Abstract: A hybrid laser printing (HLP) technology that utilizes ultrafast laser in sequential additive-subtractive modes to create 3D hydrogel constructs. The approach involves the synergistic use of additive crosslinking and subtractive ablation processes that are conventionally mutually exclusive. HLP can be operated at virtually any penetration depth and allow fabrication of multi-layer hydrogel constructs at micrometer resolution. HLP was used to print ready-to-use functional chips using commonly used hydrogels for potential cellular communication and migration applications. HLP was also found to be compatible with in situ printing of cell-laden hydrogel constructs. HLP makes shaping of soft hydrogels into 3D multi scale functional devices possible.

Abstract: An assay and kit for detecting N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E) in a sample that uses a lipid binding protein, such as Saposin B, to capture A2E in the sample and assist in the extraction and measurement of A2E via mass spectroscopy. A2E thus serves as a marker for macular degeneration so that the assay and kit of the invention can be used to detect the presence or severity of macular degeneration.

Abstract: The formation of microporous surfaces through polymer induced phase separation in a photopolymer solvent mixture using photopolymerization via light self-focusing and self-trapping. The self-trapping of light sets fixed regions of brightness and darkness, sustained by the polymerization of light, and then wave guiding within the substrate. Phase separation occurs with the solvent phase separating in the regions of darkness and crosslinking in the regions of brightness. Upon removal of the solvent, precise and uniformly dispersed pores are created in the surface. The pore size and spacing may be tuned by adjusting the weight fraction of the photopolymer solvent mixture as well as through changes in the mask pattern.

Abstract: A process for forming protoanemonin from an amount of levulinic acid or an amount of ?-Angelica lactone using oxidative dehydrogenation. Biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) is a green platform chemical and, using an oxidative scission pathway can be transformed into cyclic intermediates, namely angelicalactones to form protoanemonin. The oxidative dehydrogenation may be heterogeneously catalyzed in a gas-phase to perform aerobic oxidation using a solid oxide such as vanadium oxide. Protoanemonin is an intriguing polyfunctional molecule that is uniquely suited to bio-based production, and can be synthesized in yields from 50%-75% during periods of transient reactor operation.

Abstract: An approach for differentially isolating eukaryotic (plant and animal) DNA from bacterial DNA prior to sequencing using a combination of size exclusion-based separation and differential cell lysis. The method of the present invention exploits the differences of the cellular size and components of each type of organism to be separated. The composition and nature of the cell wall of plant cells, enzymatic sensitivity of bacterial and animal cells and overall size difference of bacterial and plant/animal cells allows one portion of a mixed sample to be lysed while retaining the integrity of the remaining organisms. Separation of one phylogenetic component then permits the remaining components to be extracted with minimal contribution from the preceding component. The separation of DNAs from differing contributing kingdoms in an unknown sample increases interpretability through decreasing complexity in subsequent sequencing applications.

Abstract: The formation of microporous surfaces through polymer induced phase separation in a photopolymer solvent mixture using photopolymerization via light self-focusing and self-trapping. The self-trapping of light sets fixed regions of brightness and darkness, sustained by the polymerization of light, and then wave guiding within the substrate. Phase separation occurs with the solvent phase separating in the regions of darkness and crosslinking in the regions of brightness. Upon removal of the solvent, precise and uniformly dispersed pores are created in the surface. The pore size and spacing may be tuned by adjusting the weight fraction of the photopolymer solvent mixture as well as through changes in the mask pattern.

Abstract: A system and method for automated detection of figure element reuse. The system can receive articles or other publications from a user input or an automated input. The system then extracts images from the articles and compares them to reference images from a historical database. The comparison and detection of matches occurs via a copy-move detection algorithm implemented by a processor of the system. The processor first locates and extracts keypoints from a submission image and finds matches between those keypoints and the keypoints from a reference image using a near neighbor algorithm. The matches are clustered and the clusters are compared for keypoint matching. Matched clusters are further compared for detectable transformations. The processor may additionally implement natural language processing to filter matches based on the context of the use of the submission image in the submission and a patch detector for removing false positive features.

Abstract: A method of detecting and quantifying human objects in a given environment by passively observing wireless signals in an interesting environment. Information pertaining to observed wireless signals, such as wireless physical layer data and metadata, encrypted or unencrypted data and metadata in the wireless media-access control layer, and channel state information are extracted from the observed wireless signals and used to detect and quantify human objects in a location. The signals that are observed can originate from a wireless object used by a target of interest, such as cellular phone or workstations, or from infrastructure devices, such as wireless access points, IoT devices, or other transceivers. The signals can also originate from other recognizable signal sources, such as electromagnetic interference introduced by equipment such as elevator motors or microwave ovens.

Abstract: Methods and systems for characterizing two or more nucleic acids in a sample. The method can include the steps of providing a hybrid machine learning approach that enables rapid and automated deconvolution of DNA mixtures of multiple contributors. The input is analyzed by an expert system which is implemented in the form of a rule set. The rule set establishes requirements based on expectations on the biology and methods used. The methods and systems also include a machine learning algorithm that is either incorporated into the expert system, or utilizes the output of the expert system for analysis. The machine learning algorithm can be any of a variety of different algorithms or combinations of algorithms used to perform classification in a complex data environment.

