Abstract: Methods of RNA-guided DNA endonuclease-mediated genome editing in Bacteria and Archaea are provided.

Abstract: Methods and diagnostic tools are provided for assessing contrast sensitivity in a subject in the presence and absence of luminance noise by: i) presenting to the subject a series of scenes, each scene comprising at least a first target having a preselected level of contrast superimposed on a uniform background and a second target having a preselected level of contrast superimposed on a luminance noise background, wherein in each successively presented scene the first and second targets that are superimposed on the uniform background and on the luminance noise background, respectively, have contrast levels that are different from the contrast levels of the first and second targets superimposed on the uniform background and on the luminance noise background, respectively, in the previously presented scene; ii) monitoring responses by the subject to step i); and iii) evaluating the contrast sensitivity of the subject based on the monitored responses.

Abstract: A hemostatic composition is provided. The hemostatic composition includes a hemostatically effective amount of a hemostatic agent that includes a nanoparticle and a polyphosphate polymer attached to the nanoparticle. Also provided are medical devices and methods of use to promote blood clotting.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compositions of matter comprising a ribonucleoprotein complex comprising a nucleic acid-guided nuclease and a guide RNA, and further comprising and a blocking nucleic acid molecule represented by Formula I, wherein Formula I in the 5?-to-3? direction comprises: A-(B-L)J-C-M-T-D; wherein A is 0-15 nucleotides in length; B is 4-12 nucleotides in length; L is 3-25 nucleotides in length; J is an integer between 1 and 10; C is 4-15 nucleotides in length; M is 1-25 nucleotides in length or is absent, wherein if M is absent then A-(B-L)J-C and T-D are separate nucleic acid strands; T is 17-135 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to B and C; D is 0-10 nucleotides in length and comprises at least 50% sequence complementarity to A; and wherein the blocking nucleic acid molecule comprises a sequence complementary to a gRNA.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for monitoring unstructured environments. A predetermined path can be determined according to an assignment of geolocations to one or more agronomically anomalous target areas, where the one or more agronomically anomalous target areas are determined according to an analysis of a plurality of first images that automatically identifies a target area that deviates from a determination of an average of the plurality of first images that represents an anomalous place within a predetermined area, where the plurality of first images of the predetermined area are captured by a camera during a flight over the predetermined area. A camera of an unmanned vehicle can capture at least one second image of the one or more agronomically anomalous target areas as the unmanned vehicle travels along the predetermined path.

Abstract: A computerized method includes analyzing program code, including a control flow graph, of one or more applications that are executable by an operating system of a computing device to determine event-logging functions of the program code that generate event logs; extracting, by the processing device based on the event-logging functions, log message strings from the program code that describes event-logging statements; identifying, by the processing device, via control flow analysis, possible control flow paths of the log message strings through the control flow graph; storing, in a database accessible by the processing device, the possible control flow paths; and inputting, by the processing device into a log parser, the possible control flow paths of the log message strings to facilitate interpretation of application events during runtime execution of the one or more applications.

Abstract: A programmable switch includes an input arbiter to analyze packet headers of incoming packets and determine which of the incoming packets are part of gradient vectors received from worker computing devices that are performing reinforcement learning. The programmable switch also includes an accelerator coupled to the input arbiter, the accelerator to: receive the incoming packets from the input arbiter; asynchronously aggregate gradient values of the incoming packets, as the gradient values are received, to generate an aggregated data packet associated with a gradient segment of the gradient vectors; and transfer the aggregated data packet to the input arbiter to be transmitted to the worker computing devices, which are to update local weights based on the aggregated data packet.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating an abstract meaning representation (“AMR”) of a sentence, comprising receiving, by a computing device, an input sentence and parsing the input sentence into one or more syntactic and/or semantic graphs. An input graph including a node set and an edge set is formed from the one or more syntactic and/or semantic graphs. Node representations are generated by natural language processing. The input graph is provided to a first neural network to provide an output graph having learned node representations aligned with the node representations in the input graph. The method further includes predicting via a second neural network, node label and predicting, via a third neural network, edge labels in the output graph. The AMR is generated based on the predicted node labels and predicted edge labels. A system and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: An image processing method includes defining relations between entities of a target of which a motion is to be predicted from an image of a first time point based on a feature vector of the entities, estimating a dynamic interaction between the entities at the first time point based on the defined relations between the entities, predicting a motion of the entities changing at a second time point based on the estimated dynamic interaction, and outputting a result to which the motion predicted at the second time point is applied.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a battery and methods for making and using the battery. The battery includes (a) a separator that is woven and porous, and (b) a graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet coating coupled to a surface of the separator. The GO nanosheet coating is configured as a buffer layer to permit transport of Li-ions therethrough and to regulate a rate of flow of the transport of the Li-ions.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and devices for characterizing a biomolecule parameter by a nanopore-containing membrane, and also methods for making devices that can be used in the methods and devices provided herein. The nanopore membrane is a multilayer stack of conducting layers and dielectric layers, wherein an embedded conducting layer or conducting layer gates provides well-controlled and measurable electric fields in and around the nanopore through which the biomolecule translocates. In an aspect, the conducting layer is graphene.

