Abstract: The present application discloses low temperature, low pressure methods (LTLP) for upgrading and/or stabilizing bio-oil or a bio-oil fraction. One method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and hydrogen, which are reacted in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of less than 150° C. and a pressure of less than 100 bar (absolute) to produce a hydrogenated liquid oil at a carbon yield of over 75%. Another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction, providing oxygen reducing reaction conditions, and reacting the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction under the oxygen reducing reaction conditions at LTLP to produce an upgraded bio-oil product containing fewer carbonyls than the bio-oil or bio-oil fraction. Yet another method comprises providing a bio-oil or bio-oil fraction and a solution comprising one or more fermentation organisms and a sugar source. The solution and bio-oil or bio-oil fraction are combined to obtain a fermentation mixture, which is incubated at 15° C. to 30° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating cancer in a human. The invention includes administering a genetically modified Th17 cell to express a CAR having an antigen binding domain, a transmembrane domain, and an ICOS intracellular signaling domain.

Abstract: A ride control system includes a central controller configured to synchronize movements of separate groups of ride vehicles along a path. Each of the separate groups of ride vehicles includes multiple individual ride vehicles unconnected to one another and forming a virtual train. Each virtual train is assigned one or more schedules having multiple expected positions along the path and multiple expected timestamps. Each of the expected timestamps of the multiple expected timestamps are associated with respective expected positions of the multiple expected positions. The ride control system also includes multiple vehicle controllers. Each vehicle controller of the multiple vehicle controllers is communicatively coupled to a respective individual ride vehicle of the multiple individual ride vehicles. Each vehicle controller is configured to control a speed of the respective individual ride vehicle along the path based at least on the one or more schedules.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses utilizing pointer acceleration system modeling. In one exemplary method, among others, such a method obtains, a closed loop pointer acceleration system model, in which the closed loop pointer acceleration system model is based on (1) a model describing user pointing motions integrated with (2) a model of pointer acceleration motions under operational conditions; obtains values for system parameters that include pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters; and determines a set of pointer trajectories for a given acceleration profile having the pointer acceleration profile parameters and operational condition parameters.

Abstract: The embodiment described herein are related nanoemulsions comprising botulinum toxins. In one embodiment, the nanoemulsions are prepared by high pressure microfluidization and comprise a particle size distribution exclusively between 10 and 300 nm. The nanoemulsions contemplated by the present invention are useful for the cosmetic and medical treatment of muscular contracture states. For example, botulinum toxin may relax facial muscles such that skin wrinkles become smoother and less noticeable. Further, the present invention contemplates a cosmetic formulation that may be self-administered, for example, in the privacy of one's home and without medical supervision.

Abstract: A transducer includes an acoustic reflector, an acoustic coupler and one or more thermoacoustic frames. The acoustic coupler is disposed proximate to an output of the transducer and each of the thermoacoustic frames is disposed between the acoustic reflector and the acoustic coupler. The thermoacoustic frames, the acoustic reflector and the acoustic coupler form a resonator with each of the thermoacoustic frames configured to emit a broadband acoustic signal in response to receiving electrical energy. Additionally, the resonator is configured to emit a narrowband acoustic signal at the transducer output in response to receiving the broadband acoustic signal. A method includes adjusting a frequency of the narrowband acoustic signal by controlling a spacing between the thermoacoustic frames and one or more components of the resonator. Thermoacoustic device embodiments capable of resonant emission of intense ultrasound radiation generated by sheets of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) are also disclosed.

Abstract: Mitofusin modulatory peptides are described which may function as activators or inhibitors of mitochondrial fusion. The sequences and compositions comprising the sequences are useful for treating diseases or disorders associated with mitofusin 1 (Mfn1) and/or mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) and mitochondrial dysfunction. Methods of treatment, pharmaceutical formulations and methods of identifying compounds that mimic the activity of the peptides for use in screening assays are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of the formula (I) and (II): which are A3 adenosine receptor agonists, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and a method of use of these compounds, wherein X, Y, Z, R2-R6, and R103-R106 are as defined in the specification. These compounds are selective to the A3 receptor, and are contemplated for use in the treatment or prevention of a number of diseases or conditions, for example, neuropathic pain.

Abstract: The present application describes a two-step drug delivery formulation comprising a high affinity interaction between a drug conjugate and a compound, followed by introduction of a second compound with higher affinity to the drug conjugate to facilitate drug release. Delivery methods and specific interactions are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for automatically dispensing and embedding components into three-dimensional parts. In an example embodiment, a direct wire embedding head can be fixed on an automation motion system. The direct wire embedding head begins and terminates an embedded wire pattern on a layer or on a surface of a three-dimensional part in order to automatically create the embedded wire pattern. A sensor is located on an embedding surface wherein the embedded wire pattern is embedded. The sensor can measure the distance between the direct wire embedding head and the embedding surface. A predefined distance can be maintained to ensure successful embedding results for the embedded wire pattern by automatically adjusting a position of the direct wire embedding head in response to feedback from the sensor.

