Abstract: A battery management system (BMS) to detect conditions favorable to thermal runway. The BMS includes Interdigitated Platinum Electrode (IPE) on a substrate. The IPE contains a coating containing PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate). The system has an impedance measuring system (IMS) to measure impedance changes caused in the IPE due to exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC's) resulting from decomposition of electrolyte in a battery. The impedance changes are indicative of release of the VOC's from the battery signaling a temperature increase in components of the battery. A method of inferring the concentration of VOC's produced by an electrochemical cell. The method includes providing a sensor integrated into the electrochemical cell, the sensor being IPE on a substrate containing a coating containing PEDOT:PSS, recording the impedance response of the sensor to the VOC's released by the electrochemical cell and inferring the concentration of the VOC's.

Abstract: A topochemical approach for creating elongated C—C bonds with a bond length of 1.57˜1.70 ? between monomers in the solid state; and topochemically prepared highly crystalline polymers.

Abstract: Methods and nucleic acid sequences for the synthesis of biotemplates in a non-plant based expression system are provided. Such biotemplates include Barley stripe mosaic virus viral-like particles (BSMV-VLPs) that are capable of self-assembly due to being operatively linked with an origin of self-assembly with the Barley stripe mosaic virus capsid protein (BSMV-CP). Also provided are BSMV-VLPs that are capable of self-assembly due one or more site-directed mutations on the BSMV-CP, and BSMV-VLPs that exhibit enhanced stability due to such site-directed mutation(s).

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing materials to enhancing the material's surface strength, improving the material's cyclic and thermal stability of microstructures, and extend the material's fatigue performance. Embodiments include laser shock peening at material temperatures that are moderately elevated (from the material's perspective) above room temperature. Alternate embodiments include laser shock peening at very cold (cryogenic) material temperatures. Still further embodiments include laser shock peening while covering the surface of the material being processed with an active agent that interacts with the laser energy and enhances the pressure exerted on the surface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to adhesive compositions made from the reaction product of plant protein and phenolics, and method of making and using the adhesive compositions. A maximum bonding strength of 7.8±1.5 MPa was obtained using only 1 weight % tannic acid in a zein matrix of pH=7 and cured at 120° C.

Abstract: Digital imagery can help to quantify seasonal changes in desirable crop phenotypes that can be treated as quantitative traits. Because limitations in precise and functional phenotyping restrain genetic improvement in the post-genomic era, imagery-based phenomics could become the next breakthrough to accelerate genetic gains in field crops. Whereas many phenomic studies focus on exploratory analysis of spectral data without obvious interpretative value, we used field images to directly measure soybean canopy development from phenological stage V2 to R5. Over three years, we collected imagery using ground and aerial platforms of a large and diverse nested association panel comprising 5,555 lines. Genome-wide association analysis of canopy coverage across sampling dates detected a large quantitative trait locus on soybean (Glycine max, L. Merr.) chromosome 19. This QTL provided an increase in yield of 47.3 kg·ha?1.

Abstract: The present invention provides oxygenized nanobubbles and their uses in imaging and cancer treatment when combined with therapeutic drugs and precise ultrasound beam steering.

Abstract: A system may forecast a plurality of workload measurements for a database management system (DBMS) at respective times based on a workload model. The system may determine, based on the forecasted workload measurements, configuration parameter sets optimized for the DBMS at the respective times. The system may generate a reconfiguration plan. The system may determine performance that would result from reconfiguring nodes of the DBMS with the configurations parameter sets. The system may select a reconfiguration plan in response to the performance satisfying a fitness criterion. The system may cause, at the reconfiguration times, the nodes to begin reconfiguration with the configuration parameter sets included in the selected reconfiguration plan.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for analyzing a plant specimen. A housing assembly defines a sensing volume and controls entry of ambient light into the sensing volume when the housing is closed. A specimen support positions a plant specimen within the sensing volume whereby light emitted from at least one light emitter is incident upon the plant specimen. An image sensor senses light from the at least one light emitter that has been incident on the plant specimen. A processor analyzes data obtained from the light sensor to assess one or more properties of the plant specimen. There may be more than one light emitter, e.g., a halogen lamp and LED array, and the apparatus may acquire images under more than one lighting condition. The apparatus may include a mechanism for moving the plant specimen relative to the optical path to take images at multiple regions of interest on the specimen.

Abstract: A method for fabricating structures includes on a substrate includes providing the substrate having a substrate surface, and generating nanostructures or microstructures on the substrate surface at least in part by exposing the substrate surface to thermal particles from a thermal particle source while irradiating the substrate surface with an ion beam. The generated nanostructures or microstructures have a smaller surface area than the area of incidence of the ion beam or a beam generated by the thermal particle source. The method also includes obtaining a measurement of a characteristic of the substrate surface and adjusting at least one of the thermal particle source and the ion beam based on the measurement.

