Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods to genetically engineer plants by manipulating the expression of the PtrXB38 polypeptide to increase root development. Also provided are genetically engineer plants that can be obtained by the methods according to the present disclosure.

Abstract: A method of hydrogenating carbon dioxide to produce one or more hydrocarbons, the method comprising contacting an input gas stream containing carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) gases with a bifunctional catalyst comprising a metal oxide in combination with a redox active ceramic support, wherein the redox active ceramic support comprises the formula BaZr1-x-y-zM1yM2zYxO3-?, wherein: 0<x?0.2, 0?y?0.8, 0?z?0.8, 0<(x+y+z)<1, and 0???0.1, wherein ? represents oxygen-ion vacancy; M1 and M2 are selected from lanthanide elements, except that M2 may alternatively be a Group 5 transition metal; and the metal oxide is selected from iron oxides and cobalt oxides.

Abstract: MMC's comprising an Al-RB alloy-based matrix and ceramic, metal and/or intermetallic reinforcement particulates dispersed in the alloy matrix provide improved strength and ductility wherein the reinforcement particulates have a higher melting temperature than the matrix alloy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a power grid-based system. The methods comprising: determining, by the processor, a spectral correlation function for a power grid signal being monitored; applying, by the processor, a trained classification model to the spectral correlation function, the trained classification model comprising a machine learning model trained to classify power grid signals based on power grid signal distortions; assigning, by the processor, a power grid distortion classification to the power grid signal based on an output of the trained classification model; and controlling operation(s) of an electrical device of the power grid-based system based on the power grid distribution classification.

Abstract: A power sharing multiport charger or a power sharing multiport supply is provided. The power sharing may be provided via time division multiplexing of power output from a switch mode power supply.

Abstract: A cryogenic extrusion recirculation system and method are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a cryogenically-cooled extruder configured to form solid deuterium-tritium pellets and discharge the pellets through an extruder nozzle. Excess solid extrusion discharged from the extruder nozzle is received by a cryogenically-cooled auger, which conveys the excess material into a restrictive section. The excess material consolidates in the restrictive section as a solid fuel plug. A heater section is positioned downstream of the restrictive section and applies energy to the leading portion of the solid fuel plug, converting the leading portion of the solid fuel plug into a gaseous phase. This gaseous phase is then recirculated into the cryogenically-cooled extruder to support continuous pellet formation in a controlled and efficient manner. Other embodiments include one or more cryopumps in lieu of the cryogenically-cooled auger for converting the excess material into a gaseous phase for recirculation.

Abstract: Polyphase wireless power transfer systems are provided. The transfer system may be used for charging hybrid and electric vehicles. The systems are capable of transferring over 50 KW over an air gap of 15 cm. The systems use a rotating magnetic field to transfer power. The system may comprise transmitter coil assembly. The coil assembly may be one or more layers. The system may employ either unipolar or bipolar coils. The transmitter also comprises compensating capacitance connected in series with at least one coil for each phase. A value of the compensating capacitance for each phase is determined such that the transmitter has at least two independently excitable resonant modes at a resonant frequency. The transmitter is compatible with a plurality of different receivers including three-phase, single phase with a circular coil and single phase with DD coils.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the speed of a vehicle traveling over a terrain. The methods comprise: predicting, by a mobile device (MD), a queue length defined by the number of vehicles in a queue at a downstream intersection based on a traffic volume and vehicle speeds that were detected during a past period of time by a detector located at or near an upstream intersection; sensing, by MD's sensor(s), the vehicle's velocity and location; computing a distance to a downstream intersection from the vehicle's location; generating a desired speed for the vehicle based on the traffic volume and vehicle speeds, signal phase and timing data for at least the next two cycles, the predicted queue length at the downstream intersection, the vehicle's velocity and location, the distance to the downstream intersection, and a current time; and using the desired speed to facilitate control of the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems, methods and programs including machine learning techniques which can predict a spectral image directly from an optical image of a patient's tissue sample using a first model. There may be different first models for different cancers. Each first model may be trained by using a plurality of pairs of images from different samples, respectively, where each image in a respective pair may be obtained via different imaging modalities. The systems, methods and programs may also include machine learning techniques which can predict cancer labels from the predicted spectral image using a second model. There may be different second models for different cancers. Each second model may be trained using multiple spectral images and corresponding manually input cancer labels.

