Abstract: A new class of weakly coordinating anions (WCA) based on silicates is disclosed. Facile tuning of sterics and solubility of the disclosed WCA may be achieved via variation of R groups. The anions support a range of cations employed in chemical reactivity, including ether-free alkali cations, Ag+, Ph3C+, Fc+, [NiI(COD)2]+. In one aspect, [Pd(dppe)(NCMe)Me]+ may be generated by salt metathesis or protonation of a metal-alkyl bond, showcasing the ability of the anions to support applications in coordination chemistry and catalysis. Electrochemical studies on the [Bu4N]+ variant show an exceptionally wide stability window for the MeSiF24? anion of 7.5 V in MeCN. CV experiments demonstrate reversible Mg deposition and stripping.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a reconfigurable phased array and a method for determining the current configuration of a phased array. Certain disclosed embodiments include a reconfigurable phased array including a constellation of antennas configured to receive and transmit radiation towards a far field target. Each of the antennas senses incidental power from the retransmitted radiation from the other antennas of the constellation of antennas. This incidental power may be referred to as mutual coupling. The reconfigurable phased array further includes a computer system configured to: measure the incidental power sensed by the each of the antennas; perform a physical constraint mapping of the constellation of antennas; perform an array shape construction to determine a current position of all the elements based on the physical constraint mapping of the constellation of antennas and the incidental power sensed by each of the antennas.

Abstract: Improved prosthetic valves, their methods of manufacture, and systems and devices for manufacturing the valves are described. The prosthetic valves can be configured for transcatheter implantation. The prosthetic valves can have artificial leaflets. The prosthetic valves can be manufactured in numerous ways, such as by polymeric dipping processes and/or electrospinning. Sponge-like polymers for valves and other medical devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein include methods, compositions, and systems for extending particle-associated oligonucleotides. In some embodiments, the methods of extending particle-associated oligonucleotides enable efficient methods of preparing a library of barcoded beads. It is also provided, in some embodiments, hydrogel beads degradable upon application of a chemical stimulus that comprise releasably attached oligonucleotides.

Abstract: A solar fuels generation system includes a first reactor that contains a first solution in which a charge carrier is reduced to a reduced charge carrier. The system also includes a second reactor that contains a second solution in which the reduced charge carrier reduces protons so as to generate hydrogen gas.

Abstract: An oxygen evolution reaction catalyst is a ternary metal oxide that includes Mn and is represented by MnuSbvOw in the rutile crystal phase and MxMnyOz where M is selected from the group consisting of Ca, Ni, Sr, Zn, Mg, Ni, Ba, Co and where u/(u+v) is greater than 33%.

Abstract: An intraocular lens (IOL) has a small, central lens suspended within a pliable housing and, when the housing is filled with liquid, is coaxially aligned with a second small lens embedded in the wall of the housing. The suspension is on a dome- or other-shaped webbing attached to an inner circumference of the wall. When filled with liquid, forces squeezing or pulling the equator of the housing, as with ciliary muscles in the eye, adjust a distance between the lenses in order to adjust focus. Optional haptics may project from points on or above and below the equator. A recess in the posterior hemisphere of the housing can keep cell growth away from an optical axis of the lens system. A third small lens can be embedded in an opposite wall of the housing and coaxially aligned with the other lenses to form a three-lens, ultra-zoom system.

Abstract: An accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) is formed from an anterior or posterior half molded as a chambered, polymer sack with a mouth opening smaller than its largest width that is mated to another half molded as a pliable bowl having a rim larger than the rest of the half. The resulting shell has a seam that is parallel to and does not cross or touch the equator such that the IOL is asymmetric between its front and back. A circular depression around the optical axis can be made in the anterior and/or posterior half such that a surrounding capsular bag seals against the rim of the depression, and an interior of the depression(s) does not touch the capsular bag.

Abstract: Provided herein are screening methods to select catalysts having a desired set of target properties from a reference catalyst, and catalysts so obtained, as well as related catalysts material, composition, methods and systems.

Abstract: Processes of polymerizing olefin monomers using catalyst systems and catalysts systems that include a procatalyst having a structure according to formula (I): (I).

Abstract: A device includes, in part, an antenna adapted to receive an RF signal that includes modulated data, a splitter/coupler adapted to split the received RF signal, a receiver adapted to demodulate the data from a first portion of the RF signal, and a power recovery unit adapted to convert to a DC power a second portion of the RF signal. The splitter/coupler is optionally adjustable to split the RF signal in accordance with a value that may be representative of a number of factors, such as the target data rate, the DC power requirement of the device, and the like. The device optionally includes a switch and/or a power combiner adapted to deliver all the received RF power to the receiver depending on any number of operation conditions of the device or the device's distance from an RF transmitting device.

Abstract: The present application relates to hybridization chain reaction (HCR). In particular, compositions and methods are presented for ultrasensitive molecular detection using HCR signal amplification. Some embodiments and methods involve cooperative probe junctions, reporter-labeled probes, and nonlinear HCR signal amplification.

