Abstract: Compositions comprising nanoparticles (e.g., nanocrystals) of stishovite silica are described. Such nanoparticles may be made by (1) subjecting a mesoporous silica starting material (e.g., SBA-16 or KIT-6) to a pressure of less than about 20 GPa (e.g., about 12 GPa); (2) heating the mesoporous silica starting material while under pressure to an elevated temperature of less than about 1000° C. (e.g., a temperature of between about 300° C. and about 400° C.); and thereafter isolating the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be used in a work tool that is configured and adapted for cutting, drilling, abrading, polishing, machining, or grinding, among other uses.

Abstract: The present invention includes an anion exchange method that uses sulfate-containing acid mine drainage (AMD), or any sulfate containing water resource, to remove strontium, barium, and/or radium from contaminated water sources, such as but not limited to hydraulic fracturing waste water, flowback, and/or produced water, without requiring any external regenerant. The removal process may be adopted with any waste water or impaired water source containing sulfate anions.

Abstract: A symmetrical quantum well active layer provides enhanced internal quantum efficiency. The quantum well active layer includes an inner (central) layer and a pair of outer layers sandwiching the inner layer. The inner and outer layers have different thicknesses and bandgap characteristics. The outer layers are relatively thick and include a relatively low bandgap material, such as InGaN. The inner layer has a relatively lower bandgap material and is sufficiently thin to act as a quantum well delta layer, e.g., comprising approximately 6 ? or less of InN. Such a quantum well structure advantageously extends the emission wavelength into the yellow/red spectral regime, and enhances spontaneous emission. The multi-layer quantum well active layer is sandwiched by barrier layers of high bandgap materials, such as GaN.

Abstract: Augmented or synergized anti-inflammatory constructs are disclosed including anti-inflammatory amino acids covalently conjugated with other anti-inflammatory molecules such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vanilloids and ketone bodies. Further conjugation with a choline bioisostere or an additional anti-inflammatory moiety further augments the anti-inflammatory activity.

Abstract: Resilient members having near-surface architectures including microstructures for controlling friction are provided. A film-terminated array of fibrils having a sharp film/fibril juncture exhibits an unexpectedly large enhancement of adhesion, static friction and sliding friction. The enhancement is provided against rough indenters. A film-terminated array of elongated ridges and valleys unexpectedly exhibits low adhesion, and an unexpectedly large enhancement of sliding friction. The film-terminated ridge/valley design provides an anisotropic structure with direction-dependent frictional properties. The increase in sliding friction force varies as a function of interfibrillar spacing, and corresponds to a mode in which buckling of the terminal film occurs. The near surface architectures may be designed with varying scales and varying parameters to provide performance characteristics tailored to various applications.

Abstract: Novel semiconductor nanoparticles and methods of biosynthesizing the same are provided by biosynthetic processes using cell-free supernatants and isolated enzymes.

Abstract: Described herein are isolated recombinant proteins having lyase activity and nucleic acid sequences which code therefor; along with methods of expressing, isolating, purifying, and using same.

Abstract: The present invention includes a novel salt-free water softening method that utilizes an exchange medium (such as a gel exchange polymer, a macroporous exchange polymer, or an inorganic cation exchanger) that is pre-loaded with a polyvalent cation that has low solubility in aqueous phase at nearly neutral pH. The method of the invention does not require use of a sodium salt or mineral acid in the regeneration of the exchange medium.

Abstract: Provided herein are novel nanoporous glass fibers, and methods of preparing and using such fibers. In some embodiments, articles are made from particular glass starting materials, such as soda-lime phosphosilicate glass fabricated by melt-quench methods. The articles include nanoporous fibers that can be used alone, or sewn, woven, bundled, and otherwise incorporated to form nanoporous articles, including bioactive articles.

Abstract: A distributed antenna-coupling feedback scheme and specially designed distributed feedback (DFB) metallic cavity and grating for laser application and in particular to plasmonic lasers ensuring a predesigned phase condition such that a mode traveling inside a waveguide is coupled/phase-locked to a mode traveling on the top metal improving the beam quality of the laser.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for preparing nano-macroporous glass articles, such as bioscaffolds, from starting materials such as phosphosilicate glasses made by melt-quench methods, mixed with a soluble pore former such as a sugar, followed by steps of dissolving, heating, and leaching to yield a glass composition having a highly interconnected system of both macropores and large scale nanoporosity.

