Abstract: A low-noise wide band amplifier is realized utilizing a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junction, quasiparticle frequency mixers connected in tandem or in cascade, a first quasiparticle mixer performs first frequency mixing with use of a first local signal having a frequency not less than twice a frequency of an input signal to the first quasiparticle mixer, a second quasiparticle mixer performs second frequency mixing with use of a second local signal having a frequency not more than twice a frequency of an input signal to the second quasiparticle mixer, and signal amplification is performed through frequency conversion by extracting, from among a plurality of signals generated with the first and the second frequency mixing, a signal in a frequency band not more than a frequency band of the signal before the first frequency mixing and the second frequency mixing, using a transmission line or a filter.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to extracts from chestnut plants and compositions comprising compounds contained therein. In certain embodiments, the extracts are derived from the leaves of a Castanea plant. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing bacterial infections, acne, and other related uses.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules comprising a SNP site at position 1296 of bovine uterine milk protein (UTMP) coding sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1), which SNP indicates a desirable productive life in a dairy cattle. Also disclosed are an array or a kit comprising the same, a method for detecting the SNPs, a method for progeny testing of cattle, and a method for selectively breeding of cattle.

Abstract: A preparation method of separation membrane is provided. First, a polyimide composition including a dissolvable polyimide, a crosslinking agent and a solvent is provided. The dissolvable polyimide is represented by formula 1: wherein B is a tetravalent organic group derived from a tetracarboxylic dianhydride containing aromatic group, A is a divalent organic group derived from a diamine containing aromatic group, A? is a divalent organic group derived from a diamine containing aromatic group and carboxylic acid group, and 0.1?X?0.9. The crosslinking agent is an aziridine crosslinking agent, an isocyanate crosslinking agent, an epoxy crosslinking agent, a diamine crosslinking agent, or a triamine crosslinking agent. A crosslinking process is performed on the polyimide composition. The polyimide composition which has been subjected to the crosslinking process is coated on a substrate to form a polyimide membrane. A wet phase inversion process is performed on the polyimide membrane.

Abstract: A method for depressurizing a vehicular fuel storage system including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being in fluid communication with a closable filler head opening, the first portion being separated from the second portion by a valve, the method including: in a first time period, depressurizing the first portion by bringing the first portion in communication with the atmosphere, while the valve and the filler head opening are closed; in a second time period, depressurizing the second portion by bringing the second portion in communication with the atmosphere; and obtaining readiness for access to the filler head opening as from the end of the first time period.

Abstract: An ambulatory infusing device including a housing, a reservoir defining an interior volume, a wall associated with the housing and having an inner surface that faces into the reservoir interior volume, and a filter assembly. The filter assembly may include a filter assembly housing with a housing filter portion having a free end associated with the inner surface of the wall and a filter supporting volume that extends to the free end of the housing filter portion, and a filter located within the filter supporting volume that extends to at least the free end of the housing filter portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to protein molecules that specifically bind to CD123, which may have at least one humanized or human CD123-binding domain. Such molecules are useful for the treatment of cancer. The protein molecule binding to CD123 may have a second binding domain that binds to another target. In one embodiment, multi-specific polypeptide molecules bind both CD123-expressing cells and the T-cell receptor complex on T-cells to induce target-dependent T-cell cytotoxicity, activation, and proliferation. The disclosure also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the CD123-binding polypeptide molecules, nucleic acid molecules encoding these polypeptides and methods of making these molecules.

Abstract: A bit interleaver, a bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) device and a bit interleaving method are disclosed herein. The bit interleaver includes a first memory, a processor, and a second memory. The first memory stores a low-density parity check (LDPC) codeword having a length of 64800 and a code rate of 3/15. The processor generates an interleaved codeword by interleaving the LDPC codeword on a bit group basis. The size of the bit group corresponds to a parallel factor of the LDPC codeword. The second memory provides the interleaved codeword to a modulator for 4096-symbol mapping.

Abstract: A nozzle is provided for a header conduit. The nozzle includes an inlet that is resistant to clogs caused by flat materials covering the inlet. The inlet generally includes multiple pathways to an elongated passageway through which waste liquid and sludge (“waste”) are guided and enter the header conduit. In one embodiment, the elongated passageway is oriented to guide the waste along a path that is tangential to at least the inner surface of the header conduit which such incoming waste first contacts. When the conduit has an inner surface of circular cross-section, the passageway may optionally be elongated enough that the incoming waste enters the header conduit along a path tangential to the circular surface. To better assure axial flow of the waste in the conduit to an outlet, in one embodiment the passageway provides both the tangential flow and is at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The incoming waste is thereby provided with an axial component.

Abstract: A balloon reflector antenna for a satellite, including a spherical balloon with a surface transparent to electromagnetic waves and a reflective surface opposite the transparent surface. The balloon reflector antenna may further include a feed system extending from the center of the balloon that receives electromagnetic waves reflected off the reflective surface and/or outputs electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the reflective surface.

