Abstract: An optical device is disclosed. The optical device includes a silicon substrate, an aluminum oxide layer, an aluminum layer between the silicon substrate and the aluminum oxide layer, and a metasurface nanostructure. The metasurface nanostructure may include a graphene monolayer on the aluminum oxide layer and an electrically conductive nanoantenna array in direct contact with the graphene monolayer, where each nanoantenna in the nanoantenna array may include multiple segments, each segment having one or more parameters selected to achieve simultaneous resonance in the mid-infrared and the near infrared spectral regions when the graphene monolayer is irradiated with a near infrared pump pulse and a continuous mid-infrared probe. The optical device generates mid-infrared pulses via ultrafast modulation of hot carriers in the monolayer graphene.

Abstract: An apparatus for voltage sharing of series connected battery modules in a DC microgrid includes a battery management system and a battery module controller that generates, for an mth of N converters connected together to a DC microbus, a droop current ?d,m that includes a converter voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m multiplied by a droop multiplier gd(i). Each converter is a DC/DC converter connected between a battery module, with one or more battery cells, and the DC microbus. The mth converter uses the droop current ?d,m, a common current reference ?all of a battery pack that includes the battery modules and an input current ?m to the mth converter to control switching of the mth converter. The common current reference ?all is from the battery management system. The voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}err,m is based on an output voltage {tilde over (v)}o,m of the mth converter and an average converter output voltage {tilde over (v)}avgeodcmastereodcmastereodcmaster.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for determining particle size, and optionally, the complex index of refraction for particle suspended in a gas or liquid are provided. The particle to be analyzed is caused to travel through a laser beam having a modified Gaussian profile. The particle causes light from the laser beam to scatter. The scattered light is measured by one or more photodetectors disposed at a particular scattering angle relative to the center of the laser beam. The apparatus and methods can be used in sensors configured to monitor air quality in enclosed environments, such as on-board aircraft and within buildings, and/or detect environmental contaminants.

Abstract: A snooping invalidation module is implemented at the network interface for a given core, or processing element, of a multicore or manycore device, e.g., NoC device, to discard packets with invalid header flits (e.g., duplicate packets) from being injected into the device, e.g., by a malicious hardware trojan implemented in the network interface. In some embodiments, a data-snooping detection circuit is implemented to detect a source of an on-going attack.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and related systems for precision crop modeling and management using the same. Precision crop modeling and management can be incorporated into various methods for growing plants such as crop plants and various methods for managing the growth of such plants in a particular field. The methods generally utilize in-season information relating to weather conditions actually experienced by the field to prepare mid-season, updated crop management plans. A crop management plan is determined using a crop model incorporating a variety of inputs and plant-specific material and energy balances to specify one or more grower-controlled management parameters. An updated plan for a given field can be followed by a grower to increase crop yield and/or optimize one or more other crop or field parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a subject using imaging are provided. In some aspects, the method includes receiving an image depicting a subject to be identified, and applying a trained Disentangled Representation learning-Generative Adversarial Network (DR-GAN) to the image to generate an identity representation of the subject, wherein the DR-GAN comprises a discriminator and a generator having at least one of an encoder and a decoder. The method also includes identifying the subject using the identity representation, and generating a report indicative of the subject identified.

Abstract: A selector device includes a first electrode composed of a first metal having a first work function. A second electrode is composed of a second metal having a second work function. A selector layer is disposed between the first and second electrodes and is composed of a dielectric material having a conduction band and a valence band defining a band gap of at least 5 electron volts. Dopant atoms are disposed in the selector layer to form a sub-conduction band that is below the conduction band and above the work functions. When a threshold voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes, and a magnitude of the threshold voltage exceeds an energy difference between the sub-conduction band and the work functions, but does not exceed an energy difference between the conduction band and the work functions, an on-current will conduct through the selector layer.

Abstract: Augmented or synergized anti-inflammatory constructs are disclosed including anti-inflammatory terpenes and/or vanilloids covalently conjugated to one another so that the activity of the conjugate is greater than the sum of its parts. Also disclosed are methods of improving the potency of an anti-inflammatory terpene or vanilloid by linking it to another anti-inflammatory terpene or vanilloid via a carbamate linkage, where the potency of the conjugate is greater than the sum of its parts.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. The present disclosure further provides methods for treating or preventing the metastasis or recurrence of a cancer using platelets loaded with a therapeutic agent (for example, an immunotherapeutic agent).

Abstract: The identification of hypermethylated gene loci associated with a high risk of progressing from Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma is described. The genes with hypermethylated loci include one or more of KLHL14, USP44, TMEM178, TRIM71, CTNNA2, NCAM1, CPXM1, SNCB, BMP3, SHISA3, BDNF, COL2A1, CBS, CLEC4GP1, LRAT, TTYH1, TMEM90B, NTN1, VASH2 and LBXCOR1. The hypermethylated DNA loci can be used as biomarkers to guide diagnostic and treatment decisions for subjects with Barrett's esophagus.

