Abstract: The invention includes compositions, devices, and methods for analyzing a polymer and/or polymer unit. The polymer may be a homo or hetero-polymer such as DNA, RNA, a polysaccharide, or a peptide. The device includes electrodes that form a tunnel gap through which the polymer can pass. The electrodes are functionalized with a reagent attached thereto, and the reagent is capable of forming a transient bond to a polymer unit. When the transient bond forms between the reagent and the unit, a detectable signal is generated and used to analyze the polymer.

Abstract: Techniques to improve efficiencies of power amplifiers in wireless communication devices are described herein. In one embodiment, an envelope tracking supply modulator includes a pre-amplifier having an input coupled to an envelope signal and another input coupled to a threshold voltage signal, a de-multiplexer coupled to an output of the pre-amplifier, a pulse frequency modulator having an input coupled to an output of the de-multiplexer, and a pulse width modulator having an input coupled to the output of the de-multiplexer. The de-multiplexer is configured to allow the pulse frequency modulator to modulate a switching frequency to generate a switched signal according to a slew rate of the envelope signal or allow the pulse width modulator to provide the switched signal as a current source with a constant frequency, based on a comparison result between the envelope signal and the threshold voltage signal at the pre-amplifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering neurostimulation therapies to patients for treating chronic heart failure. A neural fulcrum zone is identified and ongoing neurostimulation therapy is delivered within the neural fulcrum zone. The implanted stimulation device includes a physiological sensor for monitoring the patient's response to the neurostimulation therapy on an ambulatory basis over extended periods of time and a control system for adjusting stimulation parameters to maintain stimulation in the neural fulcrum zone based on detected changes in the physiological response to stimulation.

Abstract: An operator impairment detection system comprising a wearable mobile device including a frame for supporting the wearable mobile device on an operator's face, an accelerometer for sensing acceleration of the wearable mobile device, a proximity sensor configured to be aimed at an eye area of the operator when the operator is wearing the wearable mobile device for sensing the operator's eye closing and opening, and a processor configured to receive acceleration vector data and proximity vector data and run an application for determining when the operator's head nods or rotates and when the operator's eye blinks and for determining when the nod, rotation, and/or blink or combination of nods, rotations, and/or blinks constitutes an operator impairment event, the processor being configured to instruct the wearable mobile device to alert the operator when an impairment event is detected.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention relates to materials and methods for diagnosing a chronic inflammatory disease in a patient comprising testing a biological sample from the patient for a level of a first neurovascular biomarker of lymphatic activation and diagnosing the patient as having the chronic inflammatory disease if the tested level of the first neurovascular biomarker of lymphatic activation is less than a first normal level.

Abstract: Various embodiments of binder compositions, electrodes incorporating the binder compositions, fabrication methods for the binder compositions, and energy storage devices having the electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a binder composition includes an electrolyte solution that is ionically conductive, a polymeric material having a plurality of molecules mixed with the electrolyte solution, and a filler having a plurality of electrically conductive particles suspended in the adhesive matrix. The electrolyte solution plasticizing the polymeric material forming an adhesive matrix having the molecules of the polymeric material in an amorphous state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle. The magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle of the invention exhibits a high relaxivity, and is useful as a MRI contrast agent. The present invention also provides a composition for use with MRI imaging, comprising a sufficient amount of the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles and one or more physiologically acceptable carriers or excipients. The present invention also provides methods of using the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles as MRI contrast agents. The present invention further provides methods of producing the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle.

Abstract: A method to form a lipid-containing aminoglycoside-based polymer, where the method includes reacting an aminoglycoside with a diepoxide to form an aminoglycoside-based polymeric material, and then reacting the aminoglycoside-based polymeric material with an acyl chloride to form the lipid-containing aminoglycoside-based polymer.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of polymers and olefin polymerization, and more specifically olefin metathesis polymerization. The invention provides regioregular alternating polymers and methods of synthesizing such polymers. To demonstrate, polymers were synthesized and modified with a FRET pair (Trp/Dansyl) post-polymerization.

