Abstract: The present invention relates to novel therapeutic agents against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, particularly inhibitors of viral covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) which is the key barrier for HBV cure. Accordingly, the invention provides the pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazine compounds of formula (I), as described and defined herein, for use in the treatment of HBV infection. The compounds provided herein are highly potent against HBV infection and enable an improved therapy, particularly of chronic HBV infection and HBV rebound. The present invention further relates to a novel screening assay for the identification of therapeutic agents against HBV infection, particularly cccDNA inhibitors, which is performed in hepatocyte-like cells that recapitulate the complete HBV life cycle following infection with patient-derived HBV.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for labeling input DNA with oligonucleotide barcode sequences, and selective PCR amplification of DNA sequence variants across the targeted regions for variant quantitation.

Abstract: Artificial neural network systems involve the receipt by a computing device of input data that defines a pattern to be recognized (such as faces, handwriting, and voices). The computing device may then decompose the input data into a first subband and a second subband, wherein the first and second subbands include different characterizing features of the pattern in the input data. The first and second subbands may then be fed into first and second neural networks being trained to recognize the pattern. Reductions in power expenditure, memory usage, and time taken, for example, allow resource-limited computing devices to perform functions they otherwise could not.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of treatment comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a myosin modulator or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a subject in need thereof and diagnostic methods useful in connection with those treatments. Due to observations unfolding in clinical trials with mavacamten and with mavacamten and other myosin inhibitors in the pre-clinical setting, new insights into how myosin inhibitors can be used beneficially to impact the disease state of HCM and other diseases are provided herein.

Abstract: Provided herein are hybrid capture-based methods to extract single-stranded DNA or RNA directly from non-treated biospecimens. The methods allow for the detection and analysis of unexplored short single-stranded DNA (sssDNA, mean length 50 nt) and ultrashort single-stranded DNA (ussDNA, mean length 15 nt) of human origin present in the biospecimen. The methods allow the discovery of unexplored short single-stranded DNA (sssDNA) in isolated red blood cells, which were believed to be deprived of nucleic acids because of the lack of a nucleus in mature red blood cells. The DNA or RNA extracted using the disclosed methods can be used as disease prognostic biomarkers and treatment predictive biomarkers.

Abstract: A plug connector includes a plug housing having a plurality of side walls forming a cavity, a spacer having a plate shape and dividing the cavity into a pair of halves, a plurality of conductive terminals disposed on opposite sides of the spacer, a connector engagement component, and a pull tab. The connector engagement component has a first engagement portion releasably engaging a second engagement portion of a socket connector and a fixing portion detachably secured to the side walls of the plug housing. The pull tab is movable between the plug housing and the connector engagement component in a direction towards or away from a cable connected to the conductive terminals. Pulling of the pull tab in a pulling direction towards the cable enables release of an engagement between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, separating the plug connector from the socket connector.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly includes a circuit board, a plurality of cables soldered to a side of the circuit board, a protective member covering a plurality of solder joints of the cables on the circuit board, and a retainer provided on the side of the circuit board. The retainer fixes the protective member on the circuit board.

Abstract: A helmet includes an outer shell, an intermediate isolator shell, an intermediate damping shell and an inner shell. The helmet further includes inner padding, a plurality of shocks, a plurality of shock mounts and one or more sensors. The helmet can further include an intermediate piston shell, one or more brake pads, a landing padding, and a bottom support. The helmet is configured to provide impact energy absorption and protect a user from brain and/or head injuries. The helmet provides controlled deceleration of the brain so as to prevent or minimize damage to the brain or head of the user. The one or more sensors of the helmet enables an impact detection system to be used concurrently with the helmet. The impact detection system is configured to measure, track, store, and present data collected during each use via a mobile application.

