Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) aperture includes an interface printed circuit board. An array of electrically conductive tapered projections have bases disposed on a front side of the interface printed circuit board and extend away from the front side of the interface printed circuit board. Chip baluns are mounted on the back side of the interface printed circuit board. Each chip balun has a balanced port electrically connected with two neighboring electrically conductive tapered projections via electrical feedthroughs passing through the interface printed circuit board. Each chip balun further has an unbalanced port, and RF circuitry disposed at the back side of the interface printed circuit board is electrically connected with the unbalanced ports of the chip baluns. The electrically conductive tapered projections include dielectric tapered projections and an electrically conductive layer disposed on an inner or outer surface of the dielectric tapered projections.

Abstract: Reactors are provided that can include a first set of fluid channels and a second set of fluid channels oriented in thermal contact with the first set of fluid channels where the channels of either one or both of the first of the set of fluid channels are non-linear. Reactor assemblies are also provided that can include a first set of fluid channels defining at least one non-linear channel having a positive function, and a second set of fluid channels defining at least another non-linear channel having a negative function in relation to the positive function of the one non-linear channel of the first set of fluid channels.

Abstract: Methods and materials for sand control in water injection sites are disclosed. Proppant particles may be coated with some particles coated with a solid epoxy and other proppant particles coated with a solid epoxy curative (such as amine, hydroxyl, carboxyl, anhydride) that would bind the particles through an epoxy reaction. The invention may be advantageous for forming underground structures useful in the extraction of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide flexible allocation and regulation of scheduled energy transfers between energy storage devices (“batteries”) and a power grid. Piecewise mappings having at least one sloping segment enable gradual variations in scheduled energy transfers as cleared values of a medium of energy exchange deviate from predicted values of the medium of energy exchange. Thereby deviations from a battery's predicted energy transfer schedule can be reduced, and overall smoother operation of a power grid can be achieved. Two sloping linear segments can be separated by a dead band, a portion of the mapping in which the scheduled energy transfer amount is invariant. A dead zone can increase the likelihood of a battery meeting its predicted schedule.

Abstract: Antenna assemblies and antenna systems are described. According to one aspect, a printed circuit board antenna system includes a dielectric substrate comprising first and second surfaces that are opposite to one another, first electrically conductive material of an antenna element adjacent to the first surface of the dielectric substrate, wherein the antenna element is configured to emit electromagnetic energy, and second electrically conductive material of a ground plane adjacent to the second surface of the dielectric substrate, wherein the ground plane is aligned with the antenna element and configured to reflect some of the electromagnetic energy in a direction towards the antenna element.

Abstract: This document describes techniques, apparatuses, and systems for a blockchain-based transactive energy system. A blockchain-based transactive energy system receives a bid associated with a supply/demand curve of a utility from a transactive node through a smart contract. A universal identifier associated with the bid may be verified by consensus nodes of the blockchain-based transactive energy system to determine a verified set of bids. The universal identifier or other data associated with the bid may be stored in an immutable database provided by a blockchain. Based on the verified set of bids, a market-clearing price of the utility may be determined and used to satisfy the bid of the transactive node according to an actual production or consumption of the utility by the transactive node. The actual production or consumption of the utility may be stored in the immutable database for future audits or verification.

Abstract: Aquatic organism tracking devices, systems and associated methods are described.

Abstract: A printed circuit board connector for orthogonal mating of two or more printed circuit boards. The connector utilizes interior perimeter trace connections of a main printed circuit board and internal trace connections of a mating printed circuit board in conjunction with external trace connections. The main board may utilize surface connections, where both external trace connections and internal trace connections are exposed on a surface of the main board to couple to the mating board. The main board may include a slot or pocket, allowing for the partial insertion of the mating board into the main board, with internal trace connections disposed within the slot or pocket. The slot or pocket may extend through the main board, such that the internal trace connections are disposed along a side of the pocket to couple with corresponding internal trace connections of the mating board.

Abstract: An automated resonant waveguide cavity system for determining one or complex permittivity measurements of a sample is provided. The automated resonant waveguide cavity system includes a resonant cavity, a waveguide coupled to the resonant cavity, a programmable network analyzer (PNA) coupled to the waveguide, and a computing device. The computing device includes a memory storing processor executable code for a determination engine and a processor executing the processor executable code to cause the determination engine to obtain data from the PNA. The data is respective to the sample within the resonant cavity. The determination engine further integrates a plurality of analytical and modeling functions in determining the complex permittivity values of the sample from the data.

