Abstract: The present disclosure provides FGF1 mutant proteins having one or more mutations in the heparin binding domain. Such mutants may also have an N-terminal deletion, point mutation(s), or combinations thereof. In some examples, the mutant FGF1 proteins have reduced mitogenic activity. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules that encode such proteins, and vectors and cells that include such nucleic acids. The disclosed FGF1 mutants can reduce blood glucose in a mammal, and in some examples are used to treat a metabolic disorder.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds of formula I: wherein A, B, X, and Y have any of the values defined in the specification, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, processes for preparing such compounds, and therapeutic methods for treating cancer and other topoisomerase mediated conditions.

Abstract: A system and method of non-intrusive anemometry. The system comprises an acoustic transmitter disposed at a boundary of fluid flow and first and second acoustic receivers adapted to receive transmissions from the acoustic transmitter. A processor is coupled to the acoustic receivers to determine the time of arrival of the transmission at the acoustic receivers. The acoustic transmitter and acoustic receivers are arranged such that the acoustic transmitter is upstream from the first acoustic receiver which is in turn upstream from the second acoustic transmitter.

Abstract: A two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D GMOT) that is configured to produce a cold-atom beam exiting the 2D GMOT is disclosed. In embodiments, the 2D GMOT is configured to feed a three-dimensional GMOT with the cold atom beam. In embodiments, the 2D GMOT includes an input light beam having its direction along a first axis, its width along a second axis, normal to the first axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile. 2D GMOT may further includes a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero along a third axis that is centered at the center of the input light beam's width. The 2D GMOT may also include a diffraction-grating surface positioned normal to the first axis, composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves spread across the width and run parallel to the third axis.

Abstract: Nucleic acid amplification assays for mutations to two short sections of the fungal gene FKS1. Mutations in these target sequences have been shown to correlate with resistance to echinocandin-class drugs. Assays may include detection by sequencing or by labeled hybridization probes. Also, primers, probes and reagent kits for performing such assays.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low molecular mass PPF polymer (and related methods) that is suitable for 3D printing and other polymer device fabrication modalities and can be made inexpensively in commercially reasonable quantities. These novel low molecular mass PPF polymers have a low molecular mass distribution (m) and a wide variety of potential uses, particularly as a component in resins for 3D printing of medical devices. The ability to produce low m PPF creates a new opportunity for reliable GMP production of PPF. It provides low cost synthesis and scalability of synthesis, blending of well-defined mass and viscosity PPF, and reduced reliance on solvents or heat to (a) achieve mixing of 3D printable resins or (b) and flowability during 3D printing. These PPF polymers are non-toxic, degradable, and resorbable and can be used in tissue scaffolds and medical devices that are implanted within a living organism.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods of treating a condition of the retina by administering an inhibitor of connexin 36 and/or an inhibitor of connexin 45 to a subject with a retinal condition. This disclosure further provides compositions for the treatment of a retinal condition which include an inhibitor of connexin 36 and/or an inhibitor of connexin 45.

Abstract: A bisfuran dihalide having a structure represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group represented by —CR2R3— (wherein each of R2 and R3 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and R2 and R3 may together form a cyclic structure), or a carbonyl group (—C(?O)—); and each X independently represents a halogen atom.

Abstract: A method of forming electrical contacts on a diamond substrate comprises producing a plasma ball using a microwave plasma source in the presence of a mixture of gases. The mixture of gases include a source of a p-type or an n-type dopant. The plasma ball is disposed at a first distance from the diamond substrate. The diamond substrate is maintained at a first temperature. The plasma ball is maintained at the first distance from the diamond substrate for a first time, and a UNCD film, which is doped with at least one of a p-type dopant and an n-type dopant, is disposed on the diamond substrate. The doped UNCD film is patterned to define UNCD electrical contacts on the diamond substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a top-down symmetric deconstruction approach which provides a novel alternative means to successfully identify a useful polypeptide “building block” for subsequent “bottom-up” de novo design of target protein architecture. The present invention also pertains to a novel peptides isolated by top-down symmetric deconstruction which may be useful for design or directed evolution of novel proteins with novel functionalities.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing an intermittent liquid jet are provided that involve delivering a liquid through a gas dynamic nozzle, which includes an inner tube carrying the liquid, an outer tube carrying a focussing sheath gas, an exit channel and an exit aperture, injecting a stream of the liquid into the exit channel, wherein the liquid is enclosed by the focussing sheath gas in the exit channel, controlling emission of the liquid from the inner tube into the exit channel to produce a periodic, linear intermittent liquid jet including spurts of linear continuous jet sections separated by liquid-free gaps, and output of the intermittent liquid jet through the exit aperture. Furthermore, methods of scattering measurements on samples in a liquid using the method of producing an intermittent liquid jet and an injector device for producing an intermittent liquid jet are described.

