Abstract: Disclosed herein are glycidol-based polymers, nanoparticles, and methods related thereto useful for a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, drug delivery. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Abstract: A composition and method for treating autoimmune disease includes administering an effective amount of an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand. The AhR ligand includes 11-Cl-BBQ, 10-Cl-BBQ, an analog of 11-Cl-BBQ, or combination thereof. The AhR ligand is administered topically, orally, transdermally, intravenously, subcutaneously, or with a nanoparticle. The AhR ligand induces regulatory T cells (AhR-Tregs). AhR-Treg cells block the differentiation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL). The AhR ligand activates AhR in CD4+ T cells to induce CD4+ AhR-Tregs that suppress the development of effector CTL, thereby suppressing the development of CTL that attack host cells in graft versus host disease (GVHD) or ?-cells in the pancreas in diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM). The AhR ligand can also suppress development of CTL independently of Foxp3+ regulatory T cell induction. The AhR ligand can therefore be used to treat autoimmune diseases characterized by an absence of functional Foxp3+ regulatory T cell.

Abstract: Disclosed are isolated mutant erythropoietin (EPO) polypeptides, functional fragment thereof, nucleic acid encoding such peptides, vectors including such nucleic acids and compositions including such peptides and nucleic acids. The mutant EPO peptides are unique in that they include a substitution at amino acid position number 76, such as a glutamic acid for arginine substation at position 76. This substitution inhibits erythropoietic activity while retaining their neuroprotection. Also disclosed are methods of treating or inhibiting neuronal degeneration, reducing or inhibiting one or more symptoms associated with neuronal degeneration and/or glaucoma in a subject. The methods include administering a therapeutically effective amount of a isolated mutant erythropoietin EPO polypeptide, an expression vector encoding such a mutant erythropoietin EPO polypeptide, a viral particle including an expression vector, or a composition, thereby treating or inhibiting neuronal degeneration in the subject.

Abstract: A compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, having a structure of: wherein X is a divalent linking moiety; and R1-R10 are each individually H, optionally-substituted alkyl, optionally-substituted alkoxy, optionally-substituted aryl, optionally-substituted cycloalkyl, optionally-substituted heterocyclic, halogen, amino, or hydroxy, provided that at least one of R3 or R8 is an optionally-substituted alkyl, a substituted alkoxy, optionally-substituted aryl, optionally-substituted cycloalkyl, optionally-substituted heterocyclic, or halogen.

Abstract: The invention provides protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor compounds, Their pharmaceutical compositions, uses, and methods of use, such as in the treatment of various cancers, and process for making the compounds. Also disclosed is an improved synthesis of protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor and precursor compound thienopyridone (5).

Abstract: An array of optical resonators comprises at least a first type of optical resonators each having a resonant response to an optical field at a first wavelength, and a second type of optical resonators each having a resonant response to an optical field at a second wavelength, being different from the first wavelength. The resonant responses can be selected to reduce chromatic aberrations, or to shape a profile of a light beam, or to selectively switch a near field beam.

Abstract: A method of making a thin film transistor, the method including: forming a gate insulating layer on a gate electrode; placing a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; locating a first photoresist layer, a nanowire structure, a second photoresist layer on the semiconductor layer, the nanowire structure being sandwiched between the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer, wherein the nanowire structure comprises one nanowire; forming one opening in the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to form an exposed surface, wherein a part of the nanowire is exposed in the opening; depositing a conductive film layer on the exposed surface of the semiconductor layer, wherein the conductive film layer defines a nano-scaled channel corresponding to the nanowire, the conductive film layer is divided into two regions, one region is used as a source electrode, the other region is used as a drain electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrofluidic support plate and a method for preparing the same, and an electrofluidic device comprising the support plate. The method comprises the following steps of: providing a substrate which has a surface provided with an electrode layer; arranging a first amorphous fluoropolymer layer on the surface of the substrate, and carrying out hydrophilic modification on a surface of the amorphous fluoropolymer layer; arranging pixel walls on the amorphous fluoropolymer layer after hydrophilic modification; arranging a second amorphous fluoropolymer layer which is a hydrophobic layer; the second amorphous fluoropolymer layer covering all surfaces of the pixel walls and a groove area encircled by the pixel walls; filling the groove area encircled by the pixel walls with a protective material; removing the second amorphous fluoropolymer layer not covered by the protective material and on a top of the pixel walls; and removing the protective material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating digital waveforms with high-resolution duty cycles are disclosed. A smoothed sinusoidal waveform set to a voltage other than ground may be generated and/or received. A rectangular waveform may be generated based on the sinusoidal waveform using a comparator. The rectangular waveform may be utilized to adjust the duty cycle of a current applied to a mass analyzer to improve duty-cycle resolution of a mass analyzer of a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for treating prostate cancer patients. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that approximately 90% of men carrying at least one of the following fusion genes: TRMT11-GRIK2, SLC45A2-AMACR, MTOR-TP53BP1, LRRC59-FLJ60017, TMEM135-CCDC67 and CCNH-05orf30 experienced prostate cancer recurrence, metastases and/or prostate cancer-specific death after radical prostatectomy (each examples of “progressive prostate cancer”), while these outcomes occurred in only 36% of men not carrying any of these fusion genes. It is also based, at least in part, on the discovery that a genome editing technique that specifically targets a fusion gene can induce cell death in a cancer cell that carries the fusion gene.

