Abstract: A simulation-based optimization framework determines the sizing of components of an analog circuit to meet target design specifications while also satisfying the robustness specifications set by the designer. The robustness is guaranteed by setting a limit on the standard deviations of the variations in the performance parameters of a circuit across all process and temperature corners of interest Classifier chains are used that, in addition to modeling the relationship between inputs and outputs, learn the relationships among output labels. Additional design knowledge is inferred from the optimal ordering of the classifier chain.

Abstract: In this paper, a novel field-programmable analog array (FPAA) is proposed to secure the intellectual property (IP) of analog and mixed-signal circuits. A obfuscation technique is developed to efficiently mask the topology of both differential mode and single-ended mode analog circuits.

Abstract: A method of detecting the length of an individual telomere is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes contacting genomic DNA with a guide RNA having a portion complementary to a telomere repeat sequence in the genomic DNA and with Cas9 nickase to produce a single-strand break in the genomic DNA at the telomere repeat sequence. The nicked DNA is contacted with a polymerase and fluorescently labeled nucleotide, wherein the fluorescently labeled nucleotide is incorporated into the nicked DNA at the telomere repeat sequence. The genomic DNA is contacted with a second nicking endonuclease which is specific for a sequence motif in the genomic DNA thereby producing a second nick in the genomic DNA at the motif sequence. The nicked DNA is contacted with a polymerase and second fluorescently labeled nucleotide of different color, wherein the second fluorescently labeled nucleotide is incorporated into the nicked DNA at the motif sequence location.

Abstract: A method for modeling textile structures using bicontinuous surfaces includes selecting a virtual scaffold of bicontinuous surfaces defining textile fabrication pathways to model spatial relationships between the pathways and yarns in a desired yarn pattern of a textile fabric design. The method further includes constructing a yarn pathway across the bicontinuous surfaces that form the virtual scaffold. The method further includes removing or releasing tension from the virtual scaffold, thereby allowing yarns to relax and determining a physical property of the textile fabric design.

Abstract: A garment includes a supercapacitor and/or heated fabrics including a first conductive yarn knitted to as to form a current collector and a second conductive yarn knitted to as to form an electrode that is in electrical contact with the current collector. The conductive yarns are knitted into a predetermined supercapacitor design having respective electrodes that are not in electrical contact with each other. An electrolyte saturates at least the electrode material either before or after knitting, and an ionically permeable electronic separator allows the electrodes to be in close proximity to each other without being in electrical contact with each other. A heating element may also be formed by knitting at least one of the first and second conductive yarns into a linear resistor or by knitting an insulated conductive yarn into a sheet of fabric. Such a heating element is connected to the supercapacitor via a switch.

Abstract: A structure for enhancing condensation and wetting dynamics includes a substrate and a plurality of grooves formed in the substrate, forming fins. The fins having fin tops and a coating is applied over the fin tops.

Abstract: A polymerizable monomer prepared by reacting at least one epoxidized cardanol with (meth)acrylic anhydride or (meth)acryloyl chloride in the presence of one or more of triethylamine, tertiary amines, pyridines and pyridine derivatives; wherein the epoxidized cardanol is formed by epoxidation of an unsaturation site of a cardanol having the formula: wherein R is selected from hydrogen and an alkyl, or alkenyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms, and n is 7, 10, or 13, a polymer and resin made form the polymerizable monomer, and a method of preparing such a polymer. The resin created from this monomer is suitable for moderate temperature composites and coatings applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating or preventing an attention and/or cognitive disorder in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a compound useful within the invention. The present invention further provides a method of treating or preventing dementia associated with a neurodegenerative disorder in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a compound useful within the invention.

Abstract: Small molecule agonists of the pregnane X receptor (PXR), compositions and methods are disclosed for treating or preventing gut barrier dysfunction, an illness associated with gut barrier dysfunction, toxic or inflammatory injury to intestines, or leaky intestinal (gut) syndrome in a subject.

Abstract: This invention outlines a method for synthesizing a blended resin system in a one pot reaction that may utilize, for example, bio-based anhydrosugars such as isosorbide as a principle component to produce isosorbide dimethacrylate and other monomeric materials for thermosetting applications. This invention establishes a one-pot procedure for reacting a hydroxy group containing compound with methacrylic anhydride in the first step and using the by-product methacrylic acid to react with glycidyl ethers to form additional methacrylate compounds in the second step. This methodology can be formulated to produce a wide array of resin systems that have controlled ratios of hydroxy group containing compound/cross-linker/reactive diluent. Additionally, the novel resin systems may be partially to fully bio-based, promoting global sustainability and reducing costs, and when free radically polymerized have properties that meet or exceed their petroleum derived counterparts.

