Abstract: This disclosure relates to red mud compositions. This disclosure also relates to methods of making red mud compositions. This disclosure additionally relates to methods of using red mud compositions.

Abstract: An antifungal peptide targeting P4-ATPase function is synthesized based on Cdc50 loop region to identify peptides sensitize caspofungin by blocking flippase function. It was found that myristylated peptides based on “AS15 sequence” was effective at high concentrations. A modified peptide, “AW9-Ma” showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 64 ?g/mL against H99 wild type and fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index value of 0.5 when used with caspofungin. With the AW9-Ma peptide, C. neoformans wild type was highly sensitive to caspofungin with a MIC of 4 ?g/mL, the same as cdc50? mutant. Further assays with flow cytometry showed inhibition of lipid flippase enzyme activity and significant accumulation of phosphatidylserine on the cell surface. It was confirmed that the peptide co-localized with mCherry-tagged P4-ATPase protein Apt1 in C. neoformans.

Abstract: An economical, efficient, and effective formation of a high resolution pattern of conductive material on a variety of films by polymer casting. This allows, for example, quite small-scale patterns with sufficient resolution for such things as effective microelectronics without complex systems or steps and with substantial control over the characteristics of the film. A final end product that includes that high resolution functional pattern on any of a variety of substrates, including flexible, stretchable, porous, biodegradable, and/or biocompatible. This allows, for example, highly beneficial options in design of high resolution conductive patterns for a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: Textured particles and methods of making the same. A textured particle includes an inner core and a spherical solid outer shell including an outer surface. The inner core is inside the outer shell. The outer surface includes a first tier texture including a first metal, wherein the first metal is greater than 50 atomic % of a total atomic content of all metals in the first tier texture; a second tier texture including the second metal, wherein the second metal is greater than 50 atomic % of a total atomic content of all metals in the second tier texture; and a third tier texture including the third metal, wherein the third metal is greater than 50 atomic % of a total atomic content of all metals in the third tier texture. The first metal, second metal, and third metals are different metals.

Abstract: A processor is configured to implement a machine learning model that is trained to select transcripts in blood for distinguishing neurodegenerative diseases. The algorithm is developed via machine learning and leverages concepts associated with blood-based changes in mRNA gene expression for differentiating patients of any neurodegenerative disease regardless of the proteins or their post-translational modifications occurring in disease.

Abstract: Based on traffic images characteristics, a general pre-processing system and method reduces input size of neural network object recognition models to focus on necessary regions. The system includes a light neural network (binary or low precision; based on configuration) to detect target regions for further processing and applies a deeper model to those specific regions. The present disclosure provides experimentation results on various types of methods, such as conventional convolutional neural networks, transformers, and adaptive models, to show the scalability of the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compound, and method of inhibiting the activity of a Fatty Acid Binding Protein (FABP) comprising contacting the FABP with a compound, said compound having the structure: Formula

Abstract: Certain disclosed embodiments concern a bioremediation composition comprising microbial cells, at least one co-metabolism substrate to induce selected enzyme production by the microbial cells, and a bead or gel encapsulating the microbial cells, such as bacterial or fungi cells, and the at least one co-metabolism substrate. For certain embodiments, the substrate is a slow release compound, such as an orthosilicate that hydrolyzes to produce an alcohol growth substrate. Embodiments of a method for using the composition to transform contaminants of concern also are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for increasing the temperature-resiliency of a neural network, the method comprising loading a neural network model into a resistive nonvolatile in-memory-computing chip, training the deep neural network model using a progressive knowledge distillation algorithm as a function of a teacher model, the algorithm comprising injecting, using a clean model as the teacher model, low-temperature noise values into a student model and changing, now using the student model as the teacher model, the low-temperature noises to high-temperature noises, and training the deep neural network model using a batch normalization adaptation algorithm, wherein the batch normalization adaptation algorithm includes training a plurality of batch normalization parameters with respect to a plurality of thermal variations.

Abstract: Synthetic antimicrobial peptides, compositions comprising thereof, and methods of use for modulating one or more symptoms of an infection in a subject are disclosed. In some aspects, the infection is caused by mycobacteria, for example, a nontuberculous mycobacterium such as Mycobacterium abscessus. In other aspects, the infection is caused by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Also disclosed are methods of identifying synthetic antimicrobial peptides against a pathogen with no known effective treatment using a library of synthetic peptides.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a wearable “exo-shell” to improve the gait of elderly people during obstacle avoidance tasks are disclosed. With payload and energy expenditure as a main focus of this design, the present system leverages switchable, passive systems, in combination with lightweight materials that minimize additional metabolic costs, while remaining as “transparent” to the user as possible when inactive.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predicting microhardness properties of a weld that defines a weld joint between at least two workpieces. The system includes a processor programmed to: receive temperature data that includes temperature values each attributed to a corresponding one of a plurality of points of the weld at corresponding times during a welding process used to produce the weld, determine peak temperature values and cooling rate values for each of the points of the weld based on the temperature values, predict a three-dimensional (3D) distribution of microhardness values of the weld based on a machine learning method that evaluates the peak temperature values and the cooling rate values, and generate display data based on the 3D distribution of microhardness values.

