Abstract: A process for forming extruded products using a device having a scroll face configured to apply a rotational shearing force and an axial extrusion force to the same preselected location on material wherein a combination of the rotational shearing force and the axial extrusion force upon the same location cause a portion of the material to plasticize, flow and recombine in desired configurations. This process provides for a significant number of advantages and industrial applications, including but not limited to extruding tubes used for vehicle components with 50 to 100 percent greater ductility and energy absorption over conventional extrusion technologies, while dramatically reducing manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) aperture includes an array of electrically conductive tapered projections arranged to define a curved aperture surface, such as a semi-cylinder aperture surface, or a cylinder aperture surface (which may be constructed as two semi-circular aperture surfaces mutually arranged to define the cylinder aperture surface). The RF aperture may further include a top array of electrically conductive tapered projections arranged to define a top aperture surface. The top aperture surface may be planar, and a cylinder axis of cylinder aperture surface may be perpendicular to the plane of the planar top aperture surface. The RF aperture may further include baluns mounted on at least one printed circuit board, each having a balanced port electrically connected with two neighboring electrically conductive tapered projections of the array and further having an unbalanced port.

Abstract: Apparatus include a plurality of electrode arrangements spaced apart from each other opposite an ion propagation axis and defining an ion transfer channel that extends along the ion propagation axis that tapers between an input end that is situated to receive ions and an output end that is situated to couple the received ions to an input end of an ion guide. Methods include positioning a plurality of electrode arrangements at oblique angles opposite an ion propagation axis so as to form a ion transfer channel that tapers between an input end and an output end, and coupling the output end of the ion transfer channel to an input end of an ion optical element so as to direct ions in the ion transfer channel into the ion optical element. Related systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: CAN bus signal format inference includes: extracting candidate signals from training CAN bus message traffic; defining one or more signals, each signal being a candidate signal that matches structural characteristics of a matching data type and each signal being assigned the matching data type; and generating an inferred CAN bus protocol with which the defined one or more signals conform. Signals are extracted from CAN bus message traffic using the inferred CAN bus protocol, an anomaly in an extracted signal is detected, and an alert is generated indicating the detected anomaly. In another aspect, a transport protocol (TP) signal is extracted and analyzed to determine a fraction of the TP signal that matches opcodes of a machine language instruction set, and an anomaly is detected based at least in part on the determined fraction exceeding an opcode anomaly threshold.

Abstract: Riveted assemblies are provided that can include a substrate extending between two ends to define opposing substrate surfaces having a first opening extending between the opposing substrate surfaces; a metal-comprising substrate extending between two ends to define opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces having a second opening extending between the opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces. The riveted assemblies can further provide that the first and second openings complement one another when the substrate and metal-comprising substrate are engaged; and a rivet shaft extends through the openings and engages the substrate with the rivet head and the metal-comprising substrate with the rivet stop head, at least a portion of the stop head being mixed with, and forming a metallurgical bond with the metal-comprising substrate. Assemblies are provided that can include a rivet stop head mixed with, and metallurgically bonded with a metal-comprising substrate.

Abstract: Localized superconcentrated electrolytes (LSEs) and electrochemical devices including the LSEs are disclosed. The LSE includes an active salt, a solvent in which the active salt is soluble, and a diluent in which the active salt is insoluble or poorly soluble, wherein the diluent includes a fluorinated orthoformate.

Abstract: Chemical processors are configured to reduce mass, work in conjunction with solar concentrators, and/or house porous inserts in microchannel or mesochannel devices made by additive manufacturing. Methods of making chemical processors containing porous inserts by additive manufacturing are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and techniques that enhance effectiveness and efficiency of a contingency analysis tool that is used for studying the magnitude and likelihood of extreme contingencies and potential cascading events across a power system. The described systems and techniques include deploying the contingency analysis tool in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment and incorporating visual situational awareness approaches to allow power system engineers to quickly and efficiently evaluate multiple power system simulation models. Furthermore, the described systems and techniques include the power system contingency-analysis tool calculating and coordinating protection element settings, as well as assessing controls of the power system using small-signal nomograms, allowing power system engineers to more effectively comprehend, evaluate, and analyze causes and effects of cascading events against a topology of a power system.

Abstract: Core annular flow is used to enable the subcutaneous delivery of a viscous fluid such as a protein therapeutic formulation. The high-viscosity fluid is surrounded by a low-viscosity fluid, and the low-viscosity fluid lubricates the passage of the high-viscosity fluid. This allows the use of protein formulations that have a higher concentration and a higher viscosity at comparatively reduced injection forces and reduced injection times. Several different embodiments of injection devices that provide core annular flow are described herein.

