Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a robot to navigate a perceptually aliased environment, the robot being configured to infer a first Gaussian mixture model (GMM) of a first pose of the robot, and to plan an optimal control action by: determining a second GMM of a simulated pose of the robot by simulating applying the first control action to the first GMM; determining from the second GMM a range of possible observations; calculating scene probabilities for associating each possible observation with each aliased scene of a set of aliased scenes; calculating from the scene probabilities an objective function to determine an estimated cost of the first control action; and comparing the estimated cost of the first control action with estimated costs calculated for one or more additional control actions, to determine an optimal control action.

Abstract: A flow bioreactor device for monitoring cellular dynamics may include a housing having one or a plurality of conduits to place one or a plurality of tissue samples inside each of said one or a plurality of conduits, wherein each of said one or a plurality of conduits has an inlet for introducing a flow of a liquid in a direction of flow through that conduit, wherein said one or a plurality of conduits are fluidically linked to an outlet for discharging the liquid, and wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent so as to provide a line of sight for viewing or for an optical device along an elongated axis of any of said one or a plurality of conduits, the line of sight being substantially parallel to the direction of flow through that conduit.

Abstract: A compliant transmission system includes a rotatable wave generator and a sleeve fitted on the wave generator. The rotatable wave generator has an external surface including pattern extending both annularly and in a longitudinal direction. The sleeve is configured to be deformable and to be impressed on its outer surface with waves extending along the longitudinal direction during rotation of the pattern of the wave generator within the sleeve.

Abstract: Provided are methods and kits for determining predisposition of a subject to develop a kidney disease, by identifying in a sample of the subject at least one APOL1 polypeptide variant which is characterized by a higher trypanolytic activity on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense as compared to the trypanolytic activity of wild type APOL1 polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 on the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense under identical assay conditions; or at least one APOL1 nucleotide mutation in the APLO1 genomic sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3, wherein the at least one nucleotide mutation or polypeptide variant being in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the S342G mutation in the APOL1 polypeptide set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, wherein presence of the APOL1 polypeptide variant indicates increased predisposition of the subject to develop the kidney disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halo-de-carboxylation process for the preparation of organic chlorides, organic bromides and mixtures thereof, from their corresponding carboxylic acids, using a chlorinating agent selected from trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA), dichloroisocyanuric acid (DCCA), or combination thereof, and a brominating agent.

Abstract: Provided are novel serum-free culture media which comprise basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor beta-3 and ascorbic acid at a concentration of at least about 50 microgram/ml; ascorbic acid at a concentration range of about 400-600 microgram/ml, bFGF at a concentration range of about 50-200 ng/ml, xeno-free serum replacement and a lipid mixture; the IL6RIL6 chimera at a concentration range of about 50-200 picogram per milliliter (pg/ml); or leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) at a concentration of at least 2000 units/ml; cell cultures comprising same with pluripotent stem cells such as human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and methods of using same for expanding pluripotent stem cells in an undifferentiated state using two-dimensional or three-dimensional culture systems; and methods of expanding iPS cells in a suspension culture devoid of substrate adherence and cell encapsulation.

Abstract: A system for authenticating messages transmitted on a bus based on physical location of transmitting units, comprising a reflector adapted to inject a plurality of reflection signals at a first point of a line topology bus, each in response to each of a plurality of messages transmitted by a plurality of bus connected units and a probe adapted to intercept the messages and the reflection signals at a second point of the bus. The probe calculates propagation timing between a reception time of the message and a reception time of an associated reflection signal transmitted in response to the message and determines validity of the message according to a match between the calculated propagation timing and a predefined propagation timings associated with the bus connected units. Wherein the bus connected units are statically connected to the bus between the first point and the second point.

Abstract: Non-antimicrobial compounds, methods and compositions comprising the same for treating medical conditions associated with pathogenic microorganism in a subject, as well as drug-resistant strains thereof, which are effective in immunopotentiating the pathogenic microorganism to the antimicrobial systems in the subject, and/or act in synergism with exogenous antimicrobial drugs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conducting material comprising a carbon-based material selected from a diamond or an insulating diamond-like carbon, having a hydrogen-terminated surface and a layer of tungsten trioxide, rhenium trioxide, or chromium oxide coating said hydrogen-terminated surface. Such conducting materials are useful in the fabrication of electronic components, electrodes, sensors, diodes, field effect transistors, and field emission electron sources.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for inducing allogenic tumor rejection and, more particularly, but not exclusively, compositions and methods employing fusion proteins comprising an MHC class I HLA amino acid sequence mismatched to the host.

