Abstract: The use of pectins and/or polymers to prevent nicotine oxidation in tobacco containing products is disclosed. These polymers may be naturally occurring anionic polymers or synthetic polymers. These pectins and/or polymers prevent nicotine from oxidizing into cotinine, nicotine-cis-N-oxide, nicotine-trans-N-oxide, and/or nicotine-1,1-di-N-oxide. Molluscicides, algaecides, pesticides, and stabilized nicotine compositions comprising nicotine and pectin, anionic polymers, or combinations thereof are disclosed.

Abstract: A medical chair protective barrier and gas distribution system provides a frame that forms a sealed environment for a medical gas delivered to head of a dental chair. The frame fastens to the medical chair, or rolls to head of medical chair. A laminar flow subassembly secures to frame. The laminar flow subassembly includes a vacuum pump, tubing, positive and negative pressure ports, and a vent for delivering medical gas to the head of medical chair. The frame carries a hood that covers the head of medical chair. The hood retains medical gases in a sealed environment, while protecting dentist from contact with medical gases. The hood includes a window and a pair of arm passages that regulates access to inside of hood. Medical armamentarium hangs on frame for access. System has inlet and outlet vacuum ports that utilize HEPA filters and hidden UV lights for disinfecting under the hood.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes common factor mass multiplier (CFMM) circuitry is provided that multiplies a common factor operand by a large number of multiplier operands. The CFMM circuitry may be implemented as an instance specific version or a non-instance specific version. The instance specific version might also be fully enumerated so that the hardware doesn't have to be redesigned assuming all possible unique multiplier values are implemented. Either version can be formed on a programmable integrated circuit or an application-specific integrated circuit. CFMM circuitry configured in this way can be used to support convolution neural networks or any operation that requires a straight common factor multiply. Any adder component with the CFMM circuitry may be implemented using bit-serial adders. The bit-serial adders may be further connected in a tree in CNN applications to sum together many input streams.

Abstract: A systolic array implemented in circuitry of an integrated circuit includes a processing element array including processing elements. The systolic array includes one or more feeder circuits communicatively coupled to the processing element array. Each of the one or more feeder circuits includes a first section configured to receive data stored in memory external to the integrated circuit, and a second section configured to send the received data to the processing element array, wherein data transferring from the memory to the processing element array is double buffered by the first section and the second section. The systolic array also includes one or more drain circuits communicatively coupled to the processing element array, including one or more memory buffers configured to store data output by the processing element array.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes common factor mass multiplier (CFMM) circuitry is provided that multiplies a common factor operand by a large number of multiplier operands. The CFMM circuitry may be implemented as an instance specific version or a non-instance specific version. The instance specific version might also be fully enumerated so that the hardware doesn't have to be redesigned assuming all possible unique multiplier values are implemented. Either version can be formed on a programmable integrated circuit or an application-specific integrated circuit. CFMM circuitry configured in this way can be used to support convolution neural networks or any operation that requires a straight common factor multiply. Any adder component with the CFMM circuitry may be implemented using bit-serial adders. The bit-serial adders may be further connected in a tree in CNN applications to sum together many input streams.

Abstract: Para-xylene is separated from a mixture of C8 aromatics using a simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorption process, wherein a MOF is used as an adsorbent and an alkane or alkene having 7 or less carbon atoms, such as hexane or heptane is used as desorbent. Because of the difference in boiling points of a hexane or heptane desorbent as compared to conventional desorbents such as toluene or para-diethylbenzene, less energy is required to separate hexane or heptane from C8 aromatics by distillation than the energy required to separate toluene or diethylbenzene from C8 aromatics by distillation.

Abstract: A systolic array implemented in circuitry of an integrated circuit includes a processing element array including processing elements. The systolic array includes one or more feeder circuits communicatively coupled to the processing element array. Each of the one or more feeder circuits includes a first section configured to receive data stored in memory external to the integrated circuit, and a second section configured to send the received data to the processing element array, wherein data transferring from the memory to the processing element array is double buffered by the first section and the second section. The systolic array also includes one or more drain circuits communicatively coupled to the processing element array, including one or more memory buffers configured to store data output by the processing element array.

Abstract: Para-xylene is separated from a mixture of C8 aromatics using a simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorption process, wherein a MOF is used as an adsorbent and an alkane or alkene having 7 or less carbon atoms, such as hexane or heptane is used as desorbent. Because of the difference in boiling points of a hexane or heptane desorbent as compared to conventional desorbents such as toluene or para-diethylbenzene, less energy is required to separate hexane or heptane from C8 aromatics by distillation than the energy required to separate toluene or diethylbenzene from C8 aromatics by distillation.

Abstract: A system and process for calibrating the presentation of stimuli and/or hit window by ascertaining the hit window relative to stimuli presented on a computer. The system includes a first circuit for generating the stimuli, and a second circuit for simulating responses to the stimuli. The response initially does not overlap the hit window and causes an incorrect response cue to be generated. Either the start time of the response or the duration of the response may then iteratively be modified to cause the response to eventually overlap the hit window, thereby generating a correct response cue. The two consecutive responses that cause the hit window to be nonoverlapped and then overlapped are identified for the purpose of ascertaining the range of time that includes the start of the hit window. Either the start time of the response or the duration of the response may be iteratively varied to cause the hit window to be nonoverlapped by the response, thereby causing the incorrect response cue to be generated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping, and testing three-dimensional tissue constructs is disclosed. The apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pump, at least one treatment chamber, and a means for controlling media flow characteristics around a tissue construct disposed within the treatment chamber, and for controlling movement of the construct itself, so as to simulate a variety of physiologic conditions. One exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a means for applying an axial stress to the construct. Applying an axial stress to the construct during seeding and culturing results in a tissue-engineered construct with cells and their fibers oriented in a manner which is more likely to possess long term dimensional stability and the patency of native vessels with normal physiologic function.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping, and testing heart valves is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for dynamically seeding and culturing heart valves with human cells, resulting in a heart valve populated with viable human cells. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pneumatic pressure chamber, a pressure source for providing a varying pressure to the pressure chamber, and a heart valve holder. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pump, a venturi tube, a heart valve chamber, a heart valve holder, and a valve connected to a timer. In each embodiment, the components are combined in a fluid circuit to create a variable cycling and pulsatile fluid flow for seeding and culturing which can closely resemble the physiological conditions found in the human heart.