Abstract: Aeromonas hydrophila is a reemerging pathogen of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus); recent outbreaks from 2009 to 2014 have caused the loss of more than 12 million pounds of market size catfish in Alabama and Mississippi. Genome sequencing revealed a clonal group of A. hydrophila isolates with unique genetic and phenotypic features that is highly pathogenic in channel catfish. Comparison of the genome sequence of a representative catfish isolate (ML09-119) from this virulent clonal group with lower virulence A. hydrophila isolates revealed four fimbrial proteins unique to strain ML09-119. In this work, we expressed and purified four A. hydrophila fimbrial proteins (FimA, Fim, MrfG, and FimOM) and assessed their ability to protect and stimulate protective immunity in channel catfish fingerlings against A. hydrophila ML09-119 infection for vaccine development. Our results showed catfish immunized with FimA, Fim, FimMrfG, and FimOM exhibited 59.83%, 95.41%, 85.72%, and 75.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of generating neuropsychological functioning scores from test subject data. The methods include receiving a set of images produced by a test subject in which at least a first of the images comprises a rendition of a target image produced by the test subject at a first time point, and in which at least a second of the images comprises a rendition of the target image produced by the test subject at a second time point that differs from the first time point to produce the test subject data. The methods further include passing the test subject data through a trained machine learning algorithm and outputting from the trained machine learning algorithm a neuropsychological functioning score indicated by the test subject data. Additional methods as well as related systems and computer readable media are also provided.

Abstract: Spectra matching is widely used in various applications including the search for a spectrum of an unknown or subject material, chemical, or compound in an existing spectral database and quality control by means of comparing the spectra of products with standards. New systems and methods are described for identifying an unknown compound by calculating the similarities of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of organic compounds. The systems and methods incrementally calculate the spectral similarity based on the local spectral shapes. This reduces the bias caused by uneven weighing of large or broader peaks. In addition, the new systems and methods tolerant to the common issues in spectra matching including baseline offset, baseline sloping, and deviations in wavenumber axis alignment, suggesting its robustness and practical applicability.

Abstract: The invention is directed to roles for PARP-1 in disease.

Abstract: Provided are methods for preparing carbon powders and activated carbon powders from cellulose-containing liquids. In some embodiments, the methods include exposing a cellulose-containing liquid to a hydrothermal carbonization process to convert the carbonaceous material present therein into a carbon powder. Also provided are methods for activating carbon powders, methods for producing carbon powder-containing polymer matrices, and carbon powders, activated carbon powders, and polymer matrices that that include the disclosed carbon powders and/or activated carbon powders that are produced by the presently disclosed methods.

Abstract: Provided herein are synthetic peptides developed from slug and insect neuropeptides. Peptides described can be used to repel, control or deter slugs, including the gray garden slug (Deroceras reticulatum), from feeding on agricultural and horticultural plants. The peptides can be combined with bait materials, or applied directly to plants or areas, or produced by genetically modified plants.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of producing a trifluoromcthoxylated aryl or trifluoromothoxylated heteroaryl having the structure: wherein A is an aryl or heteroaryl, each with or without substitution; and R1 is —H, -(alkyl), -(alkenyl), -(alkynyl), -(aryl), -(heteroaryl), -(alkylaryl), -(alkylheteroaryl), —NH-(alkyl), —N(alkyl)2, —NH-(alkenyl), —NH-(alkynyl) —NH-(aryl), —NH-(heteroaryl), —O-(alkyl), —O-(alkenyl), —O-(alkynyl), —O-(aryl), —O-(heteroaryl), —S-(alkyl), —S-(alkenyl), —S-(alkynyl), —S-(aryl), or —S-(heteroaryl), comprising: (a) reacting a compound having the structure: with a trifluoromethylating agent in the presence of a base in a first suitable solvent under conditions to produce a compound having the structure: and (b) maintaining the compound produced in step (a) in a second suitable solvent under conditions sufficient to produce the trifluoromethoxylated aryl or trifluormethoxylated heteroaryl having the structure:

Abstract: Microbial enzymes are used for esterification of biomass-derived substrates for production of industrially valuable esters. E. coli was used as an efficient platform for recombinant synthesis of fusel lactates such as the green solvent ethyl lactate.

Abstract: Systems and methods to perform privacy-aware computer-vision-based human activity monitoring with real-time haptic feedback. The system and method described in this disclosure employing a registration process for consenting human subjects before their activities are monitored. The registration process involves the corroboration of human motion captured in different modalities, i.e., computer-vision-based via the programmable computer-vision-based motion sensor and accelerometer-based via the wearable device. The tracked human activities are assessed in real-time and upon detection of activities that violated predefined rules, haptic feedback is delivered in real-time to the tracked human subject via the wearable device worn by the caregiver.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to one or more engineered peptide inhibitors against the lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) activity in cells. The disclosure also provides compositions, and kits including the one or more peptide inhibitors, and methods of using the one or more peptide inhibitors. The peptide inhibitors and compositions can be used for treatment of conditions in which there is abnormally high LDHA activity, such as cancer or metabolic diseases, infectious diseases, mendelian disorders, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative and neuropathological diseases, neuropsychological disorders, obesity and eating disorders, chronic diseases and genetic diseases.