Abstract: A single-temperature-point temperature-sensitivity sensor assumes that all sensitivity lines converge at absolute zero temperature, so during calibration measurement is needed at only one temperature. A sensor output voltage is generated by current from a mirrored current source flowing through a variable resistor. During calibration, the resistance of the variable resistor and the mirror ratio of the mirrored current source are adjusted. An error amplifier compares voltages generated by unit currents generated by unit current sources to adjust the unit current sources and the mirrored current source. Each unit current flows through a grounded-base PNP transistor. A switchable PNP transistor is in parallel with one of the grounded-base PNP transistors and has its base switched on and off to adjust the PNP current for two measurements. The difference between the two measurements is compared to a calibration target to adjust the variable resistor and mirror ratio during calibration at a single temperature.

Abstract: In a process for producing one or more 2,X?-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4), a feed comprising toluene is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene. At least part of the hydroalkylation reaction product is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising dimethyl biphenyl isomers. The dehydrogenation reaction product is then separated into at least a first stream comprising one or more 3,3?-, 3,4?- and 4,4?-dimethyl biphenyl isomers and at least one second stream comprising one or more 2,X?-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4).

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle vision system for estimating a category of a detected object in an object pose unknown to the system includes a neural network to apply a mapping process to a region of interest in an image including the detected object in the object pose to obtain a point in a 3D manifold space. The system includes an object detector to estimate the category of the detected object in the object pose in the region of interest based on a relationship between the point representing the detected object in the object pose and a plurality of separate object clusters in the 3D manifold space. The system further includes a planner to select an improved route based on a predicted behavior of the category of the detected object in the object pose. The system also includes a controller to control operation of an autonomous vehicle according to the improved route.

Abstract: A method of imaging a region of interest of a body, the body having sites outside the region which can produce image clutter. The method includes: generating a first pattern of vibration within the body to produce a localised first displacement at the region and localised first displacements at the clutter-producing sites; while the body undergoes the first displacements, generating ultrasound signals from the region, and detecting the ultrasound signals to generate a first image of the region; generating a second pattern of vibration within the body to produce a localised second displacement at the region and localised second displacements at the clutter-producing sites; while the body undergoes the second displacements, generating ultrasound signals from the region, and detecting the ultrasound signals to generate a second image of the region; and combining the first and second images to produce a third image of the region.

Abstract: Provided is a hybrid multi-band antenna array, including: a multilayer substrate board including a ground conductor structure having a first edge; a first antenna array including a plurality of folded loop antennas, all of which being integrated with the multilayer substrate board and arranged along the first edge sequentially, wherein the first antenna array is excited to generate a first resonant mode covering at least one first communication band; and a second antenna array including a plurality of parallel-connected slot antennas, all of which being integrated with the multilayer substrate board and arranged along the first edge sequentially, wherein the second antenna array is excited to generate a second resonant mode covering at least one second communication band, and a frequency of the second resonant mode is lower than a frequency of the first resonant mode.

Abstract: A method comprising obtaining, from a master user, a device usage allocation applicable to two or more devices, the two or more devices being associated with another user, the another user being different from the master user, obtaining an aggregate measure of device usage associated with the two or more devices, if the aggregate measure of device usage associated with the two or more devices satisfies a condition relative to the device usage allocation, managing an activity of the two or more devices, and sending a notification to at least one of the two or more devices, the notification for presentation to the another user through a user interface of the at least one of the two or more devices.

Abstract: Disclosed is a platelet-testing chip. The platelet-testing chip includes a plurality of sample chambers storing blood samples, stirrers provided in the sample chambers to apply shearing force to the blood samples, a plurality of waste sample chambers provided so as to correspond to the plurality of the sample chambers, microchannels, through which the sample chambers and the waste sample chambers corresponding to each other are independently connected to thus form paths through which the blood samples flow from the sample chambers to the corresponding waste sample chambers, and microbeads which are received in one or more of the plurality of the sample chambers and which are coated with a reagent for activating platelets on an outer surface thereof. When the blood samples are transferred from the sample chambers through the microchannels, the microbeads are transferred together with the blood samples.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring plastic deformation of a structural material are provided. An acoustic wave actuator is configured to generate acoustic wave signals to be propagated within the structural material and is in-situ fabricated on the structural material at a first location. An alternating current (AC) electric signal source drives the acoustic wave actuator to generate the acoustic wave signals at a predetermined frequency. One or more acoustic wave sensors detect the acoustic wave signals generated by the acoustic wave actuator and propagated within the structural material. More particularly, the acoustic wave detectors are configured to detect both fundamental and second harmonic acoustic signals at the predetermined frequency. The acoustic wave sensors are in-situ fabricated on the structural material at one or more second locations.

Abstract: A new solvent-based method is presented for making low-cost composite graphite electrodes containing a thermoplastic binder. The electrodes, termed thermoplastic electrodes (TPEs), are easy to fabricate and pattern, give excellent electrochemical performance, and have high conductivity (1500 S m?1). The thermoplastic binder enables the electrodes to be hot embossed, molded, templated, and/or cut with a CO2 laser into a variety of intricate patterns. These electrodes show a marked improvement in peak current, peak separation, and resistance to charge transfer over traditional carbon electrodes. The impact of electrode composition, surface treatment (sanding, polishing, plasma treatment), and graphite source were found to impact fabrication, patterning, conductivity, and electrochemical performance. Under optimized conditions, electrodes generated responses similar to more expensive and difficult to fabricate graphene and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrodes.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to substituted urea depsipeptide analogs, derivatives thereof, and related compounds, which are useful as activators the C1pP endopeptidease; synthesis methods for making the compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds; and methods of treating infectious disease using the compounds and compositions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.