Abstract: Microelectromechanical resonators include a resonator body having a first piezoelectric layer on a upper surface thereof, which is configured to support actuation and sensing through a transverse piezoelectric effect (e31), and a second piezoelectric layer on at least a portion of a first sidewall thereof, which is configured to support actuation and sensing through a longitudinal piezoelectric effect (e33), where e33 is greater than e31. These resonators may further include a first bottom electrode extending between the first piezoelectric layer and the upper surface of the resonator body and a second bottom electrode extending between the second piezoelectric layer and the first sidewall of the resonator body. These first and second bottom electrodes may be contiguous as a single bottom electrode and the first and second piezoelectric layers may be contiguous as a single piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A novel class of peptide ?-ketoamides useful for selectively inhibiting calpains, selectively inhibiting cysteine proteases, and generally inhibiting all cysteine proteases, having the formula M-AA2-AA1-CO—NH—(CH2)n—R3. Processes for the synthesis of peptidyl ?-ketoamide derivatives. Compositions and methods for inhibiting cysteine proteases, inhibiting calpains, and treating disease caused by cysteine proteases and calpains are provided.

Abstract: Devices and methods are described for a cathode having a plurality of apertures in an insulating layer, pits in a substrate layer, and emitters in the pit. The device can also have gate layer on top of the insulating layer which has an opening that is substantially aligned with the pit and the aperture. The emitter can be an array of substantially aligned carbon nanotubes. The device and method produces cathodes that are designed to avoid shorting of the cathode due to emitter-gate contact and other fabrication challenges.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide a conduit device including an attaching device configured for defining a helical pathway through a tissue wall and complementary ring in cooperation for securing the device within an aperture defined in the tissue wall. Some embodiments of the present invention further provide a system for implanting a conduit device in a tissue wall. More specifically, some embodiments provide a system including a coring device for defining an aperture in a tissue by removing and retaining a tissue core and securely implanting a conduit device therein so as to provide fluid communication between a first and second surface of the tissue wall via the conduit device.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for targeting substances to fibrinogen, fibrin monomers, or fibrin polymers are provided. These compositions and methods generally involve the use of fibrin knob peptides that bind fibrin(ogen), which can be used to detect fibrin(ogen) and modulate fibrin polymerization and fibrinolysis.

Abstract: A solvent that reversibly converts from a nonionic liquid mixture to an ionic liquid upon contact with a selected trigger, e.g., contact with CO2, is described. In preferred embodiments, the ionic solvent is readily converted back to the nonionic liquid mixture. The nonionic liquid mixture includes an amidine or guanidine or both, and water, alcohol, or a combination thereof. Single component amine solvents that reversibly convert between ionic and non-ionic states are also described. Some embodiments require increased pressure to convert; others convert at 1 atmosphere.

Abstract: Methods are provided for altering the tack of an adhesive material by contacting the adhesive material with an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. In a preferred embodiment, the method is for altering the tack of adhesive contaminants in a process fluid, which includes the steps of providing a process fluid in which are dispersed contaminant particles which comprises one or more adhesive materials (such as pitch, pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melts, latexes, binders, and combinations thereof); and adding to the process an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. The process fluid can be in a process stream in a pulp and paper mill.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an integrated SOFC system powered by natural gas. Specifically, a SOFC-O cell is combined with a SOFC-H cell so as to take advantage of the high operating temperature and steam reforming capabilities of the SOFC-O cell as well as the higher fuel conversion efficiency of the SOFC-H cell.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for treating a feedstock comprising holocellulose. The process comprises mixing the feedstock with a solution comprising cellulose binding domains to form a mixture. The mixture is then subjected to conditions sufficient to reduce the crystallinity of holocellulose. Subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis may show an improved rate and/or fermentable sugar yield as compared to processes which do not employ the process.

Abstract: Systems and methods of discovering damages in structures, systems and methods of modeling how a structure will behave once damage has been discovered, and a structure that does not change it natural frequency if there is loss or addition of mass or stiffness in the structure.

Abstract: Metal-organic frameworks, in particular hybrid zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), devices having hybrid ZIFs, and methods for preparing hybrid ZIFs are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method includes preparing a first solution comprising a first imidazolate and a second imidazolate, preparing a second solution comprising a metal ion, and combining the first solution and the second solution to form the hybrid ZIF.

