Abstract: A method for providing a sub-population of stem cell or plurality of stem cells by determining or modulating GSTT1 expression level or genotype is disclosed together with uses of the stem cells.

Abstract: Isolated heparin or heparan sulphate oligosaccharide fragments having a chain length of at least 10 saccharides and no more than 50 saccharides, which are capable of binding BMP2, are disclosed. Also disclosed is the use of the same heparin or heparan sulphate oligosaccharide fragments in kits and pharmaceutical compositions, and the use of the same heparan sulphate oligosaccharide fragments in the repair and/or regeneration of connective tissue and bones, and the treatment of wounds.

Abstract: The invention concerns a compound of formula (Ia) or (lb) wherein R1 is hydrogen or a methyl group; R2 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group; R3 is an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, optionally substituted by one or more groups selected from halogen, alkyl or alkoxy; and, in Formula (Ia), X is CH or N and Y is NH, S or O, or, in Formula (Ib), X is NH, S or O and Y is CH or N. The invention further concerns a method of synthesizing the inventive compound, a composition comprising the inventive compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and bedaquiline (BDQ), an analogue of bedaquiline (BDQ) or a mixture thereof, and the use of said composition or compound for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Abstract: This application describes liver stem cells (LSC), and differentiated hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and 3D cellular structures derived therefrom. Methods for producing LSC and mature, differentiated hepatocytes and cholangiocytes in culture are provided. Also provided are cell culture systems and cell culture media for producing a homogenous population of liver stem cells that remain in an undifferentiated state over multiple passages in culture. The LSC and methods are useful for producing homogenous populations of hepatocytes and cholangiocytes for downstream applications. The LSC can be transplanted into subjects to treat liver diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a material that may be useful as a coating for optical slides and medical implants. The material may aid or restrict grown of cells on a coating of the composite material. As such, there is provided a composite material having a substrate on the surface of which a coating layer of an amorphous metal oxide is formed. The metal oxide may be one or more of Ag2O, ZnO, ZrO2, TiO2, CuO, and Y2O3 and the coating layer may be from 5 to 100 nm thick and have a root mean square roughness of the coating surface is from 0.1 to 0.7 nm.

Abstract: Various embodiments may relate to an electro-optic modulator. The electro-optic modulator may include a waveguide configured to carry optical light along a longitudinal length of the waveguide. The electro-optic modulator may also include a first electrically conductive sub-wavelength grating on a first side of the waveguide, the first electrically conductive sub-wavelength grating including a plurality of fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the waveguide. The electro-optic modulator may further include a second electrically conductive sub-wavelength grating on a second side of the waveguide opposite the first side, the second electrically conductive sub-wavelength grating including a plurality of fingers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the waveguide.

Abstract: Methods and systems for simulating a stent in a coronary artery lumen structure are disclosed. A method of simulating a stent in a coronary artery lumen structure, the method comprises: reconstructing a three-dimensional coronary artery tree from segmented coronary lumen contours; replacing part of the three-dimensional artery tree with a candidate stent structure; and simulating pressure distribution through the coronary artery tree to determine a non-invasive fractional flow reserve through the candidate stent structure.

Abstract: The disclosure provides anti-DENV antibodies and methods of making and using the same. Nucleic acids encoding anti-DENV antibodies and host cells comprising the nucleic acids are also provided. The anti-DENV antibodies have uses that include treating DENV infection. The disclosure also provided polypeptides containing a variant Fc region and methods of making the same. Nucleic acids encoding polypeptides and host cells comprising the nucleic acids are also provided. The polypeptides have uses that include treating a viral infection. Also claimed is a polypeptide comprising a Fc variant comprising at least one amino acid alteration in a parent Fc region, wherein the variant Fc region has a substantially decreased FcYR-binding activity and does not have a substantially decreased C1 q-binding activity when compared to the parent Fc region.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to antigen binding proteins and in particular to IL-1? antigen binding proteins. The present invention further provides compositions comprising the antigen binding proteins, use of the antigen binding proteins and methods for production.

Abstract: A method of forming a titania-coated inorganic particle comprising the steps of (a) stirring a mixture of a titania precursor such as a titanium alkoxide and an inorganic particle such as a hollow glass particles in an organic solvent such as an alcohol for more than 1 h to cause adsorption of the titania precursor on the surface of the inorganic particle; and (b) adding water dropwise to the mixture under stirring to convert the titania precursor to titania which then forms a coating on the inorganic particle. A method for forming a paint formulation, a titania-coated inorganic particle, a paint formulation comprising a titania-coated inorganic particle and use of a titania-coated inorganic particle in a paint formulation is also described.

