Abstract: A compound or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, as well as a pharmaceutical, composition containing that compound or salt dissolved or dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and a method of using that compound or salt in an antibacterial treatment. A contemplated compound corresponds in structure to structural Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of that compound, wherein V is O or NR9, Y is halogen, OR10, C1-C4 hydrocarbyl or NHR10, Z is NR2—X—R1 or CH2—R8, n is 1-6, X is H, S(O)2, C(O), C(O)NR7, C(NH)NR7 or C(O)O, and R1, R2, R7, R8, R9 and R10 are defined within.

Abstract: A sheet metal forming device and a process for reducing springback during forming of sheet metal. The sheet metal forming device includes a die tool that has a corner and a roller that at least partially forms the corner. The roller rotates relative to the die tool during and/or after forming of a piece of sheet metal around the corner. The rotation of the roller can be either a rotation that freely occurs during the forming process or rotation that is forcibly imposed on the roller during and/or after the forming process.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for specific gene targeting and precise editing of DNA sequences in plant genomes using the CRISPR (cluster regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) associated nuclease. Non-transgenic, genetically modified crops can be produced using these compositions and methods.

Abstract: PAD4 inhibitory compositions and methods for their use in treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease are provided according to embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: A process for producing proppants from waste mineralogical material. The process can include providing the waste mineralogical material in a form such as particles, fines, dust, powders, and the like, and forming a plurality of “green” pellets from the waste mineralogical material. Thereafter, the plurality of green pellets are fed into a provided flame drop tower that has a combustion flame, a hot zone, and a collection basin located downstream from the hot zone. The plurality of green pellets pass through the hot zone, are melted and subsequently solidified in the shape of a sphere downstream from the hot zone to form vitrified glass spheres. In some instances, the vitrified glass spheres are subjected to a devitrification step.

Abstract: Devices for production of electricity and/or hydrogen gas are provided by the present invention. In particular, microbial fuel cells for production of electricity and modified microbial fuel cells for production of hydrogen are detailed. A tube cathode is provided which includes a membrane forming a general tube shape. An anode is provided which has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/m3. In addition, the anode is substantially non-toxic to anodophilic bacteria. Combinations of particular anodes and cathodes are included in microbial fuel cells and modified microbial fuel cells.

Abstract: A system, a composition, a method and a kit for identifying anti-bacterial agents are provided. The invention described herein is useful in identifying inhibitors of any bacterial stress response. Moreover, the invention can be applied to any sRNA and its target, any transcription factor and its target, and any transcription factor/sRNA pair (i.e., a transcription factor that regulates a sRNA). In particular, the present invention provides a system, a composition, a method and a kit for the identification of cyclic peptides that block the ?E pathway in Escherichia coli.

Abstract: Methods are provided according to aspects of the present invention for making starch fiber or particle compositions by wet-electrospinning or wet-electrospraying including providing a solution or dispersion of starch in an aqueous or non-aqueous solvent or dispersant, where the starch is present at a concentration above the critical entanglement concentration, with the proviso that the aqueous or non-aqueous solvent or dispersant does not consist only of water; heating the solution or dispersion of starch to a temperature above the crystallization temperature of the starch; electro spinning or electro spraying the heated solution or dispersion of starch to produce starch fibers or starch particles, respectively; and contacting the starch fibers or starch particles with a coagulation bath fluid.

Abstract: A regenerative electrocaloric (EC) device is provided. The regenerative EC device uses a special configuration to expand the temperature span Th-Tc, thereby increasing the cooling power and improving the efficiency thereof. The EC regenerative cooling device includes two electrocaloric effect (ECE) elements/rings in direct thermal contact with each other. The two rings rotate in opposite directions and are divided into multiple sections with an electric field or electric fields applied to every other region/section and an electric field or electric fields removed from remaining sections.

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises inlets for a sample flow and an out-of-plane focusing sheath flow, and a curved channel section configured to receive the sample flow and out-of-plane focusing sheath and to provide hydrodynamic focusing of the sample flow in an out-of-plane direction, the out-of-plane direction being normal to a plane including the curved channel. Examples of the invention also include improved flow cytometers.

Abstract: A process for characterizing micro, meso, and/or macro porous materials is provided. The process includes providing a volumetric and/or gravimetric adsorption system, the adsorption system having an adsorption chamber and a probe gas at a first temperature. In addition, a porous material to be characterized is provided and placed within the adsorption chamber. Thereafter, a porosimetry run is conducted on the porous material. The porosimetry run includes: (a) selecting an uptake target value; (b) selecting a target interval bounding the target uptake target value; (c) adjusting pressure within the adsorption chamber in order for the porous sample to reach the target uptake value; (d) adjusting pressure within the adsorption chamber until the pressure within the adsorption chamber is within the target interval for a predetermined amount of time; and (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) until the porosimetry run is complete.

