Abstract: A method includes: receiving, with a computing platform, respective trajectory data and map data independently generated by each of a plurality of vision-aided inertial navigation devices (VINS devices) traversing an environment, wherein the trajectory data specifies poses along a path through the environment for the respective VINS device and the map data specifies positions of observed features within the environment as determined by an estimator executed by the respective VINS device; determining, with the computing platform and based on the respective trajectory data and map data from each of the VINS devices, estimates for relative poses within the environment by determining transformations that geometrically relate the trajectory data and the map data between one or more pairs of the VINS devices; and generating, with the computing platform and based on the transformations, a composite map specifying positions within the environment for the features observed by the VINS devices.

Abstract: A laser comprising: at least one wavelength selective reflector that comprises a waveguide vertically coupled to at least one photonic crystal resonator, the waveguide and photonic crystal resonator being arranged to provide wave-vector matching between at least one mode of the photonic crystal resonator and at least one mode of the waveguide; an optical gain medium for generating light for coupling into the waveguide, and a reflector at an end of the optical gain medium, the reflector and the photonic crystal resonator defining a laser cavity. Light generated by the optical gain medium is coupled into the waveguide and coupled into the photonic crystal resonator, and partially reflected back to the optical gain medium.

Abstract: SSC energy buffer circuit includes a switching network and a plurality of energy storage capacitors. The switching network may operate at a relatively low switching frequency and can take advantage of soft charging of the energy storage capacitors to reduce loss. Efficiency of the SSC energy buffer circuit can be extremely high compared with the efficiency of other energy buffer circuits. The SSC energy buffer architecture exhibits losses that scale with the amount of energy buffered, such that a relatively high efficiency can be achieved across a desired operating range. Improvements in SSC energy buffer circuits include, in various implementations, the use of ground reference gate drive, the elimination of a separate precharge circuit through control of at least a portion of the switches of the SSC energy buffer circuit, and/or optimized ratio of capacitance values of two or more capacitors in an SSC energy buffer circuit.

Abstract: A light emitting diode includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, a static electrode and a carbon nanotube structure. The first semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on the substrate. The first electrode is located on and electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer. The carbon nanotube structure is located on and electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. The second electrode is located on and electrically connected to the carbon nanotube structure. The static electrode is located between the second semiconductor layer and the carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure includes a first portion in direct contact with the second semiconductor layer and a second portion sandwiched between the static electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for reducing one or more symptoms of disease by administering compositions comprising SipA. The invention's compositions and methods are particularly advantageous in reducing symptoms of diseases that are associated with overexpression of P-gp and/or p53. The invention's compositions and methods are useful in reducing cancer symptom and/or cancer multidrug resistance (MDR). The invention provides a method for reducing one or more symptoms of cancer in a mammalian subject in need thereof, comprising administering to said subject a composition comprising purified SipA. In one embodiment, said SipA is operably conjugated to a nanoparticle. In another embodiment, said cancer comprises cancer cells resistant to at least one cytotoxin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a module type microfluidic chip comprising: (a) printing electrode patterns on a substrate using a conductive ink and inkjet printing; (b) cutting the printed electrode patterns; and (c) assembling the cut electrode patterns to manufacture the module type microfluidic paper chip. Unlike the traditional method for manufacturing printed circuit substrate using a patterning agent or device, the method of the present invention only incorporates a simple printing process using an inkjet printer, and thus patterning can be simplified and various types of chips can be manufactured depending on the assembly type of electrode patterns. Accordingly, inexpensive, economical, and highly utilizable microfluidic chips can be provided using the method of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention includes novel borazarophenanthrene compounds, which may be used as hosts for phosphorescent emitters, charge transporters or emitters in OLEDs.

Abstract: Provided herein are polymers and methods for their use in binding a phosphate containing biological macromolecules. Specifically, the methods and uses provided herein may be used to inhibit thrombin binding to polyphosphate or as an antithrombotic agent for the treatment of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolism, atrial fibrillation, venous and arterial thromboembolism, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), peripheral artery disease, trauma-induced coagulopathy, extracorporeal circulation, cancer-associated thrombosis, sepsis, septic shock, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), or inflammation.

Abstract: Placement of microphones and design of filters in a microphone network are solved simultaneously. Using filterbanks with multiple sub-channels for each microphone, the design of the filter response is solved simultaneously with placement. By using an objective function that penalizes the number of sub-channels in any solution, only some of many possible sub-channels and corresponding microphones and filters are selected while also solving for the filter responses for the selected sub-channels. For a given target location, the location of the microphones and the filter responses to beamform are optimized.

