Abstract: Ebolavirus is a highly lethal filovirus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. With no approved treatments or preventatives, the development of an anti-ebolavirus therapy to protect against natural infections and potential weaponization is an urgent unmet global health need. The design, biophysical characterization, and validation of peptide mimics of the ebolavirus N-trimer (“N-trimer mimics”) are described herein.

Abstract: A reactor for growing or depositing semiconductor films or devices. The reactor may be designed for inline production of III-V materials grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The operating principles of the HVPE reactor can be used to provide a completely or partially inline reactor for many different materials. An exemplary design of the reactor is shown in the attached drawings. In some instances, all or many of the pieces of the reactor formed of quartz, such as welded quartz tubing, while other reactors are made from metal with appropriate corrosion resistant coatings such as quartz or other materials, e.g., corrosion resistant material, or stainless steel tubing or pipes may be used with a corrosion resistant material useful with HVPE-type reactants and gases. Using HVPE in the reactor allows use of lower-cost precursors at higher deposition rates such as in the range of 1 to 5 ?m/minute.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of heteroepitaxial growth enabling the successful growth of thin films of GaN and III-nitride semiconductor heterostructures of (0001) orientation with III metal-face polarity on diamond substrates being either polycrystalline or single crystal with various crystallographic orientations. The method uses a thin AlN nucleation layer on the diamond substrate with thickness equal or less than 5 nm, grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) using a nitrogen plasma source. The invention enables the development of very high power metal-face III-nitride devices, such as High Electron Mobility Transistors, on single crystal or polycrystalline diamond substrates. The method is also applicable for other element IV substrates with diamond crystal structure.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for determining the amount of material contained in a windrow. In particular embodiments, the methods and systems are applicable to agricultural applications, and in particular to hay yield monitoring. Systems include a remote sensing technology to determine windrow height. Remote sensing methods can include ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, and the like. Systems can provide real time yield data.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for inducing a prediction motion vector and an apparatus using the same. An image decoding method can include: a step of determining the information related to a plurality of spatial candidate prediction motion vectors from peripheral predicted blocks of a predicted target block; and a step of determining the information related to temporal candidate prediction motion vectors on the basis of the information related to the plurality of spatial candidate prediction motion vectors. Accordingly, the present invention can reduce complexity and can enhance coding efficiency when inducing the optimum prediction motion vector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plurality of antigens that together form a panel of immunoreactive molecules suitable for identifying candidates for prostate cancer examination. Methods for identifying antibodies indicative of a pre-malignant or malignant prostate are disclosed. Further disclosed are kits that can be used to practice the above methods.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes proppant materials encapsulated with a polymer encapsulation layer. Proppant particles are formed with a core having relatively larger inner pores and a shell having relatively smaller shell pores. The shell pores and/or inner pores can be loaded with a treatment product, such as a methanogenic microbial consortium capable of converting coal into methane. The polymer encapsulation layer surrounds the shell and provides for sustained time-release of the treatment product when the proppant material has been delivered to a subterranean formation.

Abstract: A Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) system is provided which comprises a deposition assembly comprising a plurality of deposition chambers and a plurality of separation chambers mounted together, each separation chamber having two opposing ends, each end mounted to a deposition chamber of the plurality of deposition chambers and in fluid communication with the deposition chamber via a fluid pathway, wherein each deposition chamber of the plurality of deposition chambers defines a deposition zone having a height hd, each separation chamber defines a separation zone having a height hs and a length ls, and each fluid pathway has a height hfp, wherein hfp, hs and ls are selected to provide a predetermined interfacial transition region value between different material layers of a multilayer heterostructure; and a moveable belt configured to continuously convey a substrate mounted thereon through the plurality of deposition chambers and the plurality of separation chambers.

Abstract: A phantom used in quality assurance and performance tests and/or in pre-purchase testing of ultrasound scanners is provided. The phantom includes a container, a boundary formed within the container, and a curved scanning surface. The container includes a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a wall mounted between the top surface and the bottom surface to form the container. The boundary is configured to hold a tissue mimicking material. The curved scanning surface is formed in the top surface in a direction towards an interior of the container. The curved scanning surface is shaped to support translation perpendicular to an image plane of an application end of an ultrasound transducer along at least a portion of an axis extending between a first location on the curved scanning surface and a second location on the curved scanning surface.

