Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for a tunable filter employing feedforward cancellation are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a tunable transmissive filter that includes a splitter for splitting an input signal into a first signal and a second signal, a first modifier circuit for modifying a characteristic of the first signal to produce a modified first signal, a second modifier circuit for using feedforward cancellation to modify a characteristic of the second signal to produce a modified second signal, the second modifier circuit including an N-path filter, N being an integer greater than 0; and a combiner for combining the modified first signal and the modified second signal to produce a filtered output signal having a bandpass response.

Abstract: The biosynthesis of fungal bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane indole alkaloids with a wide spectrum of biological activities have attracted increasing interest. Their intriguing mode of assembly has long been proposed to feature a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase, a presumed intramolecular Diels-Alderase, a variant number of prenyltransferases, and a series of oxidases responsible for the diverse tailoring modifications of their cyclodipeptide-based structural core. Until recently, the details of these biosynthetic pathways have remained largely unknown due to lack of information on the fungal derived biosynthetic gene clusters. Herein, we report a comparative analysis of four natural product metabolic systems of a select group of bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane indole alkaloids including (+)/(?)-notoamide, paraherquamide and malbrancheamide, in which we propose an enzyme for each step in the biosynthetic pathway based on deep annotation and on-going biochemical studies.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are material compositions that include a metal doped, alumina rich yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:M). Also provided according to embodiments of the invention are scintillator compositions that include Y3-xMxAl5+yO12+z, as a primary phosphor and wherein 0?x<0.03, 0.001<y<0.2 and 0?z<0.012, or 0?x<0.01, 0.001<y<0.1 and 0?z<0.0625 and M comprises elements selected from cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), Chromium (Cr) and lutetium (Lu). and can include a single or a mixture of a these elements.

Abstract: A device for non-contact measurement of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) in a mammalian subject including a camera and one or more arrays of LEDs each having a first set of LEDs emitting near infrared (NIR), and the second set of LEDs emitting orange light located in an optical path adapted to transmit reflected light from a subject to the camera. A controller transmits a camera trigger to the camera, and is further coupled to transmit control signals to the one or more arrays of LEDs. A processor receives photoplethysmography (PPG) data signal values from the camera. The PPG data signal values are present in the reflected light and include pulsatile and non-pulsatile components. The processor determines SpO2 values from the PPG data signal values from the measured ratios of pulsatile to non-pulsatile components of the PPG signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to graphene oxide-coated nanofiber scaffold that provides instructive physical cues to the differentiation of stem cells into selected cell lineages or networks.

Abstract: Elastomer-based soft-robotic micro-tentacles capable of winding around and holding microscale objects and methods of fabricating same are provided. To realize the thin, highly deformable microtubes, a fabrication technique based on in situ thermal solidification of PDMS dip-coated around a cylindrical template and direct peeling of the cured structure is presented. This process is capable to asymmetrize the microtube's cross-sectional shape and enable the microtube to bend up to a single turn. To amplify the bending into a life-like, multi-turn spiraling motion, a semi-analytical model to shape-engineer the microtube and turn it into a micro-tentacle was produced. As a result, a hump is added to the microtube to enable the multi-turn spiraling motion.

Abstract: Alexandrian laurel (Danae racemosa L.) is a highly demanded evergreen shrub. However, seed germination often takes up to 12 to 18 months with a germination rate of only about 20%. Also, due to its slow-growth rate, it typically takes up to six years to produce a saleable one-gallon size plant. Germinating seeds in the presence of cytokinins and/or auxins increased in vitro shoot multiplication and seedling quality enhancement. Benzyladenine was found to balance seedling development by simultaneously accelerating shoot growth and slowing down root growth, whereas thidiazuron significantly promoted shoot multiplication and proliferation by producing 5-30 shoots per seed.

Abstract: An accelerometer 100 which includes a bracket 110, a pair of electrodes 210/220/230/240/250, a first electrically conductive foam 120, a second electrically conductive foam 130, wherein the first electrically conductive foam and the second electrically conductive foam are inserted between the pair of electrodes and the bracket.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for selecting lactic acid bacterial strains effective for preventing bone loss in humans and strains that have been selected according to the presented method. The selection method is based on the strain's capability of reestablishing an altered microbial community to normal and/or harboring at least one of four specific SNPs.

Abstract: A portable self medication management system and method of provided. For example, the system may include a removable tote and docking station. The removable tote including a plurality of receptacles, communicating section for transferring data to and from a docking station and a power reception station for receiving power from the docking station. The docking station including a scanner, a display screen, a controller, a storage device, communicating sections for transmitting data to the removable tote and other external devices and a power transmitting section for transferring power to the removable tote.

