Abstract: Various embodiments of contaminant removal systems, compositions, and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for oxidizing a contaminant includes contacting the contaminant with a peroxygen compound and initializing, maintaining, or propagating degradation of the peroxygen compound with an oxygenated organic compound, thereby releasing oxidizing radicals. The method also includes oxidizing the contaminant with the released oxidizing radicals.

Abstract: A reaction product of: (a)) at least one cinnamyl alcohol or ester of cinnamic acid; (b) at least one unsaturated polyester resin, at least one vinyl ester resin, or a mixture of an unsaturated polyester resin and a vinyl ester resin; (c) at least one (meth)acrylated vegetable oil; and (d) a free radical initiator system.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide adsorbent including a hierarchical zeolite. The hierarchical zeolite defines micropores having a pore width between about 0.4 nm and about 2 nm, and at least one of: mesopores having a pore width between about 2 nm and about 50 nm; and macropores having a pore width greater than about 50 nm.

Abstract: A method for forming a coated particle having a core particle that is fully coated by a dual-layer coating that includes an inner layer formed of a hydrophilic composition and an outer layer formed of a hydrophobic polymer. The core particles are added to a hydrophilic solution and mixed together. The hydrophobic polymer is then added to form a mixture. The mixture is sonicated to coat the particles and the coated particles are separated and dried to form meta-stable coated particles.

Abstract: An analytical solution is obtained for a pseudo-steady state production from a vertically fractured well with finite or infinite fracture conductivity. The analytical solution may be used to compute a pseudo-steady state constant for the reservoir. Subsequently, performance parameters relating to the reservoir may be derived from the pseudo-steady state constant. For example, parameters such as production decline rate, total hydrocarbon reserves, and economically recoverable reserves for the reservoir may be computed. The disclosed analytical solution, instead of a conventional numerical simulation, can significantly speed up analysis and improve the accuracy of the calculation of these parameters.

Abstract: Methods for making and using a programmable bead composition that in some embodiments includes a magnetic bead coupled to an antibody with DMTMM and an antigen coupled to the antibody, with the antigen having been expressed from a human cell lysate (FIG. 1). An ELISA method with the composition includes contacting a fluid sample from a patient with the magnetic programmable bead composition, the composition comprising a plurality of magnetic beads coupled to an antibody with MM and being bound to an antigen expressed from a human call lysate, and adding a detection antibody under conditions and for a time to measure the detection antibody.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to adeno-associated viral vector monoclonal antibody constructs and compositions thereof, methods of improving locomotor function after spinal cord injury, methods of treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract: A tunable superomniphobic surface with flower-like TiO2 nanostructures was fabricated into a device with precisely tailored surface energy domains that can sort droplets by surface tension. This apparatus and method for droplet sorting will enable inexpensive and energy-efficient analytical devices for personalized point-of-care diagnostic platforms, lab-on-a-chip systems, fuel sensor applications, biochemical assays and biosensors.

Abstract: A vaccine is disclosed that promotes CD4+ T cell-independent host defense mechanisms to defend against infection by fungi such as Pneumocystis spp. The vaccine may be used to prevent or to treat fimgal infections. The novel vaccine can provide protective immunity, even for immunocompromised individuals such as HIV patients having reduced levels of CD4+ T cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to matriptase antibodies and immunoconjugates of matriptase antibodies with cytotoxic agents and the use thereof for killing or inhibiting the growth of matriptase-expressing cancer cells, such as those of multiple myeloma and breast cancers. In particular, immunoconjugates comprising a matriptase monoclonal antibody and anticancer agents such as doxorubicin (DOX) are introduced, which are equipotent to anticancer agents used in free form but exhibit significantly reduced cardiotoxicity and almost no adverse effects on normal bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells that do not express matriptase. The present invention also provides compositions comprising these new immunoconjugates and use of them for treatment of malignancies comprising cells that express matriptase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polypeptide of a protective antigenic determinant (PAD polypeptide) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide. The PAD polypeptide and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide are useful in the development of antibodies directed to PAD, vaccines effective in providing protection against PRRSV infection, and diagnostic assays detecting the presence of PAD antibodies generated by a PAD-specific vaccine. The invention also discloses methods of generating antibodies to PAD, for vaccinating a pig to provide protection from PRRSV infections, a method of preparing the vaccine, a method of treating PRRSV infections in a pig, and a method of detecting antibodies to PAD of PRRSV.

Abstract: A cancer chemotherapeutic agent that is particularly kinase suppressing and/or any other signaling pathway interfering agents and pharmaceutical formulations/compositions involving the same and its process of manufacture is provided. A potential the cancer chemotherapeutic agent is provided which apart from stated anticancer activity as a proven kinase suppressing and/or any other signaling pathway interfering agent could also involve specific potential binding affinity towards the intramolecular G-Quadruplex DNA structure and/or other potential quadruplex forming sequences over duplex DNA structures favors further diverse end use and application including but not limited to antiaging, antiangiogenic, antiproliferative, antitumor, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and multiple anticancer therapeutics, and also possesses favorable cytotoxicity values towards uncontrollably proliferative cells by inducing apoptosis irrespective of cells' p53 status, without being cytotoxic to normal cells.

