Abstract: Methods are provided for protecting against ventilation-induced lung injury both directly, by lowering surface tension, and indirectly, by promoting equitable liquid distribution in pulmonary alveolar edema, in which liquid- and air-filled alveoli are normally interspersed. Since a pressure barrier is responsible for trapping liquid in discrete edematous alveoli and the magnitude of the barrier is proportional to surface tension at the air-liquid interface, the present invention provides various methods for promoting equitable redistribution of edema liquid amongst alveoli to help protect the lung during ventilation, including: i) use of an additive that lowers surface tension; ii) use of active, accelerated deflation during mechanical ventilation; and iii) high frequency (>50 Hz) vibration of the lung.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a sensor includes coating an end-polished sapphire fiber with aluminum to produce a sapphire fiber having an aluminum coating, anodizing the aluminum coating to produce an aluminum oxide coating, and removing the aluminum oxide coating from a distal end of the sapphire fiber.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a patterned fibrous matrix includes providing a printer adapted to use an etching solvent as an ink; providing to the printer a fibrous matrix to use as a printing medium; providing to the printer a pattern for printing on the fibrous matrix; printing by the printer the pattern on the fibrous matrix; and receiving from the printer the patterned fibrous matrix with the pattern etched thereon.

Abstract: A system includes a device that is disposed within an environment and is adapted to communicate over a radio frequency communication link. The system also includes a wireless access point disposed within the environment, including a wireless transceiver in communication with the device over a radio frequency communication link using a plurality of channels, and recording a channel state information data set for the radio frequency communication link. The system also includes a monitoring device including a memory storing a plurality of activity profiles, each of which includes an activity and a channel state information profile corresponding to the activity, and a processor receiving, from the wireless access point, the channel state information data set and determining, based on a comparison of the channel state information data set to the channel state information profile of each of the plurality of activity profiles, the activity of the person in the environment.

Abstract: An in-membrane micro fuel cell comprises an electrically-insulating membrane that is permissive to the flow of cations, such as protons, and a pair of electrodes deposited on channels formed in the membrane. The channels are arranged as conduits for fluids, and define a membrane ridge between the channels. The electrodes are porous and include catalysts for promoting the liberation of a proton and an electron from a chemical species and/or or the recombination of a proton and an electron with a chemical specie. The fuel cell may be provided a biosensor, an electrochemical sensor, a microfluidic device, or other microscale devices fabricated in the fuel cell membrane.

Abstract: Granules of graphene oxide may be produced from a dispersion of nanoscale graphene oxide sheets by a spray drying method. Such granules have a three-dimensional corrugated morphology. The complexity of the corrugations, and the size distribution of the granules can be varied through selection of the spray-drying equipment used, and variation of the composition of the dispersion and the spray-drying parameters. Structural modifiers may be included in the graphene oxide dispersion to control the ultimate morphology of the granules. The granules of graphene oxide may be thermally reduced at a moderate temperature of 220° C. to increase the granules' electrical conductivity. The reduced granules may be used to fabricate electrodes for supercapacitors. The power and energy density of such an electrode material is comparable to those of conventional/commercial activated carbon-based electrodes.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting a source of a rumor in a social media network is disclosed. The social media network includes a plurality of node clusters, each of the plurality of nodes therein having at least one edge connection to a corresponding number of different nodes in the same cluster. The system identifies a plurality of gateway nodes, each having at least one weak tie connection with a corresponding gateway node from a different node cluster; selects a subset of gateway nodes as sensors to measure arrival times of a rumor; and selects a candidate node cluster based on these arrival times. From there, the system selects a set of nodes in the candidate cluster to measure arrival times of a rumor from a source node, and selects a candidate node from the candidate cluster as having a high probability of being the source node.

Abstract: A method and system for cooperative diversity visual cognition in a wireless sensor network is disclosed. The method and system are capable of solving distributed visual cognition tasks (for example, online simultaneous reconstruction of 3D models of a large area) by using multiple video streams and exploiting cooperative diversity video sensing information while ensuring an optimal tradeoff between energy consumption and video quality of images received from said multiple video streams.

Abstract: A device for detecting biospecific oligonucleotides includes a plurality of microgel spots, each of which is functionalized with molecular beacon probes and amplification primers tethered thereto. Each of the respective probes is arranged to bind to an antisense counterpart of one type of biospecific oligonucleotide. The various microgels may each be functionalized for a different oligonucleotide. In a system that incorporates the aforesaid device, the device is in contact with a solution that includes a system of molecules that cooperated with the tethered probes and primers to capture, amplify, and detect the antisense counterparts of one or more biospecific oligonucleotides. In one such system, the enzymes and primers are arranged to implement a NASBA amplification process operating on the biospecific oligonucleotides.

Abstract: A system designed as a benign disablement weapon for use against sailboats and a method for using the system. The system may be easily deployed to stop sailboats by disabling the propeller. The system uses a buoyant component that floats covertly on the water surface and to which many entanglement lines are attached. Upon the targeted boat passing over the system, the buoyant interface catches on the keel of the vessel. The buoyant interface then drags the entanglement lines with the vessel which puts the lines in position to catch on the propeller, causing the vessel to become disabled. The system may be modified for use in disabling motor craft.

