Abstract: A method is disclosed for coating and patterning hydrogels in order to modify surface properties. The method exploits the water content of the hydrogel and the hydrophobicity of the reaction solvent to create a thin oxide adhesion layer on the hydrogel surface. This oxide adhesion layer enables rapid transformation of the hydrophilic, cell non-adhesive hydrogel into either a highly hydrophobic or a cell-adhesive hydrogel by reaction with an alkylphosphonic acid or an ?,?-diphosphonoalkane, respectively. Also disclosed are coated, patterned hydrogels and constructs comprising the coated, patterned hydrogels.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a power conversion circuit is disclosed. The power conversion circuit includes at least one DC bus. The power conversion circuit further includes a plurality of DC-AC conversion units coupled to the DC bus and configured to convert a DC voltage into an AC voltage. The power conversion circuit also includes a multi-winding transformer comprising a magnetic core and a plurality of windings, where each DC-AC conversion unit is coupled to a corresponding winding of the multi-winding transformer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates, in general, to a method for generating chimeric DNA derived from RNase L cleavage products in a sample, and detection of such RNase L cleavage products for diagnosis and treatment of inflammation and infection in a subject.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling metabolic enzymes or pathways in cells to produce a chemical above the levels of a wild-type strain is disclosed. The system utilizes cells, including yeasts, bacteria, and molds, having at least two genes capable of being controlled bi-directionally with light, where one gene is turned from off to on when exposed to light and another gene is turned from on to off when exposed to light, the two genes reversing when the light is turned off. Cells may utilize any number of sequences that benefit chemical production, including sequences that: encode for constitutive transcription of light-activated transcription factor fusions; encode for a metabolic enzyme; encode for a repressor; induce expression of metabolic enzymes; and an endogenous or exogenous activator expressed by a constitutive promoter, inducible promoter, or gene circuit.

Abstract: Systems and methods herein provide for Multi-Input/Multi-Output (MIMO) processing. In one embodiment, a MIMO system comprises a receiver operable to receive a plurality of spatially multiplexed data streams. The system also comprises a processor operable to embed a maximum likelihood (ML) detection algorithm onto a quantum annealer, and to decode the spatially multiplexed data streams via the embedded ML to detect data bits of a plurality of users.

Abstract: Waveguides and electromagnetic cavities fabricated in hyperuniform disordered materials with complete photonic bandgaps are provided. Devices comprising electromagnetic cavities fabricated in hyperuniform disordered materials with complete photonic bandgaps are provided. Devices comprising waveguides fabricated in hyperuniform disordered materials with complete photonic bandgaps are provided. The devices include electromagnetic splitters, filters, and sensors.

Abstract: Organic-inorganic perovskite nanoparticle compositions are described herein. In some embodiments, a nanoparticle composition comprises a layer of organic-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals, the organic-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals comprising surfaces associated with ligands of size unable to incorporate into octahedral corner sites of the perovskite crystal structure.

Abstract: Using thermal radiation to supply occupant comfort has long existed in the heating domain, and to a lesser scale in the cooling domain. Cooling power of radiant cooling systems is limited by the risk of condensation on the panel itself, as well as adjacent surfaces. Similarly, convective system losses to the ambient air prevent maintaining a large temperature difference from the surface and the surroundings. The disclosed approach combats these common pitfalls of radiant cooling systems in the building domain, increasing the power and therefore applicability of radiant cooling.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for using guanfacine, an analog or derivative of guanfacine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to reduce the virulence of a bacterial pathogen. When treating a patient, the method generally involves administering to the patient a therapeutically effective dose of guanfacine, an analog or derivative of guanfacine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. An alternative method involves contacting the bacterial pathogen with guanfacine, an analog or derivative of guanfacine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for active stabilization of parasitic fringes in optical spectrometers, wherein the spectrometer obtains the transmission spectrum, and a signal processor extracts the etalon drift from the spectral signatures of parasitic fringes. The disclosed approach improves spectrometer accuracy, minimizes drift, and increases time between calibrations.

