Abstract: A robotic trolley collection system and methods for automatically collecting baggage/luggage trolleys are provided. The system includes a differential-driven mobile base; a manipulator mounted on the differential-driven mobile base for forking a trolley, having a structure same as a head portion of the trolley; a sensory and measurement assembly for providing sensing and measurement dataflow; and a main processing case for processing the sensing and measurement dataflow provided by the sensory and measurement assembly and for controlling the differential-driven mobile base, the manipulator, and the sensory and measurement assembly. The method includes localizing and mapping the robotic trolley collection system; detecting an idle trolley to be collected and estimating pose of the idle trolley; visually servoing control of the robotic trolley collection system; and issuing motion control commands to the robotic trolley collection system for automatically collecting the idle trolley.

Abstract: An electromechanical sensor includes: an elastic carrier arranged to extend when subjected to an external mechanical load; a sensing sheath arranged at least partially around and along the elastic carrier; wherein the sensing sheath includes an electrically resistive element having a first electrical resistance operable to change upon a change of a dimension of the elastic carrier.

Abstract: Factors affecting the fragmentation pattern of cell-free DNA (e.g., plasma DNA) and the applications, including those in molecular diagnostics, of the analysis of cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns are described. Various applications can use a property of a fragmentation pattern to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type, to determine a genotype of a particular tissue type (e.g., fetal tissue in a maternal sample or tumor tissue in a sample from a cancer patient), and/or to identify preferred ending positions for a particular tissue type, which may then be used to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type.

Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes a first impedance transformer circuit arranged to connect with a carrier device, and a second impedance transformer circuit arranged to connect with a peaking device. Both the first and the second impedance transformer circuit include a parallel impedance transformer arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention provides an open-aperture waveguide fed slot antenna including a feeding section on a substrate integrated waveguide, an H-shaped slot, a matched end, and a bottom metal layer. One end of the feeding section is open and connected to the slot, providing energy feeding to the slot. A long side of the center section of the slot is connected to a top metal part of the feeding section. Another side is connected to the matching end. The matching end includes metal which is connected to the slot, the metallic via wall and the bottom metal of the feeding section which is connected to the metallic via wall. The antenna has high gain, wide gain bandwidth, a simple structure, and low processing cost and can be applied to millimeter-wave frequency bands as well as other frequency bands.

Abstract: A leaky-wave antenna includes a substrate extending along an axis, and a dielectric waveguide extending along the axis and arranged in the substrate. The dielectric waveguide includes at least a top side, a bottom side, and opposite sides arranged between the top and bottom sides. A distance defined between the opposite sides varies along the axis for at least part of a length of the dielectric waveguide.

Abstract: In a handwriting recognition system, a fingertip-motion sensing device has first and second body parts respectively wearable on a distal phalanx and a proximal phalanx of a finger, and a bendable bridge connecting the two body parts. An accelerometer module in the first body part generates acceleration data of the fingertip motion whereas a battery module powering the accelerometer module is in the second body part, avoiding the first body part to be loaded with the battery module so as to reduce hindrance to a user in handwriting. The bridge is wavily shaped, enabling it to be extensible and retractable to avoid spurious interference generation due to unintended movement between the first body part and the distal phalanx. The sensing device wirelessly transmits the acceleration data to a computing device, which analyzes the acceleration data to determine handwritten characters by using a machine-learning classifier, preferably a convolutional neural network.

Abstract: Factors affecting the fragmentation pattern of cell-free DNA (e.g., plasma DNA) and the applications, including those in molecular diagnostics, of the analysis of cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns are described. Various applications can use a property of a fragmentation pattern to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type, to determine a genotype of a particular tissue type (e.g., fetal tissue in a maternal sample or tumor tissue in a sample from a cancer patient), and/or to identify preferred ending positions for a particular tissue type, which may then be used to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type.

Abstract: Provided is a non-invasive method for diagnosing colorectal cancer in a subject by detecting enrichment or reduction of certain bacterial species. A kit and device useful for such methods are also provided. In addition, a method for reducing the risk of colon cancer by regulating the pertinent bacterial species in human colon is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new methods for diagnosing a pregnancy-associated disorder by analyzing fetal DNA present in the mother's blood. More specifically, this invention relies on the discovery that the maspin gene is differentially methylated in fetal DNA and in maternal DNA and provides these new diagnostic methods, which distinguish fetal DNA from maternal DNA and detect prenatal disorders based on abnormalities in fetal DNA level and methylation status.

Abstract: A Doherty power amplifier circuit having a main power amplification device, an auxiliary power amplification device arranged in parallel with the main power amplification device, and a load modulation circuit comprising a harmonic injection circuit connected with respective outputs of the main power amplification device and the auxiliary power amplification device. The harmonic injection circuit is arranged to transfer harmonic components generated at the main power amplification device to the auxiliary power amplification device and harmonic components generated at the auxiliary power amplification device to the main power amplification device, when both the main and auxiliary power amplification devices are operating, for modulating the respective outputs of the main power amplification device and the auxiliary power amplification device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an ultrathin, flexible, and tattoo-like triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with a well-designed aesthetic pattern. The tattoo-like TENG as an energy harvester can provide not only an aesthetic pattern, but also various practical applications. With the rising acceptance of people towards the tattoo, the tattoo-like TENG offers an alternative tattoo-like epidermal electronics covering traditional tattoo's advantages and further carries out other potential applications.

