Abstract: A composition of a photocatalyst, a method of manufacturing the photocatalyst, and a method of chemically reducing carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide using the photocatalyst under visible-light irradiation is provided. The photocatalyst comprises a transition metal ion and graphitic carbon nitride and includes single metal sites on carbon nitride. Under visible light, the metal sites that are coordinated to nitrogen atoms get activated, without the use of additional ligands, to catalyze the reduction of carbon dioxide to selectively produce carbon monoxide. The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide is highly efficient, resulting a turnover number of more than 800 for carbon monoxide production in 2 hours. The composition is useful in converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals and carbon-based fuels. A functional model of molecular catalysts for efficient carbon dioxide reduction is also present.

Abstract: A method for treating wastewater, comprising: (i) injecting a hydrate-forming gas (e.g., propane) into the wastewater under conditions of elevated pressure and reduced temperature to form a solid hydrate composed of the hydrate-forming gas and water from the wastewater; and (ii) separating the solid hydrate from the wastewater to result in removal of water from the wastewater, thereby resulting in partially dewatered wastewater, and optionally, (iii) lowering the pressure and/or raising the temperature of the solid hydrate to decompose the solid hydrate into reformed hydrate-forming gas and reformed water, and further optionally, recycling the reformed hydrate-forming gas for use in step (i) and/or capturing the reformed water from step (iii) and further decontaminating until suitable for release into waterway or for use in a process. The invention is also directed to an apparatus for practicing the method described above.

Abstract: A compound having an antiviral activity for inhibiting release of an enveloped virus from a cell is disclosed, including methods of inhibiting release of an enveloped virus from a cell. The antiviral activity of the compound includes inhibiting formation of an associative complex or disrupting formation of an associative complex. The associative complex comprises an L-domain motif of the enveloped virus and at least one cellular polypeptide, or fragment thereof, capable of binding the L-domain motif of the enveloped virus.

Abstract: Provided is a passive charge recovery logic circuit that includes an electromagnetic field capturing device that harvests ambient electromagnetic energy, with the device including a first end and a second end; a first phase shifter including a first end connected to the first end of the device; a second phase shifter including a first end connected to the second end of the device; a peak detector including a first end connected to the first end of the device; and at least four gates that operate by respective first to fourth power clock signals.

Abstract: A control system and method for controlling a system, which employs a data set representing a plurality of states and associated trajectories of an environment of the system; and which iteratively determines an estimate of an optimal control policy for the system. The iterative process performs the substeps, until convergence, of estimating a long term value for operation at a respective state of the environment over a series of predicted future environmental states; using a complex return of the data set to determine a bound to improve the estimated long term value; and producing an updated estimate of an optimal control policy dependent on the improved estimate of the long term value. The control system may produce an output signal to control the system directly, or output the optimized control policy. The system preferably is a reinforcement learning system which continually improves.

Abstract: A reinforcement learning brain-machine interface (RL-BMI) can have a policy that governs how detected signals, emanating from a motor cortex of a subject's brain, are translated into action. The policy can be improved by detecting a motor signal having a characteristic and emanating from the motor cortex. The system can provide, to a device and based on (i) the motor signal and (ii) an instruction policy, a command signal resulting in a first action by a device. Additionally, an evaluation signal, emanating from the motor cortex in response to the first action, can also be detected. With the foregoing information, the system can adjust the policy based on the evaluation signal such that a subsequent motor signal, from the subject's brain, having the characteristic results in a second action, by the device, different from the first action, as needed.

Abstract: A gasifier system includes a reactor for receiving a wet feedstock which has a base and a container rotatably connected to the base such that a rotation of the container causes a mixing of the feedstock in an interior of the reactor. The interior is bounded by the base and the container. A space between the base and the container allows an entry of oxygen into the interior. The space has a dimension such that the feedstock is fully oxidized in a combustion area adjacent the base and such that the feedstock avoids combustion in a remainder of the interior. The reactor has a longitudinal axis inclined at an inclination angle relative to a horizontal line to promote the mixing of the feedstock in the interior.

Abstract: A sensor including a layer of amorphous selenium (a-Se) and at least one charge blocking layer is formed by depositing the charge blocking layer over a substrate prior to depositing the amorphous selenium, enabling the charge blocking layer to be formed at elevated temperatures. Such a process is not limited by the crystallization temperature of a-Se, resulting in the formation of an efficient charge blocking layer, which enables improved signal amplification of the resulting device. The sensor can fabricated by forming first and second amorphous selenium layers over separate substrates, and then fusing the a-Se layers at a relatively low temperature.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides nucleic acid compositions that incorporate one or more halouracil molecules. More specifically, the present disclosure reveals that the replacement of uracil nucleotides within a microRNA nucleotide sequence with a 5-halouracil increases the ability of the micro-RNA to inhibit cancer progression and tumorigenesis. As such, the present disclosure provides various nucleic acid (e.g., microRNA) compositions having 5-halouracil molecules incorporated in their nucleic acid sequences and methods for using the same. The present disclosure further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the modified nucleic acid compositions, and methods for treating cancers using the same.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds of formula (I): and salts thereof wherein ring A, R2, HET, X, n, and R3 have any of the meanings described in the specification, as well as compositions comprising such compounds and salts, and methods for treating cancer using such compounds and salts.

