Abstract: Bioactive peptides and methods for their use for preventing, treating, and/or reducing the incidence and/or symptoms of an autoimmune disease or disorder that may result from chronic inflammation, damage to ?-cells of the pancreas, and other conditions that are implicated by the CD40-CD154 dyad. In particular, small peptides that are capable of interacting with CD40, thereby interfering with the ability of CD40 to interact with CD154, which impacts inflammation, autoimmunity, and disease progression. The use of such peptides in reducing diabetes mellitus, and in particular, the autoimmune inflammatory response that may be a driving factor thereof. Methods and materials for preventing and modulating diabetes mellitus and autoimmune diseases especially in dogs, cats, and horses.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a battery pack with N battery bricks, each with a DC output voltage. The output of each brick is connected in series providing a bus voltage. Each brick includes battery power modules (“BPMs”) connected in parallel and each connected to a battery cell. Each BPM charges/discharges the connected battery cell. Each brick has a battery brick controller that provides a control signal to each brick's BPMs. A control signal of a BPM is derived from a BPM error signal that includes a battery cell current of the battery cell of BPM subtracted from a summation of an average current signal, a local droop current and a balancing current. The balancing current is based on a current SOC of the battery cell connected to the BPM and a desired SOC for the battery cell connected to the BPM. A BMS derives the balancing current for the BPMs.

Abstract: A compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts or prodrugs thereof, having the chemical structure: and methods of using these compounds to inhibit WEE1 kinase and treat cancer in a subject.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a securement assembly for an enteral access device or vesical access device (“access device”). The securement assembly includes a base and a lid. The base is generally configured to support an external port of the access device and the lid is pivotably coupled to the base. The base comprises a border rim and a central portion, wherein the border rim is configured to engage a skin surface of a patient around a stoma and the central portion is configured to engage the external port of the access device. The central portion may comprise opposing side arms defining an aperture through which a tube of the access device extends.

Abstract: Modular IOL systems including a base and a lens, wherein the lens includes tabs for connection to the base. The modular IOL allows for the lens to be adjusted or exchanged while leaving the base in place, either intra-operatively or post-operatively.

Abstract: A microsurgical device and methods of its use can be used for treatment of various conditions including eye diseases, such as glaucoma, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. A dual-blade device can be used for cutting the trabecular meshwork (“TM”) in the eye. The device tip provides entry into the Schlemm's canal via its size (i.e., for example, 0.2-0.3 mm width) and configuration where a ramp elevates the TM away from the outer wall of the Schlemm's canal and guides the TM to first and second lateral elements for creating first and second incisions through the TM. The dimensions and configuration of the blade is such that an entire strip of TM is removed without leaving TM leaflets behind and without causing collateral damage to adjacent tissues.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ceramic particle comprising a core substrate chosen from yttria-stabilized zirconia, partially stabilized zirconia, zirconium oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and cerium oxide, and a conformal coating of a sintering aid film having a thickness of less than three nanometers and covering the core substrate, and methods for producing the ceramic particle.

Abstract: A microsurgical device and methods of its use can be used for treatment of various conditions including eye diseases, such as glaucoma, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. A device can be used for cutting the trabecular meshwork (“TM”) in the eye. The device tip provides entry into the Schlemm's canal via its size (i.e., for example, 0.2-0.3 mm width) and configuration where a ramp elevates the TM away from the outer wall of the Schlemm's canal and guides the TM to first and second lateral elements for creating first and second incisions through the TM. The dimensions and configuration of the device is such that an entire strip of TM is removed without leaving TM leaflets behind and without causing collateral damage to adjacent tissues.

Abstract: Methods of producing an optical surface atop an exterior of a substrate that includes smoothing the exterior using an ALD process to sequentially deposit ALD layers to produce one or more ALD films that fill spaces between spaced-apart asperities existing on the exterior, and thereafter depositing a reflective material on the smoothed exterior of the substrate to produce the optical surface. The smoothing resulting from depositing the ALD film on the exterior of the substrate causes the grain size of the reflective material to be reduced in comparison to the grain size that would exists without having deposited the ALD film on the exterior of the substrate. The smoothing is sufficient to cause a reduction in grain size that results in a reduction in plasmon absorption in the optical surface in comparison to the plasmon absorption that would otherwise exist without having reduced the grain size of the reflective material.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques are provided for assessing, predicting and/or effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (“CPR”), in some cases, noninvasively. In various embodiments, tools and techniques are provided for implementing rapid estimation of a patient's compensatory reserve index (“CRI”) before, during, and after CPR is performed, and using the CRI and variations in CRI values to determine, in some instances, in real-time, the effectiveness of CPR that is performed.

