Abstract: A wearable sensor for monitoring an external bodily fluid includes a sensor thread, a wick, a substrate, and a communication interface all of which are disposed on a substrate. The wick wicks the external bodily fluid to a functionalized region of the thread. The communication interface transmits, to an external device, data indicative of what the sensor thread has measured in said external bodily fluid. The external device can then carry out real-time analysis or storage.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for stabilization of active agents. The active agents are distributed, mixed or embedded in a silk fibroin matrix, thereby retaining the bioactivity of the active agents upon storage and/or transportation. In some embodiments, the storage-stable vaccine-silk compositions are also provided herein.

Abstract: An apparatus for earning out near-infrared spectroscopy using intensity-modulated near-infrared radiation or pulsed near-infrared radiation includes sources and detectors. For each source, there exists first and second distances. The first distance is a distance between the source and a first detector. The second distance is a distance between the source and the second detector. For each source, the difference between these two distances is the same. Additionally, wherein, for each source, the detector at a shorter distance is the same detector that is at a longer distance for the other source. A processor derives, from signals received by the detectors, a parameter indicative of two matched slopes. Tins parameter is either phase of the intensity-modulated near-infrared radiation or mean time-of-flight data for the pulsed near-infrared radiation. The processor then provides output data based on an average of the matched slopes.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and kits are provided for treating a subject exposed to or at risk for exposure to a disease agent using a pharmaceutical composition including at least one recombinant heteromultimeric neutralizing binding protein including two or multiple binding regions, such that the binding regions are not identical, and each binding region specifically binds a non-overlapping portion of the disease agent, thereby treating the subject for exposure to the disease agent. In a related embodiment, the heteromultimeric neutralizing binding protein includes two or multiple binding regions that neutralize a plurality of disease agents. In certain embodiments, the disease agent includes a bacterium, a bacterial protein, a virus, a viral protein, a cancer cell, and a protein or molecule produced therefrom. In certain embodiments, the disease agent is a plurality of different disease agents.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a metadevice including a substrate, a resonator loop coupled to the substrate. The resonator loop having a first gap in the resonator loop. The metadevice includes an organic electrochemical transistor positioned in the first gap, a gate electrode, and an electrolyte extending between the organic electrochemical transistor and the gate electrode.

Abstract: Provided are single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), also called heavy-chain-only variable domains (VHHs) or camelids, that contain reactive, non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) and crosslink to target antigen protein. The target antigen may be a toxin or a neurotoxin produced by a pathogenic organism or microorganism that causes or is associated with a disease or pathology. Compositions and methods using the reactive ncAA-containing sdAbs to treat subjects afflicted with a pathology caused by a toxin- or neurotoxin-producing pathogen, such as Botulinum, are provided. In some cases, the compositions and methods comprising the sdAbs treat or prevent intoxication and inhibit and/or neutralize toxin or neurotoxin activity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing a filtration membrane. The method includes providing a copolymer solution by dissolving a statistical copolymer in a mixture of a co-solvent and a first organic solvent, coating the copolymer solution onto a porous support layer to form a polymeric layer thereon, coagulating the polymeric layer on top of the support layer to form a thin film composite membrane, and immersing the thin film composite membrane into a water bath to obtain a filtration membrane. Also disclosed are a filtration membrane prepared by the method, and a process of filtering a liquid using the filtration membrane thus prepared.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and kits are provided for treating a subject exposed to or at risk for exposure to a disease agent, methods, compositions and kits having a pharmaceutical composition including at least one recombinant binding protein or a source of expression of the binding protein, wherein the binding protein neutralizes at least one or a plurality of disease agents that are toxins, for example at least one of a Botulinum toxin or an Anthrax toxin.

Abstract: Disclosed are proteasome inhibitors, fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-activated prodrugs of proteasome inhibitors, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the inhibitors and prodrugs. Also disclosed are related pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of using the inhibitors and prodrugs and compositions thereof, for example, in treating cancer or other cell proliferative diseases. In vitro and in vivo methods of quantifying the expression of FAP in a biopsy sample and a mammal, respectively, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are engineered multicellular organisms. The disclosed organisms comprise an aggregate of ciliated cells, and the organisms move when the ciliated cells are actuated. The engineered multicellular organisms also are capable of kinematic self-replication. The engineered multicellular organisms are capable of moving a plurality of dissociated ciliated cells into piles of ciliated cells which form a multicellular organism comprising an aggregate of ciliated cells which moves when the ciliated cells are actuated. Also disclosed are systems and methods for designing, preparing, and utilizing the engineered multicellular organisms.

