Abstract: A method of forming an electrode material includes: (1) loading an electrochemically active material onto graphene sheets; (2) combining the electrochemically active material-loaded graphene sheets with holey graphene oxide sheets to form a mixture; and (3) treating the mixture under reducing conditions to form a composite including a graphene framework loaded with the electrochemically active material.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a computer program product for localization of wireless devices. At least one of mapping and wireless data describing a physical environment is received. The physical environment includes one or more wireless access points. Using the received mapping and/or wireless data, a location of each of the wireless access points is determined. Using the determined location of the wireless access points, one or more wireless devices positioned in the physical environment are located.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a near-field acoustic platform capable of synthesizing high resolution, arbitrarily shaped energy potential wells. A thin and viscoelastic membrane is utilized to modulate acoustic wavefront on a deep, sub-wavelength scale by suppressing the structural vibration selectively on the platform. This new acoustic wavefront modulation mechanism is powerful for manufacturing complex biologic products.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing one or more plant growth characteristics in a plant are disclosed. The compositions comprise one or more microbial isolates that promote plant growth. Methods include providing an effective amount of a composition comprising one or more microbial isolates that promote one or more plant growth characteristics.

Abstract: An imaging system comprises an excitation light source, a directing element positioned to direct light from the excitation light source toward a sample, a detector configured to measure incoming light from the sample, a filter cavity positioned between the sample and the detector, a first filter configured to be inserted into the filter cavity, a sine filter configured to be inserted into the filter cavity, and a processing unit communicatively connected to the detector, configured to receive image data from the detector to form an image. Methods of constructing a hyperspectral image of a sample are also described.

Abstract: Phonon engineered, lanthanide doped upconverting nanoparticles with very low phonon energies and tunable methods of synthesis that adjust OA:OM ratio and reaction temperature are provided. Low phonon energy KPb2X5 (X=Cl, Br) upconverting nanoparticles, both doped and undoped, exhibit dramatically suppressed multiphonon relaxation, enhancing upconversion emission from higher lanthanide excited states and enabling room temperature observation of avalanche like upconversion by Nd3+ ions. Intrinsic optical bistability (IOB) of the materials can provide bit level functionality to all optical computing. The IOB of Nd3+ doped nanocrystals, which are either bright or dark at the same excitation power based on power history, illustrate the functionality. High contrast switching and IOB are enabled via the photon avalanche process, which sustains population inversion between the ground and the first excited 4fN states of Nd3+ ions.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, provided are methods for increasing the efficiency of dicot and gymnosperm transformation using BBM with no or minimal plant phenotype. Vector designs for achieving these results are also provided, as are methods for their use.

Abstract: In a Byzantine computing environment in which a database is sharded or partitioned among multiple clusters of computing nodes, consensus for and execution of data transactions (e.g., transactions that require and/or affect data of one or more shards) are achieved in a resilient manner. Within some clusters, multiple primary replicas concurrently propose transactions for processing in parallel by all replicas. For some multi-shard transactions, shards involved in the transactions may be logically ring-ordered; each shard in turn achieves consensus among its nodes to commit the transactions, and then executes its portion of the operation after consensus is obtained among all shards. For some other multi-shard transactions, involved shards first determine whether local data constraints are satisfied, after which data modifications are made in parallel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sulfide-containing solid electrolyte material with an organic coating, as well as densified pellets containing this solid electrolyte material, a solid electrolyte thereof, and a solid state battery containing the solid electrolyte. According to aspects of the disclosure, the coating comprising a compound of Chemical Formula (1) or Chemical Formula (2) is formed on the surface of a sulfide-containing solid electrolyte material, e.g., the organic coating may comprise a compound having a thiol with a long hydrophobic tail, such as 1-undecanethiol. The coating provides densification of sulfide-containing solid electrolyte materials, and facilitates the ionic and lithium atomic diffusion coefficient at sulfide grain boundaries during pressing, thus achieving the densification of sulfide solid state electrolyte.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to conductive adhesives and inks. The disclosed conductive adhesives include glues and epoxies, based on graphene and graphene/carbon composites and the methods of manufacture thereof, such conductive adhesives exhibiting excellent conductivity, thermal properties, durability, low curing temperatures, mechanical flexibility, and reduced environmental impact. Further, adhesives with conductive additives such as silver nanowires and the methods of production thereof are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Biomanufacturing hygiene control in batch and fed-batch bioreactors is provided using a bioreactor employing a chlorite/Cld system, wherein the bioreactor comprises an engineered cultured cell expressing a recombinant cytoplasmic chlorite dismutase (cCld) sufficient to increase chlorite resistance of the cell, and chlorite sufficient to substantially inhibit growth of one or more contaminating microorganisms in the bioreactor yet not substantially inhibit growth of the cell.