Abstract: Aqueous electrolytes comprising fluorenone/fluorenol derivatives are disclosed. The electrolyte may be an anolyte for an aqueous redox flow battery. In some embodiments, the compound, or salt thereof, has a structure according to any one of formulas I-III where Q1-Q4 independently are CH, C(R1) or N, wherein 0, 1, or 2 of Q1-Q4 are N; Q5-Q8 independently are CH, C(R2), or N, wherein 0, 1, or 2 of Q5-Q8 are N; Y is C?O or C(H)OH; R1 and R2 independently are an electron withdrawing group; n is an integer >1; and x and y independently are 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, where at least one of x and y is not 0.

Abstract: A variational autoencoder (VAE) has been developed to learn a continuous numerical, or latent, representation of molecular structure to expand reference libraries for small molecule identification. The VAE has been extended to include a chemical property decoder, trained as a multitask network, to shape the latent representation such that it assembles according to desired chemical properties. The approach is unique in its application to metabolomics and small molecule identification, focused on properties that are obtained from experimental measurements (m/z, CCS) paired with its training paradigm, which involves a cascade of transfer learning iterations. First, molecular representation is learned from a large dataset of structures with m/z labels. Next, in silico property values are used to continue training. Finally, the network is further refined by being trained with the experimental data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to systems, methods, and devices for interpreting neural signals to determine a desired movement of a target, transmitting electrical signals to the target, and dynamically monitoring subsequent neural signals or movement of the target to change the signal being delivered if necessary, so that the desired movement is achieved. In particular, the neural signals are decoded using a feature extractor, decoder(s) and a body state observer to determine the electrical signals that should be sent.

Abstract: An anolyte for a redox-flow battery (RFB) comprising a metal-ion complex and a phosphonate-based ligand having a phosphonic group wherein the phosphonic acid group is directly coordinated to a metal-ion.

Abstract: A method for forming a desired hydrocarbon fuel product from a mixed oxygenate feedstock by utilizing chemical processes to form ketones from the oxygenate feed, upgrade the ketones, recycle selected upgraded ketones through the upgrading process to obtain a desired intermediate and hydrogenating the desired intermediate to obtain the desired hydrocarbon fuel product. In various alternative configurations and embodiments this can be accomplished in a number of ways, and originate in a number of different positions and occasions.

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: A unique fiber core sampler composition, related systems, and techniques for designing, making, and using the same are described. The sampler is used to interface with existing field instrumentation, such as Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) equipment. Desired sampler characteristics include its: stiffness/flexibility; thermal mass and conductivity; specific heat; trace substance collection/release dependability, sensitivity and repeatability; thickness; reusability; durability; stability for thermal cleaning; and the like. In one form the sampler has a glass fiber core with a thickness less than 0.3 millimeter that is coated with a polymer including one or more of: polymeric organofluorine, polyimide, polyamide, PolyBenzlmidazole (PBI), PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene (PFSA) and Poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene Oxide) (PPPO).

Abstract: Methods of passively sampling PFAS in the environment, PFAS sorbents, apparatus and systems (apparatus plus conditions) for sampling groundwater, porewater, and surface water are described.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for preparing an extruded product from a solid billet. The methods can include providing an as-cast billet for extrusion; applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to the as-cast billet to plasticize the as-cast billet; and extruding the plasticized as-cast billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product. Methods for preparing extruded products from billets can also include: providing a billet for extrusion; while maintaining a majority of the billet below 100° C., applying a simultaneous rotational shear and axial extrusion force to one end of the billet to plasticize the one end of the billet; and extruding the plasticized one end of the billet with an extrusion die to form an extruded product.

Abstract: A flexible sheet for neurostimulation has a flexible non-conductive substrate matrix in which electrodes are embedded along a lower surface. Electrically conductive wires extend from the electrodes through the flexible substrate to another exterior surface of the substrate. Methods of making the flexible sheet and making a device using the flexible sheet are also disclosed.

Abstract: Processes for converting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction of syncrude to polyols are described. The processes involve mixing a feed stream comprising the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with an alcohol and aqueous sulfuric acid, heating the mixture, reacting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with ozone, and reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with glycerin to form the polyol. In some cases, the ozonated heavy-oil fraction can be neutralized before reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with the glycerin.