Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter provides compositions and methods comprising improvements of a CRISPR system (e.g. CRISPR associated (Cas) 9 (CRISPR-Cas9, non-Cas9 CRISPR systems). Such compositions may comprise modifications to the H1 promoter region, addition of 5?UTR modifications, different orthologous sequences of the H1 promoter, novel compact bidirectional promoter sequences with both pol II and pol III activity, addition of Kozak consensus sequences, termination sequences, addition of conditional pol II/pol III bidirectional promoter expression, addition of a donor template sequence for correcting mutations, or combinations thereof. Other aspects of the invention relate to modifications to Cas9 through post-transcriptional cell-cycle regulation fusions, engineered partial target sites such that the nuclease can bind without DNA cleavage, auto-regulation sites, and N-terminal modifications to modulate half-life.

Abstract: Described herein are methods comprising administering to a mammalian subject an effective amount of an annexin chimeric fusion protein, wherein the annexin chimeric fusion protein comprises at least one immunogenic antigen, thereby enhancing the antigen specific immune response relative to administration of the immunogenic antigen alone. Methods and kits for treating or preventing recurrence of hyper proliferating diseases, e.g., cancer, are described. A method may comprise priming a mammal by administering to the mammal an effective amount of a chemotherapeutic agent and boosting the mammal by administering to the mammal an effective amount of an annexin chimeric fusion.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods of treating cancer in a subject or preventing a relapse or reducing the incidence of relapse of cancer in a subject in remission, comprising administering to the subject: (a) a therapeutically effective amount of an immunotherapeutic agent, e.g., an immune checkpoint blockade therapy, an adoptive cellular therapy, a marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes, an adenosine A2aR inhibitor, or an antibody; and (b) a compound having formula (I): and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, R2?, and X are as defined as set forth in the specification. Compounds having formula (I) are prodrugs that release glutamine analogs, e.g., 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON).

Abstract: Methods for treating a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment thereof an effective amount of a small molecule nSMase2 inhibitor.

Abstract: A composition for producing electrodes for lithium-sulfur batteries includes particles having a metal-organic framework structure and composition that define voids within the metal-organic framework structure; sulfur loaded into at least some of the voids defined by the metal-organic framework structure of the particles; graphene flakes obtained by polymer enhanced solvent exfoliation; and polymer residue from the polymer enhanced solvent exfoliation. A method of producing a composite electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery according to an embodiment of the current invention includes obtaining a composition according to an embodiment of the current invention and applying the composition to a substrate. An electrode for a lithium-sulfur battery includes a layer having the composition. A lithium-sulfur battery according to an embodiment of the current invention includes the electrode.

Abstract: A device may obtain field images of a tissue sample, apply, to the field images, spatial distortion and illumination-based corrections (including corrections for photobleaching of reagents) to derive processed field images, identify, in each processed field image, a primary area including data useful for cell or subcellular component characterization, identify, in the processed field images, areas that overlap with one another, and derive information regarding a spatial mapping of cell(s) and/or sub-cellular components of the tissue sample. Deriving the information may include performing segmentation based on the data included in the primary area of each processed field image, and obtaining flux measurements based on other data included in the overlapping areas.

Abstract: Blockade of immune checkpoints such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) shows promise in patients with cancer. Inhibitory antibodies directed at these receptors have been shown to break immune tolerance and promote anti-tumor immunity. These agents work particularly well in patients with a certain category of tumor. Such tumors may be particularly susceptible to treatment because of the multitude of neoantigens which they produce.

Abstract: Self-adaptive systems, uses of the systems, and methods for adapting one or more properties of a material are disclosed.

Abstract: A device may provide, to a camera and a projector of a portable projection mapping device, first instructions for calibrating the camera and the projector, and may receive, based on the first instructions, calibration parameters for the camera and the projector. The device may calculate a stereo calibration between the camera and the projector based on the calibration parameters, and may provide, to the camera, second instructions for recognizing a reference instrument associated with the portable projection mapping device. The device may receive, based on the second instructions, binocular images, and may determine additional parameters based on the binocular images. The device may determine recognition parameters for recognizing the reference instrument, based on the binocular images and the additional parameters.

