Abstract: A compact robotic device for driving movement of two or more elongate surgical tools configured for a telescopic arrangement when said two or more elongate surgical tools are at least partially received within said device, the device comprising: a housing comprising walls which define an inner volume including at least two inner pathways for accommodating the two or more elongate surgical tools; the housing encasing: a plurality of motors, and two or more tool actuation assemblies configured at a position of each of the two or more inner pathways; the actuation assemblies driven by the plurality of motors and configured to operably contact an elongate surgical tool at least partially received in the inner pathway to at least one of advance, retract and/or roll said elongate surgical tool.

Abstract: Provided are methods of selecting a treatment for a cancer in a subject in need thereof, by analyzing activity of Yes associated protein 1 (YAP) in cancer cells of the subject, and methods of treating cancer using a therapeutically effective amount of an caspase-3 inhibitor. Also provided are methods of improving wound healing by administering a wound healing effective amount of a caspase-3 activator.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprised of: i) at least one substrate; (ii) a ceiling; (iii) one or more flow channels disposed between said substrate and said ceiling and configured to contain an actuation liquid; and (iv) one or more recesses distributed throughout at least said substrate and open to said flow channel and configured to contain a fluid; wherein 50% to 80% of the flow channel liquid-substrate interface, interfaces with said fluid within said recesses; and (v) at least one heating element, configured to heat one or more portions of the actuation liquid and generate a pressure and/or temperature gradient within said actuation liquid. Systems and uses of the device are further disclosed.

Abstract: A robotic device for performing intracranial procedures, comprising a baseplate for mounting on the subject's skull and a rotatable base element rotating on the baseplate. The rotatable base element has a central opening through which a cannulated needle can protrude such that it can rotate around an axis perpendicular to the baseplate. This cannulated needle is robotically controlled to provide motion into and out of the subject's skull. A flexible needle is disposed coaxially within the cannulated needle, and it is controlled to move into and out of a non-axial aperture in the distal part of the cannulated needle. Coordinated control of the insertion motion of the cannulated and flexible needles, and rotation of the combined cannulated/flexible needle assembly enables access to be obtained to a volume of a region of the brain having lateral dimensions substantially larger than the width of the cannulated needle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sample holder on which a crystal sample for serial crystallography is mounted, or the like. Compared to an existing sample holder, the sample holder according to the present invention can be manufactured by a very simple manufacturing process and at low costs, and does not physically and chemically affect other equipment therearound while collecting X-ray diffraction data. Therefore, it is possible to stably operate a beam line, to increase beam time efficiency, and further to perform raster scanning so that many diffraction images can be obtained even in a small-sized chip. In addition, since the problem of evaporation of a crystallized solution does not occur even when the crystallized solution is stored in the air for a long time, the sample holder is generally easy to use compared to a previously reported sample holder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapor-permeable flexible sensing platform unit comprising: a first porous membrane, wherein said membrane is substantially flexible and hydrophobic; and a volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensor disposed on said membrane, the VOCs sensor comprising an electrode array and a conducting polymer porous film being in electric contact with said electrode array, wherein the VOCs sensor is insensitive to lateral strain. Further provided are a method of preparation of said platform unit and a lift-off, float-on (LOFO) method for the preparation of protonically doped polyaniline (PANI) thin films.

Abstract: Provided is a novel Nanofiltration-DiaNanofiltration (NF-DiaNF) system and method for extracting divalent ions from saline water (e.g., seawater) to produce solutions rich in divalent ions (in particular Mg2+, Ca2+ and SO42?), while minimizing the concentrations of undesirable species (e.g., Cl?, Br?, B and Na+). The solutions may be added to water (e.g., desalinated, soft, drinking or irrigation water) to enrich the water with divalent ions, thereby improving its quality.

Abstract: A topological laser system is described. The laser system comprises an array of optical elements arranged in an array and coupled between them such that the array is configured for supporting one or more topological modes. The plurality of optical elements comprises optical elements carrying gain material configured for emitting optical radiation in response to pumping energy. The laser system further comprises a pumping unit configured to provide pumping of a group of the optical elements of the array within at least a portion of the spatial region corresponding with said topological mode; and at least one output port optically coupled to one or more of the optical elements associated with said topological mode. The at least one output ports is configured for extracting a portion of light intensity from said laser system.

Abstract: Implantable apparatuses are provided, where the implantable apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode, an electrode signal transceiver connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, an antenna, a wireless power receiver connected to the antenna, and a conductor case configured to protect the electrode signal transceiver and the wireless power receiver. The antenna be spaced apart from the conductor case and encloses the conductor case, and a plane in which the antenna is disposed is at a same level or at a higher level than a top surface of the conductor case.

Abstract: An assembly for driving linear movement and roll movement of an elongate surgical tool, comprising: an elongate shaft comprising a central lumen extending along the shaft long axis; the elongate shaft comprising a plurality of apertures extending across walls of the elongate shaft and into the central lumen; a set of wheels positioned opposing each other and aligned on two sides of the central lumen, the set of wheels at least partially extending through the apertures beyond the walls of the elongate shaft and into the central lumen to contact an elongate surgical tool received therein; the set of wheels being coupled to the elongate shaft and configured to rotate with the elongate shaft as a single unit when the elongate shaft is rotated about the shaft long axis.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital conversion device and analog-to-digital conversion method thereof are provided. The analog-to-digital conversion device includes an analog circuit configured to output an analog input signal, and an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the analog input signal and configured to outputting a digital output signal corresponding to the analog input signal with the use of first and second capacitor arrays, each of the first and second capacitor arrays including a first capacitor having a calibration capacitor connected thereto and a second capacitor having no calibration capacitor connected thereto, wherein the analog-to-digital converter is configured to calibrate the capacitance of the first capacitor by providing a first calibration voltage to the calibration capacitor and is configured to output the digital output signal corresponding to the analog input signal with the use of the calibrated capacitance of the first capacitor.

