Abstract: Provided herein is an electrodialysis metathesis (EDM) system that has at least one stack or quad of compartments arranged so each compartment is in fluid communication with its adjacent compartment via alternating cation- and anion-exchange membranes. The compartments in a stack are a feed compartment, a substitution salt solution compartment, a first concentrated compartment and a second concentrated compartment. Also provided are processes and methods for separating or recovering a metal, for example, a rare earth element, or a salt or a combination thereof from a salt-containing water. Simultaneous metathesis reactions and electrodialysis across the stack recovers one or more metal or salts from the salt-containing water which desalinates the salt-containing water.

Abstract: A minimum-ignition-energy testing apparatus includes a combustion tube and a bottom assembly coupled to a lower end of the combustion tube. A top assembly is coupled to an upper end of the combustion tube. The top assembly includes a first sparge plate coupled to the top base plate. The first sparge plate has a first aperture formed therein. The top assembly also includes a second sparge plate coupled to the first sparge plate. The second sparge plate has formed therein a second aperture that aligns in registry with the first aperture. A channel is formed in the second sparge plate about a perimeter of the third aperture. The channel has a plurality of holes disposed therein that are formed through a thickness of the second sparge plate. A tube is formed through in the second sparge plate, the tube fluidly coupling the channel to a gas source.

Abstract: Provided herein is an engineered extracellular vesicle (eEV) and an extracellular vesicle delivery vehicle. The engineered extracellular vesicle is an isolated extracellular vesicle that has a membrane hybridized with lipids. The extracellular vesicle delivery vehicle is a lipid-hybridized extracellular vesicle with a nucleic acid loaded within the core, a multi-layered polyelectrolyte coating deposited around the lipid-hybridized extracellular vesicle and a therapeutic drug complexed to one of the layer of polyelectrolyte coatings. Also provided are methods for preparing an engineered extracellular vesicle, for preparing an extracellular vesicle delivery vehicle, for treating a pathophysiological condition in a subject, and for co-delivering a nucleic acid and a therapeutic drug to a cell of interest.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes depositing an amorphous layer on a substrate, masking a portion of the amorphous layer, removing a portion of the amorphous layer to form a first channel into the amorphous layer, depositing a semiconductor layer onto the substrate layer, and removing at least a portion of a defect region of the semiconductor layer to form a second channel.

Abstract: A pyrolysis and gasification system produce a synthesis gas and bio-char from a biomass feedstock. The system includes a feed hopper that has a flow measurement device. The system also includes a reactor that is operable in a gasification mode or a pyrolysis mode. The reactor is configured to receive the biomass feedstock from the feed hopper. The reactor is operable to provide heat to the biomass feedstock from the feed hopper to produce the synthesis gas and bio-char. The system also includes a cyclone assembly. The produced synthesis gas including the bio-char is fed to the cyclone assembly. The cyclone assembly removes a portion of the bio-char from the synthesis gas.

Abstract: A hydrogel condom containing an antioxidant can provide increased sexual pleasure, thus improving usage and resulting in prevention of disease and prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

Abstract: Functionalized pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one derivatives, methods for making the derivatives, and methods of using the derivatives as protein kinase inhibitors.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for real-time monitoring of underwater risers, cables, and mooring lines based on a Kalman filter. In an embodiment, the system is formed with sensors configured to sense an inclination of a riser segment between riser nodes of the riser between the upper end and the lower end. A data processing system is configured to employ a Kalman filter algorithm to produce real-time estimates of a deformed shape and a stress of the riser segment using the sensed inclination between the riser nodes.

Abstract: An approximating anchor device, corresponding kits, and methods for implementing the device are described herein. In one embodiment, the approximating anchor device includes a first cylindrical fastener defining a first set of cross lumens, each of the first set of cross lumens extending substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the first cylindrical fastener, a second cylindrical fastener defining a second set of cross lumens, each of the second set of cross lumens extending substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the second cylindrical fastener, and a string running through the first set of cross lumens of the first cylindrical fastener and the second set of cross lumens of the second cylindrical fastener. Tightening of the string will draw the first cylindrical fastener and the second cylindrical fastener towards each other.

Abstract: In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to an oleaginous bacterium. In some embodiments, the oleaginous bacterium includes lipids and at least one exogenous and inducible gene. In some embodiments, the exogenous and inducible gene encodes at least one protein capable of inducing lysis in the oleaginous bacterium to release the lipids. In an addition embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of releasing lipids into an environment. In general, the method includes one or more of the following steps of: (1) introducing at least one oleaginous bacterium of the present disclosure to the environment; and (2) inducing expression of at least one exogenous gene in the oleaginous bacterium to thereby induce the expression of at least one protein. In some embodiments, the protein facilitates the lysis of the oleaginous bacterium and release of the lipids into the environment.

