Abstract: Within a direct current hybrid circuit breaker (DC HCB), a capacitance is provided in a semiconductor switch path in series with a semiconductor switch and the semiconductor switch is in parallel with a surge arrestor to facilitate opening the DC HCB. The semiconductor switch path is connected in parallel with a mechanical switch path that includes a mechanical switch. The circuit causes the current through the mechanical switch to ramp down while the current through the semiconductor switch ramps up to a supply current. The mechanical switch can open without current and against no recovery voltage.

Abstract: An electrically conductive material includes an anionic polymer having a polymer backbone that is bonded to a plurality of terminal catechol moieties and a plurality of terminal sulfonate moieties. It also includes a cationic polymer including poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene).

Abstract: Bulk assemblies are provided, which may have desirable photoluminescence quantum efficiencies. The bulk assemblies may include two or more metal halides, and a wide band gap organic network. The wide band gap organic network may include organic cations. The metal halides may be disposed in the wide band gap organic network. Light emitting composite materials also are provided.

Abstract: A method of making a catalyst layer of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes the step of preparing a porous buckypaper layer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon nanofibers and carbon nanotubes. Platinum group metal nanoparticles are deposited in a liquid solution on an outer surface of the buckypaper to create a platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper. A proton conducting electrolyte is deposited on the platinum group metal nanoparticles by electrophoretic deposition to create a proton-conducting layer on the an outer surface of the platinum nanoparticles. An additional proton-conducting layer is deposited by contacting the platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper with a liquid proton-conducting composition in a solvent. The platinum group metal nanoparticle buckypaper is dried to remove the solvent. A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is also disclosed.

Abstract: Improved hybrid neurovascular spheroids and methods for making the same are provided. In some embodiments of a method for making a hybrid neurovascular spheroid, the method includes i) propagating cortical cells to form a cortical spheroid; ii) propagating endothelial cells to form an endothelial spheroid; iii) propagating mesenchymal stem cells to form a mesenchymal cell culture; and iv) combining the cortical spheroid, endothelial spheroid, and mesenchymal spheroid under conditions to form the hybrid neurovascular spheroid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a seepage meter device, which is capable of detecting groundwater seepage fluxes to surface water bodies in a variety of aquatic environments. The device comprises a seepage meter body and an electronics component.

Abstract: Provided herein are photochemical separations. The methods herein can include exposing a first metal complex and a second metal complex to light to facilitate an irreversible chemical reaction to form a modified first metal complex. The modified first metal complex then may be separated from the second metal complex. Compositions also are provided.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein involve a power converter control system that uses a physical or virtual memristor in place of a standard resistor at a filtering stage of the power converter. The memristive low pass filter adjusts a cutoff frequency based on the output voltage in a way such that adaptive response to transient features is achieved. The use of the physical or virtual memristor provides the benefit of producing a self-adaptive passband rather than requiring manual intervention from a user. The result is an improvement in the output power quality of the power converter, which may allow for usage of the power converter, even given significant component degradation.

Abstract: Nanoscale metal halide perovskites are provided. The nanoscale metal halide perovskites may have a 2D structure, a quasi-2D structure, or a 3D structure. Methods also are provided for making the nanoscale metal halide perovskites. The color emitted by the nanoscale metal halide perovskites may be tuned.

Abstract: Devices that may couple two or more apparatuses, such as an organ-on-a-chip device and a microfluidic device. Devices that include an organ-on-a-chip device, a microfluidic device, and a cap that couples the organ-on-a-chip device and the microfluidic device. Systems that include the devices and a detection unit. Methods for quantitation of insulin.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for contactless power converter aging detection. An example method may include receiving, from a microphone, first acoustic data associated with a power converter. The example method may also include converting the first acoustic data into second acoustic data, wherein the first acoustic data is time domain data and the second acoustic data is frequency domain data. The example method may also include determining, by a machine learning model and based on the second acoustic data, a remaining useful life value associated with the power converter.