Abstract: A method for non-blocking multithreading, the method may include (a) providing, during a deep neural network (DNN) calculation iteration, to a shared computational resource, input information units related to multiple DNN threads; (b) determining whether to reduce a numerical precision of one or more DNN calculations related to at least one of the multiple DNN threads, and (c) executing, based on the determining, DNN calculations on at least some of the input information units to provide one or more results of the DNN processing.

Abstract: A method of preparing a composition comprising mycelium along with a cellulose and/or plurality of nanoparticles is described herein. The method comprises inoculating a liquid medium with fungus, the liquid medium comprising nutrients and the cellulose and/or nanoparticles. Further described herein are compositions comprising mycelium along with a cellulose and/or plurality of nanoparticles, as well as articles-of-manufacture comprising such a composition, wherein at least 10% of the cellulose and/or nanoparticles in the composition is incorporated within the mycelium. A method of enhancing fungal growth is also described, comprising contacting the fungus with a liquid medium comprising a polymer which comprises carboxylic acid groups.

Abstract: A target system can detect the location of a projectile disposed within a target and subsequently alter an image being displayed on the target in response to the location of the detected projectile. The target system can include a sensor, an image source, a portable electronic device, and a computing device. The sensor can be positioned on the target to detect the location of the projectile on a face of the target. The image source can project an image onto the face of the target. The portable electronic device can receive input from a user to dictate the image(s) displayed on the target. The computing device can be communicatively coupled to the sensor, the image source, and the portable electronic device and cause the target system to detect the location of the projectile and subsequently alter the image displayed on the target in response to the location.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a three dimensional structure of a microscopic scale of a sample, the method may include obtaining an image of the three dimensional structure; obtaining a reference image of a reference three dimensional structure, the reference three dimensional structure and the three dimensional structure are ideally identical to each other; wherein each one of the image and the reference image was generated using optics that includes a phase mask, wherein the phase mask virtually expands a depth of field of the optics by encoding depth information over a depth range that exceeds the depth of field; generating a difference image that represents a difference between the image and the reference image; determining, based on the difference image, whether there is at least one defect in the three dimensional structure; wherein when determining that there is the at least one defect then providing a depth of the at least one defect.

Abstract: Provided are methods of predicting responsiveness of a subject having an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor, by analyzing a frequency of at least one subpopulation of immune cells in a tissue biopsy of the subject. Also provided are methods of selecting a treatment for a subject and kits for determining responsiveness of the subject to treatment with a TNF-alpha inhibitor.

Abstract: Provided is an isolated population of human pluripotent stem cells comprising at least 50% human pluripotent stem cells characterized by an OCT4+/TRA1-60?/TRA1-81?/SSEA1+/SSEA4? expression signature, and novel methods of generating and maintaining same in a pluripotent, undifferentiated state a suspension culture devoid of cell clumps. Also provided are novel culture media, cell cultures and methods for culturing pluripotent stem cells in a suspension culture or a two-dimensional culture system while maintaining the cells in a proliferative, pluripotent and undifferentiated state. The novel culture media comprise interleukin 11 (IL11) and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF); bFGF at a concentration of at least 50 ng/ml and an IL6RIL6 chimera; or an animal contaminant-free serum replacement and an IL6RIL6 chimera. Also provided are methods for generating lineage-specific cells from the pluripotent stem cells.

Abstract: Provided herein is a porous ?-cyclodextrin-containing monolith having a microstructure templated by the external phase of a HIPE, as well as processes of manufacturing the same and uses thereof.

Abstract: A modular robotic surgical system includes one or more tool-receiver units arranged as separate units, each tool-receiver unit operable to move a first elongate surgical tool received therein. The device also includes a base comprising one or more motors, the base operable to move a second elongate surgical tool attached to the base or received therein, the base serving as a mounting for the one or more tool-receiver units, each of the tool-receiver units is independently and interchangeably attachable to the base via a mechanical coupling interface which transfers one or more of: driving force for driving movement of the first elongate surgical tool received within the unit; electrical power supply to one or more components of the unit which drive movement of the first elongate surgical tool received within the unit; and data for controlling movement of the first elongate surgical tool received within the unit.

Abstract: A system having an electronic device. The electronic device has an array of chemically sensitive sensors. The sensors detect volatile organic compounds and have field effect transistors. The transistors have non-oxidized, functionalized silicon nanowires. The nanowires have surface Si atoms. The device has a plurality of functional groups that form a direct Si—C bond with the silicon nanowires, wherein Si is a surface Si atom and C is a carbon atom of the functional group. The functional groups are selected from the group consisting of: alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, alkylalkenyl, alkylalkynyl, alkylcycloalkyl, alkylheterocyclyl and alkylheteroaryl groups, and derivatives thereof, wherein said functional groups are other than methyl and 1-butyl. The plurality of functional groups are attached to 50-100% of the surface Si atoms.