Abstract: Methods and phosphorus-containing solid catalysts for catalyzing dehydration of cyclic ethers (e.g., furans, such as 2,5-dimethylfuran) and alcohols (e.g., ethanol and isopropanol). The alcohols and cyclic ethers may be derived from biomass. One example includes a tandem Diels-Alder cycloaddition and dehydration of biomass-derived 2,5-dimethyl-furan and ethylene to renewable p-xylene. The phosphorus-containing solid catalysts are also active and selective for dehydration of alcohols to alkenes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for parallelizing service function chains.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance images with improved image quality consistent with those obtained using parallel radio frequency (“RF”) transmission (“pTx”) techniques are generated from data acquired using single transmission hardware (e.g., single channel RF transmission). A deep-learning framework is used to train a deep neural network to convert images obtained with single transmission into pTx-like images. The pTx-like images have reduced signal variations and dropouts that may otherwise be attributable to B1+ inhomogeneities.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for mitigating performance degradation in digital low-dropout voltage regulators (DLDOs) caused by the effects of aging on the power transistors of the DLDO, such as by the effects of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI)-induced aging, for example. The apparatus comprises a shift register for use in a DLDO that is configured to activate and deactivate power transistors of the DLDO to evenly distribute electrical stress among the transistors in a way that mitigates performance degradation of the DLDO under various load current conditions. In addition, the shift register and methodology can be implemented in such a way that nearly no extra power and area overhead are consumed.

Abstract: The present invention provides in certain embodiments compositions comprising at least one CD200 inhibitor, and methods of reversing or modulating immune suppression in a patient having a disease or disorder arising from abnormal cell growth, function or behavior, which method comprises administering to a patient in need thereof a CD200 inhibitor composition.

Abstract: Localization and navigation systems and techniques are described. An electronic device comprises a processor configured to maintain a state vector storing estimates for a position of the electronic device at poses along a trajectory within an environment along with estimates for positions for one or more features within the environment. The processor computes, from the image data, one or more constraints based on features observed from multiple poses of the electronic device along the trajectory, and computes updated state estimates for the position of the electronic device in accordance with the motion data and the one or more computed constraints without computing updated state estimates for the features for which the one or more constraints were computed.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions that include an extract of human feces, and methods for using such compositions, including methods for replacing or supplementing or modifying a subject's colon microbiota, and methods for treating a disease, pathological condition, and/or iatrogenic condition of the colon.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compounds of formula I: (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, and R3 may any of the values defined herein, as well as compositions comprising such compounds. Also disclosed are methods for treating diseases including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease.

Abstract: A sensing and processing system includes a plurality of wearable sensing devices each including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to be positioned on a subject and generate accelerometer signals and gyroscope signals. The system includes a processor to identify near-fall events indicative of the subject nearly falling down based on the generated accelerometer signals and gyroscope signals, and wherein the processor is to generate, for each of the near-fall events, subject response data indicative of a recovery response of the subject to recover from the near-fall event.

Abstract: A device of a shape memory material configured to implement a predetermined level of expansion while allowing contraction and twist can be implemented in a portion of a vascular system, such as in the left ventricle of the heart of a patient suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Abstract: ILC2 cells play a role in the pathogenesis of graft versus host disease (GvHD) and idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS), both conditions associated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Infusion of IL-33 activated ILC2 cells into patients with ongoing GvHD or IPS, or prior to onset of GvHD or IPS in susceptible patients, substantially ameliorates the disease and improves survival.

Abstract: Various implementations of sorting networks are described that utilize time-encoded data signals having encoded values. In some examples, an electrical circuit device includes a sorting network configured to receive a plurality of time-encoded signals. Each time-encoded signal of the plurality of time-encoded signals encodes a data value based on a duty cycle of the respective time-encoded signal or based on a proportion of data bits in the respective time-encoded signal that are high relative to the total data bits in the respective time-encoded signal. The sorting network is also configured to sort the plurality of time-encoded signals based on the encoded data values of the plurality of time-encoded signals.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for using a magnetic resonance system to measure magnetization data from a region of interest in a subject having a spin system that includes at least a first labile spin species and a second labile spin species experiencing chemical exchange. The method includes applying periodic radiofrequency irradiation to the spin system using a frequency swept pulse sequence having frequency and amplitude modulation functions, wherein sweeping a frequency of the RF irradiation together with amplitude modulation generates a magnetic field component having an effective field. The method further includes generating off resonance side bands in a frequency domain positioned adjacent the resonant frequency of the first labile spin species or the second labile spin species by applying the periodic RF irradiation to induce the instantaneous flip of the effective field with periodicity of RF irradiation tuned to the chemical shift difference of the exchanging sites.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain polypeptides and cells for producing such a polypeptide, as well as compositions and methods thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods for digital signal processing using a sliding windowed infinite Fourier transform (“SWIFT”) algorithm are described. A discrete-time Fourier transform (“DTFT”) of an input signal is computed over an infinite-length temporal window that is slid from one sample in the input signal to the next. The DTFT with the temporal window at a given sample point is effectively calculated by phase shifting and decaying the DTFT calculated when the temporal window was positioned at the previous sample point and adding the current sample to the result.

Abstract: The invention provides a compound of formula I: or a salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, A and n have any of the values described in the specification, as well as compositions comprising a compound of formula I, and methods of preparing and use thereof. The compounds are useful as vaccine adjuvant potentiators.

Abstract: Disclosed are mutated phosphotriesterase enzymes with improved stability and activity, as well as their use in particular for degrading organophosphorus compounds.

Abstract: A vision-aided inertial navigation system (VINS) implements a square-root multi-state constraint Kalman filter (SR-MSCKF) for navigation. In one example, a processor of a VINS receives image data and motion data for a plurality of poses of a frame of reference along a trajectory. The processor executes an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)-based estimator to compute estimates for a position and orientation for each of the plurality of poses of the frame of reference along the trajectory. For features observed from multiple poses along the trajectory, the estimator computes constraints that geometrically relate the multiple poses of the respective feature. Using the motion data and the computed constraints, the estimator computes state estimates for the position and orientation of the frame of reference. Further, the estimator determines uncertainty data for the state estimates and maintains the uncertainty data as a square root factor of a covariance matrix.

Abstract: A magnetic device may include a layer stack including a work function structure, a dielectric layer, and a ferromagnetic layer, where the ferromagnetic layer is positioned between the work function structure and the dielectric layer. The work function structure is configured to deplete electrons from the ferromagnetic layer or accumulate electrons in the ferromagnetic layer. A magnetization orientation of the ferromagnetic layer is configured to be switched by a voltage applied across the layer stack or by a voltage applied across or through the work function structure.

Abstract: This disclosure describes example techniques and systems for identifying the presence and/or composition of nucleic acids in the blood of a host organism of a model species harboring tissue of a donor organism of another species. For example, the technique may involve identifying the presence and composition of nucleic acids in the blood of a mouse harboring tissue of a human or another companion animal. These cell-free nucleic acids that are identified can be used as biomarkers to determine the presence of a disease, its biological behavior, its rate of progression, and/or the response of the disease to one or more unique therapies. In other examples, the cell-free nucleic acids may be used as biomarkers to determine a response of the host species to the tissue of the donor organism or a response of tissue derived from the second organism to transplantation within the first organism of the first species.