Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions including one or more integrin activating compounds capable of enhancing an anti-tumor activity of one or more therapeutic antibodies, one or more immune checkpoint inhibitors, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for synthesizing dihydroxyl-terminated polyphenylene oxide oligomer. The method for synthesizing dihydroxyl-terminated polyphenylene oxide oligomer, comprising oxidatively copolymerizing monohydric phenol and dihydric phenol in the presence of a metal-polyethyleneimine complex as a catalyst, to obtain the dihydroxyl-terminated polyphenylene oxide oligomer. The synthesizing method of the present disclosure uses a metal-polyethyleneimine complex as a catalyst, which has a milder catalytic activity, can effectively promote the reaction between the dihydric phenol and the monohydric phenol, increases the hydroxyl content of the product, meanwhile reduces the amount of the residual dihydric phenol monomer in the product, so that the quality of the product can be improved.

Abstract: An encoding apparatus and a decoding apparatus in a transform between a Modified Discrete Cosine Transform (MDCT)-based coder and a different coder are provided. The encoding apparatus may encode additional information to restore an input signal encoded according to the MDCT-based coding scheme, when switching occurs between the MDCT-based coder and the different coder. Accordingly, an unnecessary bitstream may be prevented from being generated, and minimum additional information may be encoded.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus of broadcast gateway signaling for channel bonding. The apparatus for broadcast gateway signaling includes an input formatting unit configured to generate baseband packets corresponding to channel bonding; and a stream partitioner configured to allocate the baseband packets to two or more RF channels of the channel bonding for generating an outer tunnel data stream, the outer tunnel data stream generated in different ways according to a plurality of operation modes for the channel bonding.

Abstract: Actuating components and related methods are generally disclosed. Certain embodiments comprise an actuating component associated with a plurality of microneedles (e.g., for administering a therapeutic agent to a subject). In some embodiments, the actuating component may be administered to a subject such that the plurality of microneedles are deployed at a location internal to the subject (e.g., in the gastrointestinal tract). The actuating component may be contained within, in some embodiments, a capsule (e.g., for oral administration to a subject). In some embodiments, the actuating component has a pre-deployment configuration in which the plurality of microneedles have a first orientation and a deployed configuration in which the plurality of microneedles have a second orientation, different than the first orientation.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a solid oxide fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid oxide electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes a porous scaffold that includes a solid oxide having one or more metal nanoparticles disposed on one or more surfaces of the porous scaffold. The porous scaffold and the solid oxide electrolyte are formed from La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17O2.815 (LSGM), and the metal nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of platinum, nickel, gold, and combinations thereof. Methods of synthesizing ammonia using the fuel cell are also described.

Abstract: In various embodiments methods for the treatment or prophylaxis of an age-related and/or pathology-associated increase in intestinal barrier permeability are provided. In certain embodiments the methods comprise administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective amount of one or more agent(s) that inhibit superoxide or hydrogen peroxide production from the outer ubiquinone-binding site of complex III of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (site IIIQo).

Abstract: The invention proposes a method of separating hemicellulose through efficient pretreatment of fibrous biomass materials. Fibrous biomass materials are first pretreated by the slurry method: the fibrous biomass materials are milled through ball mills and sieved to obtain fibrous biomass material powder, and the powder is mixed with water at room temperature to obtain slurry premixed solution of the fibrous biomass material powder. Through regulation and control of the reaction temperature, the time and the water amount, efficient hydrothermal removal of hemicellulose from the fibrous biomass material powder is realized. After the mixed solution is filtered, the filtrate is subject to gradient sedimentation to separate hemicellulose with low dispersity, and the sediment is then dried before storage. After the filter residue is mixed with polar aprotic solvent and water, and heated and stirred in a pressurized reactor, high-purity cellulose is obtained through filtering and separation.

Abstract: A method of detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 using oligonucleotide primer pairs is disclosed. Oligonucleotide primer pairs for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods are also disclosed. Further, biomarkers and probes for SARS-CoV-2 detection are disclosed. The disclosure also relates to the identification and isolation of biomarkers for use as probes for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and further use of the biomarkers as a target for the development of drug targets and therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a corresponding data calculation unit configured to determine importance of each sample in accordance with a difference between a plurality of pieces of observation information observed when an input is given to an observation target and data of a second type generated by a simulator that simulates the observation target based on a sample of a parameter with respect to a plurality of samples and data of a first type indicating the input, and a degree of influence of the sample on distribution of parameters, and then calculate data that corresponds to the distribution of the parameters; a new parameter sample generation unit configured to generate a new sample of the parameters in accordance with predetermined processing using the data that corresponds to the distribution of the parameters; and an iteration control unit configured to perform control so as to repeat the above processing.

