Abstract: A “wireless cable” (also referred to as a “free-space waveguide”), which does not require a continuous body of conducting wire, is provided. Rather, a series of conducting rings, each loaded with a suitable capacitance element, is properly arranged in an empty medium. The distance between the conducting ring elements is of the order of half the wavelength of the signal to be carried, or less. Normally, the series of ring elements would operate as an antenna array, radiating the signal power away from the structure. However, under suitable design conditions, ideally all the signal power can be directed along an axis of the series of conducting ring elements. A signal source can be connected to the ring element at one end of the series, and a suitable electrical load be connected to the element at the opposite end to collect the guided signal power. Additional matching circuits may be provided to properly couple the source and load to the wireless cable.

Abstract: Data is transmitted from a source wireless device to a destination wireless device by: (a) discovering node-to-node wireless channel conditions in a wireless network; (b) determining at least one of (A) wireless relay devices, (B) modulation schemes, and (C) transmission rates using the discovered node-to-node channel conditions; (c) signaling at least some of the determined information to the determined wireless relay devices; (d) receiving, with each of the wireless relay devices, a transmission of the data from the source wireless device; and (e) transmitting, with each of the wireless relay devices, a randomized, space-time encoded, part of the received data, to the destination device using the signaled at least some of the determined information.

Abstract: Flexible network policies might be enforced by (a) obtaining a flow of network packets, (b) determining a content characteristic by characterizing content of the flow using bit-stream level statistics, (c) determining content-independent flow characteristics, port-independent flow characteristics, and/or application header-independent flow characteristics, and (d) enforcing a policy on the flow using both (1) the determined content characteristic and the (2) determined content-independent flow characteristics, port-independent flow characteristics, and/or application header-independent flow characteristics.

Abstract: Generating and using a high-speed, scalable and easily updateable data structures are described. The proposed data structure provides minimal perfect hashing functionality while intrinsically supporting low-cost set-membership queries. In other words, in some embodiments, it provides at most one match candidate in a set of known arbitrary-length bit strings that is used to match the query.

Abstract: Generating and using a high-speed, scalable, and easily updateable data structure are described. The proposed data structure provides minimal perfect hashing functionality while intrinsically supporting low-cost set-membership queries. In other words, in some embodiments, it provides at most one match candidate in a set of known arbitrary-length bit strings that is used to match the query.

Abstract: Improved distribution of video information in an infrastructure-based wireless network is provided. A wireless channel condition between the video server node and each of the plurality of receiver nodes is determined. Receiver nodes are assigned into one of a first group and a second group using the measured wireless channel conditions, wherein receiver nodes assigned to the first group have, on average, a better measured wireless channel condition than that of receiver nodes assigned to the second group. At least some of the receiver nodes of the first group of nodes are selected to serve as relay nodes. Video information is then transmitted wirelessly from the video server node to the receiver nodes assigned to the first group. Each of the selected relay nodes then transmits at least a part of the video information to the receiver nodes of the second group.

Abstract: Host malware (or change) may be detected by (1) receiving baseline set of response time information for each of one or more transactions involving (A) the host and (B) at least one peer of the host, (2) determining or receiving a later set of response time information for each of the one or more transactions involving the host and the at least one peer of the host, and (3) determining whether or not host slowdown has occurred using the baseline set of response time information and the later set of response time information. The execution of a host malware (or change) protection policy may be controlled using at least the determination of whether or not host slowdown has occurred.

Abstract: A method and process for the preparation of ricinoleic acid analogs and oligomers and polymers containing such ricinoleic acid analogs.

Abstract: Remotely controlled and miniature biomimetic robotic fish for use as a scientific and educational tool, flexible and robust enough to be used for education from kindergarten through college level curricula, and including modular features that allow students to interact with the design of the robot based on observation of nature.

Abstract: A peptide probe that generates fluorescence signals rapidly upon recognition of various A? aggregates without significant perturbation of samples. The present peptide probes display an increase in fluorescence signals upon coincubation with A? oligomers, but neither monomeric/dimeric species nor fibrils. The detection can occur within an hour or two without any additional sample preparation and incubation steps.

Abstract: Wireless protocols that employ a helper node are adapted so that they may take advantage of authentication security (and perhaps encryption security). Thus, such protocols may be used with security protocols such as 802.11i protocol (or the like) for example.

Abstract: One-pot biotransformations give oligo(?-L-Et-Glu) decorated with selected amine-functionalized end-groups at C-termini with a first process controlling the end group structure of peptides synthesized by protease catalyzed peptide synthesis, and a second process incorporating end-groups that can be used directly or after further modification as polymerizable entities. Papain, bromelain, ?-chymotrypsin, Multifect P-3000 and Purafect prime 4000L are used as catalysts for oligomerization of ?-L-(Et)2-Glu in the presence of mono functional amines. The series of amine nucleophiles (NH2—R, acyl acceptors) mimic phenylalanine in that they possess aromatic rings linked to amine groups by one or more methylenes. Generally, addition of increased quantities of NH2—R from 0 to 30, 50 and 70 mol % with respect to ?-L-(Et)2-Glu results in decreased %-yield but increased mol % of NH2—R end-capped oligo(?-L-Et-Glu)-NH—R (determined by NMR).