Abstract: A nanofiber mat comprises metal oxide nanoparticles distributed on surface of metal oxide nanofibers, wherein the nanofiber mat has a surface area at least 150 m2/g, and the metal oxide is selected from titanium monoxide TiOx, wherein 0.65<x<1.25, niobium monoxide NbOx, wherein 0.982<x<1.008, vanadium (II) oxide VOx, wherein 0.79 <x <1.29, iron (II) oxide FexO, wherein 0.833<x<0.957, manganese (II) oxide MnxO, wherein 0.848<x<1.000, titanium suboxide, TiOnO2n?1, wherein n>1, molybdenum suboxide, MonO3n?1, wherein n>1, MonO3n?2, wherein n>1, and vanadium suboxide, VnO2n?1, wherein n>1. Cathodes, anodes and batteries are made using the nanofiber mat. Processes for producing the metal oxide nanofiber mat and an electrode including it are also provided.

Abstract: An inventive approach is disclosed to integrate Digital Image Correlation (DIC) with the Acoustic Emission method that may be used for structural health monitoring and assessment of critical structural components in civil, mechanical, and aerospace industries. The inventive approach relies on passively recording acoustic emission across the specimen being tested and activating the DIC cameras automatically to measure deformation on the specimen's surface. The resulting acousto-optic system can be used to determine damage initiation, progressive damage development, identify critical regions and make lifetime predictions of the tested specimen.

Abstract: Provided are methods of stabilizing MXene compositions using polyanionic salts so as to reduce the oxidation of the MXenes. Also provided are stabilized MXene compositions.

Abstract: Enabling quick feature delivery is essential for product success and is therefore a goal of software architecture design. But how may we determine if and to what extent an architecture is “good enough” to support feature addition and modification, or determine if a refactoring effort is successful in that features may be added more easily? The applications may use Feature Space and Feature Dependency, derived from a software project's revision history that capture the dependency relations among the features of a system in a feature dependency structure matrix (FDSM), using features as first-class design elements. The applications may also use a Feature Decoupling Level (FDL) metric that may be used to measure the level of independence among features.

Abstract: With the fasting growth of renewable energy resources and DC supplied loads, DC electrical systems have been increasingly received attentions all over the world. DC breaker systems play a key role in protection systems for disconnecting sources and loads, and they are also used mainly for removing faulted sections from the system accurately and reliably. Solid state DC breakers benefit from fast response time and compactness features; however, due to the lack of zero current realization and high-power losses, the reliability and efficiency of these devices is low. The system proposes a solid-state DC breaker for medium voltage DC (MVDC) systems.

Abstract: A polymerization method including radically polymerizing a monomer in a polymerization medium comprising a chain transfer agent, and a free radical initiator prepared by oxidizing a reaction product of a ligand-reactive decomplexation agent and an alkyl-borane complex of the formula: wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, an alkyl group containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group containing from 3-12 carbon atoms, and an aryl group containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein the aryl group may be optionally substituted with an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or an aryl group, and L is a complexing agent selected from one or more amine groups, amidine groups, hydroxide groups, alkoxyl groups, alkyl ether groups, alkoxide groups and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A thyristor-based dc solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) named Y-type includes a new complementary commutation circuit including a capacitor-capacitor pair, which features three advantages. First, a fast commutation is achieved using a countercurrent pulse injection by the capacitor-capacitor pair structure. Second, metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) are disconnected from the power line when SSCB is OFF, which solves the reliability issue due to the MOV degradation and enhances the voltage utilization rate of the main switch. Third, benefiting from the capacitor-capacitor pair structure, reliable reclosing and rebreaking are obtained for practical applications.

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: A method for the delivery of power to subthreshold (sub-Vt) circuits uses unused current during idle-mode operation of super-threshold (super-Vt) circuits is used to supply sub-Vt circuits. Algorithmic and circuit techniques use dynamic management of idle cores when reusing the leakage current of the idle cores. A scheduling algorithm, longest idle time-leakage reuse (LIT-LR) enables energy efficient reuse of leakage current, which generates a supply voltage of 340 mV with less than ±3% variation across the tt, ff, and ss process corners. The LIT-LR algorithm reduces the energy consumption of the switch and the peak power consumption by, respectively, 25% and 7.4% as compared to random assignment of idle cores for leakage reuse. Second, a usage ranking based algorithm, longest idle time-simultaneous leakage reuse and power gating (LIT-LRPG) enables simultaneous implementation of power gating (PG) and leakage reuse in a multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC) platform.

Abstract: Manufacturing lightweight aggregate (LWA) by a sintering technique requires a delicate balance among three conditions: forming sufficient amount of molten liquid phase during sintering; reaching an appropriate viscosity for solid-liquid suspension; and emitting sufficient amount of gas that can be entrapped by the liquid phase to form pores. LWAs were made from low-calcium and high-calcium Waste Coal Combustion Ash (W-CCA) including fly ash and bottom ash. A mass fraction of at least 40% liquid phase for fly ash and 50% for bottom ash is required for a successful entrapment of emitted gaseous phases during sintering. Larger pores were observed in the microstructure of LWA samples made using high-calcium W-CCA in comparison to low-calcium W-CCA. This result was mainly attributed to the high-calcium samples forming liquid phases with lower viscosity values and emitting higher amounts of gaseous phase during sintering than did the low-calcium samples.