Abstract: The present invention relates generally to X-ray detectors and more particularly to a system and a method for integrating an anti-scattering grid with scintillators to significantly enhance the performance of flat panel X-ray detector. In particular, the performance of a flat panel X-ray detector may be enhanced by photon counting detector pixels configured underneath the septa of a 2D antiscatter grid.

Abstract: Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of single or multiple scattered signals from a scattering medium. Combined and overlapped single or multiple scattered light signals from the medium can be separated by exploiting varying polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of two surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution.

Abstract: A personal protective equipment (PPE) apparatus for patient donning during medical treatment is disclosed. The apparatus includes a portable frame and cover configured to surround the patient and mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens generated by the patient to the healthcare provider and surrounding environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating melanoma, in a subject in need of such a treatment, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the formula: I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a solvate thereof, or a combination thereof, wherein X1 and X2 are as defined herein. Methods of the invention can further include administering other oncolytic agents and/or immunotherapy in treating a patient with melanoma.

Abstract: Systems and methods for azimuthal multiplexing using three-dimensional diffractive optics An azimuthal optical multiplexing system includes a light source. The system includes two or more at least partially transparent plates. Each plate of the two or more plates has a structured or patterned surface positioned in an optical path of the light source. The system includes means for rotating at least one plate of the two or more plates axially with respect to at least one other plate of the two or more plates. The means for rotating is operatively coupled to the at least one plate. The structured or patterned surface is configured to modulate light directed along the optical path and through the two or more plates.

Abstract: A bidirectional mode-locked fiber laser includes first and second passive optical fibers, a doped optical fiber, first and second polarization controllers, and first and second polarized beamsplitters that are arranged as a ring cavity with clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) directions. The laser imparts different nonlinear phase shifts in the CW and CCW directions, corresponding to CW and CCW repetition rates that are slightly different. When the normalized difference in repetition rates is less than approximately 10?5, both directions can be mode-locked simultaneously, thereby preventing one direction from inhibiting mode-locking of the other direction. Optical-fiber nonlinearity implements an intra-cavity bidirectional artificial saturable absorber based on nonlinear polarization rotation. The laser uses only components with normal group-velocity dispersion (GVD), thereby achieving higher pulse energies than mode-locked lasers utilizing negative GVD.

Abstract: A method for direct measurement of gradients of patient compliance with a medication regimen by employing a stable non-radioactive isotope taggant compound as part of, bound to, or applied to an endogenous molecule. An assay to determine patient compliance with medication regimens for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis employing administering a taggant to a pharmacologically active compound, obtaining and collecting a patient tissue or fluid sample analyzing the collected tissue or fluid sample for the taggant concentration and interpreting data from the taggant concentration analysis as an indicator of gradients of patient compliance.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming an image of an object which involves focusing partially to fully spatially-coherent radiation onto a sample and collecting the resulting scattered radiation (the “standard data set”) on an array detector. In addition to the standard dataset, an additional measurement or plurality of measurements is made of a relatively-unscattered beam, using the array detector, which comprises the “modulus enforced probe (MEP) dataset”. This MEP dataset serves as an extra constraint, called the MEP constraint, in the phase retrieval algorithm used to reconstruct the image of the object.

Abstract: A qubit array reparation system includes a reservoir of ultra-cold particle, a detector that determines whether or not qubit sites of a qubit array include respective qubit particles, and a transport system for transporting an ultra-cold particle to a first qubit array site that has been determined by the probe system to not include a qubit particle so that the ultra-cold particle can serve as a qubit particle for the first qubit array site. A qubit array reparation process includes maintaining a reservoir of ultra-cold particles, determining whether or not qubit-array sites contain respective qubit particles, each qubit particle having a respective superposition state, and, in response to a determination that a first qubit site does not contain a respective qubit particle, transporting an ultracold particle to the first qubit site to serve as a qubit particle contained by the first qubit site.

Abstract: Transducer systems disclosed herein include self-sensing capabilities. In particular, electrostatic transducers include a low voltage electrode and a high voltage electrode. A low voltage sensing unit is coupled with the low voltage electrode of the electrostatic transducer. The low voltage sensing unit is configured to measure a capacitance of the electrostatic transducer, from which displacement of the electrostatic transducer may be calculated. High voltage drive signals received by the high voltage electrode during actuation may be isolated from the low voltage sensing unit. The isolation may be provided by dielectric material of the electrostatic transducer, a voltage suppression component, and/or a voltage suppression module comprising a low impedance ground path. In the event of an electrical failure of the transducer, the low voltage sensing unit may be isolated from high voltages.

