Abstract: A multi-lumen arthroscopy cannula (MLAC) is described which may be used to contain and manage joint irrigation fluid as a means of improving the state of arthroscopic surgery. The MLAC includes an arrangement of components within a cannula housing. An internal passage (central lumen) through which surgical instruments may be inserted into the body includes a series of components which greatly reduce the leakage path of fluid through the central lumen while enabling manipulation of surgical instruments during arthroscopic procedures. A dual-tapered diaphragm seal grips the instruments as it is manipulated to prevent leakage. This works in concert with the consecutively placed multi-leaflet valves, which act to prevent internal leakage and maintain pressure within the surgical cavity. Unique features of this cannula, aside from the multiple valves and dual-tapered diaphragm seal, include bilateral lumens which provide infusion and withdrawal of irrigation inside the joint capsule.

Abstract: Method of increasing protein content in a eukaryotic cell comprising an NF-YC4 gene comprising modifying the transcriptional repressor binding site; method of producing a plant with increased protein content comprising crossing and selecting for increased protein content; method of increasing resistance to a pathogen or a pest in a plant cell or plant comprising an NF-YC4 gene comprising modifying the transcriptional repressor binding site, alone or in further combination with expressing QQS in the plant cell or plant; method for producing a plant with increased resistance to a pathogen or a pest comprising crossing and selecting for increased resistance to the pathogen or the pest; a cell, collection of cells, tissue, organ, or organism, such as a plant, in which the NF-YC4 gene comprises a promoter comprising a transcriptional repressor binding site that has been modified so that the transcriptional repressor cannot prevent transcription of the NF-YC4; plants and hybrids thereof; and seeds.

Abstract: A method of recycling gaseous hydrocarbons includes flowing a hydrocarbon gas composition from a secondary separator into a compressor unit to form a compressed mixture. The secondary separator includes a crude liquid hydrocarbon input stream from a primary separator. The method includes flowing the compressed mixture into a cooling unit to cool the compressed mixture, to form a cooled composition comprising liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the liquid hydrocarbons from the cooled composition into the primary separator.

Abstract: This invention concerns an integrated microfluidic system that utilizes microfluidic chip technology to receive a patient sample including cells, expand the cells, reprogram the expanded cells and then store the reprogrammed cells in a microfluidic chip. These microfluidic chips with stored reprogrammed cells may then be used in scenarios of genetic differentiation into specific cell types. Overall this system and workflow is suitable as a hospital based device that will allow the generation of iPSCs from every patient for downstream diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Abstract: A robot skin apparatus includes polymer membranes encapsulating a pressure sensor. The sensor includes piezo-sensitive material in contact with a pair of electrodes in spaced relationship to form a circuit. The apparatus may include a flexible substrate, with the electrodes thereon. The piezo-sensitive material may be piezoresistive film. The electrodes may be symmetrically patterned on the substrate to form a substantially circular peripheral boundary. The apparatus may include pressure sensors on opposite sides of a plane for temperature compensation, a plurality of pressure sensors arrayed on the substrate, and a data acquisition system. A method of fabricating the apparatus includes a wet lithography process for patterning the piezoresistive film. A system includes a pair of gripper fingers, an actuator connected to the fingers, a robot skin apparatus positioned on one of the fingers, and an electronic unit for receiving data from the robot skin and controlling the fingers.

Abstract: Targeted disruption of a specific gene and its subsequent restoration in obligate intracellular bacteria remains extremely challenging due to their absolute requirement for residence inside a host cell to replicate. Here, targeted allelic exchange mutations were created to inactivate two genes and then to restore one of the two genes of a rickettsial pathogen, Ehrlichia chaffeensis. These methods were then also successfully utilized in Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocyophilum. The resultant mutated pathogens are useful in immunogenic compositions for reducing the incidence of or severity of infection with ricksettsial pathogens.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of forming a transition metal dichalcogenide thin film and a method of manufacturing a device including the same. The method of forming a transition metal dichalcogenide thin film includes: providing a substrate in a reaction chamber; depositing a transition metal dichalcogenide thin film on the substrate using a sputtering process that uses a transition metal precursor and a chalcogen precursor and is performed at a first temperature; and injecting the chalcogen precursor in a gas state and heat-treating the transition metal dichalcogenide thin film at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. The substrate may include a sapphire substrate, a silicon oxide (SiO2) substrate, a nanocrystalline graphene substrate, or a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) substrate.

