Abstract: A method of detecting the presence of alpha-synuclein aggregation in a biological sample is provided whereby a biological sample is mixed with a reaction sample comprising a population of beads, a fluorophore adapted to bind to protein aggregates and to increase fluorescence when bound to protein aggregates, and alpha-synuclein or a fragment or variant thereof to form a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture is illuminated and at the same time incubated with intermittent agitation cycles, wherein a significant increase in the fluorescence of the reaction mixture during incubation is indicative of the presence of aggregates of alpha-synuclein in the biological sample. Method of diagnosing alpha-synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease or Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for pretreating lignocellulose by using an acid-base mixture catalyst. The method pretreats lignocellulose, by using a mixture catalyst of an acid and a base, so as not to pass through additional neutralization steps, and carries out pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation through an identical single reactor process, thereby having an effect of producing ethanol in an excellent production yield from lignocellulosic biomass while simplifying the total process and reducing equipment costs and total processing costs.

Abstract: A method for determining navigation parameters of a vehicle under varying center of gravity position, the method comprising, detecting a plurality of acceleration values via a plurality of accelerometers, calculating a plurality of differential values based on the acceleration values, calculating an initial inertia value of the vehicle based on the differential values, calculating an initial mass value of the vehicle based on the differential values, obtaining a plurality of disturbance parameters, calculating a refined inertia value based on the initial inertia value and a first one of the disturbance parameters, calculating a refined mass value based on the initial mass value and a second one of the disturbance parameters, and determining navigation parameters based on the refined inertia value and the refined mass value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant eukaryotic cell expressing one or more heterologous double strand break (DSB) repair proteins in an amount effective for enhancing DSB repair in the cell. The recombinant eukaryotic cell may express a recombinant product of interest. Also provided are methods for enhancing double strand break (DSB) repair in eukaryotic cells, establishing host cells for production of a recombinant product of interest, producing a recombinant product of interest, improving production of a recombinant product of interest by eukaryotic cells, and/or investigating suitability of eukaryotic cells as host cells for producing a recombinant product of interest.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for regulating prohormone convertase (PC1) and compounds and treatments which increase PC1 levels, for treating Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS).

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments concern a composition comprising a diatom frustule and two or more photocatalytic nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of the frustule. Also disclosed are embodiments of a method for making the composition. The nanoparticles are dispersed such that they are separate and not in physical contact with each other. An average distance between the nanoparticles may be from greater than 0 nm to 100 nm. The nanoparticles may comprise a dopant material. Paint compositions comprising the diatom frustule compositions are also contemplated. The diatom frustule composition may be useful for removing and/or degrading volatile organic compounds, such as those present in the atmosphere.

Abstract: An electrode material for a secondary battery and a secondary battery are provided. The electrode material for the secondary battery includes tin-manganese-nickel-oxide. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte, and a package structure, wherein the anode includes the electrode material for the secondary battery.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a patient post operation having electrically conducting leads which are adapted to extend from inside the patient. The leads having electrodes adapted to communicate with a heart of the patient and apply electrical signals to the heart. The electrodes providing cardiac signals to the computer in response to the electrical signals so the computer can determine in real time at least one of heart volume, end diastolic heart volume, end systolic heart volume, stroke volume, change in heart volume, change in stroke volume, contractility, respiration rate or tidal volume regarding the patient.

Abstract: A method for mitigating an involuntary muscle movement in a patient by applying external vibration in multiple locations distributed about a periphery of an upper arm or forearm of the patient for an applied vibration duration that is less than the efficacy duration. Applied vibration duration as a percentage of efficacy duration is ideally less than 80%. A wearable device for performing the method has a flexible base for removably affixing to a patient's upper arm or forearm, a plurality of vibration generators, a power source, and a connected microcontroller configured to control the vibration generated by the vibration generators in accordance with a pulse frequency. The microcontroller is configured to connect to a remote controller via a communications interface. The vibration generators have a nominal vibration frequency different from the pulse frequency.

Abstract: A nanoparticle that has a membrane including a polylactide-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polylactide (PLA-PEG-PLA) and a polyvinyl alcohol, a bovine serum albumin contacting the membrane on the outside of the nanoparticle, a targeting group attached to the outside of the nanoparticle, and a breast cancer therapeutic agent that is encapsulated by the membrane. A nanoparticle that consists of a membrane including a polylactide-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polylactide (PLA-PEG-PLA) and a polyvinyl alcohol, a bovine serum albumin contacting the membrane on the outside of the nanoparticle, breast cancer therapeutic agent that is encapsulated by the membrane, and an anti-Her2 antibody attached to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. A range of a number average molecular weight of the PEG block is 800 Da to 3 kDa and a range of a number average molecular weight of each of the PLA blocks is from 1 kDa to 5 kDa.

Abstract: A membrane distillation module with a circulating line to circulate a portion of distilled water, which is formed and accumulated in a distillate zone, to enhance a permeate flux of water vapor through a hydrophobic membrane of the membrane distillation module. Various combinations of embodiments of the membrane distillation module are provided.

