Abstract: Coronaviruses, vaccines comprising the same, and methods for preventing disease. One embodiment of such includes a live, attenuated coronavirus comprising a variant replicase gene encoding polyproteins comprising a non-structural protein (nsp)-15, the replicase gene encoding the nsp15 and causes any change, including mutations and/or deletions, that affects the stability or activity of the nsp15.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composition containing a Paeoniae radix extract as an active ingredient. The composition may alleviate inappetence, weight loss, muscle loss and fatigue and inhibit hematopoietic toxicity. Thus, the composition may be effectively used for the prevention, alleviation or treatment of cachexia and muscle loss.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of detecting eosinophil degranulation in the respiratory tract of subjects. Also, disclosed are methods of producing medical images of the respiratory tract of subjects. The method can include administering radiolabeled heparin to the respiratory tract of subjects, wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to one or more eosinophil granule protein in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a two-side stochastic dispatching method for a power grid. By analyzing historical data of wind power, the Gaussian mixture distribution is fitted by software. For certain power system parameters, a two-side chance-constrained stochastic dispatching model is established. The hyperbolic tangent function is used to analyze and approximate cumulative distribution functions of random variables in the reserve demand constraint and the power flow constraint, to convert the two-side chance constraint into a deterministic constraint. The disclosure can have the advantage of using the hyperbolic tangent function to convert the two-side chance constraint containing risk levels and random variables into the solvable deterministic convex constraint, effectively improving the solution efficiency of the model, and providing decision makers with a more reasonable dispatching basis.

Abstract: An apical cuff axial compression assembly including a ring member for coupling an apical cuff of a Ventricular Assist Device pump, to left ventricular apical tissue. Tissue anchors are employed to engage with the ring member and the apical cuff to exert direct or axial compression of the ring member to the apical cuff and to the left ventricular apical tissue. A first variant includes an axial compression ring and a plurality of openings to accommodate the tissue anchors. A second variant includes a segmented axial compression ring composed of a plurality of arcuate members, which may be contiguous or joined to each other or not. Each of the plurality of arcuate members has at least one tissue anchor opening passing there through.

Abstract: Dendrimer-based compositions and methods are provided, that are useful for administering pharmaceutical compositions to target cells and tissues for treatment of ocular diseases including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Abstract: A tissue contact surface for use on a surgical retractor is provided. The tissue contact surface comprises a generally smooth surface; and a plurality of partial ellipsoid surfaces extending out and away from the generally smooth surface. The plurality of partial ellipsoid surfaces comprise a first partial ellipsoid surface and an adjacent second partial ellipsoid surface. The first partial ellipsoid surface extends approximately 0.5 millimeters to 1 centimeter out from the generally smooth surface. A spacing between the first partial ellipsoid surface and the second partial ellipsoid surface is approximately 0.5 millimeters to 1 centimeter. In various embodiments, the plurality of partial ellipsoid surfaces are 3D printed onto the generally smooth surface.

Abstract: A green concrete and mortar compositions free of Portland cement are disclosed. The compositions comprise Natural pozzolan, nanosilica particles, and alkaline activator. The green concrete produced from the composition of the invention is cured at ambient temperature and has higher compressive strength than that of concrete made with Portland cement.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compounds of Formula I, II, or III and compositions of the same, which are reversible off-on or ratiometric fluorescent iron sensors and are useful in live-cell imaging of labile iron ions and their quantification in subcellular compartments, as well as treatment of diseases associated with iron dyshomoestasis.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds of formula Ia, Ib, Ic, or as well as compositions comprising a compound of formula Ia-Id, methods of making such compounds, and methods of using such compounds, e.g., as inhibitors of bacterial RNA polymerase and as antibacterial agents.

Abstract: An acoustic waveguide having high-Q resonator characteristics is disclosed and a fabrication method is described. Various waveguide-based test-vehicles, implemented in single crystal silicon and transduced by thin aluminum nitride films, are demonstrated. Silicon resonators with type-I and type-II dispersion characteristics are presented to experimentally justify the analytical mode synthesis technique for realization of high quality-factor silicon Lamb wave resonators. An analytical design procedure is also presented for geometrical engineering of the waveguides to realize high-Q resonators without the need for geometrical suspension through narrow tethers or rigid anchors. The effectiveness of the dispersion engineering methodology is verified through development of experimental test-vehicles in 20 ?m-thick single-crystal silicon (SCS) waveguides with 500 nm aluminum nitride transducers.