Abstract: Disclosed are gas-phase ODH and OCP processes for converting alkanes (e.g., C2H6 and C3H8) to alkenes (e.g., C2H4 and C3H6) or oxygenates (e.g., methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, or propylene oxide) or converting alkenes (e.g., ethylene and propene) and oxygenates (e.g., methanol, ethanol, isopropanol or propylene oxide) to longer carbon-chain alkenes or longer carbon-chain alkanes with or without solid catalysts.

Abstract: Polypeptide products, methods, pharmaceutical compositions, and kits are provided for treating a subject exposed to, or at risk for exposure to, C. difficile microbial pathogens and toxin B produced by C. difficile (TcdB) pathogens. The methods, compositions and kits include a single domain, anti-TcdB VHH polypeptide (antibody), or toxin B binding portion thereof, that specifically binds to and/or neutralizes TcdB and treats or prevents illness and disease associated with C. difficile infection and TcdB intoxication. The anti-TcdB VHHs, or toxin B binding portion thereof, may be recombinantly produced.

Abstract: A microneedle or microneedle device includes a microneedle body extending from a base to a penetrating tip formed from a silk fibroin based material, which is easy to fabricate and highly biocompatible. The microneedle device can include one or more microneedles mounted to a substrate. The silk fibroin can include active agents to be transported into or across biological barriers such as skin, tissue and cell membranes. The silk fibroin microneedles can be fully or partially biodegradable and/or bioerodible. The silk fibroin is highly stable, affords room temperature storage and is implantable. The silk fibroin structure can be modulated to control the rate of active agent delivery.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and program products for acquiring and analyzing images of a sample. An artificial intelligence (AI) module may be trained to identify, within multi-dimensional image data corresponding to images of objects, wavelength patterns corresponding to one or more defects within the objects. An analysis module is configured to detect one or more defects in the sample using the AI module for analyzing the images of the sample. In some embodiments, the samples are food samples and the defects include one or more pathogens.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for treating neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Rett syndrome and cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for treating, preventing, and reversing malnutrition. In particular, provided herein are compositions and methods for facilitating cognitive repair and preventing obesity (e.g. in children).

Abstract: Methods, spray devices, and kits for the in situ formation of silk fibroin fibers and/or aerosols are disclosed. Rapidly mixing a silk fibroin solution and a beta sheet initiation solution forms a mixed solution, which is rapidly expanded to form the silk fibroin fibers and/or aerosols. The beta sheet initiation solution includes a hygroscopic polymer having a molecular weight of between 7.5 kDa and 15.0 kDa. The rapid mixing and rapid expanding occur within one second of one another. Silk fibroin aerosols are formed when a molecular weight distribution of fragments in the silk fibroin solution is below an aerosol-fiber threshold. Silk fibroin fibers are formed when the molecular weight distribution is below the aerosol-fiber threshold.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and kits for efficiently generating edited DNA, ranging from DNA molecules with simple point mutations to complex DNA libraries. The methods and kits use a single-stranded deoxyuridine (dU)-containing template to align a series of DNA oligomers that contain mutations relative to the template strand, giving rise to the sequence variation in the product. The methods and kits may be used to produce DNA libraries or to generate multiple, widely spaced mutations in a target sequence.

Abstract: A method comprises using an atomic-force microscope, acquiring a set of images associated with surfaces, and, using a machine-learning algorithm applied to the images, classifying the surfaces. As a particular example, the classification can be done in a way that relies on surface parameters derived from the images rather than using the images directly.

Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a first layer of a porous material with pores having a first average pore size and a liquid-receiving area through which a liquid sample is received into the microfluidic device. A second layer of another porous material, with pores of a second average pore size, is stacked below the first layer and has a channel with a starting end positioned at least in part in an overlapping manner with the liquid-receiving area. The channel has a terminating end extending laterally at a predetermined wicking distance from the starting end. The first average pore size and the second average pore size cause a wicking effect in which at least some of the liquid sample flows along the channel at least a portion of the wicking distance between the starting end and the terminating end.