Abstract: A oxygen concentrating system comprising an adsorption column having a first end and a second end, a shell enclosing the column and defining a product gas storage space between the column and the shell, a product conduit connecting the product gas storage space to a product output point, a first conduit comprising at least one first valve having at least a first and second configuration, in the first configuration, compressed air flows from the feed point to the first end, and, in the second configuration, waste gas flows from the first end to the waste point, and a second conduit comprising at least one second valve having at least a first and second configuration, in the first configuration, the product gas flows from the product gas storage space to the second end, and, in the second configuration, the product gas flows from the second end to the storage space.

Abstract: Provided herein are synthetic porous electron-rich covalent organonitridic frameworks (PECONFs). The PECONFs are useful as an adsorbent class of materials. In the PECONFs, inorganic nitridic building units are interconnected via electron-rich aromatic units to form porous covalent frameworks. The frameworks include tunable porous, electron-rich organonitridic frameworks, which are determined based upon synthetic methods as exemplified herein.

Abstract: A pressurized forward osmotic separation process is disclosed. Generally there are two processes described. One process involves the concentration of a target solute in the first solution; the other process involves the extraction of a solvent from a first solution both by a second solution comprising of water and soluble gas or water, soluble gas, and a compound by creating an osmotic concentration gradient across the semi permeable membrane. The first solution is under pressure from an inert gas and the second solution is under pressure from a soluble gas with equal system pressures greater than 1 atmosphere. The increase or decrease of partial pressure of the soluble gas in the second solution increases or decreases the chemical potential of the second solution to achieve different solution properties. The soluble gas may be carbon dioxide and the compound may be magnesium hydroxide.

Abstract: Described herein are systems for manipulating a flowable substance, comprising: a flowable substance; a heating means; a cooling means; and a composition comprising chemically inert particles coated with a stimuli-responsive material. Compositions and methods for using the compositions are also described herein.

Abstract: Described herein are proteins having lyase activity and nucleic acid sequences which code therefor; along with methods of expressing, isolating, purifying, and using same.

Abstract: The invention is a thermoelectric device fabricated by growing a single crystal AlInN semiconductor material on a substrate, and a method of fabricating same. In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor material is AlInN grown on and lattice-matched to a GaN template on a sapphire substrate, and the growth is performed using metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE).

Abstract: Augmented or synergized anti-inflammatory constructs are disclosed including terpenes covalently conjugated with other anti-inflammatory molecules such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vanilloids, amino acids and polyamines; and anti-inflammatory molecules covalently conjugated with specific amino acids. For the latter, further conjugation with a choline bioisostere further augments the anti-inflammatory activity.

Abstract: Three unique subtypes of N-hydroxyamides and N-hydroxycarbamates containing both the vanilloid moiety (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl) and a lipophilic aliphatic moiety. Also disclosed are direct syntheses of these vanilloid fatty hydroxamates. The compounds possess inhibitory activity against the enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and matrix metallo-proteinase 9 (MMP-9). In addition, these substances bind to the calcium channel protein TRPV1 and inhibit vesicant-induced inflammation in skin and cornea. The compounds have utility in treating topical or systemic inflammatory processes in the skin and/or eye.

Abstract: Provided herein are conductive glass-metal compositions, as well as methods of making and using such compositions. In one example, the compositions include gold (Au) doped lithium-borate glasses shown to exhibit a transition from ionic to electronic conduction within the same sample. This is achieved via appropriate heat treatment, and particularly by heat treatment after annealing, wherein the post-annealing heat treatment is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature (Tg). The methods described herein are believed to introducing polarons formed from the trapping of electrons at partially ionized gold atoms. This unique electrical response provides new functionality to this class of nanocomposites. Additionally, increased thermal conductivity can be provided to an otherwise low conductive glass composition using the inventive methods and other subject matter provided herein.