Abstract: For low complexity error correction, a decoder modifies each reliability metric of an input data stream with a random perturbation value. The reliability metric comprises a weighted sum of a channel measurement for the input data stream and parity check results for the input data stream. In addition, the decoder may generate an output data stream as a function of the reliability metrics.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to carbon monoxide releasing molecules (“CORMs”), and methods of synthesizing and applying the molecules. More specifically, this disclosure relates to structurally tunable CORMS, compounds containing CORMS (and salts thereof).

Abstract: For calculating statistical Markov model-like state transition probabilities, a method represents state transition probabilities between a plurality of statistical Markov model-like states and output probabilities associated with a plurality of previous statistical Markov model-like states. The state transition probabilities between the plurality of previous states depend on a sequence of previous states of the plurality of previous states. The output probabilities associated with each of the plurality of states depend on the sequence of previous states.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides, among other things, novel cyclic-GMP-AMP (cGAMP) analogs, mimics, mimetics and variants, and compositions and kits thereof; methods of using the compounds as described herein for treating cancer, and immune disease, disorders, or conditions; methods of using the compounds as described herein for modulating cGAS and STING; and methods of designing or characterizing a cGAS modulator.

Abstract: The system and method of the invention utilizes computer software to determine an estimation of the age of an animal by measuring, analyzing, comparing, calculating, and presenting age features and the age of animals such as deer, moose, elk, bovids, pronghorns and the like from digital data and/or photographs of the animals.

Abstract: A drug combination against acid-fast bacillus, including: an inhibitor for WecA or an ortholog thereof; and at least one of an inhibitor for MurX or an ortholog thereof and an RNA synthesis inhibitor, wherein the inhibitor for WecA or an ortholog thereof is used in combination with the at least one of an inhibitor for MurX or an ortholog thereof and an RNA synthesis inhibitor; a screening method for a drug against acid-fast bacillus; and an inhibitor for WecA or an ortholog thereof.

Abstract: It has been determined that co-administration of a rifamycin and a switch-region inhibitor 1) results in synergistic antibacterial effects, enabling efficacy at low, subtoxic doses, and/or 2) results in a low spontaneous resistance frequency, enabling treatment of high-titer infections without treatment failure due to spontaneous resistance. Accordingly, certain embodiments provide a composition comprising a rifamycin and a switch region inhibitor, as well as methods of use thereof.

Abstract: Described herein are compounds for use in vaccine compositions which contain natural or synthetic carbohydrate antigens. Such vaccines may be highly immunologically active due to the conjugation with an immune-stimulating protein or with a monophosphorylated lipid A derivative, and may be self-adjuvanting due to the presence of a monophosphorylated lipid A derivative. Treatments for cancer and fungal and bacterial infections are described herein.

Abstract: Methods, structures, and systems are disclosed for biosensing and drug delivery techniques. In one aspect, a device for detecting an analyte and/or releasing a biochemical into a biological fluid can include an array of hollowed needles, in which each needle includes a protruded needle structure including an exterior wall forming a hollow interior and an opening at a terminal end of the protruded needle structure that exposes the hollow interior, and a probe inside the exterior wall to interact with one or more chemical or biological substances that come in contact with the probe via the opening to produce a probe sensing signal, and an array of wires that are coupled to probes of the array of hollowed needles, respectively, each wire being electrically conductive to transmit the probe sensing signal produced by a respective probe.