Abstract: A heterogeneous catalyst for substrate-directed hydrogenation includes bimetallic nanoparticles of M1-M2, wherein M1 is a noble metal and M2 is a first-row transition metal. The bimetallic nanoparticles are on a substrate and atoms of both the noble metal and the first-row transition metal are distributed across surfaces of the bimetallic nanoparticles. The heterogeneous catalyst may be produced by providing M1-M2 bimetallic nanoparticles on a substrate to produce an intermediate composition, and performing a reduction process on the intermediate composition such that atoms of both the noble metal (M1) and the first-row transition metal (M2) are distributed across surfaces of the bimetallic nanoparticles and thereby form the heterogeneous catalyst. The catalyst may be used for performing directed hydrogenation of a substrate.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing consistent images of leaves of plants, including articulating a lower case of a housing with respect to an upper case via an imaging chamber articulation mechanism from i) a closed state to ii) an open state, the articulable space forms an imaging chamber which is dark when the imaging chamber articulation mechanism is in the closed state, placing the leaf within the imaging chamber, articulating the imaging chamber articulation mechanism to the closed state, activating one or more light sources, actuating a linear actuator to thereby linearly move a camera from i) an initial position to ii) an end position, obtaining images from the camera, re-actuating the linear actuator to thereby linearly move the camera from the end position to the initial position, re-articulating the lower case to the open state, and removing the leaf.

Abstract: A method of optimizing probe placement in a turbomachine is disclosed which includes establishing a design matrix A of size m×(2N+1) utilized in developing flow properties around an annulus of a turbomachine, where m represents the number of datapoints at different circumferential locations around the annulus, and N represents dominant wavelets generated by upstream and downstream stators and blade row interactions formed around an annulus, wherein m is greater or equal to 2N+1, and optimizing probe positioning by iteratively modifying probe positions placed around the annulus and for each iteration determining a condition number of the design matrix A for each set of probe positions until a predetermined threshold is achieved for the condition number representing an optimal probe layout.

Abstract: A system includes a first structure, wherein the first structure lacks space inversion symmetry, and wherein the first structure includes a first elastic lattice. The system further includes a second structure, wherein the second structure lacks space inversion symmetry, and wherein the second structure includes a second elastic lattice. Additionally, the system includes the first structure coupled to the second structure such that the first structure and the second structure have a mirror symmetry to each other.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to novel sesquiterpenoid compounds as SHP2 and/or POLE3 inhibitors for potential treatment for cancers, and to methods of making and using the sesquiterpenoid compounds. The present invention therefore provides a method of using the disclosed compounds as chemosensitizations agent to a DNA damaging drugs for cancers.

Abstract: A reference imaging system including a planar reference piece. The reference imaging system further includes a three-axis gantry for positioning the planar reference piece at a plurality of points in a 3D coordinate system. Additionally, the reference imaging system includes a yaw actuator for adjusting the yaw angle of the object. Furthermore, the reference imaging system includes a pitch actuator for adjusting the pitch of the object. Moreover, the reference imaging system includes a computer processing unit for controlling the 3D position, pitch and yaw of the planar reference piece.

Abstract: A humidity sensor may include a metalized substrate comprising a laser ablated portion and a remaining metal portion. The remaining metal portion may include a spiral inductor and an interdigitated capacitor. The interdigitated capacitor may be coupled in parallel with the spiral inductor. The interdigitated capacitor may be centrally positioned with respect to the spiral inductor and surrounded by spirals of the spiral inductor. The spiral inductor and interdigitated capacitor may be formed by selectively ablating the metallized substrate to define the inductor and capacitor.

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-coil magnetic resonance imaging system is disclosed which includes a controller performing a simulation using a predefined tissue model, determining output values of a variable of interest (VOI) associated with operation of two or more coils of an MRI system based on the simulation, comparing the simulated output values of the VOI to an a priori target values of the VOI, if the simulated output values of the VOI are outside of a predetermined envelope about the a priori target values of the VOI, then performing an optimization, wherein the optimization includes iteratively adjusting the circuit values until the simulated output values of the VOI are within the predetermined envelope about the a priori target values of the VOI thereby establishing VOI optimized values, and loading the established VOI optimized values and operating the magnetic resonance imaging system on the tissue to be imaged.

Abstract: A method of operating an augmented reality (AR) system includes capturing images of a first real-world workspace using a camera of a first head mounted AR device of the AR system being worn by a first user, processing the images using a first processor of the AR system to identify physical objects in the first real-world workspace and detect 3D positions of the identified physical objects in a 3D space corresponding to the first real-world workspace, rendering virtual objects representing the identified physical objects on the display of the first head mounted AR device at the respective 3D positions for the identified physical objects, manipulating a first one of the virtual objects using at least one hand-held controller of the AR system in a manner that mimics a performance of a first procedural task using the physical object associated with the first one of the virtual objects, recording the manipulation of the first one of the virtual objects that mimics the performance of the first procedural task as fi

Abstract: The present application relates generally to a process of manufacturing a plurality of products from chia seeds. The process comprises socking chia seeds in a large volume of water for a period of time followed by sonication at an elevated temperature to remove the soluble fiber, the mucilage of chia seeds using vacuum filtration. The oil component is extracted from mucilage removed chia seeds and the leftover is hydrolyzed in presence of an enzyme to afford a product of protein hydrolysates and a product of insoluble fiber of chia seeds. Both the process and the products are within the scope of this application.