Abstract: This discloses that compounds of Formula 1 may be used as antifibrotics because they inhibit type 1 collagen production. In particular, this discloses a pharmaceutical composition containing one or more compounds of Formula 1 and methods of using compounds of Formula 1 in fibrosis treatment and inhibiting type 1 collagen synthesis.

Abstract: This discloses that compounds of Formula 1 have antifibrotic properties. In particular, this discloses a pharmaceutical composition including one or more compounds of Formula 1 and methods of using compounds of Formula 1 in fibrosis treatment and inhibiting type 1 collagen synthesis.

Abstract: The subject invention concerns materials and methods for increasing and/or improving photosynthetic efficiency in plants, and in particular, C3 plants. In particular, the subject invention provides for means to increase the number of bundle sheath (BS) cells in plants, to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in BS cells, and to increase channels between BS and mesophyll (M) cells. In one embodiment, a method of the invention concerns altering the expression level or pattern of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23 in a plant. The subject invention also pertains to genetically modified plants, and in particular, C3 plants, that exhibit increased expression of one or more of SHR, SCR, and/or SCL23. Transformed and transgenic plants are contemplated within the scope of the invention.

Abstract: A tensile test fixture for quick testing of materials with low transverse strength and relatively high longitudinal strength. After the tensile test fixture is loaded into a universal testing machine, such as a two-part load frame, a first test specimen is aligned and tensile tested. Alignment of the first test specimen ensures that all consecutive test specimens are aligned within the tensile test fixture without further alignment required.

Abstract: An active vortex generator adapts to a flow rate of fluid through and/or a heat flux applied through a heat exchanger channel to improve the heat transfer rate of the heat exchanger. In some implementations, the movement of the active vortex generator may be induced by the fluid flow through the heat exchanger channel. In some implementations, the movement of the active vortex generator may be induced through an externally applied force on the active vortex generator. An actuated active vortex generator is particularly suited to heat exchangers with high heat flux dissipation requirements. Locating an actuated active vortex generator proximate to such high heat flux dissipation locations provides for improved heat transfer that can be activated when needed, such as upon operation of a high heat flux component.

Abstract: Photovoltaic devices, and methods of fabricating photovoltaic devices. The photovoltaic devices may include a first electrode, at least one quantum dot layer, at least one semiconductor layer, and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a layer including Cr and one or more silver contacts.

Abstract: The invention concerns a scalable, large-scale castanospermine preparation method that yields levels of purity greater than 98% from castanospermine-containing plant sources, such as Castanospermum australe seed material.

Abstract: Many mobile devices are used for documenting different scenarios that are encountered by the users as they go about their daily lives. In many situations, a mobile device may be used to document the scenario. This data may be of significant forensic interest to an investigator. In many situations, the owner of the phone may be willing to provide the investigator access to this data (through a documented consent agreement). Such consent is usually contingent upon the fact that not all the data available on the phone may be extracted for analysis, either due to privacy concerns or due to personal reasons. Courts have also opined in several cases that investigators must limit data extracted, so as to focus on only “relevant information” for the investigation at hand. Thus, only selective (or filtered) data should be extracted as per the consent available from the witness/victim (user). Described herein is the design and implementation of such a targeted data extraction system (TDES) for mobile devices.

Abstract: Hybrid composite materials including carbon nanotube sheets and flexible ceramic materials, and methods of making the same are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method of forming a hybrid composite material is provided, the method including: placing a layer of a first flexible ceramic composite on a lay-up tooling surface; applying a sheet of a pre-preg carbon fiber reinforced polymer on the flexible ceramic composite; curing the flexible ceramic composite and the pre-preg carbon fiber reinforced polymer sheet together to form a hybrid composite material; and removing the hybrid composite material from the lay-up tooling surface, wherein the first flexible ceramic composite comprises an exterior surface of the hybrid composite material.