Abstract: The present invention provides AAV capsid proteins comprising modification of one or a combination of the surface-exposed lysine, serine, threonine and/or tyrosine residues in the VP3 region. Also provided are rAAV virions comprising the AAV capsid proteins of the present invention, as well as nucleic acid molecules and rAAV vectors encoding the AAV capsid proteins of the present invention. Advantageously, the rAAV vectors and virions of the present invention have improved efficiency in transduction of a variety of cells, tissues and organs of interest, when compared to wild-type rAAV vectors and virions.

Abstract: To provide a metal wire and an electric wire of high mechanical strength and high ductibility that have sufficiently increased ductibility as well as sufficiently increased mechanical strength. A metal wire manufactured at least by being subjected to an extension in which a metal wire is extended in an axial direction, and having a hardness distribution in which hardness decreases toward a specific peripheral portion from a central portion in a cross-section orthogonal to axis, whereby a softened peripheral portion becomes to show a good malleability as well as a high resistance to cracking, so as to attain an improvement of mechanical strength and ductibility.

Abstract: Provided herein are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents comprising a compound having a structure represented by: Y—X—Z, wherein, X is: Fe(III) or Mn(II), and Y and Z are each independently selected from pyrophosphate and bisphosphonate (e.g., 1-hydroxybisphosphonate), or a pharmaceutically acceptable hydrate and/or salt thereof. Methods of use of the MRI contrast agent are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving action potential morphology in iPSC-derived cardiac myocytes and utilizing such myocytes. Improved morphology may include, for example, physiological resting membrane potentials. Membrane voltages of the myocyte are measured and a synthetic inward rectifying current is applied to the myocyte based on the membrane voltage.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and composition for trackable genetic variant libraries. Further provided herein are methods and compositions for recursive engineering. Further provided herein are methods and compositions for multiplex engineering. Further provided herein are methods and compositions for enriching for editing and trackable engineered sequences and cells using nucleic acid-guided nucleases.

Abstract: An augmented reality man-machine interactive system includes a processing device for defining an interactive object image and a controllable object image and setting a color identification value, and an image capturing device for capturing an image for the processing device. The processing device defines the range of the image having the color block as a characteristic region when the image has a color block with the color identification value and makes the controllable object image to be dependent and controllable by the characteristic region. Therefore, the present invention uses a label object of the color identification value to define a characteristic region without requiring any expensive image identification and computing device, so as to operate and control the controllable object image and interact with the interactive object image. The system is applicable for augmented reality of daily life or classroom teaching.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to imaging with augmented stereoscopic microscopes. In one example, an augmented stereoscopic microscope includes an objective lens that can simultaneously receive near infrared (NIR) images and visible bright-field images of an examined object and an augmentation module. The augmentation module can separate the NIR images from the visible bright-field images for processing by an image processing unit to produce synthetic images using the NIR images and combine the synthetic images with the visible bright-field images to form co-registered augmented images that are directed to an eyepiece of the augmented stereoscopic microscope. In another example, a method includes obtaining a NIR image of an examined object; generating a synthetic image using the NIR image; combining the synthetic image with a real-time visual image of the examined object to form an augmented image; and directing the augmented image to an eyepiece of an augmented stereoscopic microscope.

Abstract: This present invention relates to a method of preparing graphene-based film, said method comprising: providing a first graphene-based film comprising sheets of graphene, graphene oxide, partially reduced graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, or a combination of two or more thereof, that are (i) arranged relative to each other in a substantially planar manner so as to form a layered structure, and (ii) at least partially separated by a liquid medium; exchanging said liquid medium with a packing density adjustment medium that comprises at least two components, wherein one of said components has a volatility greater than the other component; and removing at least some of the more volatile component from the first graphene-based film to produce a graphene-based film that has a different packing density of the graphene-based sheets relative to that of the first graphene-based film.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for accurate and sensitive quantitation of T-tau and P-tau are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for generating symmetric cryptographic keys for communications between hosts. Hosts use associated devices to generate secret keys. Each key is generated based on a static seed and a dynamic seed. The dynamic seed is created from sensor data or auxiliary data. The secret key allows host machines to encrypt, or decrypt, plaintext messages sent to, or received from, other host machines.

Abstract: A processor architecture utilizing a L3 translation lookaside buffer (TLB) to reduce page walks. The processor includes multiple cores, where each core includes a L1 TLB and a L2 TLB. The processor further includes a L3 TLB that is shared across the processor cores, where the L3 TLB is implemented in off-chip or die-stack dynamic random-access memory. Furthermore, the processor includes a page table connected to the L3 TLB, where the page table stores a mapping between virtual addresses and physical addresses. In such an architecture, by having the L3 TLB with a very large capacity, performance may be improved, such as execution time, by eliminating page walks, which requires multiple data accesses.