Abstract: Microbial reactors are provided for ammonium oxidation. Briefly, a reactor comprises a medium including an ammonium component and a Feammox bacterium and/or enzyme(s) thereof capable of oxidizing ammonium with electron transfer to an anode in contact with the medium. As described further herein, use of the anode as an electron acceptor can mitigate or overcome the disadvantages associated Fe(III) acceptor. In some embodiments, for example, ammonium oxidation in the reactor can proceed in the absence of Fe(III) and/or other metal compounds operable to function as an electron acceptor in the medium. Moreover, the medium may further comprise one more contaminants in addition to the ammonium component.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for quantifying changes in animal posture from video recordings of multiple interacting animals. Also disclosed are a system and method for training a posture identification algorithm efficiently with minimal human effort and evaluating the posture of millions of animal images. The disclosed process employs video recordings of behaving animals to produce a full set of geometrical coordinates for each body part over time. Inter alia, the disclosed system should be useful for organizations interested in doing large small-molecule screens to find drugs that affect the behavior of animals, and for those investigating new behavioral diagnostics for human patients. The disclosed system allows one to record video of animals and then automatically calculate the position of each body part over time. The output of this calculation can be used for simple analysis of the amount of movement for specific body parts, or part of a more complex scheme for measuring behaviors.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for coating and patterning hydrogels in order to modify surface properties. The method exploits the water content of the hydrogel and the hydrophobicity of the reaction solvent to create a thin oxide adhesion layer on the hydrogel surface. This oxide adhesion layer enables rapid transformation of the hydrophilic, cell non-adhesive hydrogel into either a highly hydrophobic or a cell-adhesive hydrogel by reaction with an alkylphosphonic acid or an ?,?-diphosphonoalkane, respectively. Also disclosed are coated, patterned hydrogels and constructs comprising the coated, patterned hydrogels.

Abstract: In one aspect, phosphine compounds comprising three adamantyl moieties (PAd3) and associated synthetic routes are described herein. Each adamantyl moiety may be the same or different. For example, each adamantyl moiety (Ad) attached to the phosphorus atom can be independently selected from the group consisting of adamantane, diamantane, triamantane and derivatives thereof. Transition metal complexes comprising PAd3 ligands are also provided for catalytic synthesis including catalytic cross-coupling reactions.

Abstract: Devices and methods for processing detected signals at a detector using a processor are provided. The system involves (i) a data compressor that implements an algorithm for converting a set of data into a compressed set of data, (ii) a machine learning (ML) module coupled to the data compressor, the ML module transforming the compressed set of data into a vector and filtering the vector, (iii) a data encryptor coupled to the ML module that encrypts the filtered vector, and (iv) an integrity protection module coupled to the ML module, wherein the integrity protection module protects the integrity of the filtered vector.

Abstract: Disclosed is a class of organic salts and electrolytes, generally for use with electrochemical devices. Some of these salts enable the transport of magnesium ions without the presence of any additives, such as halide ions. Precursors are generated using simple fluorinated alcohols as well as abundant reagents. These precursors, often dissolved in ethereal solvents, may be combined with an appropriate Lewis acid to result in solutions that are able to conduct ions and allow for reversible electrodeposition.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of forming an antimicrobial and/or antiviral metal coating on a substrate comprising surface groups that bond to a metal alkoxide to form a 3-dimensional metal oxide/alkoxide adhesion layer. The methods include A) soaking or spraying a substrate comprising a 3-dimensional metal oxide/alkoxide layer with a solution of a transition metal salt, and reduction of the transition metal salt to form a continuous network of transition metal within the 3-D layer, or B) soaking or spraying a substrate comprising a 3-dimensional metal oxide/alkoxide layer with a solution of a post-transition metal salt, sintering at high temperature to form a continuous post-transition metal network within the 3-D layer, and electrolyzing to replace post-transition metal with a transition metal.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to Reed-Muller decoding systems and methods based on recursive projections and aggregations of cosets decoding, exploiting the self-similarity of RM codes, and extended with list-decoding procedures and with outer-code concatenations. Various embodiments are configured for decoding RM codes (and variants thereof) over binary input memoryless channels, such as by, for each received word of RM encoded data, projecting the received word onto each of a plurality of cosets of different subspaces to form thereby a respective plurality of projected words; recursively decoding each of the respective plurality of projected words to form a respective plurality of decoded projected words; and aggregating each of the respective decoded projected words to obtain thereby a decoding of the corresponding received word of RM encoded data.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of quasicrystalline structures.

Abstract: Provided are astexin-1, astexin-2 and astexin-3 lasso peptides, which are based on sequences identified in Asticaccaulis excentricus, and methods of making and using same. Astexin-1 is highly polar, in contrast to many lasso peptides that are primarily hydrophobic, and has modest antimicrobial activity against Caulobacter crescentus, a bacterium related to Asticaccaulis excentricus. The solution structure of astexin-1 was determined, revealing a unique topology that is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between segments of the peptide. Astexins-2 and -3 are intracellular lasso peptides.