Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for generating microfluidic gradients, including an array of unique microfluidic gradients within an array of microchannels. Fluids within conduits are mixed in an intersection region to generate a mixed flow stream in a source reservoir channel that provides a gradient that varies with axial distance from the intersection region. Microchannels having an inlet connected to the source reservoir channel are configured to provide a microfluidic gradient in the microchannel. An outlet end of the microchannel is connected to a sink reservoir channel. By varying the ratio of fluid flow rates from the fluid conduits, the microchannel gradients are tuned. In this manner, a large number of unique gradients or array of microfluidic gradients is provided, wherein the gradient can be any number of physical or chemical parameters, including concentrations and physical fluid properties.

Abstract: A fluidics apparatus for manipulation of at least one fluid sample is disclosed. A manipulation surface locates the fluid sample. A surface acoustic wave (SAW) generation material layer is provided. This is a polycrystalline material, textured polycrystalline material, biaxially textured polycrystalline material, microcrystalline material, nanocrystalline material, amorphous material or composite material. A transducer electrode structure arranged at the SAW generation material layer provides SAWs at the manipulation surface for interaction with the fluid sample. The manipulation surface has a phononic structure, for affecting the transmission, distribution and/or behavior of SAWs at the manipulation surface. The apparatus is typically manufactured by reel-to-reel processes, to reduce the unit cost to a level at which the apparatus can be considered to be disposable after a single use.

Abstract: The Portable Ultrafine Particle Sizer (PUPS) invention is provided. The PUPS is an instrument which can measure particle number concentration for particle sizes under 200 nanometers in-situ. The PUPS is a compact design for quick mounting on vehicles. Size discrimination is accomplished using a compact reverse Differential Mobility Analyzer (rDMA). Particle charging is accomplished using corona ionization. Concentration measurements are completed using a unique flexible printed circuit board electrode which can be removed for cleaning, disposal or chemical analysis of collected particles at the end of its in situ measurement life.

Abstract: Methods for the recovery of lipids, sugars, and proteins from microbial biomass by enzymatic digestion are disclosed. The methods involve treating microalgae with a fungal acid protease, or with a mixture of at least one protease and at least one amylase.

Abstract: A variety of targeting moiety peptide epitope complexes (TPECs) are described in different embodiments. In each of the embodiments, however, a targeting moiety may be used to deliver the TPEC to an area of unwanted cells, allowing for a therapeutic effect to be delivered locally. The TPEC also contains a plurality of T-cell epitopes. The TPEC further comprises cleavage sites that release the T-cell epitopes from the targeting agent, and in some embodiments from each other, when they are in the microenvironment of the unwanted cells. Although the arrangement and number of T-cell epitopes varies in different embodiments described herein, once cleaved from the targeting agent (and any neighboring T-cell epitopes), the T-cell epitopes function by stimulating an immune response against the unwanted cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to improved cardiac pacemakers and methods of use thereof. In particular the cardiac pacemakers are useful for normalizing heart rates over resting heart rates in order to condition the heart to improve overall cardiac output.

