Abstract: Provided are antibodies that specifically bind to Programmed Death-1 (PD1, Pdcd-1, or CD279) and inhibit PD1-mediated cellular signaling and activities in immune cells, antibodies binding to a set of amino acid residues required for its ligand binding, and uses of these antibodies to treat or diagnose cancer, infectious diseases or other pathological disorders modulated by PD1-mediated functions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pond culture circulation system based on a bio-toilet module including a culture pond and an annular treatment channel surrounding the culture pond. The annular treatment channel is sequentially provided with a sedimentation zone, a biological purification zone and a water storage zone along a direction of water flow. The culture pond includes a plurality of culture pond units. Each of the plurality of culture pond units is provided with a bio-toilet module in communication with the sedimentation zone through a sewage pipe. The water storage zone communicates with each of the plurality of culture pond units through a gravity-flow culvert. The invention further discloses a use method of the pond culture circulation system based on the bio-toilet module.

Abstract: The present invention provides a human CD16+ natural killer cell line. This human CD16+ natural killer cell line does not include synthetic, genetically modified or deliberately delivered polynucleotide encoding the CD16 receptor and is a non-tumorigenic cell line. Therefore, this human CD16+ natural killer cell line might provide considerable long-term safety for disease treatment.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing blockchain-based private transactions are provided. One of the methods includes transmitting, at a first blockchain node of a number (N) of blockchain nodes that are involved in a private transaction, the private transaction to each of a plurality of second blockchain nodes of the N blockchain nodes, wherein N is at least four, at least (N?F) signatures certifying the private transaction respectively from at least (N?F) blockchain nodes of the first and second blockchain nodes, wherein F is a largest integer no more than (N?1)/2; and submitting, at the first blockchain node, a hash value of the private transaction in association with the at least (N?F) signatures to one or more blockchain nodes of a public blockchain for adding into the public blockchain.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultra-thin carbon-layer composite material modified by nickel nanoclusters and vanadium carbide particles, and its preparation method and application. The composite material comprises a two-dimensional ultra-thin carbon-layer as a matrix, in which nickel clusters and vanadium carbide nanoparticles are embedded to form coupling interfaces between Ni and C, VC and C, and Ni and VC. The thickness of the two-dimensional ultra-thin carbon-layer is less than 10 nm.

Abstract: Provided are antibodies that specifically bind to TIGIT (T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, WUCAM or Vstm3) and inhibit Tigit-mediated cellular signaling and activities in immune cells. The anti-TIGIT antibodies can be used to treat or diagnose cancer, infectious diseases or other pathological disorders that may be modulated by Tigit-mediated functions.

Abstract: The disclosure describes various embodiments for detecting an unexpected control state of an autonomous driving system. According to an embodiment, an exemplary method of detecting an unexpected control state of an autonomous driving system include the operations of generating environmental data of a vehicle; determining, by the autonomous driving system, a first control state based on the environmental data of the vehicle; determining, by a reference model, a second control state based on the environmental data, wherein the reference model defines at least one scenario each corresponding to a plurality of expected control states and a state switching condition, and in each of the expected control states corresponding to the scenario, an action of the vehicle in the scenario obeys a traffic rule; and determining the unexpected control state of the autonomous driving system by comparing the first control state with the second control state.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the prevention, delay of progression or treatment of cancer in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need thereof a PARP inhibitor, particularly, (R)-2-fluoro-10a-methyl-7,8,9,10,10a,11-hexahydro-5,6,7a,11-tetraazacyclohepta[def]cyclopenta[a]fluoren-4(5H)-one, a sesqui-hydrate thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor or a chemotherapeutic agent. Also, disclosed a pharmaceutical combination comprising a PARP inhibitor, particularly, (R)-2-fluoro-10a-methyl-7,8,9,10,10a,11-hexahydro-5,6,7a,11-tetraazacyclohepta[def]cyclopenta[a]fluoren-4(5H)-one, a sesqui-hydrate thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, or a chemotherapeutic agent and the use thereof.

Abstract: Provided are antibodies that specifically bind to T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3). The anti-Tim-3 antibodies can be used to treat, prevent or diagnose immune, cancerous, infectious diseases or other pathological disorders that may be modulated by Tim-3-mediated functions.

Abstract: Provided are antibodies that specifically bind to Programmed Death-1 (PD1, Pdcd-1, or CD279) and inhibit PD1-mediated cellular signaling and activities in immune cells, antibodies binding to a set of amino acid residues required for its ligand binding, and uses of these antibodies to treat or diagnose cancer, infectious diseases or other pathological disorders modulated by PD1-mediated functions.