Abstract: A method to strengthen or repair concrete and other structures comprises securing a plate having a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire embedded therein to a localized region of a structure. The SMA wire has a deformed shape configured for self-anchorage within the plate. The SMA wire is heated at or above an austenite transformation temperature, and the SMA wire resists shape recovery and remains self-anchored within the plate. Accordingly, a compressive force is generated within the SMA wire and transferred to the plate. At an interface between the plate and the localized region of the structure, the compressive force is transmitted from the plate to the structure, thereby providing localized prestressing of the structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are antibacterial compounds that accumulate in Gram-negative bacteria, methods of preparing the compounds, and methods of using the compounds to inhibit or kill microbes, and methods of treating microbial infections, such as Gram-negative bacterial infections. Compounds selected for conversion to potential Gram-negative antibacterial compounds were identified based on compounds having low globularity and low flexibility. Amine substituents were then strategically added to the selected compounds to provide compounds having antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of using salt inducible kinase inhibitors to enhance female fertility.

Abstract: An apparatus such as an optical modulator includes a buried oxide layer is disposed on a substrate. A microring resonator and an optical waveguide are disposed on the buried oxide layer and within a bonded semiconductor layer. The optical waveguide is optically coupled to the microring resonator and inputs a first optical wave into the microring resonator. An oxide layer is deposited on top of the optical waveguide and the microring resonator. A set of electrodes is disposed adjacent to the microring resonator, and in response to an electrical signal, the set of electrodes modulates the first optical wave into a modulated optical wave of transverse magnetic polarization within the microring resonator and outputs the modulated optical wave to the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A method includes depositing a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate; etching the first metal layer to form a first electrode having a first lead; depositing a piezoelectric layer on the semiconductor substrate and first electrode; etching the piezoelectric layer to a shape of the gyrator to be formed within the circulator; depositing a second metal layer on the piezoelectric layer; etching the second metal layer to form a second electrode having a second lead, the second electrode being positioned opposite the first electrode, wherein the first lead and the second lead form an electrical port; depositing a magnetostrictive layer on the second electrode; etching the magnetostrictive layer to approximately the shape of the piezoelectric layer; depositing a third metal layer on the magnetostrictive layer; and etching the third metal layer to form a metal coil that has a gap on one side to define a magnetic port.

Abstract: A method includes coating, via chemical vapor deposition, electronics disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) with an electrical insulation coating of between one micron to 25 microns. The method further include depositing, on the electrical insulation coating, a metallic nano-layer comprising a porous metallic nano-structure. The method further includes, after the coating and the depositing, immersing the PCB in a water-based fluid to cool the electronics while the electronics are powered on.

Abstract: The invention provides a microplasma photonic crystal for reflecting, transmitting and/or storing incident electromagnetic energy includes a periodic array of elongate microtubes confining microplasma therein and having a column-to-column spacing, average electron density and plasma column diameter selected to produce a photonic response to the incident electromagnetic energy entailing the increase or suppression of crystal resonances and/or shifting the frequency of the resonances. The crystal also includes electrodes for stimulating microplasma the elongated microtubes Electromagnetic energy can be interacted with the periodic array of microplasma to reflect, transmit and/or trap the incident electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods are provided herein for extracting target speech from audio signals that can contain masking speech or other unwanted noise content. These systems and methods include detection of target speech in an input signal by detecting elevated frequency content in the signal above a threshold frequency. Portions of the signal determined to contain such elevated high frequency content are then used to generate audio filters to extract target speech from subsequently-obtained audio signals. This can include performing non-negative matrix factorization to determine a set of basis vectors to represent noise content in the spectral domain and then using the set of basis vectors to decompose subsequently-obtained audio signals into noise signals that can then be removed from the audio signals.

Abstract: A passive thermal management system and methods of using a thermoresponsive hydrogel coating configured to autonomously switch between a heating state and a cooling state based on ambient temperature. At temperature greater than a lower critical solution temperature of the thermoresponsive hydrogel, the thermoresponsive hydrogel coating becomes solar reflective and has enhanced radiative cooling ability to achieve daytime radiative cooling. At temperatures less than the lower critical solution temperature, the thermoresponsive hydrogel coating becomes transparent to facilitate absorption of solar radiation by sun absorber.