Abstract: Various embodiments may relate to an acoustic resonator. The acoustic resonator may include a piezoelectric layer. The acoustic resonator may also include a first electrode in contact with a first surface of the piezoelectric layer. The acoustic resonator may further include a plurality of dielectric structures in contact with the first surface of the piezoelectric layer. The acoustic resonator may additionally include a second electrode in contact with a second surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite the first surface. The first electrode may include a plurality of electrode structures. A dielectric structure of the plurality of dielectric structures may be in contact with a pair of neighboring electrode structures of the plurality of electrode structures.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a therapeutic protocol for treating a subject having cancer. Taught herein is a method of treating cancer or reducing the risk of recurrence of cancer in a subject following an anti-cancer therapy.

Abstract: There is provided a polymeric microsphere comprising a thermally responsive monomer crosslinked with a functional group monomer, wherein the functional group monomer comprises at least one of a carboxylic acid functional group or an amine functional group. The thermally responsive monomer is preferably N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), and the microspheres preferably comprise a coating of polymerized catecholamines (e.g. DOPA). There is also provided a method of preparing the polymeric microsphere and uses of the polymeric microsphere in culturing, harvesting, or expanding stem cells or stromal cells. Preferably, the cells, e.g. hMSCs (human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells), are expanded or harvested in serum-free and xeno-free medium.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrolyte comprising: a) a sodium salt; b) an additive comprising at least one additional metallic/metalloid cation having a standard reduction potential which is at least 2.5V more positive than that of sodium cation; wherein said sodium salt and said additive are dispersed in a solvent comprising at least one alkyl carbonate, and wherein the concentration of said metallic/metalloid cation in the electrolyte is 15 mM to 250 mM. The present disclosure also relates to a sodium-sulfur cell comprising a sodium anode, a microporous sulfur cathode, and the electrolyte as described herein. The present disclosure further provides a method of improving cycling life of a sodium-sulfur cell, wherein the sodium-sulfur cell comprising a sodium anode, a sulfur cathode, and an electrolyte containing a sodium salt dispersed in an alkyl carbonate solvent.

Abstract: There is provided a method of additive manufacturing using at least one processor, the method includes: determining a first slicing layer of a three-dimensional (3D) model of a 3D object; determining a second slicing layer of the 3D model based on the first slicing layer, the second slicing layer being immediately subsequent to the first slicing layer; and determining a thickness of the second slicing layer and an orientation for a third slicing layer of the 3D model based on a difference between the second slicing layer and the first slicing layer, the third slicing layer being immediately subsequent to the second slicing layer. There is also provided a corresponding system and computer program product for additive manufacturing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an approach to increase the effective read length of commercially available sequencing platforms to several kilobases and be broadly applied to obtain long sequence reads from mixed template populations. A method for generating extended sequence reads of long DNA molecules in a sample, comprising the steps of: assigning a specific barcode sequence to each template DNA molecule in a sample to obtain barcode-tagged molecules; amplifying the barcode-tagged molecules to obtain barcode-containing fragments; juxtaposing the barcode-containing fragments to random short segments of the original DNA template molecule during the process of generating a sequencing library to obtain demultiplexed reads; and assembling the demultiplexed reads to obtain extended sequence reads for each DNA template molecule, is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising at least one at least one deletion selected from the group consisting of ?HNH (?775-909), ARuvCIII-b (?1002-1074), AREC1-a (?510-655), AREC1-b (?525-587), AREC1-c (?662-710), AREC2 (?180-308), AREC2-a (?212-244), AREC2-b (?244-276), AREC2-c (?276-308), AREC2-d (?199-283), AREC2-e (?198-257), AREC2-f (?235-286), AREC2-g (?217-266), AREC3 (?498-712) and combinations thereof, wherein the position numbering is in accordance with SEQ ID NO: 1 encoding for S. pyogenes Cas9, and wherein the polypeptide has CRISPR-Cas DNA-binding activity. The polypeptide may further comprises a missense mutations selected from G12R, T13K, T13R, N14K, N497K, T657K, T657R, N767K, T770K, T770R, Q920K, Q920R, S1109R, D1135K, D1135R, S1338R and combinations thereof. Also claimed are nucleic acid molecules encoding for said polypeptides, compositions and method of site-directed engineering of a target DNA thereof.

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.

Abstract: Provided herein are polypeptides, polynucleotides, expression vectors, infectious clones, virus particles and immunogenic compositions of recombinant alphaviruses which can be used as vaccines. Also provided are methods for eliciting an immune response against alphavirus infection using the immunogenic composition comprising the alphavirus mutants described herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of general Formula (I), and/or tautomers, enantiomers, solvates, hydrates, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present invention also relates to compounds of Formula (I) for use in therapy, methods of treating isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT) related disorders or uses of compounds of Formula (I) in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of ICMT-related disorders, wherein the disorder is cancer and/or progeria. The present invention further relates to processes for synthesizing compounds of Formula (I).

Abstract: There is provided a method of image classification. The method includes: providing a set of category mapping discriminators, each corresponding to a respective category, wherein each category mapping discriminator of the set of category mapping discriminators is configured for discriminating features relating to input images that belong to the respective category of the category mapping discriminator; extracting a plurality of features from an input image using a machine learning model; determining, for each of the set of category mapping discriminators, an output value based on the plurality of extracted features using the category mapping discriminator; and determining a classification of the input image based on the output values of the set of category mapping discriminators.

