Abstract: Liquid-free lithium-air cells are provided which incorporate a solid electrolyte having enhanced ionic transport and catalytic activity. The solid electrolyte is positioned between a lithium anode and an oxygen cathode, and comprises a glass-ceramic and/or a polymer-ceramic electrolyte including a dielectric additive.

Abstract: Wireless sensors for detection of an analyte may include a sensor receiving antenna configured to receive interrogation pulses having an interrogation frequency, a DC converter, a relaxation oscillator circuit electrically, and a sensor transmitting antenna. The relaxation oscillator circuit may include a capacitance element that defines a response-pulse frequency of the wireless sensor. The capacitance element may include an interdigitated capacitor coated with a detection layer of a functional material having a dielectric constant that defines the dielectric constant of the interdigitated capacitor. This dielectric constant changes when the functional material is exposed to the analyte, thereby changing the response-pulse frequency of the relaxation oscillator circuit to an analyte-exposure frequency indicative of the exposure of the functional material to the analyte. Wireless systems for detecting an analyte may include a wireless sensor that communicates with an interrogation module.

Abstract: A method of processing a motion blurred image from an imaging device to recover a latent sharp image. The method includes capturing a motion blurred image signal through the imaging device, computing a second signal as a two-dimensional wavelet transform of the motion blurred image signal, and using the second signal to perform a first autocorrelation analysis to estimate the blur kernel. After estimating the blur kernel, a local autocorrelation analysis yields a blur kernel length and direction at each pixel location of the motion blurred image. In addition, the second signal is denoised and the discrete wavelet transform coefficients reconstructed from the blur kernel length and direction. Performing an inverse discrete wavelet transform of the discrete wavelet transform coefficients recovers the latent sharp image.

Abstract: A modular structure formed by panels is disclosed, having a center compartment and first and second side compartments coupled to the opposing sides of the center compartment. Each panel of the modular structure is joined to each respective adjacent panel via a panel joining assembly to substantially prevent moisture from entering the modular structure. An upper roof panel coupled to the center compartment is joined to first and second lower roof panels coupled to the first side compartment and the second side compartment, respectively, via first structural joining assemblies so that the upper roof panel is elevated relative to the first and second lower roof panels to substantially prevent moisture from entering the modular structure.

Abstract: A lithium-air cell is provided which incorporates a cathode comprised of a lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP) glass-ceramic material for facilitating an oxygen reduction reaction. The lithium-air cell further includes a lithium anode and a solid electrolyte which may be in the form of a membrane comprising LAGP glass-ceramic and/or polymer ceramic materials.

Abstract: A resistive memory array partitioned into a plurality of memory units is disclosed. Each memory unit includes a plurality of resistive memory elements, a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, a plurality of row select switching devices, and a plurality of column select switching devices. Each resistive memory element is in communication with one of the row lines and one of the column lines. Each row line is in communication with a corresponding one of the row select switching devices. Each column line is in communication with a corresponding one of the column select switching devices.

Abstract: A method for generating a high dynamic range image. An image is captured using a Bayer pattern color filter array to generate raw pixel sensor data for the image. The pixel sensor data is separated into highpass (ZiHP) and lowpass (ZiLP) components. The color components of ZiHP are pooled to yield an achromatic highpass data set {circumflex over (X)}iHP. Saturated pixels in the ZiLP components are corrected by borrowing across spectrums to yield the low pass data set {circumflex over (X)}iLP, and the high dynamic range image is computed as {circumflex over (X)}={circumflex over (X)}iLP+{circumflex over (X)}iHP 1. A camera system incorporating this method is also provided.

Abstract: Fuel compositions containing an isomerized component of a single carbon number may contain at least 97 wt. %, based on the total weight of the fuel composition, of an isomerized component consisting of aliphatic paraffin isomers all having the formula CnH2n+2, where 10?n?22 and n has the same value for each aliphatic paraffin isomer in the isomerized component. The fuel compositions have a normal alkane content of less than 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the fuel composition. Methods for preparing the fuel compositions include hydroisomerizing a normal alkane starting material to form an isomerized mixture and subsequently removing remnant normal alkanes from the isomerized mixture by solvent dewaxing and/or distillation. Some of the fuel compositions may have freezing points at or below ?47° C., making them amenable for use a surrogate fuels in the place of JP-8.

Abstract: A method of generating hydrogen gas from the reaction of stabilized aluminum nanoparticles with water is provided. The stabilized aluminum nanoparticles are synthesized from decomposition of an alane precursor in the presence of a catalyst and an organic passivation agent, and exhibit stability in air and solvents but are reactive with water. The reaction of the aluminum nanoparticles with water produces a hydrogen yield of at least 85%.

Abstract: A parallel capacitor varactor shunt switch device may include a shunt layer, a coplanar waveguide (CPW) layer, and a tunable thin film dielectric layer that is interposed between the shunt layer and the CPW layer. The tunable thin film dielectric layer electrically isolates the shunt layer from the CPW layer. The shunt layer includes a plurality of parallel shunt lines. The CPW layer includes a CPW signal transmission line with two CPW ground lines parallel to the CPW signal transmission line. A plurality of varactor areas equal in number to the plurality of parallel shunt lines are defined in the CPW signal transmission line, each varactor area corresponding to an overlap of the CPW signal transmission line with a respective shunt line and each respective parallel shunt line and its corresponding varactor area defines a capacitor.

