Abstract: A method includes receiving a recursively subdivided and reassembled first image comprising pixels, each pixel assigned a region label, subdividing the image into overlapping subsections, determining overlapping pixels surrounding seams along which the overlapping subsections are joined together, accumulating a histogram of co-occurrences of region label pairs of the overlapping pixels surrounding the seams along which the overlapping subsections are joined together, merging overlapping pixels having region labels with a co-occurrence histogram count exceeding a predetermined threshold, and merging spatially and non-spatially adjacent regions of the first image to form a second image with reduced artifacts proximate the seams along which the overlapping subsections are joined together.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for preventing or ameliorating pulmonary infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract: Blind mate mechanisms that are capable of simultaneously making multiple connections in a single motion are disclosed. Such mechanisms may be useful for applications where two or more of structural, electrical, and/or fluid couplings could be made manually or robotically at the same time using the mechanism. The mechanism may include a removable side and a fixed side.

Abstract: An analysis system for an aviation radiation dose includes: a proton spectrum generator which generates a galactic cosmic ray incident on the Earth's atmosphere and a proton spectrum corresponding to a solar proton event; a global radiation dose map producer which generates-particle transport and produces a radiation dose map; a global radiation dose map converter which converts the radiation dose map based on a standard atmosphere into a radiation dose map corresponding to current atmosphere conditions in real time; and a database in which data necessary for operations of the proton spectrum generator, the global radiation dose map producer and the global radiation dose map converter is previously calculated and stored, thereby having an effect on estimating any radiation route dose if information about an arbitrary path and time is given.

Abstract: A passive nutrient delivery system for plant growth includes a rooting module having a body portion having a top, a bottom, and a sidewall extending between the top and the bottom. The rooting module further includes a hydrophilic plug, having an opening, in a first portion of the interior of the body portion adjacent the top of the body portion, and a substrate in a second portion of the interior of the body portion between the bottom and the plug. The rooting module further includes an oxygen permeable area in the sidewall of the body portion, a first wicking material extending through the sidewall of the body portion into the interior of the body portion, and a second wicking material extending through the body of the body portion into the interior of the body portion, through the interior of the body portion, and through the opening of the plug. The passive nutrient delivery system also comprises a reservoir wherein a port can receive the removable rooting module.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and non-transitory computer readable storage media for generating solution data for autonomous vehicles to negotiate problem situations have been disclosed. The disclosed technology generates state data associated with a vehicle using sensor data received from the vehicle and from external objects within a vicinity of the vehicle. The state data includes any of a location of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle, an operational status of the vehicle, and information associated with a vehicle environment. In response to determining that the state data satisfies a state criterion, a determination of solution profile data that matches the state data is made on the basis of a comparison of the state data to the solution profile data. Solution data is generated using the matching solution profile data to transmit the solution data to the vehicle for execution.

Abstract: A lightweight flexible BNNT mat or fabric provides improved thermal stability and shielding capabilities under a hypersonic thermal flux. The BNNT mat reduces the stagnation temperature and maintains a low regression rate. An in-situ passivation layer may be formed on the BNNT mat or fabric under high thermal flux. The passivation layer minimizes or prevents penetration of the atmosphere (air or gas) as well as heat and radiation through the thickness of the BNNT material, and it effectively diffuses heat throughout the mat or fabric laterally and radially to minimize localized excessive heat. A BNNT mat according to the present disclosure may also efficiently transfer heat from the BNNT material via radiation due to the high thermal emissivity (0.92) of the BNNT material.

Abstract: A wireless flight sensor system that incorporates a network of wireless sensors all in communication with a sensor gateway, the gateway in turn being in communication with a flight network. The sensor gateway includes a software defined radio (SDR) by which sensors communicate. The SDR is easily reconfigurable to accommodate new wireless technology. The flight network software (FNS) comprises a modular software architecture with a management repository, a traffic manager, a wireless interface controller, and a sensor database. The resulting system is both scalable and easily reprogrammable to accommodate a wide variety of current and future wireless sensing capability.

Abstract: A vacuum arc thruster (VAT) for a propulsion system of a micro-satellite is provided. The VAT includes an anode, a cathode including a fuel, and an insulator between the anode and the cathode. The VAT is operable to create an arc between the anode and the cathode and discharge plasma through the diverging nozzle as thrust. The anode may define a diverging nozzle. The VAT may further include a Halbach array including a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in a ring, each of the permanent magnets of the ring having a radially inward positioned north pole and a radially outward positioned south pole.

