Abstract: A modified version of the min-sum algorithm (“MSA”) which can lower the error floor performance of quantized LDPC decoders. A threshold attenuated min-sum algorithm (“TAMSA”) and/or threshold offset min-sum algorithm (“TOMSA”), which selectively attenuates or offsets a check node log-likelihood ratio (“LLR”) if the check node receives any variable node LLR with magnitude below a predetermined threshold, while allowing a check node LLR to reach the maximum quantizer level if all the variable node LLRs received by the check node have magnitude greater than the threshold. Embodiments of the present invention can provide desirable results even without knowledge of the location, type, or multiplicity of such objects and can be implemented with only a minor modification to existing decoder hardware.

Abstract: A method of determining electromagnetic exposure values for radiative compliance tests a transmitting device with multiple transmitters or antenna. The device transmits a first set of excitation signals that are chosen in advance. These signals are measured for their electromagnetic exposure values. A second set of excitation signals are then transmitted that are adaptively chosen based on result of a previous measurements of the first excitation signals. The second set of signals are also measured. From the measurements of the predetermined and adaptive signals, the electromagnetic exposure values of all possible transmitted signals are inferred.

Abstract: Provided are an ink composition, comprising greater than 0.2% by weight a graphene quantum dot nanosurfactant, a printable material, and a solvent, wherein the printable material is dispersed in the solvent by the graphene quantum dot nanosurfactant, and a method of preparing an ink composition. Advantageously, the present ink composition may be printed onto 2D and 3D substrates to form printed films with improved mechanical stability and photoconductance.

Abstract: Provided are catalytic assemblies which include a hollow fiber membrane permeable to a gas; a reactive coating permeable to the gas and a contaminant; and a plurality of catalytic nanoparticles embedded in the reactive coating adapted to catalyze a reaction between the gas and the contaminant. Also provided are preparation methods for the catalytic assemblies, and use thereof for treating contaminated water.

Abstract: Disclosed are genetic methods and tools for colon cancer disease classification in disease subtypes, CMS1, CMS2, CMS3, CMS4, as well as improved methods for rapid, more accurate, and more reliably reproducible disease subtype determination. Tailored treatment protocols are also provided, employing the predicted CMS of the subject sample. Genetic sequence binding targets for some or all of these gene panels may be affixed to a solid substrate, and included as part of a screening tool and/or diagnostic kit. The expression levels of the genes may be assessed to provide a genetic signature for a subtype or lack of subtype (CMS1, CMS2, CMS3, CMS4, combination subtype). The methods employ a scoring system, wherein a score is derived from the genetic expression profile/signature of the panel of selected genes, and a qualifying continuous score for each CMS subtype is determined against a predictive threshold for each colon cancer subtype.

Abstract: Described herein are compounds and compositions, and methods of making and their use as effective agents against mycobacterial infections.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for a novel drug delivery platform using affinity homing. Also disclosed herein are a drug delivery system, methods for using the novel drug delivery platform and a kit.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing (AM) device for biomaterials comprises a reservoir, a shaft, and a material delivery head. The device can be used for intracorporeal additive manufacturing. Material within the reservoir can be expelled by a mechanical transmission element, for example a syringe pump, a peristaltic pump, an air pressure pump, or a hydraulic pressure pump. The reservoir can be a barrel, a cartridge, or a cassette. The reservoir can narrow into the shaft, and the shaft can terminate into the nozzle. The shaft can house an inner tube. The device can have an actuator joint capable of being mechanically linked to a robotic surgical system. The actuator joint can have a motor that drives the mechanical transmission element.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to methods of stimulating or promoting neurogenesis by administering to a subject of a composition comprising a cyclodextrin and a polyethylene glycol to alleviate learning, memory and cognitive deficits present in subjects afflicted with various brain disorders or from neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting textured contact lenses in an iris image are disclosed. Initially, “K” images are taken of an eye in near-infrared light, each for a different positioning of the illuminant. Three-dimensional properties of the hypothetical iris are estimated based on image processing methods. The variability of the estimated three-dimensional properties is calculated, and a classification into two classes is made based on the variability. A low variability denotes that an authentic iris pattern was presented to the sensor, whereas a high variability denotes that the sensor observes an eye wearing a textured contact lens. The systems and methods disclosed allow for detecting presentation attacks to iris recognition systems/sensors based on presentation of an eye wearing a textured contact lens in an automatic and accurate way.

Abstract: We report improved adjuvant compounds that have an aryl 2-aminoimidazole structure for macrolide potentiation against a virulent strain of gram-negative bacteria, AB5075. Compounds were discovered to retain significant adjuvant activity at 10 ?M, lowering the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of clarithromycin (CLR) from 8-fold to 128-fold or greater. 2-Aminoimidazole compounds linked to aryl groups via either an amide or urea linker showed significantly improved activity over control compounds.

Abstract: A system and methods of characterizing a population of a virus, bacteriophage, or other microbes in a microbiome that includes the steps of separating a sample of microbiota into more than one fraction by continuous capillary zone electrophoresis based on the physiochemical properties of the microbes in the microbiota using a constant voltage applied to the sample during the continuous zone electrophoresis. At least one separated fraction includes an intact virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe that may be visualized and/or directly sequenced to characterize the population of the virus, bacteriophage, or other microbe in the microbiome.