Abstract: A thermal energy storage system includes a heat exchange module having a quantity of phase change material and a quantity of reference gas in fluid communication with the phase change material. A sensor is provided for sensing the reference gas pressure and generating a pressure signal that is related to the reference gas pressure. The exchange of heat changes the heat of the phase change material, a change in the phase of the phase change material, and a change in the total volume of the phase change material. This changes the volume of the reference gas, and also changes the reference gas pressure. The sensor will detect and generate a signal of the reference gas pressure change and form this a change in the state of charge of the phase change material can be determined. A thermal energy storage system and method for storing thermal energy are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for extracting rare earth elements from aqueous solution, comprising: (i) acidifying an aqueous solution containing said rare earth elements with an inorganic acid to result in an acidified aqueous solution containing said rare earth elements and containing the inorganic acid in a concentration of 1-12 M, wherein said rare earth elements are selected from lanthanides, actinides, or combination thereof, and (ii) contacting the acidified aqueous solution with an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution comprising a rare earth extractant compound dissolved in an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solvent to result in extraction of one or more of the rare earth elements into the aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution by binding of the rare earth extractant compound to the one or more rare earth elements, wherein the rare earth extractant compound has the following structure: provided that at least one of the conditions (a)-(d) applies.

Abstract: A method for processing spent nickel-based cathode material useful in lithium-based batteries, the method comprising: (i) producing an initial mixture containing the spent nickel-based cathode material and a molten salt system comprising cations and anions, wherein the cations comprise lithium cations; (ii) heating the initial mixture to a temperature of 700° C. to 900° C. for at least 1 hour to produce a relithiated cathode material; and (iii) washing the relithiated cathode material to remove any residual salt. In a further method, the cations comprise nickel and lithium cations and the anions comprise chloride or bromide anion in combination with at least one of nitrate, sulfate, and carbonate anions in further combination with hydroxide anion, wherein the method results in upcycling of the nickel-based cathode material to produce a version of said relithiated cathode material having a greater nickel content.

Abstract: Lanthanide complexing molecules having the following structure: wherein: R1, R2, R4, and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen atom, alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms, and hydrophilic groups containing at least one oxygen atom; R3 and R6 are independently selected from hydrogen atom, alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms, and hydrophilic groups containing at least one oxygen atom; and Ra and Rb are independently selected from hydrogen atom, methyl group, halogen atoms, and hydrophilic groups containing at least one oxygen atom; wherein at least two of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, Ra, and Rb are said hydrophilic groups. Also described is a method of separating adjacent lanthanides by use of a two-phase extractant system that includes (i) an acidic aqueous solution containing the lanthanide complexing molecule (1) along with a mixture of at least two lanthanides, and (ii) an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution containing a lipophilic lanthanide extractant compound.

Abstract: A compound having the following structure: wherein: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are independently selected from (i) hydrogen atom, (ii) hydrocarbon groups (R) containing 1-30 carbon atoms and optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms, (iii) —OR? groups, (iv) —NR?2 groups, (v) —C(O)R? groups, and (vi) halogen atoms, wherein R? groups are independently selected from R groups and hydrogen atoms, and wherein the R group optionally includes a C(O), ether, or amino linkage; Xm? is an anionic species with a magnitude of charge m, where m is an integer of at least 1; and n is a number, provided that n×m=1. Also described herein are methods for removing one or more oxyanions from a liquid source by use of the above compound or mono-pyridyl derivative thereof.

