Abstract: An optical component includes a substrate and a metasurface comprising one or more linearly birefringent elements. The linearly birefringent elements define a grating configured to implement parallel polarization analysis for a plurality of polarization orders for incident light of an arbitrary polarization.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for trapping and electrically monitoring molecules in a nanopore sensor. The nanopore sensor comprises a support structure with a first and a second fluidic chamber, at least one nanopore fluidically connected to the two chambers, and a protein shuttle. The protein shuttle comprises an electrically charged protein molecule, such as Avidin. The nanopore can be a Clytosolin A. A method can comprise applying a voltage across the nanopores to draw protein shuttles towards the nanopores. The ionic current through each or all of the nanopores can be concurrently measured. Based on the measured ionic current, blockage events can be detected. Each blockage event indicates a capture of a protein shuttle by at least one nanopore. Each blockage event can be detected through a change of the total ionic current flow or a change in the ionic current flow for a particular nanopore.

Abstract: Provided herein are primers and primer systems having improved specificity and kinetics over existing primers, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel peripherally-restricted benzodiazepines with reduced blood brain barrier permeability and methods of use thereof for reducing tactile dysfunction, social impairment, and anxiety in a subject diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rett syndrome, Phelan McDermid syndrome, or Fragile X syndrome.

Abstract: Rehabilitation systems and related methods are generally described. In some embodiments, a rehabilitation system may employ a flexible wearable robotic system which may be positioned on a user's appendage. The wearable robotic system may deform the appendage in a clinically relevant manner to facilitate rehabilitation of the appendage's motor function. In some embodiments, the wearable robotic system may include one or more sensors configured to measure the movement of the actuator based on its own actuation and/or the user's effort. The system may then convey such measurements to a processor for analysis and to a display to provide real-time feedback of the user's progress to the user and/or a clinician. In some embodiments, the actuator may be a glove.

Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to engineered polypeptides comprising an anti-GYPA antibody reagent and an EPO polypeptide, such as an EPO polypeptide that is engineered to be tissue-protective. Further provided herein are methods of treating a neurodegenerative disease or disorder, hypoxic tissue damage, traumatic brain injury, or stroke by administering said polypeptides.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure provide compositions, strategies, systems, reagents, methods, and kits that are useful for the targeted editing of nucleic acids, including editing a single site within the genome of a cell or subject, e.g., within the human genome. Fusion proteins capable of inducing a cytosine (C) to guanine (G) change (i.e., transversion changes) in a nucleic acid (e.g., genomic DNA) are provided. Fusion proteins of a nucleic acid programmable DNA binding protein (e.g., Cas9) and nucleic acid editing proteins or protein domains, e.g., deaminase domains, polymerase domains, base excision enzymes, and/or DNA repair proteins, are also provided. Methods for targeted nucleic acid editing are also provided. Reagents and kits for the generation of targeted nucleic acid editing proteins, e.g., fusion proteins of a nucleic acid programmable DNA binding protein (e.g., Cas9), and nucleic acid editing proteins or domains, are further provided in the present disclosure.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to Botulinum toxin X (BoNT X) protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants). The variants provided herein have been evolved to cleave procaspase-1. Some of the variants provided herein do not cleave the native substrate of BoNT X protease, VAMP1 protein. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to nucleic acids encoding the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides described herein and expression vectors comprising the nucleic acids, as well as host cells and fusion proteins comprising the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides described herein and kits comprising the procaspase-1 cleaving polypeptides, nucleic acids, fusion proteins, expression vectors, or host cells described herein. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to methods of producing BoNT X protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants) and methods of using the BoNT X protein variants (e.g., BoNT X protease variants), for example, to induce cell death.

Abstract: Devices and methods for controlling the local pH of solutions (e.g., for parallelized polymer synthesis) are generally described. These may offer several advantages, including the ability to control pH using a plurality of pixels, and/or the ability to sense the pH associated with each pixel, according to certain embodiments. In some embodiments, such devices are used to selectively synthesize polymer sequences (e.g., DNA sequences) associated with each pixel. The pixels can, in some embodiments, comprise electrodes that can apply an electrical potential or current to a solution comprising an electrically sensitive pH modifier. In some cases, reaction of the electrically sensitive pH modifier may cause a change in pH. The pixels may comprise circuit components that can operate in multiple modes (e.g. as potentiostats, galvanostats, or open-circuit potential sensors capable of sensing local pH).

Abstract: Methods for reducing at least one of the bioavailability and absorption of at least one of ingested fat, carbohydrates, and unwanted substances from foodstuff in a subject are disclosed. The methods described herein include administering an amount of a nanobiopolymer, or combinations of nanobiopolymers, sufficient to reduce at least one of the bioavailability and absorption of ingested fat, carbohydrates, and unwanted substances to a subject, such as a human subject.

