Abstract: A system and method for chat-based studies utilizing a plurality of users may be provided, utilizing at least one chat room processor and a plurality of remote processors. The chat room processors may be configured to receive a chat room template, create a plurality of chat rooms based on the chat room template, assign participants to one chat rooms, provide instructions associated with the chat room when all participants are present, provide questions or prompts at times defined by the chat room template or when conditions defined by the chat room template are met, collect all messages received from each participant, and storing information that includes the message, a time stamp the message was sent and/or received, and at least one unique identification code associated with the participant sending the message.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a cellular architecture for enhanced privacy regarding identity and location of a computing device is disclosed. The architecture includes a next generation core (NGC). The NGC includes an authentication server function (AUSF) configured to determine whether the computing device contains a valid subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a user plane function (UPF) configured to allow a computing device to connect to the Internet. The architecture further includes a gateway connected to the UPF, the gateway configured to authenticate the computing device while hiding the identity of the computing device by verifying authentication tokens that represent units of access.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a machine learning based method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for identifying content on social media related to one or more coordinated influence efforts are disclosed. The method includes generating one or more datasets of post-uniform resource locator (URL) pairs produced from one or more known coordinated influence efforts on one or more social media platforms. The method further includes generating one or more datasets of post-URL pairs produced from one or more random users on one or more social media platforms. The method additionally includes extracting a plurality of content-based features from the post-URL pairs from known coordinated influence efforts and random users.

Abstract: From diagnostic imaging to drug delivery, nanoparticles have found a tremendous variety of uses across fields. Often, when designing these nanoscale constructs, the two most important criteria are particle size and core loading. For example, small particles below 100 nm can have many advantages for drug delivery—including improved specificity to tumors through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Likewise, higher loading nanoparticles translate very well to more effective drug delivery and cancer imaging—allowing for lower dosage and reduced costs. Traditional formulations of nanoparticles using drug absorption or precipitation methods generally struggle to obtain >50% loading. Disclosed herein is a precipitation process allowing for production of stable particles at very high core loading by taking advantage of different time scales while maintaining biologically relevant sizes.

Abstract: Ultra-lightweight aerogels and methods for fabricating such aerogels from ammonia borane and a support structure, where the support structure is either two-dimensional nanostructures, or hydrocarbon polymer colloids. The components are mixed, then annealed. The properties of the disclosed aerogels can be tuned by controlling the ratio between the support structure and the ammonia borane, or by infiltrating the aerogels with additives.

Abstract: A method for producing metabolites that are heavy alcohols, and particularly branched-chain alcohols is provided, involving contacting a suitable substrate with recombinant microorganisms. The microorganisms contain at least one deletion, disruptions, or mutations from the GLN gene family, VPS gene family, GNP gene family, AVT gene family, GCN gene family, or YDR391C, and combinations thereof, and overproduce the heavy alcohol as compared to a wild-type yeast strain.

Abstract: A precipitation route to form nanoparticles with a hydrophilic core containing water soluble materials and a hydrophobic shell is described. The process requires a stabilizing polymer composed of more polar and more non-polar regions. These regions can be arranged as a linear block copolymer, or as a comb polymer with a linear or branched polar backbone and non-polar side chains or substituents. Nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, as well as proteins, peptides, and polysaccharides or combinations can be encapsulated in the nanoparticle core. The encapsulation of nucleic acids can require partially or fully neutralizing the acid with a base to enhance the solubility of the nucleic acid in the process solvent stream. The core or the shell of the resulting nanoparticles can be crosslinked. The nanoparticles may be coated with additional polymer to bring them into water, or processed into microparticles or larger monoliths.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electromagnetic-circuit co-design approach for massively reconfigurable, multifunctional, and high-speed programmable metasurfaces with integrated chip tiling. The ability to manipulate the incident electromagnetic fields in a dynamically programmable manner and at high speeds using integrated chip tiling approach is also disclosed. The scalable architecture uses electromagnetic-circuit co-design of metasurfaces where each individual subwavelength meta-element is uniquely addressable and programmable. The disclosed device comprises a large array of such meta-elements. The design relies on integrated high frequency switches designed in conjugation with meta-element for massive reconfigurability of incident amplitude and phase. The disclosed chip is multi-functional and can perform beamforming, high speed spatial light modulation, dynamic holographic projections, and wavefront manipulation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for calculating genetic score based on genotypic information that predicts plasticity in a phenotype. More particularly, disclosed is an algorithm to calculate a particular type of genetic score based on basic genotypic information that is provided by commercially available technologies ranging from “SNP-chips” to whole genome sequencing. Polygenic scores— attempts to summarize the genetic propensity for or risk of a given phenotype (i.e., disease or trait)—have been around for more than a decade. They aim to predict the level of a trait—i.e., how tall or short someone may be or what their blood pressure or BMI might be. The Variation Polygenic Score (“vPGS”) disclosed herein is different. Its purpose is not to predict whether someone who scores higher or lower on the vPGS will be, for instance, heavier or lighter or have a higher or lower IQ. Rather, it is formulated to predict variation. The disclosed vPGS does not predict the mean level but rather the dispersion around that mean.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for experimentally optimizing information quality and engagement in crowd sourced evaluation systems. It allows estimating efficiencies of different strategies to provide the greatest opportunity for social learning. It can be used for continuous tuning of social feedback. Also disclosed is a system that allows experimentation with crowd sourced evaluations of virtual services. The experimental system supports large scale online recruitment of participants into web-browser 3D virtual world. The virtual world can be designed to approximate several types of real-world, distributed information systems. Social influences can be experimentally introduced into the feedback system in order to empirically optimize its utility.

