Abstract: A process for synthesizing 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid involves reacting diethyl oxalate with sodium ethoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture, and afterward adding 2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and then isolating the cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate, and afterward reacting the diethyl-2-cyano-3-hydroxy-butenedioate with aqueous sodium hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4-amino-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention can include radiological material detector having a convertor material that emits one or more photons in response to a capture of a neutron emitted by a radiological material; a photon detector arranged around the convertor material and that produces an electrical signal in response to a receipt of a photon; and a processor connected to the photon detector, the processor configured to determine the presence of a radiological material in response to a predetermined signature of the electrical signal produced at the photon detector. One or more detectors described herein can be integrated into a detection system that is suited for use in port monitoring, treaty compliance, and radiological material management activities.

Abstract: A solid chemical rocket propulsion system includes a solid fuel and a solid oxidizer that is physically separated from the solid fuel and is not mixed with solid fuel while the rocket is initially at rest.

Abstract: Creation of new edges in a network may be used as an indication of a potential attack on the network. Historical data of a frequency with which nodes in a network create and receive new edges may be analyzed. Baseline models of behavior among the edges in the network may be established based on the analysis of the historical data. A new edge that deviates from a respective baseline model by more than a predetermined threshold during a time window may be detected. The new edge may be flagged as potentially anomalous when the deviation from the respective baseline model is detected. Probabilities for both new and existing edges may be obtained for all edges in a path or other subgraph. The probabilities may then be combined to obtain a score for the path or other subgraph. A threshold may be obtained by calculating an empirical distribution of the scores under historical conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed are graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, such as high QE photocathodes. In certain embodiments, a monolayer graphene shield membrane ruggedizes a high quantum efficiency photoemission electron source by protecting a photosensitive film of the photocathode, extending operational lifetime and simplifying its integration in practical electron sources. In certain embodiments of the disclosed graphene shield enhanced photocathodes, the graphene serves as a transparent shield that does not inhibit photon or electron transmission but isolates the photosensitive film of the photocathode from reactive gas species, preventing contamination and yielding longer lifetime.

Abstract: A composition for oxidizing dimethyl ether includes an alloy supported on carbon, the alloy being of platinum, ruthenium, and palladium. A process for oxidizing dimethyl ether involves exposing dimethyl ether to a carbon-supported alloy of platinum, ruthenium, and palladium under conditions sufficient to electrochemically oxidize the dimethyl ether.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a method of producing synthetic fuels and organic chemicals from atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide gas is extracted from the atmosphere, hydrogen gas is obtained by splitting water, a mixture of the carbon dioxide gas and the hydrogen gas (synthesis gas) is generated, and the synthesis gas is converted into synthetic fuels and/or organic products. The present invention is also directed to utilizing a nuclear power reactor to provide power for the method of the present invention.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a microwave frequency comb (MFC) in the DC tunneling current of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) by fast optical rectification, caused by nonlinearity of the DC current vs. voltage curve for the tunneling junction, of regularly-spaced, short pulses of optical radiation from a focused mode-locked, ultrafast laser, directed onto the tunneling junction, is described. Application of the MFC to high resolution dopant profiling in semiconductors is simulated. Application of the MFC to other measurements is described.

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical solar cells (PECs) have been constructed and studied, the cells comprising a photoanode prepared by direct deposition of independently synthesized nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) onto a nanocrystalline metal oxide film, aqueous electrolyte and a counter electrode. It has been shown that the light harvesting efficiency (LHE) of the NQD/metal oxide photoanode is significantly enhanced when the NQD surface passivation is changed to a smaller ligand (e.g. butylamine (BA)). In the PEC the use of NQDs with a shorter passivating ligand leads to a significant enhancement in both the electron injection efficiency at the NQD/metal oxide interface and charge collection efficiency at the NQD/electrolyte interface.

Abstract: Glutamine phenylpyruvate transaminase (GPT) proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding GPT proteins, and uses thereof are disclosed. Provided herein are various GPT proteins and GPT gene coding sequences isolated from a number of plant species. As disclosed herein, GPT proteins share remarkable structural similarity within plant species, and are active in catalyzing the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-5-oxoproline (2-oxoglutaramate), a powerful signal metabolite which regulates the function of a large number of genes involved in the photosynthesis apparatus, carbon fixation and nitrogen metabolism.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to HIV-1 and, in particular, to immunogens that elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 subtype C envelope glycoproteins, and compositions comprising same. The invention further relates to methods of inducing the production of such antibodies in a subject.

Abstract: Preferred aspects of the present invention can include receiving a digital image at a processor; segmenting the digital image into a hierarchy of feature layers comprising one or more fine-scale features defining a foreground object embedded in one or more coarser-scale features defining a background to the one or more fine-scale features in the segmentation hierarchy; detecting a first fine-scale foreground feature as an anomaly with respect to a first background feature within which it is embedded; and constructing an anomalous feature layer by synthesizing spatially contiguous anomalous fine-scale features. Additional preferred aspects of the present invention can include detecting non-pervasive changes between sets of images in response at least in part to one or more difference images between the sets of images.

Abstract: Collective buffering and data pattern solutions are provided for storage, retrieval, and/or analysis of data in a collective parallel processing environment. For example, a method can be provided for data storage in a collective parallel processing environment. The method comprises receiving data to be written for a plurality of collective processes within a collective parallel processing environment, extracting a data pattern for the data to be written for the plurality of collective processes, generating a representation describing the data pattern, and saving the data and the representation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for concentrating biological particles in a liquid suspension use acoustic focusing technology. In some instances, the systems and methods include extracting and separating a target material from the concentrated biological particles in the liquid suspension. Algae cells can be concentrated and lipids isolated from the algae for the production of biofuel.

Abstract: Cooling devices for use with electric submersible pump motors include a refrigerator attached to the end of the electric submersible pump motor with the evaporator heat exchanger accepting all or a portion of the heat load from the motor. The cooling device can be a self-contained bolt-on unit, so that minimal design changes to existing motors are required.

Abstract: Described herein are methods that combine phage and yeast display to create polyclonal antibodies that are renewable, and when amplified over 100 million fold, maintain diversity without loss of representation of any of the antibodies present. The antibody representation remains essentially constant, as confirmed by deep sequencing. The provided methods allow generation, use and propagation of polyclonal antibodies, without concern that representation is lost. Furthermore, because the derivation of the polyclonal pool is carried out in vitro using phage and yeast display, it is possible in various embodiments to eliminate reactivities that are considered undesirable. Additionally, the polyclonal pool can be enriched for higher affinity antibodies.

Abstract: Provided are methods of assaying and improving protein folding using circular permutants of fluorescent proteins, including circular permutants of GFP variants and combinations thereof. The invention further provides various nucleic acid molecules and vectors incorporating such nucleic acid molecules, comprising polynucleotides encoding fluorescent protein circular permutants derived from superfolder GFP, which polynucleotides include an internal cloning site into which a heterologous polynucleotide may be inserted in-frame with the circular permutant coding sequence, and which when expressed are capable of reporting on the degree to which a polypeptide encoded by such an inserted heterologous polynucleotide is correctly folded by correlation with the degree of fluorescence exhibited.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing an in-situ magnetic resonance imaging of an object. The method includes the steps of providing an atomic magnetometer, coupling a magnetic field generated by magnetically resonating samples of the object through a flux transformer to the atomic magnetometer and measuring a magnetic resonance of the atomic magnetometer.