Abstract: An analog to digital conversion (ADC) circuit includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based quantizer that receives a voltage input signal to be quantized and provides a digital output. A predictor samples the digital output, evaluates correlation between successive samples, and predicts a predicted input sample from the correlation to minimize voltage-to-frequency transfer of the VCO. A feedback loop L1 with a digital to analog converter (DAC) receives the predicted input sample, converts it and subtracts it from the voltage input signal. A feedback loop L2 adds the predicted sample to the digital output.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas effector proteins, nucleic acids encoding same, and compositions comprising same. The present disclosure provides ribonucleoprotein complexes comprising: an RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas effector protein of the present disclosure; and a guide RNA. The present disclosure provides methods of modifying a target nucleic acid, using an RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas effector protein of the present disclosure and a guide RNA. The present disclosure provides methods of modulating transcription of a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fluorine substituted cation-disordered lithium metal oxides for high capacity lithium-ion battery electrodes suitable for use in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries having a general formula: Li1+xM1?xO2?yFy, wherein 0.05?x?0.3 and 0<y?0.3 and M is a transition metal, such as Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Mo, Sn, Sb, and combinations thereof. The fluorine-substituted cation-disordered materials of the present invention demonstrate improved electrochemical performance, showing high capacity and high voltage. The present invention also relates to methods of making the fluorine-substituted cation-disordered materials.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method can include: an audio input device of a portable electronic device receiving verbal speech input from a user and converting the received verbal speech input into an audio input signal; an online processing module of the portable electronic device performing at least one speech recognition operation on the audio input signal; an offline processing module of the portable electronic device performing at least one speech recognition operation on the audio input signal; an interactive game module of the portable electronic device generating user feedback based on results from the at least one speech recognition operation performed by the online processing module and the at least one speech recognition operation by the offline processing module; and a user interface of the portable electronic device providing the user feedback to the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides variant type V CRISPR/Cas effector polypeptides, fusion polypeptides comprising the variant type V CRISPR/Cas effector polypeptides, and nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the variant polypeptides and fusion polypeptides. The present disclosure provides methods of binding, or binding and nicking, a target nucleic acid, using a variant type V CRISPR/Cas effector polypeptide of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides methods of detecting a single-stranded DNA, using a variant type V CRISPR/Cas effector polypeptide of the present disclosure.

Abstract: The invention provides scalable methods for measuring chromatin accessibility and RNA expression in the same single cells by connecting chromatin accessibility and transcriptome. Specifically, the disclosure provides a methods for concurrent characterization of gene expression levels and epigenetic landscape within a single cell comprising determining chromatin accessibility and RNA expression in the cell with a splint oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, probes, and kits for diagnosing the presence of cancer and/or a cancer type in a subject.

Abstract: A method of diagnosis of Ménière's disease (MD) by performing genetic testing using a panel of gene mutations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions and/or deletions (IN/DELs), in Ménière's disease-associated genes, providing genetic basis for MD. A method of treatment of MD by targeting the SNPs and/or IN/DELs gene mutations in Ménière's disease-associated genes, and/or by CRISPR or gene therapy or editing on the SNPs and/or IN/DELs gene mutations in Ménière's disease-associated genes.

Abstract: A power amplifier (amp) includes a first transistor configured in the common source (CS) amplification mode, wherein the gate terminal of the first transistor is the input port of the power amp; and a second transistor configured in the common gate (CG) amplification mode, wherein the drain terminal of the second transistor is the output port of the power amp. The power amp also includes a first inductive component coupled between the drain terminal of the first transistor and the ground to increase the impedance between the drain terminal of the first transistor and the ground, thereby increasing an output power at the output port. The power amp additionally includes a second inductive component coupled between the drain terminal of the first transistor and the source terminal of the second transistor to increase the conductance in the output admittance at the output port, thereby further increasing the output power.