Abstract: A method for repairing a crack in ships or other structures that includes adhesively applying fiber reinforced metal matrix composite tape across the crack of the structure to reduce propagation of the crack and provide additional structural stability until the crack can be permanently repaired.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preventing or treating liver cancer in a subject comprising administrating at least one selected from the group consisting of an Ssu72 peptide, a polynucleotide encoding the Ssu72 peptide and an expression vector containing the polynucleotide to the subject.

Abstract: A method of treating a metal carbonate salt includes hydrolyzing a metal halide salt to form a hydrohalic acid and a hydroxide salt of the metal in the metal halide salt. The metal includes an alkaline earth metal or an alkali metal. The method includes reacting the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt, wherein the metal carbonate salt is a carbonate salt of the alkaline earth metal or alkali metal, to form CO2 and the metal halide salt. At least some of the metal halide salt formed from the reacting of the hydrohalic acid with the metal carbonate salt is recycled as at least some of the metal halide salt in the hydrolyzing of the metal halide salt to form the hydrohalic acid and the hydroxide salt.

Abstract: A method of disinfection of a surface of a subject of harmful microorganisms including pathogenic bacteria and viruses upon visible light irradiation using a hybridized fluorescent silk is provided. The method includes placing a predetermined quantity of the hybridized fluorescent silk i) directly on to a skin surface of a subject; or ii) on a medium and then placing the medium on the skin surface of the subject. The method further includes applying light in the visible spectrum for a predetermined amount of time to the placed quantity of hybridized fluorescent silk, wherein the hybridized fluorescent silk is one of KillerRed, SuperNova, KillerOrange, Dronpa, TurboGFP, mCherry, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A sealing interface includes a first tube having an end with a convex surface and a second tube having an end with a convex surface. A spacer is disposed between the respective ends of the first and second tubes. One side of the spacer has a concave surface that substantially matches the convex surface of the end of the first tube, and another side of the spacer has a concave surface that substantially matches the convex surface of the end of the second tube. The spacer includes a through hole in fluid communication with a fluid passageway of the first tube and a fluid passageway of the second tube. Tying elements are respectively coupled to the first tube and the second tube, with the tying elements applying a compressive force between the first tube and the spacer, and applying a compressive force between the second tube and the spacer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a surfactant composition, production and use thereof in tertiary oil recovery. The present surfactant composition comprises a cationic surfactant and an anionic-nonionic surfactant, and exhibits significantly improved interfacial activity and stability as compared with the prior art. With the present surfactant composition, a flooding fluid composition for tertiary oil recovery with improved oil displacement efficiency and oil washing capability as compared with the prior art could be produced.

Abstract: A polymer blend membrane includes a polyether-based copolymer and a polyether polymerized in situ and has high permeability and high selectivity for carbon dioxide. In the polymer blend membrane, the free volume of the polyether-based copolymer is greatly increased, and the adsorption capacity for carbon dioxide is enhanced. Thus, it can have excellent mechanical properties and excellent permeability and selectivity for carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a preparation process of multi-component spherical alloy powder, which adopts a plasma rotation electrode process (PREP) method to prepare the multi-component spherical alloy powder. The multi-component alloy includes at least one of refractory metals and compounds thereof, specifically including tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, rhenium, tungsten carbide, tantalum carbide and the like.

Abstract: A method for producing customized object is provided. A resin (e.g. plastic or cellulose) is heated and a quaternary salt is added. The resulting admixture is used in forming a material that embodies customized characteristics. In another embodiment, a halogen-containing polymer has a quaternary molecule covalently bonded to it that results in customized properties.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel nano-droplet composition comprising a fluorocarbon core and a polymeric shell, and the method of using and making the novel nano-droplet composition. The fluorocarbon core and the polymeric shell of the novel nano-droplet form a micelle with a size range of 10-1000 nm. The fluorocarbon core comprises at least one fluorocarbon compound with a formula of CnF2n+2 and n is 5-10. The fluorocarbon compound is substantial in liquid form. And the nano-droplet composition has a temperature profile such that the nano-droplet composition has a temperature range of 20-60° C. throughout a temperature modulation process, and has a temperature of about 37° C. prior to administration to a human, animal, biological cell, or tissue subject.

Abstract: Soluble, self-assembling collagens derived from tissues are extensively characterized such that one can predict and customize the final collagen-fibril matrix with respect to fibril microstructure (i.e., fibril density, interfibril branching), viscoelasticity and proteolytic degradability. As shown herein these matrices template and direct the deposition of mesoporous silica at the level of individual collagen fibrils. The fibril density, silicic acid concentration, and time of exposure to silicifying solution were varied and the resulting hybrid materials were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and rheology. Microstructural properties of the collagen-fibril template are preserved in the silica surface of hybrid materials.

