Abstract: The disclosure features compositions and methods for ameliorating cognitive impairments associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly those associated with anterodorsal (AD) thalamus hyperexcitability in the brain of a subject. Various embodiments of the disclosure provide for personalized and targeted therapeutic approaches for screening, diagnosing, preventing, and treating cognitive impairments and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Abstract: A thermal energy storage system includes a firebrick checkerwork and an electrode. The firebrick checkerwork includes one or more conductive firebrick layers, each including a plurality of electrically conductive doped metal oxide firebricks with one or more airflow vents. The electrode includes one or more electrode firebrick layers, each layer including a plurality of electrode firebricks. The firebrick checkerwork is heated due to application of electrical power to the electrode. Air flowing through the firebrick checkerwork may then be heated for use in heat-related applications (e.g., an industrial application, commercial application, residential application, transportation application, etc.) some of which may relate to electricity production or in other applications which may relate to other purposes that require heat that are unrelated to electricity production.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having an electric field management layer. The electric field management layer comprises a material with a relatively high dielectric constant that minimizes the risk of an electric field within the semiconductor device breaking down and damaging the semiconductor device.

Abstract: Methods for identifying patients susceptible to treatment with checkpoint inhibitors are provided herein. Also provided are reagents for analyzing T cell responses for understanding resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy and understanding therapeutics for overcoming that resistance. Therapeutic strategies, for instance, for treating cancer, are also provided.

Abstract: A method of generating uniform large-scale optical focus arrays (LOT As) with a phase spatial light modulator (SLM) includes identifying and removing undesired phase rotation in the iterative Fourier transform algorithm (IFTA), thereby producing computer-generated holograms of highly uniform LOT As using a reduced number of iterations as compared to a weighted Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. The method also enables a faster compensation of optical system-induced LOT A intensity inhomogeneity than the conventional IFTA.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA Disclosed is a vector for making circular RNA, said vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence: a) a 5? homology arm, b) a 3? group I intron fragment containing a 3? splice site dinucleotide, c) an optional 5? spacer sequence, d) a protein coding or noncoding region, e) an optional 3? spacer sequence, f) a 5? Group I intron fragment containing a 5? splice site dinucleotide, and g) a 3? homology arm. This vector allows production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. In one embodiment, the vector can comprise the 5? spacer sequence, but not the 3? spacer sequence. In yet another embodiment, the vector can also comprise the 3? spacer sequence, but not the 5? spacer sequence.

Abstract: Systems and methods for growth of silicon carbide over a layer comprising graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride, and related articles, are generally described. In some embodiments, a SiC film is fabricated over a layer comprising graphene and/or hexagonal boron nitride, which in turn is disposed over a substrate. The layer and/or the substrate may be lattice-matched with the SiC film to reduce defect density in the SiC film. The fabricated SiC film may then be removed from the substrate via, for example, a stressor attached to the SiC film. In certain cases, the layer serves as a reusable platform for growing SiC films and also serves a release layer that allows fast, precise, and repeatable release at the layer surface.

Abstract: In aspects, the invention provides novel compositions and methods for dominant inhibition of viral infection.

Abstract: Retrographic sensors described herein may provide smaller sensors capable of high-resolution three-dimensional reconstruction of an object in contact with the sensor. Such sensors may be used by robots for work in narrow environments, fine manipulation tasks, and other applications. To provide a smaller sensor, a reduced number of light sources may be provided in the sensor in some embodiments. For example, three light sources, two light sources, or one light source, may be used in some sensors. When fewer light sources are provided, full color gradient information may not be provided. Instead, the missing gradients in one direction or other information related to a three-dimensional object in contact with the sensor may be determined using gradients in a different direction that were provided by the real data. This may be done using a trained statistical model, such as a neural network, in some embodiments.

