Abstract: A particle usable as T1 and T2 contrast agents is provided. The particle is a gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particle that is ferromagnetic at temperatures up to 290 K and is less than 2 ?m in diameter. An MRI contrast agent that includes a plurality of gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particles that are less than 1 ?m in diameter is also provided. A method for creating gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particles is also provided. The method includes the steps of providing a Gd5Si4 bulk alloy; grinding the Gd5Si4 bulk alloy into a powder; and milling the Gd5Si4 bulk alloy powder for a time of approximately 20 minutes or less.

Abstract: A method is provided for making alkali metal hydrides by mechanochemically reacting alkali metal and hydrogen gas under mild temperature (e.g room temperature) and hydrogen pressure conditions without the need for catalyst, solvent, and intentional heating or cooling.

Abstract: A particle usable as T1 and T2 contrast agents is provided. The particle is a gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particle that is ferromagnetic at temperatures up to 290 K and is less than 2 ?m in diameter. An MRI contrast agent that includes a plurality of gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particles that are less than 1 ?m in diameter is also provided. A method for creating gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) particles is also provided. The method includes the steps of providing a Gd5Si4 bulk alloy; grinding the Gd5Si4 bulk alloy into a powder; and milling the Gd5Si4 bulk alloy powder for a time of approximately 20 minutes or less.

Abstract: In some examples, a method of forming alane (AlH3), the method comprising reacting one of: 1) a MAlH4, wherein M is an alkali metal; 2) alkali-metal hydride, MH; or 3) alkali-metal with one or more aluminum halides (AlX3, where X is a halogen), via a mechanochemical process, to form the alane, wherein the reaction is substantially solvent free and carried out in an environment with a temperature between approximately 250 K and approximately 330 K.

Abstract: A method is provided for making alkali metal hydrides by mechanochemically reacting alkali metal and hydrogen gas under mild temperature (e.g room temperature) and hydrogen pressure conditions without the need for catalyst, solvent, and intentional heating or cooling.

Abstract: Described are compositions and methods for treating cancer. Some methods comprise the administration of an effective amount of at least one inhibitor of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and/or indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), optionally combined with one or more additional anti-cancer agents.

Abstract: A system and method that determines whether a heat exchanger within a complex networked system is fouling is provided. The system and method includes training classifiers indicative of a plurality of fouling conditions associated with the heat exchanger and testing the classifiers with optimal sensor data from optimal sensors to determine whether the fouling is being experienced by the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a fouling state of a heat exchanger of an aircraft. Training sensor measurements are obtained of a parameter related to operation of the heat exchanger and a wavelet transform is applied to the training sensor measurements to obtain wavelet data. Data reduction is performed on the wavelet data to obtain representative features indicative of the training sensor measurements. A classifier is then trained to assign suitable fouling classes to the representative features. The trained classifier is used on testing sensor measurements from the heat exchanger to assign a fouling class to the testing sensor measurements in order to estimate the fouling state of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A hierarchical fault detection and isolation system, method, and/or computer program product that facilitates fault detection and isolation in a complex networked system while reducing the computational complexity and false alarms is provided. The system, method, and/or computer program product utilizes a system level isolation and detection algorithm and a diagnostic tree to systematically isolate faulty sub-systems, components, etc. of the complex networked system.

Abstract: Epidithiodiketopiperazine compounds, pharmaceutical compositions based thereon and methods of their synthesis, as part of treating, inhibiting and reducing transcription and translation of hypoxia inducible genes are described.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a receiver for coherent optical transport systems based on analog signal processing and the method of recovering transmitted data by processing signals in electronic domain. In the present invention, high-speed electrical signals obtained from optical-to-electrical converters which carry transmitted data information in a coherent transport system are jointly processed in analog domain itself without converting these signals to the digital domain using high speed ADCs. Different processing steps which may include carrier phase & frequency offset recovery and compensation, polarization mode dispersion and/or chromatic dispersion, clock & data recovery and deserialization may be performed while keeping the information signals in analog domain itself.

Abstract: A method for generating multi-level (or multi-bit) pseudo-random sequences is disclosed. This embodiment relates to communication systems, and more particularly to generating multi-level pseudo random symbol sequence. Present day systems do not employ effective mechanisms for generation of multi level PRBS in order to increase the data communication rates. Further, these systems do not cover all the possible transitions for the outputs of the system. The proposed system employs mechanisms in order to generate PRBS signals for producing multi levels signals to the electronic components. The mechanism employs alternate bit tapping techniques. In the alternate bit tapping technique, bits are tapped alternatively to determine the current state and the next state of the system. In addition, the mechanism also covers all the possible states of the output vector with transitions between the output states. This ensures that high data rates are obtained for a given bandwidth of operation.