Abstract: Examples of the present invention include metamaterials, including metamaterial lenses, having material properties that approximate the behavior of a material with low (0<n<1) effective index of refraction. Metamaterials may be designed and tuned using dispersion engineering to create a relatively wide-band low-index region. A low-index metamaterial lens created highly collimated beams in the far-field from a low-directivity antenna feed.

Abstract: Dielectric compositions that include compound of the formula [(M?)1?x(A?)x][(M?)1?y?z,(B?)y(C?)z]O3??(VO)? and protonated dielectric compositions that include a protonated dielectric compound within the formula [(M?)1?x(A?)x](M?)1?y?z(B?)y(C?)z]O3??+h(Vo)?(H•)2h are disclosed. Composite materials that employ one or more of these dielectric compounds together with an electrolyte also are disclosed. Composite material that employs one or more of these dielectric compounds together with an electrochemally active material also are disclosed.

Abstract: A proactive worm containment (PWC) solution for enterprises uses a sustained faster-than-normal outgoing connection rate to determine if a host is infected. Two novel white detection techniques are used to reduce false positives, including a vulnerability time window lemma to avoid false initial containment, and a relaxation analysis to uncontain (or unblock) those mistakenly contained (or blocked) hosts, if there are any. The system integrates seamlessly with existing signature-based or filter-based worm scan filtering solutions. Nevertheless, the invention is signature free and does not rely on worm signatures. Nor is it protocol specific, as the approach performs containment consistently over a large range of worm scan rates. It is not sensitive to worm scan rate and, being a network-level approach deployed on a host, the system requires no changes to the host's OS, applications, or hardware.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming a sheet metal component using an electric current passing through the component. The process can include providing an incremental forming machine, the machine having at least one arcuate tipped tool and at least electrode spaced a predetermined distance from the arcuate tipped tool. The machine is operable to perform a plurality of incremental deformations on the sheet metal component using the arcuate tipped tool. The machine is also operable to apply an electric direct current through the electrode into the sheet metal component at the predetermined distance from the arcuate tipped tool while the machine is forming the sheet metal component.

Abstract: The invention relates to combining targeted therapies with selected chemotherapeutics for the treatment of melanoma. The invention provides a method for inducing apoptosis in a melanoma tumor cell by reducing Akt3 activity, a method for inducing apoptosis in a melanoma tumor cell comprising contacting a melanoma tumor cell with an agent that reduces Akt3 activity to restore normal apoptotic sensitivity to a melanoma tumor cell, allowing a lower concentration of chemotherapeutic agents resulting in decreased toxicity to a patient. Also disclosed is a method for treating a melanoma comprising administering an agent that reduces Akt3 activity and an agent that reduces V599E B-Raf activity, thereby treating a melanoma tumor.

Abstract: A ternary polycrystalline material based on lead hafnate (PbHfO3) and having improved dielectric, piezoelectric, and/or thermal stability properties. The Pb(Hf,Ti)O3 based material can exhibit enhanced electromechanical coupling factors when compared to PZT based ceramics and can be used as high performance actuators, piezoelectric sensors and/or ultrasonic transducers. The ternary polycrystalline material can have a perovskite crystal structure with an ABO3 formula and can be characterized by a substitution of heterovalent acceptor and donor ions at A or B (Zr/Hf) sites.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of inhibiting atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) comprising contacting an aPKC with a compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of structural formulas (I) to (IX). The invention further provides a method of inhibiting or reducing vascular permeability. The method comprising administering to a subject a composition comprising an amount of a compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of structural formulas (I) to (IX) effective to inhibit or reduce vascular permeability. A method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder characterized by abnormal vascular permeability, a method of inhibiting angiogenesis, a method of inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, a formulation, and a method of preparing a formulation also are provided.

Abstract: A dipole microphone array is provided for an acoustical stringed instrument of the type having a body and a plurality of strings spaced from the body. The array includes a plurality of microphone assemblies each having a first and a second microphone. The second microphone is out of phase with the first microphone so as to provide a dipole microphone assembly. Each of the microphone assemblies is mounted on the body of the instrument in close proximity to one of the strings.

Abstract: We disclose methods and compositions for preparation of stimuli-responsive plastics that are capable of responding to chemical and/or physical signals in their environment. In one embodiment the plastics consist of patterned mixtures of poly(phthalaldehyde) polymers in which each polymer contains a different end-capping group (also called a “trigger”), responsive to a different signal. Other embodiments use different polymers and different triggers. The plastics may be homogeneous in composition, but each polymer within the plastic is capable of responding to a different signal and depolymerizing once this signal reacts with the trigger. This process of depolymerization enables the plastic to alter its physical features non-linearly to external signals: i.e., the degree of change in physical form is much larger than the intensity of the initial signal.