Abstract: Disclosed are peptides that contain up to about 35 amino acids, including a plurality of aromatic amino acid residues and either (i) an amino acid residue that is phosphorylated or sulfated, or (ii) an amino acid comprising an ester-moiety linked via peptide bond, or both (i) and (ii), wherein the peptide is capable of self-assembly to form nanofibrils in the presence of an enzyme that hydrolyzes the phosphate group, the sulfate group, or the ester-moiety. These peptides are enzymatically responsive hydrogelators, and they can be used to form pericellular hydrogels/nanofibrils upon exposure to target cells that secrete or express a surface bound ectoenzyme having hydrolase activity suitable to induce peptide gelation. These materials, and compositions containing the same, can be used for in vitro and in vivo cellular imaging, treating cancerous conditions, collecting a secretome from a cell upon which the pericellular hydrogels/nanofibrils form, and screening the collected secretome.

Abstract: The invention relates to the application of peptides that can self-assemble to form supramolecular nanofibrils and hydrogels, hydrogel compositions containing the self-assembled supramolecular nanofibrils, and methods of uses and making the hydrogel compositions.

Abstract: A high efficiency optical ignition device is provided in a two-part compact and robust package to be mounted directly on an internal combustion engine chamber. The ignition device ignites a combustion fuel with a high intensity plasma generated by a high power laser beam from a solid state laser operable in Q-switched, or non-Q-switched mode for producing short or long pulses, respectively. Multiple pulses are generated, and duration and frequency of the laser beam pulses are controlled by controlling an optical pump module to pump the solid state laser. The optical pump module comprises a semiconductor laser, preferably a VCSEL device. One or more laser beams are precisely directed, each one to a desired location anywhere within the combustion chamber for more efficient and near complete burning of the combustion fuel. The robust packaging is well suited to withstand mechanical and thermal stresses of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Clamping device for clamping a workpiece defining at least three protection holes, includes a supporting seat, a pressing plate, a clamping assembly, and an operation assembly. The supporting seat can define a sliding groove, a first receiving groove, a second receiving groove, and a receiving hole, and includes a protrusion portion. The pressing plate can be securely stacked upon the supporting seat. The clamping assembly can include a first and a second clamping subassembly, and is sandwiched between the supporting seat and the pressing plate. The operation assembly can include a locking member and a transmission pin eccentrically assembled to an end of the locking member. When the locking member is rotated, the transmission pin can be driven to resist the second clamping subassembly to be partially exposed from the supporting seat, simultaneously. The locking member can resist the first subassembly to be partially exposed from the supporting seat.

Abstract: A gain asymmetry characterizing circuit for determining characteristics of gain asymmetry possessed by a transmitter includes a baseband loopback path, a test signal generating unit and a gain asymmetry measuring unit. The baseband loopback path is coupled to a baseband node on a first transmission path of the transmitter. The test signal generating unit is arranged to generate a first differential baseband test signal pair to the first transmission path. The first differential baseband test signal pair includes a first baseband signal and a second baseband signal. During a first period, the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal are fed into a positive input node and a negative input node of the first transmission path, respectively. During a second period, the second baseband signal and the first baseband signal are fed into the positive input node and the negative input node of the first transmission path, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a parameter adjustment method. The parameter adjustment method used for statistical machine translation comprises: step 1: using a monolingual corpus to construct a language model required for translation; step 2: using a bilingual parallel corpus to construct a translation model; and step 3: using a target function to adjust a parameter. The method can solve problems in prior art that the parameter is easily over-fit or falls into a local optimum during a parameter adjustment process, and the method is easy to implement and can combine a larger number of features. In addition, the target function is convex; therefore, global optimum can be achieved in a training process.

