Abstract: From a plurality of sabots, a sabot is provided for shrouding a sub-caliber projectile to form a launch package in a gun bore for acceleration by an actuator behind the projectile. The sabot includes a forecastle, an aft bulkhead and a waist. The forecastle separates the projectile from the gun bore. The aft bulkhead abuts against the actuator. The waist connects the forecastle and the bulkhead by a radial spar that supports inner and outer flanges. The inner flange mechanically engages the projectile, and in preferred embodiments is concave. The gun bore is optimized as a pair of electromagnetic rails.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a vortex ring in a liquid medium. The method includes concatenating pairs of insulated anode and cathode rings into a stack; inserting the stack into a vertically oriented chamber; disposing a cylindrical cavity below the chamber; inserting a piston into the cavity; connecting the chamber to the medium; and raising the piston to displace the medium while the stack produces an annular bubble that induces the vortex ring. In particular, the medium is water and the stack separates the medium into hydrogen and oxygen gas.

Abstract: Provided are methods and apparatus for creating super-compressed map files. Using free and open-source software (FOSS), the tool create a super-compressed internally tiled Geo Tag Image File Format (TIFF) in a WGS84 datum (WGS84) similar in size to the original LizardTech's MrSID (SID) imagery from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Converting NGA data to WGS84 allows mapping systems like NASA Worldwind (WW) to eliminate the step of re-projecting on the fly from non-native projections, thus reducing processing time. The disclosed method includes removing all pure-black pixels by setting them to black+1, changing all near-black border pixels with values less than 15 to 0 (pure black), setting pure black values to “no-data,” compressing the image with a compression scheme, and translating the compressed image to JPEG and a YCbCr color space to achieve greater compression.

Abstract: A quantum Hall resistance apparatus is to improve resistance standards and includes a substrate, a graphene epitaxially grown on the substrate and having a plurality of first contact patterns at edges of the graphene, a plurality of contacts, each including a second contact pattern and configured to connect to a corresponding first contact pattern, and a protective layer configured to protect the graphene and to increase adherence between the first contact patterns and the second contact patterns. The contacts become a superconductor at a temperature lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature and under up to a predetermined magnetic flux density.

Abstract: Supercoupling waveguides are provided in which acoustic impedance at an acoustic input port matches the acoustic impedance at an acoustic output port, where the acoustic path extending from the acoustic input port to the acoustic output port has a variable length. The supercoupling waveguides may be used in methods of sensing and measuring, and may be incorporated into sensors.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to isolated influenza virus that is capable of infecting canids and causing respiratory disease in the canid. The subject invention also pertains to compositions and methods for inducing an immune response against an influenza virus of the present invention. The subject invention also pertains to compositions and methods for identifying a virus of the invention and diagnosing infection of an animal with a virus of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microfluidic flow process for making monomers, monomers made by such processes, and methods of using such monomers. In such process, microfluidic reaction technology is used to synthesize cyanation reaction products orders of magnitude faster than is possible in batch and continuous syntheses. The aforementioned process does require strictly regulated, highly toxic cyanogen chloride. Thus the aforementioned process is more economically efficient and reduces the environmental impact of thermosetting resin monomer production, and produces thermosetting resin monomers in greater purity than obtained through typical processes.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device comprising at least one quantum well (QW) and at least one quantum dot (QD) incorporated in the quantum well with the band gap of the quantum well being larger than the band gap of the quantum dot. The QDs and QD arrays are embedded in various QW, thus providing higher yields in optoelectronic devices, such as light emitting diodes, lasers, and photodetectors. This is achieved by a nearly complete suppression of the nonradiative Auger recombination and enhancement of the light extraction efficiency.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing and producing articles using augmented reality apparatus are provided. The articles may incorporate commercially-available off-the-shelf (COTS) components such as motors, power supplies, and/or propulsion systems for use as vehicles or vessels. The articles may also incorporate modular components, such as storage and/or building components. Methods and kits for producing the articles are also provided.

Abstract: Compositions for prevention of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) are provided, comprising an antigen component in the amount equivalent to 0.5-20 ?g FMD virus and an adjuvant component comprising oil, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide, and a polycationic carrier. Methods of using the composition, as well as the methods of reducing FMD persistence are also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment of an intracellular bacterial infection in a subject in need thereof, comprising one or more modulating agents, wherein the one or more modulating agents increase expression of IFN?, IL-2, TNF, and/or IL-17 in systemic and/or lung T cells. In some embodiments, the increase of expression of IFN?, IL-2, TNF, and/or IL-17 occurs in lung T cells. The lung T cells can be lung resident T cells or systemic T cells that are recruited to the lung. In some embodiments, the T cells are CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cells. In some embodiments, the intracellular bacterial infection is a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection.

