Abstract: Disclosed is a general, reversible bicyclization strategy to increase both the proteolytic stability and cell permeability of peptidyl drugs. A peptide drug is fused with a short cell-penetrating motif and converted into a conformationally constrained bicyclic structure through the formation of a pair of disulfide bonds. The resulting bicyclic peptide has greatly enhanced proteolytic stability as well as cell-permeability. Once inside the cell, the disulfide bonds are reduced to produce a linear, biologically active peptide. This strategy was applied to generate a cell-permeable bicyclic peptidyl inhibitor against the NEMO-IKK interaction.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for controlling use of sensitive data. A heartbeat signal conveying a context identifier is transmitted into areas where access to sensitive data is granted to authorized users. In response to receiving a request to access the sensitive data, access may be granted if the context identifier in the request matches the context identifier in the heartbeat and denied otherwise. If the requestor has exceeded an access threshold, access may be granted at a reduced rate. This reduced rate may be achieved by reducing a rate at which encryption keys are provided to the requestor. An access control layer positioned between an application layer and a communication layer allows the application layer to use plaintext of the sensitive data while protecting the sensitive data as ciphertext in the communication layer.

Abstract: In a focus variable liquid lens and a method of manufacturing the focus variable liquid lens includes a base substrate, an electrode par and a lens unit. The electrode part is formed on the base substrate, having a central electrode and a plurality of electrodes. A printed circuit board is mounted to be electrically connected to the metal layer exposed to outside through the insulating layer. The lens unit has a liquid lens formed at the central electrode, and a light passes through the liquid lens. The liquid lens is located at a center of the central electrode and a focus of the light is located at an optical axis, when a voltage having the same magnitude is applied to the plurality of the electrodes. The liquid lens moves laterally from the central electrode and the focus of the light moves laterally from the center of the central electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions related to immunoconjugates. Particularly disclosed are immunoconjugates that comprise the Fc portion of IgG3 as well as Factor VII light chain or Factor VII. Also disclosed is an immunoconjugate protein, wherein said immunoconjugate protein comprises a hybrid Fc region of an IgG1 and an IgG3 immunoglobulin conjugated to Factor VII. These immunoconjugates can target Tissue Factor (TF) expressing cells.

Abstract: Various implementations include, an out-of-plane feedback-type fluidic oscillator. including a first portion, a second portion, a middle portion coupled between the first portion and the middle portion, and an axis of rotation. The middle portion includes a first side, a second side opposite and spaced apart from the first side, and a middle plane, an interaction chamber, a fluid supply inlet, an outlet nozzle, a first feedback a channel, and a second feedback channel. The first side is coupled to the first portion, and the second side is coupled to the second portion. The first side, the second side, and the middle plane extend circumferentially around the axis of rotation. The middle plane is disposed equally distanced from the first side and the second side. The fluid stream oscillates as it flows through the interaction chamber such that the fluid stream oscillates as the fluid stream exits the outlet nozzle.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for delivering information to an individual, group, or device. The information is carried by audio signals beyond the audible frequency range of human hearing, but within the frequency range of an audio system. The information is modulated onto an ultrasonic frequency and embedded into an audio signal transmitted by the audio system. Each individual, group member, or device may have or be coupled to a receiver configured to receive an acoustic signal transmitted by the audio system that includes the modulated ultrasonic frequency. The receiver extracts the information from the modulated ultrasonic frequency and provides the information to the individual, group member, or device.

Abstract: Anticachexin C1 inhibits the TNF?-TNF? receptor interaction. In this work, analogs of anticachexin C1 are disclosed. The resulting bicyclic peptides inhibit TNF? TNF?-induced cell death, NF-?B activation, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling in cultured mammalian cells. Methods of using the bicyclic peptide anticachexin C1 analogs to treat cancer, inflammatory disorders and immune disorders are also described.

Abstract: Shown herein are small molecule compounds that can be used to increase the overall quality of a coffee beverage. The flavor enhancing compounds can be combined with coffee at any stage of its processing to increase the cup score of a coffee beverage. In some embodiments, the flavor enhancing compounds include one or more caffeic ester compounds, for instance caffeic acid esterified with a cyclitol or related compound.

Abstract: In a temperature sensor, a wearable device comprising the temperature sensor, and a core temperature measurement method using the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor includes a sensing unit and a substrate. The sensing unit includes a base part, a measuring part mounted on the base part and configured to measure a temperature of a subject body by making contact with the subject body, and a cover part configured to cover the measuring part. The sensing unit is mounted on the substrate. A plurality of slits is formed around a first area of the substrate, and the sensing unit is mounted at the first area of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and platforms for increasing utility and efficacy of a cellular vaccine. Specifically, disclosed are steps that optimize ex vivo B cell expansion and boost host in vivo immunity. Also disclosed is a platform for enhancing effectiveness of antigen presentation and antigen-specific immune responses. Also disclosed is a method for enhancing effectiveness of APCs in a subject. Also disclosed are vaccines and kits based on the platform.

