Abstract: An apparatus, and method of operating the same, detects changes in biomass accumulating on a surface of a substrate while minimizing bulk effect. The apparatus includes a sensor substrate and two illumination sources. A first illumination source generates a first light having a first central wavelength. A second illumination source generates a second light having a second central wavelength different than the first wavelength. The first and second light are mixed to produce a combined light. An analyte solution is introduced to the sensor substrate. Incident light of the combined light is reflected from the sensor substrate to produce a signal. The signal is imaged with a camera to obtain a reflectance. Reflectance produced by the combined light is not affected by variations in the dielectric properties of the analyte solution. A biomass accumulated on the substrate is computed based on the reflectance.

Abstract: The invention features a fully-integrated rapid molecular diagnostic device that is low-cost, easy to manufacture, and simple to use. The device can serve as a molecular diagnostic platform for any disease, requiring little or no preparation or customization and can be made from simple materials (e.g., paper and adhesive film), making it inexpensive, portable, and disposable. The invention also provides methods of using the device for detection of one or more targets in a sample.

Abstract: Implantable nerve cuffs and methods for constructing or manufacturing the same are provided. Also provided is a method for installing a nerve into a nerve passage in the nerve cuff and a system using the nerve cuff. The nerve cuff is configured to retain one or more signal carrying elements such as electrodes proximal to a peripheral nerve in a human or animal subject. The nerve cuff may be constructed using a 3D printing method.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods of making a megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor cell (MEP), comprising differentiating a MEP precursor cell into a MEP in culture in the presence of an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) modulator. In some embodiments the AhR modulator is an AhR antagonist. In some embodiments the AhR modulator is an AhR agonist. In some embodiments the methods comprise culturing MEP precursor cells in the presence of an AHR antagonist and then culturing MEP precursor cells in the presence of an AHR agonist. In some embodiments the stem cell is a pluripotent stem cell. In some embodiments the MEP co-expresses CD41 and CD235. In some embodiments the number of MEPs produced in the culture increases exponentially. Methods of making a red blood cell (RBC) by culturing a MEP in the presence of an AhR modulator are also provided. Methods of making a megakaryocyte and/or a platelet, comprising culturing a MEP in the presence of an AhR modulator are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides novel and versatile classes of riboregulators, including inter alia activating and repressing riboregulators, switches, and trigger and sink RNA, and methods of their use for detecting RNAs in a sample such as a well and in modulating protein synthesis and expression.

Abstract: There are gluten-degrading enzymes found in Rothia species bacteria that are subtilisins that belonging to the S8A family of serine protease family. The Rothia sp. derived subtilisin-like enzymes have the conserved catalytic triad composed of a Ser, His, and Asp residues that is characteristic of the serine protease family. The Rothia subtilisin enzymes are potent at cleaving proline-containing proteins, cleaving the second peptide bond after proline in the XPX1 motif, where X is any amino acid, P is proline and X1 is a hydrophobic amino acid, e.g. the XPQ motif, where Q is glutamine. Embodiments herein provide isolated enzyme compositions and formulations comprising subtilisins gluten-degrading enzyme from a Rothia species bacteria. Also provided herein are methods of treatment of celiac disease or a related disorder, treatment of gluten-containing foodstuff, degrading and/or detoxifying gluten comprising the subtilisins gluten-degrading enzyme and/or compositions.

Abstract: Described herein is an amperometric biosensor, e.g., chronoamperometric biosensor for the measurement of the concentration of nicotine. Also disclosed herein is a wearable nicotine biosensor device and a biosensor that detects nicotine in smoke. The biosensor disclosed herein comprises a nicotine-catalyzing enzyme, such as NicA2 or mutant NicA2 enzymes. Also described herein are systems comprising said amperometric biosensor, e.g., chronoamperometric biosensor and methods of using said chronoamperometric biosensor.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, assays, methods and compositions for identification of oxidase microbial redox-enzymes (MREs) specific to an analyte of interest from an environmental source. The technology relates to identification of analyte-responsive MREs that can quantify the concentration of a target analyte with high specificity and high sensitivity, for example, where the identified analyte-responsive redox-enzyme can be used to engineer an electrochemical biosensor.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of generating in-vitro differentiated airway basal cells and compositions thereof. Also described herein is a method of treating a pulmonary disease comprising administering the in-vitro differentiated airway basal cells and compositions thereof. In another aspect, described herein is a disease model comprising patient-derived or genetically modified in-vitro differentiated airway basal cells and compositions thereof.

Abstract: Described herein are polypeptides, systems, and methods that relate to using domains that bind specifically to a biotinylamide to control receptor and cellular activity.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrode includes forming a 3D shell having a hollow interior and defining one or more openings, and directing an electrically conductive liquid through at least one of the one or more openings of the 3D shell, such that the 3D shell is at least partially filed with the electrically conductive liquid. The electrically conductive liquid can be caused to solidify within the 3D shell to form a solid electrode, or can remain a liquid to form a liquid electrode. The 3D shell can be formed having the one or more openings using a 3D printing process such as a two-photon writing system. The surface tension of the electrically conductive liquid aids in retaining the electrically conductive liquid within the 3D shell. The electrode can contact a tissue sample through one of the openings in the 3D shell.

