Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for belief space planning for multiple robots at an initial belief state, for reducing belief space uncertainty, including receiving multiple, candidate, multi-robot paths, each including one or more pose constraints; generating a candidate factor graph for each candidate multi-robot path, and generating from each candidate factor graph a topology graph; calculating a signature metric from each topology graph, wherein the signature metric is one of a Von Neumann (VN) metric and a spanning tree (ST) metric; selecting a multi-robot path having the greatest signature metric from among the candidate, multi-robot paths; and instructing the multiple robots to proceed according to the selected multi-robot path.

Abstract: A vacuum arc thruster device having a cathode rod disposed within a concentric insulator tube, and an anode electrode located at the distal edge of the insulator tube, separated from the cathode rod by the insulator tube. A controlled feeding mechanism moves the cathode towards the distal exit plane in a helical motion, the cathode rotating as it moves forward. The cathode rod is fixed in the center of a headless screw segment, which is rotated within a screw thread on the internal surface of a cylindrical wall of the device. As the erosion rate is concentrated at the exit plane, the screw action path enables uniform erosion around the cathode circumference, and cathode linear motion that can be matched to the radial erosion rate. The feeding rate and hence the thrust are proportional to the input power, which can be regulated by the pulse frequency.

Abstract: Provided herein are immunogenic compositions that may be used, in some aspects, to induce an immune response against an Ehrlichia such as Ehrlichia cams. In some embodiments, the immunogenic composition comprises an E. canis bacterin and/or adjuvant, such as for example an emulsion or liposomal adjuvant. Related methods such as for diagnosis of or vaccination against ehrlichiosis are also provided.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprising a fusion protein attached to the outer surface of a substrate is disclosed. The fusion protein comprises a light-generating protein and a light-transducing protein. Uses of the composition of matter are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments are a computing system and a computer-implemented method for distributed training of a machine learning model over a plurality of computing nodes, in a plurality of iterations, characterized by gradient gap based mitigation of the gradient staleness problem. The disclosed method evaluates the staleness of the gradient based on the difference in gradients between a central point, for example an iteration's common starting point, and the points reached by the respective computing node during one or more iterations, and aggregates the update steps from the plurality of computing nodes, while giving more weight to computing nodes having a lesser change in the gradient.

Abstract: Provided are electrochemical cells and methods for generating hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.

Abstract: A methodology is provided for generating hydrophobic superhydrophobic, oleophobic and/or superoleophobic surfaces. Compositions of matter made of a substrate having deposited on a surface thereof (e.g., by thermal evaporation) hydrocarbon waxes, including fluorinated waxes, are disclosed. Process of preparing such compositions of matter and articles of manufacturing incorporating such compositions are also disclosed. Further disclosed are articles of manufacturing and methods which are useful in inhibiting, reducing and/or retarding biofilm formation, and which include applying waxes (e.g., by thermal evaporation) on a surface of the articles.

Abstract: Provided are novel serum-free culture media which comprise basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor beta-3 and ascorbic acid at a concentration of at least about 50 microgram/ml; ascorbic acid at a concentration range of about 400-600 microgram/ml, bFGF at a concentration range of about 50-200 ng/ml, xeno-free serum replacement and a lipid mixture; the IL6RIL6 chimera at a concentration range of about 50-200 picogram per milliliter (pg/ml); or leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) at a concentration of at least 2000 units/ml; cell cultures comprising same with pluripotent stem cells such as human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and methods of using same for expanding pluripotent stem cells in an undifferentiated state using two-dimensional or three-dimensional culture systems; and methods of expanding iPS cells in a suspension culture devoid of substrate adherence and cell encapsulation.

Abstract: A method for modulating an immune response by activating or inhibiting dopaminergic neurons in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) is provided. Modulation is achieved by modulating the activity, the abundance or both of: a natural killer cell, a CD8 T-cell, a CD4 T-cell, a B-cell, a dendritic cell, a macrophage, a granulocyte, or their combination.

