Abstract: Devices and systems for analyzing biological samples are provided. Devices include a hollow body extending from a first end to a second end. The body defines a sample collecting portion. A first opening at the first end of the body is operable to receive a source of negative pressure and a second opening at the second end of the body is operable to receive a biological sample. The body also includes an optically transparent region disposed in a region corresponding to the sample collecting portion, the optically transparent region being configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough from an imaging device capable of imaging the biological sample when disposed in the sample collecting portion.

Abstract: Compositions suitable for reversibly storing heat in thermal energy systems (TES) include a salt hydrate represented by the formula: MXq.nH2O. M is a cation selected from Groups 1 to 14 of the IUPAC Periodic Table, X is a halide of Group 17, q ranges from 1 to 4, and n ranges from 1 to 12. The cation (M) may have an electronegativity of ? about 1.8 and a molar mass ? about 28 g/mol. The anion (X) may have an electronegativity of ? about 2.9 to ? about 3.2. A distance between a cation (M) and coordinating water molecules (H2O) is ? about 2.1 ?. Thermal energy systems (TES) incorporating such compositions are also provided that are configured to reversibly store heat in the thermal energy system (TES) via an endothermic dehydration reaction and to release heat in in the thermal energy system (TES) via an exothermic hydration reaction.

Abstract: Provided herein are particles comprising compounds having a steroid core structure, or salts or esters thereof, and transition metal nanoparticles. Also provided herein are compositions comprising the particles, and methods of using the particles, for example in methods of treating liver disorders or for fat reduction.

Abstract: A gas delivery device includes a nitric oxide generating system. The system has a medium including i) a source of nitrite ions, or ii) a source of nitrite ions and a Cu(II)-ligand complex. A working electrode is in contact with the medium, wherein i) when the medium includes the source of nitrite ions, the working electrode is a copper containing conductive material or a base material coated with a copper containing conductive material, or ii) when the medium includes the source of nitrite ions and the Cu(II)-ligand complex, the working electrode is platinum, gold, carbon, a carbon coated material, and/or mercury. A reference/counter electrode is in contact with the medium and electrically isolated from the working electrode. An inlet conduit is to deliver oxygen gas to the medium, and an outlet conduit is to transport a stream of oxygen gas and nitric oxide from the medium.

Abstract: Self-assembly methods are provided for making hedgehog-shaped microparticles or nanoparticles. The method may comprise combining a metal-containing (e.g., Fe, Au) precursor, a chalcogen-containing precursor (e.g., Se, S), and a self-assembly additive (e.g., dodecanethiol (DT), oleylamine (OLA), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)). At least one hedgehog-shaped nanoscale, mesoscale, or microscale particle is formed that defines a core region formed of a first material and a plurality of needles connected to and substantially orthogonal to a surface of the core region. The needles comprise a second material. At least one of the first or the second material comprises iron or gold and optionally selenium or sulfur, for example, iron diselenide (FeSe2). Hedgehog-shaped microparticles or nanoparticles formed from such self-assembly methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method for selective labelling of necrotic cells including incubating the cells in a solution including a Ln(III)Zn16(HA ligand)16 metallacrown complex, wherein the HA ligand is a hydroximate ligand.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2-specific peptide reagents, methods for detecting epithelial-derived cancer cells such as esophageal, colorectal, gastric, pancreatic or breast carcinoma cells using the peptide reagents, and methods for targeting such cells using the peptide reagents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the treatment of cancer and to the prevention of cancer growth and/or metastasis. In particular, the invention relates to cellular and acellular vaccines containing C3d, a proteolytic product of complement (C3), and methods of enhancing a host immune response (e.g., a T cell mediated immune response) against cancers using same. Compositions and methods of the invention find use, alone or in conjunction with other cancer therapies, in treating lymphoma and/or cancers that develop and/or persist by evading host immune surveillance and/or responses (e.g., T-cell mediated immune responses). Compositions and methods of the invention find use in both clinical and research settings, for example, within the fields of biology, immunology, medicine, and oncology.

Abstract: A method of directly joining a polymer to a metal along a joint interface through the formation of C—O-M chemical bonds, where M represents an element in the metal to be joined. The method includes heating the metal to a predetermined temperature above a glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than a flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than a metal melting temperature of the metal; physically contacting at least one of the metal and the polymer; and applying compression pressure to the joint interface of the metal and the polymer when the metal is above the glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than the flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than the metal melting temperature of the metal to generate intimate atomic contact between the metal and the polymer to create C—O-M chemical bonds between the metal and the polymer.

Abstract: This disclosure provides miRNA/mRNA pairs that can be used to increase the efficacy of T cells or to down-modulate T cell efficacy and restore equilibrium.

