Abstract: A silica aerogel having a mean pore size less than 5 nm with a standard deviation of 3 nm. The silica aerogel may have greater than 95% solar-weighted transmittance at a thickness of 8 mm for wavelengths in the range of 250 nm to 2500 nm, and a 400° C. black-body weighted specific extinction coefficient of greater than 8 m2/kg for wavelengths of 1.5 ?m to 15 ?m. Silica aerogel synthesis methods are described. A solar thermal aerogel receiver (STAR) may include an opaque frame defining an opening, an aerogel layer disposed in the opaque frame, with at least a portion of the aerogel layer being proximate the opening, and a heat transfer fluid pipe in thermal contact with and proximate the aerogel layer. A concentrating solar energy system may include a STAR and at least one reflector to direct sunlight to an opening in the STAR.

Abstract: Described herein are window retrofits including a monolithic silica aerogel slab having (i) an average haze value of <5% as calculated in accordance with ASTM standard D1003-13 and (ii) a U-factor of <0.5 BTU/sf/hr/° F., and a transparent polymer envelope sealed at an internal pressure of ?1 atmosphere, wherein the monolithic silica aerogel slab is encapsulated in the transparent polymer envelope. The monolithic aerogel slab can have a transmittance>94% at 8 mm thickness. The window retrofit can be bonded to a glass sheet.

Abstract: Provided are high affinity Mycobacterium tuberculosis arabinomannan-specific antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof. Also provided are methods of use and devices employing such Mycobacterium tuberculosis arabinomannan-specific antibodies and antigen-binding fragments thereof.

Abstract: Agonists for TRAIL death receptors including polypeptides that bind to TRAIL death receptor TRAIL-R1 (DR4) and/or TRAIL-R2 (DR5) and optionally having a multimerizing, e.g. trimerizing domain. Agonists are described that do not bind to TRAIL decoy receptors. The multimerizing domain may be derived from human tetranectin. The agonists can induce apoptosis in pathogenic cells expressing a TRAIL death receptor. Pharmaceutical compositions are described for treating diseases associated with cells expressing DR4 and DR5, such as tumor cells. Methods for selecting polypeptides and preparing multimeric complexes.

Abstract: Polypeptides that bind to IL-23R including polypeptides having a multimerizing, e.g. trimerizing, domain and a polypeptide sequence that binds IL-23R. The multimerizing domain may be derived from human tetranectin. IL-23R binding polypeptides inhibit activation of IL-23R by native IL-23 and can be used as therapeutics agents for a variety of immune related disorders and cancers. Methods for selecting polypeptides and preparing multimeric complexes are described.