Abstract: Compositions and methods for delivering bioactive agents, such as vitamins, hormones, nutrients and drugs, by stabilizing and or solubilizing these agents in a polymer matrix. The carrier polymers can be used in drug delivery and are useful for delivery of small molecules.

Abstract: A new P2P streaming method and apparatus disseminates video chunks to all peers with the minimum (or at least reduced) delay. After obtaining a new video chunk, a peer keeps transmitting (uploading) that video chunk to other peers until all peers receive it. The approach quickly increases the aggregate bandwidth that can be utilized to transmit a video chunk. For example, the aggregate peer bandwidth used to transmit a video chunk can double every time slot. For a homogeneous P2P streaming system with N peers, a time slot is defined as a unit of the single chunk transmission delay between two peers. Using the P2P streaming method, a video chunk can be disseminated to all peers within 1+log2 N time slots.

Abstract: A new P2P streaming method and apparatus disseminates video chunks to all peers with the minimum (or at least reduced) delay. After obtaining a new video chunk, a peer keeps transmitting (uploading) that video chunk to other peers until all peers receive it. The approach quickly increases the aggregate bandwidth that can be utilized to transmit a video chunk. For example, the aggregate peer bandwidth used to transmit a video chunk can double every time slot. For a homogeneous P2P streaming system with N peers, a time slot is defined as a unit of the single chunk transmission delay between two peers. Using the P2P streaming method, a video chunk can be disseminated to all peers within 1+log2 N time slots.

Abstract: Whether or not a node is a relay node may be determined by, for each of a plurality of active flows, assigning a random number to the flow, wherein each of the random numbers is drawn from a distribution. Then, for each of a plurality of time slots, any incoming flows to the node and any outgoing flows from the node may be determined, random numbers assigned to any active flow of the incoming flows may be summed to generate a first sum, random numbers assigned to any active outgoing flows may be summed to generating a second sum, and the first sum may be multiplied with the second sum to generate a product associated with the time slot. The products over the plurality of time slots may then be summed to obtain a summed product. This may be repeated, reassigning random values to each of the plurality of flows, thereby obtaining a plurality of summed products. A variance of the plurality of summed products may be determined and compared with a threshold to obtain a comparison result.

Abstract: An enzymatic process for preparing aliphatic polycarbonates via terpolymerization or transesterification using a dialkyl carbonate, an aliphatic diester, and an aliphatic diol or triol reactant. A catalyst having an enzyme capable of catalyzing an ester hydrolysis reaction in an aqueous environment is subsequently added to the reaction mixture. Next, polymerization of the reaction proceeds for an allotted time at a temperature?100° C. Finally, the copolymer is isolated from an the catalyst via filtration.

Abstract: View-upload decoupled (“VUD”) peer-to-peer (P2P) video distribution is provided, in which each peer is assigned to one or more channels to upload, with the assignments made independent of what the peer is viewing. For each assigned channel, the peer distributes (that is, uploads) the channel. This effectively creates semi-permanent distribution swarms for each channel, which are formed by peers responsible for uploading that channel. This can minimize problems associated with channel churn because peers may remain in their assigned distribution groups even if they switch channels. To minimize cross-channel overhead associated with VUD P2P video distribution, substream swarming, in which a peer in a distribution swarm only downloads a small portion of the video stream, called a substream, and uploads the substream to multiple viewers, may be provided.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for preparing polymer hydrogel spherical particles on a nanometer scale (nanogels). The method includes encapsulating hydrogel-forming components into liposomes, diluting the large unilamellar liposomes suspension to prevent polymerization outside the liposomes, and polymerizing the encapsulated hydrogel-forming components. The lipid bilayer may be solubilized with detergent. The phospholipid and detergent molecules and their micelles may then be removed by dialysis. The resulting nanogels may then be dried by evaporation in a temperature gradient. Poly(acrylamide), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-1-vinylimidazole) hydrogel particles with a diameter from 30 to 300 nm were detected and characterized by dynamic light scattering technique. The solvent, temperature, pH, and ionic sensitivities of the nanogels were studied.

Abstract: Files can be reassembled from fragments by (a) accepting (or determining) adjacency scores for each pair of fragments from a set of fragments, (b) identifying header fragments from among the fragments of the set of fragments, and (c) for each of the header fragments identified, reconstructing a corresponding one of two or more files from the fragments of the set of fragments such that the sum of the adjacency scores are optimized. Any of the fragments, other than the identified header fragments, are permitted to belong, at least provisionally, to more than one of the at least two files when reconstructing the file(s).