Abstract: A method and compositions of matter for treating or preventing an auto-immune disorder or immune response in a patient, that includes providing a therapeutic dose to the patient of a substituted indole compound having at least one substitution, wherein the substituted indole compound has only one thiol group, and wherein the ring the thiol group is attached to only contains one N or O atom.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for active stabilization of parasitic fringes in optical spectrometers, wherein the spectrometer obtains the transmission spectrum, and a signal processor extracts the etalon drift from the spectral signatures of parasitic fringes. The disclosed approach improves spectrometer accuracy, minimizes drift, and increases time between calibrations.

Abstract: Described herein are chimeric polypeptides that include one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Additional aspects of the present disclosure provide genetically altered plants having a chimeric polypeptide including one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Further aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered plants having a stabilized polypeptide including two or more RBMs and one or both of an algal Rubisco-binding membrane protein (RBMP) and a Rubisco small subunit (SSU) protein. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such chimeric polypeptides and plants, as well as cultivating these genetically altered plants.

Abstract: Formulations including dihydromyricetin (DHM) and a fatty acid salt or a fatty acid.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a machine-learning based system for simulating tropical cyclones (TCs) and assessing TC risk is disclosed. The system includes a hierarchical Poisson genesis module configured to develop a Poisson regression and TC genesis simulation on a plurality of clustering grids. The system further includes an analog-wind track module configured to determine movement of a TC by both analog predictors formed by historical track patterns and current in situ wind. The system additionally includes a Markov intensity module configured to determine intensity change of the TC by considering three hidden discrete states of storm intensity change and associating each state with a probability distribution of intensity change.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a machine-learning based system for diabetes analysis is disclosed. The system includes one or more processors configured to interact with a plurality of wearable medical sensors (WMSs). The processors are configured to receive physiological data from the WMSs and demographic data from a user interface. The processors are further configured to train at least one neural network based on a grow-and-prune paradigm to generate at least one diabetes inference model. The neural network grows at least one of connections and neurons based on gradient information and prunes away at least one of connections and neurons based on magnitude information. The processors are also configured to output a diabetes-based decision by inputting the received physiological data and demographic data into the generated diabetes inference model.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a sensing device for measuring oxygen concentration cycles in breath is disclosed. The sensing device includes a laser configured to emit light at an A-band of oxygen, a lens configured to collimate the light, and a multi-pass cell configured to contain a replaceable sample cell. The light passes through the multi-pass cell and is attenuated by oxygen in the sample cell. The sensing device further includes a photodetector configurated to convert the attenuated light into an electrical signal, and a lock-in amplifier or an equivalent processing circuit configured to determine oxygen concentration from the electrical signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to granular composite density enhancement, and related methods and compositions. The application where the properties are valuable include but are not limited to: 1) additive manufacturing (“3D printing”) involving metallic, ceramic, cermet, polymer, plastic, or other dry or solvent-suspended powders or gels, 2) concrete materials, 3) solid propellant materials, 4) cermet materials, 5) granular armors, 6) glass-metal and glass-plastic mixtures, and 7) ceramics comprising (or manufactured using) granular composites.

Abstract: Provided are phosphonopyrazole-based phosphohistidine analogs that are useful as haptens for the preparation of immunogens, immunogens that include these haptens linked to carrier molecules, antibodies thereto and uses of these antibodies, haptens, immunogens and phosphohistidine analogs.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a method for generating a compact and accurate neural network for a dataset that has initial data and is updated with new data is disclosed. The method includes performing a first training on the initial neural network architecture to create a first trained neural network architecture. The method additionally includes performing a second training on the first trained neural network architecture when the dataset is updated with new data to create a second trained neural network architecture. The second training includes growing one or more connections for the new data based on a gradient of each connection, growing one or more connections for the new data and the initial data based on a gradient of each connection, and iteratively pruning one or more connections based on a magnitude of each connection until a desired neural network architecture is achieved.