Abstract: A film for the retention and controlled release of organic or inorganic molecules consists essentially of a phyllosilicate clay and a organic polyanion. The film may be a built-up layered film of alternating layers of the clay and the polyanion. Organic or inorganic molecules are absorbed into the film from solution, and released in response to changes in the film's environment. The film may be built up using layer-by-layer (LbL) methods, or deposited on a substrate from a mixture of the clay and polyanion. Articles may be coated with the film by the same methods. The film is useful for the controlled release of antibiotics in response to infections, and also retains antibiotics such that bacteria may be killed by direct contact with the film.

Abstract: A method of adaptively positioning a scanner [10] within a three-dimensional scene identifies an optimal next position for the scanner [40] based on analysis of a data point cloud that mimics the scanned portion of the scene. Occluded areas [38] are delineated from scan data and scans made at different locations in the scene are registered to a reference four-coordinate system. The fourth coordinate corresponds to the hue observed by the scanner at each data point.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining whether text is deceptive has a computer programmed with software that automatically analyzes text in digital form by at least one of statistical analysis of psycho-linguistic cues, IP geo-location, gender analysis, authorship analysis, and analysis to detect coded/camouflaged messages. The computer has truth data against which the text message can be compared and a graphical user interface. The computer may be connectable to the Internet and may obtain the text automatically. Speech-to-text software may be used to convert verbal messages to text for analysis. The system may be made available on a webpage, web service, on a computer or by a wireless device. The text may be emails, website content, tweets. In one embodiment, the system detects coded messages.

Abstract: Rhodamine dye is delivered to regions of a lung having heterogeneous alveolar flooding by alveolar liquid, thereby lowering the surface tension of the alveolar liquid so as to lessen ventilation injury directly and, by promoting equitable redistribution of the alveolar liquid among the alveoli of the lung, indirectly. The rhodamine dye is delivered with an albumin and/or an exogenous surfactant. Exemplary rhodamine dyes include sulforhodamine B and rhodamine WT.

Abstract: The described invention provides an ex vivo dynamic multiple myeloma (MM) cancer niche contained in a microfluidic device. The dynamic MM cancer niche includes (a) a three-dimensional tissue construct containing a dynamic ex vivo bone marrow (BM) niche, which contains a mineralized bone-like tissue containing viable osteoblasts self-organized into cohesive multiple cell layers and an extracellular matrix secreted by the viable adherent osteoblasts; and a microenvironment dynamically perfused by nutrients and dissolved gas molecules; and (b) human myeloma cells seeded from a biospecimen composition comprising mononuclear cells and the multiple myeloma cells. The human myeloma cells are in contact with osteoblasts of the BM niche, and the viability of the human myeloma cells is maintained by the MM cancer niche.

Abstract: Granules of graphene oxide may be produced from a dispersion of nanoscale graphene oxide sheets by a spray drying method. Such granules have a three-dimensional corrugated morphology. The complexity of the corrugations, and the s size distribution of the granules can be varied through selection of the spray-drying equipment used, and variation of the composition of the dispersion and the spray-drying parameters. Structural modifiers may be included in the graphene oxide dispersion to control the ultimate morphology of the granules. The granules of graphene oxide may be thermally reduced at a moderate temperature of 220° C. to increase the granules' electrical conductivity. The reduced granules may be used to fabricate electrodes for supercapacitors. The power and energy density of such an electrode material is comparable to those of conventional/commercial activated carbon-based electrodes.

Abstract: A method for converting a biomass to a bio-oil includes providing a four-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, at least one piston, and a crankshaft coupled to each of the at least one piston. The method also includes coupling a power source to the crankshaft in a manner such that the power source drives rotation of the crankshaft. The method also includes injecting a first mixture including a biomass and a non-oxidizing compression gas into one of the cylinders. The method also includes compressing and heating the first mixture during a compression stroke of the pistons. The compression and heating of the first mixture pyrolizes the biomass to produce a second mixture including a bio-oil and the compression gas. The method also includes decompressing and cooling the second mixture during an expansion stroke of the pistons. The decompression and cooling of the second mixture quenches secondary pyrolysis.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a patterned fibrous matrix includes providing a printer adapted to use an etching solvent as an ink; providing to the printer a fibrous matrix to use as a printing medium; providing to the printer a pattern for printing on the fibrous matrix; printing by the printer the pattern on the fibrous matrix; and receiving from the printer the patterned fibrous matrix with the pattern etched thereon.

Abstract: A system includes a vibrational energy harvesting device adapted to receive vibrational energy and convert the vibrational energy to electrical energy. The system also includes a computing device having an electrical connection to the vibrational energy harvesting device. The system also includes a sensor having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. The system also includes a transmitter having an electrical connection and a data connection to the computing device. When the computing device receives the electrical energy from the vibrational energy harvesting device, the computing device is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor via the data connection between the computing device and the sensor and operate the transmitter to wirelessly transmit the sensor data.

Abstract: A method for identifying a kidney condition of a patient includes receiving a urine sample from a patient. The patient provides the urine sample a predetermined amount of time after having been administered a dose of a sugar alcohol. The method also includes determining whether the sugar alcohol is present in the urine sample. The method also includes identifying a kidney condition of the patient, if the sugar alcohol is present in the urine sample.