Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating fatty liver, steatohepatitis, or liver cirrhosis as well as insulin resistance and aging by administration of a DLK1-Fc fusion protein constructed by conjugation of an extracellular domain of DLK1 or a fragment thereof with a human antibody Fc region. Also provided are health functional foods containing a DLK1-Fc fusion protein constructed by conjugation of an extracellular domain of DLK1 (delta-like 1 homolog) or a fragment thereof with a human antibody Fc region as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for methods of hydrocarbon functionalization, methods and systems for converting a hydrocarbon into a compound including at least one group ((e.g., hydroxyl group) (e.g., methane to methanol)), functionalized hydrocarbons, and the like. Systems and methods as described herein can utilize photocatalysis.

Abstract: A structural device includes a first deformable member configured to absorb at least a portion of a load resulting from relative displacement between structural members of a building. The first deformable member exhibits elastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a first range of forces, and exhibits plastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a second range of forces. A second deformable member is affixed to a portion of the first deformable member, and is configured to absorb at least another portion of the load resulting from the relative displacement between the structural members of the building. The second deformable member exhibits elastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a third range of forces, and exhibits plastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a fourth range of forces. Methods relate to forming structural devices.

Abstract: An individualized preoperative planning system for fracture fixation constructs provides fracture assessment before automatically performing finite element simulations to generate biomechanics associated with a large number of fracture fixation construct design alternatives. Data visualization utilizing multivariate plots or surrogate modeling based on the simulation results are then provided to surgeons enabling surgeons to view, adjust and optimize their fracture fixation construct designs.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to compounds containing both an NO-releasing moiety and an H2S-releasing moiety and the use of such compounds in treating inflammatory diseases, including cancers.

Abstract: The invention provides multivalent fibronectin-integrin binding compositions and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides peptide compositions that include at least two fibronectin binding peptides coupled together as a cancer therapeutic or a diagnostic tool.

Abstract: Embodiments herein report compositions of alpha-1 antitrypsin fusion polypeptides or peptide derivatives thereof. In certain embodiments, compositions and methods relate to generating a construct of use in pharmaceutically acceptable compositions to treat a subject in need of alpha-1 antitrypsin therapy or treatment. In other embodiments, compositions and methods disclosed herein concern linking alpha-1 antitrypsin or derivative thereof to an immune fragment.

Abstract: A method for measurement of an information-security-controlling status in accordance with the present disclosure includes receiving actual inspection data obtained by actually inspecting whether each domain complies with each security-controlling item, computing security-controlling status measurement scores for each domain on the basis of a significance grade of each control item, the degree of compliance with a corresponding control item, and a weighting set by a measurement manager, computing a final security-controlling status measurement score for a parent organization to which each domain belongs on the basis of an average of the security-controlling status measurement scores for each domain, and outputting the computed security-controlling status measurement scores and final security-controlling status measurement score.

Abstract: A device and method is described for electronic human prosthetics, and specifically a skull- and/or spine implantable bi-directional neural-communication/brain-machine interface (BBMI) device where the input, output and on-board computing are combined into a single unit to form a compact neuro-prosthetics device. This invention is also directed to a fully implantable wireless spinal electronic recording and stimulation system using the BBMI in a human. The bi-directional devices (BBMIs) communicate with other bi-directional brain-machine interface devices (BBMI) and/or with external controllers wirelessly. The compact implantable stimulator has ultrasonic secondary battery charging system. One or more BBMI can be wirelessly connected so that a closed loop of BBMIs, or a BBMI and an external controller, can wirelessly send trigger pulses to this fully implanted stimulator over the spinal cord.

Abstract: A substance measurement device includes: a container portion configured to receive a substance; a sensing device configured to measure a property of the substance related to at least one of a flow rate of the substance into the container portion, a level of the substance within the container portion, and a volume of the substance within the container portion; and at least one shield positioned within the container portion and configured to provide at least one of: a mechanical buffer between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device; and an electrical shield between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device.

Abstract: Invasive fungal infections present a formidable global public health challenge due to the limited number of approved antifungal agents and the emergence of resistance to the frontline treatment options, such as fluconazole. Three fungal pathogens of significant concern are Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus given their propensity to cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals. This disclosure provides a set of aryl isonitrile compounds that possess broad-spectrum antifungal activity primarily against species of Candida and Cryptococcus. The most potent derivatives are capable of inhibiting growth of these key pathogens at concentrations as low as 0.5 ?M. Remarkably, the most active compounds exhibit an excellent safety profile and are non-toxic to mammalian cells even at concentrations up to 256 ?M.