Abstract: Pre-populating a form can include receiving a first input that describes a problem from a first user. Pre-populating a form can include associating a category with the first input. Pre-populating a form can include selecting a first form based on the category. Pre-populating a form can include pre-populate the first form based on a second input provided by a second user to a second form belonging to the category.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a privacy/security apparatus for a portable communication device that includes a housing assembly configured to at least partially attenuate at least one of sound energy, acoustic energy, and electromagnetic energy including light, optical, and IR energy and RF radiation from passing through the housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a Faraday cage with two or more portions, and at least one protective shell coupled to or forming at least one aperture. The at least one aperture is configured and arranged to at least partially enclose the portable communication device so that at least a portion of the portable communication device is positioned within at least one portion of the Faraday cage, and the at least one seal coupled or integrated with the protective shell. The housing assembly can be an articulating assembly, a sliding assembly, and can include an active acoustic jamming or passive acoustic attenuation element.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a privacy/security apparatus for a portable communication device that includes a housing assembly configured to at least partially attenuate at least one of sound energy, acoustic energy, and electromagnetic energy including light, optical, and IR energy and RF radiation from passing through the housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a Faraday cage with two or more portions, and at least one protective shell coupled to or forming at least one aperture. The at least one aperture is configured and arranged to at least partially enclose the portable communication device so that at least a portion of the portable communication device is positioned within at least one portion of the Faraday cage, and the at least one seal coupled or integrated with the protective shell. The housing assembly can be an articulating assembly, a sliding assembly, and can include an active acoustic jamming or passive acoustic attenuation element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a general methodology to create nanofibers of therapeutic molecules that have a dual role, as both the delivery vehicle and the drug itself. It is shown that with proper molecular design, the integration of enzymatic reaction and self-assembly provides a powerful method to create molecular hydrogels of clinically-used therapeutics without compromising their bioactivities. In addition, the results disclosed herein demonstrate enzyme-instructed self-assembly as a facile strategy for generating the supramolecular hydrogels of molecules that inherently have poor solubility in water. For example, by covalently connecting paclitaxel with a motif that is prone to self-assemble, a hydrogel of paclitaxel can be formed without compromising the activity of the paclitaxel.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a polymeric material including a plurality of polymer subunits and an active cross-linker, wherein the active cross-linker is covalently linked to the plurality of polymer subunits. The active cross-linker offers a key building block for constructing novel molecular architecture in chemomechanical soft materials and illustrates a new approach to tailor material properties.

Abstract: An instant clamping mechanism includes a supporting member, a base seat, a clamping assembly and a handle assembly. The base seat is assembled to the supporting member and defines a sliding groove, the sliding groove includes a releasing end and a latching end, an axial distance within the base seat is defined from the latching end to the releasing end. The clamping assembly extends through the base seat and the supporting member and is partially exposed out from the supporting member. The handle assembly extends into the sliding groove and is partially exposed out from the base seat. The handle assembly is non-rotatably connected to the clamping assembly and is capable of sliding from the releasing end to the latching end to move the clamping assembly axially within the base seat, thereby clamping the workpiece on the supporting member.

Abstract: An implantable lead may include an insulating substrate and a first asymmetric electrode formed on the insulating substrate. The first asymmetric electrode may have external perimeter edges defining a boundary between an exposed portion of the first electrode and the insulating substrate, wherein the external perimeter edges of the first electrode have asymmetric edge lengths.

Abstract: In one example, an implantable lead includes a substrate and an electrically conductive material disposed on the substrate to form a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a proximal end adapted to electrically connect to an implantable processor, a distal portion adapted to stimulate a cochlear nerve, and a lead body extending from the proximal end to the distal portion, the lead body having a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of electrical traces adapted to carry electrical signals from the proximal end to the distal portion. A flag extension is formed in the substrate and extends laterally outward from the lead body longitudinal axis. A method for forming a cochlear lead with a flag extension is also provided.

Abstract: A cochlear lead includes a thermoformed circuit with a substrate with electrodes formed on the substrate and shaped to curve around a longitudinal axis of the cochlear lead. Traces are also formed on the substrate and connected to the electrodes. Intermediate sections between the electrodes may be curved about an axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A graphic card with multiple fans and a controlling method thereof are provided. In the controlling method, the temperature of a first component and a second component of the graphic card is detected. A rotating speed of a first fan of the graphic card is adjusted according to the temperature of the first component. The rotating speed of the second fan of the graphic card is adjusted according to the temperature of the second component or the temperature of the first component and the second component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stable liquid laundry detergent composition containing low levels of a C10-C20 linear alkyl benzene sulphonate surfactant in combination with high levels of a water-soluble alkali metal carbonate for achieving improved suds profile.

Abstract: A battery for electronic equipment includes: a rechargeable power supply; and a battery chip, wherein: the rechargeable power supply is configured to supply power to the electronic equipment; and the battery chip is configured to detect whether the rechargeable power supply has started to supply power to the electronic equipment and, if a detection result is that the rechargeable power supply has started to supply power to the electronic equipment, transmit a customized signal to the electronic equipment through a predetermined transmitting pin.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters. In the various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters, generated electrical energy may be stored in a super-capacitor/battery as soon as it is generated. The various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters may harvest electrical energy from any environment where temperature variations occur. The various embodiment pyroelectric sandwich thermal energy harvesters may be power sources for space equipment and vehicles in space and/or on earth, as well as the for wireless sensor networks, such as health monitoring systems of oil pipes, aircraft, bridges, and buildings.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are fibrillar molecular aggregates, which are morphologically and phenotypically similar to oligomers of aberrant proteins. The molecular aggregates, formed by self-assembly of small hydrophobic molecules, prevent the growth of microtubules. This unprecedented mechanism of “self-assembly to interfere with self-organization” allows inhibition of the growth of cancer cells.