Abstract: The present invention includes a simple, scalable and solventless method of dispersing graphene into polymers, thereby providing a method of large-scale production of graphene-polymer composites. The composite powder can then be processed using the existing techniques such as extrusion, injection molding, and hot-pressing to produce a composites of useful shapes and sizes while keeping the advantages imparted by graphene. Composites produced require less graphene filler and are more efficient than currently used methods and is not sensitive to the host used, such composites can have broad applications depending on the host's properties.

Abstract: The Reconfigurable Wheel-Track (RWT) device is a novel mechanism that allows a wheel to transform into a track, and vice versa. The wheel mode allows a vehicle to travel quickly over smooth and semi-rough terrain, then, on-the-fly, transform rapidly into a powered track mode for crossing extreme terrain. The reconfigurable wheeltrack device comprises several main components: an outer tire/tread, a drive mechanism for driving the tread when in track mode and a reconfiguration mechanism that facilitates the transformation from wheel mode to track mode and vice versa. The reconfigurable wheel-track includes sensing, actuation, and controls to facilitate efficient and effective transitions, and securely maintain each wheel and track shape.

Abstract: Devices and methods for delivering oxygen and other therapeutic gases to a target, such as a tissue, a tissue-engineered construct, and a wound, in a controlled and sustained manner are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of predicting the vulnerability of a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to inhibition by a PI3K inhibitor, preferably by a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, including the selection of the patient predicted to benefit from therapeutic administration with the PI3K inhibitor, preferably of the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method of treating a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of a mammal, preferably a human patient, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a PI3K inhibitor, preferably a therapeutically effective amount of a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor to said mammal, preferably said human patient. Furthermore, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions and kits associated with the inventive methods.

Abstract: An optical filter includes a first loop mirror, a second loop mirror, a first waveguide optically coupled to the first loop mirror and the second loop mirror, a second waveguide optically coupled to the first loop mirror and the second loop mirror, a first access waveguide optically coupled to the first waveguide, a second access waveguide optically coupled to the second waveguide, and an output section, wherein the first loop mirror includes a first loop waveguide and a first multiplexer/demultiplexer, the second loop mirror includes a second loop waveguide and a second multiplexer/demultiplexer, the output section includes a third loop waveguide, a third multiplexer/demultiplexer, a third waveguide, and a fourth waveguide, the third loop waveguide optically coupled to the second loop waveguide and the third multiplexer/demultiplexer, the third waveguide and the fourth waveguide optically coupled to the third multiplexer/demultiplexer, and the output section.

Abstract: Methods and devices for harvesting cancellous bone are disclosed. The bone-harvesting device may include a cannula and a bone receptacle in communication with the cannula, wherein the cannula including a cutting surface positioned at or adjacent the distal end, the cutting surface being oriented at an angle, the angle being greater than 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the cannula, and the harvested bone is adapted to move from a position adjacent to the cutting surface through the cannula into the bone receptacle. The cutting surface of the cannula may be positioned at or adjacent the distal end, and positioned at least in part radially outward of the outer face of the cannula. The cannula may include a cutting surface positioned at or adjacent the distal end and an occluding geometry that partially occludes the distal end of the cannula adjacent the cutting surface. In addition, a suction port may be provided in communication with the bone receptacle.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and implementations for creating 3-dimensional (3D) representations exhibiting geometric and surface characteristics of brain lesions are disclosed. 2D and/or 3D MRI images of the brain may be acquired. Brain lesions and other abnormalities may be identified and isolated with each lesion serving as a region of interest (ROI). Saved ROI may be converted into stereolithography format, maximum intensity projection (MIP) images, and/or orthographic projection images. Data corresponding to these resulting 3D brain lesion images may be used to create 3D printed models of the isolated brain lesions using 3D printing technology. Analysis of the 3D brain lesion images and the 3D printed brain lesion models may enable a more efficient and accurate way of determining brain lesion etiologies.

Abstract: The membrane bioreactor for simultaneous enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis and product separation is a vessel having a lower hydrolysis reaction chamber and an upper distilled water chamber separated by a semipermeable membrane attached to the top of the lower reaction chamber. The membrane is supported on a stainless steel mesh and sealed to the mesh by epoxy glue to prevent leakage. A peristaltic pump is connected to the reaction chamber and maintains a flow of distilled water through the membrane and the upper chamber, the effluent being collected in a beaker or other product collection vessel. The reaction chamber is agitated at a moderate rate by a magnetic stirrer, and the upper chamber is agitated more rigorously by a mechanical stirrer. A thermocouple and temperature controller and a buffer solution, respectively, maintain temperature and pH in the reaction chamber optimal for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

Abstract: An integrated microwave photonics (IMWP) apparatus is provided using sapphire as a platform. The IMWP apparatus includes: a sapphire substrate having a step-terrace surface; and a III-V stack layer epitaxially grown on the sapphire substrate. The III-V stack layer includes: a first III-V layer disposed on the sapphire substrate; a low temperature (LT) III-V buffer layer disposed on the first III-V layer; multiple second III-V layers disposed and stacked on the LT III-V buffer layer; a third III-V layer disposed on the second III-V layers; a III-V quantum well layer disposed on the third III-V layers; and a fourth III-V layer disposed on the III-V quantum well layer. The second III-V layers are respectively annealed. A growth temperature of the LT III-V layer and a growth temperature of the III-V quantum well layer are lower than a growth temperature of each of the first, second, third and fourth III-V layers.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for event detection of passive seismic data are disclosed. The apparatus includes processing circuitry extracts features from the passive seismic data based on a backbone subnetwork of a residual deep neural network. The processing circuitry generates bounding box proposals for a region of interest (ROI) in the passive seismic data based on the extracted features being input to a region proposal network of the residual deep neural network. The processing circuitry classifies the bounding box proposals into two groups. Each bounding box proposal in a first group indicates that a corresponding seismic signal presents in the ROI. Each bounding box proposal in a second group indicates that no seismic signal presents in the ROI. The processing circuitry determines at least one seismic signal in the ROI from the first group of bounding box proposals.

