Abstract: The present invention features fusion polypeptides comprising an RNA binding polypeptide operationally linked to an RNA modifying enzyme (e.g., adenosine deaminase, cytidine deaminase), and methods of use therefore.

Abstract: Disclosed are a peptide capable of induced self-assembly by a bioactive molecule comprising a (i) hydrogelation-promoting amino acid sequence and (ii) an oligomerization sequence; compositions containing the peptide and, optionally, bioactive molecule; hydrogels formed thereby; and various methods of using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a branched peptide that includes a first peptide chain and a second peptide chain having its C-terminal amino acid covalently linked to a sidechain of an amino acid residue of the first peptide chain, wherein the first peptide chain includes a plurality of aromatic amino acids and, optionally, an aromatic group linked to an amino terminus of the first peptide chain; and the second peptide chain includes a plurality of hydrophilic amino acids and an enzyme cleavage site. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the branched peptide and one or more therapeutic agents in an aqueous medium are disclosed, where the branched peptides form micelle structures in the aqueous medium. Methods of using the pharmaceutical composition to deliver therapeutic agents, and for treating various disease conditions are also described.

Abstract: Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids and reactions are provided. Such structures and methods may involve positioning fluid samples, e.g., in the form of droplets, in a carrier fluid (e.g., an oil, which may be immiscible with the fluid sample) in predetermined regions in a microfluidic network. In some embodiments, positioning of the droplets can take place in the order in which they are introduced into the microfluidic network (e.g., sequentially) without significant physical contact between the droplets. Because of the little or no contact between the droplets, there may be little or no coalescence between the droplets. Accordingly, in some such embodiments, surfactants are not required in either the fluid sample or the carrier fluid to prevent coalescence of the droplets. Structures and methods described herein also enable droplets to be removed sequentially from the predetermined regions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a glycopolypeptide that includes one or more modified amino acid residues having a sidechain comprising a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide, wherein the glycopolypeptide binds specifically to a carbohydrate-binding monoclonal antibody with an affinity of less than 100 nM. Immunogenic conjugates that include the glycopolypeptide, and pharmaceutical compositions that include the glycopolypeptide or the immunogenic conjugate are also disclosed. Various method of using the glycopolypeptides, immunogenic conjugates, and pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed, including inducing an immune response, inhibiting viral or bacterial infection, treating a cancerous condition, and detecting a neutralizing antibody.

Abstract: Provided herein are reagents and kits for detection of multiple target sequences in a single-tube, single-color assay, and methods of use thereof. In particular, multiplex assays are provided for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex target sequences (e.g., katG, rpoB, inhA promotor, pncA, etc.).

Abstract: Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

Abstract: Described herein are compounds and methods for tethering proteins. For example, dimers of Protein X listed in Table 1 are described, where the dimers are formed by the covalent bonding of a cysteine on the first monomer to a cysteine on the second monomer via a cyclic disulfide linker. The covalently attached dimers exhibit increased stabilization and can be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases (such as, for example, Parkinson's Disease, ALS, Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Epilepsy, Frontotemporal Dementia, and/or DMD), cancer, autoimmune disease, and/or Celiac disease.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging a biological sample using a freezable fluid cell system is disclosed. The freezable fluid cell comprises a top chip, a bottom chip, and a spacer to control the thickness of a vitrified biological sample. The spacer is positioned between the top chip and the bottom chip to define a channel that is in fluid communication with an inlet port and an exit port to the freezable fluid cell system. The channel can be filled with a biological sample, vitrified, and imaged to produce high-resolution electron microscopic image.

Abstract: An adjustable back brace configured to aid in the correction of spinal curvature during a treatment period of a patient is provided. In some aspects, the adjustable back brace comprises a rod, an inferior segment, and a superior segment. The inferior segment is configured to stabilize a pelvic region of the patient. The superior segment is configured to apply pressure to one of a first lateral side and a second lateral side of the patient, proximate a thoracic region of the patient to provide a corrective force on the spinal curvature of the patient. The superior segment is also selectively adjustable to be selectively moved and fixedly positioned in a plurality of positions along at least one of the lateral direction or the vertical direction, wherein the plurality of positions are designed for periodic adjustment of the corrective force on the spinal curvature during the treatment period.