Abstract: The present invention is based, in part, on our discovery of compositions and methods that can be used to treat a patient who has a compromised bone (due, for example, to a disease such as osteoporosis or an injury such as a bone fracture). The compositions can also be administered prophylactically. For example, they can be administered to help maintain bone health as a patient ages. More specifically, the compositions include polypeptides that constitute (or that include) a fragment of a calcitonin receptor (CR) and polypeptides that constitute (or include) biologically active variants of those fragments. Sequence-specific formulas are provided herein, and polypeptides conforming to those formulas, as well as nucleic acids encoding them, expression vectors, host cells, pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of their preparation and use are within the scope of the present invention.

Abstract: Vaccines and compositions containing an attenuated L. monocytogenes prsA2 htrA deletion mutant for use in the presentation of foreign or exogenous antigens and in the treatment or prevention of diseases such as cancer or infectious disease are provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for assessing endothelial function in a mammal. In certain embodiments the methods involve using a cuff to apply pressure to an artery in a subject to determine a plurality of baseline values for a parameter related to endothelial function as a function of applied pressure (Pm); b) applying a stimulus to the subject; and applying external pressure Pm to the artery to determine a plurality of stimulus-effected values for the parameter related to endothelial function as a function of applied pressure (Pm); where the baseline values are determined from measurements made when said mammal is not substantially effected by said stimulus and differences in said baseline values and said stimulus-effected values provide a measure of endothelial function in said mammal.

Abstract: A system for reducing the information content of a data stream according to privacy requirements that vary according to referents of the data while maximizing the utility of the data stream in the aggregate. In embodiments, a receiver of data characterizing multiple referents extracts information such as statistics. A filter may reduce the information content of the data to reduce the probability that the receiver could uniquely identify any single referent from the data, according to privacy requirements that vary by the referent. The filter allows this to be done in a way that allows the utility of the data to be maximized when the permitted probability of identification varies among the referents.

Abstract: Compressed gas energy storage systems, which include an integrated thermal energy storage component, are provided. The systems include a compression stage, a heat transfer unit, and a gas storage reservoir, serially linked in fluid communication. The system may include one, two, or three compression stages and heat transfer units. Each heat transfer unit may include two or more thermal energy storage stages. Each thermal energy storage stage may include one or more phase change materials. A method of storing compressed gas energy, which includes compressing a gas through a compression stage to produce a compressed gas; passing the compressed gas through a heat transfer unit to produce a heat removed gas; and transferring the heat removed gas to a gas storage reservoir.

Abstract: A series of multicoordinating and multifunctional ligands optimized for the surface-functionalization of luminescent quantum dots (QDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) alike is disclosed. An L-aspartic acid precursor is modified with functionality, through simple peptide coupling chemistry, one or two lipoic acid (LA) groups and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties in the same ligand. These ligands were combined with a new photoligation strategy to yield hydrophilic and reactive QDs that are colloidally stable over a broad range of conditions, including storage at nanomolar concentration and under ambient conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for improving communications between humans and devices. The invention provides a method of modulating operation of a device, comprising: providing an attentive user interface for obtaining information about an attentive state of a user; and modulating operation of a device on the basis of the obtained information, wherein the operation that is modulated is initiated by the device. Preferably, the information about the user's attentive state is eye contact of the user with the device that is sensed by the attentive user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of measuring red blood cell membrane fluctuations based on dynamic cell parameters using a digital holographic microscope; the method including a step of modeling the three-dimensional images of red blood cells to be measured, and a step of measuring red blood cell membrane fluctuations based on the three-dimensional images. According to this method, since the three-dimensional images of red blood cells to be measured are modeled and red blood cell membrane fluctuations are measured based on the three-dimensional images, red blood cell membrane fluctuations can be measured more easily.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are disclosed for delivering lutein or other antioxidant to target tissues such as the eye, in bioactive form, while protecting the antioxidant from degradation. The antioxidant is encapsulated in nanoparticles comprising a protein such as zein or a polymer such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). Preferably a surfactant is associated with the nanoparticles as well, further helping to protect the antioxidant. After the nanoparticles are administered to the target tissue, bioactive antioxidant is released to the tissue over time. Optionally, the nanoparticles are admixed with a thermosensitive, bioadhesive gel to promote slow release of antioxidant. The methods and compositions are useful for treating or preventing conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or cataracts.