Abstract: A method and system for encouraging the selection of healthy products with a vending machine are provided. The method includes providing a vending machine that displays an inventory of products. Each product of the inventory of products includes a dispensing countdown time displayed on the vending machine. The method also includes receiving a first customer selection of a first product from the inventory of products, where the first product has a first dispensing countdown time. Additionally, the method includes actuating a countdown timer to count down to zero seconds from the first dispensing countdown time. The method also includes dispensing the first product once the countdown timer reaches zero seconds. The first product is only dispensed if a customer does not select a second product having a second dispensing countdown time before the first dispensing countdown time counts down to zero seconds.

Abstract: Described herein is a chelator for radiolabels (e.g., 89Zr) for targeted PET imaging that is an alternative to DFO. In certain embodiments, the chelator for 89Zr is the ligand, 3,4,3-(LI-1,2-HOPO) (“HOPO”), which exhibits equal or superior stability compared to DFO in chemical and biological assays across a period of several days in vivo. As shown in FIG. 1, the HOPO is an octadentate chelator that stabilizes chelation of radiolabels (e.g., 89Zr). A bifunctional ligand comprising p-SCN-Bn-HOPO is shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Such a bifunctional ligand can eliminate (e.g., 89Zr) loss from the chelate in vivo and reduce uptake in bone and non-target tissue. Therefore, the bifunctional HOPO ligand can facilitate safer and improved PET imaging with radiolabeled antibodies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of computer software analysis and discloses an RFC-directed differential testing method of certificate validations in a SSL/TLS implementations which includes: extracting rules from RFC and updating the rules, classifying the rules, further classifying consumer rules and shared rules into breakable rules and unbreakable rules, expressing the rules as variables, and generating a symbolic program; generating low-level test cases by applying the dynamic symbolic execution technique to the symbolic program; assembling high-level test cases i.e. digital certificates according to the low-level test cases; and employing the assembled digital certificates to the differential testing of the certificate validation in SSL/TLS implementations.

Abstract: The disclosure in some aspects relates to recombinant adeno-associated viruses having distinct tissue targeting capabilities. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to gene transfer methods using the recombinant adeno-associated viruses. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to isolated AAV capsid proteins and isolated nucleic acids encoding the same.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is Brunner's Gland Stem/Progenitor Cells (BGSCs) having phenotypic traits of endodermal stem cells and positive for pluripotency markers, and methods of isolating them from the human duodenum. Moreover, the present disclosure provides that BGSCs are easily isolated from duodenum from human donors, can be expanded in culture or induced to differentiate towards hepatic and pancreatic lineages and could represent a cell source for clinical programs of regenerative medicine.

Abstract: Interferon-?-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) peptides, IP-10 peptide variants and in silico designed C—X—C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) peptide agonists are described. The small peptides can be used for inhibiting pathological tissue remodeling and treating fibrosis in a subject, such as a subject with fibrosis of the heart, lung, liver, kidney or skin. The peptide agonists can also be used to treat cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Also described are in silico designed peptide antagonists that bind CXCR3 or ligands of CXCR3. These antagonist peptides block CXCR3 signaling by disrupting interaction of CXCR3 with its ligand. Antagonist peptides can be used, for example, to treat myocarditis and atherosclerosis. In additional embodiments agonists and antagonists of CXCR4 are disclosed.

Abstract: Ferromagnetic materials are disclosed that comprise at least one Dirac half metal material. In addition, Dirac half metal materials are disclosed, wherein the material comprises a plurality of massless Dirac electrons. In addition, ferromagnetic materials are disclosed that includes at least one Dirac half metal material, wherein the material comprises a plurality of massless Dirac electrons, wherein the material exhibits 100% spin polarization, and wherein the plurality of electrons exhibit ultrahigh mobility. Spintronic devices and heterostructures are also disclosed that include a Dirac half metal material.

Abstract: Provided is a speech enhancement method and a system therefor. The speech enhancement method includes receiving at least one speech signal; generating a first speech signal by performing a primary speech enhancement on the at least one speech signal; selecting a noise removing gain corresponding to the first speech signal from pre-learned noise removing gain information; and generating a second speech signal by performing a secondary speech enhancement on the first speech signal based on the selected noise removing gain.

Abstract: A method for detecting and quantifying haloether contamination in aqueous samples. A flow state is artificially induced upon an aqueous sample and a solid phase microextraction (SPME) fiber, upon which an electric potential is applied, is exposed to the flowing aqueous sample in direct immersion mode. Halide ions liberated from electrophoretically dehalogenated haloether compounds contained in the aqueous sample are absorbed upon the SPME fiber, then later desorbed at a gas chromatograph, separated into individual halide ions and analyzed by mass spectrometry. Effects of various parameters such as absorption time, sample pH, salt content, applied voltage, SPME fiber type, flow rate and background matrix are also described.