Abstract: Various embodiments may provide a spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator may include a first electrode arrangement. The spatial light modulator may also include a second electrode arrangement. The spatial light modulator may additionally include a liquid crystal (LC) layer between the first electrode arrangement and the second electrode arrangement. The spatial light modulator may also include one or more nanoantennas in contact with the liquid crystal layer. The first electrode arrangement and the second electrode arrangement may be each configured to allow at least a portion of light to pass through.

Abstract: The invention is a method for treating a heart disease, in particular acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a subject comprising the step of administering to the subject a Tjp1 inhibitor, wherein administration of said Tjp1 inhibitor promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation. The invention further includes use of Tjp1 inhibitor in the manufacture of a medicament for a heart disease, a patch, and a nucleic acid encoding a Tjp1 inhibitor. In a particular embodiment, the Tjp1 inhibitor is a nucleic acid, i.e. an siRNA or shRNA of Tjp1. The invention also includes administration of said Tjp1 inhibitor in combination with Neuregulin-1 (NRG1), Fibroblast growth factor (FGF), Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or Follistatin-like 1 (Fst1) and wherein said inhibitor is delivered in an adeno-associated virus of serotype 9 (AAV 9).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antigen-binding protein, or an antigen-binding fragment thereof which binding to CEACAM6, comprising (i) a heavy chain variable domain comprising a VHCDR1 having the amino acid sequence GNTFTSYVMH; a VHCDR2 having the amino acid sequence YINPYNDGTKYNEKFKG; and a VHCDR3 having the amino acid sequence STARATPYFYAMDY and (ii) a light chain variable domain comprising a VLCDR1 having the amino acid sequence KSSQSLLWSVNQNSYLS, a VLCDR2 having the amino acid sequence GASIRES, and a VLCDR3 having the amino acid sequence QHNHGSFLPYT. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising the antigen-binding protein, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, methods of use of the antigen-binding protein, or antigen-binding fragment thereof for cancer treatment, prevention or detection and a kit comprising the antigen-binding protein, or antigen-binding fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a multiplexed amplification reaction kit for identifying a subject suffering from a malignancy sensitive to treatment with an inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway, comprising a primer pair capable of amplifying a PTPRK(e13)-RSPO3(e2) R-Spondin gene-fusion. Also disclosed is a method of identifying sensitivity to an inhibitor of Wnt signaling in a subject suffering from a malignancy, comprising detecting the PTPRK(e13)-RSPO3(e2) R-Spondin gene-fusion with a primer pair.

Abstract: Various embodiments may relate to a gas cell. The gas cell may include a chamber body. The gas cell may also include a chamber lid cooperating with the chamber body to form a space. The gas cell may further include an infrared source provided in a through hole of the chamber lid such that the infrared source extends through a thickness of the chamber lid. The gas cell may additionally include a detector provided in a through hole of the chamber body. The gas cell may further include an optical chip arranged within the space such that the optical chip is between the infrared source and the detector. The gas cell may also include three O-rings.

Abstract: A method for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes from natural rubber, including providing a first material, the first material may include natural rubber or derivatives thereof, thermally decomposing the first material at a first temperature into an intermediate material, contacting the intermediate material with a catalyst, treating the intermediate material in contact with the catalyst at a second temperature, for forming carbon nanotubes. Adjusting an average characteristic of resulting nanotubes, including carrying out the synthesis method as a reference method and for decreasing the average diameter of the nanotube: decreasing the second temperature and/or decreasing the reaction time and/or increasing the concentration of H2 in the forming gas in relation to the reference method. Or, for increasing the average diameter of the nanotube: increasing the second temperature and/or increasing the reaction time and/or decreasing the concentration of H2 in the forming gas in relation to the reference method.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a clay-polyacrylate composite. An aqueous solution including clay is mixed with at least one organosilane coupling agent including an acrylate moiety to form a silanized-clay suspension. The silanized-clay suspension is contacted with a first acrylate monomer and a second acrylate monomer in an inert environment, where the first acrylate monomer and the second acrylate monomer have different solubility. A polymerization initiator is added to the silanized-clay suspension before or during the contacting of the silanized-clay suspension with the first acrylate monomer and the second acrylate monomer in the inert environment to form the clay-polyacrylate composite including the first and second acrylate monomer, where the first acrylate monomer is a hydrophilic acrylate monomer including a hydroxyl (—OH) group and the second acrylate monomer is a hydrophobic acrylate monomer which repels water.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to the field of muscle disease. In particular, the invention relates to a method for determining if a subject has sarcopenia or has an increased risk of developing sarcopenia. A method of predicting the responsiveness of said subject to nutritional intervention is also provided.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a polymeric clay composition for coating. A clay-polyacrylate composite is produced, where the clay-polyacrylate composite includes one or more layers of clay intercalated with polyacrylate, where the one or more layers of clay include at least one organosilane coupling agent including an acrylate moiety, where the at least one organosilane coupling agent is attached to a surface of the one or more layers of clay and the polyacrylate is covalently attached to the organosilane coupling agent, and where the polyacrylate consists of a first acrylate monomer and a second acrylate monomer having different solubility, where the first acrylate monomer is a hydrophilic acrylate monomer including a hydroxyl (—OH) group and the second acrylate monomer is a hydrophobic acrylate monomer which repels water. Furthermore, the clay-polyacrylate composite is mixed with a solution including a polymer to form the polymeric clay composition.