Abstract: A solid oxide battery includes a solid electrolyte disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are coupled to an external source or load to charge or discharge the solid oxide battery. The solid electrolyte is formed from a proton conducting material to transport and store hydrogen, which is the source of chemical energy. The second electrode is formed from a noble metal configured to induce formation of oxygen vacancies at the interface between the second electrode and the solid electrolyte. The oxygen vacancies are used to split water molecules during charging of the solid oxide battery, which results in the generation of hydrogen. Under bias, the hydrogen ions are transported into the solid electrolyte and stored. During discharge, a reverse process occurs where hydrogen is used to generate water and electricity.

Abstract: Embodiments related to systems and methods of crack detection in wafers (e.g., silicon wafers for photovoltaics, photovoltaic devices including silicon wafers) are disclosed. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include a light source configured to illuminate a side of a wafer and a camera directed towards a first face of the wafer. In some embodiments, a long axis of a field of view of the camera may be angled relative to a propagation direction of the light source. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the field of view of the camera is offset from the path of propagation of light emitted from the light source through the wafer. In some embodiments, at least a portion of a light beam may be oriented at a positive non-zero angle relative to the first face of the wafer, and a dimension of the light beam normal to the first face of the wafer may be larger than a thickness of the wafer.

Abstract: Herein is provided a fiber length including a doped fiber core extending over the fiber length. First and second cladding regions radially surround the core. At least one pump light input site is arranged to accept input pump light into the first cladding region. A low-absorption length over which the first cladding region has a first cross-sectional geometry produces a first level of absorption of input pump light from the first cladding region to the core, extending from a pump light input site for an extent over which the doped core can absorb at least about 10% of input pump light from the first cladding region. A high-absorption section over which the first cladding region has a second cross-sectional geometry produces a second level of absorption of input pump light from the first cladding region to the core, greater than the first level of absorption of input pump light.

Abstract: A method and a surface penetrating radar (SPR) system for localization of a vehicle are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a radar signal having a first frequency into a subsurface region adjacent to a vehicle. A first set of SPR images of a first subsurface volume within the subsurface region is acquired and location data for the vehicle are determined from the first set of SPR images. A second radar signal having a frequency that is greater than the first frequency is transmitted into the subsurface region and a second set of SPR images of a second subsurface volume within the subsurface region is acquired. The second subsurface volume at least partially overlaps the first subsurface volume. Location data are determined from the second set of SPR images at a greater resolution than the location data determined from the first set of SPR images.

Abstract: In some aspects, the disclosure relates to compositions and method for detection, classification, and treatment of cancer. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to protease imaging sensors comprising a scaffold linked to an enzyme-specific substrate that includes a first detectable marker capable of being released from the prostate protease sensor when exposed to an enzyme present in cancer and a tumor imaging agent comprising a second detectable marker that is linked to the scaffold. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of monitor progression of a tumor in a subject based upon detection of detectable markers in a sample obtained from a subject who has been administered a protease imaging sensor, upon detection of a tumor imaging agent, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Triggerable hydrogel compositions and related methods are generally disclosed. In some embodiments, the compositions and related methods may be used for medical-related or other applications. For example, the compositions and methods described herein may be useful, for example, in biomedical applications such as articles for (e.g., gastric) retention. In some embodiments, methods for deploying and/or removing an article comprising the composition, such as an article for gastric retention, are provided. The article and/or composition may be removed internally from a subject by, for example, introducing at least one reagent (e.g., one reagent, two reagents) such that at least a portion of the composition disassociates. In certain embodiments, the composition comprises a polymer network comprising two or more interpenetrating polymers. In some cases, a first polymer comprises a first cross-link moiety configured to dissociate upon interaction with a reagent.

Abstract: Actuators with one or more gears disposed at least partially within a central bore passing axially through a stator and/or a rotor of an actuator are described.

Abstract: State-of-the-art portable Raman spectrometers use discrete free-space optical components that must be aligned well and that don't tolerate vibrations well. Conversely, the inventive spectrometers are made with monolithic photonic integration to fabricate some or all optical components on one or more planar substrates. Photonic integration enables dense integration of components, eliminates manual alignment and individual component assembly, and yields superior mechanical stability and resistance to shock or vibration. These features make inventive spectrometers especially suitable for use in high-performance portable or wearable sensors. They also yield significant performance advantages, including a large (e.g., 10,000-fold) increase in Raman scattering efficiency resulting from on-chip interaction of the tightly localized optical mode and the analyte and a large enhancement in spectral resolution and sensitivity resulting from the integration of an on-chip Fourier-transform spectrometer.

