Abstract: A noninvasive optical sensor for analyzing a level of a substance in a subject by illuminating a sclera may include at least one light source, at least one detector, and a processor. The at least one light source may direct incident light to illuminate a region of the sclera of an eye of the subject. The at least one detector may receive light, in response to the incident light, from the sclera or from inside the eye proximal to the illuminated region of the sclera. The processor may be configured to compute a ratio of an intensity of the received light from the at least one detector to a reference value and to estimate a level of a substance in the subject from the computed ratio.

Abstract: A heat transfer device includes at least one channel including an upstream zone, a downstream zone, and a mixing zone intermediate the upstream and downstream zones. The upstream zone includes an upstream separating configuration arranged to separate an inflow to the upstream zone into a plurality of upstream sub-flows. The mixing zone includes a converging configuration arranged to converge at least two upstream sub-flows into the mixing zone to form a primary mixed flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for eliminating microorganisms comprising a plurality of light emitters, wherein each of the plurality of light emitters is configured to emit light comprising a wavelength of 380-500 nm, and wherein at least two or more of the plurality of light emitters emit light of a different wavelength. There is also provided a method of eliminating microorganisms comprising emitting a light of a wavelength of 380-500 nm by each of a plurality of light emitters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to miRNA interference technology. More specifically the invention relates to circular miRNA sponges that carry a plurality of binding sites directed to at least two types of miRNA and separated by random, non-identical spacers, allowing for the inhibition of functional classes of m1RNAs. Preferably, the binding sites are bulged binding sites wherein each bulge is created by a one base deletion and two base mismatch at positions 9-11 nt from the 3? end of each binding site. Preferably, each spacer is 6 to 24 nucleotides in length. Preferably, the binding sites are against miR-132 and miR-212, miR-17-5p and miR-18a-5p, or miR-20b-5p and miR-106a-5p. Construction vectors and uses of said miRNA sponges for the treatment of diseases, such as cardiomyopathy and cancer, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of colony picking. The method includes the steps of mixing a bacterial suspension with an oil-based carrier liquid for generating a plurality of droplets comprising bacteria contained in the bacterial suspension and incubating the plurality of droplets for a predetermined period of time to allow growth of bacteria within the plurality of droplets. The method further includes the steps of screening each of the plurality of droplets that flows through one or more microfluidic channels of a microfluidic device to determine an opacity degree of each of the plurality of droplets, wherein the opacity degree is indicative of colony formation in the plurality of droplets, and sorting the plurality of droplets based on the opacity degree of each of the plurality of droplets.

Abstract: An eye drop bottle storage unit for eye drop administration compliance includes a memory, a processor, and one or a plurality of eye drop bottle pods, where each eye drop bottle pod of the one or said plurality of eye drop bottle pods is configured to hold an eye drop bottle, and comprises one or a plurality of sensors. The memory is configured to store data of an eye drop administration regime of a subject. The processor is configured to receive signals from the one or said plurality of sensors of each eye drop bottle pod, and to determine from the received signals whether the subject administered eye drops into eyes of the subject from each eye drop bottle respectively held in each eye drop bottle pod of the one or said plurality of eye drop bottle pods in accordance with the eye drop administration regime data.

Abstract: An electrical impedance tomography system with frequency division multiplexing based data compression comprising electrodes, a connecting line, an electrical impedance tomography chip, a universal serial bus and a computer. The present invention realizes the proposed electrical impedance tomography system by innovative application of frequency division multiplexing technology, and has the advantages of low power consumption and improved hardware overheads. The architecture of the 13-channel electrical impedance tomography chip introduced in the embodiment of the present invention, which applies the frequency division multiplexing based data compression technology, has taped out using CMOS 0.13 micrometer process; the power consumption per channel turns out to be 118 microwatts and the area is 0.87 square millimeters, verifying the effectiveness of the present invention. The present invention can also be migrated to other applications of electrical impedance tomography.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a heat exchanger (50) and a heat exchange unit (100) for the heat exchanger (50). The heat exchange unit (100) comprises: a plurality of plain fins (102) stacked perpendicularly to a first plane, such that a first fluid (104) is communicable through the first plane between the fins (102); and a plurality of tubes (112) for communicating a second fluid (110) therethrough for heat exchange with the first fluid (104), the tubes (112) extending perpendicularly through the fins (102), each tube (112) comprising an oblique cross-section (114) having a pair of opposing first sides (114a) and a pair of opposing second sides (114b). For each oblique cross-section (114), the first sides (114a) are perpendicular to the first plane and the second sides (114b) are angled approximately 60° to the first plane, the first sides (114a) being longer than the second sides (114b).

