Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes a shaft having a side catheter guide attached thereto via a guide coupler into an inferior vena cava and a superior vena cava such that the guide coupler is disposed in a right atrium, and applying a distal force to a proximal portion of the side catheter guide such that a distal end of the side catheter guide deflects laterally about the guide coupler towards a septum. The method further includes extending a side catheter that is disposed within the side catheter guide distally from the side catheter guide towards and into contact with the septum. The method further includes, with the side catheter in contact with the septum, extending a septum penetrator that is slidably disposed within the side catheter distally from the side catheter such that the septum penetrator pierces the septum.

Abstract: A partially degradable polymeric fiber includes a thermally degradable polymeric core and a coating surrounding at least a portion of the core. The thermally degradable polymeric core includes a polymeric matrix including a poly(hydroxy-alkanoate), and a metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali earth metal and a transition metal, in the core polymeric matrix. The concentration of the metal in the polymeric matrix is at least 0.1 wt %. The partially degradable polymeric fiber may be used to form a microvascular system containing one or more microfluidic channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing hologram image data capable of optimizing image quality of a hologram image are provided. The image processing method includes receiving input image data, reading a header included at a predetermined location in the input image data, and generating hologram data configured to display a hologram image by performing a Fourier calculation and pixel encoding on the input image data based on at least one parameter recorded in the header, wherein the at least one parameter recorded in the header includes at least one of depth information, scale information, and gamma information.

Abstract: Methods are provided for detecting enzymatic activity of various lysosomal storage enzymes using substrates that include: a sugar moiety; a linker moiety allowing the conjugation of sugar moiety with the remaining structure of the substrate; and two or more fatty acid chains or derivatives thereof at least one of which is sufficiently structured to provide improved solubility in aqueous or organic solvent systems. Also provided are internal standards, and inhibitors for use in detecting or reducing enzymatic activity using the inventive substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides an assay that identifies genes required for telomerase-dependent telomere elongation by measuring the de novo telomere addition at a single chromosome.

Abstract: A biosensor that can perform analysis based on a sample noninvasively collected from a human body is provided. The biosensor comprises an identification substance (38) that binds to a substance to be detected (40), and an electrode (16) charged with a charge of the identification substance (38), comprises an inhibitor (39) that inhibits a substance not to be detected (42) from attaching to at least one of the identification substance (38) and the electrode (16), and detects a change in a charge density of the electrode (16) caused by binding of the substance to be detected (40) to the identification substance (38).

Abstract: A method of removing an organic pollutant from water by contacting the water with a ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder to adsorb the organic pollutant onto the ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder. A method of producing a ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder involving ball milling oil fly ash to provide ball milled oil fly ash particles with an average particle size of less than 1 ?m and sonicating the ball milled oil fly ash particles in an aqueous medium to form the ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder. A method of improving recovery of valuable metals/elements from oil fly ash.

Abstract: A microbial fuel cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The microbial fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a microbial community. The anode is made of an activated carbon prepared from waste coffee ground as an electrode material, and the microbial community is adhered to the surface of the activated carbon. Since the activated carbon prepared from waste coffee ground is beneficial for the adhesion of various microbial communities to form a biofilm, the electron transfer efficiency of the microbial fuel cell may be improved.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide a reconfigurable cryptographic coprocessor. An example system includes an instruction memory configured to provide ARX instructions and mode control instructions. The system also includes an adjustable-width arithmetic logic unit, an adjustable-width rotator, and a coefficient memory. A bit width of the adjustable-width arithmetic logic unit and a bit width of the adjustable-width rotator are adjusted according to the mode control instructions. The coefficient memory is configured to provide variable-width words to the arithmetic logic unit and the rotator. The arithmetic logic unit and the rotator are configured to carry out the ARX instructions on the provided variable-width words. The systems and methods described herein could accelerate various applications, such as deep learning, by assigning one or more of the disclosed reconfigurable coprocessors to work as a central computation unit in a neural network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various bioreactor devices and systems for growing cellular material, and related methods of growing cellular material. In some cases, a system can include a bioreactor system having one or more wells with at least one fluidic passageway coupled to each well to feed fluids to biological material being developed inside the well. In some cases, a bioreactor system can include a main body comprising the perimeter of the well and the fluidic passageways, a cover that forms the top of the well and provides optical access into the well, and a base that forms the bottom surface of the well. The cover and base can be attached and detached from the main body to seal the well closed and to physically access the contents of the well.

