Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for treating and preventing colorectal cancer in a subject by administering a composition comprising ?-galactosidase, a bacterial culture capable of producing ?-galactosidase, such as an S. thermophilus culture, or a fraction of the culture comprising ?-galactosidase. A kit useful for such methods is also provided. In addition, the present invention provides a composition for treating or preventing colon cancer.

Abstract: A flow battery system and methods are provided for eliminating crossover issues of active materials in redox flow batteries. A solid adsorbent with large specific surface area is disposed in an electrolyte of at least one half-cell, in contact with the electrolyte. During a charging process, the active material in a charged state is captured and stored on surfaces of the adsorbent, so that concentrations of the active material in the electrolyte in the charged state is reduced and the crossover is inhibited. During a discharging process, the active material is desorbed from the adsorbent to the electrolyte and pumped into the stack for reaction. The flow battery stack can have a microporous membrane separator. The electrolyte of the flow battery includes zinc iodide as active material and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an additive.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical cell comprising a negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a deposition layer separating the positive electrode and a gas phase that supplies at least one reactive gas; wherein the deposition layer and the positive electrode are in communication with each other via electrolyte(s). Also disclosed is a battery comprising the electrical cell described above and a battery comprising: a cell comprising a negative electrode in communication with an anolyte and a positive electrode in communication with a catholyte; and a gas-liquid reactor, which is fed with the catholyte from the cell and a gas.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for separating and sorting USB wires. The apparatus comprises a separating apparatus for separating USB wires and a sorting apparatus provided downstream the separating apparatus. The separating apparatus comprises a first slider slidable in a horizontal plane in a reciprocating way; a second slider connected to the first slider via a sliding guide; and a teeth assembly comprising a group of first teeth and a group of second teeth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for determining endonuclease activity in a sample. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for determining viable pathogenic bacteria in a sample based on patterns of endonuclease activity.

Abstract: A quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) system and methods are provided for sample imaging and metrology in both transmissive and reflective modes. The QPM system includes a first illuminating beam propagating along a transmission-mode path and a second illuminating beam propagating along a reflection-mode path, a microscope objective lens disposed in the reflection-mode path, and a common-path interferometer comprising a diffraction grating, a Fourier lens, a pinhole, and a 2f system lens to collimate the reference beam and the imaging beam such that the collimated reference beam and imaging beam interfere with each other to form an interferogram at a final image plane.

Abstract: Temporal variations in one or more characteristics measured from a cell-free DNA sample are used to estimate a gestational age of a fetus. Example characteristics include the methylation level measured from the cell-free DNA sample, size of DNA fragments measured from the cell-free DNA sample (e.g., proportion of fetal-derived DNA fragments longer than a specified size), and ending patterns of the DNA fragments align to a reference genome.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a molecular crowding type electrolyte that comprises at least one type of water-miscible/soluble polymer which acts as molecular crowding agent, a salt and a water. The disclosure also relates to a battery comprising the molecular crowding type electrolyte, and a method of using the molecular crowding electrolyte in electrochemical system such as battery that comprises an anode, a cathode and the molecular crowding type electrolyte.

Abstract: The present application provides a human joint energy harvesting apparatus for capturing the biomechanical energy of a joint to generate electrical energy. The generated electrical energy may provide a real-time power supply to the wearable electronics. The apparatus employs a linear slide rail mechanism and cooperates with the user's first limb and second limb to form a slider-crank mechanism, which converts the rotating motion of the joint into a linear motion of the linear slide rail mechanism. The bending beam converts the linear motion of the linear slide rail mechanism into a bending motion. A piezoelectric film may be bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the bending beam. During walking, the bending beam is deformed, causing the piezoelectric film to be stretched or compressed to generate electrical energy. To harvest more energy, the bending beam used in the apparatus is designed to be subjected to forced motion and free vibration, and a proof mass is attached to it.

Abstract: To improve the performance and accuracy of an image segmentation neural network, a cascaded robust learning framework for the segmentation of noisy labeled images includes two stages: a sample selection stage, and a joint optimization stage with label correction. In the first stage, the clean annotated samples are selected for network updating, so that the influence of noisy sample can be interactively eliminated. In the second stage, the label correction module works together with the joint optimization scheme to revise the imperfect labels. Thus, the training of the whole network is supervised by the corrected labels and the original ones.

Abstract: This invention relates to compounds of formula 1, 2 or 3 a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or solvate thereof, wherein X1, Y, R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are as defined herein. The compounds are antimicrobial agents that may be used to treat various bacterial and protozoal infections and disorders related to such infections. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds and to methods of treating bacterial and protozoal infections by administering the compounds of formula 1, 2 or 3.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to applications (e.g., classification of biological samples) of the analysis of the count, the fragmentation patterns, and size of cell-free nucleic acids, e.g., plasma DNA and serum DNA, including nucleic acids from pathogens, such as viruses. Embodiments of one application can determine if a subject has a particular condition. For example, a method of present disclosure can determine if a subject has cancer or a tumor, or other pathology. Embodiments of another application can be used to assess the stage of a condition, or the progression of a condition over time. For example, a method of the present disclosure may be used to determine a stage of cancer in a subject, or the progression of cancer in a subject over time (e.g., using samples obtained from a subject at different times).

