Abstract: An enhanced swipe sampler and method of making are described. The swipe sampler is made of a fabric containing selected glass, metal oxide, and/or oxide-coated glass or metal fibers. Fibers are modified with silane ligands that are directly attached to the surface of the fibers to functionalize the sampling surface of the fabric. The swipe sampler collects various target analytes including explosives and other threat agents on the surface of the sampler.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing isopimaric acid, comprising the following steps: First step: dissolving thermally isomerized rosin in acetone, adding in drops a solution of isobutanolamine in acetone to form a precipitate, standing, filtering, washing with ethanol, and drying to obtain crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; recrystallizing the crude ammonium salt of isopimaric acid according to multi-recrystallization, and drying to obtain purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid; Second step: dissolving the purified crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid obtained in the first step in ether, adding hydrochloric acid in portions until the crystal of ammonium salt of isopimaric acid disappears, removing a water layer and washing the ether layer with water to neutral, evaporating the ether, dissolving the residue in acetone, adding water slowly into the solution dropwise until crystals cease to grow, then filtering and drying to obtain purified isopimaric acid.

Abstract: A method of imaging microscopic objects includes determining the relative depths of two or more semiconductor nanocrystals by analyzing images of the semiconductor nanocrystals at varying z-displacements.

Abstract: A plant observation device measures the growing state of a plant placed in a measurement area and the growth environment in the measurement area while moving within the measurement area where the plant is cultivated. The quantity of light is measured during growth environment measurement, and a light transmitting state of the measurement area is detected based on the measured quantity of light and the time of light quantity measurement. The measured growing state information and growth environment information are transmitted, together with positional information, to a server of a remote monitoring system. The growth environment in the measurement area is then optimally controlled based on the growing state information and the growth environment information.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for patterning a flexible substrate. The method for patterning a flexible substrate includes providing a carrier substrate. A release layer is formed on the carrier substrate. A flexible substrate film is formed on the release layer. A plurality of UV blocking mask patterns is formed covering various portions of the flexible substrate film and the release layer. A UV lighting process is performed to expose the flexible substrate film and the release layer not covered by the UV blocking mask patterns, to a UV light. A debonding step is performed so that the various portions of the flexible substrate film directly above the various portions of the release layer, which were not exposed to the UV light, are separated from the carrier substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and system for detecting a fault of a parallel coil type permanent magnet motor. This method includes driving a parallel coil type motor on the basis of a pre-defined current reference value, detecting a phase current vector of the motor, and calculating a current compensation value for removing a negative sequence component of the motor on the basis of the phase current vector.

Abstract: A monolithic optical absorber and methods of making same. The monolithic optical absorber uses an array of mutually aligned carbon nanotubes that are grown using a PECVD growth process and a structure that includes a conductive substrate, a refractory template layer and a nucleation layer. Monolithic optical absorbers made according to the described structure and method exhibit high absorptivity, high site densities (greater than 109 nanotubes/cm2), very low reflectivity (below 1%), and high thermal stability in air (up to at least 400° C.). The PECVD process allows the application of such absorbers in a wide variety of end uses.

Abstract: A phosphor substituting the conventional sialon phosphor or oxide phosphor activated by rare earth and an application thereof are provided. The phosphor of the present invention comprises an inorganic crystal including at least La, Si, Al, N (nitrogen), M element (M is at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb), and O (oxygen) if necessary and the inorganic crystal is a host crystal, which is LaSi9Al19N32 crystal or a solid-solution crystal thereof, activated by the M element.

Abstract: The present invention is the communication system that the communication connection control between the terminals is performed, in the IP transfer network forming the closed network, by using the IP communication record. Further, the present invention relates to the communication system to perform the communication connection control between the terminals by obtaining the IP address of the server which manages the communication connection control of the destination terminal based on the telephone number or the host name of the destination terminal.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating CO2 from an electrolyte solution are provided. Example apparatus can include: a vessel defining an interior volume and configured to house an electrolyte solution; an input conduit in fluid communication with the interior volume; an output conduit in fluid communication with the interior volume; an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the interior volume; and an anode located within the interior volume. Other example apparatus can include: an elongated vessel having two regions; an input conduit extending outwardly from the one region; an output conduit extending outwardly from the other region; an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the one region; and an anode located within the one region. Methods for separating CO2 from an electrolyte solution are provided. Example methods can include: providing a CO2 rich electrolyte solution to a vessel containing an anode; and distributing hydrogen from the anode to acidify the electrolyte solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous medium with increased hydrophobicity and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a micro-nano dual structure is provided by forming nanoprotrusions with a high aspect ratio by performing plasma etching on the surface of a porous medium with a micrometer-scale surface roughness and a hydrophobic thin film is deposited on the surface of the micro-nano dual structure, thus significantly increasing hydrophobicity. When this highly hydrophobic porous medium is used as a gas diffusion layer of a fuel cell, it is possible to efficiently discharge water produced during electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell, thus preventing flooding in the fuel cell. Moreover, it is possible to sufficiently supply reactant gases such as hydrogen and air (oxygen) to a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), thus improving the performance of the fuel cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell with enhanced mass transfer characteristics in which a highly hydrophobic porous medium, which is prepared by forming a micro-nano dual structure in which nanometer-scale protrusions with a high aspect ratio are formed on the surface of a porous medium with a micrometer-scale roughness by plasma etching and then by depositing a hydrophobic thin film thereon, is used as a gas diffusion layer, thereby increasing hydrophobicity due to the micro-nano dual structure and the hydrophobic thin film. When this highly hydrophobic porous medium is used as a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, it is possible to reduce water flooding by efficiently discharging water produced by an electrochemical reaction of the fuel cell and to improve the performance of the fuel cell by facilitating the supply of reactant gases such as hydrogen and air (oxygen) to a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA).