Abstract: This present disclosure describes hybridization probes modularly constructed from several oligonucleotides with a pattern of designed complementary interactions, allowing the probes to sequence-specifically capture or analyze nucleic acid target sequences that are long and/or complex.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to enabling a hypervisor of a host machine to provide virtual interrupts to select virtual processors or a set of virtual processors. More specifically, the present disclosure describes how interrupts may be provided to targeted virtual processors, regardless of where the virtual processors are currently executing. That is, when an interrupt is received, the interrupt may be delivered to a specified virtual processor regardless of which logical processor is currently hosting the virtual processor.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, systems, and tangible non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions are presented. A method includes calculating a plurality of feature values for a number of bioinformatic features of the desired hybridization reaction; and calculating distances between the plurality of feature values and corresponding database rate constant values stored in a database, the database comprising a plurality of hybridization reactions having known rate constants. The method additionally includes calculating a weighted average of a logarithm of the database rate constant values, with larger weights assigned to value instances having values lower in distance to the plurality of feature values of the desired hybridization reaction; and providing the weighted average as a predicted logarithm of the rate constant of the desired hybridization reaction.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of accessing content items stored at a content management system by a mobile device, when the mobile device is not communicatively coupled to the content management system. The content management system can receive an indication to mark a content item (e.g., folder and the content items associated with the folder) as available to a mobile device when the mobile device is offline. The content management system can mark the content item, and any content items associated with the content item, for offline access by the mobile device and determine a synchronization schedule for the content item(s). The content management system can then initially send to the mobile device, the marked content item(s) in accordance with the synchronization schedule. While offline, the mobile device can make changes to the marked content items. The changes can be synchronized between the mobile device and content management system when the mobile device is online.

Abstract: Provided are methods for treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and diastolic dysfunction.

Abstract: A combination wheel is disclosed, which comprises a color filter, a reflective substrate coaxially aligned with and on a surface of the color filter, light-emitting phosphor segments of different colors on the reflective substrate, and a diffuser segment. When used with a blue laser generator and a series of a dichroic filters and mirrors, the combination wheel tunes and convert lights to be collected by a subsequent optical system.

Abstract: This disclosure describes methods for enabling accurate detection and quantitation of rare alleles within a DNA sample using low-depth sequencing, through the use of allele-specific enrichment and/or depletion hybridization probes. For example, methods are provided for using competitive probes to apply allele-specific enrichment or depletion to amplicons from multiplex PCR on a biological DNA sample.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a method of purifying several full-length oligonucleotide targets from corresponding synthesis truncation products, in a way that ensures roughly stoichiometric equality among the targets.

Abstract: Provided are methods for treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and diastolic dysfunction.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of accessing content items stored at a content management system by a mobile device, when the mobile device is not communicatively coupled to the content management system. The content management system can receive an indication to mark a content item (e.g., folder and the content items associated with the folder) as available to a mobile device when the mobile device is offline. The content management system can mark the content item, and any content items associated with the content item, for offline access by the mobile device and determine a synchronization schedule for the content item(s). The content management system can then initially send to the mobile device, the marked content item(s) in accordance with the synchronization schedule. While offline, the mobile device can make changes to the marked content items. The changes can be synchronized between the mobile device and content management system when the mobile device is online.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor wafer includes depositing a silicon layer on the semiconductor wafer. The silicon layer has a substantially uniform thickness. The silicon layer is polished to smooth the silicon layer such that the thickness is substantially uniform after polishing.

Abstract: A desulfurization gas process includes water vapor, CO2 and SOx (x=2 and/or 3). In a treatment unit, the gas contacts a cooled alkaline aqueous solution having a temperature lower than an initial gas temperature, water and a carbonate of an alkali metal, to cool the gas, condense some water vapor and absorb SOx in the carbonate-containing solution, produce an SOx-depleted gas and an acidic aqueous solution including sulfate and/or sulfite ions. The SOx-depleted gas and a portion of the acidic aqueous solution can then be withdrawn from the treatment unit. Carbonate of the alkali metal can be added to remaining acidic aqueous solution to obtain a made-up alkaline aqueous solution. This solution can be cooled and reused as the cooled alkaline aqueous solution. An SOx absorbent solution includes a bleed stream from a CO2-capture process, sodium or potassium carbonate, and an acidic aqueous solution obtained from desulfurization.