Abstract: The encoding method includes computing the first feature information of an input signal using a recurrent encoding model, quantizing the first feature information and producing the first feature bitstream, computing the first output signal from the quantized first feature information using a recurrent decoding model, computing the second feature information of the input signal using a nonrecurrent encoding model, quantizing the second feature information and producing the second feature bitstream, computing the second output signal from the quantized second feature information using a nonrecurrent decoding model, determining an encoding mode based on the input signal, the first and second output signals, and the first and second feature bitstreams, and outputting an overall bitstream by multiplexing an encoding mode bit and one of the first feature bitstream and the second feature bitstream depending on the encoding mode.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for designing a skull prosthesis are disclosed. In one arrangement, imaging data from a medical imaging process is received. The imaging data represents the shape of at least a portion of a skull. The imaging data is used to display on a display device a first virtual representation of at least a portion of the skull. User input defining a cutting line in the first virtual representation is received. A surgical operation of cutting through the skull along at least a portion of the defined cutting line to at least partially disconnect a target portion of the skull from the rest of skull is simulated. Output data is provided based on the simulation. The output data represents a simulated shape of at least a portion of the skull with the target portion at least partially disconnected from the rest of the skull, thereby defining the shape of an implantation site for a skull prosthesis to be manufactured.

Abstract: This application describes modified amino acids and polypeptides comprising a SO2F or CH2CH2SO2F group bound to the side chain of an amono acid or amino acid residue of a polypeptide in place of a hydrogen of a hydroxyl or amino substituent thereof. Methods of covalently binding the polypeptides to receptot sites of receptor proteins are also described herein.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting an analyte can include a photoluminescent nanostructure embedded in a sensor porous planar substrate. The sensor porous planar substrate can be supported by a substrate porous planar substrate.

Abstract: A cell product may be used for treating a peripheral blood flow disorder, and the cell product may include an SSEA-3-positive pluripotent stem cells (Muse cells) derived from a mesenchymal tissue in a living body or a cultured mesenchymal cell. The peripheral blood flow disorder is preferably a peripheral arterial disease, more preferably chronic arterial obstruction in a limb.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a solid oxide fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and a solid oxide electrolyte between the anode and the cathode. The solid oxide electrolyte includes a solid oxide, and the anode includes a porous scaffold. The porous scaffold includes a solid oxide having metal-based catalysts disposed on one or more surfaces of the porous scaffold. In embodiments, at least one ammonia decomposition layer is disposed proximate the surface of the porous scaffold and is configured to convert ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen for subsequent feed of hydrogen to the anode. The ammonia decomposition layer also includes a metal decomposition catalyst.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides: a magnetoresistive element having a large magnetoresistance change ratio (MR ratio); and a magnetic sensor, a reproducing head and a magnetic recording and reproducing device.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of producing hydrogen in a fuel cell includes passing ammonia under pressure to an anode of the fuel cell, where the ammonia is decomposed into nitrogen gas and protons. The fuel cell comprises a cathode, the anode, and a proton-conducting electrolyte between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes an ammonia decomposition catalyst. The method further includes passing the purging the nitrogen from the anode, passing the protons through the proton-conducting electrolyte to the cathode, and passing the electrons from the anode to the cathode, wherein the protons and the electrons react to produce substantially pure hydrogen gas under pressure.

Abstract: Methods for cancer immunotherapy are provided. The methods involve the use of a chimeric molecule (e.g., fusion protein) comprising an NKG2D portion and an Fc portion, which binds one or more NKG2D ligands. The methods disclosed herein are useful for the treatment of cancer that is associated with abnormal expression of one or more NKG2D ligands.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, compositions, proteins, nucleic acids, cells, vectors, compounds, reagents, and systems for the preparation of kavalactones, flavokavains, and kavalactone and flavokavain biosynthetic intermediates using enzymes expressed in heterologous host cells, such as microorganisms or plants, or using in vitro enzymatic reactions. This invention also provides for the expression of the enzymes by recombinant cell lines and vectors. Furthermore, the enzymes can be components of constructs such as fusion proteins. The kavalactones produced can be utilized to treat anxiety disorder, insomnia, and other psychological and neurological disorders. The flavokavains produced can be utilized to treat various cancers including colon, bladder, and breast cancers.