Abstract: Provided herein, in some embodiments, are engineered nucleic acid targeting vectors that include a sequence of interest flanked by homology arms, each homology arm comprising a sequence homologous to a sequence in a safe harbor site in the human genome in any one of the following loci: 1q31, 3p24, 7q35, and Xq21. Also provided herein are methods of using and compositions the comprising engineered nucleic acid targeting vectors.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for identifying cells in an image. An apparatus for identifying cells in an image is also provided by the present disclosure. Further provided herein is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for performing the methods disclosed herein. Methods of diagnosing a disease or disorder and of treating a disease or disorder in a subject using the methods disclosed are also provided herein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a laser system including a first laser and a second laser. The first laser includes a laser cavity, and a gas phase molecular gain medium disposed in the laser cavity, the gain medium having an absorption band. The second laser is a solid state laser configured to be continuously tunable, with respect to an emission wavelength of the second laser, over the absorption band of the gain medium, and the second laser is tuned to pump rotational vibrational transitions in the gain medium to achieve a rotational population inversion.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a nozzle for a 3D printing system. The nozzle may include a flowpath with a material inlet and a material outlet. The nozzle may further include a valve in fluid communication with the flowpath between the material inlet and the material outlet, where the valve includes a closed state and an open state, where in the closed state the valve obstructs the flowpath between the material inlet and the material outlet, and where in the open state the material inlet is in fluid communication with the material outlet. The nozzle may further include a compensator in fluid communication with the flowpath, where the compensator includes a contracted state associated with the open state of the valve and an expanded state associated with the closed state of the valve.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for screening and diagnosing prostate cancer based on a correlation between cancer cell growth, cancer lethality or recurrence and the expression level of ZFP36 or NEDD9 and PTEN in conjunction with ZFP36. The disclosure also provides methods for screening and diagnosing prostate cancer based on a correlation between cancer lethality and the genotype of rs1910301 SNP. Also provided are methods for treating prostate cancer comprising providing a treatment or monitoring based on the expression level of ZFP36, the expression level of NEDD9, and the expression level of ZFP36 in conjunction with PTEN levels or the genotype of rs1910301 SNP.

Abstract: A method for measuring a composition of a biological sample is disclosed. A stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) image of the biological sample is received. The effect of light scattering in the received SRS image is computationally removed. An absolute concentration of total protein, total lipid, and/or water from the biological sample is determined.

Abstract: Articles and devices comprising fluorinated polymers, as well as methods of preparing fluorinated polymers, are generally described. In some cases, such fluorinated elastomers can be used for sensing neural activity, e.g., by encapsulating electronic circuits, or other applications. Furthermore, according to certain embodiments, polymers can, surprisingly, be directly deposited onto layers comprising low molecular weight fluorinated polymers, e.g., without swelling in the presence of certain solvents. Some embodiments are generally directed to devices and methods for treating fluorinated polymers and subsequently depositing material onto the treated fluorinated polymers. This may allow the fabrication and patterning of multilayered articles comprising fluorinated elastomers.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating a condition associated with impaired lymphatic drainage.

Abstract: A compact laser-steering end effector includes a frame, at least two active mirrors, and a pair of actuators. The frame has a greatest dimension in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of no more than 13 mm, and the mirrors are mounted proximate to the distal end of the frame. The actuators are mounted to the frame and configured to respectively change the tilt of the active mirrors relative to the frame. A pathway is provided through the frame to deliver a laser beam to the mirrors, and wherein the mirrors are positioned and configurable via the actuators to reflect the laser beam off of each mirror en route to an external target.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for inducing, enhancing or increasing satellite cell proliferation, and an assay for screening for a candidate compound for inducing, enhancing or increasing satellite cell proliferation. Also provided are methods for repairing or regenerating a damaged muscle tissue of a subject.

Abstract: Some aspects of this disclosure provide methods for phage-assisted continuous evolution (PACE) of proteases. Some aspects of this invention provide methods for evaluating and selecting protease inhibitors based on the likelihood of the emergence of resistant proteases as determined by the protease PACE methods provided herein. Some aspects of this disclosure provide strategies, methods, and reagents for protease PACE, including fusion proteins for translating a desired protease activity into a selective advantage for phage particles encoding a protease exhibiting such an activity and improved mutagenesis-promoting expression constructs. Evolved proteases that recognize target cleavage sites which differ from their canonical cleavage site are also provided herein.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating blood diseases/disorders, such as sickle cell disease, hemochromatosis, hemophilia, and beta-thalassemia. For example the disclosure provides therapeutic guide RNAs that target the promotor of HBG1/2 to generate point mutations that increase expression of fetal hemoglobin. As another example, the disclosure provides therapeutic guide RNAs that target mutations in HBB, Factor VIII, and HFE to treat sickle cell disease, beta-thalassemia, hemophilia and hemochromatosis. The disclosure also provides fusion proteins comprising a Cas9 (e.g., a Cas9 nickase) domain and adenosine deaminases that deaminate adenosine in DNA. In some embodiments, the fusion proteins are in complex with nucleic acids, such as guide RNAs (gRNAs), which target the fusion proteins to a DNA sequence (e.g., an HBG1 or HBG2 protmoter sequence, or an HFE, GBB, or F8 gene sequence).

