Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photo-polymerizable coating with broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties designed for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks.

Abstract: A structural control system for civil infrastructures with recovery-based performance under extreme environmental loading is provided. The recovery-based structural control system may be utilized in both newly constructed and existing buildings as a retrofit to reduce the vulnerability to extreme environmental loading. The structural control system combines steel plate shear wall (SPSW) and the shape memory alloy (SMA) to provide extra recovery ability in a building's main element or supplemental structural control systems. The combination of SMA with SPSW, as a lateral resistive force system, develops a self-centering, energy absorber that provides a re-useable and affordable steel plate shear wall, called Smart Self-Centered Shear Wall (SSCSW) system. In the SSCSW system, pre-straining is applied to SMAs to eliminate the residual deformation that is known to appear in long-term use.

Abstract: Devices and methods for providing interactivity during a swallowing exercise are disclosed. Sensory guidance is presented to guide a user through a set of swallows to be completed by the user during the swallowing exercise. Signals are received from a sensor device worn by the user, the signals representing surface electromyography data obtained when the user performs the swallowing exercise. Sensory feedback of the user's exertion level is presented, the feedback generated from the electromyography data and updated as further electromyography data is received from the sensor device, wherein the sensory feedback is presented in association with an exertion level calibrated to the user's ability.

Abstract: A smart friction pendulum system including an upper spherical plate and a lower spherical plate each having a sliding surface, a slider positioned between the upper spherical plate and the lower spherical plate, and a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) wires each having a first end attached to the upper spherical plate and a second end of attached to the lower spherical plate. The smart friction pendulum system is configured to be attached between the foundation and base mass of a building to preserve the superstructures under the lateral loads. While the lateral loads move the plates side to side, the system dissipates energy by providing friction between sliding material and sliding surface. The SMA wires also absorb the energy when in inelastic reversible phase. The embedded diagonal SMA wires make the whole system recover the initial position fully.

Abstract: Methods of identifying cattle having increased feed efficiency using a small panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms is provided. The method provides for using a thousand or less of such SNPs and includes using a panel of 250 or fewer SNPs. The method if useful with various cattle breeds including crossbred cattle. Provided are SNPs that are useful as markers with various traits associated with feed efficiency in cattle. Kits and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides affinity tagged heterodimeric polypeptides comprising a hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1 polypeptide and an HCV E2 polypeptide, where one or both of the E1 and E2 polypeptides comprises an affinity tag. The present disclosure provides a method of producing an affinity tagged E1/E2 heterodimer of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides methods of producing untagged HCV E1/E2 heterodimers. The present disclosure provides HCV E1/E2 heterodimers, compositions comprising same, and methods of inducing an immune response to HCV.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compounds and methods for inhibiting a virus infection, such as a Baltimore Group IV RNA virus infection. Aspects of the present disclosure also include methods of treating a Baltimore Group IV RNA virus infection in a subject. The present disclosure also provides pharmaceutical compositions related to the same.

Abstract: A method of pretreating wastewater sludge including applying an amount of at least 0.01 g/g TSS Ca(ClO)2 to wastewater sludge to enhance digestibility of the sludge and reduce phosphorus concentration therein and then allowing sufficient time for the wastewater sludge to densify to a treated sludge having a specific resistance to filtration (SRF) of 3 to 4 (1010 m/Kg). The resulting treated sludge composition being sterilized, free of harmful bacteria, and useful as a fertilizer, particularly for growing mushrooms.

Abstract: A nano-positioning system for fine and coarse nano-positioning including at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator includes a high Curie temperature material and wherein the nano-positioning system is configured to apply a voltage to the at least one actuator to generate fine and/or coarse motion by the at least one actuator. The nano-positioning system being a stand-alone system, a scanning probe microscope, or an attachment to an existing microscope configured to perform a method of creepless nano-positioning that includes positioning a probe relative to a first area of a substrate using coarse stepping and interacting with the first area of the substrate using fine motion after less than 60 seconds of the positioning the probe. The movement of the scanning probe microscope is actuated by a high Curie temperature piezoelectric material that limits and/or eliminates creep, hysteresis and aging.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a near-infrared photothermally activated CRISPR/CAS9 genome editing machine.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to polypeptides, which may be used of the treatment of neurological diseases or disorders.

Abstract: A high efficiency plasma activation system for large scale treatment of liquid including a liquid tank; a pump having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the liquid tank; a self-suction mechanism having a liquid inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the pump, an air inlet, and an outlet fluidly connected to an inlet of the liquid tank; and a plasma generator having a plasma discharge nozzle positioned adjacent to the air inlet of the self-suction mechanism and configured to discharge gas phase plasma into the air inlet of the self-suction mechanism and introduce micro/nano bubbles (MNBs) into a flow of liquid to be treated to where the MNBs collapse to agitate and impregnate the liquid with a gas, for highly efficient plasma activation of liquid on a large scale as a green and sustainable technology for disinfection in the food industry and agriculture.