Abstract: An effective dried attractive toxic bait station that acts as a lure and kill device for Ae. aegypti and other mosquitoes. The bait station is a simulated refuge at least part of which is coated with a dried mixture of poison and sugar forming a dried toxic sugar-containing bait. The simulated refuge attracts Ae. aegypti and other mosquitoes to bait station and encourages them to land on the coated portion. Once a mosquito has landed, it detects the sugar in the dried mixture of sugar and poison and ingests some of it. Once ingested, the dried mixture of poison and sugar will eventually kill the mosquito.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating the state of charge, i.e., the amount of cooling remaining, in a latent heat thermal storage module of a local environmental control system. The local environmental control system stores cooling energy at night by freezing a latent heat phase change material (PCM), and then releasing the stored cooling energy by removing heat from room air flowing through the PCM during the day. Differential temperature sensors are used measure the air temperature drop across the latent thermals storage unit and the fan voltage, which is directly related to fan air flow rate, is sampled. A controller is programmed to determine the charging state from these measurements.

Abstract: An amorphous, optically transparent, colorless shape memory assisted self-healing coating for optical glassware applications that uses a combination of surface shape memory and self-healing properties to repair damaged sites on glass substrates when exposed to a thermal stimulus. The coating includes a miscible combination of a network polymer and a linear polymer having glass transition temperate between room temperature and about 40 degrees C. The coating can be used for corrective eyewear, for windshields and windows in automobiles and motorcycles, as well for as optical coatings wherever needed.

Abstract: A system configured to characterize a ratio of contributors to a DNA mixture within a sample, the system including: a sample preparation module configured to generate initial data about the DNA mixture within the sample; a processor comprising a ratio of contributors determination module configured to: (i) receive the generated initial data; (ii) analyze the generated initial data to determine the ratio of contributors to the DNA mixture within the sample; and an output device configured to receive the determined ratio of contributors from the processor, and further configured to output information about the received determined ratio of contributors.

Abstract: A bioinspired protein pore-based nanostructure that can provide selective, real-time sampling of protein-protein interactions at single-molecule resolution. This modular nanostructure relied on a single polypeptide chain that encompassed a heavily truncated outer membrane protein, a highly flexible connector, a protein receptor element, as well as a polypeptide adapter. The presence of a protein ligand analyte in solution produced reversible binding and release events, in the form of discrete and stochastic current transitions between open substates of the transmembrane pore, the nature of which depend on both the amount of protein ligand analyte and the strength of the transient PPIs in aqueous phase.

Abstract: A system for using radio frequency (RF) communication signals to extract situational awareness information thorough deep learning. Pre-processing is performed to maximally preserve discriminating features in spatial, temporal and frequency domains. A specially designed neural network architecture is used for handling complex RF signals and extracting spatial, temporal and frequency domain information. Data collection and training is used so that the learning system desensitizes from features orthogonal to the underlying classification problem.

Abstract: Synthetic disaccharide hydrocarbons (DSHs) that reactive bacterials swarming motility and inhibit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. A library of DSHs were tested in several experiment for the impact on various Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations and compared against existing compounds to determine efficacy and utility. Certain DSHs were also to determine the ability to clear bacteria in a mouse pneumonia model.

Abstract: A structural shape memory assisted self-healing polymer formed by laminating thin layers of an ionomer, such as a member of the poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) family of ionomers, with a WEGP-type SMP, such as atactic poly(styrene) (PS) with molecular weight in the 200 kDa range (or alternatively poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) in combination with polycyclooctene (PCO). The self-healing polymer may also comprise an interpenetrating, immiscible polymer network (IPN) based on a blend of polystyrene and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS).

Abstract: A cooling device for a heat source, such as an electronic component, has a single or set of nano- and/or micro-sized channel(s) connected to a single or multiple reservoir(s). The heat source causes nucleation within a channel, and a vapor bubble forms removing heat from the heat source via evaporation of liquid to vapor in the bubble and condensation of the generated vapor at the cooler ends of the bubble. Thus, the channel operates as a passive heat pipe and removes heat from the source by passively circulating the cooling fluid between the vapor bubble and the reservoir(s).

Abstract: A quantum computing transducer having a dense, tunable superconducting metamaterial transmission line (SMTL) spectrum that can resonantly enhance sideband scattering. The resonant enhancement of scattering boosts the scattering rate, and hence also the microwave-to-optical-interface (MOQI) transduction efficiency. Moreover, the integration of mechanical elements with the SMTL to realize the MOQI yields a platform that can be readily interfaced on chip, such as in an integrated circuit, with superconducting-qubit architectures to facilitate the local implementation of two of the essential functionalities required for a quantum repeater, i.e., data egress/ingress and a quantum processing module.

Abstract: A system configured to characterize a ratio of contributors to a DNA mixture within a sample, the system including: a sample preparation module configured to generate initial data about the DNA mixture within the sample; a processor comprising a ratio of contributors determination module configured to: (i) receive the generated initial data; (ii) analyze the generated initial data to determine the ratio of contributors to the DNA mixture within the sample; and an output device configured to receive the determined ratio of contributors from the processor, and further configured to output information about the received determined ratio of contributors.