Abstract: The present disclosure relates to controlling drug release in cross-linked poly(valerolactone) based matrices. In one aspect, the compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof include a poly(valerolactone)-co-poly(allylvalerolactone)-co-polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymer. In some embodiments, at least a portion of allylvalerolactone residues within the copolymer are crosslinked with a crosslinker. In some embodiments, the compound has a polydispersity index of less than or equal to 1.5. In one aspect, a method is described herein, comprising: (a) polymerizing valerolactone residues, allylvalerolactone, and polyethylene glycol residues in the presence of a non-metal catalyst via a ring opening polymerization to produce a poly(valerolactone)-co-poly(allylvalerolactone)-co-polyethylene glycol copolymer; (b) crosslinking the poly(valerolactone)-co-poly(allylvalerolactone)-co-polyethylene glycol copolymer with a crosslinker; and (c) loading a drug into the crosslinked copolymer.

Abstract: Disclosed are optical devices suitable as security devices for document authentication, which comprise at least one two-dimensional array of elongate laser-modified tracks extending within a document substrate that have a distinct optical refractive index compared to the unmodified substrate, which can exhibit excellent diffractive effects. Also disclosed are the use of such devices for document authentication and methods for their production.

Abstract: This application relates to a method of detecting negatively charged phosphate-containing membranes and membrane components, such as in cell membranes or artificial lipid vesicles, and its use, for example, in detecting apoptosis and bacterial infection.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to generating explanation maps for explaining convolutional neural networks through attribution-based input sampling and block-wise feature aggregation. An example of a disclosed method for generating an explanation map for a convolutional neural network (CNN) includes obtaining an input image resulting in an output determination of the CNN, selecting a plurality of feature maps extracted from a plurality of pooling layers of the CNN, generating a plurality of attribution masks based on the plurality of feature maps, applying the generated attribution masks to the input image to obtain a plurality of visualization maps, and generating an explanation map of the output determination of the CNN based on the plurality of visualization maps.

Abstract: Methods and systems for mRNA analysis and quantification of mRNA expression in cells are provided. An example method includes introducing a first capture probe and a second capture probe into the cells, the first capture probe and the second capture probe each configured to be complementary to a respective section of target mRNA within the cells, wherein binding of the first and second capture probes to the respective sections of the target mRNA results in tagging of the cells and causes the first and second capture probes to form clusters with each other. The first capture probe and the second capture probe are each bound to magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that, when trapped within the tagged cells, cause the tagged cells to be susceptible to magnetic forces. The method and system further include introducing the cells into a device configured to magnetically capture tagged cells.

Abstract: The invention describes methods and reagents useful for sequencing polypeptide molecules. The method comprises affixing a polypeptide to a substrate and contacting the polypeptide with a plurality of probes. Each probe selectively binds to an N-terminal amino acid or an N-terminal amino acid derivative. Probes bound to the polypeptide molecule are then identified before cleaving the N-terminal amino acid or N-terminal amino acid derivative of the polypeptide. Also provided are methods for the sequencing a plurality of polypeptide molecules in a sample and probes specific for N-terminal amino acids or N-terminal amino acid derivatives.

Abstract: Methods and systems for data management are described, particularly for processing global queries. Each global query includes a user-defined query constraint value, such as laxity or query response time limit. The query receiving node maintains a copy of the previously updated data from all of its children node. The query receiving node first searches for the requested query data in its local data storage to minimize children node query. If any portion of the requested data in the local data storage fails to meet the query constraint value, then the child node from which the data came from is tasked with recursively executing the global query.

Abstract: An energy optimized imaging system that includes a light source that has the ability to illuminate specific pixels in a scene, and a sensor that has the ability to capture light with specific pixels of its sensor matrix, temporally synchronized such that the sensor captures light only when the light source is illuminating pixels in the scene.

Abstract: Aspects included herein include an electrolytic system for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, the system comprising: a cathode comprising: a porous gas-diffusion membrane permeable to CO2; an electrocatalyst layer adjacent to a second side of the gas-diffusion membrane; the electrocatalyst layer comprising: an electrically conductive catalyst; and a selectivity-determining organic material attached to at least a portion of the electrically conductive catalyst; wherein: the organic material is formed of a plurality of oligomers; each oligomer comprises a plurality of covalently bonded base units; each base unit comprises at least one heterocyclic group having at least one nitrogen in its structure; and an anion exchange membrane adjacent to the electrocatalyst layer and positioned between the anode and the cathode; wherein anion exchange membrane is characterized by anion conductivity and the cathode is in ionic communication with the anode via the anion exchange membrane.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of preparing unsaturated hydrocarbons by black body photocatalytic (thermal radiative catalytic) conversion of saturated hydrocarbons. In this method, a saturated hydrocarbon reaction gas is introduced into a reaction furnace, and the saturated hydrocarbon is catalyzed to convert under heating and illumination conditions to prepare the unsaturated hydrocarbons. The photocatalysis is combined to the conventional thermal catalysis to improve the catalytic performance, accelerate the reaction speed, increase the conversion rate, and/or improve the selectivity of the catalytic reaction.