Abstract: Compositions for the inhibition of SUV39H1 methyltransferase activity and methods of use thereof are provided. The disclosed compositions may be used for treating certain types of cancer, inducing apoptosis in a cancer cell, increasing cell sensitivity to FasL-induced apoptosis, and overcoming cancer cell resistance to apoptosis and/or certain types of cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic cell including a sun tracker, a top surface configured to generate electrical energy from the incident sunlight, and a bottom surface configured to thermally dispel heat generated by the photovoltaic cell; at least one mirror including a reflective surface; a plurality of actuators securing the at least one mirror the photovoltaic cell; at least one actuator pump connected to the plurality of actuators and configured to extend or retract the plurality of actuators and adjust the distance of the at least one mirror from the top surface; a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the bottom surface of the photovoltaic cell; and a fluid pump connected to the heat exchanger and configured to circulate the fluid through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A process for preparing a mesoporous material, e.g., transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, Lanthanide metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, a post-transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride and metalloid oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride. The process comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form the mesoporous material. A mesoporous material prepared by the above process. A method of controlling nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in mesoporous materials.

Abstract: The present invention provides substituted cyclopenta and cyclopentyl pyrimidine bicyclic compounds of Formula III, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, solvates, and hydrates thereof, having antimitotic activity, anti-multidrug resistance activity, such as for example P-glycoprotein inhibition, and antitumor activity, and which inhibit paclitaxel sensitive and resistant tumor cells. Also provided are methods of utilizing these compounds for treating tumor cells and inhibiting mitosis of cancerous cells.

Abstract: Example embodiments include a method that improves calculations of surface roughness that map a planetary surface. The method includes calculating a V-system matrix with a size of ?×? in an interval [0,1]; transforming the V-system matrix into an orthogonal matrix; improving calculations of the surface roughness of the planetary surface by calculating the surface roughness of a digital elevation model generated from data captured from the planetary surface; and generating a map of the planetary surface based on the surface roughness.

Abstract: The educational system for teaching mechanical failure includes first and second specimen pieces. The first and second specimen pieces are adapted to be magnetically joined to one another at a selected magnitude of magnetic force. A linear force measuring device, such as a load cell, is secured to the first specimen piece and a support frame. A linear actuator is secured to the support frame and the second specimen piece to selectively apply a separation force to the first and second specimen pieces. In use, a user may increase a magnitude of the separation force until the first and second specimen pieces separate from one another. The measured separation force when the first and second specimen pieces separate from one another is representative of a required force to cause mechanical failure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing physical properties of a geological formation are disclosed. The systems and methods may use electrodes that include two conductive portions separated by an isolation gap positioned along a casing in a wellbore in the formation. The electrodes may be sequentially energized to provide excitation stimulus into the formation while the remaining, non-energized electrodes may substantially simultaneously receive excitation responses to the excitation stimulus from the formation. The excitation responses may be assessed to determine one or more physical properties of fractures in the formation.

Abstract: An experimental method for indoor real-time dynamic monitoring of a hydraulic fracture width, comprising the steps of: test piece preparation: assembling a prefabricating mold and fixing a fiber grating therein; mounting a simulated wellbore in the prefabricating mold, pouring agitated cement mortar into the prefabricating mold, and the cement mortar is solidified to form a test piece; mounting the test piece into a confining pressure chamber of a true triaxial hydraulic fracturing simulation device, connecting a liquid injection line to the true triaxial hydraulic fracturing simulation device, and connecting the fiber grating to a modem that is connected to a computer; hydraulic fracture width monitoring test: injecting liquid into the confining pressure chamber of the true triaxial hydraulic fracturing simulation device through the liquid injection line to apply three-direction confining pressures to the test piece, injecting liquid into the simulated wellbore, and starting the fiber grating and the modem t

Abstract: Techniques of preventing sabotage attacks in cyber-physical systems involve automatically identifying links between nodes of a graph representing cyber-physical systems as vulnerable to sabotage attacks according to a vulnerability metric for each link. The vulnerability metric used depends on the particular sabotage attack used to determine the vulnerable links. Once a computer configured to design cyber-physical systems based on vulnerability to sabotage attacks receives data representing the graph, the computer enumerates the possible links between nodes of the graph along which a sabotage attack may be performed. For each of those links, the computer computes the vulnerability metric. The computer then ranks the links according to respective values of the vulnerability metric. Based on the ranking, a designer may then perform a mitigation analysis that results in changes to the graph to reduce the vulnerability at each node accessible to a malicious actor.