Abstract: An assistive device includes a sensor that detects information using a first modality; an actuator that conveys information using a second, different modality; and a controller that automatically receives information from the sensor and operates the actuator to provide a corresponding actuation. A sensory assisting system for a user includes assistive devices and a support the user wears to hold the devices in proximity to body parts. The fields of view of the devices' sensors extend at least partly outward from the body parts. The controller reads the sensors and operates the corresponding actuators. A method of configuring a sensory assisting system includes successively activating actuators and receiving corresponding user feedback; determining perceptibility relationships for devices per the feedback; and repeatedly: activating the actuators per a virtual environment, a user avatar position, and the relationships; receiving a user navigation command; and moving the user avatar.

Abstract: Materials and methods for reducing or preventing bleeding and associated side effects during and after percutaneous medical procedures.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a preamble of a data packet in wireless communication systems is provided. To determine a preamble from a received signal, which may include a noise-altered preamble bit sequence, linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) can be used to generate a count of the received preamble, and the count is compared to pre-generated scores to identify a match. Example methods include for each of a number of different preamble orientations of a preamble, generating a count value based on a comparison of bits of the preamble with a random bit sequence to produce a sequence of count values, and comparing the sequence of count values with m sequences of count values. A sequence of count values is identified that includes a maximum number of matching elements, and the received preamble is determined to be one of the m preambles corresponding to the identified sequence.

Abstract: A method of identifying a human subject, more likely than a subject selected at random from the general population, to have one or more of the following: (i) a low macular pigment concentration in the eye or eyes; (ii) a low visual performance, or (iii) an atypical “central dip” macular pigment distribution; the method comprising the steps of: measuring at least one cognitive function of the subject; comparing the measured cognitive function with a pre-determined threshold; and, if the measured cognitive function is below the threshold, declaring the subject as being more likely to have one or more of low macular pigment concentration in the eye or eyes, low visual performance or an atypical ‘central dip’ macular pigment profile.

Abstract: Inhibitors of the tmRNA pathway have antibacterial activity with broad species specificity, including B. anthracis and other pathogens of military and civilian interest. Identified cyclic or linear peptides are further selected by in vivo selection methods, kill bacterial pathogens when added exogenously, and/or eliminate plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance or virulence genes. The molecular target of each cyclic peptide is in the tmRNA pathway and the tmRNA pathway is inhibited in vitro and in vivo by the addition of the peptides.

Abstract: A diagnostic and heat management system for a fuel cell stack is provided herein that includes a diagnostic control analyzer that diagnoses and analyzes a state of the fuel cell stack by measuring a voltage and a current of the fuel cell stack. Also, an AC signal generator generates a diagnostic AC signal, and an AC component driving element that is included in an AC component in a current of the fuel cell stack. Additionally, a termoelement is driven as a heat absorbing device when a temperature of the AC component driving element is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature and is driven as a heat emitting device when a temperature of the AC component driving element is less than a predetermined temperature, in order to manage heat generation in the AC component driving element.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a super-hydrophobic surface having excellent surface strength and an evaporator having the super-hydrophobic surface fabricated by the method are provided. The method includes preparing a metal base material, anodizing the metal base material to form a ceramic layer having a complex structure of a microstructure and nano-fiber structures on a surface of the metal base material, and applying a hydrophobic polymer material on the complex structure to form a polymer layer having the same surface shape as the complex structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a porous metal foam having pores of nano size includes: manufacturing a porous polymer foam containing pores of nano size; and coating metal on the porous polymer foam through electroless plating. The present invention provides porous metal foams which contains nano-sized pores and hence, their specific surface area is maximized owing to the regularly-patterned nanoporous structure formed inside.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a food composition, and to a pharmaceutical composition, which exhibit anti-obesity effects by means of a thermogenesis produced by an activity of a UCP of fat cells, which exhibit anti-diabetes effects by means of an improved insulin resistance, increase muscle mass, and improve capacity for exercise. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel use of a composition containing extracts of piper retrofractum, and to the food composition or pharmaceutical composition which exhibit anti-obesity effects by means of decreased body weight and body fat, exhibit anti-diabetes effects by means of ameliorated insulin resistance through the reduction of blood glucose and blood insulin, increase muscle mass by increasing an energy source being supplied to the muscles, and improve the capacity for exercise including increased endurance.

Abstract: A surgical simulator is disclosed herein. The surgical simulator includes an artificial organ and an enclosure substantially enclosing the artificial organ. The artificial organ is substantially formed of platinum cured room temperature vulcanization silicone rubber (“PCRTVS”).

