Abstract: The invention is directed to peptides which inhibit phosphorylation of an amino phosphoacceptor domain of C/EBP? and their use for treating inflammation and fibrosis.

Abstract: A touch substrate manufactured by three-dimensional printing and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method for manufacturing the touch substrate works together with a three-dimensional printer. The three-dimensional printer includes a first nozzle, a second nozzle, and a light source. The method includes the steps of: jetting a photocuring material by the first nozzle and exposing the photocuring material to the light source to form a base layer; jetting a conductive material on the base layer by the second nozzle and exposing the conductive material to the light source to form a touch electrode layer; and jetting the photocuring material on the base layer and the touch electrode layer by the first nozzle and exposing the photocuring material to the light source to form a protective layer. The touch electrode layer is embedded between the base layer and the protective layer.

Abstract: Standard nested virtualization allows a hypervisor to run other hypervisors as guests, i.e. a level-0 (L0) hypervisor can run multiple level-1 (L1) hypervisors, each of which can run multiple level-2 (L2) virtual machines (VMs), with each L2 VM is restricted to run on only one L1 hypervisor. Span provides a Multi-hypervisor VM in which a single VM can simultaneously run on multiple hypervisors, which permits a VM to benefit from different services provided by multiple hypervisors that co-exist on a single physical machine. Span allows (a) the memory footprint of the VM to be shared across two hypervisors, and (b) the responsibility for CPU and I/O scheduling to be distributed among the two hypervisors. Span VMs can achieve performance comparable to traditional (single-hypervisor) nested VMs for common benchmarks.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid composition that includes a chelating agent, e.g. GLDA, and a polymeric additive comprising a copolymer of acrylamido-tert-butyl sulfonate and hydrolyzed polyacrylamide diluted in an aqueous base fluid, e.g. seawater, and a method of fracking a geological formation using the fracturing fluid composition. Various embodiments of the fracturing fluid composition and the method of fracking are also provided.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods using mass spectrometry for direct profiling of N-linked glycans from a biological sample. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention also disclose novel methods, known as targeted analyte detection (TAD), for improving the detection limit of MALDI-MS. These methods take advantage of the carrier effect of the added standard analytes, which occurs due to the generic sigmoidal shape of the calibration curve. The functionality of TAD depends on the relative enhancement of sensitivity over the increase of the standard deviation at the analysis of target analytes with spiking in exogenous concentration. At certain ranges of exogenous concentration, the increment in the sensitivity overcomes the standard deviation, resulting in an improved LOD. Theoretically, exogenous concentrations approximately at 1 LODorig would generate the optimum LOD improvement.

Abstract: Methods for detecting and quantifying one or more microcystin compounds in a sample are described. The methods may include a preconcentration step, and generally utilize an LC-MS or LC-MS/MS analysis with an Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometer. The methods provide excellent recoveries and limits of quantification of microcystins.

Abstract: Cavitand compositions that comprise void spaces are disclosed. The void spaces may be empty, which means that voids are free of guest molecules or atoms, or the void spaces may comprise guest molecules or atoms that are normally in their gas phase at standard temperature and pressure. These cavitands may be useful for industrial applications, such as the separation or storage of gasses. Novel cavitand compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices that may be used to extract spatial frequency information. In one embodiment, the invention provides an instrument configured to extract data using a two-dimensional (2D) Hilbert transform technique, and providing spatial frequency information from a sample. In another embodiment, the invention provides a spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) device adapted for demodulation using two or less imaging frames.

Abstract: A system and method for patient-adaptive hemodynamic management is described. One embodiment includes a system for hemodynamic management including transfusion, volume resuscitation with intravenous fluids, and medications, utilizing monitored hemodynamic parameters including the described dynamic predictors of fluid responsiveness, and including an intelligent algorithm capable of adaptation of the function of the device to specific patients.

Abstract: A syngas generation system that combines a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) and a carbon gasification unit is described. On the cathode side of the SOEC, CO2 and H2O are electrochemically converted to syngas. At the anode side of the system, a second stream of syngas is produced through a carbon gasification process in which solid carbon is reacted with H2O/CO2. Oxygen ion transported across the SOEC electrolyte reacts at the anode with a portion of the syngas produced in the gasification process. This reaction product (H2O/CO2) can be fed back to the gasification unit.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a peptide having a stabilized secondary structure. The present invention provides a peptide having a secondary structure stabilized by a crosslinked structure and containing at least one combination of a special amino acid of the formula (I): (wherein, (A) represents a single bond or a linking group having, in the main chain thereof, from 1 to 10 atoms; (B) represents a group containing at least one ? bond; (C) represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted with a substituent; and X represents a group substitutable by a substitution reaction with a sulfanyl group) and an amino acid having, in the side chain thereof, a sulfanyl group; and having the crosslinked structure formed through a thioether bond between the side chain of the special amino acid residue and the sulfanyl group.

