Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions for treating or preventing a bacterial infection, particularly infection by a Staphylococcus bacterium. The invention provides methods and compositions for stimulating an immune response against the bacteria. In certain embodiments, the methods and compositions involve a non-toxigenic Protein A (SpA) variant.

Abstract: Provided herein are engineered systems and methods for establishing DNA adenine methylation at specific genomic locations and using DNA adenine methylation as an artificial chemical “handle” on the genome. These systems and methods allow for placing the handle on specific genomic locations as well as molecular technologies to bind, spatially spread, and maintain the handle. The systems described herein comprise, in some embodiments, three functional modules that mediate m6A operations: (1) a synthetic initiator module to place m6A at specific genomic sites; (2) a synthetic readout module to program m6A recognition and m6A-dependent transcriptional logic; and (3) propagation module that implements “read-write,” a mechanism proposed to underlie chromatin spreading and epigenetic maintenance across cellular systems.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first waveguide having a longitudinal axis and a first end facet inclined at a non-normal angle to the longitudinal axis, and a second waveguide, which has a second end facet and is fixed with the second end facet in proximity to and parallel with the first end facet. An actuator is coupled to move the first end facet of the first waveguide in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis between a first position in which a distance between the first and second end facets is less than 25 nm, and a second position in which the distance between the first and second end facets is greater than 300 nm.

Abstract: Systems and associated methodology are presented for Arabic handwriting synthesis including partitioning a dataset of sentences associated with the alphabet into a legative partition including isolated bigram representation and classified words that contain ligature representations of the collected dataset, an unlegative partition including single character shape representation of the collected data set, an isolated characters partition, and a passages and repeated phrases partition, generating a pangram, the pangram including the occurrence of every character shape in the collected dataset and further including a special lipogram condition set based on a desired digital output of the collected dataset, and outputting a digital representation of the pangram including synthesized text.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a robotic exoskeleton comprising a back portion providing at least two degrees of freedom, two shoulder portions, each shoulder portion providing at least five degrees of freedom, two elbow portions, each elbow portion providing at least one degree of freedom, and two forearm portions, each forearm portion providing at least one degree of freedom. The present disclosure may also relate to associated robotic forearm joints and robotic shoulder joints.

Abstract: According to some aspects, a quantum mechanical system is provided, comprising a resonator having a plurality of superconducting surfaces and configured to support at least one electromagnetic oscillation mode within a three-dimensional region, wherein the plurality of superconducting surfaces include a first superconducting surface that defines a first plane, and a physical qubit comprising at least one planar component that is planar within the first plane and borders the three-dimensional region.

Abstract: A functionalized magnetic nanoparticle including an organometallic sandwich compound and a magnetic metal oxide. The functionalized magnetic nanoparticle may be reacted with a metal precursor to form in a catalyst for various C—C bond forming reactions. The catalyst may be recovered with ease by attracting the catalyst with a magnet.

Abstract: The adjustable airway mannequin with visual feedback models the human skull, maxilla, upper teeth, lower teeth, jaw, spine and airway mounted on a backboard. Adjustments can be made to the height of the maxilla, the height of the upper teeth, the tension and distance of the jaw movement representing mouth opening, the anterior-posterior displacement of the jaw relative to the maxilla and skull, the presence or absence of the upper teeth and lower teeth, the range of motion of the spine, and tension on the airway to mimic a variety of anatomies. The mannequin may include one or more electronic proximity and position sensors that operate through magnetic field sensing, accelerometry, and optical sensing to monitor one or more of face length, jaw length, mouth opening, jaw tension, larynx position, head height off the table, and spine mobility.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for detecting a piping alignment using image information and laser sensors capable of precisely and accurately measuring and aligning the alignment of the entire pipes. The apparatus includes: a fixed plate installed on a base stage and having a reference pipe located thereon; a movable plate installed on the base stage along three axes to face the reference pipe and has an aligning pipe located thereon; a circular stage installed between the reference and aligning pipes and is configured to rotate and move along three axes so as to detect levelness and deformations of the reference and aligning pipes; a laser sensor and an imaging device installed on an upper side of the circular stage; and a controller configured to control the laser sensor and the imaging device and determine an alignment of the aligning pipe.

Abstract: The present invention includes a device and method for a self-expanding framework device adapted to facilitate the deployment of an extra-cardiac device. The device includes a deployment tube and a self-expanding wire framework having a structure that results in the self-expanding wire framework circumferential flaring motion and bending outwardly to advance around the heart.