Abstract: An early earthquake detection method may comprise acquiring a frame image from a camera; acquiring a vibration signal from the frame image; removing a noise signal due to vibration of the camera from the vibration signal; acquiring a motion signal obtained by magnifying subtle motions from the noise signal-removed vibration signal; extracting vibration characteristics from the motion signal; estimating an occurrence of an earthquake by extracting a peak signal from the vibration characteristics; and determining whether an earthquake occurs by receiving earthquake estimation information from at least one other camera located within a certain range.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition or food composition for the treatment or prevention of hypertension, containing a peptide isolated from a fraction of a flounder surimi hydrolysate as an active ingredient and is based on the finding that the flounder surimi has an effect of reducing blood pressure, and the hydrolysate of the flounder surimi, the fraction of the hydrolysate of the flounder surimi and peptides isolated from the fraction of the hydrolysate of the flounder surimi have an inhibition activity against an angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE). Thus, peptides isolated from the fraction of the hydrolysate of the flounder surimi can be used for pharmaceutical compositions or food compositions for treating or preventing hypertension.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums determining a system state of a power system using a convolutional neural network using a convolutional neural network are disclosed. One method includes converting power grid topology data corresponding to a power system into a power system matrix representation input and applying the power system matrix representation input to a plurality of convolutional layers of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) structure in a sequential manner to generate one or more feature maps. The method further includes applying the one or more feature maps to a fully connected layer (FCL) operation for generating a respective one or more voltage vectors representing a system state of the power system.

Abstract: Separators, materials, and processes for producing electrochemical cells, for example, lithium (Li) metal batteries, and electrochemical cells produced therefrom. Such a separator includes a permeable membrane formed of a first polymer that is hydrophobic and has oppositely-disposed first and second surfaces, a second polymer that is hydrophilic and is incorporated into the first surface of the first polymer so that the first surface of the first polymer is a hydrophilic surface, and a conductive composite layer on the hydrophilic surface. The composite layer contains at least one layer of a carbonaceous material and an aqueous binder that binds the carbonaceous material together and to the hydrophilic.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to 4-substituted benzoylpiperazine-1-substituted carbonyls having a structure represented by a formula: derivatives thereof, and related compounds; synthetic methods for making the compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds; and methods of treating disorders, e.g., various tumors and cancers, associated with ?-catenin/BCL9 protein-protein interaction dysfunction using the compounds and compositions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention is toward a base oil or lubricant additives, methods of using the same, lubricant compositions including the same, and methods of forming the lubricant compositions. A base oil or lubricant additive has Structure I or Structure II as described herein.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for a suicide gene approach comprising an expression vector comprising a cell cycle-dependent promoter driving the expression of a suicide gene. Also provided herein are methods to render proliferative cells sensitive to a prodrug after transplantation but avoids expression of the suicide gene in post-mitotic cells, such as neurons.

Abstract: A disposable x-ray side marker (100) comprises a non-metallic material (108) having a sufficiently high linear attenuation coefficient to be radiographically visible. The material (108) may be mouldable, and may be or comprise gypsum. The material (108) may have an average atomic number greater than or equal to 11, and may have a linear attenuation coefficient greater than that of mammalian soft tissue.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an anode active material for a lithium secondary battery, a method of manufacturing the anode active material, and a lithium secondary battery including the anode active material. The anode active material includes natural graphite particles configured such that flaky natural graphite fragment particles having uneven (??) surface defects are structured in a cabbage shape or at random and granulated, the surface and the inside of the natural graphite particles including a gap formed between the flaky natural graphite fragment particles, and a coating layer including amorphous or semicrystalline carbon formed on the surface of the flaky natural graphite fragment particles that form the gap and the surface of the natural graphite particles.

Abstract: Ebola virus and Marburg virus are filoviruses and are responsible for outbreaks that cause up to 90% fatality, including the recent outbreak in West Africa that has resulted in over 11,000 deaths. The present disclosure generally relates to novel arylnaphthalene compounds as a vacuolar-ATPase inhibitor that are useful for the treatment of various viral infections, including those infections caused by filoviruses. Pharmaceutical composition matters and methods of use are within the scope of this invention.

Abstract: A neural processor is provided. The neural processor includes a matrix device which is configured to generate an output feature map by processing a standard convolution operation and which has a systolic array architecture, and accelerators with an adder-tree structure which are configured to process depth-wise convolution operations for each of elements of the output feature map corresponding to lanes of the matrix device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing quality control assessments of a three dimensional (3D) printing system. In particular, the present disclosure provides a phantom designs for use in 3D printing systems, as well as methods of quality control for a 3D printing system performed using a 3D printed phantom.

Abstract: This document describes methods and materials for improving the delivery of electroporation. For example, this document describes methods and devices for delivering electroporation while mitigating risks of ventricular fibrillation.