Abstract: Activity-based probes that can be used to selectively identify and characterize enzymes that are involved in different phases of xenobiotic metabolism in a host and its microbiota population(s) are described. The activity-based probes described specifically label only their target active enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and therefore provide a measurement of true protein functional activity rather than transcript or protein abundance. The activity-based probes also provide multimodal profiling of these active enzymes. Methods for preparing the activity based probes and exemplary methods for their use also are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for recovering rare earth elements from coal ash includes a leaching reactor, an ash dryer downstream of the leaching reactor, and a roaster downstream of the ash dryer that is cooperatively connected to both the leaching reactor and the ash dryer. Coal ash is mixed with an acid stream such that rare earth elements present in the coal ash are dissolved in the acid stream, thereby creating (i) a leachate containing the rare earth elements and (ii) leached ash. The leachate is heated to obtain acid vapor and an acid-soluble rare earth concentrate. Mixing of the coal ash with the acid stream can occur in a leaching reactor and heating of the leachate can occur in a roaster. The acid-soluble rare earth concentrate can be fed to a hydrometallurgical process to separate and purify the rare earth elements.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatuses are described for a cybersecurity risk management tool to assess cybersecurity risk and prioritize cybersecurity correction plans. The cybersecurity risk management tool categorizes cybersecurity framework security controls into maturity indicator levels, identifies implementation states achieved by an entity with respect to the cybersecurity framework security controls, and determines which of the maturity indicator levels represents the implementation state achieved by the entity with respect to each of the cybersecurity framework security controls. A cost-benefit analysis for modifying from the implementation state achieved by the entity to a next implementation state to be achieved by the entity with respect to the cybersecurity framework security controls is also enabled. The cost-benefit analysis leverages factored weights including aspects indicative of security perspectives, Gaussian distributions, and the maturity indicator levels.

Abstract: An isotope production system, emanation generator, and process are disclosed for production of high-purity radioisotopes. In one implementation example, high-purity Pb-212 and/or Bi-212 isotopes are produced suitable for therapeutic applications. In one embodiment the process includes transporting gaseous radon-220 from a radium-224 bearing generator which provides gas-phase separation of the Rn-220 from the Ra-224 in the generator. Subsequent decay of the captured Rn-220 accumulates high-purity Pb-212 and/or Bi-212 isotopes suitable for direct therapeutic applications. Other high-purity product isotopes may also be prepared.

Abstract: Systems and methods that directly image attenuation-based object grid, use a source grid to improve imaging of the object grid using a high-energy polychromatic source, and use a detector grid having gratings oriented substantially orthogonally to that of the object grid, can address artifacts and beam hardening effects that limit the quality and discriminatory power of high-energy x-ray imaging that includes phase contrast.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) aperture includes an interface board. An array of electrically conductive tapered projections have bases disposed on a front side of the interface printed circuit board and extend away from the front side of the interface printed circuit board. RF circuitry is disposed at the back side of the interface board and is electrically connected with the electrically conductive tapered projections.

Abstract: A material and a method of making hydrothermally stable (catalytic) materials on the basis of theta-alumina support that is thermally and hydrothermally stable up to 1,150 C with metal, mixed metal-, metal-oxide nanoparticles dispersed upon it. Such materials did not lose significant amounts of their catalytic activity at temperature ranges for industrially relevant applications (including hydrocarbon oxidation, nitric oxide reduction, carbon monoxide oxidation) even after hydrothermal aging up to 1,150° C.

Abstract: Devices and methods for performing shear-assisted extrusion processes for forming extrusions of a desired composition from a feedstock material are provided. The processes can use a device having a scroll face having an inner diameter portion bounded by an outer diameter portion, and a member extending from the inner diameter portion beyond a surface of the outer diameter portion. Extrusion feedstocks and extrusion processes are provided for forming extrusions of a desired composition from a feedstock. The processes can include providing a feedstock having at least two different materials and engaging the materials with one another within a feedstock container. Methods for preparing metal sheets are provided that can include preparing a metal tube via shear assisted processing and extrusion; opening the metal tube to form a sheet having a first thickness; and rolling the sheet to a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

Abstract: A communications radio includes an array of electrodes configured to be disposed on a body part, a radio transceiver, an electrical stimulation transmitter, electromyography (EMG) receive circuitry, and a data processing sub-module which configured to perform radio communication. The communication includes, using the electrical stimulation transmitter and the array of electrodes, presenting semantic messages received via the radio transceiver as electrical stimulation patterns. The communication further includes, via the radio transmitter, transmitting semantic messages determined from EMG signals measured using the array of electrodes and the EMG receive circuitry. The communications radio may further include a garment wearable on the body part with the array of electrodes in electrical contact with skin of the body part.

Abstract: Computing system operational methods and apparatus are described. According to one aspect, a computing system operational method includes accessing user information regarding a user logging onto a computing device of the computing system, processing the user information to determine if the user information is authentic, as a result of the processing determining that the user information is authentic, first enabling the computing device to execute an application segment, and as a result of the processing determining that the user information is authentic, second enabling the application segment to communicate data externally of the computing device via one of a plurality of network segments of the computing system.

Abstract: A new column-based purification system and approach are described for rapid separation and purification of the alpha-emitting therapeutic radioisotope 211At from dissolved cyclotron targets that provide highly reproducible product results with excellent 211At species distributions and high antibody labeling yields compared with prior art manual extraction results of the prior art that can be expected to enable enhanced production of purified 211At isotope products suitable for therapeutic medical applications such as treatment of cancer in human patients.