Abstract: A ride assembly includes a ride vehicle configured to carry one or more passengers and to move in a direction along a ride path, a first passenger seat of the ride vehicle having a seatback, where the first passenger seat is configured to seat a first passenger of the one or more passengers, and where the seatback is configured to rotate with respect to the ride vehicle from a loading position to an active position, a second passenger seat of the ride vehicle positioned behind the first passenger seat with respect to the direction, where the second passenger seat is configured to seat a second passenger of the one or more passengers, and a passenger restraint coupled to the seatback of the first passenger seat, where the passenger restraint is configured to secure the second passenger in the second passenger seat when the seatback is in the active position.

Abstract: A three-dimensional microfluidic platform including a substrate and a heterogeneous structure is provided. The heterogeneous structure located on the substrate includes prepolymer pattern, cured products, or a combination of at least one prepolymer patterns and at least one cured products, where the material characteristics of the cured products are different from each other, and the material characteristics of the prepolymer patterns are different from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are FGF23 c-tail fusion proteins, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the FGF23 c-tail fusion proteins, and methods of treatment using the FGF23 c-tail fusion proteins. This application discloses fusion proteins comprising a FGF-23 c-tail protein fused to a heterologous amino acid sequence, wherein said fusion protein modulates serum phosphate levels but does not substantially modulate serum 1, 25 VitD levels. In some embodiments, the FGF-23 c-tail protein is fused to the heterologous amino acid sequence via a linker. This invention also encompasses vectors comprising the nucleic acids disclosed herein, and a host cell comprising the vector or polynucleotides encoding the proteins of the invention.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for depth-of-interaction (DOI) positron tomography detection are disclosed herein. Certain embodiments utilize dichotomous sensing to obtain DOI information.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for inhibiting MCL-1, including novel inhibitors of MCL-1, and compositions and methods for treating a subject with cancer that is refractory to one or more MAPK pathway protein inhibitors.

Abstract: A method of improving diagnostic and functional imaging is provided by obtaining at least two input images of a subject, using a medical imager, where each input image includes a different contrast, generating a plurality of copies of the input images using non-local mean (NLM) filtering, using an appropriately programmed computer, where each input image copy of the subject includes different spatial characteristics, obtaining at least one reference image of the subject, using the medical imager, where the reference image includes imaging characteristics that are different form the input images of the subject, training a deep network model, using data augmentation on the appropriately programmed computer, to adaptively tune model parameters to approximate the reference image from an initial set of the input and reference images, with the goal of outputting an improved quality image of other sets of low SNR low resolution images, for analysis by a physician.

Abstract: Genetically modified non-human animals expressing human EPO from the animal genome are provided. Also provided are methods for making non-human animals expressing human EPO from the non-human animal genome, and methods for using non-human animals expressing human EPO from the non-human animal genome. These animals and methods find many uses in the art, including, for example, in modeling human erythropoiesis and erythrocyte function; in modeling human pathogen infection of erythrocytes; in in vivo screens for agents that modulate erythropoiesis and/or erythrocyte function, e.g. in a healthy or a diseased state; in in vivo screens for agents that are toxic to erythrocytes or erythrocyte progenitors; in in vivo screens for agents that prevent against, mitigate, or reverse the toxic effects of toxic agents on erythrocytes or erythrocyte progenitors; in in vivo screens of erythrocytes or erythrocyte progenitors from an individual to predict the responsiveness of an individual to a disease therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between the anode and the cathode; a non-volatile catholyte solution flowing in fluid communication with the cathode, the catholyte solution comprising a polyoxometallate redox couple being at least partially reduced at the cathode in operation of the cell, and at least partially re-generated by reaction with the oxidant in a regeneration zone after such reduction at the cathode, the catholyte solution further comprising one or more vanadium species that result from the speciation of the polyoxometallate at an elevated temperature and/or pressure, wherein the polyoxometallate is represented by the formula: Xa[ZbMcOd] wherein X is selected from hydrogen, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, ammonium,

Abstract: In some embodiments, the compositions and methods relate to compounds isolated from plants in the Salviniaceae family, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, and methods of using the same.

Abstract: A dental treatment method is provided. In this method, a tooth of a patient is extracted and prepared to provide a root part. A root canal in the extracted tooth is prepared and treated. A post of an abutment is fitted into the root canal to attach the root part to the abutment. The abutment having the root part is attached to a dental implant. With the root part attached to the abutment, periodontal connective tissue maintains the jaw bone associated with the extracted tooth, without significant hard tissue loss.