Abstract: The present invention relates to a culture media system that is useful for the isolation and epigenetically stable propagation of normal stem cells in culture which are derived from columnar epithelial tissues and cancer stem cells from epithelial cancers. In certain embodiments, the culture system is a feeder-free system.

Abstract: A method of electrocatalytic water splitting by providing an anode and a cathode; and utilizing the anode and the cathode for alkaline water electrolysis. Each of the anode and the cathode comprises a uniform distribution of a bifunctional electrocatalyst comprising metallic phosphides on a conductive substrate. The metallic phosphides comprise arion phosphide (FeP) and dinickel phosphide (Ni2P). The bifunctional electrocatalyst promotes hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode, and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring biomechanical properties of tissues without external excitation are capable of measuring and quantifying these parameters of tissues in situ and in vivo. The system and method preferably utilize a phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for measuring the displacement caused by the intrinsic heartbeat. The method allows noninvasive and nondestructive quantification of tissue mechanical properties. Preferably, the method is used to detect tissue stiffness and to evaluate its stiffness due to intrinsic pulsatile motion from the heartbeat. This noninvasive method can evaluate the biomechanical properties of the tissues in vivo for detecting the onset and progression of degenerative or other diseases and evaluating the efficacy of therapies.

Abstract: Phosphine phosphonate and phenoxyphosphine ligands bearing polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains are used as described herein to produce heterobimetallic catalysts. The ligands can be metallated selectively with palladium or nickel and secondary metal ions to provide well-defined heterobimetallic compounds. These heterobimetallic complexes exhibit accelerated reaction rates and greater thermal stability in olefin polymerization compared to other catalysts.

Abstract: A method for detecting and locating a carbon dioxide leak in a submarine environment includes operating autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in the submarine environment, where the operating includes obtaining, with each AUV of the AUVs, measurements of an attribute indicative of carbon dioxide, communicating, while operating the AUVs, the measurements from the each AUV to other AUVs of the AUVs, mapping, while operating the autonomous AUVs, carbon dioxide concentration in the submarine environment, and guiding the AUVs toward a highest concentration of the carbon dioxide concentration based on the mapping.

Abstract: Phosphine phosphonate and phenoxyphosphine ligands bearing polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains are used as described herein to produce heterobimetallic catalysts. The ligands can be metallated selectively with palladium or nickel and secondary metal ions to provide well-defined heterobimetallic compounds. These heterobimetallic complexes exhibit accelerated reaction rates and greater thermal stability in olefin polymerization compared to other catalysts.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for the reducing a risk of contracting a respiratory disease in a subject or reducing a risk of transmitting a respiratory disease from a first subject to a second subject. In some cases, a composition or method described herein can comprise a modulator (e.g., a pattern recognition receptor, such as a STING agonist, for instance cGAMP) In some cases, a composition or method described herein can comprise a liposome, which may be used to encapsulate one or more STING agonists. In some cases, a liposome of a composition or method described herein may comprise one or more antigens attached to, integrated into, or associated with a liposomal membrane of the liposome.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and formulations for treating a patient suffering from one or more of chronic inflammatory injury, metaplasia, dysplasia or cancer of esophageal tissue and gastric tissue, which method comprises administering to the patient an agent that selectively kills or inhibits the proliferation or differentiation of pathogenic Barrett's Esophagus stem cells (BESCs) or Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia stem cells (GIMSCs) relative to normal regenerative esophageal stem cells or gastric stem cells in the tissue in which the BESCs or GIMSCs are found.

Abstract: A method for oil recovery by calculating, with a computer system, a current oil saturation of a reservoir, comparing, with the computer system, reservoir properties to screening criteria, determining, with the computer system, a minimum miscibility pressure based on correlations between the reservoir properties and the screening criteria; determining, with the computer system, if the minimum miscibility pressure is greater than a bubble point pressure of the reservoir and is less than or equal to an initial reservoir pressure, determining, with the computer system, a time to repressure the reservoir with water injection, performing a reservoir simulation with the computer system, and flooding the reservoir.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure provides time and energy-efficient synthesis of catalysts for water electrolysis. An exemplary synthesis method includes dissolving amounts of Fe(NO3)3.9H2O and Na2S2O3.5H2O in deionized water at ambient temperature to form a solution, placing Ni foam into the solution where the Ni foam serves as a substrate and a Ni source for growth of sulfur-doped (Ni,Fe)OOH (S—(Ni,Fe)OOH) catalysts, leaving the Ni foam in the solution at ambient temperature for a duration between one minute and five minutes to provide a treated foam where the S—(Ni,Fe)OOH catalysts grow on the substrate during the duration, and removing the treated foam from the solution after the duration.

