Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods that relate generally to viruses, and more particularly to the agents and their identification and use of anti-HIV agents which cause latently infected cells to reactivate.

Abstract: A method of background removal from melting curves generated using a fluorescent dye is provided for analyzing a melting profile of a nucleic acid sample. The method comprises measuring the fluorescence of the nucleic acid sample as a function of temperature to produce a raw melting curve having a melting transition, the nucleic acid sample comprising a nucleic acid and a molecule that binds the nucleic acid to form a fluorescently detectable complex, the raw melting curve comprising a background fluorescence signal and a nucleic acid sample signal; and separating the background signal from the nucleic acid sample signal by use of a quantum algorithm to generate a corrected melting curve, the corrected melting curve comprising the nucleic acid sample signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for diagnosing eosinophilic esophagitis in a subject. Also disclosed are methods for monitoring the course of eosinophilic esophagitis in a subject before, during, and after treatment. In another aspect, disclosed is a method of diagnosing eosinophilic esophagitis or eosinophilic diseases in a subject, comprising detecting an eosinophil granule protein in the mucosal tissue of the esophagus or other organs in a subject.

Abstract: An ophthalmic composition or dosage form can include a therapeutically effective amount of a cross-linking agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition or dosage form can be used to treat an ophthalmic condition by administering a therapeutically effective amount of the composition to an eye of a subject during a treatment period.

Abstract: Bioorthogonal molecules are disclosed and described. A bioorthogonal a molecule having a structure according to: Formula (I); where R2, R3, and R4 are independently selected from H, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl or alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, COOR9, COR9, CONR9R10, CN, CF3, SO2R9, or a tether molecule; R1 is —R5, —OCOR6, —COR7, or —R8; R5 is —R8, —OH, or tosyl; R6 is a nitrophenyl ether or —R8; R7 is —R8; R8 is a payload or a molecular linker to a payload; and R9 and R10 are independently selected from H or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl or alkene group.

Abstract: Disclosed are peptides comprising a p53 peptide and a BH3-only protein. In some aspects, wherein the BH3-only protein is BAD, BID, BIM, NOXA. Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences comprising a sequence capable of encoding a p53 peptide operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence capable of encoding a BH3-only protein. Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences comprising a sequence capable of encoding one or more of the peptides disclosed herein. Disclosed are vectors comprising a nucleic acid sequence, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is capable of encoding one or more of the peptides disclosed herein. Also disclosed are methods of using the disclosed peptides, nucleic acid sequences, and vectors.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to compositions comprising stapled peptides, methods of making same, pharmaceutical compositions comprising same, and methods of treating various diseases, including, but not limited to, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and cancers. The disclosed compounds comprise stapled peptides, including, but not limited to, stapled glucagon, axin, and p53 peptide homologues, which are useful as therapeutic agents for a variety of diseases as disclosed herein. The disclosed methods are useful in the preparation of a variety of stapled peptides, including stapled peptide homologues of glucagon, axin, and p53. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Abstract: A cathode (100) for use in a lithium-air battery can include a polymer binder (150) having a conductive material (120), phyllosilicate nanoparticles (110), a lithium salt (130), and a metal catalyst (140) distributed in the polymer binder (150). The cathode (100) can be porous to allow oxygen to diffuse from surrounding air into the cathode (100). A lithium-air battery can include a lithium metal anode, a solid electrolyte in contact with the lithium metal anode, and a cathode (100) in contact with the solid electrolyte. The cathode (100) can have a polymer binder (150) as a support matrix. The polymer binder (150) can be porous to allow oxygen to diffuse from surrounding air into the cathode (100). The cathode (100) can include the polymer binder (150), a conductive material (120), phyllosilicate nanoparticles (110), a lithium salt (130), and a metal catalyst (140) distributed in the polymer binder (150).

Abstract: Methods, devices, and kits are provided for performing PCR and other thermal cycling reactions in <20 seconds per cycle, using induction heating.

