Abstract: Small molecules comprised of azacyclic constrained sphingolipid-like compounds and methods of their synthesis are provided. Formulations and medicaments are also provided that are directed to the treatment of disease, such as, for example, neoplasms, cancers, and other diseases. Therapeutics are also provided containing a therapeutically effective dose of one or more small molecule compounds, present either as pharmaceutically effective salt or in pure form, including, but not limited to, formulations for oral, intravenous, or intramuscular administration.

Abstract: The present disclosure in various aspects provides methods for making pharmaceutical compositions for treating neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., demyelinating diseases), such as but not limited to multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, and transverse myelitis. The pharmaceutical compositions impact specific antibody-mediated processes involved in the biology of neurodegenerative disease. In certain aspects, the disclosure provides pharmaceutical compositions for treating neurodegenerative disease, which are based on inhibiting the action of pathologic antibodies, or alternatively providing antibodies to stimulate neuroprotection or repair processes.

Abstract: A method of making a thermal comfort estimation of one or more human occupants in a built space in real-time is presented. The method employs one or more thermographic cameras and one or more red, green, and blue depth (RGB-D) sensors. The method has several steps. In an example, the method involves capturing thermal images of the human occupant(s) via the thermographic camera(s) and capturing RGB-D images of the human occupant(s) via the RGB-D camera(s). The method further involves extracting facial skin temperatures of the human occupant(s) using the captured thermal images and using the captured RGB-D images. And the method involves estimating the thermal comfort of the human occupant(s) using the extracted facial skin temperatures.

Abstract: A laser whose emission is modulated by ultrasound is presented. The laser is usually micron-sized. In response to ultrasound modulation, the laser emission increases and decreases. Such a change in emission can be detected by external optical detectors. This type of laser can be used as a new type of imaging modality, in which laser emission in combination with sound waves or ultrasound waves, is used for imaging Laser emission has a much narrower spectral linewidth and stronger intensity than fluorescence and therefore is able to achieve higher sensitivity, whereas sound waves are used to provide a better spatial resolution of the laser emission from the laser. In ultrasound modulated laser based imaging, multiple lasers can be placed inside cells or tissues.

Abstract: Provided are methods of producing size-selected nucleic acid libraries. The methods include contacting a nucleic acid sample and a nucleic acid binding reagent including an affinity tag, under conditions in which nucleic acids of less than a desired length are substantially bound to the nucleic acid binding reagent and nucleic acids of the desired length are substantially not bound to the nucleic acid binding reagent. The conditions include the duration of the contacting, the concentration of the nucleic acid binding reagent, or both. The methods further include separating, using the affinity tag, the nucleic acids of less than the desired length bound to the nucleic acid binding reagent from the nucleic acids of the desired length not bound to the nucleic acid binding reagent, to produce a size-selected nucleic acid library. Compositions and kits that find use, e.g., in practicing the methods of the present disclosure, are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, apparatuses, and systems for three-dimensional phenotyping and physiologic characterization of brain lesions and tissue encompassing one or more enlarged boundaries surrounding the brain lesion to study the metabolic and physiologic profiles from tissue within and around lesions and their impacts on lesion shape and surface texture. The non-invasive biomarker blood-oxygen their impacts on lesion shape and surface texture. The non-invasive biomarker blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) slope was used to metabolically characterize lesions. Metabolically active lesions with more intact tissue and myelin architecture have more symmetrical shapes and more complex surface textures compared to metabolically inactive lesions with less intact tissue and myelin architecture.

Abstract: A microfluidic device for processing cells for the intracellular delivery of molecules or other cargo includes a plurality of microchannels disposed in a substrate or chip and fluidically coupled to an inlet configured to receive a solution containing the cells and the molecules or other cargo to be delivered intracellularly to the cells. Each of the plurality of microchannels has one or more constriction regions therein, wherein the constriction regions comprise an omniphobic, superhydrophilic, or superhydrophobic surface. In some embodiments, multiple microfluidic devices operating in parallel are used to process large numbers of cells. The device and method has particularly applicability to delivering gene-editing molecules intracellularly to cells.

Abstract: A system for charge sharing compensation for a photon counting detector. A plurality of comparators, each configured to generate comparator output data based on a threshold value, a plurality of energy bins, each of the plurality of energy bins coupled to one of the plurality of comparators, and a coincidence logic coupled to two or more of the plurality of comparators and configured to receive comparator output data associated with two or more of a plurality of pixels. The comparator output data for each pixel indicates when a signal associated with the pixel crosses a threshold value. The coincidence logic is configured to generate a coincidence output when the comparator output data for a first pixel is received within a predetermined time interval of the comparator output data for a second pixel. The system includes a coincidence counting bin coupled to the coincidence logic and configured to receive the coincidence output and generate count data based on the coincidence output.