Abstract: A substrate subject to degradation at temperatures above 100° C. is coated with a nanostructured ceramic coating having a thickness in excess of 100 nm, formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein a process temperature for deposition of the nanostructured coating does not exceed 90° C. The coating may be photocatalytic, photovoltaic, or piezoelectric. The coating, when moistened and exposed to ultraviolet light or sunlight, advantageously generates free radicals, which may be biocidal, deodorizing, or assist in degradation of surface deposits on the substrate after use. The substrate may be biological or organic, and may have a metallic or conductive intermediate layer.

Abstract: A system and method of scheduling tasks, comprising receiving activity and performance data from registers or storage locations maintained by hardware and an operating system; storing calibration coefficients associated with the activity and performance data; computing an energy dissipation rate based on at least the activity and performance data; and scheduling tasks under the operating system based on the computed energy dissipation rate.

Abstract: A photonic structure can include in one aspect one or more waveguides formed by patterning of waveguiding material adapted to propagate light energy. Such waveguiding material may include one or more of silicon (single-, poly-, or non-crystalline) and silicon nitride.

Abstract: Provided is a field shaping multi-well photomultiplier and method for fabrication thereof. The photomultiplier includes a field-shaping multi-well avalanche detector, including a lower insulator, an a-Se photoconductive layer and an upper insulator. The a-Se photoconductive layer is positioned between the lower insulator and the upper insulator. A light interaction region, an avalanche region, and a collection region are provided along a length of the photomultiplier, and the light interaction region and the collection region are positioned on opposite sides of the avalanche region.

Abstract: A method for delivering therapeutic radiation to a target includes positioning a multi-aperture collimator on the skin within a trajectory of orthovoltage x-rays directed at the target, thus generating an array of minibeams, each of width between 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm. The skin is irradiated with the array. An effective beam of therapeutic radiation, which may be a solid beam, is delivered to the target at a predetermined tissue depth by merging adjacent orthovoltage x-ray minibeams sufficiently to form the effective beam. The effective beam may be formed proximal to the target. The depth at which the effective, preferably, solid, beam is formed is controlled by varying one or more of the spacing of the minibeams in the array, the minibeam width, the distance from the x-ray source to the collimator, and the x-ray source spot size. Planar minibeams can be arc-scanned while continuously modulating beam shape and intensity.

Abstract: Disclosed is an RNA aptamer, a synthetic oligonucleotide of 2?-fluoro-modified A, U, and C nucleotides, with improved stability compared to its unmodified counterpart. Like the unmodified aptamer, however, the modified version is a potent glutamate receptor antagonist. Additionally, the RNA aptamers described herein are water soluble by nature, and generally exhibit nano- to micromolar potency making them potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurological disorders involving glutamate receptor activity.

Abstract: The present application provides a wireless power transfer system including a transmitter and at least one receiver, and also provides transmitters and receivers for such systems. The transmitter includes a driver coil and a transmitter coil magnetically coupled to each other and arranged along a plane, the driver coil and the transmitter coil being tuned to resonate at differing frequencies. The receiver includes a load coil and a receiver coil magnetically coupled to each other and arranged along a plane, the load coil and the receiver coil being tuned to resonate at differing frequencies. The driver coil and the transmitter coil of the transmitter, and the load and the transmitter coil of the receiver are strongly magnetically coupled to each other. The transmitter and the receiver are magnetically coupled to each to effectuate wireless power transfer from the transmitter to the receiver.

Abstract: There is set forth herein a method including depositing a layer formed of barrier material over a conductive material formation of a photonics structure; and removing material of the layer in a light signal transmitting region of the photonics structure. In one embodiment the barrier material can include silicon carbon nitride. In one embodiment the barrier material can include silicon nitride.

Abstract: Provided is a method of reducing autoimmunity, including reducing an amount of self-reactive B cells in a subject expressing elevated levels of an autoantibody, wherein reducing includes administering 2-hydroxyoleic acid to the subject. Also provided is a method of treatment including administering 2-hydroxyoleic acid to a subject expressing elevated levels of an auto-antibody. Also provided is a method of promoting B cell tolerance, including promoting apoptosis of self-reactive B cells in a subject, wherein promoting includes administering 2-hydoxyoleic acid to the subject.

Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor light source includes a semiconductor chip configured to emit primary radiation, a Bragg mirror, and a luminescence conversion element configured to convert at least part of the primary radiation into secondary radiation having a longer wavelength, wherein the Bragg mirror is arranged between the semiconductor chip and the luminescence conversion element, the Bragg mirror is reflective for the secondary radiation and transmissive for the primary radiation, the Bragg mirror includes reflector layers of at least three different materials with different refractive indices, the Bragg mirror includes at least two different kinds of layer pairs, each kind of layer pairs being made up of reflective layers of two different materials, and the different kinds of layer pairs having different Brewster angles for p-polarized radiation.