Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition that includes a solid, a first layer of an ionic liquid including an anion and a cation, a second layer including an ionically conductive ionomer, and a catalyst including a metal positioned on the solid, where the ionic liquid forms a first layer on the solid, the first layer is positioned between the second layer and the solid, and the catalyst is positioned between the solid and the first layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for preparing acoustically-sensitive microbubbles. The method includes the steps of: i) preparing a first surfactant solution comprising a first micelle-forming surfactant at a concentration above the critical micelle concentration (CMC); ii) adding one or more pharmaceutical compounds in a solvent to the first surfactant solution, thereby loading the micelles with the one or more pharmaceutical compounds; iii) preparing a second surfactant solution comprising a second surfactant, wherein the second surfactant comprises one or more matrix forming surfactants; iv) adding heat to the second surfactant solution to melt the surfactant and allowing the mixture to cool under rapid stirring; v) combining the second surfactant solution with the loaded micelles; vi) purging the surfactant mixture with a purging gas; vii) agitating the purged mixture under a constant stream of the purging gas; and, viii) separating the formed microbubbles by size.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a method for reducing inflammation in a patient including locally administering a composition comprising a complex comprising octadecylamine surface-functionalized nanodiamonds with dexamethasone bound to octadecylamine. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for reducing inflammation in a patient comprising locally administering a composition including octadecylamine surface-functionalized nanodiamonds, wherein no therapeutic agent is bound to the nanodiamonds.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a human-safe method of killing or controlling insects using a non-toxic composition comprising erythritol ((2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol). The disclosure also provides non-toxic compositions comprising erythritol suitable for killing insects in residential, commercial, and agricultural locales.

Abstract: A right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit provides a first end having a first disc extending radially therefrom and a second disc, proximate to the first disc. The second disc extends radially from the first end. An expandable lumen section extends between the first disc and the second disc. The conduit also has a second end, distal from the first end.

Abstract: In absence of electrical approaches for realization of highly stable RF oscillator, opto-electronic oscillators (OEO) techniques are provided, where self-forced oscillation techniques using long optical delays demonstrate significant short-term and long-term frequency stability. Fully integrated opto-electronic oscillator chip (IOEC) may be the most efficient realization of an RF frequency synthesizer in terms of operation frequency (covering microwave and millimeter wave), size (<10 cm3), ruggedness to environmental effects of temperature (?40 to 80C), vibration (up to 40g), low timing jitter (<5fs for 40 GHz carrier), and wall-plug efficiency (output power >10 dBm from under 1 W power). A free-running III-V (primarily InP) based multi-mode laser (MML) diodes is designed with large mode number (e.g., over 60 modes) and intermodal oscillation frequency compatible with desired RF carrier signal (e.g., 1-40 GHz).

Abstract: A deep vein thrombosis prevention device (DVT-PD) is a wearable device for the lower extremities senses the user's dynamic or static movements and actuates accordingly to lower DVT risks. The device uses a comprehensive control system together with an integrated machine learning model. to classify, manage, direct, and regulate signals and the behavior of the device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treating actinic keratosis of tissue of a patient, the method including contacting non-thermal, atmospheric pressure plasma over areas of the tissue having actinic keratosis for a time and at treatment conditions effective to give rise to an at least partial amelioration of the keratosis.

Abstract: In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a heat-treated transition metal carbonitride MXene film annealed at high temperatures and a polymer composite comprising the same. In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for producing a heat-treated transition metal carbonitride MXene film comprising: obtaining a MXene aqueous solution containing dispersed 2-dimensional (2D) MXenes through an acid etching process; filtering the obtained MXene aqueous solution through a vacuum filtration process to produce a free-standing film; and annealing the produced free-standing film at high temperatures to obtain a heat-treated transition metal carbonitride MXene film. In still another aspect, the present disclosure provides an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding method comprising: superposing a coating comprising a heat-treated transition metal carbonitride MXene film on at least one surface of an object in a contact or non-contact manner.