Abstract: In Multi-Policy Decision-Making (MPDM), many computationally-expensive forward simulations are performed in order to predict the performance of a set of candidate policies. In risk-aware formulations of MPDM, only the worst outcomes affect the decision making process, and efficiently finding these influential outcomes becomes the core challenge. Recently, stochastic gradient optimization algorithms, using a heuristic function, were shown to be significantly superior to random sampling. In this disclosure, it was shown that accurate gradients can be computed—even through a complex forward simulation—using approaches similar to those in dep networks. The proposed approach finds influential outcomes more reliably, and is faster than earlier methods, allowing one to evaluate more policies while simultaneously eliminating the need to design an easily-differentiable heuristic function.

Abstract: A system for wireless power transfer includes a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element of the plurality of transfer elements being configured as a transmitter for the wireless power transfer or a receiver for the wireless power transfer, a plurality of sensors, each sensor of the plurality of sensors being positioned relative to the plurality of transfer elements and configured to generate sensor data indicative of a field implementing the wireless power transfer, and a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to determine an estimate of a terminal variable level in a respective transfer element of the plurality of transfer elements based on the sensor data, and to determine whether a foreign object is affecting the wireless power transfer based on whether the estimated terminal variable level is different from another assessment of the terminal variable level by more than a threshold.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an acoustic device includes forming a plurality of holes in a panel, disposing the panel in a support frame, and heating the panel to a temperature such that the panel sags while disposed in the support frame and each hole of the plurality of holes is modified.

Abstract: A microstrip patch antenna comprising: a unit cell comprising: a plurality of layers comprising: a first laminate comprising one or more horizontal polarization feed lines and one or more vertical polarization feed lines, a second laminate comprising a radiating square patch, and a third laminate comprising a parasitic patch; and a ground plane comprising one or more polarization slots. A differential feed antenna comprising: a balun; a plurality of feed lines; and one or more polarization ports configured to excite at a plurality of locations.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for methylome profiling of animals and further using DNA methylation as a quantitative predictor of the age of an animal.

Abstract: Provided herein are separation processes for metal ions present in aqueous solutions based on methods involving liquid-liquid extraction. The separation process involves a chelator that can selectively bind to at least one of the metals at a relatively low pH. This can be used, for example, for recovery and purification of actinides from lanthanides, separation of metal ions based on their valence, and separation of metal ions based on the pH of the extraction conditions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to techniques for developing artificial intelligence algorithms by distributing analytics to multiple sources of privacy protected, harmonized data. Particularly, aspects are directed to a computer implemented method that includes receiving an algorithm and input data requirements associated with the algorithm, identifying data assets as being available from a data host based on the input data requirements, curating the data assets within a data storage structure that is within infrastructure of the data host, and integrating the algorithm into a secure capsule computing framework. The secure capsule computing framework serves the algorithm to the data assets within the data storage structure in a secure manner that preserves privacy of the data assets and the algorithm. The computer implemented method further includes running the data assets through the algorithm to obtain an inference.

Abstract: A hybrid converter achieves high efficiency with an inductor positioned at the lower current path that significantly decreases inductor loss by having the DC component of inductor current reduced. The circuit also features reduced inductance requirement by reducing the voltage swing blocked by the inductor. As a result, it turns to benefit of both efficiency improvement and better integration. Less voltage stress for switches is also an important advantage to switching loss reduction and switching frequency increase which in turns enables passive component size reduction. The circuit in this invention can be realized for both step-down and step-up power conversion as well as bidirectional power flow is available. For simplicity and cost, some of switches can be replaced with passive switches such as diodes which highly simplifies the converter circuit implementation.

Abstract: Benzylamino-oxoethyl benzamide compounds for use in treating diseases and conditions associated with abnormal cell function related to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. For example, the compounds can be used as suppressors of ER stress-induced pancreatic ?-cell dysfunction and death, for example in the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The compounds can also be used in treatments for chronic heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, retinal degeneration, and other metabolic disorders associated with ER stress.

Abstract: Systems and method herein provide for energy buffering. In one embodiment, a system includes an energy buffer comprising at least two energy storage elements. Each energy storage element is operable to buffer electrical energy. The system also includes a switch module operable to charge a first of the at least two energy storage elements while discharging a second of the at least two energy storage elements, and to discharge the first energy storage element while charging the second energy storage element after charging the first energy storage element. The switched charging of the energy storage elements compensates voltage variations between the energy storage elements to increase available electrical energy from the energy buffer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer by modulating the microbiome to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade. The microbiome may be modulated by the administration of butyrate and/or butyrate-producing bacteria. Also provided herein are methods of determining a response to an immune checkpoint inhibitor by identifying if a subject has a favorable microbial profile.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for treating asthma in a subject in need thereof comprising administering chemically synthesized secoisolaricirecinol diglucoside (SDG), and in particular, a racemic mixture of the SDG (LGM2605), stereoisomers thereof, metabolites thereof, and analogs thereof. Also provided are methods for treating or preventing ozone-induced damage in a subject in need thereof.