Abstract: Described herein is a method to create dendritic biocompatible polymers from pairs of complementary dendritic nucleic acid monomers in a controlled manner, using polymerization triggers. The dendritic monomers are constituted of nucleic acids and an organic polymer capable of self-assembly. A variety of additional improvements are described herein, including processes not requiring snap cooling, “wobble clamp” designs to confer a transitory measure of hairpin stability prior to branch migration, and multiple assemblies of amplifying systems. Depending on the context this technology could be used to reveal the presence of a large variety of analytes such as specific nucleic acid molecules, small molecules, proteins, and peptides.

Abstract: A method for monitoring and understanding interpersonal relationships includes a step of monitoring interpersonal relations of a couple or group of interpersonally connected users with a plurality of smart devices by collecting data streams from the smart devices. Representations of interpersonal relationships are formed for increasing knowledge about relationship functioning and detecting interpersonally-relevant mood states and events. Feedback and/or goals are provided to one or more users to increase awareness about relationship functioning.

Abstract: Thin parylene C membranes having smooth front sides and ultrathin regions (e.g., 0.01 ?m to 5 ?m thick) interspersed with thicker regions are disclosed. The back sides of the membranes can be rough compared with the smooth front sides. The membranes can be used in vitro to grow monolayers of cells in a laboratory or in vivo as surgically implantable growth layers, such as to replace the Bruch's membrane in the eye. The thin regions of parylene are semipermeable to allow for proteins in serum to pass through, and the thick regions give mechanical support for handling by a surgeon. The smooth front side allows for monolayer cell growth, and the rough back side helps prevents cells from attaching there.

Abstract: A vehicle is described, and includes an on-board controller, an extra-vehicle communication system, a GPS sensor, a spatial monitoring system, and a navigation system that employs an on-vehicle navigation map. Operation includes capturing a 3D sensor representation of a field of view and an associated GPS location, executing a feature extraction routine, executing a semantic segmentation of the extracted features, executing a simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) of the extracted features, executing a context extraction from the simultaneous location and mapping of the extracted features, and updating the on-vehicle navigation map based thereon. A parsimonious map representation is generated based upon the updated on-vehicle navigation map, and is communicated to a second, off-board controller. The second controller executes a sparse map stitching to update a base navigation map based upon the parsimonious map representation. The on-vehicle navigation map is updated based upon the off-board navigation map.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for assessing cytotoxicity of an agent. The methods include providing a target cell that has been engineered to express intracellularly a reporter that is not expressed endogenously by the target cell, exposing the target cell to an agent capable of modulating cytotoxicity and assaying the activity of the reporter, wherein a change in reporter activity relative to a reference value is indicative of the agent being able to modulate cytotoxicity of the target cell.

Abstract: An optimally stopped heuristic optimizer includes a processor. The processor heuristically generates a sequence of proposed solutions for solving a discrete optimization problem associated with an objective function, and for each additional proposed solution of the sequence, derives an estimate of a quality distribution that is based on the sequence including the additional proposed solution. The quality distribution assigns a probability to each of the proposed solutions according to quality of the proposed solution. The processor further, responsive to a most recent additional proposed solution of the sequence having quality better than a quality threshold that is defined by the estimate corresponding to the sequence including the most recent additional proposed solution, commands a stop such that further proposed solutions to the discrete optimization problem are no longer generated, and identifies and outputs a selected one of the sequence having best quality.

Abstract: An SFQ circuit system includes at least one SFQ block having a plurality of SFQ logic gates. Characteristically, at least a portion of the SFQ logic gates are arranged in series. The SFQ circuit system includes a timing system configured to provide a first set of inputs and collect a first set of outputs of the at least one SFQ block at a rate defined by a slow clock frequency while the SFQ logic gates are clocked at a fast clock frequency. Advantageously, the rate is sufficiently slow to allow the first set of inputs to propagate through all levels of the SFQ logic gates to produce the first set of outputs of the at least one SFQ block without colliding with a second set of inputs to the at least one SFQ block.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present disclosure, an oxygen-generating bioelectrical reactor comprises two chambers, a first oxidative chamber configured for the abiotic oxidation of water to generate molecular oxygen, and a second reductive chamber configured for the biotic reduction of an insoluble metal(loid) oxide or hydroxide. In various embodiments, the biotic reduction comprises microbially-catalyzed metal(loid) ion reduction of the insoluble metal(loid) oxide or hydroxide, wherein a dissimilatory metal(loid) reducing microorganism transfers electrons obtained from the oxidation of the water extracellularly to the metal(loid) ions.

Abstract: A fasting mimicking diet package providing daily meal portions for a predetermined number of days is provided. The fasting mimicking diet package includes a kale cracker composition, a first vegetable broth composition, a mushroom soup composition, a tomato soup composition, a quinoa-containing minestrone soup composition, a bean-containing minestrone soup composition, and a pumpkin soup composition. Characteristically, the daily meal portions are packaged into meal servings or into a total daily serving to be divided into meals.

Abstract: Novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and methods of using such ADCs to treat proliferative disorders are described herein. The ADCs may comprise a PARP protein automodified with a plurality of poly-ADP-ribose polymers functionalized with novel NAD+ analogues. The automodified PARP with functionalized poly-ADP-ribose polymers provide a novel type of drug carrier, which allows facile conjugation of monoclonal antibodies and cytotoxic drug in high ratios.