Abstract: Methods for characterizing two-dimensional concept drawings are disclosed. The concept drawings comprise cross-sections intersecting at cross-hairs. The method comprises: determining, for each cross-section: a plane on which the cross-section is located, the plane having a normal vector in a three-dimensional coordinate system; and, for each cross-hair on the cross-section, a tangent vector in the three-dimensional coordinate system which is tangent to the cross-section at the cross-hair. For each cross-hair comprising ith and jth intersecting cross-sections, one or more constraints are satisfied, the constraints comprising: the normal vector ni of the plane on which the ith cross-section is located is at least approximately orthogonal to the normal vector nj of the plane on which the jth cross-section is located; and the tangent vector tij to the ith cross-section at the cross-hair is at least approximately orthogonal to the tangent vector tji to the jth cross-section at the cross-hair.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter relates to nitric oxide-releasing particles for delivering nitric oxide, and their use in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Abstract: A non-reciprocal device incorporating metamaterials which exhibit non-reciprocity through angular momentum biasing. The metamaterial, such as a ring resonator, is angular-momentum biased. This is achieved by applying a suitable mechanical or spatio-temporal modulation to resonant inclusions of the metamaterial, thereby producing strong non-reciprocity. In this manner, non-reciprocity can be produced without requiring the use of large and bulky magnets to produce a static magnetic field. The metamaterials of the present invention can be realized by semiconducting and/or metallic materials which are widely used in integrated circuit technology, and therefore, contrary to magneto-optical materials, can be easily integrated into the non-reciprocal devices and large microwave or optical systems. The metamaterials of the present invention can be compact at various frequencies due to the enhanced wave-matter interaction in the constituent resonant inclusions.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter relates to nitric oxide-releasing particles for delivering nitric oxide, and their use in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Abstract: Therapeutic agents which target heat shock protein (hsp) 27 in vivo are used to provide treatment to individuals, particularly human individuals, suffering from prostate cancer and other cancers that overexpress hsp27. A therapeutic agent, for example an antisense oligonucleotide or RNAi nucleotide inhibitor with sequence specificity for hsp27 mRNA, for example human hsp27 mRNA, is administered to an individual suffering from prostate cancer or some other cancer expressing elevated levels of hsp 27 in a therapeutically effective amount. The therapeutic agent is suitably formulated into a pharmaceutical composition which includes a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and packaged in dosage unit form. A preferred dosage unit form is an injectable dosage unit form.

Abstract: The invention provides a culture of patterned cardiomyocytes, the culture including a support substrate bearing a multielectrode array, a negative surface resistant to cell attachment and deposited on the support substrate covering the multi-electrode array, a pattern ablated on the negative surface, a positive surface promoting cell attachment deposited on the pattern ablated on the negative surface; and cardiomyocytes adherent to the positive surface and growing aligned along the pattern ablated on the negative surface. The invention also includes a method of making the culture of patterned cardiomyocytes and a method of in vitro method of testing the effect of a compound on cardiac function by measuring electrical output from the patterned cardiomyocytes.

Abstract: The present invention provides avian CSF1 genes encoding proteins which bind avian colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and which exhibit immunomodulatory properties.

Abstract: An electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometer analysis systems include an ESI device with at least one emitter configured to electrospray ions and a mass spectrometer in fluid communication with the at least one emitter of the ESI device. The mass spectrometer includes a mass analyzer held in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is configured to have a high (background/gas) pressure of about 50 mTorr or greater during operation. During operation, the ESI device is configured to either; (a) electrospray ions into a spatial region external to the vacuum chamber and at atmospheric pressure, the spatial extent being adjacent to an inlet device attached to the vacuum chamber, the inlet device intakes the electrosprayed ions external to the vacuum chamber with the mass analyzer and discharges the ions into the vacuum chamber with the mass analyzer; or (b) electrospray ions directly into the vacuum chamber with the mass analyzer.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to BAX activators and therapeutic uses relates thereto. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing cancer, such as lung cancer, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound disclosed herein or pharmaceutically acceptable salt to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of achieving directed evolution of viruses by in vivo screening or “panning” to identify viruses comprising scrambled AAV capsids having characteristics of interest, e.g., tropism profile and/or neutralization profile (e.g., ability to evade neutralizing antibodies). The invention also provides scrambled AAV capsids and virus particles comprising the same.

Abstract: Systems and methods exposing a sample of atoms to an electromagnetic (EM) field. The EM includes one or more frequencies. The EM field is configured to promote at least a subset of the sample of atoms to one or more excited states based at least upon the one or more frequencies. The one or more excited states are low-lying, metastable states. Furthermore, the subset of the sample of atoms is ionized based at least upon the subset of the sample of atoms being at the one or more excited states.

Abstract: The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for systems, devices, products, and methods for detecting and identifying microbial organisms in a sample as well as testing antimicrobial susceptibility of microbial organisms.

Abstract: A family of silicone rubbers (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane) carrying one or more cyanoacrylate groups and their methods of production are provided. These silicone rubbers endowed with cyanoacrylate groups are useful in a variety of wound care applications, including wound closures, adhesives, sealants and skin protectors. The silicone rubber moiety provides oxygen and moisture permeability (i.e., “breathability”), biocompatibility, optical transparency, and good mechanical properties, while the cyanoacrylate group imparts instantaneous adhesion/attachment to living tissues such as skin on par with that of contemporary cyanoacrylate-based wound care products.