Abstract: A neural network based corrector for photon counting detectors is described. A method for photon count correction includes receiving, by a trained artificial neural network (ANN), a detected photon count from a photon counting detector. The detected photon count corresponds to an attenuated energy spectrum. The attenuated energy spectrum is related to characteristics of an imaging object and is based, at least in part, on an incident energy spectrum. The method further includes correcting, by the trained ANN, the detected photon count to produce a corrected photon count. The method may include reconstructing, by image reconstruction circuitry, an image based, at least in part, on the corrected photon count.

Abstract: Systems for the production of graphene oxide sheets are provided. The systems include electro-deposition and spray deposition techniques. The graphene oxide sheets may be used as pre-cursors for the formation of porous graphene network (PGN) anodes and lithiated porous graphene (Li-PGN) cathodes. The method of making PGN electrodes includes thermally reducing a pre-cursor sheet of graphene oxide to provide a PGN anode and exposing the sheet to lithium or a lithium-containing compound to produce a Li-PGN cathode. The Li-PGN cathode and PGN anode may be combined with an electrolyte to provide an “all-carbon” battery that is useful in various applications, such as automotive applications.

Abstract: Methods and devices including a light display transceiver device are disclosed. Disclosed methods and devices include a light source array including at least one pixel unit, the at least one pixel unit including one of a single pixel, a plurality of groups of cooperating single pixels, a combination of singles pixels and groups of cooperating single pixels, and a single group of cooperating single pixels. Control wires are joined with each of the at least one pixel units. A controller is joined with the control wires for controlling each of the at least one pixel unit. The light source array is configured to operate in at least one of three modes, a full-space-division-duplex (FSDD) mode, a half-space-division-duplex (HSDD) mode, and a time-division-duplex (TDD) mode. The controller causes the light source array to operate in one of the three modes.

Abstract: A heparin structure with increased anticoagulant activity and method of making the same are disclosed. A heparin sample is provided and treated with a heparan sulfate sulfotransferase in an enzymatic reaction to add sulfuryl groups from a sulfuryl group source to the heparin sample, resulting in a heparin structure having above about 8% more 3-O-sulfo groups relative to wild-type bovine intestinal heparin. The added sulfuryl groups modify the heparin structure and increase the sample's binding to antithrombin III and its anticoagulant activity to be more similar and a viable alternative to porcine intestinal heparin. The modified heparin exhibits an anti-FXa activity and an anti-FIIa activity greater than about 180 U/mg, and a ratio of the anti-FXa activity to the anti-FIIa activity of about 0.9 to about 1.1, consistent with U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) heparin activity specifications.

Abstract: A MEMS device and a method of forming the same. A disclosed method includes: providing a silicon substrate layer, a buried oxide layer and a device silicon layer; using a microfabrication process to pattern a set of device features on the device silicon layer including a shuttle mass and an anchor frame; removing the silicon substrate layer and buried oxide below the shuttle mass; placing a shadow mask on a surface of the device silicon layer, wherein the shadow mask has an microscale opening to expose at least one device feature; and forming a nanoscale stopper on a sidewall of the at least one device feature by depositing a deposition material through the opening in a controlled manner.

Abstract: Computed tomography (CT) screening, diagnosis, or another image analysis tasks are performed using one or more networks and/or algorithms to either integrate complementary tomographic image reconstructions and radiomics or map tomographic raw data directly to diagnostic findings in the machine learning framework. One or more reconstruction networks are trained to reconstruct tomographic images from a training set of CT projection data. One or more radiomics networks are trained to extract features from the tomographic images and associated training diagnostic data. The networks/algorithms are integrated into an end-to-end network and trained. A set of tomographic data, e.g., CT projection data, and other relevant information from an individual is input to the end-to-end network, and a potential diagnosis for the individual based on the features extracted by the end-to-end network is produced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic membranes and use of these synthetic membranes for isolation of volatile organic compounds and purification of water. The synthetic membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer. The invention includes a method of isolating volatile organic compounds with the synthetic membrane by contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation. The invention also includes a method of purifying water with the synthetic membrane by contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis. The invention also relates to methods of isolating non-polar gases by gas fractionation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing optogenetics using X-rays or ultrasound waves are provided. Visible-light-emitting nanophosphors can be provided to a sample, and X-ray stimulation can be used to stimulate the nanophosphors to emit visible light. Alternatively, ultrasonic waves can be provided to the sample to cause sonoluminescence, also resulting in emission of visible light, and this can be aided by the use of a chemiluminescent agent present in the sample. The emitted light can trigger changes in proteins that modulate membrane potentials in neuronal cells.

Abstract: A 3-D convolutional autoencoder for low-dose CT via transfer learning from a 2-D trained network is described, A machine learning method for low dose computed tomography (LDCT) image correction is provided. The method includes training, by a training circuitry, a neural network (NN) based, at least in part, on two-dimensional (2-D) training data. The 2-D training data includes a plurality of 2-D training image pairs. Each 2-D image pair includes one training input image and one corresponding target output image. The training includes adjusting at least one of a plurality of 2-D weights based, at least in part, on an objective function. The method further includes refining, by the training circuitry, the NN based, at least in part, on three-dimensional (3-D) training data. The 3-D training data includes a plurality of 3-D training image pairs. Each 3-D training image pair includes a plurality of adjacent 2-D training input images and at least one corresponding target output image.

