Abstract: A quality assurance device for a medical accelerator includes a housing having an inner radioluminescent layer adapted to provide a visual indication when contacted with invisible radiation generated by the medical accelerator. In addition, the quality assurance device includes one or more cameras located within the housing and adapted to image the inner radioluminescent layer of the housing including the visual indication.

Abstract: The presently-disclosed subject matter relates to an artificial RNA nanostructure and method of use thereof. In particular, the presently-disclosed subject matter relates to RNA nanoparticles and RNA dendrimers, and methods of disease diagnosis and treatments using the RNA nanostructure and RNA dendrimers.

Abstract: A hybrid post-combustion carbon dioxide capture system for capturing carbon dioxide from a flue gas includes a compressor adapted to produce a compressed flue gas stream, a membrane-based carbon dioxide separation unit configured to receive a first portion of the compressed flue gas stream from the compressor, and an aqueous-based carbon dioxide capture unit configured to receive a second portion of the compressed flue gas stream from the compressor whereby the compressed flue gas stream is processed in parallel by the membrane-based carbon dioxide separation unit and the aqueous-based carbon dioxide capture unit.

Abstract: A method of making curcuminoids in a mammalian cell. The method of making a curcuminoid in a mammalian cell includes expressing one or more enzymes in the mammalian cell, the enzymes being selected from the group consisting of tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), 4-coumaroyl-CoA ligase (4CL1), curcuminoid synthase (CUS), diketide-CoA synthase (DCS), curcumin synthase (CURS1), 4-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H), caffeoyl-CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCoAMT), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). The expressing of the one or more enzymes converts a starting material, such as tyrosine or ferulic acid, to the curcuminoid. Also provided herein are therapeutic uses for the curcuminoid made in a mammalian cell.

Abstract: Methods for detecting and extracting plastic contaminants within a water sample, which involve introducing the water sample to a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent, are provided.

Abstract: Derivatized malachite green leuco dyes for use in radio-chromic systems are described. The dyes have the following structure: in which Ar is a substituted phenyl or thiophene ring in which at least one substitution of the Ar ring is not ortho to the bond between the ring and the linking carbon, and in which R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently selected from methyl, alkyl, or alkyl halide. The systems include the dyes in conjunction with an activator, e.g., a halogenated activator, and a carrier, e.g., a fluid carrier or an encapsulating polymeric matrix.

Abstract: A quality assurance device for a medical accelerator includes a housing having an inner radioluminescent layer adapted to provide a visual indication when contacted with invisible radiation generated by the medical accelerator. In addition, the quality assurance device includes one or more passive optical components within the housing adapted to deliver an image of the inner radioluminescent layer of the housing including the visual indication to one or more cameras located outside of the housing.

Abstract: Therapeutic uses P2X7 inhibition and inhibition of IRAK1 and/or IRAK4, methods protecting a cell, and screening methods for identifying inhibitors are described herein.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing an acid gas from a feed gas stream includes an absorber and an electrochemical regenerator. The absorber is adapted for separating the acid gas from the feed gas feed stream using a lean carbon capture solvent. The electrochemical regenerator is connected to the absorber and adapted for (a) regenerating the carbon capture solvent and (b) generating hydrogen gas. A method for removing acid gas from a feed gas stream includes steps of separating, delivering, releasing, generating and returning.

Abstract: An antifungal composition and a method of treating a systemic fungal infection are provided herein. The antifungal composition includes a diaryl bishydrazone. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of the diaryl bishydrazone to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Therapeutic peptides of the following sequence are disclosed: Xaa1-Xaa2-Xaa3-Xaa4-Xaa5, and optionally further comprising Xaa6, wherein Xaa represents an amino acid; Xaa3 is proline; and subscripts represent the positions of each amino acid in the peptide sequence starting from the amino terminus of said peptide extending to the C-terminus. A therapeutic peptide optionally includes a linker that cyclizes the peptide. Also described are methods of treating a neurodegenerative disorder and/or injury in a human subject in need of such treatment by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic peptide as disclosed herein.

Abstract: Provided herein are antibodies, or antigen-binding portions thereof, which specifically bind to pathologic forms of calcineurin. The invention further provides a method of obtaining such antibodies and nucleic acids encoding the same. The invention further relates to compositions and methods for use of these antibodies.

Abstract: An acid gas absorber includes a co-current flue gas-lean solution section and a packed counter-current flue gas-liquid phase section useful in a method of capturing an acid gas from flue gas in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

Abstract: A method for recovering valuable elements from pre-combustion coal-based materials includes the steps of grinding the materials to a predetermined size, roasting the ground materials at a temperature of 600° C.-700° C. for a predetermined residence time needed for mineral decomposition, submerging the roasted, ground materials in a solution of lixiviant, filtering the lixiviant solution to separate residual solids from a pregnant leach solution including the valuable elements and recovering and concentrating the valuable elements from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: This application concerns a loupe-based wearable device that is enhanced by a mounted visualization aid on the housing body of at least one of the loupe eyepieces, the aid providing a dual light source, a beam splitter, and a camera directed in the same optical path as a user's eyesight such that both visible light and fluorescent dye exciting light can be directed at a site of operation to enhance real time visualization of tissue resection.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N?-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products.

Abstract: A D-tagatose spray-drying feed formulation is a mixture of D-tagatose and a functional excipient co-dissolved in a solvent to produce a excipient/D-tagatose composite having a glass transition temperature of greater than 30° C. A method of spray-drying D-tagatose includes the steps of (a) preparing the D-tagatose spray-drying formulation, (b) atomizing the D-tagatose spray-drying formulation in a drying chamber containing a hot inert processing gas and evaporating droplets to produce solid particles of excipient/D-tagatose composite and (c) separating and collecting the solid particles of excipient/D-tagatose composite from the processing gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyplex composition for modulating expression of a gene-of-interest in an insect comprising: a crosslinker, a cation, and a molecule for initiating RNA interference (RNAi). The present invention further relates to polyplex compositions for modulating genes of interest in Aedes aegypti. The present invention further relates to methods of modulating a gene-of-interest in an insect, comprising: administering to an insect a polyplex composition for modulating expression of a gene-of-interest in an insect comprising: a crosslinker, a cation, and a molecule for initiating RNA interference (RNAi).

Abstract: Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N?-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products.

Abstract: A method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine is provided herein. The methods includes administering at least one basic region/leucine zipper (bZIP) type transcription factor inhibitor to an organism in need thereof. Also provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a bZIP type transcription factor binding site on a promoter of a nicotine N-demethylase (NND). Further provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a plant genome to knockout at least one bZIP type transcription factor.