Abstract: A system for bidder support in combinatorial auctions includes a machine readable storage medium storing instructions and a processor to execute the instructions throughout a duration of an auction. The processor executes the instructions to receive bids for a multi-item multi-unit (MIMU) combinatorial auction. The processor executes the instructions to track the status of each sub-auction of the MIMU auction. The status for each sub-auction includes a value of the respective sub-auction and a last winning bid of the respective sub-auction. The processor executes the instructions to determine bidder support information including winning levels, deadness levels, winning bids, and live bids based on the status of each sub-auction.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for producing alpha-N-methylated peptides in vitro and in vivo. This disclosure also provides in vivo and in vitro methods for producing highly diverse alpha-N-methylated peptide libraries by methylating natural or non-natural alpha-N-methyltransferase target peptides.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for community-based screening of polymicrobial infections for the selection and administration of antibiotics and antibiotic combinations for treating infections associated with diseases such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic sinus infections. The methods and compositions of this disclosure are advantageous in the sense that antibiotic effectiveness is assessed with respect to a community of microbes rather than a single microbial population, thus reflecting more accurately the in vivo disease environment and enabling the identification of beneficial antimicrobial therapeutics even when the primary bacterial strain shows antibiotic resistance.

Abstract: Materials and methods for inducing genetic alterations in meristematic plant tissue are provided herein.

Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer array is incorporated in a light-weight, conformable, and wearable patch that may be used to deliver, monitor, and control localized transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS). The patch may include full-duplex transmit-receive circuitry that may be used for continuous monitoring of transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) application. The circuitry may include a circulator. The ultrasound transducer array may be coupled to an aperture interface having irregularly sized or shaped channel conductors to provide a coarse aperture for the array. The coarse aperture may be designed using a method that provides a reduced channel count.

Abstract: This disclosure describes decellularized, biologically-engineered tubular grafts and methods of making and using such decellularized, biologically-engineered tubular grafts.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for ultrasound stimulation for immunomodulation treatment. Ultrasound stimulation of the spleen may be used to alter immune and thereby inflammatory responses of a subject by modulating specific biomarkers or cytokines associated with inflammation. A closed-loop or responsive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen may be implemented by tracking biomarkers in the blood that indicate when the stimulation is working. Modulation of specific cytokines and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate may be performed in response to ultrasound stimulation in a diseased state.

Abstract: A novel prosthetic valve is described herein, as well as methods of making such novel prosthetic valves.

Abstract: Genetically modified compositions, such as non-viral vectors and T cells, for treating cancer are disclosed. Also disclosed are the methods of making and using the genetically modified compositions in treating cancer.

Abstract: A device includes a balloon and an interface. The balloon has an outer surface and a central lumen aligned on a longitudinal axis. The balloon is configured to receive a compressible fluid. The interface is coupled to the outer surface and has an external surface configured to bond with a tissue.

Abstract: A hearing system to activate an auditory system using cerebrospinal fluids includes at least one processor configured to receive an audio signal captured using a sound sensor (e.g., a microphone), extract temporal and spectral features from the audio signal, and create modulated ultrasound signals in a range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz with ultrasound carrier frequencies in the range of 50 kHz to 4 MHz, which are ultrasound frequencies that are well-suited to reach the cerebrospinal fluids (e.g., can pass across the skull/bones to reach the cerebrospinal fluids). The system further includes at least one ultrasonic transducer which receives the modulated signal and delivers the modulated signal to the body and activates the auditory system via vibration of cerebrospinal fluids that vibrate cochlear fluids, bypassing the normal conductive pathway that uses middle ear bones and minimizing bone conduction and distortion through the skull.

Abstract: The disclosed device, systems and methods relate to a novel catheter, system and methods. Exemplary embodiments comprise a plurality of lumens and balloons for insertion into the aorta and vena cava.