Abstract: The invention is directed toward methods for assisting in interpreting medical images, especially useful for segmenting images produced by computed tomography or micro-computed tomography. In one embodiment, the invention is directed to method comprising initially identifying the images of the bones from a medical image, estimating a preliminary boundary of the bones, and subsequently segmenting the bones using a snake algorithm initialized by the preliminary boundary of the bones. The results can then be used to establish morphometric measurements from the medical images based on the segmented bone boundaries. In one embodiment of the present invention, the snake algorithm used is a continuous parametric Fourier series representation to fit and optimize the preliminary boundary of the bones to a more accurate representation of the segmented bone boundary from the data included in the image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method for preparing a BZCYYb material to be used in a solid oxide fuel cell. In particular, the method comprises mixing particular nano-sized and micro-sized ingredients and the size selection provides greatly improved performance characteristics of the resulting material. In particular, barium carbonate powder, zirconium oxide powder having particle diameters in the nanometer range, and cerium oxide powder having particle diameter in the micrometer range are used together with ytterbium oxide powder, and yttrium oxide powder.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to the use of chlorine dioxide in new processes for treating lignocellulosic feedstocks, as well as, new compositions suitable for, for example, bioalcohol production. Advantageously, the processes and compositions of the present invention may be used in more environmentally friendly, cost-efficient production of fuels and, if desired, may be coupled with other biomass processing facilities such as Kraft pulp bleaching mills.

Abstract: The various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to inverse-mode Radio-Frequency (“RF”) switching circuits and methods of using the same. An embodiment of the present invention provides an inverse-mode RF switching circuit. The inverse-mode RF switching circuit comprises a bipolar transistor, a shunt element, a first RF channel, and a second RF channel. The bipolar transistor comprises a base, a collector, and an emitter, wherein the base and emitter are in electrical communication first via a base-emitter junction and second via an electrical connection element. The shunt element is in electrical communication with the collector. The first RF channel is in electrical communication with the base and emitter. The second RF channel is in electrical communication with the collector and the shunt element. The base-collector junction operates as a switching diode between the first RF channel and the second RF channel.

Abstract: A gated electrical device includes a non-conductive substrate and a graphene structure disposed on the non-conductive substrate. A metal gate is disposed directly on a portion of the graphene structure. The metal gate includes a first metal that has a high contact resistance with graphene. Two electrical contacts are each placed on the graphene structure so that the metal gate is disposed between the two electrical contacts. In a method of making a gated electrical device, a graphene structure is placed onto a non-conductive substrate. A metal gate is deposited directly on a portion of the graphene structure. Two electrical contacts are deposited on the graphene structure so that the metal gate is disposed between the two electrical contacts.

Abstract: Review systems and methods facilitate active reading by providing a flexible environment in which users can examine documents. A review system can comprise a virtual workspace, a document view region, a preview region, and optional document objects. The virtual workspace can simulate a desktop or other physical workspace. The document view region can display a portion of an open document at a magnification sufficient for reading. The preview region can display the document at a magnification sufficient to enable the general layout of the entire document to be determined. The document objects can be created from the document through tools of the review system. These document objects can be independently moveable throughout the virtual workspace as needed to facilitate the user's active reading process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include devices or systems that include a composite thermal capacitor disposed in thermal communication with a hot spot of the device, methods of dissipating thermal energy in a device or system, and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are an emotion model, and an apparatus and method for adaptively learning personality of the emotion model. The emotion model, which maintains personality information, creates emotion information according to the personality information and takes a predetermined behavior according to the emotion information. The personality information may change adaptively in correspondence to a user's response to the behavior performed by the emotion model. Accordingly, the emotion model may react adaptively to the user through interactions with the user.

Abstract: An indoor location system uses an electrical power line, power line signal injection devices, and portable position receivers (tags) to generate location data relating to positions of the tags in a structure such as a residence or business. The indoor location system fingerprinting of multiple signals transmitted along the power line to achieve sub-room-level localization of the positioning receivers. In one embodiment, the fingerprinting techniques utilizes wideband power line positioning (WPLP) that injects up to 44 different frequencies into the power line infrastructure of a structure. The WPLP technique improves upon overall positioning accuracy, improved temporal stability and may be implemented in commercial indoor spaces.