Abstract: A time-stretched enhanced recording scope (TiSER) is described using time stretch analog-to-digital conversion in a real-time burst mode. A chirped optical signal is modulated in response to receiving segments of an input signal. The optical signal with its modulated input signal, is stretched through an optical medium and digitized to represent the waveform segment. TiSER provides ultra-fast real-time sampling within short segment bursts of the original input signal while providing an ability to detect non-repetitive events. Methods and apparatus are also described for providing real-time information about inter-symbol information (ISI), rapidly determining bit-error rates (BER), performing time-domain reflectometry (TDR), generating eye diagrams for serial data, facilitating digital correction of data, clock recovery, optical carrier phase recovery, and otherwise increasing the speed and/or accuracy of a diverse range of high-speed signal measurement and processing activities.

Abstract: A time-stretched enhanced recording scope (TiSER) is described using time stretch analog-to-digital conversion in a real-time burst mode. A chirped optical signal is modulated in response to receiving segments of an input signal. The optical signal with its modulated input signal, is stretched through an optical medium and digitized to represent the waveform segment. TiSER provides ultra-fast real-time sampling within short segment bursts of the original input signal while providing an ability to detect non-repetitive events. Methods and apparatus are also described for providing real-time information about inter-symbol information (ISI), rapidly determining bit-error rates (BER), performing time-domain reflectometry (TDR), generating eye diagrams for serial data, facilitating digital correction of data, clock recovery, optical carrier phase recovery, and otherwise increasing the speed and/or accuracy of a diverse range of high-speed signal measurement and processing activities.

Abstract: A method for generating multi-level (or multi-bit) pseudo-random sequences is disclosed. This embodiment relates to communication systems, and more particularly to generating multi-level pseudo random symbol sequence. Present day systems do not employ effective mechanisms for generation of multi level PRBS in order to increase the data communication rates. Further, these systems do not cover all the possible transitions for the outputs of the system. The proposed system employs mechanisms in order to generate PRBS signals for producing multi levels signals to the electronic components. The mechanism employs alternate bit tapping techniques. In the alternate bit tapping technique, bits are tapped alternatively to determine the current state and the next state of the system. In addition, the mechanism also covers all the possible states of the output vector with transitions between the output states. This ensures that high data rates are obtained for a given bandwidth of operation.

Abstract: A condensed version of a plurality of rules for one or more forms being used by a user is loaded from a database. The condensed version of the plurality of rules is stored in cache memory of a computing device. When an event occurs, a rules engine determines if a condensed version of the rule is stored in cache memory. If a rule is not applicable, the rules engine does not query the database. If a rule is applicable, the rules engine determines if an action should be taken for the event. If no action is to be taken, the database is not queried for the rule. If an action is to be taken, the database may be queried for information for the rule to allow performing of the action or if the action is included in the condensed version, the action is performed without querying the database.

Abstract: A time-stretched enhanced recording scope (TiSER) is described using time stretch analog-to-digital conversion in a real-time burst mode. A chirped optical signal is modulated in response to receiving segments of an input signal. The optical signal with its modulated input signal, is stretched through an optical medium and digitized to represent the waveform segment. TiSER provides ultra-fast real-time sampling within short segment bursts of the original input signal while providing an ability to detect non-repetitive events. Methods and apparatus are also described for providing real-time information about inter-symbol information (ISI), rapidly determining bit-error rates (BER), performing time-domain reflectometry (TDR), generating eye diagrams for serial data, facilitating digital correction of data, clock recovery, optical carrier phase recovery, and otherwise increasing the speed and/or accuracy of a diverse range of high-speed signal measurement and processing activities.

Abstract: A method of processing data is provided that includes receiving a plurality of binary electronic signals and generating an optical signal by a number of lasers that is equal to or greater than the number of binary electronic signals. The optical signal is generated at one of a plurality of intensity levels, and each intensity level represents a particular combination of bit values for the plurality of binary electronic signals. The optical signal is converted into an electronic signal having the plurality of intensity levels. An apparatus for processing data is provided that includes a plurality of lasers configured to emit light at a plurality of frequencies, and a plurality of modulators configured to receive a plurality of binary electronic signals and to modulate the light emitted by the lasers. An apparatus for transmitting data is provided that includes a photo receiver and an electronic signal generator.

Abstract: A condensed version of a plurality of rules for one or more forms being used by a user is loaded from a database. The condensed version of the plurality of rules is stored in cache memory of a computing device. When an event occurs, a rules engine determines if a condensed version of the rule is stored in cache memory. If a rule is not applicable, the rules engine does not query the database. If a rule is applicable, the rules engine determines if an action should be taken for the event. If no action is to be taken, the database is not queried for the rule. If an action is to be taken, the database may be queried for information for the rule to allow performing of the action or if the action is included in the condensed version, the action is performed without querying the database.

Abstract: A method of processing data is provided that includes receiving a plurality of binary electronic signals and generating an optical signal by a number of lasers that is equal to or greater than the number of binary electronic signals. The optical signal is generated at one of a plurality of intensity levels, and each intensity level represents a particular combination of bit values for the plurality of binary electronic signals. The optical signal is converted into an electronic signal having the plurality of intensity levels. An apparatus for processing data is provided that includes a plurality of lasers configured to emit light at a plurality of frequencies, and a plurality of modulators configured to receive a plurality of binary electronic signals and to modulate the light emitted by the lasers. An apparatus for transmitting data is provided that includes a photo receiver and an electronic signal generator.