Abstract: Systems and methods interconnect cell culture devices and/or fluidic devices by transferring discrete volumes of fluid between devices. A liquid-handling system collects a volume of fluid from at least one source device and deposits the fluid into at least one destination device. In some embodiments, a liquid-handling robot actuates the movement and operation of a fluid collection device in an automated manner to transfer the fluid between the at least one source device and the at least one destination device. In some cases, the at least one source device and the at least one destination device are cell culture devices. The at least one source device and the at least one destination device may be microfluidic or non-microfluidic devices. In some cases, the cell culture devices may be microfluidic cell culture devices. In further cases, the microfluidic cell culture devices may include organ-chips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of synthesizing de novo a polynucleotide storing data using a programmable template independent polymerase.

Abstract: A method of preparing an entangled state of a plurality of qubits. The method comprises: (i) preparing an array of qubits, each qubit being in a ground qubit state and having an excited qubit state.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems, compositions, kits, and methods for the suppression of pain (e.g., chronic pain). Genes encoding ion channels (e.g., SCN9A) responsible for the propagation pain signals in neurons (e.g., DRG neurons) may be edited using a genome editing agent (e.g., a nucleobase editor). In some embodiments, loss-of-function ion channel mutants are generated, leading to pain suppression. In some embodiments, the genome editing agent is administered locally to the site of pain or to the nerves responsible for propagation of the pain signal.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to microscopy, and to systems and methods for imaging or determining nucleic acids or other desired targets, for instance, within cells. In certain aspects, a sample is contained within an expandable material, which is expanded and imaged in some fashion. Expansion of the material improves the effective resolution of the subsequent image. This may be combined, for example, with other super-resolution techniques, such as STORM, and/or with techniques such as MERFISH for determining nucleic acids such as mRNA within the sample, for example, by binding nucleic acid probes to the sample. Other aspects are generally directed to compositions or devices for use in such methods, kits for use in such methods, or the like.

Abstract: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. It is a devastating disease with a poor prognosis and an average 5-year survival rate of about 30%. Disclosed herein are composition and methods for treating leukemia with a biomaterial comprising a polymer scaffold, a dendritic cell activating factor, a dendritic cell recruitment factor, and at least one leukemia antigen. The biomaterial-based vaccine disclosed herein promotes a potent, durable and transferable immune response against acute myeloid leukemia to prevent cell engraftment and synergizes with chemotherapy to prevent relapse.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a mass spectrometry tag may comprise a linker region, a mass balance region, and a reporter region. The mass spectrometry tag may be configured to fragment in a mass spectrometer via an energy dependent process to produce multiple reporter molecules. For example, the reporter region of the tag may be configured to produce at least two reporter molecules via fragmentation. In some embodiments, one or more regions of the tag may comprise at least one heavy isotope. In some such embodiments, the ability to fragment into multiple reporter molecules as well as the placement and/or number of heavy isotope(s) allows the mass spectrometry tag to be distinguished from other similar mass spectrometry tags. In some such embodiments, the ability to distinguish between tags having the same or substantially similar total mass to charge ratio and reporter region mass may allow the system to have a greater multiplexing capacity than conventional systems.

Abstract: A magnetic field monitoring system can include a host system that generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field monitoring system can include a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed apart from each other within the host system. Each of the plurality of sensor assemblies can include a coil wound around a sample and an integrated circuit coupled with the coil. The integrated circuit can perform one or more MR measurements of the sample using one or more pulse sequences.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to compositions, systems, and methods for evolving nucleic acids and proteins utilizing continuous directed evolution in the periplasm of a host cell. In some embodiments, the methods comprise passing a nucleic acid from cell-to-cell in a desired, function dependent manner. The linkage of the desired function and passage of the nucleic acid from cell-to-cell allows for continuous selection and mutation of the nucleic acid.

Abstract: Transcriptomes of individual neurons provide rich information about cell types and dynamic states. However, it is difficult to capture rare dynamic processes, such as adult neurogenesis, because isolation from dense adult tissue is challenging, and markers for each phase are limited. Here, Applicants developed Nuc-seq, Div-Seq, and Dronc-Seq. Div-seq combines Nuc-Seq, a scalable single nucleus RNA-Seq method, with EdU-mediated labeling of proliferating cells. Nuc-Seq can sensitively identify closely related cell types within the adult hippocampus. Div-Seq can track transcriptional dynamics of newborn neurons in an adult neurogenic region in the hippocampus. Dronc-Seq uses a microfluidic device to co-encapsulate individual nuclei in reverse emulsion aqueous droplets in an oil medium together with one uniquely barcoded mRNA-capture bead. Finally, Applicants found rare adult newborn GABAergic neurons in the spinal cord, a non-canonical neurogenic region.