Abstract: A crop stand analyzer includes a first plurality of reflective laser proximity sensors, the reflective laser proximity sensors arranged in a vertical row and perpendicularly to a ground surface to detect plant objects, a distance sensor, and a processor operatively connected to the first plurality of reflective laser proximity sensors and the distance sensor. The crop stand analyzer is configured to generate side-view profiles for the plant objects and then extract plant stand information via these profiles.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for dehydrogenation of an alkane to an alkene using an iridium pincer complex. In the dehydrogenation reactions, hydrogen that is co-formed during the process must be removed for the chemical reaction to proceed and to prevent the excess hydrogen from poisoning the catalyst. In one embodiment the process comprises providing an alkane feedstock comprising at least one alkane and contacting the alkane with an iridium pincer complex in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propene, or mixtures to form an alkene product. The processes disclosed herein can accomplish facile, low-temperature transfer dehydrogenation of alkanes with unprecedented selectivities and TONs at a reasonable rate of conversion.

Abstract: The present invention provides novels genes encoding methyl butenol (MBO) synthase, methy butenol synthases and their use in methyl butenol production.

Abstract: For textured digital elevation model generation, a method projects swath point projection coordinates of each lidar point of texel swaths into a corresponding texel swath with normalized projection coordinates. Each texel swath includes lidar points, an optical image, and swath output projection point coordinates of the lidar points into the optical image. The method generates a projection matrix including lidar point data for each lidar point of each texel swath. The method calculates enhanced lidar coordinates for each lidar point as a function of minimizing misregistration errors. In addition, the method creates enhanced output pixel coordinates for each image pixel based on the enhanced lidar coordinates for the lidar points and the associated output pixel coordinates. The method generates a textured digital elevation model based on the enhanced output pixel coordinates for each image pixel, and the enhanced lidar coordinates.

Abstract: A thoracic catheter system comprises a flexible thoracic catheter for inserting into a thoracic cavity of a human. A distal end of the thoracic catheter has a plurality of apertures. A proximate end of the thoracic catheter is designed to extend out of the thoracic cavity. A three way valve is one of fused with and removablely attached to the proximal end of the thoracic catheter.

Abstract: The invention features formulations for the local delivery of therapeutically effective doses of curcumin to treat head and neck disorders and upper aerodigestive disorders. Also disclosed are use of the formulations for delivery of other phytochemicals, or the combination of phytochemicals for the treatment of said disorders. Furthermore, these formulations can be used to deliver the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and/or minerals to children or adults.

Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes.

Abstract: Standard nested virtualization allows a hypervisor to run other hypervisors as guests, i.e. a level-0 (L0) hypervisor can run multiple level-1 (L1) hypervisors, each of which can run multiple level-2 (L2) virtual machines (VMs), with each L2 VM is restricted to run on only one L1 hypervisor. Span provides a Multi-hypervisor VM in which a single VM can simultaneously run on multiple hypervisors, which permits a VM to benefit from different services provided by multiple hypervisors that co-exist on a single physical machine. Span allows (a) the memory footprint of the VM to be shared across two hypervisors, and (b) the responsibility for CPU and I/O scheduling to be distributed among the two hypervisors. Span VMs can achieve performance comparable to traditional (single-hypervisor) nested VMs for common benchmarks.

Abstract: Tunable filters, cancellers, and duplexers based on passive mixers. A tunable delay cell includes passive mixers electrically coupled together for receiving an input signal and outputting a delayed signal, each passive mixer comprising a plurality of mixer switches. The tunable delay includes a control circuit for providing, to each passive mixer, a respective plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals, one to each mixer switch of each passive mixer. The control circuit is configured to vary the LO signals to cause a target frequency band of the input signal to be delayed by a target delay time in propagating through the passive mixers.

Abstract: This invention features polypeptides, variants thereof, and fragments thereof useful in eliciting an immune response (e.g., neutralizing antibodies) against a broad spectrum of HIV-1 isolates. The polypeptides, variants, and fragments include a portion of the gp120 V2 domain of HIV-1. The polypeptides, variants, and fragments display an epitope that is recognized by at least one antibody which neutralizes at least one HIV-1 primary isolate. This invention also features nucleic acid sequences encoding those polypeptides. In addition, the invention provides methods of screening for inhibitors of HIV-1 entry into cells, as well as methods of treatment using the inhibitors.

Abstract: Polypeptide marker antigens for detecting the presence of autoantibody biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer recurrence, each of the polypeptide marker antigens binding specifically to at least one autoantibody marker. An antibody binding assay for detecting the presence of autoantibody biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer recurrence, and methods for performing the assay. Methods for determining ovarian cancer recurrence in an ovarian cancer patient. A method for isolating antibodies specific for ovarian cancer by their affinity to the polypeptide marker antigens, and antibodies isolated by that method.