Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for dissolving ion exchange membranes to provide dissolved polymers, particularly at low temperatures and/or pressures, that can be recast to regenerate ion exchange membranes exhibiting reduced defects compared to the initial ion exchange membrane. In some aspects of the disclosure, the polymer exchange membranes include a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer. In some aspects of the disclosure, the method involves dissolving the membranes in one or more aprotic solvents, particularly at temperatures below 80° C.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for making jet fuel blendstocks that comprise partially hydrogenated carbocyclic compounds and which can be used to replace aromatic-containing fuels and that exhibit suitable seal swell properties. The disclosed method embodiments utilize catalysts and reaction conditions that facilitate partially hydrogenating carbocyclic compounds present in mixtures obtained from renewable sources, such as bio-based fermentation products. The reaction product mixtures obtained from the disclosed method can be blended with blendstocks to provide fuels that avoid soot formation caused by aromatic-containing fuels and that exhibit seal swelling that meet requirements in aviation systems.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for CO2 removal from a gas stream using a diamine solvent having a Formula I R1(R2)N-L1-NH—R3?? Formula I. With respect to Formula I, each of R1 and R2 independently is aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, form a heterocyclyl ring; L1 is aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or L1 and R1 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a heterocyclyl ring; and R3 is aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, cycloalkylalkyl, or alkoxyalkyl. And/or the compound may have a viscosity of less than 75 cP at a CO2-loading of 40 mol % and at a temperature of 40° C.

Abstract: Systems and methods for classifying and sorting of dark colored and/or black-colored plastic materials utilizing a vision system or one or more sensor systems implemented with one or more medium wavelength infrared cameras whereby the captured image data is process within a machine learning system in order to identify or classify each of the materials, which may then be sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification.

Abstract: A method for producing an additively manufactured, graded composite transition joint (AM-GCTJ) includes preparing a grating or lattice pattern from a first alloy A; the grating or lattice pattern includes pores in the grating or lattice patterns. The grating pattern is built from a first end to a second end being denser on the first end than on second end, and gradually reduces density by increasing the pore size and/or reducing density of the grating or lattice pattern; adding a second alloy B powder to the second end of grating or lattice pattern. The second alloy B powder is filled towards the first end. A composite is formed of first alloy A and second alloy B powder in the AM-GCTJ. The composite is subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP) to densify the composite. The second alloy B is graduated from the first end to the second end O of AM-GCTJ.

Abstract: A system that includes: (a) a liquid natural gas storage tank fluidly coupled to a first compressor, (b) a fuel cell having an inlet fluidly coupled to the first compressor and an H2 gas outlet fluidly coupled to a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger receives compressed liquid natural gas from the first compressor; (c) an active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H2 liquefier that comprises at least one layer of a magnetic refrigerant material, wherein the active magnetic regenerative refrigerator H2 liquefier receives cooled H2 gas from the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for scanning articles, such as footwear, to provide information regarding the contents of the articles are described. According to one aspect, a footwear scanning system includes a platform configured to contact footwear to be scanned, an antenna array configured to transmit electromagnetic waves through the platform into the footwear and to receive electromagnetic waves from the footwear and the platform, a transceiver coupled with antennas of the antenna array and configured to apply electrical signals to at least one of the antennas to generate the transmitted electromagnetic waves and to receive electrical signals from at least another of the antennas corresponding to the electromagnetic waves received by the others of the antennas, and processing circuitry configured to process the received electrical signals from the transceiver to provide information regarding contents within the footwear.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of reducing muscle contraction in a diaphragm or peripheral muscle(s) of a patient sufficient to permit a surgical procedure. The methods may comprise the step of administering an oxime or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a subject in need thereof in an amount sufficient to achieve said reduced muscle contraction/neuromuscular blockade. Kits and articles of manufacture comprising a container having a label and a composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling traffic flow on road(s). The methods comprise: obtaining, by a processor, traffic related information comprising a total number of vehicles that caused an activation of a sensor of a first detector located at a first intersection of a plurality of intersections; generating, by the processor, a predicted traffic volume at one or more downstream second intersections based on the traffic related information; generating, by the processor, a traffic light timing for at least two next cycles based on the predicted traffic volume; and controlling, by the processor, a traffic light of the one or more downstream second intersections in accordance with the traffic light timing to reduce a probability or likelihood that the vehicle will stop at a red light thereat. .

