Abstract: An optical fiber configured to improve the pump conversion efficiency of an L-band fiber amplifier which uses the multimode pump source. By directly absorbing multimode light including 915 nm, an active fiber core region co-doped with both erbium and ytterbium can provide gain to the L-band signals via stimulated emission. The unwanted C-band amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light generate from this active fiber core region can be absorbed by another active fiber core region doped with erbium, then provides additional gain to the L-band signals. Active regions and cladding can be configured to match a given spatial mode of the optical signal. Signal-pump combiners with end-coupling or side coupling can be used.

Abstract: There is described a method of optically coupling a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to one another. The method generally has a step of bringing a free end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber and liquid in close proximity to one another within a coupling region, the free end of the first optical fiber having a dimension below a critical dimension, the free end of the first optical fiber moving within said liquid to contact the second optical fiber along a given coupling length, said contact optically coupling the free end of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber to one another.

Abstract: Novel chemical agents are described herein. More specifically, a novel inhibitor of 17?-HSD7 for decreasing estradiol concentrations while restoring dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations in breast cancer cells is disclosed herein. In a particular embodiment, the inhibitor of 17?-HSD7 has the following structure: (Formula I) A process for producing the novel inhibitors of 17?-HSD7 and their use in the manufacture of pharmaceutical formulations and/or combinations is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is described a high-strength concrete generally having: about 100 parts by weight of cement; about 60 to about 360 parts by weight of fine aggregates; about 90 to about 230 parts by weight of mineral powder having a diameter D50 below 150 ?m; about 0.1 to about 25 parts by weight of superplasticizer; and about 20 to about 65 parts by weight of water, the high-strength concrete has a cement content less than about 500 kg/m3 and having a compressive strength after 28 curing days of about 55 MPa or greater.

Abstract: There is described a polarimeter generally having a substrate; a polarization splitter on the substrate polarization splitting an incoming light beam into light beams; an interferometry circuit on the substrate forming polarization components from the light beams, and output waveguides outputting the polarization components.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems that can render a virtual object in a digital image by using a source-specific-lighting-estimation-neural network to generate three-dimensional (“3D”) lighting parameters specific to a light source illuminating the digital image. To generate such source-specific-lighting parameters, for instance, the disclosed systems utilize a compact source-specific-lighting-estimation-neural network comprising both common network layers and network layers specific to different lighting parameters. In some embodiments, the disclosed systems further train such a source-specific-lighting-estimation-neural network to accurately estimate spatially varying lighting in a digital image based on comparisons of predicted environment maps from a differentiable-projection layer with ground-truth-environment maps.

Abstract: A snap joint for securing construction modules together on a modular construction site, the snap joint comprising a male member mounted on a first construction module and a female member mounted on a second construction module. The female member housing locking members, a tumbler and biasing members biasing the locking members against the tumbler. The male member having shaft engageable within the female member, through a base stop of the tumbler, along a trigger path in a manner to push the tumbler out of interference with the locking members, thereby freeing the locking members to transversally engage with the shaft.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing a protein of interest within a plant or a portion of a plant is provided. The method involves treating the plant to increase secondary leaf biomass production, followed by introducing one or more than one nucleic acid sequence encoding a protein of interest operatively linked with a regulatory region that is active in the plant, into the plant. The plant is then maintained under conditions that permit the nucleic acid sequence encoding the protein of interest to be expressed in the plant or the portion of the plant. Optionally, the plant or portion of the plant may be harvested and the protein of interest extracted.

Abstract: A spatial parallel mechanism comprises a platform. Three or more legs configured for extending from a base or ground to the platform, each leg has a distal link, one or more distal joint providing one rotational degree of freedom (DOF) about a distal rotational axis, the distal joint connecting a distal end of the distal link to the platform. A proximal joint provides at least two rotational DOFs at the proximal end of the distal link. Assemblies of joints and links provide DOFs to each said leg between the proximal joint and the base or ground. The distal rotational axes of the three legs are parallel to one another.

Abstract: A light-inducible intracellular protein aggregation system is described herein, which provides invaluable tools to study the role of protein aggregates in proteinopathies and to screen for novel therapeutic compounds. The system generally comprises a cell expressing an alpha-synuclein polypeptide or another proteopathic polypeptide that self-aggregates under pathogenic conditions, operably linked to a photoactivatable polypeptide. Illumination of the photoactivatable polypeptide with light having a wavelength sufficient for photoactivation triggers irreversible accumulation of intracellular protein aggregates comprising the alpha-synuclein polypeptide or proteopathic polypeptide. The intracellular protein aggregates can be made to accumulate in real-time during the illumination, thereby enabling spatiotemporal control of protein aggregation.