Abstract: Described herein are pharmaceutical compositions containing peptoids of general formula (I), (II), or (III) capable of reducing proliferation of cancer stem cells in a subject and methods of treatment or prophylactic administration of these pharmaceutical compositions to treat cancer. Also provided herein are method of detecting and treating cancerous cell masses by use of peptoids of general formula (I), (II), or (III).

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods to measure the intraocular pressure, ocular tissue geometry and the biomechanical properties of an ocular tissue, such as an eye-globe or cornea, in one instrument. The system is an optical coherence tomography subsystem and an applanation tonometer subsystem housed as one instrument and interfaced with a computer for at least data processing and image display. The system utilizes an air-puff and a focused micro air-pulse to induce deformation and applanation and displacement in the ocular tissue. Pressure profiles of the air puff with applanation times are utilized to measure intraocular pressure. Temporal profiles of displacement and/or spatio-temporal profiles of a displacement-generated elastic wave are analyzed to calculate biomechanical properties.

Abstract: A method for enhanced oil recovery may comprise inputting into a computer system data related to properties of a hydrocarbon reservoir and depletion of the hydrocarbon reservoir; calculating, with the computer system, a current oil saturation and a current gas saturation of the hydrocarbon reservoir based on the data; determining, with the computer system, that the current reservoir pressure is less than a bubble point pressure based on the data; calculating, with the computer system, a time to repressure the hydrocarbon reservoir by waterflooding based on the data; comparing, with the computer system, the data related to properties of the hydrocarbon reservoir to oil recovery screening criteria; selecting a flooding technique from a plurality of flooding techniques, with the computer system, based on satisfying the oil recovery screening criteria with the data related to properties of the hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: A cleaning composition is provided herein. The cleaning composition includes a plurality of metal particles and a base fluid. The plurality of metal particles have an average size in a range of from about 1 nanometer (nm) to about 10,000 micrometers (?m), and are dispersed in the base fluid. The cleaning composition is configured to generate an exothermic reaction when contacted with one or more components on a surface and water to facilitate removal of the one or more components from the surface. Methods of making and utilizing the cleaning composition are also provided.

Abstract: Synthesis, fabrication, and application of nanocomposite polymers in different form (as membrane/filter coatings, as beads, or as porous sponges) for the removal of microorganisms, heavy metals, organic, and inorganic chemicals from different contaminated water sources.

Abstract: The adjuvanted conjugate opioid vaccine described herein is a conjugate of a protein carrier and at least one opioid backbone component or hapten conjugated thereto, admixed with at least one adjuvant. Anti-opioid effects are demonstrated after administration of a vaccine made up of the CRM197 protein carrier linked to a FEN backbone, combined with adjuvants such as dmLT or LTA1.

Abstract: Described herein are pharmaceutical compositions containing peptoids of general formula (I), (II), or (III) capable of reducing proliferation of cancer stem cells in a subject and methods of treatment or prophylactic administration of these pharmaceutical compositions to treat cancer. Also provided herein are method of detecting and treating cancerous cell masses by use of peptoids of general formula (I), (II), or (III).

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein are for remaining useful life prediction in electronics and include measuring a plurality of circuit parameters for each of a plurality of circuit components at a plurality of different temperatures, determining a probability density function of failure as a function of time for each of the plurality of circuit components and combining the probability density functions for each of the plurality of circuit components as a function of a circuit that contains the plurality of circuit components.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of utilizing force-modulated hybridization to determine the length of an analyte strand, to determine an unknown nucleic acid sequence, or to determine the binding of a nucleotide to an active agent. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to sample holder devices and methods of utilizing such devices. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to detection devices.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses IBD from the standpoint of inhibiting or ablating pathogenic mucosal stem cells cloned from defined regions of disease in the gastrointestinal tract. In the case of Crohn's disease, for example, isolation of those stem cells according to the methods of the present disclosure reveals a pattern of inflammatory gene expression in stem cells from the terminal ileum and colon that is epigenetically maintained despite months of continuous cultivation in the absence of immune or stromal cells, or of intestinal microbes. Superimposed on this distributed inflammatory phenotype is a differentiation defect that profoundly and specifically alters the mucosal barrier properties of the terminal ileum. The co-existence of diseased and normal stem cells within the same endoscopic biopsies of Crohn's disease patients implicates an epigenetically enforced heterogeneity among mucosal stem cells in the dynamics of this condition.