Abstract: Described are a method and an apparatus for generating a forecast weather image such as a forecast weather radar image. The method uses filters to approximate viscous alignment and to thereby determine displacement fields having meaningful structure. In various embodiments a power-law energy spectrum is utilized for deformations in the displacement field through the application of a set of Gabor filters. The Gabor filters are applied in a sequential manner to gradient error images and values of modes of motions corresponding to the Gabor filters are determined. The values are used to generate the displacement field which can then be applied to an existing weather image to generate a forecast weather image.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to the generation of interference patterns using electromagnetic radiation are generally described. Some embodiments are directed to the use of such systems and methods to perform interference lithography.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula I. Another aspect of the invention is a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula II. Another aspect of the invention is a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula III. Another aspect of the invention is a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula IV. Yet another aspect of the invention is a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula I, II, III, and IV further comprising independently for each occurrence citrate, phosphate, or sulfate anion. Also disclosed are compositions comprising a protein and a salt comprising guanidinium groups, as shown in formula I, II, III, and IV. Also provided are methods of increasing shelf life of an aqueous solution of a protein and decreasing the amount of protein aggregation in an aqueous solution of a protein.

Abstract: A distributed wireless communication system includes multiple access points, each with one or more antennas. The access points do not necessarily have synchronized transmitting and receiving radio frequency oscillators. Approaches to channel estimation between the access points and one or more wireless clients account for the lack of synchronization, and do not necessarily require capabilities at the clients that go beyond required or optional features of standard wireless Ethernet (e.g., 802.11n, 802.11g, or 802.11a), thereby supporting “legacy” clients while supporting high data throughput approaches that provide coherent transmission from the multiple antenna of the access points.

Abstract: A system for providing collision avoidance in underwater vehicles contains a spectral analysis module for determining expectation value of acoustic (incoherent) intensity. The system also contains an intercept time estimation module for: receiving continuous time series of a current incoherent acoustic intensity and low pass filtering the time series of the current incoherent acoustic intensity; estimating temporal intensity rate of change; determining an estimated time to collision for an approaching source; and performing statistical regression analysis resulting in an estimated time of potential collision and an uncertainty measure.

Abstract: Trapping devices and methods are provided for capturing a medical analyte, in blood or another biological fluid. The device may include a structural substrate and a binding agent, such as an antibody, affixed to the structural substrate, wherein the binding agent is capable of binding or attaching with a medical analyte, such as a viral particle, and the device is configured for placement in a biological cavity or vessel (containing a biological fluid) in a patient. The trapping device, which may be in a twisted coil shape, is configured to trap at least some of the medical analyte, such a viral particle, present in the biological fluid. The method may include deploying a trapping device into the patient's blood vessel; after a period following the deployment, removing the trapping device from the biological cavity or blood vessel; and then analyzing the trapping device for the presence of the medical analyte.

Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.

Abstract: A method of a general biological approach to synthesizing compact nanotubes using a biological template is described.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to organic polymers able to participate in an analyte-recognition process, where an analyte facilitates an energy transfer between an energy donor and an energy acceptor. Certain embodiments of the invention make use of fluorescent conjugated polymers, such as poly(phenylene ethynylene)s and other polymers comprising pi-conjugated backbones. For example, one aspect of the invention provides a fluorescent conjugated polymer and an indicator that can interact with each other in the presence of an analyte to produce an emissive signal. In some cases, the interaction may include energy exchange mechanisms, such as Dexter energy transfer or the strong coupling effect. The interaction of the conjugated polymer and the indicator, in some instances, may be facilitated through specific interactions, such as a protein/carbohydrate interaction, a ligand/receptor interaction, etc.

Abstract: Terahertz quantum cascade (QC) devices are disclosed that can operate, e.g., in a range of about 1 THz to about 10 THz. In some embodiments, QC lasers are disclosed in which an optical element (e.g., a lens) is coupled to an output facet of the laser's active region to enhance coupling of the lasing radiation from the active region to an external environment. In other embodiments, terahertz amplifier and tunable terahertz QC lasers are disclosed.

Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.

Abstract: An optical amplifier on a silicon platform includes a first doped device layer and a second doped device layer. A gain medium is positioned between the first and second doped device layers. The gain medium comprises extrinsic gain materials so as to substantially confine in the gain medium a light signal and allow the optical amplifier to be electrically or optically pumped.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to mesostructured zeolites. The invention also relates to a method of preparing mesostructured zeolites, as well as using them as cracking catalysts for organic compounds and degradation catalysts for polymers.

Abstract: Redox flow devices are described in which at least one of the positive electrode or negative electrode-active materials is a semi-solid or is a condensed ion-storing electroactive material, and in which at least one of the electrode-active materials is transported to and from an assembly at which the electrochemical reaction occurs, producing electrical energy. The electronic conductivity of the semi-solid is increased by the addition of conductive particles to suspensions and/or via the surface modification of the solid in semi-solids (e.g., by coating the solid with a more electron conductive coating material to increase the power of the device). High energy density and high power redox flow devices are disclosed. The redox flow devices described herein can also include one or more inventive design features. In addition, inventive chemistries for use in redox flow devices are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a high peak power optical beam. The method includes interleaving pulse trains of different wavelengths and spatially and temporally overlapping the different wavelengths to produce an amplified output beam with very high peak power.

Abstract: In a bubble-column vapor mixture condenser, a fluid source supplies a carrier-gas stream including a condensable fluid in vapor phase. The condensable fluid in liquid form is contained as a bath in a chamber in each stage of the condenser, and the carrier gas is bubbled through the bath to condense the condensable fluid into the bath. Energy from condensation is recovered to a coolant in a conduit that passes through the liquid in the stages of the condenser. The bubble-column vapor mixture condenser can be used, e.g., in a humidification-dehumidification system for purifying a liquid, such as water.

Abstract: Strain gauge. The gauge includes a substrate and a thin film of overlapping, two-dimensional flakes deposited on the substrate. Structure responsive to conductance across the film is provided whereby a strain induced change in overlap area between neighboring flakes results in a change in conductance across the film. In a preferred embodiment, the two-dimensional flakes are graphene.

Abstract: A superconducting coil includes (a) a plurality of windings of a coil comprising high-temperature superconductors and (b) an electrically conductive channel in which the high-temperature superconductors are mounted. The high-temperature superconductors can comprise at least one of the following: Ba2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8 (2212), Ba2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (2223), and YBa2Cu3O7-x (123) superconductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of altering expression of a genomic locus of interest or specifically targeting a genomic locus of interest in an animal cell, which may involve contacting the genomic locus with a non-naturally occurring or engineered composition that includes a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) binding polypeptide having a N-terminal capping region, a DNA binding domain comprising at least five or more Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) monomers and at least one or more half-monomers specifically ordered to target the genomic locus of interest, and a C-terminal capping region, wherein the polypeptide includes at least one or more effector domains, and wherein the polypeptide is encoded by and translated from a codon optimized nucleic acid molecule so that the polypeptide preferentially binds to the DNA of the genomic locus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for two-dimensional wavelength beam combining of laser sources. In one example, an external cavity multi-wavelength laser includes an array of laser emitters each producing an optical beam having a specified wavelength, a grating stack comprising a plurality of first-order diffraction gratings arranged linearly in a first dimension, and a dispersive element. The laser further includes a cylindrical telescope that images the optical beams from the array of laser emitters onto the grating stack. A first cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams in a second dimension forming a first region of overlap at the grating stack. A second cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams from the grating stack in the first dimension forming a second region of overlap at the dispersive element. The dispersive element transmits a multi-wavelength output beam comprising the spatially overlapped optical beams from the array of laser emitters.