Abstract: A bioprinter for manufacturing an organomimetic device includes at least one extruder configured to extrude a material, a three-dimensional movement assembly, and a build-plate mounted to the three-dimensional movement assembly. The build-plate may be configured to support the organomimetic device being manufactured. The bioprinter may further include a controller operably coupled to and configured to control the at least one extruder, the three-dimensional movement assembly, and the build-plate. The at least one extruder may be non-movably fixed to the cabinet.

Abstract: The present invention relates in certain aspects to the discovery of novel 2-naphthimidamide compounds that are capable of binding Type II Transmembrane Serine Proteases (TTSPs). In certain embodiments, the compounds of the invention can be used to treat or prevent Influenza A viral infection in a mammal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates optical imaging devices and methods useful in biological and medical imaging applications. In one embodiment, an optical imaging device includes a flexible lightguide having a first end and a second end, the output of the source of pulsed infrared radiation being optically coupled to the first end of the flexible lightguide; a lens assembly attached to and optically coupled to the second end of the flexible lightguide, the lens assembly comprising a variable-focus lens element, the a variable-focus lens element having a tunable focal length; and a photodetector coupled to the flexible lightguide to detect radiation propagating from the second end toward the first end of the flexible lightguide. The optical imaging devices and methods can be used in both confocal and multi-photon techniques.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to characterizing bioaerosols and, more particularly, to a system for recovering, quantifying, identifying, and assessing the metabolic activities of bioaerosols based on their major biopolymer profiles (lipids, carbohydrate and protein) and more specific their genetic materials (DNA/RNA), such as airborne viruses, bacteria, fungi and pollens.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions and methods for preventing inflammatory diseases of the joints, including rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, inflammation of the ligament, synovitis, gout, and systemic lupus erythematosus, wherein the methods include injecting into the inflamed joint a therapeutic anti-inflammatory composition comprising a bacterial or viral IL-10 expression construct, wherein the IL-10 expression construct comprises a bacterial or viral backbone and a nucleic acid sequence encoding interleukin-10.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating a disease or disorder, and preferably cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a CDK2 inhibitor, and a therapeutically effective amount of a CDK4/6 inhibitor, wherein the CDK4/6 inhibitor prevents rebound phosphorylation mediated by CDK4 and/or CDK6 in response to the inhibition of CDK2.

Abstract: A method of analyzing instructor discourse includes recording an audio signal representing speech of the instructor during a class session, converting the audio signal to a session transcript comprising speech data for the session using an automatic speech recognition tool and segmenting the transcript into utterances, extracting a set of features from the session transcript, filtering student talk out from the utterances, analyzing a first subset of the features to produce a number of local context predictions for each utterance of the session transcript, analyzing a second subset of the features to produce a number of global context predictions for the session transcript, and combining a subset of the number of local context predictions and the number of global context predictions into a classification that attends to differential reliability.

Abstract: A method of sequestering gas-phase materials, hempcrete formed using the method, and methods of using hempcrete are disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a mixture of hempcrete compound material within a chamber and exposing the mixture within the chamber to a gas for a period of time to form hempcrete, wherein the hempcrete exhibits net-negative life cycle carbon emissions. A model to predict net life cycle carbon emission of hempcrete is also disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein are molecules for editing a cell. The molecules described herein generally comprise the following covalently-linked components and a nucleic acid encoding a guide RNA (gRNA) sequence targeting a target region in a cell and a region homologous to the target region comprising a change in sequence relative to the target region.

Abstract: RF co-designed bandpass filters/isolators (BPFIs) are based on series-cascaded non-reciprocal resonant stages, microwave resonators and multi-resonant cells. The non-reciprocal stages are shaped by an in-parallel cascaded transistor-based path and a transmission line (TL) that result in a zero-phase resonance in the forward direction and high isolation in the reversed one. This includes coupling routing diagrams (CRDs) of BPFs that result in low- and high-order transfer functions with and without transmission zeros in their forward direction and high levels of isolation in the reverse one. BPFIs provide alternative-type of filtering responses (e.g., flat-passband, quasi-elliptic) with and without gain in the forward direction and high levels of isolation in the reversed one. BPFIs include five planar microstrip/lumped element (LE) prototypes using hybrid combinations of non-reciprocal resonant stages, microwave resonators and multi-resonant cells.