Abstract: The invention provides a method involving assessing the vitamin C renal leak status of a human subject, vitamin C renal leak being the clinically inappropriate presence of vitamin C in urine. The method comprises assaying for the concentration of vitamin C in a plasma sample and in collected urine output, whereby the presence of vitamin C in the collected urine output and a concentration of vitamin C in the plasma sample less than the Minimum Elimination Threshold (MET) indicates the presence of vitamin C renal leak. Vitamin C renal leak also can be quantified by determining the fractional excretion of vitamin C (FeVC), which is a measurement of the degree of urinary vitamin C excretion relative to plasma vitamin C concentration corrected by creatinine clearance. The invention also provides a test kit for assessing vitamin C renal leak and a test kit for assessing FeVC.

Abstract: A media holder can be used for preparing samples. The media holder can comprise a base, a pair of walls extending upwardly from the base, and a plurality of transverse members positioned on and coupled to a respective upper end of each of the walls. Each of the transverse members can define a receiving slot for receiving at least a portion of a media therein.

Abstract: Provided is a fixture for concentrically aligning and assembling a Ceramic Stack Assembly transducer during manufacturing. The CSA fixture comprises a base, a top compression cap, a central rod and a fastener, one or more alignment posts, and a driving wedge. The base further includes a groove to accept and align a transducer rear-centering ring at a central axis of the fixture. The transducer rear-centering ring supports one or more copper foil or ceramic rings during assembly. The alignment posts and driving wedge apply radial pressure to the copper foil or ceramic rings during assembly to force concentric alignment. The top compression cap, central rod, and fastener compress and stress the CSA Ceramic once assembled. The fixture simultaneously provides concentric alignment, foil alignment and provides a mechanism for stressing the CSA. A method of use is also provided.

Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is H2, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), H2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.

Abstract: A towed array ballasting unit includes a canister, an internal bladder, an external bladder, a motor valve, fluid, a shroud, and printed circuit boards. The canister includes a head endcap and an aft endcap with the internal bladder located within and attached to an internal end of a fluid channel. An external bladder is located outside the canister and attached to an external end of the fluid channel. The motor valve is attached to the aft endcap of the canister and the internal end of fluid channel. The fluid moves between the internal bladder and external bladder via the fluid channel. The shroud forms a shell around the canister, external bladder, and a connector that connects the towed array ballasting system to an array tail. The printed circuit boards execute instructions provided by a computer.

Abstract: A micro-cavity passive actuator is configured to delay dynamic stall of an airfoil. The micro-cavity actuator is formed in the pressure sidewall surface proximate the leading edge of the airfoil. This cavity remains essentially inactive at low incidence. However, as the wing's effective angle of attack dynamically increases and the stagnation point displaces past the micro-cavity, the accelerating flow grazing the cavity induces a high-frequency resonance phenomenon (known as Rossiter modes). The self-generated small-scale disturbances are carried around the leading-edge through the boundary layer to the wing's upper side where the laminar separation bubble (LSB) amplifies these disturbances. This process delays LSB bursting and dynamic stall. The micro-cavity must be sized such that its naturally emitting oscillations are in a range of frequencies that can be amplified by the LSB.

Abstract: Disclosed is a filter conditioning unit for cleaning and conditioning high-volume sampling (HVS) filters. The unit includes, among other elements, a filter tray suitable for holding one or more HVS filters, a manifold in which the filter tray is inserted, and an optional enclosure for safety. The manifold is suitable for heating the filter tray and filters therein to a desired temperature while purge gas is introduced to the manifold. Also described herein is a method of using the filter conditioning unit.

Abstract: Exemplary inventive practice provides a structure that is attributed with superior resistance to loading. For example, an inventive structure includes two coaxial axisymmetric (e.g., cylindrical) shells and a granulation-filled matrix material occupying the peripheral space between the shells. According to some inventive embodiments, the granulation-filled matrix material has a loading-responsive matrix (e.g., shear-thickening fluid or highly rate-sensitive polymer) and granules dispersed therein. When the inventive structure encounters pressure loading at its exterior shell, the consistency of the loading-responsive matrix becomes thicker or firmer and thereby promotes, among the granules, interactive mechanisms (e.g., friction and/or arching) that reinforce the granulation-filled matrix material.

Abstract: Exemplary practice of the present invention provides a pressure-resistant buoyancy device. An entangled mass of fibers, including shape memory alloy fibers, is positioned inside a three-dimensional enclosure. When inside the enclosure the entangled fibrous mass is attributed with austenitic-phase shape memory, such as by heating. The entangled fibrous mass, thus endowed, exerts an outwardly directed force against the interior wall of the enclosure, thereby structurally reinforcing the buoyancy device and mechanically counteracting an inwardly directed force exerted by ambient fluid upon the buoyancy device, such as by water at greater depths. Exemplary inventive practice affords a buoyancy device that has a light, thin-walled, economical design and yet is highly effective in resisting external pressure. Some inventive embodiments implement an auxetic foam material and/or a fibrous magnetic material, in addition to a fibrous shape memory alloy material.