Abstract: A method for etching a surface including obtaining a substrate comprising a material; reacting a surface of a substrate with a reactant, comprising a gas or a plasma, to form a reactive layer on the substrate, the reactive layer comprising a chemical compound including the reactant and the material; and wet etching or dissolving the reactive layer with a liquid wet etchant of solvent that selectively etches or dissolves the reactive layer but not the substrate.

Abstract: Separator systems for electrochemical systems providing electronic, mechanical and chemical properties useful for a variety of applications including electrochemical storage and conversion. Embodiments provide structural, physical and electrostatic attributes useful for managing and controlling dendrite formation and for improving the cycle life and rate capability of electrochemical cells including silicon anode based batteries, air cathode based batteries, redox flow batteries, solid electrolyte based systems, fuel cells, flow batteries and semisolid batteries.

Abstract: The present invention relates to broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies and isolated antigens. Also disclosed are related methods and compositions.

Abstract: Communication systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the invention utilize modulation on zeros. Carrier frequency offsets (CFO) can result in an unknown rotation of all zeros of a received signal's z-transform. Therefore, a binary MOCZ scheme (BMOCZ) can be utilized in which the modulated binary data is encoded using a cycling register code (e.g. CPC or ACPC), enabling receivers to determine cyclic shifts in the BMOCZ symbol remitting from a CFO. Receivers in accordance with several embodiments of the invention include decoders capable of decoding information bits from received discrete-time baseband signals by: estimating a timing offset for the received signal; determining a plurality of zeros of a z-transform of the received symbol; identifying zeros from the plurality of zeros that encode received bits by correcting fractional rotations resulting from the CFO; and decoding information bits based upon the received bits using a cycling register code.

Abstract: Lithium niobate (LiNbO3, LN) is a ferroelectric crystal of interest for integrated photonics owing to its large second-order optical nonlinearity and the ability to impart periodic poling via an external electric field. However, on-chip device performance based on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) is presently limited by propagation losses arising from surface roughness on the nano- and microscale. Atomic layer etching (ALE) can smooth these features and thereby increase photonic performance. In one embodiment disclosed herein, an isotropic ALE process for x-cut MgO-doped LN uses sequential exposures of H2 and SF6/Ar plasmas. We observed an etch rate of 1.59±0.02 nm/cycle with a synergy of 96.9%. ALE can be achieved with SF6/O2 or Cl2/BCl3 plasma exposures in place of the SF6/Ar plasma step with synergies of 99.5% and 91.5% respectively. The process decreased the sidewall surface roughness of TFLN waveguides etched by physical Ar+ milling by 30% without additional wet processing.

Abstract: A system of a multi-rotor aircraft that capitalizes on the advantages of fixed wing elements combined with rotary wing structures. The fixed wing elements can help to generate lift once the aircraft is airborne and can thus reduce the need for larger lifting rotors which can allow for longer flight times and distances. Additionally, the systems disclosed herein take advantage of a partial in-wing configuration with a number of rotors to reduce the overall footprint of the vehicle while maintaining the flight efficiency that comes with combining features of fixed and rotary wing elements, and increasing operator safety by shrouding rotating parts. The unique configurations allow for a decoupling of the pitch, yaw and roll authority to reduce the complexity in control systems and improve the flight efficiency of the aircraft. Additional configurations implement the use of smaller thrust rotors that can be used to generate thrust as well as control yaw and thus counteract any remaining unbalanced torque.

Abstract: A circuit comprising a first Fourier Transform block operable to perform a Fourier Transform and having a first input configured for receiving an I signal and a second input configured for receiving a Q signal; a first plurality of n of outputs for I channels and Q channels each comprising a different frequency bin output from the Fourier Transform; I and Q summing blocks comprising a set of connector lines connecting an ith one of I channels with an ith one of the Q channels; an inverse Fourier Transform block connected to the summing blocks and operable to perform an inverse Fourier Transform; a correlator for correlating the outputs of the inverse Fourier Transform; a Fourier Transform block for Fourier Transforming the correlator output; a comparator for comparing the correlation term to zero; and an error correction circuit for tuning the magnitude and phase of the I and Q channels using the comparator output as feedback.

Abstract: In many embodiments of the invention, a space-based data center includes orbital server modules configured to be deployed in space, each module including a communication subsystem for module-to-module communications to form a data center, tiles arranged in a planar array, where each tile has a layered structure including solar cells forming a layer across a first surface, thermal radiator panels forming a layer across a second surface, electronic components distributed laterally in a layer between the layer of solar cells and the layer of thermal radiator panels, where each electronic component receives power locally from solar cells and rejects heat to the thermal radiator panel beneath it, where a first subset of tiles are compute tiles in which the electronic components include one or more computing processors and memory, and where a second subset of tiles are support tiles in which the electronics components include network switches and energy storage.