Abstract: Hard masks and methods of forming hard masks are described. The hard mask has an average roughness less than 10 nm and a modulus greater than or equal to 400 GPa. The method comprises exposing a substrate to a deposition gas comprising a dopant gas or a precursor (solid (e.g. Alkylborane compounds) or liquid (e.g. Borazine)), a carbon gas and argon at a temperature less than or equal to 550 C, and igniting a plasma from the deposition gas to form an ultrananocrystalline diamond film having an average roughness less than 10 nm and a modulus greater than or equal to 400 GPa.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated peptide, comprising or consisting of a glycine and arginine-rich (GAR/RGG) region with alarmin and/or cell penetrating activity, bioactive fragments or mutants thereof, and compositions comprising the peptide and an antigen or cargo molecule for vaccine development, immunotherapy, and/or the delivery of nucleic acids and proteins into cells. Further, the invention provides a method of detection using these peptides, and a process of producing the peptides.

Abstract: A method of encoding quantum information on one or several degrees of freedom of coherent states of photons of a baseband input optical signal, a quantum transmitter, and a computer-readable medium. The quantum transmitter comprises a modulator configured to encode quantum information on one or several degrees of freedom of coherent states of photons of a baseband input optical signal using sideband modulation of the baseband optical input signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to treatment of coronavirus-induced disease, specifically COVID-19 disease, wherein the disease is characterized by mast cell degranulation, acute inflammation, pulmonary and/or vascular pathologies. The treatment comprises administering to a subject a composition comprising a mast cell stabilizer and/or inhibitor of mast cell products, such as TY-51469, nafamostat mesylate, cromolyn, or ketotifen. The invention also provides a method of diagnosing a subject as having SARS-CoV-2, the method comprising determining the level and/or activity of a mast cell protease such as chymase or tryptase in the serum from a subject.

Abstract: An optical power limiter, a method of fabricating the optical power limiter, a method of limiting optical power, a method of upper bounding information leakage in quantum cryptography, and a quantum cryptography system. The optical power limiter comprises an optical input port; an optical output port; an effective medium disposed between the input port and the output port; and a diaphragm disposed between the effective medium and the output port; wherein the effective medium has a thermo-optic coefficient such that a light beam entering the effective medium from the direction of the input port experiences a refractive index gradient in a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction in the effective medium as a result of absorption; and wherein the diaphragm is disposed in a path of the light beam for limiting how much of the light beam reaches the output port.

Abstract: We disclose dumbbell-shaped vectors adapted for efficient expression in mammalian cells. We also disclose a novel method allowing the efficient synthesis of dumbbell-shaped vectors at low cost for delivery of recombinant DNA and RNA into host cells; and the use of dumbbell-shaped vectors for transient expression in, for example, primary human cells.

Abstract: Chalcogen silane precursors are described. Methods for depositing a silicon nitride (SixNy) film on a substrate are described. The substrate is exposed to the chalcogen silane and a reactant to deposit the silicon nitride (SixNy) film. The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous. The chalcogen silane may be substantially free of halogen. The chalcogen may be selected from the group consisting of sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and tellurium (Te).

Abstract: A measurement-device-independent (MDI) quantum key distribution (QKD) network, a method of operating an MDI QKD network comprising a common server and a plurality of user systems, a user system for a MDI QKD network, and a method of operating a user system for a MDI QKD network. The method of operating an MDI QKD network comprising a common server and a plurality of user systems comprises the steps of performing optical pulse generation and distribution using a laser source at the common server; receiving the optical pulses at the user systems from the common server; modulating the optical pulses at the user systems for quantum communication; re-transmitting the modulated optical pulses from the user systems to the common server; and using an energy bounding component at each of the user system for limiting Trojan horse attack (THA).

Abstract: Methods for detecting the presence of proteins in a subject are described. The proteins detected can be indicative of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The proteins can be particularly useful for monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in AML.

Abstract: A method of switching between first and second states of a van der Waals heterostructure, vdWH, memory device, a vdWH memory device, and a method of fabricating a vdWH memory device. The vdWH memory device comprises a first two-dimensional, 2D, material; and a second 2D material, wherein, in a first storage state of the memory device, an interface between the first and second 2D material comprises interfacial states; and wherein, in a second storage state of the memory device, interfacial states are modulated compared to the first memory state.

Abstract: Methods of treating and preventing Alport syndrome through inhibiting interleukin 11 (EL-11)-mediated signalling are disclosed, as well as agents for use in such methods.

Abstract: The current invention relates to the use of a neural network to improve the quality of images obtained from light scattered by an intermediate object that scatters light, such as tissue or a frosted screen. The invention relates to a method of imaging a human or animal bode using a nanocrystal array capable of fluorescing upon excitation from light from a near-infrared light source. This invention also relates to detection means and apparatus used in said methods, as well as to quantum dots useful in said use.