Abstract: A system for delivering fertilizer to the roots of a plant includes coated fertilizer particles. The coating can include a cellulose derivative, optionally a fatty acid, and a component, such as an aptamer, which binds specifically to a material, such as serine, which is released by the roots of the plant when the plant is actively taking up nutrients from the soil. The permeability of the coating increases when the coated particles are exposed to the material released by the roots of the plant. Thus, nutrient release from the coated fertilizer particles is synchronized with uptake of the nutrients by the plant during active growth. Advantages of the system may include one or more of improved nitrogen use efficiency by the plant, improved crop productivity, and/or reduced leaching of fertilizer from the soil.

Abstract: A regional lung deposition system including a throat simulation device, an electrostatic neutralizer, and a first filter positioned within a first filter housing. The electrostatic neutralizer is positioned downstream of an in fluid communication with the throat simulation device. The filter housing is positioned downstream of and in fluid communication with the electrostatic neutralizer. The first filter that is positioned within the filter housing is downstream of the throat simulation device and the electrostatic neutralizer. The regional lung deposition system mimics tracheobronchial (TB) deposition of pharmaceutical aerosols emitted by commercially available dry powder inhalers (DPIs) to provide an in vitro method to rapidly evaluate regional lung doses delivered by pharmaceutical inhalers directly using variable inhalation profiles.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an immunogenic composition comprising: a) i) a hepatitis C virus (HCV) heterodimeric polypeptide that includes HCV E1 and E2 polypeptides; ii) an HCV E1 polypeptide; or iii) an HCV E2 polypeptide; b) a polypeptide (also referred to herein as a “T-cell epitope polypeptide” or an “HCV T-cell epitope polypeptide”) comprising T-cell epitopes (e.g., CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell epitopes that are conserved among some HCV genotypes and that are presented through one or multiple HLA alleles common within the human population) present in an HCV protein other than E1 and E2; and c) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The present disclosure provides a method of inducing an immune response, in an individual, to an HCV polypeptide.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides immunogenic compositions comprising: a) hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1E2 heterodimers, HCV E2, or HCV E1; and b) an adjuvant, where the adjuvant is a cyclic dinucleotide or an archaeosome. The present disclosure provides methods of inducing an immune response in an individual to HCV, the methods comprising administering to an individual an effective amount of an immunogenic composition of the present disclosure.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides heterodimeric polypeptides comprising: 1) a variant hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 polypeptide and an HCV E1 polypeptide; 2) a variant HCV E1 polypeptide and an HCV E2 polypeptide; or 3) a variant HCV E1 polypeptide and a variant HCV E2 polypeptide, where the variant HCV E2 polypeptide and/or the HCV E1 polypeptide comprises one or more T cell epitopes, present in an HCV polypeptide other than an HCV E1 polypeptide or an HCV E2 polypeptide. The present disclosure provides nucleic acids encoding a polyprotein that includes E1 and variant E2, E2 and variant E1, or variant E2 and variant E1. The present disclosure provides a method of producing an E1/E2 heterodimer of the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides a method of inducing an immune response in an individual. The present disclosure provides variant E2 polypeptides and variant E1 polypeptides; and nucleic acids encoding same.

Abstract: There is provided a molecule comprising a chain of seven or more contiguous units of 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose each pair of units joined by a C1-C2 or a C1-C3 link, the chain having a terminal end and a reducing end, wherein the pyranose ring in the unit of the chain most distal from the reducing end is linked to a cap structure. The cap structure is not a 4,6-dideoxy-4-acylamido-?-pyranose. There are also provided vaccine compositions comprising the molecule and methods of vaccinating an animal against infection by a Brucella organism, including methods of distinguishing between a vaccinated and an infected animal. There are further provided novel methods of detecting the presence in a sample of an anti-Brucella antibody.

Abstract: A quantum random number generator (QRNG) that includes at least one potential well and an electron detector outputting unique signals for quantized electron occupations as a source of random numbers. The at least one potential well including at least one exactingly placed dangling bond (DB) that is biased via a control wire. The DB extends from a silicon atom or from a germanium atom. Additionally, a method of operating the quantum random number generator includes measuring the unique signals as low/high current values or times between output transitions to assign maximal and minimal values leading to a constant stream of the source of random numbers.

Abstract: A waveguide assembly integrated with a semiconductor wafer is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a waveguide channel defined by internal walls of the wafer lined with a metallic layer, and having at least one port for transmission of the RF signal into or out of the waveguide channel. The waveguide assembly also includes a semiconductor obstacle member disposed in the waveguide channel. The waveguide assembly may be fabricated using etching and deposition processes for semiconductor devices. In use, selectively varying either one or both of frequency or power level of electromagnetic radiation applied to the obstacle member varies electrical conductance of the obstacle member, and thereby varies the electrical impedance of the obstacle member to transmission of the RF signal through the waveguide channel. The waveguide assembly may be used for switching, attenuating, routing, filtering, and transforming the RF signal.