Abstract: An application running on a device to manage insulin site rotation may read a configuration file including a group, a plurality of sites in the group, and an image associated with the group. The application may detect an input selecting a site from the plurality of sites for administration of an insulin management device. The application may also set the selected site as unavailable for a predetermined duration in response to the input selecting the site. A log entry may be written to track usage of the site in response to the input selecting the site. A visual indicator on the selected site may show that the site is recently selected in response to detecting the input selecting the site within a predetermined duration. The insulin management device may be a pump, a syringe, or a glucose monitor.

Abstract: A transient blockchain proxy server consolidates many individual requests to add data to a blockchain by aggregating hashed data from these requests and sending the aggregated hashed data to the blockchain network as a single request. The blockchain network adds a new block to the blockchain with the aggregated hashed data and returns a transaction identifier for the new block to the transient blockchain proxy server, which passes the transaction identifier back to all the requestors who then can directly use the blockchain network to verify the hashed data using the transaction identifier. The transient blockchain proxy server buffers all incoming requests until one of the pending requests reaches a send timepoint that is the blockchain network delay plus a buffer time before a guaranteed time of verification. All incoming requests are then consolidated and sent as a single transaction to the blockchain network. Tiered verification-time services are enabled.

Abstract: A method, performed by an electronic device, of placing a micro network function, includes: determining at least one micro network function used for a service; predicting control signaling overhead of at least one cell including at least one cell edge cloud, based on a history of control signaling overhead of the at least one cell; and placing the at least one micro network function in the at least one cell edge cloud, based on the predicted control signaling overhead of the at least one cell.

Abstract: Deformable sensors and methods for magnetically modifying membrane stiffness are provided. A deformable sensor may include a membrane coupled to a housing to form a sensor cavity. The deformable sensor may further include a first magnet located on an inner surface of the membrane in the sensor cavity. The deformable sensor may additionally include a magnetic object located at a base within the sensor cavity. The magnetic object may be configured to modifiably repel the first magnet and modify stiffness of the deformable sensor based upon the modified repulsion.

Abstract: Disclosed are a silicon nitride ceramic sintered body and preparation method thereof. The silicon nitride ceramic sintered body includes a sintered bulk and a hard surface layer having a thickness of 10-1000 ?m, formed on a surface of the sintered bulk, wherein the sintered bulk comprises a first silicon nitride crystalline phase and a first grain boundary phase; the hard surface layer comprises a second silicon nitride crystalline phase and a second grain boundary phase; the first grain boundary phase comprises a metal tungsten phase being tungsten elementary substance and/or a tungsten alloy; the second grain boundary phase comprises tungsten carbide particles; tungsten element in the metal tungsten phase accounts for 80-100 wt % of total tungsten element in the first grain boundary phase; and tungsten element in the tungsten carbide particles accounts for 60-100 wt % of total tungsten element in the second grain boundary phase.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dissimilar metal-supported catalyst for the production of aromatics by methane dehydroaromatization. In the dissimilar metal-supported catalyst, a noble metal such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), and/or rhodium (Rh) is introduced into a catalyst supported with iron (Fe) on a zeolite support to promote the dehydrogenation of methane and the formation of iron carbide (Fe3C) as an active species for dehydroaromatization, achieving a greatly improved yield of aromatics. Also disclosed is a method for producing aromatics using the dissimilar metal-supported catalyst.

Abstract: Methods of amplifying and determining a target nucleotide sequence are provided. The method of amplifying the target nucleotide sequence includes the following steps. A first adaptor and a second adaptor are linked to two ends of a double-stranded nucleic acid molecule with a target nucleotide sequence respectively to form a nucleic acid template, in which the first adaptor includes a Y-form adaptor or a hairpin adaptor and the second adaptor is a hairpin adaptor. Then, a PCR amplification cycle is performed on the nucleic acid template to obtain a PCR amplicon of the target nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: Provided is a stereoscopic surface display device including a stereoscopic display unit having a cell area, wherein the stereoscopic display unit includes a first flexible layer, a first optical waveguide and a first optical output unit in the first flexible layer, wherein the first optical output unit are disposed in the cell area, a first light source disposed on a side of the stereoscopic display unit, wherein the first optical waveguide connects the first light source and the first optical output unit, a first photothermal response layer on the first flexible layer, wherein the first photothermal response layer is configured to receive output light emitted from the first optical output unit and emit thermal energy, and a shape deformation layer on the first photothermal response layer, wherein the shape deformation layer is configured to generate bending deformation by receiving the thermal energy from the first photothermal response layer.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for robotic control of an ultrasound imaging device. The apparatus comprises a fixed base and a movable platform with an end-effector. A plurality of passive soft links connects the platform to the base. A series of cables connect the platform to a set of motors adjacent the base. When the platform is at rest, the tension in the cables counter-balances the passive soft links pushing the platform away from the base plate. Control electronics move the motors so as to control the location and the orientation of the platform. By increasing or decreasing tension in the cables, the motors smoothly control the location and the orientation of the platform and thus the end effector. Such a robotic apparatus can be used to provide expert handling of an ultrasound imaging device remotely.