Abstract: Contaminant mass collection in saturated sedimentary environments for bioavailability determination. A casing includes a screen between the environment that is subject to sampling, such as a saturated sediment and the device itself. The casing includes a water intake zone, a pump, and sorptive media. The water intake zone, the pump, the screen and the sorptive media, are all operably linked in sequence. The screened casing is secured to form an in situ device; the screen is in fluid communication with the water intake zone and excludes endemic sediments and aquatic life. The in situ device is deployed in the saturated sedimentary environment. The pump operates to concentrate analytes from the selected environment in the sorptive media, where the concentrated analytes include the analyte mass of time-weighted fluid samples.

Abstract: A novel bio-based superabsorbent polymer material based on a proteinaceous natural polymer is introduced herein. There is further disclosed a method for the manufacture of such a bio-based crosslinked superabsorbent polymer material. The method includes, but not limited to, introducing polymerizable unsaturated groups onto the natural polymer or its derivative so as to yield a macromonomer. The macromonomer can be formed by covalently binding unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds to a proteinaceous substrate through a reaction of a selected chemical compound and the amino group on the proteinaceous substrate. The macromonomer is then copolymerized with unsaturated co-monomer(s) to form a crosslinked superabsorbent material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diagnostic reagent or assay for assessing the activity of a protease in vivo or in vitro and methods of detecting the presence of a cancerous or precancerous cell. The assays are comprised of two particles linked via an oligopeptide linkage that comprises a consensus sequence specific for the target protease. Cleavage of the sequence by the target protease can be detected visually or using various sensors, and the diagnostic results can be correlated with cancer prognosis.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for detecting an anatomical object in a medical device image are provided. In some embodiments, system for detecting an anatomical object in a medical device image are provided, the systems comprising: at least one hardware processor that: applies the medical device image to a classifier having a plurality of stages, wherein a first stage of the plurality of stages and a second stage of the plurality of stages each includes a strong learner formed from a plurality of weak learners, and the weak learners in the second stage include a plurality of the weak learners included in the first stage; and identifies the medical device image as being positive or negative of showing the anatomical object based on the application the medical device image to be classifier.

Abstract: The invention is directed to compositions, e.g., cell-based and multiplexed platforms, to screen for small molecule drugs that inhibit enzymes such as proteases, e.g., viral proteases, e.g., HIV proteases; and methods for making and using these compositions. The invention provides compositions and methods for identifying compositions, e.g., drug molecules, that can inhibit proteases, e.g., viral proteases such as HIV proteases. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides cell-based platforms or assays to screen for compositions, e.g., small molecules or drugs, that inhibit or modify the activity of enzymes such as calcium-dependent protein convertases involved in HIV envelope protein processing, including cleavage of the HIV gp160 envelope precursor, resulting in gp120 and gp41 envelope products. In one embodiment, the invention provides a cell-based or multiplexed platform for monitoring the activity of enzymes, e.g., proteases such as viral proteases.

Abstract: The invention provides novel gold nanoclusters of the formula Au20(SR)15(weak ligand), wherein each R is independently an organic group, and the weak ligand is a weakly associating gold ligand of Formula I as described herein. The nanocluster can have an approximate molecular weight of 6 kDa. Corresponding dimers of the nanocluster can have an approximate molecular weight of 10 kDa (by SEC). The invention also provides methods of making and using the gold nanoclusters.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods to generate single-cycle THz pulses from a few tens of nanometers thin layer of split ring resonators (SRRs) via optical rectification of femtosecond laser pulses. The emitted THz radiation, with a spectrum ranging from about 0.1 to 4 THz, arises exclusively from pumping the magnetic-dipole resonance of SRRs around 200 THz. This resonant enhancement, together with pump polarization dependence and power scaling of the THz emission, underpins the nonlinearity from optically induced circulating currents in SRRs, with a huge effective nonlinear susceptibility of 0.8×10?16 m2/V that far exceeds surface nonlinearities of both thin films and bulk organic/inorganic crystals and sheet nonlinearities of non-centrosymmetric materials such as ZnTe.

Abstract: For multi-node encryption, a method communicates communication data from a first upstream node to a first downstream node in response to the first upstream node initiating secure communication with the first downstream node. The method further generates a downstream node nonce from communication data exchanged with the first downstream node. The method generates a first downstream message transformation as a function of the downstream node nonce. The method receives a request encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node. The method communicates the upstream message transformation encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node to the destination node in response to the request. In addition, the method generates a tunnel transformation at the destination node as a function of one or more upstream message transformations and the first downstream message transformation.