Abstract: Halogenated phenylethynyl-substituted heterocycles that possess either an N-alkylamino or N,N-dialkylamino group attached to the heterocycle or halogenated phenylethynyl-substituted benzenes that a nitrogen-containing heterocycle attached to the benzene inhibit the proliferation cancer cells and are useful antineoplastic agents.

Abstract: A method of creating cadmium telluride films is presented. The method demonstrates heterogeneous nucleation of CdTe directly on a substrate through sequential deposition of aqueous precursor solutions containing cadmium and telluride ions, respectively. The method can include (i) applying a cadmium precursor solution to the substrate to form a cadmium precursor film on the substrate, (ii) applying a telluride precursor solution to the cadmium precursor film. The telluride precursor solution includes Te2? in solution such that a CdTe film is adherently formed directly on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an end-effector device and automated selective thinning system. The system includes vision acquisition hardware, kinematic targeting and heuristic programming, a robotic arm, and a pomologically designed end-effector. The system is utilized to improve efficiency for the fruit-thinning process in a tree orchard, such as peach thinning By automating the mechanical process of fruit thinning, selective fruit-thinners can eliminate manual labor inputs and further enhance favorable blossom removal. Automation used in conjunction with a heuristic approach provides improvements to the system. The system may also be configured as a robotic arm or as a handheld system by including a battery and switching microcontroller with handle or wrist straps. Handheld thinning devices that are mechanical in nature may also be part of the system.

Abstract: Regulated changes in gene expression underlie many biological processes, but globally profiling cell-to-cell variations in transcriptional regulation is problematic when measuring single cells. Transcriptome-wide identification of regulatory heterogeneities can be robustly achieved by randomly collecting small numbers of cells followed by statistical analysis. However, this stochastic-profiling approach blurs out the expression states of the individual cells in each pooled sample. Various aspects of the disclosure show that the underlying distribution of single-cell regulatory states can be deconvolved from stochastic-profiling data through maximum-likelihood inference. Guided by the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation, the disclosure provides mixture models for cell-to-cell regulatory heterogeneity which result in likelihood functions to infer model parameters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cannula for femoral arterial bidirectional (a heart direction and a distal lower extremity direction) perfusion. The cannula, which has a cannula tube to be inserted into a blood vessel of the femoral artery, includes a perfusion guide channel formed as a concave part from a predetermined portion of an inner circumferential surface at an end of the cannula tube to the opposite end thereof in a length direction and further includes a through-hole provided at a boundary portion between the perfusion guide channel and the cannula tube in an end direction of the cannula tube, or includes a through-hole provided in a predetermined portion of an inner circumferential surface of an end of the cannula tube and a guide cover provided at an upper portion of the through-hole to cover the upper portion of the through-hole and guide perfusion.

Abstract: A method of forming metallic particles, comprising: providing precursor particles comprising a transition metal alloy; supplying carbon monoxide (CO) under reaction conditions which differentially remove a first alloy metal from the precursor particles at a faster rate than a second alloy metal; and, maintaining the reaction conditions until the precursor particles are converted to the particles. The precursor particles may comprise PtNi4, and the particles may be Pt3Ni, formed as hollow nanoframes on a carbon support.

Abstract: ‘UF15-20-6’ is a new Coleus plant with novel characteristics that include excellent heat tolerance, distinct, highly lobed leaves that display a unique and consistent green, pink, and white coloration pattern, and a vigorous, compact upright growth habit and excellent lateral branching. ‘UF15-20-6’ exhibits superior foliage color stability when grown under all conditions, including both sun and shade conditions. Further, ‘UF15-20-6’ exhibits long-season performance until late fall.

Abstract: ‘UF15-6-28’ is a new Coleus plant with novel characteristics that include excellent heat tolerance, distinct, lance-shaped leaves that display a unique and consistent crimson and chartreuse coloration pattern, and a vigorous, compact mounded growth habit with excellent lateral branching. ‘UF15-6-28’ exhibits superior foliage color stability when grown under all conditions, including both sun and shade conditions. Further, ‘UF15-6-28’ exhibits long-season performance until late fall.