Abstract: Reaction schemes involving acids and bases; reactors comprising spatially varying chemical composition gradients (e.g., spatially varying pH gradients), and associated systems and methods, are generally described.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus, comprising a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises one or more piezoelectric transducers having a diameter of about 10 mm and a thickness of about 2 mm, embedded in the substrate. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises one or more cavitation chambers having a depth of about 1 mm, each of the one or more cavitation chambers disposed between respective ones of the one or more piezoelectric transducers and the top surface of the substrate, wherein the one or more piezoelectric transducers generate vibrations within a frequency range about 20 kHz to about 1 MHz in the cavitation chambers that cause a substance stored in the cavitation chambers to be forcibly moved through the top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Emulsion-based and micromolded (“MM”) or three dimensional printed (“3DP”) polymeric formulations for single injection of antigen, preferably releasing at two or more time periods, have been developed. Formulations are preferably formed of biocompatible, biodegradable polymers. Discrete regions encapsulating antigen, alone or in combination with other antigens, adjuvants, stabilizers, and release modifiers, are present in the formulations. Antigen is preferably present in excipient at the time of administration, or on the surface of the formulation, for immediate release, and incorporated within the formulation for release at ten to 45 days after initial release of antigen, optionally at ten to 90 day intervals for release of antigen in one or more additional time periods. Antigen may be stabilized through the use of stabilizing agents such as trehalose glass. In a preferred embodiment for immunization against polio, antigen is released at the time of administration, and two, four and six months thereafter.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods of obtaining a derivative Raman spectrum using an excitation or Raman pump beam whose wavelength is modulated in any suitable manner such as, for example, stochastically. Shifting the wavelength of the input excitation by a small amount in approaches like SERDS can isolate the Raman scatter from other spectral artifacts and reduce the false detection rate. For example, an input excitation sequence can be correlated with the response of an individual pixel of a detector. From this, pixels that have captured Raman scattered photons can be separated from pixels capturing non-Raman photons. These techniques can be expanded to other fields and/or types of spectroscopies that utilize a dispersive element detector with time-dependent spectral features.

Abstract: A structural electronics wireless sensor node is provided that includes layers of electronic components fabricated from patterned nanostructures embedded in an electrically conductive matrix. In some aspects, the structural electronics wireless sensor node includes a plurality of nanostructure layers that each form individual electronic components of the structural electronics wireless sensor node. In certain embodiments, the structural electronics wireless sensor node includes electronic components such as a resistor, a inductor, a capacitor, and/or an antenna.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and products associated with in vivo enzyme profiling. In particular, biomarker nanoparticles capable of quantitatively detecting enzymatic activity in vivo are described. These nanoparticles can be used to detect in vivo enzyme activity. The invention also relates to products, kits, and databases for use in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: Provided herein, in some aspects, are methods and compositions for producing single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) having uniform length.

Abstract: The present disclosure, at least in part, provides RNA cleavage based engineered bi-stable toggle switch utilizing the Programmable Endonucleolytic Scission-Induced Stability Tuning (PERSIST) platform. Also provided herein, are vectors encoding the engineered bi-stable toggle switch, and uses thereof.

Abstract: Engineered Streptococcus canis Cas9 (ScCas9) variants include an ScCas9 protein with its PID being the PID amino acid composition of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9-NG, an ScCas9 protein having a threonine-to-lysine substitution mutation at position 1227 in its amino acid sequence (Sc+), and an ScCas9 protein having a threonine-to-lysine substitution mutation at position 1227 and a substitution of residues ADKKLRKRSGKLATE [SEQ ID No. 4] in position 365-379 in the ScCas9 open reading frame (Sc++). Also included are CRISPR-associated DNA endonucleases with a PAM specificity of 5?-NG-3? or 5?-NNG-3? and a method of altering expression of a gene product by utilizing the engineered ScCas9 variants.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems related to electrochemical capture of Lewis acid gases from fluid mixtures are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to electrochemical methods involving selectively removing a first Lewis acid gas from a fluid mixture containing multiple types of Lewis acid gases (e.g., a first Lewis acid gas and a second Lewis acid gas). Certain embodiments are related to electrochemical systems comprising certain types of electroactive species having certain redox states in which the species is capable of binding a first Lewis acid gas but for which binding with a second Lewis acid gas is thermodynamically and/or kinetically unfavorable. The methods, apparatuses, and systems described herein may be useful in carbon capture and pollution mitigation applications.

Abstract: Compositions, articles, and methods related to hydrogen gas sensors are generally described.