Abstract: Numerous plant microbes, including the vascular-limited Candidatus spp.—causal agents of citrus greening and potato zebra chip diseases—are non-culturable. The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to compositions, methods and systems for culturing such organisms. For example, the present disclosure relates to methods for culturing, propagating, and characterizing fastidious vascular-colonizing microbes using a hairy root system (e.g., in vitro, in planta). The present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to methods for cultivating a fastidious plant microbe including: contacting a plant (e.g., a tomato plant, a potato plant, a citrus plant) colonized by a fastidious plant microbe (e.g., Xylella fastidiosa, Candidatus Liberibacter spp.) with a suspension of R. rhizogenes under conditions that permit induction of hairy roots colonized with the fastidious plant microbe, and propagating the colonized microbial hairy roots.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing the concentration of selenocyanate in water. In the methods and systems, water containing selenocyanate is treated an oxidant to provide oxidant-treated water, which is then contacted with a zero-valent iron treatment system comprising (a) a reactive solid comprising zero-valent iron and one or more iron oxide minerals in contact therewith and (b) ferrous iron.

Abstract: A method of capturing and converting a gas includes supplying a first gas to an adsorption column, adsorbing a first component of the first gas into an adsorbent contained in the adsorption column responsive to the adsorbent having an increased affinity for the first component, venting a second component of the first gas out of the adsorption column, supplying a second gas to the adsorption column so as to increase a partial pressure of the second gas thereby decreasing the partial pressure of the first component within the adsorption column, desorbing the first component from the adsorbent responsive to the increased partial pressure of the second gas and decreased partial pressure of the at least one first component, and transmitting a mixture of the first component and the second gas to a reactor via a reactor line.

Abstract: An autonomous landing system for vertical landing aircraft includes a vertical landing aircraft including a powertrain and an onboard camera, a motion-stabilized visual cue including a visual indicator, wherein the visual cue is configured to maintain a fixed orientation of the visual indicator with respect to a horizon, and an autonomous control system configured to control a position of the aircraft with respect to the visual indicator of the visual cue based on image data captured by the onboard camera.

Abstract: Phase change material compositions and methods for using the compositions to prepare substrate coatings or bulk blended polymers that advantageously lower friction between interacting substrate surfaces and lower substrate surface wear.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to a modified lantibiotic containing an intact cysteine at the C-terminus, particularly, a cysteine that is not decarboxylated and that contains a free carboxyl group. Derivatives of the modified lantibiotic comprising a moiety conjugated to the carboxyl group of the terminal cysteine are also provided. A bacterium that produces a modified lantibiotic having an intact cysteine at the C-terminus are also provided, wherein the bacterium is genetically modified to inactivate a gene that encodes a decarboxylase enzyme that decarboxylates the cysteine at the C-terminus of a precursor lantibiotic. Methods of producing a modified lantibiotic having an intact cysteine at the C-terminus by culturing a bacterium that synthesizes the modified lantibiotic and purifying the lantibiotic are also provided. Mutants of lantibiotics, particularly, mutacin 1140 having higher anti-bacterial activity or higher bacterial expression compared to mutacin 1140 are also provided.

Abstract: Occidiofungin is a cyclic nonribosomally synthesized antifungal peptide with submicromolar activity. This invention is directed to compositions enriched for particular occidiofungin diastereomers/conformers, methods of making compositions enriched for particular diastereomers/conformers and microorganisms suitable for producing enriched compositions of particular diastereomers/conformers. Methods of treating fungal infections or plants infected by fungi are also provided.

Abstract: An amphibious vehicle for traversing land and bodies of water includes a chassis, and a cycloidal propeller coupled to the chassis and which includes a plurality of cycloidal propeller blades rotatably coupled to the chassis and each extending parallel a rotational axis of the cycloidal propeller, and an extension/retraction system configured to extend the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades away from the chassis and to retract the plurality of cycloidal propeller blades towards the chassis.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing the level of gossypol in cottonseed. The method generally includes selectively inducing RNA gene silencing in the seed of a transgenic cotton plant, to interfere with expression of the ?-cadinene synthase gene or the ?-cadinene-8-hydroxylase gene in the seed of the cotton plant without substantially affecting expression of that gene in the foliage, floral parts, and roots of the plant. The transgenic cotton plant comprises at least one of a ?-cadinene synthase gene trigger sequence and/or a ?-cadinene-8-hydroxylase gene trigger sequence operably linked to one or more a seed-specific promoter gene sequences, and the trigger sequence(s) is/are able to induce RNA gene silencing when expressed in cottonseed of the plant.

Abstract: An apparatus for measurement of Thomson scattering signals from a plasma includes a light emitting device, configured to emit a light beam into the plasma, along an axis. In addition, the apparatus includes a collector configured to collect the Thomson scattering from the plasma at an angle less than 90 degrees from the axis of the light beam. Further, the apparatus includes a sensor assembly to detect the Thomson scattering.