Abstract: Kits and methods to distinguish between false and true labor are provided. The kits and methods can utilize differences in abundance and/or differences in the rate of change in abundance of B7-H2, SORC2, TF, C1-Esterase Inhibitor, Ran, IMDH1 and/or PGAM1, as markers of true labor.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal optical element includes an optical waveguide including a first main surface and a second main surface opposed to the first main surface, an alignment film disposed on the second main surface, a liquid crystal layer which overlaps the alignment film, which includes cholesteric liquid crystals, and which reflects at least part of light incident through the optical waveguide toward the optical waveguide, and a transparent first cover member opposed to the liquid crystal layer with a first low-refractive-index layer interposed between the first cover member and the liquid crystal layer, the first low-refractive-index layer having a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a chimeric receptor comprising NKG2D, DAP10 and CD3 zeta. Also disclosed is a composition comprising this chimeric receptor and methods for making and using it to enhance the cytotoxicity and antitumor capacity of NK cells. The invention also encompasses methods for use of NKG2D-DAP10-CD3 zeta polypeptides, vectors and cells in methods for treating cancer and other proliferative disorders, as well as infectious diseases.

Abstract: A dust mass measurement device includes a sensing channel configured to generate a sensing clock signal, a reference channel configured to generate a reference clock signal, a counter configured to generate a first output signal based on the sensing clock signal, and generate a second output signal based on the reference clock signal, and a controller configured to calculate a frequency difference between the sensing clock signal and the reference clock signal based on a difference value between the first output signal and the second output signal, which are received from the counter, and measure a mass of dust based on the calculated frequency difference.

Abstract: A positive electrode with excellent life characteristics and high capacity is provided by using a positive electrode additive of ZrO2-x(0<x<2) to complement structural stability of a high-nickel positive electrode active material. A method of preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery including the positive electrode are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions for treating or preventing a bacterial infection, particularly infection by a Staphylococcus bacterium. The invention provides methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response against the bacteria. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions involve a non-toxigenic Protein A (SpA) variant.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a superhydrophobic surface of an aluminum alloy through laser peening, including the following steps: coating a surface of the aluminum alloy as an absorption layer with an organic component-containing confinement layer to obtain a coated aluminum alloy, where the organic component-containing confinement layer is a mixed organic solution including 5 mL to 10 mL of perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (FOTS), 100 mL to 200 mL of absolute ethanol, and 30 mL to 50 mL of distilled water; and subjecting a surface of the coated aluminum alloy to the laser peening to form the superhydrophobic surface.

Abstract: A method for preparing rare earth alloys by molten salt electrolysis using rare earth oxides as the raw material is provided, where the electrolytic cell used is divided into the anode chamber and the cathode chamber containing melts such as anolyte, catholyte and liquid alloy. The method has the advantages of continuous production, high operability, low requirements on raw material purity and high quality of rare earth alloy products.

Abstract: In an aspect, the invention provides therapeutic agents comprising brush polymers that address challenges associated with conventional administration of free therapeutic peptides. In an embodiment, for example, the invention provides brush polymers incorporating one or more therapeutic peptides comprising a sequence having 75% or greater sequence identity of SEQ ID NO: 1 (LDEETGEFL) as side chain moieties. Therapeutic agents of the invention comprising brush polymers include high-density brush polymers including cross-linked brush polymers, brush block copolymers, and brush random copolymers. In an embodiment, brush polymers of the invention exhibit proteolysis-resistant characteristics and maintain their biological function during formulation and administration. The invention also includes methods of making and using therapeutic agents comprising brush polymers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a natural killer T cell ligand-loaded extracellular nanovesicle, and an autologous anticancer vaccine for hematologic malignancies including the above extracellular nanovesicle. More particularly, a cancer cell-derived extracellular nanovesicle in which a natural killer T cell ligand as an adjuvant is bound to a surface thereof, and an autologous anticancer vaccine including the same, which can recognize cancer antigens specific to patients with hematologic malignancies and has cancer cell-specific anticancer function thus to enable T cell activation.

