Abstract: A high efficiency microfluidic biobarrier platform, system, and method permit an in vitro examination of a biobarrier under physiological flow conditions. The platform comprises an inlet, a first member, and an outlet. The inlet receives an influx of fluid. The first member retains the biobarrier, and the member includes a channel in fluid communication with the inlet to receive the fluid and to pass the fluid adjacent to the biobarrier. The outlet directs an outflux of the fluid. The microfluidic platform features built-in plastic electrodes to assess changes in biobarrier impedance in real-time. A system includes the platform, a pump to provide the fluid, a media collecting reservoir to receive the fluid from the platform, and an impedance analyzer to measure changes in biobarrier impedance. A method uses the platform in the system to determine the integrity of the biobarrier and its permeability across the cell barrier.

Abstract: A device for hand rehabilitation includes a glove to be donned on a user's hand, and a wrist flexion assembly that facilitates passive or assisted ulnar/radial flexion of the user's wrist. The wrist flexion assembly includes a first wrist actuator and a second wrist actuator, each of which is attached to the glove. In one embodiment, a wrist rotation assembly is attached to the glove and cooperates with the wrist flexion assembly to provide for passive or assisted supination/pronation of the user's wrist. Further, at least one finger actuation assembly can be attached to the glove for passive or assisted flexion/extension of a corresponding finger of the user.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of transgenic hookworm compositions and systems and methods of use thereof. The present teachings include compositions for a transgenic hookworm that treats a disease, condition, or indication. Also disclosed is a personal protective biosystem based on the transgenic hookworm, and methods to treat a disease, condition, or indication of a subject using transgenic hookworm compositions.

Abstract: Myopeptides are provided, which include a myosin S2 fragment having at least 90% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence consisting of VKEMTERLEDEEEMNAELTAKK (SEQ ID NO: 1); and, optionally, a cardiac-homing peptide tag. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use of the myopeptides and pharmaceutical compositions in the treatment of heart failure.

Abstract: A method for detecting internal coating defects in a pipe sample with an electromagnetic acoustic transducer sensor. The method includes recording a plurality of Lamb mode scans of the pipe sample with the EMAT sensor, where each Lamb mode scan is measured along a length of the pipe sample in axial alignment with the pipe sample; and processing the Lamb mode scans by applying a singular spectrum analysis to the Lamb mode scans to generate data from which the internal coating defects in the pipe sample are identified. The Lamb mode scans are at a frequency from dispersion curve of from 0.3 to 2 MHz, at a frequency of from 0.4 MHz to 2 MHz, a group velocity of from 1 mm/?s to 3 mm/?s, a phase velocity of from 5 mm/?s to 25 mm/?s, and a wave count of from 3 to 10.

Abstract: The CRISPR-Cas12a system is more advantageous than the widely used CRISPR-Cas9 system in terms of specificity and multiplexibility. However, its on-target editing efficiency is typically much lower than that of the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Provided herein are methods and compositions for improvement of Cas12a on-target editing efficiency by incorporating 2-aminoadenine (base Z, which alters canonical Watson-Crick base pairing) into the crRNA to increase the binding affinity between crRNA and its complementary DNA target. The resulting CRISPR-Cas12a (named zCRISPR-Cas12a thereafter) shows an on-target editing efficiency comparable to that of the CRISPR-Cas9 system but with much lower off-target effects than the CRISPR-Cas9 system in mammalian cells. In addition, zCRISPR-Cas12a can be used for precise gene knock-in and highly efficient multiplex genome editing. Overall, the zCRISPR-Cas12a systems are superior to the CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a novel magnetic nanoparticle-assisted genome editing (MAGE) platform, which significantly improves transfection efficiency and biocompatibility in stem cells as well as the efficiency of CRISPR-Cas systems. Due to the great potential of CRISPR-Cas systems, the disclosed MAGE platform can be used for a host of applications in stem cell therapy for genetic disorders.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods of treating a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a population of modified immune cells, which comprises one or more modified immune cells having decreased expression of one or more components of the SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gen5-acetyltransferase) complex, relative to an unmodified immune cell. In some aspects, the immune cell comprises a chimeric antigen receptor or a T cell receptor. In some aspects. the immune cell is a T cell, an NK cell, or a tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL).

Abstract: An engineered cementitious composite (ECC) that forms extremely durable concrete (EDC) is provide that includes Portland cement binder, a tire-derived rubber granular component (e.g., crumb rubber), a calcined clay component comprising a calcined clay, Portland cement component, and limestone, water, a superplasticizer, a polymeric or natural fiber, and optionally further including silica sand, microsilica, fly ash, a cellulose-based viscosity modifier, microsilica, or combinations thereof. Such an engineered cementitious composite has a tensile strain capacity of greater than or equal to about 3% and an ultimate tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 2.2 MPa. Such an ECC has high toughness and can be loaded in both tension and compression having a built-in capability of crack width control without the need for steel reinforcement.

