Abstract: A method of inverse reinforcement learning for estimating reward and value functions of behaviors of a subject includes: acquiring data representing changes in state variables that define the behaviors of the subject; applying a modified Bellman equation given by Eq. (1) to the acquired data: r ? ( x ) + ? ? ? V ? ( y ) - V ? ( x ) = ? ln ? ? ? ? ( y | x ) b ? ( y | x ) , ? ( 1 ) = ? ln ? ? ? ? ( x , y ) b ? ( x , y ) - ln ? ? ? ? ( x ) b ? ( x ) ,                                                ? ( 2 ) where r(x) and V(x) denote a reward function and a value function, respectively, at state x, and ? represents a discount factor, and b(y|x) and ?(y|x) denote state transition probabilities before and after learning, respectively; estimating a logarithm of the density ratio ?(x)/b(x) in Eq. (2); estimating r(x) and V(x) in Eq.

Abstract: A method of forming crystallized semiconductor particles includes: forming amorphous semiconductor particles in a vacuumed aggregation chamber; transporting the amorphous semiconductor particles formed in the vacuumed aggregation chamber to a vacuumed deposition chamber within which a substrate is held; and applying a vapor of a metal catalyst to the amorphous semi-conductor particles while still in transit to the substrate in the vacuumed deposition chamber to induce crystallization of at least portion of the amorphous semiconductor particles via the metal catalyst in the transit, thereby depositing the crystallized semiconductor particles with the metal catalyst attached thereto onto the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives of formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The process of the invention provides the compound of formula I in concise cascade reactions and in one pot. The compound of formulae I prepared by the process of the invention and its further transformed derivatives are useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: A method and system for obtaining force are provided, wherein the system includes a block made of a photoelastic material having multiple surfaces including a first surface on which an object is exerting the force to the block, and one or more polariscopes configured around the block, and wherein the method includes measuring photoelastic intensities by using three polariscopes simultaneously and obtaining each set of the photoelastic intensities sequentially in time to obtain a sequence of measured photoelastic intensities, and obtaining the force by using an optimization method based on the quantity associated with the difference between the measured and predicted photoelastic intensities.

Abstract: Computerized method and system for improving 3D reconstruction images involves applying the Extended Field Iterative Reconstruction Technique (EFIRT) to remove correlated noise, in addition to with COMET (constrained maximum relative entropy tomography) or other regularization techniques to eliminate uncorrelated noise, wherein the EFIRT is applied by performing a set of successive reconstructions on an extended field larger than a region of interest (ROI); and extracting and averaging the ROI from said set of successive reconstructions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for screening a compound that inhibits secretion of toxins into host-cell cytoplasm by virulent bacteria using a needle type III secretion system. The compound of the invention is selected by screening for a compound which interacts with a loop region of the cytoplasmic domain of the membrane protein FlhB from Salmonella typhimurium or a paralog thereof Compositions including the compound of the invention, use of the compound, and methods of treating disorders caused by virulent bacteria are also provided.

Abstract: A low energy electron diffraction (LEED) detection module (100) includes: a first vacuum chamber for receiving diffracted electrons from a specimen (109); a larger second vacuum chamber connected to the first vacuum chamber to receive the diffracted electrons that have been transported through the first vacuum chamber; a two-dimensional electron detector disposed in the second vacuum chamber to detect the diffracted electrons; a potential shield (106) disposed generally along an inner surface of the first vacuum chamber and an inner surface of the second vacuum chamber; a magnetic lens (105) to expand a beam of the diffracted electrons that have been transported through the first vacuum chamber towards the two-dimensional electron detector; and a generally plane-shaped energy filter (103) to repel electrons having an energy lower than the probe beam (203) of electrons that impinges on the specimen (109).

Abstract: Apparatus for improving a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of a sample is programmed to execute instructions including: removing uncorrelated noise in said 3D reconstruction with COMET or other regularization techniques; and removing correlated noise in said 3D reconstruction by applying an Extended Field Iterative Reconstruction Technique (EFIRT) procedure.