Abstract: Methods of improving mammalian carbohydrate metabolism and treating, preventing, or halting the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus involve the consumption of a nutritional composition containing fruit or vegetable pomace. The pomace is produced from native plant tissue and contains a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber. Periodic consumption of the composition normalizes blood glucose concentration and controls body weight.

Abstract: Described are methods for the assembly of monolayer, bilayer, or multi-layer structures composed of homogenous rod-like molecules and particles. Included are methods for tuning physical properties of the mono- or multi-layered structures by changing ionic conditions and the size or concentration of polymer used for self-assembly.

Abstract: The method presented herein includes acquiring a mass spectrum of a molecule that includes mass spectrum peaks corresponding to a precursor ion and fragment ions. The method also includes identifying at least a portion of the fragment ions in the mass spectrum as corresponding to one or more monomer subunit ion of the precursor ion by appending one or more of the fragment ions to an inferable constituent to produce a topology building block. The topology building block is then stored in a candidate pool as corresponding to one or more of the monomer subunit ion if the combined mass of the inferable constituent and one or more of the fragment ions satisfy a first user-defined mass tolerance. One or more candidate topology of the precursor ion is then obtained by combining a plurality of the topology building blocks that satisfy a second user-defined mass tolerance for the precursor ion.

Abstract: A system and method for imaging a biological sample using a freezable fluid cell system is disclosed. The freezable fluid cell comprises a top chip, a bottom chip, and a spacer to control the thickness of a vitrified biological sample. The spacer is positioned between the top chip and the bottom chip to define a channel that is in fluid communication with an inlet port and an exit port to the freezable fluid cell system. The channel can be filled with a biological sample, vitrified, and imaged to produce high-resolution electron microscopic image.

Abstract: The present invention features compositions comprising fusion polypeptides comprising an RNA binding polypeptide operationally linked to an RNA modifying enzyme (e.g., adenosine deaminase, cytidine deaminase), and methods of use therefore.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices and methods for investigating crystallization and/or for controlling a reaction or a phase transition are disclosed. In one embodiment, the microfluidic device includes a reservoir layer; a membrane disposed on the reservoir layer; a wetting control layer disposed on the membrane; and a storage layer disposed on the wetting control layer, wherein the wetting control layer and the storage layer define a microfluidic channel comprising an upstream portion, a downstream portion, a first fluid path in communication with the upstream and the downstream portions, and a storage well positioned within the first fluid path, wherein the wetting control layer includes a fluid passageway in communication with the storage well and the membrane, and wherein the wetting control layer wets a first fluid introduced into the microfluidic channel, the first fluid comprising a hydrophilic, lipophilic, fluorophilic or gas phase as the continuous phase in the microfluidic channel.

Abstract: A composition and method for chlorine dioxide production through reaction-diffusion chemistry that facilitates the in situ generation of chlorine dioxide, wherein a dry solid composition of hydroxymethanesulfinic acid monosodium salt dihydrate (abbreviated HMS) and a chlorine dioxide precursor are activated via the addition or absorption of water to produce chlorine dioxide. The dry solid chemical composition comprises dry, safe, transportable reagents that integrate with polymeric materials such as packaging and superabsorbent and stimuli-responsive hydrogel polymers to combine with water to produce chlorine dioxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for selecting a glycopolypeptide that binds to a target protein, the method including the steps of providing a pool of glycopolypeptides fused via puromycin linker to an encoding mRNA-cDNA duplex; combining the pool with a target protein to form a mixture; incubating the mixture for a period of time sufficient to allow any target protein to bind to one or more of the glycopolypeptides, thereby forming glycopolypeptide-target protein complexes; and isolating from the mixture the glycopolypeptide-target protein complexes, thereby identifying a plurality of selected glycopolypeptides.

Abstract: Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding NMD polypeptides, and methods of using such polypeptides and nucleic acids in the treatment of ALS and in screening for agents for the treatment of ALS are described.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a system is provided, comprising: memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to: submit a first database query; receive a runtime to execute the first database query using a plan selected by a query optimizer; receive runtimes to execute the first database query using a plurality of test plans; determine, based on the runtimes, a metric indicative of the effectiveness of the query optimizer; and cause the metric indicative of the effectiveness of the query optimizer to be presented to a user.