Abstract: The present disclosure relates to chimeric heavy chain constant domains having reduced effector function. Also disclosed are recombinant polypeptides comprising such chimeric heavy chain constant domains, including antibodies such as multispecific antibodies, fusion proteins, and other recombinant proteins. Nucleic acids encoding such recombinant polypeptides are also disclosed, as well as cells expressing such recombinant polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such recombinant polypeptides.

Abstract: Antigen binding molecules (ABMs) comprising Fab domains in non-native configurations, ABM conjugates comprising the ABMs and cytotoxic or cytostatic agents, pharmaceutical compositions containing the ABMs and ABM conjugates, methods of using the ABMs, ABM conjugates and pharmaceutical compositions for treating cancer, nucleic acids encoding the ABMs, cells engineered to express the ABMs, and methods of producing ABMs.

Abstract: The presently-disclosed subject matter relates to antibodies, compositions, and methods for inhibiting and treating virus infection in the respiratory tract and virus transmission through the respiratory tract. In particular, the presently-disclosed subject matter relates to inhibiting and treating virus infection in a subject using compositions and antibodies that trap viruses in mucus of the respiratory tract, thereby inhibiting transport of virus across or through mucus secretions.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating speech from text. One of the systems includes one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to implement: a sequence-to-sequence recurrent neural network configured to: receive a sequence of characters in a particular natural language, and process the sequence of characters to generate a spectrogram of a verbal utterance of the sequence of characters in the particular natural language; and a subsystem configured to: receive the sequence of characters in the particular natural language, and provide the sequence of characters as input to the sequence-to-sequence recurrent neural network to obtain as output the spectrogram of the verbal utterance of the sequence of characters in the particular natural language.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to IL 12 receptor agonists with improved therapeutic profiles.

Abstract: A method for testing a heat transfer fluid based on a charged wire test (CWT) includes applying and measuring discharge current through a test circuit formed when a cathode and an anode are at least partially immersed in the heat transfer fluid in a container and a voltmeter coupled to the cathode and the anode is turned on during the CWT. The method includes measuring temperature of the heat transfer fluid during the CWT, determining a current profile based on the measured discharge current, and determining a temperature profile based on the measured temperature. The method includes determining a pass/fail status and/or a rank status of the heat transfer fluid based on pass/fail criteria based on the current profile and the temperature profile during an entire duration of the CWT.

Abstract: A mirror includes a base portion configured to support the mirror, a mirror head assembly, and a support portion connected to the base portion and configured to support the mirror head assembly. The mirror head assembly includes a first mirror plate, a second mirror plate, a first light-transmissive region adjacent to the first mirror plate, a second light-transmissive region adjacent to the second mirror plate, and a light source disposed in an interior of the mirror head assembly and configured to emit light to the first light-transmissive region and the second light-transmissive region. The base portion may include one or more audio speakers and/or storage compartments and/or charging pads configured for wirelessly charging an electronic device.

Abstract: A mirror assembly can include a mirror, a display device, a window configured to provide a view of the display device, and a display region disposed on the front surface of the mirror. The mirror can include a glass layer, a dielectric layer, and a metal layer. In some embodiments, the glass layer is disposed closest to a user. The dielectric layer can include one or more alternating layers of Titanium dioxide and Silicon dioxide. In some embodiments, the display region is positioned outside of a central region of the mirror. The mirror assembly can include a first mirror coupled to a second mirror. In some embodiments, the transmissivity of the second mirror is higher than the transmissivity of the first mirror. In some embodiments, the reflectance of the second mirror is higher than the reflectance of the first mirror.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of determining DNA concentration in a DNA virus. The invention features three basic steps. The initial step is the specific capture of a defined amount of virus capsid particles on a first solid phase. The second step is lysis of the capsid to release the virus DNA from the first solid phase into a lysis solution. After separating the lysis solution from the first solid phase, the third step is contacting the lysis solution with a second solid phase. The second solid phase captures total DNA derived from the captured capsid. The present invention is also directed to a method for measuring the percentage of full virus capsid, comprising first determining the ssDNA concentration in viruses, and then converting the ssDNA concentration to percentage of full virus capsid using a calibration curve having DNA concentration plotted against standards of % of full capsids.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to biochemical assay methods, which uses a biotin-immobilized solid support surface for quantitating an analyte or measuring kinetic binding in different samples, from about 3 to 20 times, while maintaining acceptable assay performance. The methods use a streptavidin capture solution comprising streptavidin or preferably streptavidin polymers. The biotin-immobilized solid support surface is regenerated after each cycle of reactions by contacting the surface in an acidic solution having pH about 1-4, followed by DMSO. The regeneration step removes the bound immunocomplex and leaves the biotin on the surface.