Abstract: A consensus-based decentralized multi-robot approach is presented for reconstructing a discrete distribution of features, modeled as an occupancy grid map, that represent information contained in a bounded planar 2D environment, such as visual cues used for navigation or semantic labels associated with object detection. The robots explore the environment according to a random walk modeled by a discrete-time discrete-state (DTDS) Markov chain and estimate the feature distribution from their own measurements and the estimates communicated by neighboring robots, using a distributed Chernoff fusion protocol. Under this decentralized fusion protocol, each robot's feature distribution converges to the ground truth distribution in an almost sure sense.

Abstract: Composite material can include a matrix material, a fiber dispersed in the matrix material, and an ultraviolet (UV)-light sensitive mechanophore grafted to a surface of the fiber. A method for making a fiber-reinforced polymer composite can include contacting a fiber in a first solution, rinsing and then drying intermediate fiber, contacting dried fiber in a third solution, rinsing, and then drying the rinsed fiber thereby generating functionalized fiber that is sensitive to ultraviolet light. The functionalized fiber can be combined with a polymer matrix material, cured, and irradiated, thereby generating a fiber-reinforced polymer composite.

Abstract: Systems for physical unclonable function (“PUF”) generation, PUF devices, and methods for manufacturing PUF devices. In one implementation, the system includes a plurality of PUF devices and an electronic controller. Each of the plurality of PUF devices include a first electrochemically-inactive electrode, a second electrochemically-inactive electrode, and a layer of silicon suboxide. The layer of silicon suboxide is positioned directly between the first electrochemically-inactive electrode and the second electrochemically-inactive electrode. The electronic controller is communicably coupled to the plurality of PUF devices. The electronic controller is configured to read binary values associated with the plurality of PUF devices.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for treatment of cancer according to aspects of the present disclosure comprise compounds comprising or consisting of: structural formula (I) or (II) disclosed herein, or a salt, isomer, or derivative thereof.

Abstract: The instant disclosure is directed to compositions comprising an encapsulated spheroid, and methods of making and using the same. A composition may comprise a spheroid comprising a plurality of cells and aminoglycoside antibiotic-derived hydrogel beads, wherein the spheroid is encapsulated by the aminoglycoside antibiotic-derived hydrogel beads to form an encapsulated spheroid. A method may comprise administering the composition to a subject in need thereof. Another method may comprise administering a compound to the encapsulated spheroid. A method of creating an encapsulated spheroid may comprise coating a surface with an aminoglycoside antibiotic-derived hydrogel, culturing a plurality of cells on the surface, thereby creating a spheroid, and encapsulating the spheroid with a plurality of aminoglycoside antibiotic-derived hydrogel beads.

Abstract: Provided herein are genetically engineered cells containing one or more modulated metabolic genes, where the expression of the modulated metabolic gene(s) can be greater than that of an unmodified control. Also provided herein are methods of making the genetically engineered cells using synergistic activation mediator CRISPR-Cas9. Further provided herein are high throughput assays that can employ the genetically engineered cells provided herein.

Abstract: Multi-stage distributed beamforming for distributed mosaic wireless networks is provided. Embodiments described herein present systems, devices, and methods that provide increased range, data rate, and robustness to interference and jamming. A distributed mosaic wireless network includes a transmitter, a receiver, and one or more distributed clusters of radios referred to herein as mosaics or relay mosaics. Each mosaic consists of several distributed, cooperative radio transceivers (e.g., mosaic nodes) that relay a signal sent by the transmitter towards the receiver. In some embodiments, a single-stage beamforming technique is implemented whereby the transmitter sends a signal to a first mosaic, which then relays this signal by beamforming to the receiver. In some embodiments, a multi-stage beamforming technique is implemented whereby the transmitter sends a signal to a first mosaic, which then relays this signal by beamforming to a second mosaic, which then relays this signal by beamforming to the receiver.

Abstract: Methods and systems, including those employing machine learning, utilizing one or more algorithms for relating the structure of a molecule in a library to its function are described. Embodiments described herein relate structure to function by considering the covalent structure of the molecule, the components of that structure that are common to many molecules in the library, and the properties of those components as they relate to the function in question. Applications include, for example, enhancement and amplification of the diagnostic and prognostic signals provided by peptide arrays for use in analyzing the profile of antibodies in the blood produced in response to a disease, condition or treatment.