Abstract: The invention provides methods of modulating and regulating NHD protein-protein interactions through nicotinamide mononucleotide, analogs and derivatives thereof, such as NAD+. Such modulation may be useful in methods of treating and preventing cancer, aging, cell death, radiation damage, radiation exposure, among others, may improve DNA repair, cell proliferation, cell survival, among others, and may increase the life span of a cell or protect it against certain stresses, among others.

Abstract: In a method for sensing translocation of a molecule through a nanopore, a molecule in a first fluidic solution in a first fluidic reservoir that is in direct fluidic connection with the nanopore is directed to a nanopore inlet and translocated through the nanopore to a nanopore outlet and through a fluidic passage that is in direct fluidic connection with the nanopore outlet, to a second fluidic solution in a second fluidic reservoir disposed in direct fluidic connection with the fluidic passage. The fluidic passage has at least one fluidic section in which a length of the fluidic section is greater than a width of the fluidic section. Translocation of the molecule through the nanopore is sensed by measuring the electrical potential local to the fluidic passage during the translocation of the molecule.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for imaging or determining nucleic acids, for instance, within cells. In some embodiments, the transcriptome of a cell may be determined. Certain embodiments are directed to determining nucleic acids, such as mRNA, within cells at relatively high resolutions. In some embodiments, a plurality of nucleic acid probes may be applied to a sample, and their binding within the sample determined, e.g., using fluorescence, to determine locations of the nucleic acid probes within the sample. In some embodiments, codewords may be based on the binding of the plurality of nucleic acid probes, and in some cases, the codewords may define an error-correcting code to reduce or prevent misidentification of the nucleic acids. In certain cases, a relatively large number of different targets may be identified using a relatively small number of labels, e.g., by using various combinatorial approaches.

Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to engineered chemoautotrophic bacteria and methods of producing triacylglycerides. Also described herein are systems or bioreactors comprising said engineered bacteria.

Abstract: Multi-wavelength light is directed to an optic including a substrate and metasurface optical components deposited on a surface of the substrate. The metasurface optical components comprise a pattern of silicon dielectric resonators with nonperiodic gap distances between adjacent dielectric resonators. Incident light directed to the metasurface optical components is scattered and phase-shifted by the configuration of the gap distances and the widths and thicknesses of the dielectric resonators. Each dielectric resonator has a rectangular cross-section such that a first phase shift is imparted for a transverse-electric (TE) component of the incident light and a second phase shift is imparted for a transverse-magnetic (TM) component of the incident light.

Abstract: Forced expression of a handful of transcription factors (TFs) can induce conversion between cell identities; however, the extent to which TFs can alter cell identity has not been systematic ally assessed. Here, we assembled a “human TFome,” a comprehensive expression library of 1,578 human TF clones with fall coverage of the major TF families. By systematically screening the human TFome, we identified many individual TFs that induce loss of human-induced-pluripotent-stem-cell (hiPSC) identity, suggesting a pervasive ability for TFs to alter cell identity. Using large-scale computational cell type classification trained on thousands of tissue expression pantiles, we identified cell types generated by these TFs with high efficiency and speed, without additional selections or mechanical perturbations. TF expression in adult human tissues only correlated with some of the cell lineage generated, suggesting more complexity than observation studies can explain.

Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to compositions comprising antibodies and antibody reagent that binds specifically to Mfsd2A and method of using such compositions, e.g., to increase blood-brain barrier permeability in therapeutic methods.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for imaging or determining nucleic acids or other desired targets, for instance, within cells or tissues. In one aspect, a sample is exposed to a plurality of nucleic acid probes that are determined within the sample. In some cases, however, background fluorescence or off-target binding may make it more difficult to determine properly bound nucleic acid probes. Accordingly, other components of the samples that may be contributing to the background, such as proteins, lipids, and/or other non-targets, may be “cleared” from the sample to improve determination. However, in certain embodiments, nucleic acids or other desired targets may be prevented from also being cleared, e.g., using polymers or gels within the sample. Other aspects are generally directed to compositions or kits involving such systems, methods of using such systems, or the like.