Abstract: The application discloses multimeric assemblies including multiple oligomeric substructures, where each oligomeric substructure includes multiple proteins that self-interact around at least one axis of rotational symmetry, where each protein includes one or more polypeptide-polypeptide interface (“O interface”); and one or more polypeptide domain that is capable of effecting membrane scission and release of an enveloped multimeric assembly from a cell by recruiting the ESCRT machinery to the site of budding by binding to one or more proteins in the eukaryotic ESCRT complex (“L domain”); and where the multimeric assembly includes one or more subunits comprising one or more polypeptide domain that is capable of interacting with a lipid bilayer (“M domain”), as well as membrane-enveloped versions of the multimeric assemblies.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for inhibiting viral entry.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and kits are provided for performing PCR in <20 seconds per cycle, with improved efficiency and yield.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for measuring the blood loss of a subject during a medical procedure. Blood and other fluids are received within a container, and a blood measurement device determines the hemoglobin concentration of the fluid within the container. The blood measurement device can also calculate the estimated blood loss of the subject based upon the determined hemoglobin concentration and the volume of the fluid within the container and the patient's hemoglobin.

Abstract: A chemiresistive vapor sensor compound for detecting target vapors can comprise a perylene-tetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI) core according to structure (I): where R can be a morphology control group or -A?-D?, A and A? can be independently a linking group, D and D? can be independently a strong electron donor which transfers electrons to the PTCDI core sufficient to form an anionic PTCDI radical of the PTCDI core, and R1 to R8 can be independently a side group. A chemiresistive vapor sensor for detection of a target compound can comprise an assembly of nanofibers formed of the chemiresistive sensor compound and a pair of electrodes operatively oriented about the assembly of nanofibers to allow electrical current to pass from a first electrode in the pair of electrodes through the assembly of nanofibers and to a second electrode in the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for determining a distance between at least two points are disclosed and described, wherein interferometry technology is utilized to determine such distances.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) biosensor for virus detection of a selected virus within a sample volume is disclosed. The FET comprises a semiconductor substrate, a source and drain electrode on the substrate, the electrodes spaced to form a channel. A gate electrode carried on the substrate and located in the channel between the source and drain electrodes. An insulating layer is coupled to a top surface of the gate electrode and a bottom surface of the source and drain electrodes, with an open channel above the insulating layer. A channel material is coupled to the insulating layer. Aptamers are oriented within the open channel to bind to the channel material and with the selected virus to enable a detection of the selected virus by the FET biosensor based on a change in drain-source current at a selected gate voltage.

Abstract: An MRI system uses a Cartesian-radial hybrid k-space trajectory to capture three-dimensional k-space data and reconstruct an image of an area of interest of a subject. The MRI system performs a series of k-space acquisitions to collect the data. A first k-space acquisition includes acquiring a two-dimensional EPI projection in a first plane parallel to a frequency-encoding direction and acquiring additional two-dimensional EPI projections in planes that are radially shifted about a center axis parallel to the frequency-encoding direction with respect to the first plane, until a selected number of projections are acquired. Each subsequent k-space acquisition includes acquiring an additional set of two-dimensional EPI projections in all of the planes in which an EPI projection was acquired during the first k-space acquisition, each additional set of EPI projections being shifted along a respective plane in a direction perpendicular to the frequency-encoding direction.

Abstract: Chemical probes and methods for detecting and/or quantifying hydrogen sulfide are disclosed. More particularly, this application discloses chemical probes and methods for their use for detecting and/or quantifying hydrogen sulfide in industrial and environmental samples and effluents, including samples of crude oil and sour water produced by petrochemical and other industrial processes.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material, having a formula TbxM1y-xM2zOw where M1 is one of Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba and Ra, M2 is at least one of Co, Fe, Ni, and Mn, x ranges from 0.01 to 5; y is 1, 2, 3, or 5; z is 1, 2, 3, or 4; and w is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, or 14. The thermoelectric material is chemically stable within 5% for one year and is also non-toxic. The thermoelectric material can also be incorporated into a thermoelectric system which can be used to generate electricity from waste heat sources or to cool an adjacent region.

Abstract: Ultra-high b radial diffusion-weighted imaging signals can be obtained from a selected portion of a nervous system of a subject. At least two ultra-high b radial diffusion-weighted imaging signals for the selected portion of the nervous system of the subject can be compared. The comparison is indicative of changes in the integrity or intactness of a bundle of axons within the selected portion of the nervous system of the subject.