Abstract: A porous film made of size-selected tantalum nanoparticles is formed on a substrate, the porous film having a graded oxidation profile perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method for controlled release of a chemical substance in vivo with femtosecond laser pulses. The method comprises a step of injecting into the body of a subject a liposome which is filled with the chemical substance and attached to metal nanoparticles. Then, a laser pulse train is applied to the liposome from outside the body with a constant or variable laser intensity, exposure time and time between exposures, thereby releasing a controlled amount of the chemical substance in the body from the liposome on a timescale fast enough to reproduce neural signaling.

Abstract: A cranial window with an accessing port for medical research includes a sheet-shaped member configured to be installed as a cranial window on an outer brain skin of an animal subject through an opening in a skull, the sheet-shaped member having an optically transparent window therein or in entirety thereof to allow optical imaging into a brain of the animal subject; and an access port in the sheet-shaped member for allowing sterile insertion and removal of an accessing member having a sharp tip, the access port being configured to be self-sealing when the accessing member is removed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives of formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The process of the invention provides the compound of formula I in concise cascade reactions and in one pot. The compound of formulae I prepared by the process of the invention and its further transformed derivatives are useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives of formula I: wherein R1 and R2 are defined herein. The process of the invention provides the compound of formula I in concise cascade reactions and in one pot. The compound of formulae I prepared by the process of the invention and its further transformed derivatives are useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compound of formula I: wherein R1?, R2?, R3?, R4?, R5?, n and m are defined herein. The compound of formula I is prepared by a concise, catalytic enantioselective formal hetero-Diels-Alder (hDA) reactions of enones with isatins and is useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: A low energy electron diffraction (LEED) detection module (100) includes: a first vacuum chamber for receiving diffracted electrons from a specimen (109); a larger second vacuum chamber connected to the first vacuum chamber to receive the diffracted electrons that have been transported through the first vacuum chamber; a two-dimensional electron detector disposed in the second vacuum chamber to detect the diffracted electrons; a potential shield (106) disposed generally along an inner surface of the first vacuum chamber and an inner surface of the second vacuum chamber; a magnetic lens (105) to expand a beam of the diffracted electrons that have been transported through the first vacuum chamber towards the two-dimensional electron detector; and a generally plane-shaped energy filter (103) to repel electrons having an energy lower than the probe beam (203) of electrons that impinges on the specimen (109).

Abstract: A method of forming crystallized semiconductor particles includes: forming amorphous semiconductor particles in a vacuumed aggregation chamber; transporting the amorphous semiconductor particles formed in the vacuumed aggregation chamber to a vacuumed deposition chamber within which a substrate is held; and applying a vapor of a metal catalyst to the amorphous semi-conductor particles while still in transit to the substrate in the vacuumed deposition chamber to induce crystallization of at least portion of the amorphous semiconductor particles via the metal catalyst in the transit, thereby depositing the crystallized semiconductor particles with the metal catalyst attached thereto onto the substrate.

Abstract: Computerized method and system for improving 3D reconstruction images involves applying the Extended Field Iterative Reconstruction Technique (EFIRT) to remove correlated noise, in addition to using COMET (constrained maximum relative entropy tomography) to eliminate uncorrelated noise, wherein the EFIRT is applied by performing a set of successive reconstructions on an extended field larger than a region of interest (ROI); and extracting and averaging the ROI from said set of successive reconstructions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compound of formula I: wherein R1?, R2?, R3?, R4?, R5?, n and m are defined herein. The compound of formula I is prepared by a concise, catalytic enantioselective formal hetero-Diels-Alder (hDA) reactions of enones with isatins and is useful for making pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: A simulation system includes an interface component connected to a public or shared network that has less restrictive access than networks inside the firewall, generating a simulation job and registering the simulation job in a database, a job control component accessing said database to retrieve the simulation job and scheduling the simulation job for execution, and a simulation execution component receiving the simulation job from the job control component, creating executable codes for numerical and parallel computing algorithms and distributing computing processes to multiple computers to execute the simulation job.