Abstract: A fully-implantable brain-computer interface cyber-physical system capable of acquiring and analyzing electrocorticogram (“ECoG”) signals, recorded directly from the subdural space of the brain, to enable direct brain control of a prosthetic (e.g., a robotic gait exoskeleton or a functional electrical stimulation (“FES”) system) is disclosed. The present system comprises a plurality of electrodes, for acquiring the ECoG signals, and a digital signal processor (“DSP”) for deriving a plurality of real-time commands from the ECoG signals. These real-time commands may then be wirelessly transmitted to the prosthetic for execution. Further, to avoid wireless data transmission of the ECoG signals from the plurality of electrodes to the DSP, which would expose the brain, skull, and scalp tissue to potentially harmful radio frequencies, a subcutaneous tunneling cable operatively couples the plurality of electrodes and the DSP.

Abstract: A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.

Abstract: The invention shows how to use noise-like perturbations to improve the speed and accuracy of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimates and large-scale optimization, simulated annealing optimization, and quantum annealing for large-scale optimization.

Abstract: Oncolytic viruses offer an in situ vaccination approach to activate tumor-specific T cell responses. However, the upregulation of PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and immune cells leads to tumor resistance to oncolytic immunotherapy. Herein, we generate an engineered oncolytic virus that coexpresses a PD-L1 inhibitor and GM-CSF. This oncolytic virus is capable of secreting the PD-L1 inhibitor that systemically binds and inhibits PD-L1 on tumor cells and immune cells. The intratumoral injection with the oncolytic virus overcomes PD-L1-mediated immunosuppression during both the priming and effector phases, provokes systemic T cell responses against dominant and subdominant neoantigen epitopes derived from mutations, and leads to an effective rejection of both virus-injected and distant tumors.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for treating wounds and for accelerating the healing of wounds by administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition containing type VII collagen protein, mini-C7 protein, variants thereof or any combinations thereof. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered through a variety of routes including intravenous injection, topical application, or oral ingestion. The method may further include administering a genetically modified fibroblast capable of expressing type VII collagen protein, miniC7 protein, variants thereof or small growth factors to achieve synergistic healing effect.

Abstract: A learning computer system may include a data processing system and a hardware processor and may estimate parameters and states of a stochastic or uncertain system. The system may receive data from a user or other source. Parameters and states of the stochastic or uncertain system are estimated using the received data, numerical perturbations, and previous parameters and states of the stochastic or uncertain system. It is determined whether the generated numerical perturbations satisfy a condition. If the numerical perturbations satisfy the condition, the numerical perturbations are injected into the estimated parameters or states, the received data, the processed data, the masked or filtered data, or the processing units.

Abstract: A method of preparing a 64Cu-BaBaSar-RGD2 solution is provided. The method includes lyophilizing a solution of BaBaSar-RGD2 and adding a 64Cu solution to the lyophilized BaBaSar-RGD2.

Abstract: A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) assisted dielectric imaging method is provided. The method used CNN to incorporate the abundant image information from Magnetic Resonance (MR) images into the inverse scattering model-based microwave imaging process and generate high-fidelity dielectric images. A CNN is designed and trained to learn the complex mapping function from MR T1 images to dielectric images. Once trained, the new patients' MR T1 images are fed into the CNN to generate predicted dielectric images, which are used as the starting image for the microwave inverse scattering imaging. The CNN-predicted dielectric image significantly reduces the non-linearity and ill-posedness of the inverse scattering problem. The application of the proposed method to recover human brain dielectric images at 4 mm and 2 mm resolution with single-frequency and multi-frequency microwave measurements is provided.

Abstract: A quinone derivative with a high redox potential that does not undergo Michael addition or proto-desulfonation. This molecule addresses the key issues faced with the positive side material of an aqueous all-organic flow battery. This new molecule is 2,5-dihydroxy-4,6-dimethylbenzene-1,3-disulfonic acid (or the disulfonate salt thereof). This quinone derivative offers good solubility, electrochemical reversibility, and robustness to charge/discharge cycling. Quinones with reduced crossover are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gene expression panel that can be used to predict prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Some embodiments provide methods for predicting clinical recurrence of PCa. Some embodiments provide a method for predicting progression of prostate cancer in an individual, the method comprising: (a) receiving expression levels of a collection of signature genes from a biological sample taken from said individual, wherein said collection of signature genes comprises at least two genes selected from the group consisting of: NKX2-1, UPK1A, ADRA2C, ABCC11, MMP11, CPVL, ZYG11A, CLEC4F, OAS2, PGC, UPK3B, PCBP3, ABLIM1, EDARADD, GPR81, MYBPC1, F10, KCNA3, GLDC, KCNQ2, RAPGEF1, TUBB2B, MB, DUOXA1, C2orf43, DUOX1, PCA3 and NPR3; (b) applying the expression levels to a predictive model relating expression levels of said collection of signature genes with prostate cancer progression; and (c) evaluating an output of said predictive model to predict progression of prostate cancer in said individual.