Abstract: A power grid reactive voltage control model training method. The method comprises: establishing a power grid simulation model; establishing a reactive voltage optimization model, according to a power grid reactive voltage control target; building interactive training environment based on Adversarial Markov Decision Process, in combination with the power grid simulation model and the reactive voltage optimization model; training the power grid reactive voltage control model through a joint adversarial training algorithm; and transferring the trained power grid reactive voltage control model to an online system. The power grid reactive voltage control model trained by using the method according to the present disclosure has transferability as compared with the traditional method, and may be directly used for online power grid reactive voltage control.

Abstract: A mortar composition, which includes (i) a treated palm oil fuel ash, wherein the treated palm oil fuel ash is the only binder present, (ii) a fine aggregate, (iii) an alkali activator containing an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate, and (iv) aluminum hydroxide as a strength enhancer. A cured mortar made from the mortar composition is also disclosed with advantageous compressive strength properties.

Abstract: A method of repairing an oral defect model includes performing a three-dimensional oral defect model obtaining step, a defect cutting line detecting step, a defect point selecting step and a smoothing step. The three-dimensional oral defect model obtaining step is performed to scan an oral cavity to obtain a three-dimensional oral defect model message. The defect cutting line detecting step is performed to detect a defect cutting line of the three-dimension oral defect model message, and drive a displayer to display the defect cutting line. The defect point selecting step is performed to select at least one defect feature point of the defect cutting line via the displayer. The smoothing step is performed to perform a smoothing process at the at least one defect feature point, and convert the three-dimensional oral defect model message into a three-dimensional oral repaired model message to smooth the defect cutting line.

Abstract: A system, a thermoelectric generator, and a method for generating electricity are provided. The system includes a thermoelectric generator, a cooling system, and a heating system. The cooling system includes a cold side module configured to hold a predetermined volume of air, a subterranean heat exchanger including an underground conduit, the underground conduit having a first end configured to receive ambient air and a second end coupled to the inlet of the cold side module, and an air exhaust coupled to the outlet of the cold side module and having one or more valves configured to control an airflow from the subterranean heat exchanger towards the air exhaust. The heating system includes a first solar concentrator to collect light rays, a hot side module, and a fiber optic cable to transport the collected light rays to the hot side module.

Abstract: A system and method for patient-adaptive hemodynamic management is described. One embodiment includes a system for hemodynamic management including transfusion, volume resuscitation with intravenous fluids, and medications, utilizing monitored hemodynamic parameters including the described dynamic predictors of fluid responsiveness, and including an intelligent algorithm capable of adaptation of the function of the device to specific patients.

Abstract: A tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter includes a nanosecond laser configured to emit laser pulses and an optic fiber. The optic fiber includes a tip configured to guide the laser pulses. The tip has a coating including a diffusion layer and a thermal expansion layer, wherein the diffusion layer includes epoxy and zinc oxide nanoparticles configured to diffuse the light while restricting localized heating. The thermal expansion layer includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) configured to convert the laser pulses to generate ultrasound. The frequency of the ultrasound is tuned with a thickness of the diffusion layer and a CNT concentration of the expansion layer.

Abstract: A method of providing information for predicting a risk of a recurrence after treatment of a patient with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is provided. The method includes measuring a concentration of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 from a sample isolated from a patient, and detecting a presence of a genetic variant at rs10033464 GG on chromosome 4q25 from nucleic acid separated from the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic poration device having narrow channels slightly smaller than the width of a target cell, wherein the channels are lined with a plurality of nanospikes in a row extending down the middle of the channel, i.e. in a row parallel to the sides of the channel. In one embodiment, one channel may have 2 nanospikes (or 2 nanolancets). Thus, in particular embodiments, the invention provides microfluidic poration devices capable of simultaneously squeezing cells while piercing holes in their membranes for allowing foreign molecules into cells. The holes in porated cells spontaneously close after exiting the channels, thus entrapping the foreign molecules inside of the target cells. This porated cell population has approximately a 95% viability with greater than 50% containing at least one foreign molecule.

Abstract: An energy harvesting system is provided. The energy harvesting system includes a waveguide, a luminophore embedded in the waveguide, and a solar photovoltaic array or a solar photovoltaic cell coupled to the waveguide. The energy harvesting system is visibly transparent, having an average visible transmittance of greater than about 50% and a color rendering index of greater than about 80 at normal incidence to the waveguide.