Abstract: The present disclosure relates to conductors comprising a conducting member comprising silver and a functionalized organosiloxane network having at least one functional group capable of trapping silver or a silver ion as well as to methods of preparing the same. For example, the functionalized organosiloxane network can at least substantially inhibit dendrite formation between a first conducting member and a second conducting member. For example, the conductors may be used in an electronic circuit such as a printed electronic circuit.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic transducer assembly, a conformable ultrasonic transducer has a piezoelectric layer and electrodes able to conform to curved surfaces, and a clamp for pressing the transducer into ultrasonic contact with a curved surface. Conformability is ensured with a thin, porous piezoelectric layer and suitable electrical conductors and insulators. The ultrasonic transducer may operate without further thermal shielding under harsh environments and/or at high temperatures.

Abstract: Determining deviation of a multi jointed robot under load using a tribological contact between an end of the robot and any available hard constraint near the robot, involves pressing the end against the constraint, and then soliciting a movement of the end relative to the constraint in a tribologically resisted direction to apply a force that does not overbear the resistance. By measuring the force and a position encoded by the robot, a deviation of the robot under the corresponding load is determined. Correction terms may be required for deformation of the tribological surface and/or constraint. The constraint may be tooling or parts subjected to an intended process. The deviation at many measurement poses of the robot, each in multiple resisted directions, within the ordinary operating space of the robot, was used to derive compliances of the robot, and a kinetostatic model.

Abstract: The use of oxidatively transformed carotenoid or a component thereof to enhance the immune response in a subject for the treatment of infection or to enhance the immune response to an antigen in a subject being immunized. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions and kits containing the oxidatively transformed carotenoid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new process for the production of recombinant proteins, by transient transfection of suspension-grown human embryonic kidney cells (293 cell line and its genetic variants) with an expression vector, using polyethylenimine (PEI) as a transfection reagent. In a preferred embodiment, the process uses 293E cells expressing the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBNA 1 protein, in combination with an oriP-based episomal expression vector having an improved cytomegalovirus expression cassette comprising the CMV5 promoter. The process combines in a single step the cell growth, transfection and protein expression, is carried out without changing the culture medium, and allows to achieve high expression levels in a short period of time. The process may be carried out in a serum-free, low-protein culture medium, is easily scalable, compatible with continuous production processes, and fully adapted to high-throughput production of milligram quantities of recombinant proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a printed substrate comprising a trace of molecular ink thereon, the molecular ink being sintered to form a conductive metal trace forming the electronic device, wherein the molecular ink is chosen from a) a flake-less printable composition of 30-60 wt % of a C8-C12 silver carboxylate, 0.1-10 wt % of a polymeric binder and balance of at least one organic solvent, all weights based on total weight of the composition; or b) a flake-less printable composition of 5-75 wt % of bis(2-ethyl-1-hexylamine) copper (II) formate, bis(octylamine) copper (II) formate or tris(octylamine) copper (II) formate, 0.25-10 wt % of a polymeric binder and balance of at least one organic solvent, all weights based on total weight of the composition.

Abstract: There are provided compositions and methods for prevention or treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP)-associated diseases. More specifically, there are provided recombinant lipidated fusion proteins comprising pneumococcal surface antigen A (PsaA), the recombinant lipidated fusion proteins comprising, from N-terminus to C-terminus, the N-terminal native lipid signal peptide of PsaA and the C-terminal structural gene for PsaA. Methods of inducing broad spectrum mucosal immunity against SP comprising administering a vaccine comprising recombinant lipidated fusion proteins are also described.

Abstract: Described are various embodiments of a system, method and device for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). In some embodiments, the LIBS system comprises a silicon photomultiplier (Si PM) operated in a time-gated photon counting mode. Some such embodiments allow for the provision of a portable LIBS device. Also provided are embodiments for the measurement of constituent carbon, gold and/or other precious metal group elements in a target sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to antibodies and fragments thereof derived by humanization of an existing antibody, and methods of making them. The humanized antibodies of the present invention show enhanced binding to the brain endothelial antigen, improved transmigration across the blood-brain barrier, and increased thermal stability relative to the parent non-humanized antibody.

Abstract: A composition made of at least 60 wt. % of a thermoplastic elastomer resin and additives that are solid at least from 0-50° C., that has a Shore A hardness that is less than about 50 bears a patterned surface, the pattern comprising at least one microfluidic channel having a cross-sectional dimension smaller than 100 microns is a substrate for forming a microfluidic device. The chief advantages of such compositions are: its ability to bond in a sealing manner to smooth surfaces of many different compositions, its ease of manufacture and microstructure patterning, and its general impermeability to liquids.