Abstract: Various implementations include a method of manufacturing one or more devices. The method includes obtaining a base portion of a non-shape-memory metal, disposing one or more shape-memory metal portions along the base portion, and joining at least a first layer of the non-shape-memory metal to the base portion using ultrasonic additive manufacturing. The shape-memory metal portions are disposed along a first base surface of the base portion. The shape-memory metal portions have a first portion contacting the base portion and a second portion spaced apart from the first portion and extending from the base portion. The first layer is joined to the base portion using ultrasonic additive manufacturing and has a first layer surface that is joined to the first base surface. The first layer surface contacts the shape-memory metal portions when the first layer is joined to the base portion.

Abstract: Compositions and method are therefore disclosed for treating asthma. In particular, disclosed a composition that contains one, two, or more cytidine diphosphate (CDP)-conjugated phospholipid precursors selected from the group consisting of CDP-choline, CDP-ethanolamine, and CDP-diacylglycerol in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for use in treating asthma.

Abstract: Methods are provided of selectively obtaining n-type and p-type regions from the same III-Nitride layer deposited on a substrate without using diffusion or ion-implantation techniques. The III-Nitride layer is co-doped simultaneously with n-type and p-type dopants, with p-type dopant concentration higher than n-type dopant to generate p-n junctions. The methods rely on obtaining activated p-type dopants only in selected regions to generate p-type layers, whereas the rest of the regions effectively behave as an n-type layer by having deactivated p-type dopant atoms.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) that can specifically recognize tumor-associated antigens (TAA) on multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Also disclosed are immune effector cells, such as T cells or Natural Killer (NK) cells, that are engineered to express these CARs. Therefore, also disclosed are methods of providing an anti-tumor immunity in a subject with MM that involves adoptive transfer of the disclosed immune effector cells engineered to express the disclosed CARs.

Abstract: Methods for automated calibration adaptation of a gearshift controller are disclosed. In one aspect, the method automates calibration of a gearshift controller in an automatic transmission having one or more speed sensors, each configured to generate a signal, and allowing one or more gearshifts with associated gearshift output sets ji that are functions of speed sensor signals and the desired gearshift output sets ?i. The gearshift controller has one or more gearshift control parameter sets Urji to be calibrated, each set including gearshift control parameters for an allowed gearshift at one operating condition, and learning controllers Li sets of system models Hr, and positive definite matrices Pi for updating Urji during sequences of allowed gearshifts. The method incudes acquiring speed sensor signals, computing the gearshift output set jj; and updating the gearshift control parameter set pi.

Abstract: Devices and methods for surface-induced dissociation (SID) are disclosed. In one aspect, a device for SID is disclosed which, in one embodiment includes a collision surface, a deflector configured to guide precursor ions from a pre-SID region to the collision surface to cause SID, and an ion carpet having applied electrical properties configured to guide product ions resulting from collision with the collision surface to a post-SID region. In another aspect, a method for SID is disclosed which, in one embodiment includes guiding, by a deflector, precursor ions from a pre-SID region to a collision surface to cause SID, and guiding, by an ion carpet having selected applied electrical properties, product ions resulting from collision with the collision surface to a post-SID region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are laser-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition devices and methods of use thereof for suppressing background carbon incorporation.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to genome editing systems and methods and compounds and compositions for use in Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) genome editing systems. Disclosed herein are modified nucleic acids that modulate the activity of genome editing.

Abstract: A hybrid Schottky diode is described herein where the forward characteristics are determined by the metal-semiconductor junction, and the reverse characteristics and breakdown are determined by the metal/dielectric/semiconductor junction. Experimental demonstration of such hybrid Schottky diodes shows significant improvement in the breakdown performance with average breakdown field up to 2.22 MV/cm with reduced turn on of 0.47 V and enable state-of-art power switching figure of merit for GaN lateral Schottky diodes.

Abstract: A method for evaluating for the presence of the COVID disease by detecting one or more biomarkers using a breathalyzer (138). The breath sample (2) taken from the subject (10) is passed over a sensor (140) which changes resistance in the presence of nitric oxide as a function of concentration. The resistance pattern of the subject (10) having the COVID disease will have a distinct shape, approximating the appearance of the small Greek letter omega (?). Test results can be generated in less than a minute.