Abstract: Mid-infrared-transparent optical fiber products with enhanced resistance to OH diffusion are disclosed, which may be used fiber laser oscillator and amplifiers systems. In one embodiment, an optical fiber product may include optical fiber configured for propagation of mid-infrared radiation toward a light-radiating endface of or coupled to the optical fiber, and a diffusion barrier disposed on the light-radiating endface and configured for allowing the mid-infrared radiation emanating from the light-radiating endface to pass therethrough and for preventing OH diffusion therethrough toward the light-radiating endface.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a core having an elliptical cross section and a cladding having a circular cross section. The core has an aspect ratio between 2 and 40. The core and the cladding have a common central axis with the core being enclosed by the cladding. The difference of a refractive index of the cladding to a refractive index of the core is between 1×10?2 and 1.5×10?1. A trench is located between the core and the cladding. The trench has a uniform width and encircles the core. The refractive index of the trench is lower than the refractive index of the cladding.

Abstract: Mid-infrared-transparent optical fiber products with enhanced resistance to OH diffusion are disclosed, which may be used fiber laser oscillator and amplifiers systems. In one embodiment, an optical fiber product may include optical fiber configured for propagation of mid-infrared radiation toward a light-radiating endface of or coupled to the optical fiber, and a diffusion barrier disposed on the light-radiating endface and configured for allowing the mid-infrared radiation emanating from the light-radiating endface to pass therethrough and for preventing OH diffusion therethrough toward the light-radiating endface.

Abstract: A method for the synthesis of specialized pro-resolving mediators, structural isomers thereof and analogs thereof is disclosed herein. The method comprises reacting a compound of the formula (I): wherein R1 is alkyl(C?12), cycloalkyl(C?12), alkenyl(C?12), alkylidene(C?12), alkynyl(C?12), aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl or heteroaralkyl; and X1, X2 and X3 are each independently hydroxy or OP, wherein P is a hydroxy protecting or hydroxy activating group; with a reducing agent under conditions sufficient to produce a compound of the formula (II): wherein: R1, X1, X2 and X3 are as defined above. Novel protectins, more specifically novel structural isomers and analogs of PD1 and PDX are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for the use of anti-CRISPR (ACR) proteins in plants, including modulation of Cas endonuclease activity, improvement of frequency of homologous recombination, control of Cas endonuclease activity during various cell cycles, spatial and/or temporal regulation of Cas endonuclease activity in plants, usage in gene activation or repression, as well as reduction of off-target polynucleotide cleavage.

Abstract: The present description relates to methods for clinically assessing Parkinson's disease in a subject using protein biomarkers of erythrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles (EEV).

Abstract: There is described a wearable respiration sensor generally having a stretchable substrate to be worn around a user's torso; and a dipole antenna having two flexible conductive elements extending in opposite directions from a center, relative to a dipole axis, and being secured to the stretchable substrate, each of the two flexible conductive elements having a proximate end near the center, a distal end away from the center, and a curved portion curving away from and back towards the dipole axis between the proximate end and the distal end, the two flexible conductive elements being in a point reflection symmetry relative to one another relative to said center in a manner that, when the stretchable substrate is stretched along the dipole axis, the curved portions of the two flexible conductive elements are flattened and the distal ends are moved away from one another.

Abstract: An optical fiber configured to improve the pump conversion efficiency of an L-band fiber amplifier which uses the multimode pump source. By directly absorbing multimode light including 915 nm, an active fiber core region co-doped with both erbium and ytterbium can provide gain to the L-band signals via stimulated emission. The unwanted C-band amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light generate from this active fiber core region can be absorbed by another active fiber core region doped with erbium, then provides additional gain to the L-band signals. Active regions and cladding can be configured to match a given spatial mode of the optical signal. Signal-pump combiners with end-coupling or side coupling can be used.

Abstract: A process for the linear synthesis of a gram-positive class II bacteriocin or a variant thereof is disclosed herein. The process comprises the stepwise addition of selected amino acids to a solid support; pseudoproline positioning and reopening; and cleavage of the gram-positive class II bacteriocin or the variant thereof from the solid support to provide a linear gram-positive class II bacteriocin or variant thereof; and in situ disulfide bond formation. Various applications and uses of the synthetic bacteriocins are also disclosed. The synthetic process can also be used to synthesize variants of bacteriocins by the selective substitution of one or more amino acids and/or additions and/or deletions of selected amino acids.

Abstract: The present description relates to the use of a SRSF3 agent for regulating the function of a myeloid cell, such as a microglial cell and/or monocyte, for treating neurological conditions, cancers, bacterial infections and viral infections wherein the SRSF3 agent inhibits expression or function of SRSF3.