Abstract: A method for exchanging information with an Optical Network Unit (ONU), the method comprising: receiving, by the ONU, downstream signals that comprise a pilot signal and downstream information signals; wherein the downstream information signals embed first polarization modulated information and second polarization modulated information; wherein the pilot signal is received at a pilot frequency slot and the downstream information signals are received at a downstream information frequency slot that differs from the pilot frequency slot; splitting the downstream signals to first, second, third and fourth sets of signals; wherein the splitting comprises performing a polarization based splitting to provide first and second intermediate sets of signals; wherein the first and second sets of signals originate from the first intermediate set of signals and the third and fourth sets of signals originate from the second intermediate set of signals; generating a fifth set of signals by providing the second and fourth set

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include a combined catheter-based optical coherence tomography-two-photon luminescence (OCT-TPL) imaging system. Exemplary embodiments further include methods to detect, and further characterize the distribution of cellular components (e.g., macrophage, collagen/elastin fiber, lipid droplet) in thin-cap fibroatheromas with high spatial resolution in vivo.

Abstract: Silicon-oxygen batteries comprising a silicon anode as chemical fuel, an air-cathode for dissociating oxygen, and an electrolyte, and applications using the same are provided. The silicon-batteries may utilize air for generating oxygen.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for imaging in scattering media such as fog, water and biological tissues. Normally, such images suffer from poor visibility due to backscattering and signal attenuation. At least two images are taken of the scene using active widefield polarized illumination, with different states of a camera-mounted polarizer. The degree of polarization of backscatter is estimated in every point of the scene, leading to an estimation of the backscatter in every point of the scene. A portion or all of the value of backscatter can be deducted in each point of the scene resulting in an enhanced image with improved contrast and brightness range across the field of view.

Abstract: A method for signal processing includes accepting an analog signal, which consists of a sequence of pulses confined to a finite time interval. The analog signal is sampled at a sampling rate that is lower than a Nyquist rate of the analog signal and with samples taken at sample times that are independent of respective pulse shapes of the pulses and respective time positions of the pulses in the time interval. The sampled analog signal is processed.

Abstract: A method for calculating a reconstructed phase that includes: Calculating a current phase signal and current amplitude signal that represent a phase and amplitude of a current input symbol, respectively. Generating, in response to the current phase signal and an estimate of a phase of a last input symbol that preceded the current input symbol, multiple partial references, some of which are responsive to (i) phase signals representative of phases of a plurality of input symbols that preceded the current input symbol, and (ii) estimates of the phase of the plurality of input symbols. Calculating unwrapped partial references. Estimating a constant carrier frequency offset (CFO) phase rotation in response to the unwrapped partial references. Calculating a reconstructed phase of the current input symbol in response to, at least, the estimate of the constant CFO phase rotation and to the unwrapped partial references.

Abstract: A method and a kit for the prevention of venous stenosis associated with the use of hemodialysis AV shunts. The kit may use a bifurcated needle for providing access to the shunt or blood vessel. One of the arms is used for returning the blood to the subject after dialysis treatment, while the other arm is used for inserting a device for cleaning the vein, the device being either an autonomous crawling device, or a passive tethered device moved down the vein by the blood flow. The autonomous crawling device may be a series of sequentially inflatable chambers, the stenosis being cleared by pressure from the outer walls of the chambers when inflated and moved. The passive device may be an element having a flexible disc-like structure, whose flexible peripheral edge slides along the inner walls of the blood vessel, compressing or clearing the material attached thereto.

Abstract: A novel composition-of-matter, method of manufacturing thereof, and applications thereof as an adhesive, in a wide variety of different fields, and in particular, in the health care fields of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science, for use by health care providers, such as medical, dental, and veterinary, surgeons, in procedures for reattaching or repairing body parts or components thereof, such as tissue, of (human or animal) subjects, especially under wet conditions, for example, involving adhesion of wet surfaces. The composition is comprised of a cross-linked form of a water miscible polymer, and at least one phloroglucinol type compound selected from the group consisting of: phloroglucinol, a derivative of phloroglucinol, and a polymer synthetically prepared from phloroglucinol or a derivative of phloroglucinol. An exemplary water miscible polymer is a naturally existing, or synthetically prepared, salt form of the carbohydrate alginic acid, such as sodium alginate, or alginic acid itself.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for the preparation of high yield alkyl or aryl iodide from its corresponding carboxylic acid using N-iodo amides.

Abstract: A method of processing a query to a graph database using a plurality of processors. The method comprises providing a plurality of threads to be executed on a plurality of processors, each the thread is associated with one of a plurality of unique thread identifiers, providing a graph database having a plurality of graph database nodes and a plurality of graph database edges, each the graph database edge represents a relationship between two of the plurality of graph database nodes, receiving a query tree that defines a tree comprising plurality of query nodes connected by a plurality of query tree edges, and searching at least part of the graph database for a match with the query tree, wherein the searching is executed by the plurality of the processors, and wherein each the processor searches one of a plurality of sub-graphs of the graph database, each the sub-graph is defined by one of the plurality of thread identifiers.