Abstract: Systems and methods implement of high-speed delay scanning for spectroscopic SRS imaging characterized by scanning a first pulsed beam across a stepwise reflective surface (such as a stepwise mirror or a reflective blazed grating) in a Littrow configuration to generate near continuous temporal delays relative to a second pulsed beam. Systems and methods also implement deep learning techniques for image restoration of spectroscopic SRS images using a trained encoder-decoder convolution neural network (CNN) which in some embodiments may be designed as a spatial-spectral residual net (SS-ResNet) characterized by two parallel filters including a first convolution filter on the spatial domain and a second convolution filter on the spectral domain.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for capturing extracellular vesicles from a biological sample for quantification and/or characterization (e.g., size and/or shape discrimination) using an SP-IRIS system. Also provided herein are methods of detecting a biomarker on captured extracellular vesicles or inside the captured vesicles (e.g., intra-vesicular or intra-exosomal biomarkers).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to heterocyclic SV40 Factor (LSF) inhibitors and their uses. In some implementations, the present invention discloses small-molecule compounds of Formula (I). In some implementations, the compounds of Formula (I) are used in methods for inhibiting LSF in a subject. In some implementations, the compounds of Formula (I) are used in methods for treating cancer in a subject.

Abstract: A method and wearable system and for enhancing human balance and gait and preventing foot injury through neurological stimulation of the foot and the ankle. Subthreshold stimulation for neurosensory enhancement is provided via electrodes or vibrational actuators, or combination thereof, disposed in or on a wearable a platform, such as an insole, sock shoe, removable shoe insert, or applied without the support of a platform, to the skin surface of an individual. Suprathreshold stimulation for therapeutic purposes, such as improving blood flow, is also provided by the vibrational actuators. The actuators and electrodes are driven by bias signals generated by a bias signal generator that is coupled to a controller. The signal generator under the control of the controller is adapted to generate a non-deterministic random signal, a repetitive pattern or series of patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a high-throughput continuous culture system and novel methodologies for the experimental evolution of natural and synthetic microbes using the continuous culture system. The microbial culture is exposed to a stress ramp function which is overlaid on top of a culture fitness function. The amount of stress applied to the culture is increased in response to increased fitness of the microbial culture.

Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to CAR polypeptides and systems comprising repressible proteases. In combination with a specific protease inhibitor, the activity of said CAR polypeptides and systems and cells comprising them can be modulated. Also described herein are methods of using said CAR polypeptides and systems, for example to treat various diseases and disorders.

Abstract: An enhanced single particle interferometric reflectance imaging system includes an illumination source configured to produce illumination light along an illumination path toward a target substrate. The target substrate can be configured to reflect the illuminating light along one or more collection paths toward one or more imaging sensors. The target substrate includes a base substrate having a first reflecting surface and a transparent spacer layer having a first surface in contact with the first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface on a side opposite to the first surface. The transparent spacer layer has a predefined thickness that is determined as a function of a wavelength of the illuminating light and produces a predefined radiation pattern of optical scattering when nanoparticles are positioned on or near the second reflective surface. In addition, one or more of the collection paths can also include an amplitude mask selected to match the radiation pattern.

Abstract: A Multi-Z confocal microscopy system can simultaneously record from multiple Z-sections, and thus performs high speed volumetric imaging. An illumination line can be formed by under-filling the illumination beam in the aperture of the microscope objective. The illumination line extends in the Z dimension into the target sample to be imaged and an X-Y scanning mechanism can be used to scan the illumination line over the sample. The detection signal emanating from the scanned sample can be collected through the full numerical aperture of the microscope objective and directed to a detector subsystem. The detector subsystem includes an array of reflecting pinhole detectors and each reflecting pinhole detector is configured to image a volume at a different depth in the sample. This configuration enables reflecting pinhole detector array to image more than one depth volume at the same time.

Abstract: An apparatus, and method of operating the same, detects changes in biomass accumulating on a surface of a substrate while minimizing bulk effect. The apparatus includes a sensor substrate and two illumination sources. A first illumination source generates a first light having a first central wavelength. A second illumination source generates a second light having a second central wavelength different than the first wavelength. The first and second light are mixed to produce a combined light. An analyte solution is introduced to the sensor substrate. Incident light of the combined light is reflected from the sensor substrate to produce a signal. The signal is imaged with a camera to obtain a reflectance. Reflectance produced by the combined light is not affected by variations in the dielectric properties of the analyte solution. A biomass accumulated on the substrate is computed based on the reflectance.