Abstract: Neutralizing antibodies that specifically bind to HIV-1 Env and antigen binding fragments of these antibodies are disclosed. Nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, vectors and host cells are also provided. Methods for detecting HIV-1 using these antibodies are disclosed. In addition, the use of these antibodies, antigen binding fragment, nucleic acids and vectors to prevent and/or treat an HIV-1 infection is disclosed.

Abstract: A component that can be detachably fitted to a watercraft to shift the center of buoyancy of the watercraft and render the watercraft self-righting. The component uses quick release attachment and detachment fixtures so that a person can easily remove the component and thereby free-up space for passengers on the watercraft. The component includes a non-inflatable buoyant structure made of a buoyant material or materials arranged into a buoyant configuration. A watercraft with the detachable component is also disclosed, as is a method for converting a non-self-righting watercraft into a self-righting watercraft.

Abstract: Composite materials incorporating high-hardness particulates are provided. Methods for forming composite materials incorporating meta-stable, high-hardness particulates using cold-spray techniques are also provided. The composite materials and methods of the invention beneficially permit the formation of intermixed and graded armors. The composite materials and methods also permit the production of armor compositions with tailored properties.

Abstract: A homodyne encoder encodes light sampled from an object with respective primary apertures for each spectral band. The multi-band homodyne encoder includes an optical spreader and a focusing optic. The optical spreader spreads apart the light from the respective primary apertures for each spectral band to respective secondary apertures for each spectral band. The optical spreader is arranged to spread, for each spectral band, the light from each one of the primary apertures for the spectral band to a respective one of the secondary apertures for the spectral band. The focusing optic focuses the light from the secondary apertures for all of the spectral bands into one or more composite images of the object. For each spectral band, every pairing of two of the primary apertures for the spectral band contributes distinct spatial frequencies to the composite image or images of the object.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bathymetry system includes a base slab, multiple spacer assemblies, a decking layer, multiple computer numerical control routed blocks, a waterproof coating, and multiple floor joints. The spacer assemblies are coupled with a top surface of the base slab, the decking layer is disposed on top surfaces of the spacer assemblies, the blocks are disposed on a top surface of the decking layer, floor joints are disposed between blocks and the decking layer, and the waterproof coating is disposed on top surfaces of the blocks. The top surfaces of the routed blocks are shaped so that the blocks collectively provide a bathymetry profile, such as a bottom contour of a riverbed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to immunotoxins, particularly immunotoxins useful for treating IL-13R?2 expressing cancer, or reducing perineural invasion by an IL-13R?2 expressing cancer. Immunotoxins that specifically bind IL-13R?2, nucleic acids encoding the immunotoxins, vectors including the nucleic acids encoding the immunotoxins, and host cells expressing the immunotoxins are provided. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions including the immunotoxin and methods of treating a subject with cancer, including administering to the subject the immunotoxin alone or in combination with other cancer therapies. Also provided are methods of reducing perineural invasion (PNI) and reducing pain associated with PNI, by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the immunotoxin or IL-13-PE immunotoxin.

Abstract: Disclosed are isolated or purified T cell receptors (TCRs), wherein the TCRs have antigenic specificity for a CD22 amino acid sequence presented by a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) Class I molecule. Related polypeptides and proteins, as well as related nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, and pharmaceutical compositions are also provided. Also disclosed are methods of detecting the presence of cancer in a mammal and methods of treating or preventing cancer in a mammal.

Abstract: Modified natural killer (NK) or T cells expressing hematopoietic growth factor receptors are provided. In some embodiments, the NK cells or T cells express a thrombopoietin receptor or an erythropoietin receptor. Methods of treating a subject with cancer are also provided, including administering the modified NK cells or T cells to the subject in combination with a thrombopoietin receptor agonist or erythropoietin receptor agonist, and in some example, interleukin-2, particularly reduced or low-dose amounts of IL-2.

Abstract: A junctional tourniquet apparatus and related methods of use. An exemplary tourniquet has an inverted cone shape, wherein a narrower end has a mushroom shaped base that is pressed against a compression target and a broader end has a plurality of pass-through slots for straps. Another exemplary tourniquet has a broad plate component and a handle component. The handle component has a mushroom shaped base on a first end and a handle on a second end. The handle component passes through the center of the plate component with threads that allow the handle component to compress a target by twisting the handle.

Abstract: A system for automatically locking a control laser in a Rydberg atomic sensor may comprise an atomic vapor cell, a probe laser configured to excite the atoms in the atomic vapor cell to an intermediate energy state, and a control laser configured to excite the one or more atoms in the atomic vapor cell from the intermediate energy state to a higher energy state. The light generated by the control laser may be dithered at a pre-determined frequency. The system further comprises a photodiode configured to convert light received from the vapor cell into an electrical signal, a lock-in amplifier configured to generate an error signal based on the electrical signal received from the photo diode and a received reference oscillation frequency, and a servo configured to receive the generated error signal from the lock-in amplifier and adjust a frequency of the control laser based on the received error signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing CD34+CD43+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) in vitro according to embodiments of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of differentiating CD34+CD43+ hematopoietic progenitor cells to hematopoietic lineage cells according to embodiments of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of treating or preventing a condition in a mammal, e.g., cancer, according to embodiments of the invention.