Abstract: Segmentation of bony regions in MRI images of joints is automated using a two-stage process. In a first stage, a machine-learning image-slice categorizer is used to categorize image slices of the MRI image data as belonging to one of a set of image-slice categories, depending on presence or absence of bone and/or tendon in the image slice. In a second stage, a first instance of a machine-learning segmentation classifier is used to segment image slices that contain both bone and tendon into bone and non-bone regions, and a second instance of a machine-learning segmentation classifier is used to segment image slices that contain bone but not tendon into bone regions and non-bone regions. Results from the two segmentation classifiers can be combined across image slices to provide a final segmentation of the bony structures, including inflammatory regions, in the image data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using determination of base modification in analyzing nucleic acid molecules and acquiring data for analysis of nucleic acid molecules are described herein. Base modifications may include methylations. Methods to determine base modifications may include using features derived from sequencing. These features may include the pulse width of an optical signal from sequencing bases, the interpulse duration of bases, and the identity of the bases. Machine learning models can be trained to detect the base modifications using these features. The relative modification or methylation levels between haplotypes may indicate a disorder. Modification or methylation statuses may also be used to detect chimeric molecules.

Abstract: Methods for screening, diagnosing, or predicting presence, progression, or treatment effects of a cognitive dysfunction such as dementia based on an analysis of drawing behavior changes by a pre-trained Naïve Bayes method are provided. The methods include steps of obtaining drawing data of at least one image created by a test subject on a digital device and obtaining personal data of the test subject; reconstructing the at least one image based on the drawing data obtained; converting the drawing data to drawing features comprising a plurality of motion features and a plurality of geometric features; and determining probability that the test subject has a cognitive dysfunction based on the drawing features and the personal data by a pre-trained Naïve Bayes method with a greedy variable selection.

Abstract: Methods are provided to improve the positive predictive value for cancer detection using cell-free nucleic acid samples. Various embodiments are directed to applications (e.g., diagnostic applications) of the analysis of the fragmentation patterns and size of cell-free DNA, e.g., plasma DNA and serum DNA, including nucleic acids from pathogens, including viruses. Embodiments of one application can determine if a subject has a particular condition. For example, a method of present disclosure can determine if a subject has cancer or a tumor, or other pathology. Embodiments of another application can be used to assess the stage of a condition, or the progression of a condition over time. For example, a method of the present disclosure may be used to determine a stage of cancer in a subject, or the progression of cancer in a subject over time (e.g., using samples obtained from a subject at different times).

Abstract: A method and system for generating a high-order pseudo-random electromagnetic exploration signal. The method includes: constructing two or more basic unit signals according to an exploration requirement, where the basic unit signals are stairstep signals obtained by superposing a plurality of in-phase periodic square wave signals, and a frequency ratio between adjacent ones of the plurality of periodic square wave signals is 2; and superposing the two or more basic unit signals to obtain superposed stairstep signals, and correcting amplitudes to be consistent with amplitudes of the periodic square wave signals, to obtain high-order 2n sequence pseudo-random signals. The 2n sequence stairstep signals of different orders can be constructed within a limited frequency interval, improving the resolution during electromagnetic exploration.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a logarithmic non-uniform pseudo-random electromagnetic exploration signal including: constructing two or more basic unit signals, according to an exploration requirement, that are stairstep signals obtained by superposing in-phase periodic square wave signals, a frequency ratio between adjacent periodic square wave signals is 2, and the two or more basic unit signals meet the following requirement: if a lowest dominant frequency in a first basic unit signal is a fundamental frequency, lowest frequencies of the remaining basic unit signal are l×2m times the fundamental frequency, where l is an odd number except 1, and m is a natural number; and superposing the two or more basic unit signals to obtain a logarithmic non-uniform 2n sequence pseudo-random signal. A logarithmic non-uniform 2n sequence stairstep signal is constructed within a limited frequency interval, and requirements of prospectors for a higher frequency density within a specific frequency interval are met.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and other techniques for compatible packet separation for communication networks. A block comprising a plurality of packets to be transmitted over a network is received. The block includes a set of batches, and the plurality of packets are distributed between the set of batches. A pseudo interleaver depth is calculated for each of the set of batches to produce a set of pseudo interleaver depths. Blockwise adaptive recoding is performed using the set of pseudo interleaver depths to produce a number of recoded packets for each of the set of batches. A transmission sequence is generated using the number of recoded packets for each of the set of batches.

Abstract: Diseases (e.g., cancer) of a particular organ can be detected by analyzing cell-free DNA. Some embodiments may use an organ-associated sample that is from a particular organ or passes through the particular organ, as may occur, for example, in urine, saliva, blood, and stool samples. In some embodiments, methylation levels of cell-free DNA can be measured in a sample. Tissue-specific methylation patterns can be used to determine fractional contributions from different tissue types. In other embodiments, sizes of organ-associated cell-free DNA can be measured. A statistical measure of the size profile may indicate that cell-free DNA fragments are collectively longer than expected for subjects with healthy tissue compared to non-healthy tissue. In other embodiments, two different samples can be analyzed to determine whether a particular organ has cancer. Cell-free DNA in a blood sample and organ-associated sample can both be analyzed to identify chromosomal regions exhibiting a copy number aberration.