Abstract: A polyHIPE-templated composition-of-matter afforded by interfacial polymerization, comprising a polymer of alternating residues of hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers. The described composition-of-matter is characterized by an open-, quasi-closed- or a truly closed-cell microstructure, whereas the latter is capable of non-releasably or releasably encapsulating an organic or aqueous composition therein for extended periods of time, as well as various uses thereof.

Abstract: Logic gates are made from first and second resistive elements connected together to form a voltage divider. One or both of the resistive elements is a unipolar memristor. OR and NOT gates may be constructed to make a digital logic system.

Abstract: A sensor technology comprising a single nano-material (gold nanoparticles and/or carbon nanotube) based sensor or a plurality of sensors in conjunction with a pattern recognition algorithm for non-invasive and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis caused by M. tuberculosis bacteria in a subject. The sensor technology is suitable for population screening of tuberculosis, particularly in resource-poor and developing countries.

Abstract: A method of emitting photons at a desired wavelength, including: providing a material having a first region of high absorption of radiation at a first set of wavelength of radiation, contiguous with a second region of low absorption of radiation at a shorter set of wavelengths, and a third region of high emission at a further shorter set of wavelengths; applying energy to the material at the first region, such that most of an effective black body radiation of said material at a temperature of the material would fall within the second region and be configured to transfer energy to said third region and not overlap with the first region; and emitting energy from the material at the third region, powered by said applying energy.

Abstract: A ground based control system and method for controlling nanosatellites in low earth orbit to fly as an array, comprises arranging the nanosatellites, each of which has an illumination element in the array, and operating selected illumination elements to produce a display in which a pattern, shape or letters or words are detectable at a predetermined ground location.

Abstract: Training neural networks by constructing a neural network model having neurons each associated with a quantized activation function adapted to output a quantized activation value. The neurons are arranged in layers and connected by connections associated quantized connection weight functions adapted to output quantized connection weight values. During a training process a plurality of weight gradients are calculated during backpropagation sub-processes by computing neuron gradients, each of an output of a respective the quantized activation function in one layer with respect to an input of the respective quantized activation function. Each neuron gradient is calculated such that when an absolute value of the input is smaller than a positive constant threshold value, the respective neuron gradient is set as a positive constant output value and when the absolute value of the input is smaller than the positive constant threshold value the neuron gradient is set to zero.

Abstract: A microchannel-membrane device comprises a microchannel extending through at least one electrode, the microchannel having a predetermined depth; an ionic permselective medium, such as a membrane, across the microchannel between the electrodes; and a heater, or array of heaters, embedded below the microchannel on at least one side of the permselective membrane. The heaters can be either prefabricated or dynamically patterned using laser illumination with/without photoconductive coating. The heaters are on the depletion side of the membrane and induce a vortex which limits the growth of the diffusion area. Operation of the heaters allows for controlled positioning of the end of the diffusion area and with it also the position of the preconcentrated molecule plug.

Abstract: Methods for modeling a 3-dimensional (3D) object, comprising operating at least one hardware processor for, receiving a 3D volumetric model of the object, receiving a 3D model of a tile, paving multiple ones of the tiles in the interior domain of the 3D volumetric model, and providing a 3D filled model of the filled inner volume of the 3D volumetric model are provided. Computer program products and systems for doing same are also provided.

Abstract: There is provided a method of design and analysis of a geometric object comprising: receiving an initial definition of the geometric object in a coordinate system; generating a volumetric model according to the initial definition, the volumetric model comprises: volumetric cells each represented by one or more multivariate of three variables or more functions, and intra object general border surfaces in general orientation each defines topological adjacency between at least two of said plurality of volumetric cells.

Abstract: Provided herein is forward osmosis-based water purification process, that includes contacting a solution of a soluble draw agent with a dehydrated insoluble draw agent, separating the now hydrated insoluble draw agent from the now concentrated draw solution, and exerting a stimulus on the hydrated insoluble draw agent for extracting water therefrom, thereby regenerating a dehydrated insoluble draw agent, wherein the osmotic concentration (osmolality) of the insoluble draw agent is greater than the osmotic concentration of the diluted draw solution, and the insoluble draw agent is impermeable to the soluble draw agent.