Abstract: Certain embodiments involve administering a residence structure to a subject (e.g., a patient) in a constrained configuration, then unconstraining the structure such that it is retained at a location internally of the subject for a period of time. The structure includes a loadable component that can carry an active substance for release internally of the subject.

Abstract: Certain embodiments involve gastric residence structures which can be administered to a subject (e.g., a patient) in a configuration constrained by a retaining element, and configured to mediate a change in shape when unconstrained by the retaining element to assume a configuration in the stomach in which is retained and unable to pass through the gastric pyloric orifice of the subject under gastrointestinal physiological conditions. The residence structures can be loaded with an agent for release in the stomach.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, compositions, reagents, systems, and kits to prepare and utilize branched multi-functional macromonomers, which contain a ring-opening metathesis polymerizable norbornene group, one or more reactive sites capable of undergoing click chemistry, and a terminal acyl group capable of undergoing a coupling reaction; branched multi-cargo macromonomers; and the corresponding polymers are disclosed herein. Various embodiments show that the macromonomers and polymers disclosed herein display unprecedented control of cargo loading of agents. These materials have the potential to be utilized for the treatment of diseases and conditions such as cancer and hypertension.

Abstract: Laser light source geolocation. The system includes two spaced-apart ground based sensors for receiving light from a laser source that has been off-axis scattered by air molecules and particulates to form scattered light imagery. A processor operates on the imagery from the two sensors to geolocate the laser light source on the ground.

Abstract: A tag for detecting an analyte can include a radio frequency identification tag including a sensor portion, the sensor portion configured to change resistivity when the radio frequency identification tag contacts or interacts with an analyte, whereby the resistivity change alters an output of the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the sensor portion includes a circuit, and wherein the sensor portion is configured to activate the circuit or deactivate the circuit when contacted or having interacted with the analyte, wherein the sensor portion includes a conductive material associated with a polymer complex.

Abstract: Underwater robotic systems are disclosed. In some instances, a robotic system may include a body, a flexible fin, and a rotatable mass associated with the body such that angular acceleration of the rotatable mass causes a reaction torque that rotates the body to deform the flexible fin to create thrust in water.

Abstract: The invention, in some aspects relates to compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function and the introduction and use of light-activated ion channels.

Abstract: Described herein are structures and techniques for highly-connected qubit interaction using a “paramagnetic tree coupling” scheme. In one embodiment, a structure for providing highly-connected qubit interaction includes a plurality of qubits and, for each of the plurality of qubits, a paramagnetic medium connecting the qubit to each other one of the plurality of qubits, where the paramagnetic medium includes a series of inductive couplers.

Abstract: A method for non-invasively resolving electrophysiological activity in sub-cortical structures located deep in the brain by comparing amplitude-insensitive M/EEG field patterns arising from activity in subcortical and cortical sources under physiologically relevant sparse constraints is disclosed. The method includes a sparse inverse solution for M/EEG subcortical source modeling. Specifically, the method employs a subspace-pursuit algorithm rooted in compressive sampling theory, performs a hierarchical search for sparse subcortical and cortical sources underlying the measurement, and estimates millisecond-scale currents in these sources to explain the data. The method can be used to recover thalamic and brainstem contributions to non-invasive M/EEG data, and to enable non-invasive study of fast timescale dynamical and network phenomena involving widespread regions across the human brain.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and products associated with in vivo enzyme profiling. In particular, biomarker nanoparticles capable of quantitatively detecting enzymatic activity in vivo are described. These nanoparticles can be used to detect in vivo enzyme activity. The invention also relates to products, kits, and databases for use in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for an in vitro evolution technique to identify and characterize mutations in the non-structural genes of an alphavirus replicon that increase the strength and persistence of expression of the replicon genome. Also provided herein are in vivo methods for administering to an animal model a mutated alphavirus replicon that codes for a gene of experimental or therapeutic interest in the subgenome of the alphavirus replicon. The mutations identified herein improve the therapeutic potential of self-replicating RNA, which may have implications for cancer immunotherapy and beyond, e.g., for vaccination or gene therapy.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for evaluating disease, such as cancer, by way of performing multiple assays involving single-cell analysis on live cells isolated from a sample of a patient. The data obtained from the multiple assays is analyzed and linked to thereby provide a characterization of any given cell having undergone analysis, which, in turn, allows for evaluation of the sample either known to be, or suspected of being, cancerous. A report may be generated based on the data analysis, wherein the report provides information related to the cancer evaluation, including, but not limited to, whether the sample tested positive for cancer, a determination of a stage or progression of cancer, and a customized treatment plan tailored to an individual patient's cancer diagnosis.