Abstract: An integrated high-speed image sensor includes a pixel array; a processor configured to determine a region of interest (ROI) and a region of non-interest (RONI) of the pixel array; an analog signal processing circuit configured to read out ROI image data at a first frame rate and read out RONI image data at a second frame rate; and a memory storing the ROI image data and the RONI image data.

Abstract: The method for producing an electrically conductive polymer material includes: a preparing step of providing a polymer film formed from an oriented polymeric semiconductor; and a doping step of introducing a first ion into the polymer film, in the doping step, a treatment liquid, which is obtained by dissolving, in an ionic liquid including the first ion having the opposite polarity to carriers to be injected into the polymeric semiconductor by doping in the form of a cation and an anion or an organic solvent having dissolved therein a salt including the first ion, a dopant which has the same polarity as that of the first ion and which oxidizes or reduces the polymeric semiconductor, is allowed to be in contact with the surface of the polymer film to form an intermediate of a second ion formed by ionization of the dopant and the polymeric semiconductor by a redox reaction, and to replace the second ion in the intermediate with the first ion.

Abstract: An electric truck steer-by-wire system and a net-work uncertainty control method therefor. Said system comprises: a master control electric power module (14), a slave control electric power module (18), a road-sensing motor module (4), a steering wheel (1), an upper steering column (3), a lower steering column (10), a rack and pinion steering mechanism (12), wheels (13), a first steering angle sensor (2), a second steering angle sensor (11), a steering domain controller (8), and a vehicle-mounted CAN network (9). By means of the design of the master and slave controllers and actuating mechanisms, the system combines the advantages of steering angle tracking, torque tracking and current tracking, there-by satisfying the steering response requirements and power requirements of the electric truck, and further enhancing the robustness and fault-tolerant performance of the system under a random network time lag.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for assessing cytotoxicity of an agent. The methods include providing a target cell that has been engineered to express intracellularly a reporter that is not expressed endogenously by the target cell, exposing the target cell to an agent capable of modulating cytotoxicity and assaying the activity of the reporter, wherein a change in reporter activity relative to a reference value is indicative of the agent being able to modulate cytotoxicity of the target cell.

Abstract: A method of performing a remediation process on a flowline comprises: calculating an asphaltene deposition profile characterizing blockage of the flowline by a deposit of asphaltene; determining, based on the asphaltene deposition profile, whether the blockage exceeds a predetermined level of blockage; and treating the flowline with an asphaltene solvent to dissolve at least a portion of the deposit when the blockage exceeds the predetermined level. A computer program product comprises instructions that are stored on a computer-readable medium and that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to: calculate an asphaltene deposition profile characterizing blockage of a flowline by a deposit of asphaltene; determine, based on the asphaltene deposition profile, whether the blockage exceeds a predetermined level of blockage; and determine to treat the flowline with an asphaltene solvent to dissolve at least a portion of the deposit when the blockage exceeds the predetermined level.

Abstract: A structural column comprises an inner sleeve comprising a first non-glass material, at least one sheet comprising bulk glass, and an outer sleeve comprising a second non-glass material. The inner sleeve has an outer surface and an inner surface defining a hollow interior of the structural column. An inner surface of each sheet is adjacent to at least a portion of the outer surface of the inner sleeve. The outer sleeve has an inner surface that is attached to at least a portion of an outer surface of each sheet, and the inner surface of the outer sleeve is attached to at least a portion of the outer surface of the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve and the outer sleeve can have a rectangular shape in cross-section. The bulk glass can comprise soda lime glass, and the first non-glass material and the second non-glass material can comprise high-density polyethylene.

Abstract: An optical system comprising a segmented optical element comprising a plurality of segments disposed adjacent each other to define a pupil, wherein one or more of the plurality of segments comprises a pair of curved edges, wherein the segmented optical element is arranged such that a curved gap is defined between adjacent segments.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for determining a subtype of Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC) in an individual by detecting the expression level of at least one classifier biomarker selected from a group of gene signatures for MIBC. Also provided herein are methods and compositions for determining the response of an individual with a MIBC subtype to a therapy such as immunotherapy.

Abstract: The disclosure provides example mass-sensing instruments and methods for use thereof. A mass-sensing instrument includes a mass sensor that includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The mass sensor has a natural oscillation frequency configured to correspond to a mass of a deposited material on the mass sensor. The mass-sensing instrument also includes a first driving circuit configured to control a first voltage of the first terminal and a second driving circuit configured to control a second voltage of the second terminal.

Abstract: A composition is provided herein, including microvesicles (MVs) isolated from a naturally occurring probiotic Lactobacillus sp. wherein the MVs are packaged in a capsule, emulsion, or tablet such that the packaged MVs are protected in a gastrointestinal tract for transport to an intestine of a subject. In another embodiment, a method for treating Type-1 diabetes including orally administering to a diabetic or pre-diabetic subject, or a subject at risk for becoming pre-diabetic or diabetic, a composition comprising an effective amount of microvesicles isolated from a naturally occurring probiotic strain comprising a Lactobacillus sp.i. In still a further embodiment, of improving immune function in a subject, comprising administering to the subject, the composition comprising an effective amount of microvesicles isolated from a naturally occurring probiotic Lactobacillus sp.