Abstract: The modification of sand with superhydrophobic silica/wax nanoparticles may provide for water storage, applicable, for example, in desert environments. In particular, highly thermal stable superhydrophobic coats for sand are made of nanoparticles composed of superhydrophobic silica capped with paraffin wax. Superhydrophobic sand modified by such nanoparticles addresses issues of water storage in desert environments, capitalizing on sand resource utilization. Superhydrophobic sand, as modified, has excellent water repellency and great water-holding capacity. The superhydrophobic sand modified with superhydrophobic silica/wax nanoparticles can be applied for the desert water storage for agriculture and planting.

Abstract: We disclose novel asymmetric bis-acridines with antitumor activity. These compounds are useful for use in pharmaceuticals, particularly in the treatment or the prevention of neoplasms.

Abstract: Methods of inhibiting the growth or metastasis of a cancer in a subject by inhibiting a Ral GTPase in the subject, and small molecule inhibitors of Ral GTPases useful in the methods of the invention. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of the invention, and methods of using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions for and methods of optically imaging tissues or cells using imaging agents having desirable in vivo properties that result in improved signal-to-background ratio.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that uses polar dynamic programming PDP (PDP) method to generate a segmented image of a shape.

Abstract: A system for converting digital data into a modulated optical signal, comprises an electrically controllable device having M actuating electrodes. The device provides an optical signal that is modulated in response to binary voltages applied to the actuating electrodes. The system also comprises a digital-to-digital converter that provides a mapping of input data words to binary actuation vectors of M bits and supplies the binary actuation vectors as M bits of binary actuation voltages to the M actuating electrodes, where M is larger than the number of bits in each input data word. The digital-to-digital converter is enabled to map each digital input data word to a binary actuation vector by selecting a binary actuation vector from a subset of binary actuation vectors available to represent each of the input data words.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for glass composites suitable for tissue augmentation, biomedical, and cosmetic applications are provided. The glass microsphere component of the composites are biologically inert, non-reactive and act as a nearly permanent tissue filler. One embodiment provides a tissue augmentation composite containing an effective amount of solid glass microspheres, hollow glass microspheres, porous wall hollow glass microspheres, or combinations thereof with a suitable biocompatible matrix to serve as a bulking agent when injected into a patient. The compositions can be used for soft or hard tissue augmentation as well as delivery of cargos on demand.

Abstract: A method of forming a spectral selective coating is disclosed. The method may include providing particles on a substrate, wherein the particles include submicron particles. The method may farther include sintering the particles under atmospheric pressure to form a sintered layer an the substrate and texturing the sintered layer to provide a submicron surface roughness height on the sintered layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for making nanoscale heterostructure. The method includes: providing a support and forming a first carbon nanotube layer on the support, and the first carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of first source carbon nanotubes; forming a semiconductor layer on the first carbon nanotube layer; covering a second carbon nanotube layer on the semiconductor layer, and the second carbon nanotube layer comprises a plurality of second source carbon nanotubes; finding and labeling a first carbon nanotube in the first carbon nanotube layer and a second carbon nanotube in the second carbon nanotube layer; removing the plurality of first source carbon nanotubes and the plurality of second source carbon nanotubes; and annealing the multilayer structure.

Abstract: A large Group III nitride crystal of high quality with few defects such as a distortion, a dislocation, and warping is produced by vapor phase epitaxy. A method for producing a Group III nitride crystal includes: a first Group III nitride crystal production process of producing a first Group III nitride crystal 1003 by liquid phase epitaxy; and a second Group III nitride crystal production process of producing a second Group III nitride crystal 1004 on the first crystal 1003 by vapor phase epitaxy by causing a Group III element metal to react with an oxidizing agent and nitrogen-containing gas.

Abstract: The method of making a supercapacitor using porous activated carbon from cow dung includes converting cow dung to porous activated carbon by, in a first step, preparing the dung waste by washing and drying the dung waste, and heating the dung waste in a vacuum environment to form pre-carbonized carbon. In a second step, the pre-carbonized carbon is impregnated with phosphoric acid to form a slurry, which is dried, ground, and heated in a vacuum to between 600-900° C. to form porous activated carbon. The porous activated carbon is mixed with a binder, acetylene black, and an organic solvent to form a paste, which is dried on a conductive metal foil to form an electrode. Two such electrodes (an anode and cathode) are coated with an electrolyte gel (e.g., aqueous potassium hydroxide) and separated by a polymer (e.g., PTFE) membrane to form the supercapacitor.