Abstract: A protein scaffold includes a plurality of EutM subunits and a multi-enzyme cascade. The multi-enzyme cascade includes a first enzyme attached to the first EutM subunit and a second enzyme attached to the second EutM subunit. The scaffold may be formed by a method that generally includes incubating a plurality of EutM subunits under conditions allowing the EutM subunits to self-assemble into a protein scaffold, attaching a first enzyme of a multi-enzyme cascade to a first EutM subunit, and attaching a second enzyme of the multi-enzyme cascade to a second EutM subunit. The scaffold may be self-assembled in vivo or in vitro. Each enzyme may be, independently of any other enzyme, attached to its EutM subunit in vivo or in vitro. Each enzyme may be, independently of any other enzyme, attached to its EutM subunit before or after the scaffold is assembled.

Abstract: A method of generating a model for generating a synthetic electrocardiography (ECG) signal comprises: receiving subject-specific training data for machine learning, said training data comprising a photoplethysmography (PPG) signal acquired from the subject and an ECG signal acquired from the subject, wherein the ECG signal provides a ground truth of the subject for associating the ECG signal with the PPG signal; using associated pairs of a time-series of the PPG signal and a corresponding time-series of the ECG signal as input to a deep neural network, DNN; and determining, through the DNN, a subject-specific model relating the PPG signal of the subject to the ECG signal of the subject for converting the PPG signal to a synthetic ECG signal using the subject-specific model.

Abstract: A permanent magnet may include a Fe16N2 phase in a strained state. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes etching an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe16N2 to introduce texture, straining the workpiece, and annealing the workpiece. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes applying at a first temperature a layer of material to an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe16N2, and bringing the layer of material and the iron nitride-containing workpiece to a second temperature, where the material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the iron nitride-containing workpiece. A permanent magnet including an Fe16N2 phase with preserved strain also is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, computer-readable media, and methods are disclosed for parallel data processing for service function chains with network functions spanning multiple servers. An example system includes a first server hosting a first network function of a service function chain, a second server hosting a second network function of the service function chain, a mirror function deployed in a first switch to replicate a plurality of packets received by the system and to send respective copies of the plurality of packets to the first network function and to at least one of the second network function and a third network function of the service function chain, and a merge function deployed in a second switch to merge respective outputs of the first network function and the at least one of the second network function and the third network function.

Abstract: A DLDO has a configuration that mitigates performance degradation associated with limit cycle oscillation (LCO). The DLDO comprises a clocked comparator, an array of power transistors, a digital controller and a clock pulsewidth reduction circuit. The digital controller comprises control logic configured to generate control signals that cause the power transistors to be turned ON or OFF in accordance with a preselected activation/deactivation control scheme. The clock pulsewidth reduction circuit receives an input clock signal having a first pulsewidth and generates the DLDO clock signal having the preselected pulsewidth that is narrower that the first pulsewidth, which is then delivered to the clock terminals of the clocked comparator and the digital controller. The narrower pulsewidth of the DLDO clock reduces the LCO mode to mitigate performance degradation caused by LCO.

Abstract: Reference electrodes that include a solid electron conductor; an interlayer; and a polymeric membrane layer comprising a polymer composition, the polymer composition comprising at least one silicone-containing polymer and at least one ionic liquid, wherein the polymeric membrane layer and the polymer composition are essentially plasticizer free and the silicone-containing polymer and the ionic liquid are miscible as determined using a thermodynamic method that shows a single glass transition temperature (Tg) of a composition including the at least one silicone-containing polymer and the at least one ionic liquid, wherein the interlayer is disposed between the solid electron conductor and the polymeric membrane layer. Also disclosed are electrochemical measurement systems including such reference electrodes.

Abstract: An example article includes a composite free layer and a conductive channel. The composite free layer includes a high-anisotropy ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic transition metal layer adjacent to the high anisotropy ferromagnetic layer, and an ultra-low damping magnetic insulator. The non-magnetic transition metal layer is between the ultra-low damping magnetic insulator and the high-anisotropy ferromagnetic layer. An example spin-orbit torque (SOT) stack may include the example article. Techniques for forming and switching example articles and SOT stacks are described.