Abstract: A microfluidic device system includes a channel having an entrance and an exit, a height at the entrance being greater than a height at the exit. The height of the channel may decrease continuously from the height at the entrance to the height at the exit. Cells or particles or beads traveling through the channel become trapped based on their size and/or deformability. A visual sensor captures images of the trapped cells or particles or beads, and image software analyzes the captured images to provide size and/or deformability and/or fluorescence information. A method of fabricating such a microfluidic device includes introducing a glass wafer to an etching solution at a specific rate such that a first end of the glass wafer is etched longer than other portions of the glass wafer.

Abstract: A handheld cryoanesthesia or analgesia device for cooling a target area on cutaneous membranes, mucous membranes, and tissue of the mucocutaneous zone having an elongated body and a thermoelectric cooling system disposed within the elongated body. The thermoelectric cooling system is configured to physically contact and thermally couple the target area of the cutaneous membranes, mucous membranes, and tissue of the mucocutaneous zone to induce cryoanesthesia or analgesia. The thermoelectric cooling system includes a thermally-conductive cold tip, a thermally-conductive cooling power concentrator thermally coupled to the cold tip, at least one Peltier unit module thermally coupled to the cooling power concentrator, a heatsink thermally coupled to at least one Peltier unit module, a power source, at least one thermal sensor, and a controller operably outputting a control signal to the Peltier unit module to maintain a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for cancer diagnosis, research and therapy, including but not limited to, cancer markers. In particular, the present invention relates to ncRNAs as diagnostic markers and clinical targets for prostate, lung, breast and pancreatic cancer.

Abstract: A vibration absorber damper and method of dissipating vibration energy in a rotatable structure which is nominally cyclic symmetric. The nominally cyclic symmetric structure includes a hub portion having a rotational axis and a plurality of radial members radially extending from the hub portion. The hub portions having a groove extending circumferentially about the rotational axis. The vibrational absorber having a ring member having a plurality of repetitive cellular structures each defining a hollow interior section and a plurality of deformable members each extending from the ring member and disposed in a corresponding one of the repetitive cellular structures. Each of the deformable members is configured to interact with the cyclic symmetric structure to damp vibration thereof.

Abstract: Provided herein are combinations of therapeutic agents useful for the treatment of cerebellar ataxia and methods of use thereof. In particular, embodiments herein baclofen and chlorzoxazone are administered for the treatment of cerebellar ataxia.

Abstract: A method is presented for reducing glare in images captured by an imaging system. As a starting point, multiple images of a scene are captured by an imaging system to form a set of images, where the imaging system includes a voltage tunable polarizer and each image in the set of images is captured with the voltage tunable polarizer set at a different polarization angle. The method further includes: partitioning each image in the set of images into a plurality of segments; for corresponding segments in the set of images, determining an amount of change in intensity across corresponding segments of images; quantifying the amount of intensity change for each image in the set of images; and identifying a given image from the set of images based on the quantified amount of intensity change, where the given image has least amount of intensity change amongst the set of images.

Abstract: Anatomical and functional assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) using machine learning and computational modeling techniques deploying methodologies for non-invasive Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) quantification based on angiographically derived anatomy and hemodynamics data, relying on machine learning algorithms for image segmentation and flow assessment, and relying on accurate physics-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation for computation of the FFR.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide containers instantiated for each user equipment (UE), or on “per-UE” bases, which consolidate certain network functions for processing UE traffic into an efficient, in-network, and proximate virtualization to reduce latency and increase customizability.

Abstract: A system and method of carrying out a remedial vehicle action in response to determining an error in a monitored vehicle sensor, the method include: determining a vehicle true velocity vector based on measurements from vehicle operations sensors; determining a monitored sensor velocity vector based on measurements from the monitored vehicle sensor; when it is determined that the vehicle true velocity vector is different than the monitored sensor velocity vector, then testing for a first component error, wherein the testing for the first component error includes calculating a first component error value based on a first component measured value and a first component corrected value, and when one or more measured vector components of the monitored sensor velocity vector are determined to be erroneous, them carrying out a remedial vehicle action.

Abstract: A transvaginal stimulation device comprises a probe body sized to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of a female patient. The probe body has a stimulating side defined by a length and a width of the probe body. The transvaginal stimulation device further comprises a pair of electrodes disposed on the stimulating side of the probe body and laterally spaced from each other. A method for treating stress urinary incontinence in a female patient comprises inserting the intravaginal device into a vaginal cavity of the female patient, positioning the pair of electrodes against an anterior wall of the vagina of the female patient, and conveying stimulation energy between the pair of electrodes to stimulate at least one muscle of a urethral sphincter muscle of the female patient without substantially stimulating pelvic floor muscles of the female patient.