Abstract: A nanocomposite dry adhesive. The nanocomposite dry adhesive includes a substrate; and an array of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes or vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the substrate, wherein the nanocomposite dry adhesive utilizes the array of single-walled carbon nanotubes or multi-walled carbon nanotubes as synthesized, the as synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes being substantially free of randomly entangled nanotube segments on top of the vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes, the as synthesized multi-walled carbon nanotubes having randomly entangled nanotube segments on top of the vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes; wherein the dry adhesive has a normal adhesion strength of at least about 5 N·cm?2, and a shear adhesion strength of at least about 13 N·cm?2. Methods of making a nanocomposite dry adhesive are also described.

Abstract: A coplanar waveguide (CPW) square-ring slot antenna for use in wireless communication systems is miniaturized and reconfigurable by the integration of ferroelectric (FE) BST (barium strontium titanate) thin film varactors therein. The slot antenna device includes a sapphire substrate, top and bottom metal layers, and a thin ferroelectric BST film layer, where the FE BST varactors are integrated at the back edge of the antenna on the top metal layer.

Abstract: Tunable light sources having a single optical parametric generation (OPG) source that results in an amplified, narrow bandwidth seed beam and methods of tuning therewith are disclosed. The tunable light source may include a polarization rotator to rotate a pump beam before a first pass through an OPG, and a linear-to-circular polarization device to polarize the pump beam directed back toward the OPG for a second pass therethrough. Alternately, the tunable light source may include an OPG source through which a pump beam passes only in the first direction, a separator that separates a signal beam from the pump beam exiting from the OPG, a narrowband wavelength filter that receives the signal beam and generate a seed beam, and a reflecting surface that directs the seed beam back through the OPG (opposite the first direction) to seed the back part of the pulse of the pulse laser.

Abstract: A method of growing carbon nanomaterials on a substrate wherein the substrate is exposed to an oxidizing gas; a seed material is deposited on the substrate to form a receptor for a catalyst on the surface of said substrate; a catalyst is deposited on the seed material by exposing the receptor on the surface of the substrate to a vapor of the catalyst; and substrate is subjected to chemical vapor deposition in a carbon containing gas to grow carbon nanomaterial on the substrate.

Abstract: Control methods for vapor compression systems and multiple-load vapor compression systems having one or more refrigeration loops include selecting a desired set-point temperature range for a load temperature at one or more load locations. The vapor compression system is then operated to transfer heat from the one or more load locations to a rejection location. While the vapor compression system is operating, a control apparatus continually adjusts various parameters. A capacity of an adjustable-capacity compressor is adjusted to maintain with respect to an evaporator load a maximum low-side pressure of the refrigeration loop as measured by a first sensor. An adjustable rejection capacity of a rejection apparatus is adjusted to maintain a minimum high-side pressure of the refrigeration loop as measured by a second sensor. An adjustable opening of an expansion valve is adjusted to maintain a load temperature measured by the third sensor within the desired set-point temperature range.

Abstract: A water-soluble polymer coating for application to electrical wiring used in aircraft and other electrical structures is provided. The coating includes a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and methyl cellulose which is dissolved in water to form a solution. The solution may be applied to electrical wiring during manufacturing and dried to a film such that if the wire becomes damaged and exposed to water, a protective water-insoluble deposit is formed on the wiring. Alternatively, the solution may be applied to wiring which is already damaged to form a protective water-insoluble deposit.

Abstract: A parallel capacitor varactor shunt switch device may include a shunt layer, a coplanar waveguide (CPW) layer, and a tunable thin film dielectric layer that is interposed between the shunt layer and the CPW layer. The tunable thin film dielectric layer electrically isolates the shunt layer from the CPW layer. The shunt layer includes a plurality of parallel shunt lines. The CPW layer includes a CPW signal transmission line with two CPW ground lines parallel to the CPW signal transmission line. A plurality of varactor areas equal in number to the plurality of parallel shunt lines are defined in the CPW signal transmission line, each varactor area corresponding to an overlap of the CPW signal transmission line with a respective shunt line and each respective parallel shunt line and its corresponding varactor area defines a capacitor.

Abstract: Nonmetallic tools such as rotary bits, circular blades, and scything tools are described that may be suitable for removing cured flexibilized epoxy gap-filler materials from gaps between soft composite materials. The nonmetallic tools may be formed from various plastic or composite materials that are sufficiently hard to cut through the gap-filler material while being sufficiently soft to avoid damaging adjacent areas of soft composite materials. Methods for using the nonmetallic tools may include attaching the nonmetallic tools to a suitable machine-driven tool and contacting the nonmetallic tools to a material to be cut, shaped, or drilled.

Abstract: A combination therapy for treating a bacterial biofilm comprises a therapeutically effective amount of an antibiotic comprising an aminoglycoside or tetracycline, or a combination of two or more thereof, and a cationic porphyrin in an amount effective for enhancing the effectiveness of the antibiotic in treating the bacterial biofilm. A method of treating a bacterial biofilm comprising Pseudomonas aeruginosa comprises contacting the bacterial biofilm with a combination therapy comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an antibiotic, and a cationic porphyrin in an amount effective for enhancing the effectiveness of the antibiotic in treating the bacterial biofilm. A method of treating a bacterial biofilm comprising Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a patient comprises administering to the patient a combination therapy comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an antibiotic, and a cationic porphyrin in an amount effective for enhancing the effectiveness of the antibiotic in treating the bacterial biofilm.

Abstract: Disclosed are articles comprising layered nanocrystalline calcite and methods for forming nanocrystalline calcite layers and compositions comprising nanocrystalline calcite layers.