Abstract: Disclosed is a class of knotted cyclic peptides. Related pharmaceutical compositions and methods of using the peptides and methods of synthesizing the peptides are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of selecting T cells with improved anti-cancer activity, the method including: a) quantifying glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression level at the cell surface of a population of T cells by using a GLUT1 ligand, b) selecting T cells having a low GLUT1 expression level, wherein the T cells having a low GLUT1 expression level have improved anti-cancer activity. Also, a population of T cells with improved anti-cancer activity for use in the treatment of cancer, to the use of a GLUT1 ligand for selecting T cells with improved anti-cancer activity, and to the use of GLUT1 as a biomarker of the anti-cancer therapeutic efficacy of T cells.

Abstract: A Cyber Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAST) and CVAST Threat Assessment Heuristic (CVAST THRASH) capable of automated modeling of cyber physical systems, assessment of the nature of cyber risks thereto, and output of such cyber risk assessments are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting a load to a desired altitude using an evacuated hollow lift body is disclosed. Once evacuated, the apparatus is lighter than the surrounding atmosphere. The lift body can be formed as a hollow fluid tight structure with a tube wound and sealed in a helical pattern or a dual membrane structure with a pressurized intermediate volume sandwiched between inner and outer membranes. A load can be attached to the apparatus and lifted to an altitude where the effective density of the apparatus and load is equivalent to the density of the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: Exemplary inventive practice improves the taxiing dynamics of a seaplane by propulsively imparting roll moments so as to continually encourage levelness of the two wings, thereby maintaining both wings completely above (out of) the water. Two matching motor-driven propellers are correspondingly positioned at or near the wingtips. A computer receives sensory motion inputs and transmits sequential commands that continually adjust the respective propulsive forces of the wingtip propellers by effecting equal and opposite changes in their respective rotational speeds. An increase in one wingtip propeller's rotational speed is concomitant a decrease in the other wingtip propeller's rotational speed, wherein the increase and the decrease are of the same magnitude. The seaplane rolls upward on the wing whose wingtip propeller is increasing in rotational speed. Control of the seaplane's rolling motion is thus enabled by a sustained propulsive equilibrium between the two wingtip propellers.

Abstract: A method of preparing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) fibers includes mixing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and boron oxide (B2O3) to form a polymer precursor or mixing PVP and ammonia borane (BH3NH3) to form the polymer precursor. The method includes forcespinning the polymer precursor to form fibers of the polymer precursor, curing the fibers to form polymer fibers, and pyrolyzing the polymer fibers to form the h-BN fibers.

Abstract: Exemplary inventive practice implements Europium Tetrakis Dibenzoylmethide Triethylammonium (EuD4TEA) so as to administer ion beam therapy with extreme precision. An EUD4TEA-inclusive marker (e.g., a solid or gel) is exactingly placed on the skin of a patient in accordance with a predetermined location of cancerous tissue beneath the skin. An ion beam aimed at the EUD4TEA-inclusive marker results in luminescence of at least a portion of the EUD4TEA-inclusive marker, thereby indicating that at least a portion of the ion beam is traveling through the EUD4TEA-inclusive marker and striking the cancer therebelow. According to other modes of exemplary inventive practice, a medical phantom contains a tumor replica that is visibly contrastive inside the medical phantom in terms of luminescence versus non-luminescence. The tumor replica is targeted in ion beam testing to discern optimal geometric and radiative conditions for treating a correspondingly situated patient on the same treatment couch.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of irradiating a composition having water and hydrogen-terminated nanodiamonds with light that generates water-solvated electrons from the nanodiamonds. The method can be used to degrade fluoroalkyl compounds such as perfluorooctane sulfonate.

Abstract: An optical cavity includes a ring defining an internal boundary and an external boundary, at least one of which is periodically modulated to define a gear-shaped configuration including a plurality of teeth, thereby enabling a plurality of slow-light modes. At least one physical defect may be defined within the periodically modulated internal boundary and/or external boundary to thereby enable at least one localized mode. At least one waveguide is coupled to the ring.