Abstract: Methods of preventing or treating autoimmune disease are disclosed. In some cases, subjects with having or at risk of developing autoimmune disease are identified as possessing one or more autoimmunity-susceptibility HLA alleles at one or more HLA loci. In many cases, the HLA loci are selected from Class I and Class II loci, for example Class I A, B, and C, and Class II DQ, DR, and DP. In many cases, subjects suffering from or at risk of developing an autoimmune disease may be administered a plurality engineered autologous HSCs modified to carry and express a variant susceptibility allele having at least one mutation in the antigen binding cleft that alters antigen binding and/or specificity of that variant HLA molecule. In many embodiments, the engineered HSCs are CD34+ immune cells that express one or more modified HLA proteins.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic actuator includes a deformable shell defining an enclosed internal cavity and containing a liquid dielectric, first and second electrodes on first and second sides, respectively, of the enclosed internal cavity. An electrostatic force between the first and second electrodes upon application of a voltage to one of the electrodes draws the electrodes towards each other to displace the liquid dielectric within the enclosed internal cavity. The shell includes active and inactive areas such that the electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes displaces the liquid dielectric within the enclosed internal cavity from the active area of the shell to the inactive area of the shell. The first and second electrodes, the deformable shell, and the liquid dielectric cooperate to form a self-healing capacitor, and the liquid dielectric is configured for automatically filling breaches in the liquid dielectric resulting from dielectric breakdown.

Abstract: Diagnostic imaging of deep targets in the body requires sufficient signal amplitude to overcome effects such as attenuation with depth and thermal noise produced in signal reception. Coded excitation provides several strategies to increase the total transmitted energy without exceeding peak amplitude safety limits. Temporal coding has proven particularly effective, but these frequency or amplitude modulation techniques require additional transmit capabilities and often require complex processing to reduce decoding artifacts. An alternative code is presented based on time delays that relies on repeated transmit pulses that can be decoded using spatiotemporal synthetic aperture processing. A 16-pulse code is demonstrated that achieves an 11.1 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) while maintaining axial resolution and sufficient range lobe performance.

Abstract: Bioderived pressure-sensitive adhesives. The present invention solves ongoing needs for further biofriendly adhesives. The role of mobile cross-links on the properties of a bio-friendly adhesive made using composites of cyclodextrin-based macromolecules and poly(lipoic acid) is demonstrated. Cyclodextrin-based hosts and polyrotaxanes with pendant groups of lipoic acid (a commonly ingested antioxidant) are modified to incorporate them as cross-links in poly(lipoic acid) networks obtained by simple heating in open air. By systematically varying the adhesive formulations while probing their mechanical and adhesive properties, trends in structure-property relationships that enable one to tune network properties and access bio-friendly, high-tack pressure-sensitive adhesives are shown. This invention provides bio-derived adhesive materials that are biofriendly and exhibit adhesion underwater.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high-performance integrated strain sensing device that is highly stretchable, rehealable, recyclable and reconfigurable. This device can include dynamic covalent thermoset polyimine as the substrate and encapsulation, eutectic liquid metal alloy as the strain sensing unit and interconnects, and off-the-shelf chip components for measuring and magnifying functions. The device can be attached on the knee, elbow, wrist and finger joints for strain sensing and motion monitoring, and can also be attached on the abdomen to accurately measure respiration cycles.

Abstract: Provided are compositions and methods for enzyme replacement therapy using modified human cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) in the treatment of homocystinuria and related diseases and disorders.

Abstract: A system and method for end-to-side anastomosis to an anatomical passageway is disclosed. The system and method are particularly useful in coupling an LVAD pump to an aorta. The system and method include using a tubular graft member having a skirt flange that engages the side of the aorta, a seating assembly and a flanged stent for securing the tubular graft to the side of the anatomical passageway. An assembly for creating an opening in the side of the anatomical passageway and an assembly for delivering the tubular graft is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to covalent adaptable networks (CANs) having exchangeable crosslinks which are able to undergo repeated covalent bond reshuffling through photo-activation at ambient temperatures. The invention provides covalent adaptable network forming compositions as well as methods of forming, remolding and recycling the CANs of the invention.

Abstract: This disclosure describes single and multi-layer woven meshes designed to enable sucking flow condensation and capillary-driven liquid film boiling, respectively, for instance, in use in heat spreaders. In some instances, the single-layer woven meshes can include a nanostructure coating and a hydrophobic coating, while the multi-layer meshes can include a microcavity coating and optionally a hydrophilic coating.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide novel compositions, methods of use and methods for single composition, multi-dose, thermostable vaccine formulations. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides compositions and methods for dehydrating immunogenic agents in the presence of glass-forming agents, and coating the particles formed by the glass-forming agents. In other embodiments, the present disclosure provides for generating compositions for administering an immunogenic composition to a subject multiple times using a single immunogenic composition capable of time-release administration. In other embodiments, single-dose immunogenic agent-containing particles can be directed to two or more pathogens.