Abstract: Provided is a method of making a polycrystalline shape memory alloy (SMA) by forming an alloy with grains and boundaries between them, exposing the alloy to a two-phase temperature range at which a two-phase equilibrium is achieved in the alloy, converting grains to an austenite phase, and precipitating a face-centered-cubic crystal structure solid solution phase at grain boundaries, then quenching the alloy. Also provided is a polycrystalline SMA with a dual-phase microstructure having grains mostly in an austenite phase, a martensite phase, or in transition between an austenite phase and a martensite phase and grain boundaries containing a face-centered-cubic crystal structure solid solution phase.

Abstract: Provided herein are conformation-specific antibodies which bind to protein aggregates, such as amyloid fibrils, including aggregates of glucagon and liraglutide. Also provided are methods of using the antibodies to detect protein aggregates in samples, and methods for identifying aggregate-binding antibodies.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the remote control of cell function based on the use of a magnetic field to excite paramagnetic nanoparticles targeted to specific cell types. The cell type of interest expresses an ion channel wherein excitation of the paramagnetic nanoparticles results in a physical change that is transduced into a cellular response. Such cellular responses may include, for example, increases in gene expression resulting in production of one or more physiologically active proteins. The expression of such proteins can be used to treat a variety of different inherited or acquired diseases or disorders in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic membranes and use of these synthetic membranes for isolation of volatile organic compounds and purification of water. The synthetic membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer. The invention includes a method of isolating volatile organic compounds with the synthetic membrane by contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation. The invention also includes a method of purifying water with the synthetic membrane by contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis. The invention also relates to methods of isolating non-polar gases by gas fractionation.

Abstract: A machine-learning-based monochromatic CT image reconstruction method is described for quantitative CT imaging. The neural network is configured to learn a nonlinear mapping function from a training data set to map a CT image, which is reconstructed from a single spectral current-integrating projection data set, to monochromatic projections at a pre-specified energy level, realizing monochromatic CT imaging and overcoming beam hardening. An apparatus, method and/or system are configured to determine, by a trained artificial neural network (ANN), a monochromatic projection data set based, at least in part, on a measured CT image. The measured CT image may be reconstructed based, at least in part, on measured projection data. The measured projection data may be polychromatic. The apparatus, method and/or system may be further configured to reconstruct a monochromatic CT image based, at least in part, on the monochromatic projection data set.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting power and information using acoustic energy produced by transducers are provided. The systems have particular application for powering and communication with electronics through drilling and pipe systems. Pairs of acoustic wedges holding transducers are provided for sending energy and information through a substrate which may be a steel pipe. Each wedge has an angled transducer which can be used to produce shear waves. The waves propagate through the substrate and are received by a second acoustic wedge. The shear waves, on reaching the second acoustic wedge, are converted back into electrical signals by a second transducer. Tangential shear waves, high, shallow wave transmission angles, and direct steel-steel bonding between wedges and substrates may be used.

Abstract: Light-emitting diode (LED) driver systems that are scalable and can be used for N-color LED systems are provided. An LED system having N LED strings of different color can be efficiently driven with independently controllable constant current sources for each string from a single power source. The driver system can include a power converter having an inductor.

Abstract: A stationary in-vivo grating-enabled micro-CT (computed tomography) architecture (SIGMA) system includes CT scanner control circuitry and a number of imaging chains. Each imaging chain includes an x-ray source array, a phase grating, an analyzer grating and a detector array. Each imaging chain is stationary and each x-ray source array includes a plurality of x-ray source elements. Each imaging chain has a centerline, the centerlines of the number of imaging chains intersect at a center point and a first angle between the centerlines of a first adjacent pair of imaging chains equals a second angle between the centerlines of a second adjacent pair of imaging chains. A plurality of selected x-ray source elements of a first x-ray source array is configured to emit a plurality of x-ray beams in a multiplexing fashion.

Abstract: A network of microfibers are fabricated with a core-shell construction from sustainable materials, where the core includes a phase-change material, such as coconut oil, and the shell includes a biomass, such as cellulose. The microfibers are made via a wet-wet electrospinning process utilizing a coaxial spinneret with an inner conduit and an outer conduit. The biomass and the phase-change material are coaxially extruded into a coagulation bath including a mixture of ethanol and water. The collected microfibers exhibit a beaded structure of PCM aggregates and biomass connecting regions between the aggregates and are effective to aid in the thermoregulation of the immediate environment surrounding the network. The microfibers are suitable for use in a variety of sustainable products such as wearable thermoregulating textiles, wall/ceiling panels, insulation, packaging material, and more.

Abstract: An apparatus for remote detection of plant growth dynamics is described. The apparatus includes an excitation LED (light emitting diode) module, a detection module and a controller module coupled to the excitation LED module and the detection module. The excitation LED module includes at least one LED. Each LED is configured to emit an excitation light in response to an excitation control signal. The excitation light has an emitted light spectrum. The detection module includes a photodetector configured to detect an initial chlorophyll a fluorescence (“ChlF”) light and an excited ChlF light from a plant species. The photodetector is further configured to convert the detected initial ChlF light into an initial detection electrical signal and the detected excited ChlF light into an excited detection electrical signal, The excited ChlF light is emitted from the plant species in response to receiving the excitation light.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing optogenetics using X-rays or ultrasound waves are provided. Visible-light-emitting nanophosphors can be provided to a sample, and X-ray stimulation can be used to stimulate the nanophosphors to emit visible light. Alternatively, ultrasonic waves can be provided to the sample to cause sonoluminescence, also resulting in emission of visible light, and this can be aided by the use of a chemiluminescent agent present in the sample. The emitted light can trigger changes in proteins that modulate membrane potentials in neuronal cells.