Abstract: A fully automated fabrication method and system utilizing a single additive manufacturing platform to fabricate solar cell panels without human-touch labor. The system includes a computer and a robotic arm having a machine vision device and a tool changer to which tools are releasably secured. In an exemplary embodiment, the fabrication method uses pre-fabricated substrates wherein the computer controls the robotic arm to deposit an adhesive layer on a pre-fabricated substrate and thereafter place solar cells on the adhesive layer. The solar cells become bonded to the substrate when the adhesive layer cures. The computer then controls the robotic arm to print electrical connections and electrical bus bars on the substrate with electrically conductive ink in order to electrically connect the solar cells. After the electrically conductive ink cures, the computer controls the robotic arm to spray an encapsulating material over the solar cells and substrate.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for correcting distorted images captured of underwater environments. Caustics are used to provide additional illumination to underwater objects, and lenslets from ocean wave fluid lensing are used to magnify a benthic scene for enhancing the effective resolution of the images. The process introduces a fluid distortion characterization methodology, caustic bathymetry concepts, fluid lensing lenslet homography technique, two dimensional image reconstruction process, and three dimensional airborne fluid lensing process for characterizing the aquatic surface wave field, modelling bathymetry using caustic phenomena, and robust high-resolution aquatic remote sensing.

Abstract: A metallic etching process includes applying an anti-reflection coating over a metallic superstrate, applying a dry film photoresist over the anti-reflection coating, removing exposed portions of the dry film photoresist exposing a portion of the anti-reflection coating, etching the exposed portions of the anti-reflection coating exposing portions of the metal superstrate, etching portions of the metallic superstrate not covered by the dry film photoresist, and removing the dry film photoresist and the anti-reflection coating leaving portions of the metallic superstrate. An indium bump liftoff process includes applying a positive photoresist, forming a liftoff mask by applying a dry film photoresist over the positive photoresist, removing exposed portions of the liftoff mask to expose a portion of a substrate, depositing an indium film over the exposed portion of the substrate and remaining portions of the liftoff mask, and removing remaining portions of the liftoff mask.

Abstract: A laminate has a composite coating on a reflective substrate. The composite coating includes a stack of metal oxide trilayers on the substrate, where each metal oxide trilayer includes a layer of aluminum oxide; a layer of silicon oxide; and a layer of indium tin oxide. The composite coating also includes a stack of metal oxide bilayers on the metal oxide trilayer stack, each metal oxide bilayer including a layer of aluminum oxide and a layer of silicon oxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to cyclic peptide agonists that bind to the mu (morphine) opioid receptor and their use in the treatment of acute and/or chronic pain. Embodiments of the invention are directed to cyclic analogs of endomorphin. These peptide analogs exhibit decreased tolerance relative to morphine, increased solubility compared to similar tetrapeptide analogs, while maintaining favorable or improved therapeutic ratios of analgesia to side effects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to simple, low-cost, rapid paper-based diagnostic devices and their methods of use.

Abstract: An aerogel and method of making the aerogel is disclosed. The aerogel is a polyimide/polyamide hybrid with a cross-linking agent that induces gelation.

Abstract: A soft lithography template or stamp is made by casting a polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) or other suitable elastomeric precursor onto a master pattern. The master pattern may be formed utilizing known micro-fabrication techniques. The PDMS template includes an inverse copy of the micro-structures on the master pattern, and can be placed into a mold used to prepare a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer composite part or other polymer molding systems where a matrix material passes through a fluid state during the cure process. The liquid resin material flows into the structures on the surface of the PDMS template and hardens during the curing cycle. After the part is released from the mold, the PDMS template can be peeled from the surface of the part to reveal the free standing micro structures which are a replica of the master pattern.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide ice mitigating surface coatings and methods for applying ice mitigating surface coatings. Various embodiment ice mitigating surface coatings may be formed by hydrolysis of one or more substituted n-alkyldimethylalkoxysilanes terminated with functionalities having the following characteristics with respect to water: 1) non-polar interactions; 2) hydrogen bonding through donor and acceptor interactions; or 3) hydrogen bonding through acceptor interactions only. The substituted n-alkyldimethylalkoxysilanes of the various embodiments may include methyl terminated species, hydroxyl terminated species, ethylene glycol terminated species, and methoxyethylene glycol terminated species. Various embodiment ice mitigating surface coatings may be applied to metal surfaces, such as aluminum surfaces. Various embodiment substituted n-alkyldimethylalkoxysilanes may have an aliphatic chain that is saturated and liner or branched or that is partially unsaturated and liner or branched.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to surgical grafts for replacing nipples and areolas lost to disease or trauma with surgical grafts of decellularized donor nipples and areolas and to placing and recellularizing such grafts. The disclosure further provides methods for decellularizing epidermis. The decellularized epidermis can be used as a protective cover for skin wounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel, non-rotating tomographic imaging system, including a multi-source x-ray imaging module which includes multiple x-ray sources within a vacuum manifold, each equipped with a non-thermionic cathode which can reduce image scan time (and hence, motion artifacts), or delivered radiation dose, through under-sampled acquisition sequences, and without adding additional sources. The non-thermionic nature of the cathode enables rapid on/off switching of x-rays without concern as to the thermal mass or the thermal time-constant of the cathode. The modules can be flexibly interconnected to each other to allow configuration as part of a distributed ring of sources, or in other x-ray imaging geometries. Modularity provides the present invention an advantage in making it easier to debug and repair a distributed-source imaging system, such as a computed tomographic (CT) system.