Abstract: The present invention includes a method and kit for cDNA synthesis of a 3?UTR/poly(A) tail junction of cellular RNA comprising: obtaining RNA comprising a 3?UTR/poly(A) junction and a poly(a) tail; combining the RNA with three terminating nucleotides of modified-deoxyGTP, modified-deoxyCTP and modified-deoxyATP, dNTPs, and adaptor sequence-oligo-dT; performing reverse transcription of the RNA with a reverse transcriptase primed with the adaptor sequence-oligo-dT to form terminated cDNA fragments that are stochastically terminated upstream of the 3?UTR/poly(A) junction, but not within the poly(A) tail; isolating the terminated cDNA fragments; chemically ligating a functionalized 5? adaptor to the terminated cDNA; and amplifying the chemically-ligated cDNA into an amplification product, wherein the cDNA is enriched for sequences at the 3?UTR/poly(A) tail junction without fragmentation or enzymatic ligation.

Abstract: An example article may include a dental surface, a hydrophobic coating on the dental surface, and a restorative layer on the hydrophobic coating. An example technique may include applying, on a dental surface, a hydrophobic coating comprising an amphiphilic agent. The hydrophobic coating may provide a water contact angle of greater than or equal to about 50° on the dental surface. The example technique may include applying a restorative layer to the hydrophobic coating. An example kit may include a dental restorative composition and a hydrophobic coating composition. The hydrophobic coating composition may include an amphiphilic agent. The hydrophobic coating composition may be configured to provide a water contact angle of greater than or equal to about 50° on a dental surface.

Abstract: Provided herein are compounds and methods for gene silencing. The compound includes a RNA directly conjugated to an albumin-binding group. The method includes administering a compound comprising a RNA directly conjugated to an albumin-binding group to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds and methods for mitigating a clinical condition associated with a neurodegenerative disease or a locomotor dysfunction in a subject. In one particular aspect, the invention relates to compounds and methods for reducing TDP-43 aggregation or toxicity in a subject.

Abstract: A method for designing multi-component high-strength titanium alloy, including the following steps: 1. smelting alloy ingots of specific compositions of the research system 2. cutting metal ingots into cubes of desired sizes; 3. preparing multi-component diffusion multiples. 4. performing vacuum-diffusion and annealing on the prepared diffusion multiples. 5. performing solution and aging treatments on the diffusion multiples after vacuum-diffusion and annealing. measuring the composition, microstructure and microhardness of different areas of the diffusion multiples, establishing the database of “composition-microstructure-hardness” correspondence of the titanium alloy. And 8. selecting a titanium alloy meeting design requirements in the titanium alloy database.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of endoscopically ablating/resecting/excluding (A/R/E) the mucosa of the gastric fundus and body. The method of the present invention is intended to cause cellular death to the X/A-like, ghrelin producing and other hormone cells. This is in contrast to present methods to provide only transient ischemia. The use of the method of the present invention results in a more permanent and robust method of reducing ghrelin and other hormone levels. In addition, a method according to the present invention can be used to induce scarring of the gastric fundus which will reduce gastric accommodation of excess food and result in early satiety.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-degree-of-freedom error measurement system for rotary axes and the method thereof. By producing a first ray, a second ray, and a third ray, the multi-facet reflector and the axicon disposed on an axis average line can receive the first, the second, and the third rays, respectively, for producing a reflective ray, a refractive ray, a first emitted ray, and a second emitted ray. Thereby, errors of the axicon in a plurality of degrees of freedom caused by shift or vibration of the axis average line, such as the x-axis radial error, the y-axis radial error, the axial error, the x-axis tilt error, the tilt error for the y-axis, and the angular alignment error for rotation can be measured.

Abstract: A method of oscillating a pressure in a borehole is provided that includes determining a hydraulic diffusivity, using injection tests, in a borehole, calculating a pressure field using a programmed computer at a proximal distance to the borehole using a first forced oscillation result in a porous media, calculating a flow rate at the proximal distance from the borehole by multiplying a gradient of the pressure field by a measured permeability and dividing by a viscosity of a fluid, computing, using the programmed computer, a volumetrically averaged flow rate by integrating a square of the flow rate over a volume around the borehole, outputting a value of an angular frequency for which the volumetrically-averaged flow rate is maximum, and operating a pump at a second forced oscillation according to the angular frequency on the fluid.

Abstract: A method for providing a 3D shape model for a new process in an additive manufacturing system includes receiving an unoptimized 3D model of one or more shapes based on a first process (P1); receiving deviation information based on P1; baseline deviation modeling of P1 based on the received unoptimized 3D model and the received deviation information to thereby generate an optimized 3D model for the one or more shapes based on P1; applying a transfer function that connects deviation information of P1 to deviation information of a second process (P2); receiving deviation information based on P2; adaptively modeling the deviations of P2 based on the transformed baseline model and the deviation information of P2; generating an optimized 3D model for the one or more shapes based on P2; and generating a compensation plan for additively manufacturing the one or more shapes between P1 and P2.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of optically recording neural activity in one or more regions of a target tissue. Also provided is a method of optically modulating the activity of a neural tissue. Further provided is a system that finds use in performing the present methods.