Abstract: A robotic system for remote operation of human-controllable equipment includes a remotely operable robotic subsystem configured to be at least one of mounted on or arranged adjacent to the human-controllable equipment to be controlled, and a remote controller that is configured to be operated by a human. The remote controller emulates a control representation of the human-controllable equipment such that a human can provide commands using the control representation. The remotely operable robotic subsystem is configured to receive commands from the remote controller to thereby operate the human-controllable equipment.

Abstract: The present invention describes an integrated apparatus that enables identification of invasive tumor cells directly from a specimen. The methods using the apparatus can be used to prognose or predict the survivability of the cancer in a subject and the risk of recurrence of the cancer in the subject after treatment. The methods disclosed herein can be used to determine which chemotherapeutic or other therapies most strongly inhibit the tumor cells invasiveness as a form of personalized therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provide novel immunofiber compositions for protein or peptide purification and simple and cost-efficient methods and systems using these compositions. In some embodiments, the immunofibers comprise a customized Z-33 peptide derived from Staphylococcus aureus Protein A which is used to construct immuno-amphiphile molecules that assemble into immunofibers in aqueous solution with bioactive epitopes on the surface and have peptide or protein binding ability.

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transducer, an ultrasound controller structured to communicate with the ultrasound transducer, and a signal processing system structured to communicate with the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound controller is structured to provide control signals to the ultrasound transducer to transmit a plurality of at least three non-coplanar A-line signals and to receive corresponding at least three non-coplanar A-line signals, and the signal processing system is structured to receive the at least three non-coplanar A-line signals from the ultrasound transducer and to form a generalized B-mode image based on the at least three non-coplanar A-line signals.

Abstract: In one aspect, a process to decompose a hydrocarbon such as methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical can be recycled and reused, is disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes first and second radiation sources, first and second detectors, a signal digitizer, a controller, and an analyzer. The first and second radiation sources generate respective first and second beams of radiation to irradiate a target. The first beam and second beams each include a first wavelength operated at a first modulation frequency and a second wavelength operated at a second modulation frequency. The first and second detectors each include a photo-sensitive element that generate first or second detection signals, a Faraday shielding enclosure, a signal amplifier, and a frequency mixer to frequency-adjust the first or second detection signals. The controller provides timing information to inform an activation scheme of the first and second radiation sources and corresponding radiation detection events at the first and second detectors. The analyzer analyzes the first and second detection signals and determines at least amplitude and phase information of the scattered radiation.

Abstract: Featured is a robot and a needle delivery apparatus. Such a robot comprises a plurality of actuators coupled to control locating any of number of intervention specific medical devices such as intervention specific needle injectors. Such a robot is usable with image guided interventions using any of a number of types of medical imaging devices or apparatuses including MRI. The end-effector can include an automated low needle delivery apparatus that is configured for dose radiation seed brachytherapy injection. Also featured is an automated seed magazine for delivering seeds to such an needle delivery apparatus adapted for brachytherapy seed injection.

Abstract: The use of P2X4 antagonists for the treatment of dry eye syndrome, more in particular substituted N-phenylacetamide compounds of general formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of dry eye syndrome and in particular dry eye, ocular neuropathic pain, ocular trauma and post-operative ocular pain.

Abstract: A marker for identifying a portion of a surgical margin includes a first element to attach the marker to the surgical margin of a surgical cavity located in a body of a patient, and a second element attached to the first element. The second element includes an indicator to uniquely identify the portion of the surgical margin through a radiological scan.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for generating retinal cell clusters for use in cellular component transfer therapy, retinal cell clusters generated by such methods, and compositions comprising such retinal cell clusters. The present disclosure also provides uses of the retinal cell clusters and compositions comprising thereof for preventing and/or treating inherited retinal degenerative diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed techniques for image processing three-dimensional image data include: obtaining three-dimensional image data representing contiguous slices parallel to a plane, constructing training data from the image data by, for each of a plurality of angles: rotating the image data in the plane to produce rotated image data, blurring the rotated image data in a dimension parallel to the plane to produce low resolution rotated image data, and introducing aliasing into the low resolution rotated image data in the dimension parallel to the plane to produce aliased low resolution rotated image data, training an anti-aliasing neural network with the aliased low resolution image data and the low resolution image data, training a super-resolution neural network with the aliased low resolution image data and the rotated image data, and processing the image data using the trained anti-aliasing neural network and the trained super-resolution neural network to produce processed image data.