Abstract: Described herein are reinforcing members for use in fabricating reinforced concrete, as well as methods of fabricating such reinforcing members. A reinforcing member can include a central reinforcement element and a supplementary cementitious material coated on the central reinforcement element. A method can including applying the supplementary cementitious material to the central reinforcement element, placing concrete around the reinforcing member, and allowing the concrete to cure. The supplementary cementitious material can be a pozzolan.

Abstract: Embodiments of hybrid drive systems are provided. In one representative embodiment, a hybrid drive system includes a transmission having first and second parallel input shafts. The first and second parallel input shafts are selectively coupled together via a plurality of gearwheels operable to vary the rotational speed of the second parallel shaft relative to the first parallel shaft. The hybrid drive system includes at least one irreversible drive machine coupled to the transmission and operable to provide torque to at least one of the first or second parallel input shafts, and at least one reversible drive machine coupled to the transmission and operable to provide torque to at least one of the first or second parallel input shafts.

Abstract: The present application provides methods of producing soluble Treponema pallidum protein Tp0453 (such as the fragment shown in SEQ ID NO: 3). For example, the protein can be expressed from the pET28a vector in a cell and the resulting soluble Tp0453 protein isolated from the cell. Also provided are the isolated soluble Tp0453 protein, as well as Tp0453-Tp0326 chimeric proteins (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 11), and methods of using the proteins to detect antibodies specific for T. pallidum subsp. pallidum, for example to diagnose syphilis. Devices and kits that incorporate Tp0453 protein and Tp0453-Tp0326 chimeric proteins, such as lateral flow devices, are also disclosed. Kits that include the soluble Tp0453 protein and kits that include solid substrates containing the soluble Tp0453 protein are also provided.

Abstract: Telecommunication networks are under stress due to rapid traffic increase cause mostly by large file transfers. Disclosed herein is a cross-layer transport protocol specifically designed to efficiently handle large transactions. Traffic generated from large transactions is shaped into a periodic succession of fixed-size data frames. Each transaction can then be scheduled for transmission using a two-way reservation protocol. Exemplary results show that the proposed approach is capable of significantly improving goodput and end-to-end delay relative to TCP, improving efficiency of bandwidth utilization by over 40%.

Abstract: A modulation-assisted preprocessing scheme for non-binary LDPC reduces the computational complexity of non-binary LDPC decoding. A received signal is directly mapped onto a truncated symbol vector through a table lookup. The mapping table is built off-line based on the characteristics of a constellation structure. The receiver calculates and, if necessary, ranks the reliability of the symbols in the truncated vectors. This avoids unnecessary reliability calculation and ranking during on-line operation. The disclosed preprocessing methods offer lower computational complexity in terms of ranking and addition operations while offering the same error rate performance as conventional EMS preprocessing.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring dimensions of a micro-scale object includes a movable stylus, a probe and at least one acoustic emissions sensor. The movable stylus is positionable to contact an object to be measured. The probe is rotatably coupled to the stylus and has a distal end that circumscribes a circle when rotated. The acoustic emissions sensor is operatively coupled to the probe. The sensor is operative to detect acoustic emissions generated from contact between the distal end of the probe and the object, thereby allowing dimensions of the object to be determined.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments concern an array for use in identifying or identifying and quantifying analytes in a sample using a macrocyclic sensor comprising a macrocyclic compound and a detectable moiety. The disclosed array may be used to discriminate among various analytes based on different features, such as post-translational modifications, isomeric post-translational modifications, and the peptide sequence around post-translational modifications. Also disclosed is a method for identifying analytes comprising a post-translational modification, as well as an enzymatic assay using the disclosed macrocyclic sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments concern the synthesis and use of therapeutic compounds that for treating emerging flu strains and minimizing resistance to such strains. Methods for making the disclosed compounds concern using a base-mediated addition/cyclization sequence followed by functional group manipulation to develop functionalized compounds that can target neuraminidase, which makes them ideal candidates for treating influenza. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the therapeutic compounds and biologically-acceptable materials are also described. Methods of inhibiting neuraminidase in subjects that are suspected of containing neuraminidase are also described. The use of metabolites of the disclosed compounds can also be used in diagnostic assays for therapeutic dosing of the disclosed compounds.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a polymeric compound, embodiments of a method for making and using the disclosed polymeric compound, and embodiments of a polymerizable composition. The polymeric compound is formed via photopolymerization of a photoinitiator and various polymerizable monomers. The disclosed polymeric compound and its components are useful as biomaterials, photolithography, and other applications. In particular disclosed embodiments, the photoinitiator comprises one or more chromophores capable of absorbing energy at particular wavelengths suitable for promoting formation of a carbanion capable of reacting with a polymerizable monomer.