Abstract: A transportable fire training apparatus includes a trailer frame having a rear raised section at a rear end of the trailer frame and an unraised section at a middle portion of the trailer frame, a shell attached to the trailer frame and partitioned into a plurality of training rooms, a rear multi-axle wheel set disposed below, and attached to, the rear raised section of the trailer frame via an air ride suspension system that raises the trailer frame relative to the a rear multi-axle wheel set in response to pressurization of the air ride suspension system. The unraised section of the trailer frame rides substantially above the ground when the air ride suspension system is in a pressurized state and rests on the ground when the air ride suspension system is in an unpressurized state. A method for deploying and using the transportable fire training apparatus is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a storage configured to store a compression rate network model configured to determine a compression rate applied to an image block from among a plurality of compression rates, and a plurality of compression noise removing network models configured to remove compression noise for each of the plurality of compression rates, and a processor configured to: obtain a compression rate of each of a plurality of image blocks included in a frame of a decoded moving picture based on the compression rate network model, obtain the compression rate of the frame based on the plurality of obtained compression rates, and remove compression noise of the frame based on a compression noise removing network model corresponding to the compression rate of the frame from among the plurality of compression noise removing network models.

Abstract: A method of perceptual video coding based on face detection is provided. The method includes calculating a bit allocation scheme for coding a light field video based on a saliency map of the face, calculating an LCU level Lagrange multiplier for coding a light field video based on a saliency map of the face and calculating an LCU level quantization parameter for coding a light field video based on a saliency map of the face.

Abstract: Various embodiments for fast prototyping of morphologies and controllers related to locomotion for a robotic device are disclosed.

Abstract: The present technology is directed to the nanoparticles for use as molecular environmental sensors. The nanoparticles comprise a photoluminescence core and a plurality of ligands bound to the core and forming a quencher permeable ligand shell. The ligands comprise a reactive or charged moiety capable of being modulated between a first stand and a second state, and the proportion of ligands in each state determine the permeability of the ligand shell to a photoluminescence quencher.

Abstract: Dynamic online and real-time virtual humans exhibit behaviors associated with inputs and outputs of an autonomous control system. To foster the awareness and trust, the virtual humans exhibit situational awareness via apparent (e.g., rendered) behaviors based on inputs such as direct system measures, functions of the measures, estimates of state based on measures, and estimates of state based on a priori constraints. The virtual humans also exhibit situational control via apparent behaviors associated with outputs such as direct control of devices, functions of control, actions based on high-level goals, and the optional use of virtual versions of conventional physical controls. A dynamic virtual human who continually exhibits awareness of the system state and relevant contextual circumstances, along with the ability to directly control the system, is used to reduce negative feelings associated with the system such as uncertainty, concern, stress, or anxiety on the part of real humans.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and compositions for managing vascular conditions by targeting microRNA. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to antisense, RNA interference, and blocking oligonucleotide therapeutic compositions and uses related thereto.

Abstract: The invention offers high resolution and accuracy for nanoscale temperature mapping. Instead of collecting light after emission in near-field that decays to far-field, the present invention directly couples the near-field waves to a polaritonic-coated infrared probe. The polaritonic coating can be formed on an IR-tuned optical fiber to receive the coupled IR radiation and form polaritons, including plasmons or phonons, using the IR polaritonic material. The IR polaritons propagate along the probe decay back into the fiber core without substantial losses to far-field and are transmitted to a detector, such as a spectroscope. The coupling of the near-field energy to emission detected through the tip apex of fiber can be expressed as emission spectra. Through mapping with other spatial points, multi-dimensional displays and other information can be provided. The resolution can be less than 100 nanometers, such as at least an order of magnitude less than 100 nanometers.

Abstract: A smartphone is optically coupled to an apparatus that can operate in multiple modes to perform transmission, reflectance, intensity, or scattered light spectroscopy on a sample provided, in an appropriately configured sample cartridge. The apparatus includes a first illumination optical path for illuminating the sample, with light from a light source, on the smartphone for transmission, reflectance, and scattered light spectroscopy. The apparatus also includes a second illumination optical path for illuminating the sample with light from a laser diode for intensity spectroscopy. The apparatus farther includes a collection optical path for collecting light from the sample in each of the modes. An image sensor on the smartphone receives the collected light via a diffraction grating to obtain a spectrum image. The first illumination optical path is substantially parallel to the collection optical path, whereas the second illumination optical path is substantially orthogonal to the collection path.