Abstract: A single or multiple self-tuning coil element for an MR imaging system is provided. The element is flexible and stretchable and may conform to various body parts and patient sizes. The element may be worn by the patient during the MR imaging session. Each coil may have one or more interdigital capacitors formed of flexible conductive traces. The capacitance of the interdigital capacitor(s) changes under stretching which provides the self-tuning. The traces may be made of liquid metal. The liquid metal may be doped with a contrast agent such that the coil is substantially invisible on an MR image. The coil(s) in a multiple coil element may be arranged in a single or a dual layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a binder for an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery wherein the carboxyl group of mercaptocarboxylic acid is grafted in a butadiene polymer, wherein a molar ratio of the carboxyl group to the butadiene polymer is 0.1-30:100, a binder for an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery containing the same, an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery electrode composite containing the same, a separator in an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery containing the same, and an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery containing the same. Since the binder for an all-solid-state lithium secondary battery of the present disclosure can satisfy stability, solubility, polarity and adhesive property at the same time, it can significantly accelerate the commercialization of an all-solid-state battery based on a wet process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering power to the gate-drivers used in switching power conversion devices. In a bootstrapping network gate drivers are cascaded between a high-side and a low-side. Each gate driver controls a bidirectional active switch along a synchronous bootstrapping power path. The bootstrapping power path contains at least two bias voltage supplies to provide for bidirectional charge flow to the gate drivers, so that balanced delivery of charge can be maintained. A bias voltage supply on the high-side is line-referenced and provides charge to the bootstrapping network in a downward flowing direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are recombinant endoxylanases that are expressed and exported in high levels in bacteria, in particular Bacillus subtilis. The recombinant endoxylanases are based on an endoxylanase selected from Trichoderma resei or Bacillus pumilus modified with a signal peptide from B. subtilis alpha amylase (AmyE), B. subtilis levanase (SacC), or B. subtilis YwmC. Accordingly, also disclosed are plasmids for transforming bacteria to express and export such recombinant endoxylanases and the resulting recombinant bacterial strains. The disclosure also encompasses compositions for simultaneously degrading and assimilate cellobiose and xylan comprising a recombinant bacteria engineered to produce xylose from hydrolyzing the agricultural biomass and a xylose assimilator and methods of producing value-added products, for example succinate, from agricultural biomass using such compositions.

Abstract: An SSX polypeptide and use thereof in the treatment of synovial sarcoma are provided. The nucleotide sequence of the SSX polypeptide is set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. The present invention constructs a plasmid of the SSX polypeptide and expresses it into a polypeptide in synovial sarcoma cells. The polypeptide can effectively inhibit the proliferation of the synovial sarcoma cells and significantly inhibit the expression of oncogenes sox2 and c-myc in the synovial sarcoma cells.

Abstract: Stable nucleic acid liquid formulations and methods of making and using the same are provided. According to some aspects, a method for preparing stable nucleic acid liquid formulations are provided that are resistant to nucleic acid degradation caused by enzyme-independent or enzymatic hydrolysis. In some instances, stable nucleic acid liquid compositions and methods or making the same incorporate the use of at least one of a polymer and/or a salt to form a macroscopic RNA-rich condensate. In other aspects, a method for preparing stable nucleic acid encapsulated lipid nanoparticle (LNP) liquid formulations is provided that are resistant to degradation caused by nucleic acid hydrolysis, LNP leakage, and LNP aggregation. In some instances, stable nucleic acid liquid compositions and methods or making the same incorporate the use of a pair of thermodynamically matching LNP synthesis buffer and LNP product formulation buffer with close-to-equal osmotic pressure and chemical potentials of solution components.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, compositions, and systems useful for detecting transplant rejection and associated abnormal conditions in solid organ transplant recipients, such as kidney transplant recipients. Methods described herein may involve combined assessment of blood gene expression profiles from an assessment of particular, related mRNA transcript levels and donor-derived cell-free nucleic acids (dd-cfDNA).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating obesity, wherein the pharmaceutical composition contains Polygalin C as an active ingredient. The Polygalin C not only reduces the accumulation of lipids by inhibiting the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes, but also inhibits adipose tissue generation factors and adipogenic factors and modulates AMPK/ACC and MAPK/Akt signaling pathways to inhibit the differentiation of adipocytes, and thus can treat obesity more effectively. In addition, the present invention inhibits adipogenic factors and inflammatory factors in a free fatty acid-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cell model, and thus can effectively treat and prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) including hepatic steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Abstract: A method of point cloud generation comprises generating, by a processor, a first point cloud comprising a first set of generated data points; calculating, by the processor, a loss function representative of the quality of the first point cloud, the loss function comprising a smoothness term obtained by constructing vectors between neighbouring data points in the point cloud, performing vector multiplication between neighbouring pairs of vectors, and outputting a smoothness term based on the result of the vector multiplication; and generating, by the processor, a second point cloud comprising a second set of generated data points based at least in part on the calculated loss function of the first point cloud.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for determining a combustion characteristic of a mixture of gasification slag and coal. The method may be implemented by a processor. The combustion characteristic includes at least one of an ignition temperature, a burnout temperature, or a composite combustion characteristic index. The method comprises: obtaining first basic data of sample coal and sample gasification slag, the first basic data including at least one of a moisture content, a volatile matter, or a fixed carbon; obtaining second basic data of coal to be tested and gasification slag to be tested in a mixture to be tested and a mixing ratio of the mixture to be tested; and determining a combustion characteristic of the mixture to be tested based on the first basic data, the second basic data, and the mixing ratio.