Abstract: In some embodiments, techniques capable of obtaining high-quality fetal ECG (fECG) information using as few as two composite (maternal and fetal) maternal abdominal ECG (aECG) signals to derive the fetal ECG information are provided. In some embodiments, maternal ECG information and fetal ECG information are both obtained from the aECG signals, and are either presented or stored. The techniques may use novel proposed diffusion-based channel selection criteria. To validate the proposed techniques, analysis results of two publicly available databases are described, and compared with other available techniques in the literature.

Abstract: It is provided a federated learning system for aggregating gradient information representing a result of training an AI model in an edge device, the federated learning system comprising the edge device and a server apparatus, the training module in the edge device being configured to generate an edge switch share in which the encrypted aggregated gradient is encrypted, and to transmit the generated edge switch share to the server apparatus, the encryption/decryption module in the server apparatus being configured to generate an encrypted aggregated gradient for decryption by adding edge switch shares received from the plurality of the edge device, generate an aggregated gradient by decrypting the generated encrypted aggregated gradient for decryption, and to transmit the generated aggregated gradient to the edge device, the training module in the edge device being configured to train the AI model by using the aggregated gradient received from the server apparatus.

Abstract: A method of communicating time correlated vector data within a network includes reading, by a transmitting node, a first vector data including a plurality of elements, selecting, by the transmitting node, a subset of elements of the plurality of elements based on a criteria and sending, by the transmitting node, the subset of elements to a receiving node. The receiving node receives the subset of elements and estimates a plurality of elements not included in the subset of elements based on a previously received subset of element based on a second vector data. The first vector data and the second vector data are part of a time series of vectors.

Abstract: A method of automated measurement of motility and morphology parameters of the same single motile sperm. Automated motility and morphology measurements of the same single sperm are performed under different microscope magnifications. The same single motile sperm is automatically positioned and kept inside microscope field of view and in focus after magnification switch. A method of automated non-invasive measurement of sperm morphology parameters under high magnification of imaging. Sperm morphology parameters including subcellular structures are automatically measured without invasive sample staining. A method of automatically selecting sperms with normal motility and morphology and DNA integrity for infertility treatment.

Abstract: The present application relates to the treatment of nematode infections.

Abstract: Described herein is a genetic modifier of cystic fibrosis (CF), which may serve as a predictor of the efficacy of a CFTR-directed therapy. SNPs rs7512462 or rs2869027 in non-coding regions of SLC26A9 are shown to correlate with CF lung disease severity in patients having CFTR mutations that leave protein at the cell surface, e.g. gating mutations such as G551D. It is also shown that patient response to Ivacaftor correlates with SLC26A9 genotype. Given the biology of SLC26A9, risk alleles of SLC26A9 should correlate with reduced SLC26A9. SLC26A9 activity (marked by e.g. genotype or expression level) is therefore a predictor of treatment efficacy for any CFTR-directed therapeutic, such as Ivacaftor or Lumacaftor. Associated methods of selecting and treating patients are described, along with related kits, uses, and drug discovery platforms.

Abstract: Techniques for use in connection with performing optimization using an objective function that maps elements in a first domain to values in a range. The techniques include using at least one computer hardware processor to perform: identifying a first point at which to evaluate the objective function at least in part by using an acquisition utility function and a probabilistic model of the objective function, wherein the probabilistic model depends on a non-linear one-to-one mapping of elements in the first domain to elements in a second domain; evaluating the objective function at the identified first point to obtain a corresponding first value of the objective function; and updating the probabilistic model of the objective function using the first value to obtain an updated probabilistic model of the objective function.

Abstract: Disclosed are crosslinked particles (e.g., microparticles) that are capable of storing and releasing drugs. The particles can be macroparticles, microparticles, or nanoparticles and can be composed of polyester backbones. The particles can be loaded with a drug. The particles can degrade in vivo to release the drug. The particles can be prepared by crosslinking functionalized polyester backbones and loaded with a given drug. The particles of the present disclosure can be injected with a syringe. In some embodiments, the particles of the present disclosure are administered in connection with a surgery and release the drug after the site of the surgery for a period of 1-6 months.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst system for catalyzing conversion of carbon dioxide into multi-carbon compounds comprising a boron-doped copper catalytic material and associated methods.

Abstract: The present application relates to the treatment of nematode infections.