Abstract: A cache unit that is configured to retain: a plurality of cache blocks; a plurality of owner indicators, and a plurality of validity marks. For each cache block of the plurality of cache blocks exists a corresponding owner indicator in the plurality of owner indicators. An owner indicator corresponding to a cache block is capable of identifying an entity that caused the cache block to be fetched to the cache unit. For each cache block of the plurality of cache blocks exists a corresponding validity mark in the plurality of validity marks. A validity mark corresponding to the cache block indicates whether a validation process performed on the cache block upon fetching thereof was successful. The cache unit may be useful for secure execution.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for automated generation of hypothesis based on sets of search terms, and scoring of said automatically generated hypothesis to determine novelty, reasonability and/or feasibility thereof. Further provided are methods of utilizing said generated hypothesis for determination of personalized treatment regime of various health conditions.

Abstract: The present invention concerns gp36 immunoreactive compositions for E. canis and gp 47 immunoreactive compositions for E. chaffeensis. In particular, epitopes for E. canis gp36 and E. chaffeensis gp 47 are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the immunoreactive compositions comprise tandem repeats having carbohydrate moieties.

Abstract: Provided are methods of determining prognosis of a subject diagnosed with sepsis, by determining the baseline levels of T-cell senescence in the subject. Also provided are methods of treating a subject diagnosed with sepsis, by monitoring the subject diagnosed with sepsis and treating the subject which exhibits high baseline levels of T-cell senescence.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating cancer comprising the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of KPC1, a peptide which is at least about 70% homologous to the KPC1 or an agent which up-regulates KPC1. In some embodiments, there is also provided a method for treating cancer comprising the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of p50, a peptide which is at least about 70% homologous to the p50 or an agent which up-regulates p50.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting a speculative execution processor, from side channel attacks, are disclosed. The system comprises a processing circuitry, adapted to: in a first time period performing an execution of a code segment by storing speculative instructions in an internal cache memory which is inaccessible to read actions of an external processing unit; in a second time period copying only a committed portion of the executed code segment into another memory component which is accessible to read actions of the external processing unit. The first and second time periods are different and independent.

Abstract: A compact robotic device for driving movement of two or more elongate surgical tools configured for a telescopic arrangement when said two or more elongate surgical tools are at least partially received within said device, the device comprising: a housing comprising walls which define an inner volume including at least two inner pathways for accommodating the two or more elongate surgical tools; the housing encasing: a plurality of motors, and two or more tool actuation assemblies configured at a position of each of the two or more inner pathways; the actuation assemblies driven by the plurality of motors and configured to operably contact an elongate surgical tool at least partially received in the inner pathway to at least one of advance, retract and/or roll said elongate surgical tool.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conducting material comprising a carbon-based material selected from a diamond or an insulating diamond-like carbon, having a hydrogen-terminated surface and a layer of tungsten trioxide, rhenium trioxide, or chromium oxide coating said hydrogen-terminated surface. Such conducting materials are useful in the fabrication of electronic components, electrodes, sensors, diodes, field effect transistors, and field emission electron sources.

Abstract: A thermochemical recuperation (TCR) system that may use a water-alcohol mixture as an engine liquid coolant; that may include a TCR reformer configured to output a TCR product at pressure no less than twenty bars; a pressure regulator; and an TCR product accumulator configured to separate an outputting of the TCR product by the TCR reformer from a provision of the TCR product to the pressure regulator; wherein the pressure regulator is configured to provide the TCR product to a direct injector of an engine, thereby enabling the direct injector to inject the TCR product at a high pressure level—for example at a pressure level that exceeds twenty bars.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention relates to methods and implants comprising acoustic-sensitive material and at least one additional component within said acoustic-sensitive material. In some embodiments, the at least one additional component is one or more of at least one releasable drug within said acoustic-sensitive material and/or a plurality of cells within said acoustic-sensitive material. In some embodiments, the implant comprises a dedicated form, which is provided inside the body of the patient.

Abstract: A method comprising: prior to performing a planned i-th data movement in a distributed data system comprising a plurality of storage sites, generating (i) a first map of current locations of data item replicas following an immediately-preceding (i?1)-th data movement, (b) a first timestamp associated with a completion of said (i?1)-th data movement, and (c) a second map of expected locations of data item replicas following said i-th data movement; implementing said i-th data movement; generating, upon performing said i-th data movement, a second timestamp associated with a completion of said i-th data movement, wherein said second timestamp is indexed as i; and if a failure occurs with respect to at least one of said storage sites during said i-th data movement, determining a completion status of said i-th data movement, based on a comparison between said indexing of said second map and said indexing of said second timestamp.