Abstract: A staggered probe card and a conductive probe are provided. The staggered probe card includes an upper guide board, a lower guide board spaced apart from the upper guide board, and a plurality of conductive probes arranged in rows and passing through the upper and lower guide boards. Each of the conductive probes has an elongated structure defining a longitudinal direction, and includes a bottom surface and two long side surfaces respectively connected to two edges of the bottom surface. A distance between the two long side surfaces gradually decreases in a tapering direction that extends away from the bottom surface. In two of the rows of the conductive probes adjacent to each other, any two long side surfaces respectively belonging to the two adjacent rows and arranged adjacent to each other have a lateral interval along a direction that is non-parallel to the arrangement direction.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for generating stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial monolayer cultures as well as methods of using the same. Also provided are populations of retinal pigment epithelial cells prepared according to these methods. In addition, three-dimensional tissue products derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells are also provided along with methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for payment are provided. One of the methods includes: sending a consensus proposal for at least one pending-consensus transaction in a transaction pool of the consensus master node to a target consensus backup node of the blockchain, wherein the consensus proposal comprises a transaction hash list, and the transaction hash list comprises a transaction hash of the at least one pending-consensus transaction; matching the transaction hash in the consensus proposal with transactions in a transaction pool of the target consensus backup node; in response to the transaction hash being matched, obtaining, from the transaction pool of the target consensus backup node, transaction information of the matched at least one pending-consensus transaction; and executing a process of the consensus proposal based on the transaction information.

Abstract: An interface circuit to be used with an external ballast is proposed. The interface circuit comprises: an input adapted to be coupled to an external ballast; a primary power winding electrically coupled to the input; and a data transceiver circuit. The data transceiver comprises: a primary data winding; a primary load modulation circuit electrically coupled to the primary data winding and adapted to modulate a primary load across the primary data winding in response to a first data signal to be transmitted via the primary data winding; and a primary data detection circuit electrically coupled to the primary data winding and adapted to detect a second data signal from a signal induced on the primary data winding. The primary power winding and primary data winding are magnetically coupled together and adapted to be magnetically coupled to a secondary data winding of an external circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of this specification provide a transaction processing method, apparatus, and electronic device for a blockchain. The method includes: executing, by a blockchain node in the blockchain, a consensus protocol for an N-th round of consensus, wherein the consensus protocol comprises reaching a consensus on a blockchain transaction of the N-th round of consensus and upon the consensus being reached, executing the blockchain transaction of the N-th round of consensus; writing, by the blockchain node after the execution of the blockchain transaction, a block comprising the blockchain transaction of the N-th round of consensus into the blockchain; and concurrently with the writing of the block, executing, by the blockchain node, the consensus protocol for an (N+1)-th round of consensus in the blockchain.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing blockchain-based private transactions are provided. One of the methods includes transmitting, at a first blockchain node of a number (N) of blockchain nodes that are involved in a private transaction, the private transaction to each of a plurality of second blockchain nodes of the N blockchain nodes, wherein N is at least four, at least (N?F) signatures certifying the private transaction respectively from at least (N?F) blockchain nodes of the first and second blockchain nodes, wherein F is a largest integer no more than (N?1)/2; and submitting, at the first blockchain node, a hash value of the private transaction in association with the at least (N?F) signatures to one or more blockchain nodes of a public blockchain for adding into the public blockchain.

Abstract: Provided is an infrared thermal emitter, which includes a first Bragg Grating layer comprising a first film and a second film stacked alternately, wherein the first film and the second film has a refractive index difference greater than 1.5; a second Bragg Grating layer including a film of silicon and a film of chromium stacked in a structure of (Si/Cr/Si)n, where n is an integer and represents a number of repeating period; and a heater layer; wherein the first Bragg Grating layer, second Bragg Grating layer and the heater layer are stacked sequentially from top on down. The infrared thermal emitters have unique advantage of greatly enhancing infrared light emissivity and significantly suppressing visible light radiation simultaneously.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the prevention, delay of progression or treatment of cancer in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need thereof a Btk inhibitor, particularly, (S)-7-(1-acryloylpiperidin-4-yl)-2-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetra-hydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor or a targeted therapy agent. Also, disclosed a pharmaceutical combination comprising a Btk inhibitor, particularly, (S)-7-(1-acryloylpiperidin-4-yl)-2-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetra-hydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, or a targeted therapy agent and the use thereof.