Abstract: An engineered vocal fold mucosa, including an engineered lamina propria layer and an engineered squamous epithelium layer, is disclosed. The engineered lamina propria is made by seeding and culturing human vocal fold fibroblasts within a polymerized collagen scaffold, and the engineered squamous epithelium is made by culturing human vocal fold epithelial cells on the scaffold surface. The resulting engineered vocal fold mucosa is not immunogenic, and is capable of exhibiting the vibratory function and acoustic output of a native vocal fold mucosa. Accordingly, the engineered vocal fold mucosa may be implanted into the larynx to treat voice impairment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a contact lens comprising a rounded, minus-carrier, lenticular-like curve over a central, upper portion of the lens that allows the contact lens to translate upwards in downgaze.

Abstract: The invention provides multivalent surface-crosslinked micelle (SCM) particles, crosslinked reverse micelle (CRM) particles, and methods of making and using them. The SCM particles can be used, for example, to inhibit a virus or bacteria from binding to a host cell. The inhibition can be used in therapy for the flu, cancer, or AIDS. The CRM particles can be used, for example, to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal alloy nanoparticles, or they can be used in catalytic reactions.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for synthesizing ultra-pure hydrogen from biomass waste. The present invention comprises a gasifier, an oils and tars filter, a steam generator, a water gas shift reactor (“WGS”), a heat-exchange two-phase water separator, a scrubber, a hydrogen separator, and fluid conduits in fluid communication with the various system components, which together convert hydrocarbon-based biomass, e.g., woodchips, into ultra-pure hydrogen gas. Fluid conduits connect the gasifier and the steam generator, separately, to the WGS, the WGS to the two-phase separator, the two-phase separator to the scrubber, and the scrubber to the hydrogen separator, which further comprises an outlet port through which hydrogen gas may flow free of carbon monoxide. The hydrogen may flow to a device that utilizes hydrogen to generate energy, such as a hydrogen fuel cell or to an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A computer executed method for supervised facial recognition comprising the operations of preprocessing, feature extraction and recognition. Preprocessing may comprise dividing received face images into several subimages, converting the different face image (or subimage) dimensions into a common dimension and/or converting the datatypes of all of the face images (or subimages) into an appropriate datatype. In feature extraction, 2D DMWT is used to extract information from the face images. Application of the 2D DMWT may be followed by FastICA. FastICA, or, in cases where FastICA is not used, 2D DMWT, may be followed by application of the l2-norm and/or eigendecomposition to obtain discriminating and independent features. The resulting independent features are fed into the recognition phase, which may use a neural network, to identify an unknown face image.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a transport chair includes a base frame, a seat assembly pivotally mounted to the base, and a footrest assembly pivotally mounted to the base frame, the footrest assembly being associated with the seat assembly so as to pivot in unison with the seat assembly until the seat assembly is pivoted forward to an extent at which the footrest assembly contacts the floor or ground, at which point the footrest assembly does not pivot further upon further forward pivoting of the seat assembly.

Abstract: An improved drill tip 110 for a foundation pile includes a soil penetrating body 112 depending from a pile attachment structure 114, the soil penetrating body having a plurality of circular stepped flights 116 formed in the shape of a descending continuous conic spiral and having a continuous spiral-shaped lower face 120 and a spiraling outer face 122, a spiral flight 124 extending radially from the lower end 126 of the outer face 122 in linear alignment with the lower face 120, and an upper flight 128 extending radially from the pile attachment structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting Chemical Species, Biomolecules and Biotargets (Analytes) using receptor functionalized metal nanoparticles and Dynamic Light Scattering.

Abstract: A synchrophasor measurement method for a device configured to take synchronized measurements in a power system is provided. The synchrophasor measurement method includes receiving global positioning system (GPS)-synchronized samples of a signal sensed by the device from the power system; determining a level of distortion of the signal; selecting, based on the level of distortion, a computation method, the computation method being one of an improved zero-crossing (IZC) method and an enhanced phase-lock-loop (EPLL) method; performing the selected computation method to determine at least one parameter of the signal at a reporting frequency, which is at least twice a line frequency of the power system; and outputting, at the reporting frequency, the at least one parameter to an operator of the power system to allow the operator to perform at least one of a monitoring and a controlling of at least one element of the power system.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices for the controlled handling and delivery of solutions, as well as methods of making and using thereof. The devices can comprise a nanoporous membrane having a top surface and a bottom surface; a fluid source positioned in fluid contact with the bottom surface of the nanoporous membrane; and an electrode patterned on one or more of the surfaces of the nanoporous. membrane (e.g., on the top surface of the nanoporous membrane, on the bottom surface of the nanoporous membrane, or on both the top surface and the bottom surface of the nanoporous membrane). The electrode or electrodes are patterned so as to define a fluid delivery region in fluid contact with the top surface of the nanoporous membrane.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward core-shell nanoparticles, each comprising a ligand-capped metal shell surrounding a plurality of discrete, nonconcentric, metal-containing cores. Methods of making and using these nanoparticles are also disclosed.