Abstract: Here we report the discovery of 2-(4-(3-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)picolinamido)benzo[d]oxazole-5-carboxylate as an antibacterial with potent and selective activity against C. difficile. Its MIC50 and MIC90 values, documented across 101 strains of C. difficile, are 0.12 and 0.25 ?g/mL, respectively. The compound is effective against C. difficile both at the logarithmic (vegetative) and stationary phases of growth. It targets cell-wall biosynthesis, as assessed both by macromolecular biosynthesis assays and by scanning-electron microscopy. Animals infected with a lethal dose of C. difficile and treated with compound 1 had better survival compared to treatment with vancomycin, which is the front-line antibiotic used for severe recurrent C. difficile infection.

Abstract: A plasma injection module includes a fuel receiving end, a discharge end opposite the fuel receiving end, and an axial fluid pathway extending between the fuel receiving end and the discharge end. An insulator assembly defines a first portion of the axial fluid pathway proximate to the fuel receiving end. An injection tube assembly having a permanent magnet is positioned downstream of the insulator. A voltage input connection is arranged downstream of the insulator assembly and upstream of the injection tube assembly. The voltage input connection secures a voltage source to the injection tube to form a plasma filament within and adjacent to the axial fluid pathway. During operation a permanent magnet produces a magnetic field that interacts with the plasma filament to rotate the plasma filament and increase an area of ignition between the plasma filament and the combustible material at the discharge end.

Abstract: Substituted nitrobenzothiazinones (BTZs) are potent antituberculosis prodrugs that are reductively activated to produce nitroso moieties that form covalent adducts with a cysteine residue of decaprenylphosphoryl-?-D-ribose-2?-oxi-dase (DprE1) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The resulting cell wall synthesis inhibition is lethal to Mtb, leading to consideration of development of BTZs for clinical use. The hydride-induced reduction of the nitroaromatic proceeds by reversible formation of the corresponding Meisenheimer complex. Herein we demonstrate that chemical reduction of BTZ043 with NaBD4 followed by reoxidation incorporates deuterium into the core nitro aromatic warhead. Subsequent reduction of the deuterated species is not affected, but, as expected, reoxidation is slowed by the deuterium isotope effect, thus prolonging the lifetime of the active nitroso oxidation state.

Abstract: The near-infrared window of fluorescent heptamethine cyanine dyes greatly facilitates biological imaging because there is deep penetration of the light and negligible background fluorescence. But dye instability, aggregation, and poor pharmacokinetics are current drawbacks that limit performance and the scope of possible applications. All these limitations are simultaneously overcome with a new molecular design strategy that produces a charge balanced and sterically shielded fluorochrome. The key design feature is a meso-Aryl group that simultaneously projects two shielding arms directly over each face of a linear heptamethine polyene. Cell and mouse imaging experiments compared a shielded heptamethine cyanine dye (and several peptide and antibody bioconjugates) to benchmark heptamethine dyes and found that the shielded systems possess an unsurpassed combination of photophysical, physiochemical and biodistribution properties that greatly enhance bioimaging performance.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a first radio module at a first location, a wireless signal, to obtain a first received RF signal. The wireless signal includes information originating at a remote transmitter and conveyed via a wireless channel. An envelope of the first received RF signal is detected by the first radio module without requiring a local oscillator, to obtain a first baseband signal. The first baseband signal may be filtered and/or amplified, after which it is provided to a processor. The processor also obtains a second digital signal from a second radio module receiving the wireless signal at a second location and determines an estimate of the information originating at the remote transmitter according to the first and second signals. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a nanoparticle based platform, and nanoallergens for identifying, evaluating and studying allergen mimotopes as multiple copies of a single mimotope or various combinations on the same particle. The nanoparticle is extremely versatile and allows multivalent binding to IgEs specific to a variety of mimotopes, simulating allergen proteins. Nanoparticles can include various molecular ratios of components. For example, the nanoallergens can include about 0.1-40% mimotope-lipid conjugate and about 60-99.9% lipid. The mimotope-lipid conjugate includes a mimotope, a first linker, and lipid molecule. Nanoallergens can be used in in vitro and in vivo applications to identify a specific patient's sensitivity to a set of epitopes and predict a symptomatic clinical response, identify allergen epitopes through blind screening peptide sequences from allergen protein, and in a clinical application similar to a scratch test.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods related to extending viable preservation of organs and tissues. The compositions comprise superoxide dismutase, catalase, vitamin E, and glutathione, and optionally, a preservation solution (e.g., University of Wisconsin solution). Also provided are methods of preserving the contractile function of a contractile tissue, as well as kits comprising the compositions described herein.

Abstract: A method operating a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) memory can be provided by accessing specified training parameters used to train a Deep Neural Network (DNN) using a GPU with a local GPU memory, the specified training parameters including at least a specified batch size of samples configured to train the DNN. A sub-batch size of the samples can be defined that is less than or equal to the specified batch size of samples in response to determining that an available size of the local GPU memory is insufficient to store all data associated with training the DNN using one batch of the samples. Instructions configured to train the DNN using the sub-batch size can be defined so that an accuracy of the DNN trained using the sub-batch size is about equal to an accuracy of the DNN trained using the specified batch size of the samples.