Abstract: A method for preparing an entropy-stabilized ceramic thin film coating includes preparing a first layer formed by raw materials with a plurality of metal elements, and subjecting the first layer to reaction with anion thereby transforming at least a portion of the first layer to a second layer. The present invention also discloses an entropy-stabilized ceramic thin film coating and a component coated with an entropy-stabilized ceramic thin film coating.

Abstract: Methods and systems described herein involve using long cell-free DNA fragments to analyze a biological sample from a pregnant subject. The status of methylated CpG sites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is often used to analyze DNA fragments of a biological sample. A CpG site and a SNP are typically separated from the nearest CpG site or SNP by hundreds or thousands of base pairs. Finding two or more consecutive CpG sites or SNPs on most cell-free DNA fragments is improbable or impossible. Cell-free DNA fragments longer than 600 bp may include multiple CpG sites and/or SNPs. The presence of multiple CpG sites and/or SNPs on long cell-free DNA fragments may allow for analysis than with short cell-free DNA fragments alone. The long cell-free DNA fragments can be used to identify a tissue of origin and/or to provide information on a fetus in a pregnant female.

Abstract: An amide/iminium zwitterion catalyst has a catalyst pocket size that promotes transesterification and dehydrative esterification. The amide/iminium zwitterions are easily prepared by reacting aziridines with aminopyridines. The reaction can be applied a wide variety of esterification processes including the large-scale synthesis of biodiesel. The amide/iminium zwitterions allow the avoidance of strongly basic or acidic condition and avoidance of metal contamination in the products. Reactions are carried out at ambient or only modestly elevated temperatures. The amide/iminium zwitterion catalyst is easily recycled and reactions proceed in high to quantitative yields.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat-driven adsorption vacuum dehumidification system including a vapor adsorption apparatus having a water permeable hydrophilic membrane separating the apparatus into at least a feed section and a low-pressure or vacuum section (evaporator), and providing a water vapor pressure difference to extract moisture from the air flowing through the apparatus into the evaporator, followed by adsorption in an adsorption chamber, and subsequently desorbed when acted as a desorption chamber to form water vapor which is condensed in a condenser. Adsorption and desorption chambers inter-change periodically to form a complete system cycle. Heating of chamber/compartment can be from waste heat or a renewable source in the absence of any electricity supplied externally. Related method for using a heat-driven adsorption vacuum dehumidification system to remove moisture from the air is also provided.

Abstract: Factors affecting the fragmentation pattern of cell-free DNA (e.g., plasma DNA) and the applications, including those in molecular diagnostics, of the analysis of cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns are described. Various applications can use a property of a fragmentation pattern to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type, to determine a genotype of a particular tissue type (e.g., fetal tissue in a maternal sample or tumor tissue in a sample from a cancer patient), and/or to identify preferred ending positions for a particular tissue type, which may then be used to determine a proportional contribution of a particular tissue type.

Abstract: A fluid treatment apparatus includes: a first tank portion arranged to receive a first fluid from a first fluid source; a second tank portion adapted to contain a second fluid and receive water molecules of the first fluid from the first tank portion, wherein the concentration of the second fluid is higher than that of the first fluid; a third tank portion arranged to collect the water molecules of the first fluid from the second tank portion; a first membrane positioned between the first and second tank portions and arranged to filter the water molecules of the first fluid from the first tank portion; and a second membrane positioned between the second and third tank portions and arranged to obtain the water molecules of the first fluid from the second tank portion, wherein the second membrane has a greater permeability than that of the first membrane.

Abstract: A method including receiving, at multiple cloud computing servers, multiple streaming data sets for the same sensing task each from a respective client device. The streaming data set from each client device comprises sensed data sensed by one or more sensors of said client device. The streaming data sets are encrypted. Each respective streaming data set from a respective client device is divided into multiple streaming data set portions, each to be received at a respective one of the cloud computing server. The method also includes processing, at each respective cloud computing server, the corresponding streaming data set portions received to generate a corresponding share of a result for the sensing task. The method also includes encrypting, at each respective one of the cloud computing servers, the corresponding share of the result; and facilitating creation or update of a blockchain based on the encrypted shares of the result.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting growth of a bacterium including steps of: a) delivering a polynucleotide including a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a homologue thereof to the bacterium, and b) contacting the bacterium with an effective amount of an antibiotic; wherein the bacterium is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A method of treating a subject suffering from an infection caused by a bacterium which is Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the method including steps of: i) delivering said polynucleotide to a tissue infected by the bacterium or a bacterial cell in the subject; and ii) administering an effective amount of an antibiotic to the subject. A composition and a recombinant plasmid containing said polynucleotide.