Abstract: A method for writing data to a memory module, the method may include determining to write a representation of a data unit to a retired group of memory cells; searching for a selected retired group of memory cells that can store a representation of the data unit without being erased; and writing the representation of the data unit to the selected retired group of memory cells.

Abstract: Methods and compositions suitable for modulating angiogenesis in a mammalian tissue are provided. Further provided are methods suitable for inhibiting metastasis and fibrosis in a mammalian tissue and for assessing the malignancy of colon cancer tumors.

Abstract: A method of differentiation stem cells cells by contacting stem cells with a dopaminergic differentiation agent is provided in certain aspects. For example, the agent may comprise substituted benzoxazole. These methods and compositions may be used in toxicological screens, e.g., to evaluate the neurotoxicity of a test compound or treatment of neurological disorders.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods useful for modulating angiogenesis and for inhibiting metastasis, tumors, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and fibrosis in a mammalian tissue. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods include inhibitors of LOXL2 expression and activity, such as shRNA targeting LOXL2.

Abstract: Methods and compositions involving polypeptides having an aglycosylated antibody Fc domain. In certain embodiments, polypeptides have an aglycosylated Fc domain that contains one or more substitutions compared to a native Fc domain. Additionally, some embodiments involve an Fc domain that is binds some Fc receptors but not others. For example, polypeptides are provided with an aglycosylated Fc domain that selectively binds Fc?RI at a level within 2-fold of a glycosylated Fc domain, but that is significantly reduced for binding to other Fc receptors. Furthermore, methods and compositions are provided for promoting antibody-dependent cell-mediated toxicity (ADCC) using a polypeptide having a modified aglycosylated Fc domain and a second non-Fc binding domain, which can be an antigen binding region of an antibody or a non-antigen binding region. Some embodiments concern antibodies with such polypeptides, which may have the same or different non-Fc binding domain.

Abstract: Provided herein are antimicrobial conjugates of two antibiotic agents, exhibiting improved activity also against resistant bacteria, compared to each of the agents separately or their mixture, and having substantially no resistance emerged thereagainst, as well as processes for preparation the same, compositions containing the same, and uses thereof in medical treatments against pathogenic microorganisms. The disclosed antimicrobial conjugates are composed of aminoglycosides and non-ribosomal active antibiotics. Some of the antimicrobial conjugates are prepared via “click” chemistry.

Abstract: A spectrally encoded imaging device having a light transmission path arrangement which propagates light to illuminate a target object, a light collection path arrangement having a light collection waveguide which propagates a spectrally encoded portion of the light from the target object to a detector which forms an image of the target object accordingly, and a diffractive element which spectrally disperses at least one of the light and the spectrally encoded portion. The light transmission path arrangement and the light collection path arrangement are optically isolated from one another.

Abstract: Multifunctional compounds are provided, comprising two or more functional moieties selected from: (i) a moiety that imparts an iron chelator function; (ii) a moiety that imparts a neuroprotective function; (iii) a moiety that imparts combined antiapoptotic, neuroprotective and/or neurorestorative functions; (iv) a moiety that imparts brain MAO inhibition, preferably with little or no MAO inhibition in liver and small intestine; (v) a moiety that imparts cholinesterase inhibitory function; and (vi) a moiety that imparts an N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) inhibition, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and optical isomers thereof. The multifunctional compounds are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases, disorders or conditions that can be prevented and/or treated by iron chelation therapy, and/or neuroprotection and/or neurorestoration, and/or apoptosis inhibition and/or MAO inhibition and/or cholinesterase inhibition and/or NMADR inhibition.

Abstract: A method of imaging at least a part of an object. The method comprises splitting electro-magnetic radiation to first and second portions, propagating the first and second portions, spectrally dispersing the first portion toward the part and the second portion toward a reference element, combining between reflections of the spectrally dispersed first and second portions to produce an interference signal, capturing an image of the part from the interference, and adjusting at least one of a tilt of said image plane and a curvature of the image by changing a deviation between the phase of at least one spectral component of the first portion and the phase of at least one spectral component of the second portion.

Abstract: Ceramic nanocomposite and methods for manufacturing thereof. One method comprising: receiving a fired green ceramic body comprising ceramic matrix; introducing to the fired green ceramic body submicron particles; and introducing at least one type of location-controlling dopant at an amount that is sufficient to cover the majority of the ceramic matrix grain boundaries, as well as the majority of the interfaces between the submicron particles and the ceramic matrix grains but less than an amount that would result in a concentration that exceeds the bulk solubility limit of the location-controlling dopant ions in the ceramic matrix, at the ceramic nanocomposite sintering temperature.