Abstract: A key-based interleaver for enhancement the security of wireless communication includes a physical layer communication channel key to provide security even when the software encryption key is compromised. A method of creating a secure communication link using a physical layer interleaving system includes implementing a key policy implementation that utilizes temporal dependency and interleaving bits using a flexible inter and intra-block data interleaver.

Abstract: The present invention(s) is directed to novel conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions exhibiting high volumetric capacitances, and methods of making the same. The present invention(s) is also directed to novel conductive Mn+1Xn(Ts) compositions, methods of preparing transparent conductors using these materials, and products derived from these methods.

Abstract: A system for delivering physical therapy to a user includes an active video gaming system that has a motion detector capable of detecting the physical motions of a user. The system includes parameters related to movement restrictions that a user may have and the system creates a gaming environment based on the parameters.

Abstract: A switchable pump device is provided and comprises a pump assembly including first and second pumps each having a separate inlet and outlet, an inner core or shell housing the pump assembly, and an outer shell housing the inner shell and having a pair of openings. The outer shell is interconnected to the inner shell such that the inner shell is movable relative to the outer shell to enable the inlet and outlet of a selected one of the first and second pumps to be aligned with the pair of openings in the outer shell to place the selected one of the first and second pumps in an operational condition while the other of the first and second pumps is positioned in an inoperative condition.

Abstract: Privacy, protection, and de-anonymization are issues of societal importance that are implicitly at the core of several key information systems, from electronic health records to online reviews. The system and method herein allows for an identification of an author of anonymous writing based on the text and structured data, subject to practical constraints on the intruder's amount of training data and effort using Shapley values.

Abstract: A dynamic capacitive power transfer system for an elevator that can realize the real-time powering of the elevator when it is in the moving status. It includes a metal track along the building side as the power transmitter and a piece of metal at the elevator side as the power receiver. There is a gap between the transmitter and receiver, and up to kW power can be transferred wirelessly and efficiently to serve the air conditioner, lightning, and other electronic devices in the moving car. The steel wheels and ropes may be used to connect the moving car to the earth ground, which contributes to form the current returning loop. It eliminates the electric cables and the corresponding flexible cable carrier system for the linear movement.

Abstract: A proposed technique allows for the security of the logic cone through logic locking and secures the outputs of the circuit from the scan chain without modifications to the structure of the scan chain. Since the oracle responses in test mode do not correspond to the functional key, satisfiability (SAT) attacks are not able to leverage the responses from the scan chain. In addition, a charge accumulation circuit is developed to prevent and detect any attempt to enter the partitioned test mode while the correct circuit responses are still stored within the registers.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a chronic wound including administering to the wound at least one agent from a delivery system wherein the agent induces sequential conversion of a first population of wound macrophages in the wound to M2A macrophages and a second population of wound macrophages to M2C macrophages. The sequential conversion of the wound macrophages promotes tissue remodeling.

Abstract: Benzoxazine compounds, methods of making them, polymers made therefrom and methods of polymerizing the benzoxazines. These renewable benzoxazine monomers and polymers that utilize the variety of building blocks found in renewable plant biomass, demonstrate excellent processability and large temperature windows for processing of resin systems.

Abstract: The constrained watershed boundary (CWB), defined as a polygon containing all the flow direction grid cells with a surface flow distance less than a user prescribed threshold uses an algorithm that builds upon the HSM algorithm proposed and augments the data structure with a flow distance grid calculated directly from the original flow direction grid.

Abstract: An integrated portable extremely fast charger (XFC) may be installed for heavy-duty off-road vehicles, such as tractors and combine harvesters. The XFC shortens the charging period of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by providing >500 kW in a single charger. The proposed XFC integrates a solar farm and local energy storage system (ESS) such that the local grid only needs to provide the power gap between the vehicle battery and the local ESS during charging events, yielding a low-cost XFC installation and higher renewable energy penetration. Two design approaches for the XFC, conductive and wireless, are based on multiphase interleaved dc-dc converter circuit, permitting flexible access to electricity. Smart fault protection mechanism is also proposed to achieve high safety during charging events. The hexagonal prism charger may be integrated into the power electronic devices with a transformer, yielding a high compactness and power density.