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the speed of a vehicle traveling over a terrain. The methods comprise: predicting, by a mobile device (MD), a queue length defined by the number of vehicles in a queue at a downstream intersection based on a traffic volume and vehicle speeds that were detected during a past period of time by a detector located at or near an upstream intersection; sensing, by MD's sensor(s), the vehicle's velocity and location; computing a distance to a downstream intersection from the vehicle's location; generating a desired speed for the vehicle based on the traffic volume and vehicle speeds, signal phase and timing data for at least the next two cycles, the predicted queue length at the downstream intersection, the vehicle's velocity and location, the distance to the downstream intersection, and a current time; and using the desired speed to facilitate control of the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: Fissile target materials are provided. The fissile target materials can include a target substrate and a capturing layer operably interfacing with at least one surface of the target substrate. Fission fissile target materials are also provided that can include a target substrate comprising at least one fissile atom and a capturing layer operably interfacing with at least one surface of the target substrate. The capturing layer can include at least one fission product.

Abstract: An agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms encapsulated in polymer gel microbeads which are applied onto seeds. In another embodiment, an agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms encapsulated in polymer gel macroheads for planting with seeds in soil. In another embodiment, an agricultural composition comprises living microorganisms immobilized in a polymer gel matrix that is coated on a seed.

Abstract: A system and method for intrusion detection on automotive controller area networks. The system and method can detect various CAN attacks, such as attacks that cause unintended acceleration, deactivation of vehicle's brakes, or steering the vehicle. The system and method detects changes in nuanced correlations of CAN timeseries signals and how they cluster together. The system reverse engineers CAN signals and detect masquerade attacks by analyzing timeseries extracted from raw CAN frames. Specifically, anomalies in the CAN data can be detected by computing timeseries clustering similarity using hierarchical clustering on the vehicle's CAN signals and comparing the clustering similarity across CAN captures with and without attacks.

Abstract: A method implemented by a software for a multimodal evaluation engine stored on a memory is provided herein. The software is executable by a processor coupled to the memory to cause the method. The method includes receiving multimodal signatures of an object of interest from inspection elements and processing the multimodal signatures to transform the multimodal signatures into formats. The method also includes generating data representations of the formats and detecting whether anomalies are present within the object of interest based on the data representations.

Abstract: Stabilized porous silicon particles are disclosed. The particles include a porous silicon particle comprising a plurality of interconnected silicon nanoparticles and (i) a heterogeneous layer comprising a discontinuous SiC coating that is discontinuous across a portion of pore surfaces and across a portion of an outer surface of the porous silicon particle, and a continuous carbon coating that covers outer surfaces of the discontinuous SiC coating, and remaining portions of the pore surfaces and the outer surface of the porous silicon particle, or (ii) a continuous carbon coating on surfaces of the porous silicon particle, including the outer surface and pore surfaces. Methods of making the stabilized porous silicon particles also are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid herbicidal composition comprising a non-aqueous solvent system, at least one sulfonylurea herbicide and at least one inorganic salt selected from the metal carbonates and metal phosphates. The invention also relates to the use of an inorganic salt selected from the metal carbonates and metal phosphates to improve chemical stabilisation of a sulfonylurea herbicide in a liquid composition comprising a non-aqueous solvent system.

Abstract: A system for decontamination of patient care equipment and a system for decontamination of an interior space. In some embodiments, a decontaminant distributor is provided in an enclosure and coupled to a decontaminant generator system. The decontaminant generator system may include a decontaminant generator removably coupled to the decontaminant distributor at an exterior of the enclosure for allowing the decontaminant generator to be removed and connected to another decontaminant distributor associated with another system for decontamination of patient care equipment. An air agitation system may be provided in the enclosure for agitating air and decontaminant in the enclosure. In some embodiments, a portable system may be transported to an interior space for decontaminating the items in the space using hot-air decontamination.

Abstract: This invention addresses the need for efficient dry skin electrodes. Robust, flexible Mixed Ionic Electronic Conductor (MIEC) electrodes were prepared by an aqueous solution route resulting in electrically conductive networks of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ionically conductive elastic matrix. The flexible electrode was characterized in terms of conductivity, ionic charge transfer resistance, and water uptake. The flexible electrode maintained low resistance even after multiple cycles of 50% extension and contraction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for controlling, and communicating with, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over a millimeter wave (mmWave) communication network established between a base station and the UAVs. A communication system may include one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The communication system may further include one or more base stations including millimeter wave (mmWave) antennas configured to generate control signals to the one or more UAVs over an mmWave communication network.