Abstract: A camera-based localization system is provided. The camera-based localization system may assist an unmanned vehicle to continue its operation in a GPS-denied environment with minimal increase in vehicular cost and payload. In one aspect, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus for localization via visual inertial odometry are provided. The apparatus may construct an optical flow based on feature points across a first video frame and a second video frame captured by a camera of the apparatus. The apparatus may refine the angular velocity and the linear velocity corresponding to the second video frame via solving a quadratic optimization problem constructed based on the optical flow, the initial values of the angular velocity and the linear velocity corresponding to the second video frame. The apparatus may estimate the pose of the apparatus based on the refined angular velocity and the refined linear velocity.

Abstract: Antigen binding molecules capable of binding to CD122 and/or common ? chain (CD132) are disclosed herein. Also disclosed are compositions comprising such antigen binding molecules, and uses and methods using the same.

Abstract: Techniques regarding polymers with antimicrobial functionality are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can regard a polymer, which can comprise a repeating ionene unit. The repeating ionene unit can comprise a cation distributed along a degradable backbone. The degradable backbone can comprise a terephthalamide structure. Further, the repeating ionene unit can have antimicrobial functionality.

Abstract: Techniques regarding guanidinium functionalized polylysine polymers that can have antimicrobial and/or anticancer activity are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a chemical composition, which can comprise a polymer comprising a molecular backbone covalently bonded to a pendent guanidinium functional group, wherein the molecular backbone can comprise a polylysine structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) nanopillar assembly. The LSPR assembly is for use in sensing the presence of a biomarker when attached to a quantum dot. The LSPR assembly comprises a substrate and an array. The array comprises a LSPR nanopillar and a polymer spacer attached to the nanopillar. The LSPR assembly further comprises an antibody attached to the at least one polymer spacer. In the LSPR assembly, a combined height of the polymer spacer and antibody is selected by varying the number of monomer units of the polymer spacer, so that, when in use with the biomarker and the quantum dot, the quantum dot is at a predetermined distance from the nanopillar.

Abstract: Systems and methods for laser stimulated lock-in thermography (LLT) crack detection are provided. The system includes a spatial light modulator and a controller. The spatial light modulator reflects a laser beam to focus the laser beam onto a sample for detection of a crack, hole or scratch. The controller is coupled to the spatial light modulator and controls operation of the spatial light modulator to switch focus of the laser beam onto the sample between a plurality of LLT focus configurations for detection of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample. The method includes using a first one of the plurality of LLT configurations for coarse scanning of the sample to detect a crack, hole or scratch on the sample and, when a crack, hole or scratch is detected on the sample, switching to a second one of the plurality of LLT configurations for fine scanning of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample to determine one or more parameters of the crack, hole or scratch on the sample.

Abstract: A method for determining the health status of an elderly individual by testing the sample extracted from the individual for the presence of biomarkers, the bio markers being autoantibodies to antigens comprising MAPK13, CD96, FKBP3, PPM1A, PHLDA1, GLRX3, FEN1 and AURKA, wherein the antigens may further comprise one or more of UBE2I, AAK1, YARS, ASPSCR1, CASP10, FHOD2, TCL1A and MAP4, wherein PHLDA1 and CD96 correspond to healthy, AURKA, FEN1, CASP10 and AAK1 correspond to intermediate health, and UBE2I, YARS, ASPSCR1, FHOD2, TCL1A, MAP4, MAPK13, FKBP3, PPM1A and GLRX3 correspond to unhealthy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to antigen binding proteins and in particular to IL-1? antigen binding proteins. The present invention further provides compositions comprising the antigen binding proteins, use of the antigen binding proteins and methods for production.

Abstract: A column-based device and method for retrieving cells of interest were enclosed. The said device comprises a column comprising (i) an inner wall defining an inner chamber with inlet and outlet openings, (ii) a perforated plug disposed adjacent to the outlet opening, (iii) a sleeve insert with a channel and disposed within the chamber and adjacent to the perforated plug, and (iv) a filtering means housed within sleeve insert sandwiched between two sealing means. In particular, Tumor-derived endothelial cell clusters (TECCs) as characterized multiple nuclei, expression of endothelial markers (PECAM1, VWF and CDH5), and non-expression of leukocyte, megakaryocyte and platelets markers, may be retrieved using the disclosed device. Also encompassed are methods, reagents and kits for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers by detecting for the presence of TECCs isolated from blood samples using the claimed device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to derivatives of bicyclic compounds and their uses in therapy. In particular, the present disclosure relates to derivatives of bicyclic compounds for use in modulating kinase enzymatic activity and accordingly modulating kinase-dependent diseases and conditions such as cancer and in specific embodiments, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present disclosure also relates to methods of synthesizing these compounds.