Abstract: A mold half, especially for blow molding of thermoplastic articles, has a mold body defined at least in part by a single piece of aluminum or aluminum alloy mold material having a cavity and a pinch-off or other feature area and further having a metal-matrix composite (MMC) layer formed integrally in the mold body at the pinch-off or other feature area. A mold is fabricated from two mated mold halves. A process of producing a mold half involves machining a single piece of mold material to provide a mold body having a cavity and a pinch-off or other feature area, the pinch-off or other feature area being of smaller dimension than required for the mold half, integrally forming a metal-matrix composite layer in the pinch-off or other feature area to build up the pinch-off or other feature area to at least a dimension required for the mold half. The metal-matrix composite comprises an aluminum-nickel alloy matrix (e.g. AI-12Si alloy alloyed with Ni) having WC particles embedded therein or a aluminum matrix (e.g.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to transfection complexes of rosette nanotubes and one or more nucleic acids.

Abstract: A novel lipoteichoic acid (LTA) was isolated from C. difficile, the structure of which is illustrated below wherein n is an integer between 1 and 20, R3 and R4 are independently selected from C 14:0, C 16:0, C 16:1, C 18:0 or C18:1 fatty acid or any combination thereof wherein one of COR3 or COR4 may be replaced by H. Further described are conjugates comprising the novel LTA and vaccines produced using the isolated LTA and the LTA conjugates. The invention also encompasses methods of conferring immunity against C. difficile comprising administering a vaccine of the invention, and methods of detecting C. difficile using the isolated LTA of the invention.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules from cannabis have been isolated and characterized and encode polypeptides having cannabichromenic acid synthase activity. Expression or over-expression of the nucleic acids alters levels of cannabinoid compounds. The polypeptides may be used in vivo or in vitro to produce cannabinoid compounds.

Abstract: A technique for wastewater treatment involves ensuring that all paths for wastewater must pass through at least one porous microbial support to go from the inlet to the outlet, and allowing a biofilm to grow on the porous microbial support under microaerobic conditions (concentration of oxygen between 0.05 and 0.35 mg/L). The biofilm formed comprises a population of anaerobic microbes for digesting organics in the wastewater including methanogenic microbes, and an aerobic methanotrophic and heterotrophic population that catabolizes methane from the methanogenic microbes, and oxygen from the injector, to produce heat. The support may be an electrode, and the technique is applied in a microbial electrolysis cell, with substantial COD removal rates.

Abstract: Disclosed is the use of fluorinated cyclic dinucleotides and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof as an adjuvant for the preparation of an oral vaccine. Further disclosed is the use of fluorinated cyclic dinucleotides and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for enhancing the immune response to an orally administered vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to transfection complexes of rosette nanotubes and one or more nucleic acids.

Abstract: A methods and systems for determining a change in condition of a rock bolt. Some methods may comprise, at a first point in time, propagating shear and longitudinal ultrasonic waves along the rock bolt to measure a first time of flight for each of the shear and longitudinal waves, at a second point in time after the first point in time, propagating shear and longitudinal ultrasonic waves along the rock bolt to measure a second time of flight for each of the shear and longitudinal waves, and using the relative changes of the first and second time of flights, determining the change in condition of the rock bolt section.

Abstract: An ion exchange resin membrane or an ion exchange precursor resin membrane having a thickness of 25 microns or less and having an orientation ratio of 1.5 or less; which may be produced by co-extruding an ion exchange precursor resin with an incompatible polymer to form a multilayer film having a layer of the ion exchange precursor resin supported on a layer of the incompatible polymer. The layer of incompatible polymer is then removed from the layer of ion exchange precursor resin to provide the ion exchange precursor resin membrane. The ion exchange precursor resin membrane may be converted to an ion exchange resin membrane by hydrolysis, and subsequent acidification if desired.

Abstract: A method for modulation of yield and semiconducting (sc)-purity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in a conjugated polymer extraction (CPE) process, the method comprising addition of an n-type dopant or a p-type dopant to the CPE process, wherein: the n-type dopant has a reduction potential of between ?4.2 eV and ?3.0 eV; and the p-type dopant has a reduction potential of between ?6.0 eV and ?4.5 eV.