Abstract: A sensing device for detecting a physical parameter exemplified by pressures, strains, temperatures, indices of refraction, and combinations thereof. The sensing device comprises a probe having a housing for sealably mounting therein an optical fiber. The optical fiber is provided at its distal end with at least two spaced apart fiber Bragg gratings. The proximal end of the probe is engagable with a holder, and is in communication with fiber Bragg grating interrogation systems. Spacers and seals may be provided about the optical fiber between the fiber Bragg gratings. An orifice may be provided and sealed with a resilient membrane to provide a contained airspace around each fiber Bragg grating. The contained airspace may be optionally filled with a fluid or a gas.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for enhancing the performance of photoconductive switches or photomixers used to generate or receive terahertz radiation. An interlaced electrode is used to minimize carrier transit times across an absorbing semiconductor photoconductor. This electrode is designed to support a plasmonic resonance such that coupling of the optical pump signal to the absorbing photoconductor is enhanced.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides temperature sensitive essential nucleic acid molecules from a psychrophilic bacterium, proteins encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, as well as recombinant cells into which have been introduced such nucleic acid molecules. The disclosed recombinant cells containing one or more essential nucleic acid molecules from a psychrophilic bacterium are thereby made temperature sensitive, and can be administered to a mammal to induce an immune response in the mammal.

Abstract: The present application provides methods of producing soluble Treponema pallidum protein Tp0453 (such as the fragment shown in SEQ ID NO: 3). For example, the protein can be expressed from the pET28a vector in a cell and the resulting soluble Tp0453 protein isolated from the cell. Also provided are the isolated soluble Tp0453 protein, as well as Tp0453-Tp0326 chimeric proteins (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 11), and methods of using the proteins to detect antibodies specific for T. pallidum subsp. pallidum, for example to diagnose syphilis. Devices and kits that incorporate Tp0453 protein and Tp0453-Tp0326 chimeric proteins, such as lateral flow devices, are also disclosed. Kits that include the soluble Tp0453 protein and kits that include solid substrates containing the soluble Tp0453 protein are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of detecting blood disorders, such as diabetes. In particular examples the method includes contacting a blood sample with an amine reagent, blocking an excess of the amine reagent with a blocking reagent, digesting the modified blood sample with trypsin to produce a digested blood sample containing a plurality of glycated N-terminal peptides and non-glycated N-terminal peptides, then analyzing the digested blood sample with MALDI MS. Also provided are reagents for use in such methods.

Abstract: Molecules or particle having a hydrodynamic radius as small as 3.5 nm can be trapped using a double-nanohole structure defined in a metal film or other metallic layer. Application of a suitable optical radiation flux to the double-nanohole structure can provide a folding and/or binding of protein molecules that can be identified based on changes in optical transmission. Varying nanohole transmissions can thus be associated with trapping, binding and unfolding of biological particles. The double-nanohole defines cusps, but such cusps can be defined in other ways as well.

Abstract: An aqueous soluble, lanthanide rich nanoparticle for investigative use, such as NMR, MRI, CT, PET, and GdNCT is provided. The nanoparticle is synthesized from a mixture comprising lanthanide ions and coated with a suitably selected organic ligand such that the resultant nanoparticle is soluble in aqueous solutions. A method of collecting nuclear magnetic resonance information on a sample or a subject is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides temperature sensitive essential nucleic acid molecules from a psychrophilic bacterium, proteins encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, as well as recombinant cells into which have been introduced such nucleic acid molecules. The disclosed recombinant cells containing one or more essential nucleic acid molecules from a psychrophilic bacterium are thereby made temperature sensitive, and can be administered to a mammal to induce an immune response in the mammal.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring dimensions of a micro-scale object includes a movable stylus, a probe and at least one acoustic emissions sensor. The movable stylus is positionable to contact an object to be measured. The probe is rotatably coupled to the stylus and has a distal end that circumscribes a circle when rotated. The acoustic emissions sensor is operatively coupled to the probe. The sensor is operative to detect acoustic emissions generated from contact between the distal end of the probe and the object, thereby allowing dimensions of the object to be determined.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving wavelength control in tunable laser sources. Embodiments of the systems and methods include delivering a fraction of the light output from the laser to an optical filter subsystem. The optical filter subsystem is capable of outputting at least one filter response signal, and comprises 2 complementary optical etalon filters with nominally identical free spectral ranges but offset by nominally one third of the free spectral range. The filter response signal is processed in a control unit which executes a control algorithm to generate a tuning signal that is used to control the wavelength of the laser.

Abstract: Optical networks interconnect a plurality of optical network units (ONUs) to an optical line terminal (OLT). The OLT comprises a plurality of optical transceivers that are wavelength division multiplexed and connected to a WDM metro network. The metro network is configured to facilitate communication of a plurality of wavelengths between the OLT and local nodes, the local nodes including a wavelength sharing network configured to connect at least one of the wavelengths communicated with the OLT to a plurality of feeder fibers. The feeder fibers connect the wavelength sharing network to remote nodes that comprise WDM devices that have pluralities of output ports. An optical combiner allows the first and second ONUs to share the same transceiver in the OLT.