Abstract: A curable composition includes at least one polyamine; an epoxy resin; and a silane-modified biosilica material. The silane-modified biosilica material is derived from rice husk and is present in the curable composition at a concentration of 0.01 to 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the curable composition. The silane-modified biosilica material has an average particle size of 1 to 10 micrometers (?m). A method of making a cured composite material from the curable composition.

Abstract: A video decoding device generates a palette table for the current block, derives an index map by using adjacent information of the current block, and reconstructs samples of the current block based on the index map and the palette table. The adjacent information of the current block includes a neighboring block vector of the current block or a template within a previously reconstructed neighboring region of the current block. The index map includes the current block's per-sample index which indicates an entry in the palette table with a color value corresponding to a sample of the current block.

Abstract: Methods and systems for computer-assisted contour revision. An image slice may be selected from a medical image. The image slice may include an initial contour of a target anatomical structure in the medical image. At least a portion of the image slice and the initial contour may be displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI). Upon determining that the initial contour requires revision, a revised contour may be generated. A first input may be received from a user to the GUI to indicate a first point of revision. The medical image, the first input, and the initial contour may be input into a trained deep neural network that automatically extracts learned image characteristics. The extracted learned image characteristics may be processed using one or more deep-learning segmentation algorithms of the trained deep neural network. The revised contour may be automatically generated using the processed extracted learned image characteristics.

Abstract: A use of a ferroptosis inhibitor in preparation of a drug for treating gastritis is provided. The ferroptosis inhibitor includes ferrostatin-1 or a derivative, isomer, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient, and further includes a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, an excipient, a diluent, an adjuvant, a vehicle, or a combination thereof. The present disclosure discovers that the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 can effectively inhibit a pathological process of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), and in vivo and in vitro experiments confirm that the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 can be used for prevention and treatment of CAG, which can provide a new idea for development and innovation of drugs for treating CAG.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preventing or treating a peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in a subject in need thereof, including administering an effective amount of a chemokine C-C motif ligand 7 (CCL7) antagonist to the subject to inhibit CCL7 activity.

Abstract: A method of preventing or treating poor ovarian response syndrome, including administering a pharmaceutical composition containing an RGMc-derived protein. A pharmaceutical composition for preventing, treating or ameliorating infertility, containing an RGMc-derived protein, where the infertility is infertility due to poor ovarian response syndrome. A pharmaceutical composition for promoting pregnancy, containing an RGMc-derived protein.

Abstract: Provided are Fc variants having improved half-life by binding to and unbinding from FcRn in a pH-dependent manner, which have improved capacity to selectively bind to Fc? receptors. The human Fc domain variants have lower capacity to bind to immune-inhibiting receptor Fc?RIIb and have higher capacity to bind to immune activating receptor Fc?RIIIa (increased A/I ratio) than a wild-type human antibody Fc domain and conventional antibodies approved as antibody therapeutic agents, thereby having remarkably improved ADCC induction ability and having maximized half-life in blood in which excellent pH-selective FcRn binding and unbinding capacity is exhibited, and thus bind to numerous peptide drug therapeutics having a low half-life and retention time in the body to enable the peptide drug therapeutics to have an increased blood half-life and exhibit long-term drug efficacy, and can maximize the immune mechanism of therapeutic protein drugs to be effectively used as an improved antibody drug.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for determining an ore-forming environment of a porphyry deposit based on a tourmaline component, including the following steps: collecting a tourmaline-containing rock in the porphyry deposit to obtain a rock sample; performing pretreatment on the rock sample to obtain a treated sample; performing an in-situ tourmaline trace element test on the treated sample to obtain a test result; performing data processing and interpretation on the test result to obtain tourmaline trace element data; establishing a discrimination factor based on the tourmaline trace element data; and determining the ore-forming environment based on the discrimination factor. The present disclosure can quickly recognize a forming environment of a newly discovered porphyry deposit, thereby summarizing a rule and quickly giving guidance for a next prospecting direction.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of MHC-independent T cell receptor (miTCR) compositions and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Systems and methods for human-robot communication. More particularly, some embodiments use augmented reality to facilitate communication of robot intention and teleoperation in human-robot cooperative environments. Various embodiments of the present technology provide a middleware that integrates augmented reality (AR) with novel teleoperation interfaces to increase operation effectiveness, support the user in conducting concurrent work, and decrease stress. Various embodiments provide predictive graphical interfaces such that a teleoperator controls a virtual robot surrogate, rather than directly operating the robot itself, providing the user with foresight regarding where the physical robot will end up and how it will get there. In accordance with various embodiments a user may select between two AR interfaces using such a surrogate: one focused on real-time control and one inspired by waypoint delegation.

Abstract: Wellbore treatment fluids are provided that include an aqueous component and an amphiphilic hyperbranched copolymer comprising the polymerized reaction product of at least a first monomer and a second monomer, where the first monomer comprises at least one surface reactive end group chosen from the group consisting of carboxylates, phosphonates, sulfonates, and zwitterions. Also provided are methods of modifying subsurface energy of a carbonate formation using the wellbore treatment fluids.