Abstract: Extracellular vesicle-associated protein biomarkers for use in diagnosing and staging carcinomas, e.g., lung and ovarian cancers.

Abstract: This document relates to methods and materials involved in the removal of senescent cells within a mammal. For example, transgenic non-human animals that can be induced to delete senescent cells are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric stack transducer. In a transducer portion, a plurality of piezoelectric transducers which output maximum amplitude at different frequencies are continuously stacked. A stacked electrode portion is provided on both surfaces of each of the plurality of continuously stacked piezoelectric transducers and supplies an electric signal so that vibration is generated. In this case, the plurality of piezoelectric transducers have different diameters. According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a piezoelectric stack transducer which exhibits constant amplitude (output) at different frequencies by piezoelectric transducers exhibiting different amplitudes at respective frequencies according to natural frequencies supplementing amplitude of a different piezoelectric transducer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cast alloy material is provided. The cast alloy material includes a matrix metal and an alloy element, wherein oxide particles in a nanometer scale are decomposed in the matrix metal, so that a new phase including a metal element that is a component of the oxide particles and the alloy element forms a band or network structure, wherein the metal element and the alloy element have a relationship of a negative heat of mixing, and wherein oxygen atoms formed by decomposition of the oxide particles are dispersed in the matrix metal and do not form an oxide with the matrix metal.

Abstract: A process of producing ceramic-ceramic composites, including but not limited to nuclear fuels, and composites capable of exhibiting increased thermal conductivities. The process includes milling a first ceramic material to produce a powder of spheroidized particles of the first ceramic material, and then co-milling particles of a second ceramic material with the spheroidized particles of the first ceramic material to cause the particles of the second ceramic material to form a coating on the spheroidized particles of the first material. The spheroidized particles coated with the particles of the second ceramic material are then compacted and sintered to form the ceramic-ceramic composite, in which the second ceramic material forms a continuous phase completely surrounding the spheroidized particles of the first ceramic material.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to ion generation using modified wetted porous materials. In certain aspects, the invention generally relates to systems and methods for ion generation using a wetted porous substrate that substantially prevents diffusion of sample into the substrate. In other aspects, the invention generally relate to ion generation using a wetted porous material and a drying agent. In other aspects, the invention generally relates to ion generation using a modified wetted porous substrate in which at least a portion of the porous substrate includes a material that modifies an interaction between a sample and the substrate.

Abstract: An oxidation catalyst includes a support including particles of an alkaline earth salt, and first particles including a palladium compound on the support. The oxidation catalyst can also include precious metal group (PMG) metal particles in addition to the first particles intermixed together on the support. A gas permeable polymer that provides a continuous phase can completely encapsulate the particles and the support. The oxidation catalyst may be used as a gas sensor, where the first particles are chemochromic particles.

Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for a fuel cell stack that diagnoses the state and/or failure of the fuel cell stack. More specifically, the diagnostic control analyzer diagnoses and analyzes the state of the fuel cell stack by measuring the voltage and the current received from the fuel cell stack. To do this, an AC signal generator cogenerates a diagnostic AC signal according to the control upon receiving a control command form the analyzer, and an AC component driving element is then driven upon receiving the AC signal that is output from the AC signal generator in order to include a diagnostic AC component within the current of the fuel cell stack. In particular, the diagnostic control analyzer diagnoses the fuel cell stack based on a voltage and a current received from the fuel cell stack that includes the AC component via a load.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing an alloy catalyst supported on carbon, including the steps of: dispersing alloy particles into a mixed solution of water with alcohol, introducing a silica precursor thereto, and carrying out sol-gel reaction in the presence of a basic catalyst to obtain silica-coated alloy particles; supporting the silica-coated alloy particles onto a carbon carrier to obtain silica-coated alloy particles supported on carbon; heat treating the silica-coated alloy particles supported on carbon to increase an alloying degree; and removing silica coating by using inorganic base solution and a surfactant. The method for producing an alloy catalyst provides a high-quality and high-durability alloy catalyst by increasing the alloying degree of a catalyst through a heat treatment step, while forming a silica coating layer effectively on small alloy particles having a size of several nanometers to inhibit growth of the size of alloy particles.

Abstract: A method and a system that checks software and includes a hooking module that collects process control block (PCB) information corresponding to each process on a kernel by being executed at the time of booting a system. In addition, the system includes a safety service module that searches and defends the defects of the process by being inserted into a memory region of the process based on the collected PCB information.