Abstract: Methods are provided for enhancing immunization strategies by manipulation, e.g. in vitro manipulation, of phagocytic antigen presenting cells. In the methods of the invention, phagocytic antigen presenting cells (phAPC) are incubated with a particulate antigen in the presence of an anti-CD47 agent in a dose and for a period of time sufficient to allow the phAPC to phagocytose the particulate antigen, which process generates a “loaded” phAPC. The loaded phAPC is contacted with a population of T cells matched for at least one major histocompatibility locus with the phAPC, where the T cells are stimulated after contacting to generate an effector response against an epitope or epitopes present on the particulate antigen.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a process of selective precipitation for the purpose of recovering rare earth elements from acidic media derived from coal and coal byproducts via two main steps of sequential precipitation and selective precipitation. An intermediary step of re-precipitation can be included to further increase RRE concentrations, as well as improve contaminant metal removal.

Abstract: An amorphous thermoset thiourethane polymer, comprising a sequential chain of a first type of monomer covalently bonded to a second type of monomer via thiourethane linkages, wherein the first type of monomer includes two or more thiol functional groups and the second type of monomer includes two or more isocyanate functional groups. Methods of synthesizing the polymer, bio-electronic devices comprising the polymer and methods of manufacturing such devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A device and method for preserving corneal graft tissue. In one embodiment, a device for preserving corneal graft tissue comprises: a first chamber; a second chamber; and a corneal graft tissue suspension assembly that is configured to retain and suspend the corneal graft tissue between the first chamber and the second chamber, the first chamber being fluidly isolated from the second chamber when the corneal graft tissue is graft tissue is retained and suspended within the corneal graft tissue suspension assembly. In one embodiment, a method includes filling a first chamber of a device with a first preservation medium and filling a second chamber of the device with a second preservation medium different than or the same as the first, a corneal graft tissue being located between the first and second chambers.

Abstract: This document relates to devices and methods for delivering a fluid to the surfaces of the oropharynx and/or to the palatine tonsils.

Abstract: The present application relates generally to bio-adhesive components isolated from bio-oil prepared from animal waste, methods of preparation of the bio-adhesive components and uses thereof. Such uses include, but are not limited to, asphalt bio-binders, bio-adhesion promoters, asphalt bio-rejuvenators, asphalt bio-extenders, bio-asphalt as well as uses in roofing, soil stabilization, crack and joint sealing and flooring adhesives.

Abstract: A 15-level multilevel inverter circuit includes an outer circuit, an inner circuit, a polarity changing circuit and a computing device. The outer circuit and the inner circuit include a plurality of DC voltage supplies. Each DC voltage supply has a positive and a negative terminal. The outer circuit, the inner circuit and the polarity changing circuit include a plurality of unidirectional power switches. Each unidirectional power switch is a transistor with a diode connected in parallel to the transistor. The computing device is configured to provide control signals to the gates of the plurality of the unidirectional power switches of the outer circuit and the inner circuit to add or subtract the voltage of each of inner DC voltage supplies to form square waveforms approximating sinusoidal waveforms, and to the gates of the plurality of the unidirectional power switches of the polarity changing circuit to switch the polarity of the voltage.

Abstract: A method for making nanoporous nickel composite material comprises: providing a cathode plate and a copper-containing anode plate, electroplating a copper material layer a surface of the cathode plate; laying a carbon nanotube layer on the copper material layer, and forming an overlapped structure of the copper material layer and the carbon nanotube laye; the cathode plate and the overlapped structure are used as a cathode, and a nickel-containing anode plate is used as an anode, plating a nickel material layer on the overlapped structure to form sandwich structure; repeating steps S1 to S3 to obtain a carbon nanotube-reinforced copper-nickel alloy; rolling and annealing the carbon nanotube-reinforced copper-nickel alloy; and etching the carbon nanotube-reinforced copper-nickel alloy to form the nanoporous nickel composite material.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods of treating a disease such as leukemia in a subject by administering natural killer (NK) cells. In particular aspects, HLA-C1-licensed KIR2DL2/3 and KIR2DS2 NK cells are administered to a subject with an HLA-C genotype either homozygous or heterozygous for the C1 allele, or HLA-C2 licensed cells are administered to a subject with an HLA-C genotype homozygous for the C2 allele. In further aspects, the NK cells are genetically modified to express a chimeric antigen receptor and interleukin 15.