Abstract: The present invention provides an ophthalmic device, and method of use thereof, for an individual wearing an ophthalmic lens to increase ocular surface boundary lubrication. The invention device comprises an ophthalmic lens and a sacrificial mechanism disposed on the ophthalmic lens, wherein the sacrificial mechanism comprises a plurality of surface bound receptors, such as PRG4, hyaluronic acid, and DNA aptamers, that reversibly bound to a lubricating composition comprising a gel forming agent, a surfactant, or a combination thereof, effectively inhibiting or preventing protein and lipid adsorption on the surface of the lens, and mitigate shear stress and reduce the friction between the lens and the ocular surface of the individual in need.

Abstract: An A-type converter circuit compares an input voltage with multiple threshold voltages, judges which segment it belongs to, and generates first and second voltages with the input voltage segment between them. The A-type converter circuit generates third and fourth voltages by amplifying the differences between the first and the input voltages and between the second and the input voltages. A B-type converter circuit divides the range between the third and fourth voltages into multiple segments, and judges which segment includes the common voltage. Subsequently, the B-type converter circuit generates fifth and sixth voltages with the common voltage segment between them. The B-type converter circuit generates a seventh (the next stage's third voltage) and an eighth voltage by amplifying the differences between the fifth and the common voltages and between the sixth and the common voltages.

Abstract: A reflective impedance element is connected to a port of a composite right/left-handed transmission line, and operates at a predetermined operating frequency so that an impedance when the reflective impedance element is seen from the port becomes a pure imaginary number jB. A reflective impedance component is connected to a port of the composite right/left-handed transmission line, and operates at the predetermined operating frequency so that an impedance when the reflective impedance element is seen from the port becomes ?jB.

Abstract: A Talbot-illuminated imaging system for focal plane tuning, the device comprising a Talbot element, a tunable illumination source, a scanning mechanism, a light detector, and a processor. The element generate san array of focused light spots at a focal plane. The tunable illumination source shifts the focal plane to a plane of interest by adjusting a wavelength of light incident the Talbot element. The scanning mechanism scans an object across an array of focused light spots in a scanning direction. The light detector determines time-varying light data associated with the array of focused light spots as the object scans across the array of light spots. The processor constructs an image of the object based on the time-varying data.

Abstract: A motor device includes a main body, an assembling body, a stator and a rotor. The main body includes a first bearing hole and a plurality of first connectors, and all distances between each of the first connectors and an axle of the first bearing hole are the same. The assembling body has a second bearing hole. The stator includes a passage and a plurality of second connectors, the second connectors are coupled to the first connectors respectively to have the stator assembled in the main body, and the passage and the first bearing hole are coaxial. The rotor is disposed inside the passage and two ends of the rotor are installed in the first bearing hole and the second bearing hole respectively. By having both the stator and the rotor positioned by the main body, a gap between the rotor and the stator can be maintained consistently.

Abstract: This invention relates to a vaccine for preventing or treating tautopathy, comprising a vector, as an active ingredient, comprising a nucleic acid encoding a mutant tau protein linked to a secretion signal sequence, wherein the vaccine is capable of inducing an antibody against an (optionally phosphorylated) tau protein in a subject in a more sustained manner compared with a case where the mutant tau protein is administered directly.

Abstract: The invention provides for systems, methods, and compositions for altering expression of target gene sequences and related gene products. Provided are vectors and vector systems, some of which encode one or more components of a CRISPR complex, as well as methods for the design and use of such vectors. Also provided are methods of directing CRISPR complex formation in eukaryotic cells and methods for utilizing the CRISPR-Cas system.

Abstract: A mutual authentication method in a Downloadable Conditional Access System (DCAS) is provided. The mutual authentication method may receive authentication-related information about authentication between an authentication unit and a security module (SM) from a Trusted Authority (TA), generate an authentication session key using the authentication-related information, transmit the authentication session key by the authentication unit to the SM through a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), and control a Conditional Access System (CAS) software to be downloaded to the SM from the authentication unit, when the authentication is completed by the authentication session key.