Abstract: Provided is a Group 9 novel metal catalyst complex further comprising a ketone-containing cocatalyst. The metal catalyst complex is useful in generating olefins from alkanes with great efficiency. In one embodiment, provided is an iridium catalyst complex useful in the dehydrogenation of alkanes comprising a ketone-containing cocatalyst and iridium complexed with a tridentate ligand. Also provided is a novel dehydrogenation method which utilizes the catalyst composition. In other embodiments, a novel process for preparing oligomers from alkanes utilizing the catalyst composition is provided.

Abstract: Carbon monoxide-releasing organic molecules are described herein. The molecules can be synthesized prior to administration (e.g., ex vivo) or formed in vivo. In those embodiments where the molecules are formed in vivo, reactants are administered under physiological conditions and undergo a cycloaddition reaction to form a product which releases carbon monoxide. In applying such reactions for therapeutic applications in vivo, the cycloaddition and CO release typically occur only under near-physiological or physiological conditions. For example, in some embodiments, the cycloaddition reaction and/or release of carbon monoxide occur at a temperature of about 37 C and pH of about 7.4. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for release carbon monoxide are also described.

Abstract: A two-step (sequential) machine learning analysis tool is provided that involves a combination of an initial active learning step followed by an imbalance class learner (ACL-ICL) protocol. This technique provides a more tightly integrated approach for a more efficient and accurate machine learning analysis. The combination of ACL and ICL work synergistically to improve the accuracy and efficiency of machine learning and can be used with any type of dataset including biological datasets.

Abstract: A liquid electrolyte formed by reacting phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in the liquid state with silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), thereby forming a fluid suspension. The fluid suspension is heated to yield a liquid electrolyte including phosphoric acid (H3PO4), pyrophosphoric acid (H4P2O7), and a particulate solid comprising a silicophosphoric acid, wherein the silicophosphoric acid is an acidic molecular compound including silicon and phosphorus. A concentrated silicophosphoric acid composition prepared by removing most of the liquid from the liquid electrolyte is dissolved in water to yield a homogeneous solution. The homogeneous solution is dried to yield a solid electrolyte. In some cases, the homogenous solution is dried on a substrate to coat at least a portion of the substrate with a proton conductive solid electrolyte. A fuel cell may include the liquid electrolyte, the solid electrolyte, or the coated substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for the treatment of an inflammatory disorder in a mammal, said method comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of (R)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane ((R)-DOI) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or salt thereof, wherein said inflammatory disorder is associated with a disease selected from asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease.

Abstract: A phase frequency detector with two stages of operation; each stage containing two D flip-flops. Each D flip-flop is interconnected to eliminate detection dead zone while avoiding glitches and incorrect output conditions for fast phase locked loop convergence and wide-band applications.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a state of charge (SOC) of a battery in an electric vehicle is provided. The apparatus may include a driving history data storage configured to store driving history data for each category among categories generated based on a frequency of appearance of road data, a driving profile generator configured to categorize road data associated with a driving route for each of the generated categories and generate a driving profile with respect to the driving route based on the driving history data corresponding to the categorized road data, and a battery SOC estimator configured to estimate the SOC of a the battery with respect to the driving route based on the driving profile.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a mass flow sensor while harvesting grain includes sensing an accumulated mass of a portion of grain within the grain tank with a first sensor. A mass flow rate sensor is calibrated based at least in part on a signal of the first sensor.

Abstract: Various embodiments of processing systems and components for sterilization or pasteurization and associated methods of operation are described herein. For example, a method of sterilization or pasteurization includes immersing an item in an immersion fluid, and the immersed item is subject to a hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid. The method also includes applying microwave energy to the item while the item is immersed in the immersion fluid and subject to the hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid. The hydrostatic pressure of the immersion fluid prevents the water content of the item from causing steam explosion in the item while the microwave energy is applied. The method further includes heating the item immersed in the immersion fluid to a target temperature with the applied microwave energy, the target temperature being sufficient to achieve sterilization or pasteurization of the item.

Abstract: A method for pretreating biomass is provided, which includes, in a reactor, allowing gaseous ammonia to condense on the biomass and react with water present in the biomass to produce pretreated biomass, wherein reactivity of polysaccharides in the biomass is increased during subsequent biological conversion as compared to the reactivity of polysaccharides in biomass which has not been pretreated. A method for pretreating biomass with a liquid ammonia and recovering the liquid ammonia is also provided. Related systems which include a biochemical or biofuel production facility are also disclosed.