Abstract: Disclosed herein a sialyl donor and its use for the synthesis of gangliosides. The sialyl donor has the structure of, wherein, R1 and R2 are independently benzoyl, toluenesulfonyl, pivaloyl or acetyl optionally substituted with a halogen; and R3 is acetyl or —(O)CCH2OH. In one preferred embodiment, in the sialyl donor of formula (I), R is acetyl. Also disclosed herein is a method of synthesizing a sialoside. The method comprises steps of: coupling the sialyl donor of formula (I) with a glycosyl acceptor having a primary hydroxyl group in the presence of N-iodosuccinimide (NIS) and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH) under suitable conditions; and isolating the sialoside, which has an ?-glycosidic linkage. According to preferred embodiments, the coupling is conducted in a solvent selected from the group consisting of, CH3CN, CH3Cl, and CH2Cl2 at a temperature between ?20° C. to ?60° C.

Abstract: A cementitious composite and cured masonry block made from the cementitious composite. The cementitious composite contains a cement, a non-rubber aggregate, a crumb rubber and at least one of cement kiln dust and limestone powder. The crumb rubber aggregate is extracted from scrap tires after being processed and then mixed in specified percentages with the aggregate, the cement and water, then cured in forms to make the masonry blocks. In the present disclosure sand, which is used in conventional masonry blocks, is at least partially replaced with crumb rubber to produce a sand-free or sand-reduced masonry block that contains crumb rubber. The crumb rubber masonry blocks satisfy the ASTM non-load bearing requirements. The use of crumb rubber decreases the unit weight and increases thermal resistance of the masonry blocks. The use of cement kiln dust or limestone as a partial replacement of cement will lead to decrease in the cost.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided that enable activation of innate immune responses through RIG-I like receptor signaling. The compositions and methods incorporate synthetic nucleic acid pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that comprise elements initially characterized in, and derived from, the hepatitis C virus genome.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for load balancing of graph processing workloads. Synthetic proxy graphs are generated to characterize machines' graph processing speeds in a cluster. Each of the graph applications executing in the cluster is profiled using the synthetic graphs to form profiling sets. These formed profiling sets are run among the machines in the cluster to capture the machines' graph processing speeds. A metric for each of the graph applications is computed from a relative speedup among the machines in the cluster and/or the graph processing speeds. A graph file of a natural graph and a graph application are loaded. A metric out of the computed metrics is selected based on the graph application. The natural graph is then partitioned into multiple chunks which is distributed onto two or more machines in the cluster based on the selected metric and a user selected partitioning algorithm.

Abstract: A system for measuring pH includes a substrate and a sensor medium on the substrate. The sensor medium includes at least one oxidized carbon nanostructure and optionally at least one composition immobilized on the at least one oxidized carbon nanostructure. The at least one composition has at least one property that depends on pH. The system further includes at least one measurement system to measure a property of the sensor medium.

Abstract: Providing a method for improving saline-alkaline soil by using a biomass rapid pyrolysis product, comprising: rapidly pyrolyzing agricultural and forest residues to prepare bio-oil and semi-coke; deodorizing, dephenolizing and tackifying the bio-oil to prepare a modified bio-oil, and supplementing the modified bio-oil with the nutrient elements to produce a rapid ameliorant for saline-alkali soil; loading microbial fertilizer on the semi-coke to prepare a continuous renovation ameliorant for saline-alkali soil; (4) applying the ameliorants on the surface of saline-alkali soil.

Abstract: Iron contaminants are removed from hydrocarbon oils, and from produced water or flowback water by-products of oil and gas production, by treatment of such liquids with a composition comprising a two-tail lipid compound. The lipid binds iron to form a lipid/iron phase in the liquid, which is then removed to provide a liquid with a reduced iron level.

Abstract: Provided are methods of decoding speech from the brain of a subject. The methods include detecting speech production signals from electrodes operably coupled to the speech motor cortex of a subject while the subject produces or imagines producing a speech sound. The methods further include deriving a speech production signal pattern from the detected speech production signals, and correlating the speech production signal pattern with a reference speech production signal pattern to decode speech from the brain of the subject. Speech communication systems and devices for practicing the subject methods are also provided.

Abstract: A walking assistance apparatus includes: a walking assistance attachment to be attached to a leg of a human body and including a variable stiffness mechanism having stiffness that is changeable in a direction where the human bends and stretches the knee by motor driving; and a controller. The controller includes a foot-end motion calculation part configured to receive an output from a sensor to detect motion of a leg and successively calculate a relative velocity of a foot end with reference to a waist of the human body; and a leg state determination part configured to determine shift timing between a swing phase and a stance phase based on the relative velocity of the foot end.