped fingerprint sample by rectifying perspective distortions from the perspective distorted fingerprint sample by application of an unwarping transformation. Parameters of the unwarping transformation can be determined by a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) trained on a database comprising contactless fingerprint samples suffering from perspective distortions.

Abstract: An engineered cementitious composite (ECC) has a tensile strain capacity ranging from 8.6 to 12.5% and includes a cement precursor, unprocessed desert sand, and polymer fibers. The polymer fibers may be ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, or a combination thereof. A method of preparing an ECC structure includes providing a cementitious precursor mixture including a cement precursor and unprocessed desert sand, introducing water into the cementitious precursor mixture to form a cement slurry, and adding polymer fibers to the cement slurry. The polymer fibers may be ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, or a combination thereof. Then, the method includes forming a structure with the cement slurry and curing the cement slurry.

Abstract: A gel material for oil and gas conformance control operations is provided. The gel material includes a plurality of gel material components including polyacrylamide, triamine silica, and nanosilica which are added in suitable amounts to form the gel material under a gel formation condition. The present technology replaces and/or supplements conventional crosslinkers and provides enhanced polymeric gels, such as, for oil and gas field applications including wellbore strengthening, loss circulation materials, and water shut-off applications, at high temperatures. The present technology is compatible with fresh and high salinity water.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to execute an application in an isolated software environment on a controller of a vehicle; upon receiving a command from the application to actuate a component of the vehicle, prevent the command from being transmitted to the component; and upon receiving the command, transmit the command to a location in the memory.

Abstract: Aspects of an expandable sheath can be used in conjunction with a catheter assembly to introduce a prosthetic device, such as a heart valve, into a patient. Such aspects can minimize trauma to the vessel by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the introducer sheath to accommodate the delivery apparatus, followed by a return to the original diameter once the prosthetic device passes through. Some aspects can include a sheath with a tubular inner liner wound in a spiral configuration such that a plurality of protrusions is disposed in an overlapping portion of the sheath. The disclosed sheath is configured to expand from a predetermined rest diameter dr to an expanded diameter de during application of a radial outward force by passage of a medical device through the sheath.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, Hemipteran and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Abstract: Exemplary applicator(s), devices, systems and methods can be provided for delivering high dose rate radiation therapy, e.g., to patients with cervical cancer. For example, an intrauterine channel can be provided for or with such applicator(s), system(s), device(s) and methods. Further, at least a part of the device should be fixable within the uterus, and be configured and sized to be able to easily inserted and/or removed from the uterus, while be able to easily affix the exemplary device, applicator, etc. in the cavity of the uterus, and hold the channel anchored to the uterus, as it is larger from the cervical canal.

Abstract: The disclosure provides various embodiments of catheters that can be used for various procedures. Embodiments of methods are also provided that can be performed with catheters in accordance with the present disclosure.