Abstract: A receiver configured to remove a bias of a homodyne detector is provided. The receiver produces at least one clone local oscillator (LO) pulse per LO pulse for the reference pulse and per LO pulse for the data-carrying pulse. Measurement made using clone LO pulses are used to compensate for the bias in reference measurements and data-carrying measurements. Clone LO pulses are produced when the reference pulses and the data-carrying pulses are not expected to be present at the homodyne detector. The bias corrected reference measurements may be used as feedback to maintain a timing synchronization of the LO for the reference pulse and the LO for the data-carrying pulse with the corresponding reference pulse and the data-carrying pulse, respectively and for polarization correction. The receiver may be incorporated into a continuous variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD) system.

Abstract: A tritium-compatible pellet gas gun for a deuterium-tritium (D-T) pellet fueling apparatus is provided. In one aspect, the tritium-compatible pellet gas gun includes a pellet sizer assembly that provides in situ adjustment of pellet length during injector operation. The pellet sizer assembly includes a guillotine slide that is actuated by a pusher tube, the guillotine slide being operable to restrict the orifice of the extruder nozzle to reduce pellet length with fine resolution. The tritium-compatible pellet gas gun also includes dual flexible metal bellows seals that maintain hermetic separation between the D-T fuel region, a guard vacuum, and the ambient environment, while still permitting linear motion. This configuration allows the pellet length to be reduced by up to 50% without venting or warming the D-T pellet fueling apparatus.

Abstract: A process for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) present in a gas stream is provided. The process includes providing a cooling tower that treats a gas stream. The gas stream including CO2 is introduced into the cooling tower. A liquid carbon-dioxide-capturing media is released into the gas stream in the cooling tower. The carbon-dioxide-capturing media absorbs the CO2 in the gas stream, and the carbon-dioxide-capturing media including the absorbed CO2 is collected. An absorber for capture of CO2 in a gas stream is also provided. The absorber includes a cooling tower for treatment of a gas stream including CO2. The cooling tower includes an input for the gas stream, an outlet for a treated gas stream, and a sprayer that releases liquid carbon-dioxide-capturing media into the cooling tower. The carbon-dioxide-capturing media absorbs the CO2 from the gas stream in the cooling tower. A collector collects the carbon-dioxide-capturing media including absorbed CO2.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for embedding metallic wires within polymer structures through co-extrusion printing in large-format polymer additive manufacturing (LFPAM). The method includes receiving user input for object and wire regions, performing Boolean operations on the meshes, generating printing paths, and determining an optimized order for printing. The LFPAM tool, configured with a data processing apparatus, prints the object with embedded wire and anchors supporting the wire ends. The system may include the use of a cutting tool to separate the anchors from the printed object. This disclosure improves wire alignment, support, and printing performance, enhancing the properties of wire-embedded printed structures.

Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for forming nanoparticles including Fe16N2 phase. In some examples, the nanoparticles may be formed by first forming nanoparticles including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron. The carbon or boron may be incorporated into the nanoparticles such that the iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron are mixed. Alternatively, the at least one of carbon or boron may be coated on a surface of a nanoparticle including iron and nitrogen. The nanoparticle including iron, nitrogen, and at least one of carbon or boron then may be annealed to form at least one phase domain including at least one of Fe16N2, Fe16(NB)2, Fe16(NC)2, or Fe16(NCB)2.

Abstract: A heat storage system, and systems and methods for designing a heat exchanger system included in the heat storage system are disclosed. The heat exchanger system includes a heat exchanger including a plurality of planar fins parallelly arranged between a first header and a second header, and a plurality of tubes configured to be received in axially aligned holes of the plurality of fins, the plurality of tubes being configured to allow flow of a fluid exchanger fluid. The heat storage system also includes a storage tank comprising phase change material (PCM) for at least partially submerging the heat exchanger within the PCM. A spacing between the plurality of fins is optimized using a finite particle model of the heat exchanger to achieve a performance objective of at least 75% thermal heat discharge from the PCM in about 3 hours.