Abstract: An embodiment of a submersible warming garment comprises a closed fluid loop including a warming conduit disposed in thermal communication with a chamber containing a catalyst and a cooling conduit disposed within a wearable garment. A pump moves the fluid through the warming conduit, where heat is gained, to the cooling conduit, where heat is surrendered to a human wearing the garment, and back to the pump. An actuated valve on a container of fuel and an actuated valve on a container of oxygen are controlled using a controller to provide a combustible mixture into the chamber where the mixture reacts in the presence of a catalytic member to generate heat and combustion by-products. The combustion by-products, including carbon dioxide and water, are one of adsorbed and absorbed by a carbon dioxide scrubber and a reusable water storage medium. A fan moves the by-products into the scrubber and water storage medium.

Abstract: This document describes a data processing system for database management. The system includes a registry management server in communication with a logical registry in a data repository. The data repository includes profile data associated with profile objects, a library of electronic instruments and a logical table including a number of logical rows corresponding to the profile objects. The registry management receives profile data from a client device, selects electronic instruments from the library, and maps the electronic instruments and profile objects by updating the logical table and indexing the logical table.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a foreground in an image is provided, and the foreground detecting apparatus includes a context information estimator configured to estimate context information on a scene from an image frame of the image, a background model constructor configured to construct a background model of the image frame using the estimated context information, and a foreground detector configured to detect a foreground from the image frame based on the constructed background model.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting a core sample. The system includes an outer cylindrical tube, a drive head, a drive shoe, a cooling chamber housed inside the outer cylindrical tube, insulation, a core sample liner, an inlet tube, and outlet tube. The drive shoe further comprises a first, second, and third step, the first step configured to receive the insulation, the second step configured to receive the cooling chamber, the third step configured to receive the core sample liner, wherein the first step has a diameter larger than the second step and the second step has a diameter larger than the third step. The method includes drilling a hole in the ground with a drilling tool, enclosing a core sample by a core sample liner, freezing the core sample via a cooling liquid, retrieving the drilling tool at a surface of the ground, and removing the core sample encased in the core sample liner from the cooling chamber.

Abstract: Adeno-associated virus rh.10 sequences, vectors containing same, and methods of use are provided.

Abstract: Front-end analog circuitry is described based on a sink-regulated H-bridge topology for delivery of biphasic stimulus signals that may be useful in neurostimulation. Stimulus current may be supplied using fully-integrated dynamic voltage supplies (DVSs), which may be controlled in closed-loop to have an output voltage approximately equal to the voltage of the electrode each supplies stimulus to. The stimulus waveform may be regulated by a single, low-voltage current-digital-to-analog converter (current-DAC), which can safely interface with the electrodes (which may be at high voltages) via high-voltage adapter (HVA) circuits. Example analog front-end circuitry may utilize the balancing stimulus current to discharge the electrode-tissue interface impedance (ZE). In some examples, only after full (or sufficient) ZE discharge has been detected is a DVS used to supply the remaining balancing stimulus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are fibrillar molecular aggregates, which are morphologically and phenotypically similar to oligomers of aberrant proteins. The molecular aggregates, formed by self-assembly of small hydrophobic molecules, prevent the growth of microtubules. This unprecedented mechanism of “self-assembly to interfere with self-organization” allows inhibition of the growth of cancer cells.

Abstract: A structural lightweight concrete composition comprising cement, a fine aggregate such as sand, a natural coarse aggregates, such as limestone, scoria or perlite or mixtures thereof, a synthetic coarse aggregate comprising a polymeric material, such as polypropylene beads, an industrial waste byproduct in the form of fine particles, such as silica fume or heavy oil ash, a superplasticizer, such as a polycarboxylate ether and water demonstrating lower thermal conductivity and sufficient compressive strength. Concrete products made therefrom and methods for producing such products are also provided.

Abstract: A method for improving photosynthesis of rice includes the step of knocking out IPS1 gene in rice. The IPS1 gene has a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: Catalysts useful in transforming biomass to bio-oil are disclosed, as are methods for making such catalysts, and methods of transforming biomass to bio-oil. The catalysts are especially useful for, but are not limited to, microwave- and induction-heating based pyrolysis of biomass, solid waste, and other carbon containing materials into bio-oil. The catalysts can also be used for upgrading the bio-oil to enhance fuel quality.