Abstract: A multi-sensor mounting system and method includes a secondary pipe and an adapter. The secondary pipe comprises a fastening device configured to fix the secondary pipe to the process pipe, and a valve that is switchable between an open state and a closed state. The adapter detachably connects a sensor module to the secondary pipe. The valve allows a sensing probe of the sensor module being inserted into the process pipe in the open state, and to block a fluid flow in the secondary pipe in the closed state, for example, for times when the sensing probe is removed from the secondary pipe.

Abstract: Methods for characterizing a population of microbes in a sample are described. The methods include: amplifying microbial polynucleotides obtained from the sample to form a plurality of amplicons and combining the amplicons with a plurality of microbeads, wherein each of the microbeads has a lanthanide spectral signature paired with the sequence of capture polynucleotides immobilized on the microbead. At least some of the capture polynucleotides comprise a sequence substantially complementary to a microbe-identifying sequence in one or more amplicons, such that at least some amplicons are captured onto beads by the capture polynucleotides and the microbe can be identified based on the lanthanide spectral signature of with which the capture polynucleotide is paired. Further described are methods for the identification of pathogens present in a sample by evaluating patterns of hybridization of a capture oligonucleotide to amplicons.

Abstract: A method for measuring the activity of one or more excitable cells, such as neurons, in a target tissue is provided. The present method may include measuring the activity of individual, selected excitable cells by projecting one or more three dimensional (3D) multi-focal laser light patterns into a target tissue containing excitable cells adapted to emit cellular electrical activity—sensitive fluorescence, to generate a multiplexed 2D diffraction pattern of fluorescence emitted by the neurons, and resolving the multiplexed 2D diffraction pattern. Also provided herein is a system configured to perform the present method, the system including a microscope configured to project one or more 3D multi-focal laser light patterns into a target tissue using a spatial light modulator and a mirror galvanometer, and a microlens array and an image detector to record individual and multiplexed 2D diffraction patterns of light emitted from the target tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically correcting apparent distortions in close range photographs that are captured using an imaging system capable of capturing images and depth maps are disclosed. In many embodiments, faces are automatically detected and segmented from images using a depth-assisted alpha matting. The detected faces can then be re-rendered from a more distant viewpoint and composited with the background to create a new image in which apparent perspective distortion is reduced.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward optics and imaging. As may be implemented with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes one or more phase masks that operate with an objective lens and a microlens array to alter a phase characteristic of light travelling in a path from a specimen, through the objective lens and microlens array and to a photosensor array. Using this approach, the specimen can be imaged with spatial resolution characteristics provided via the altered phase characteristic, which can facilitate construction of an image with enhanced resolution.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically correcting apparent distortions in close range photographs that are captured using an imaging system capable of capturing images and depth maps are disclosed. In many embodiments, faces are automatically detected and segmented from images using a depth-assisted alpha matting. The detected faces can then be re-rendered from a more distant viewpoint and composited with the background to create a new image in which apparent perspective distortion is reduced.

Abstract: A method for measuring the activity of one or more excitable cells, such as neurons, in a target tissue is provided. The present method may include measuring the activity of individual, selected excitable cells by projecting one or more three dimensional (3D) multi-focal laser light patterns into a target tissue containing excitable cells adapted to emit cellular electrical activity—sensitive fluorescence, to generate a multiplexed 2D diffraction pattern of fluorescence emitted by the neurons, and resolving the multiplexed 2D diffraction pattern. Also provided herein is a system configured to perform the present method, the system including a microscope configured to project one or more 3D multi-focal laser light patterns into a target tissue using a spatial light modulator and a mirror galvanometer, and a microlens array and an image detector to record individual and multiplexed 2D diffraction patterns of light emitted from the target tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically correcting apparent distortions in close range photographs that are captured using an imaging system capable of capturing images and depth maps are disclosed. In many embodiments, faces are automatically detected and segmented from images using a depth-assisted alpha matting. The detected faces can then be re-rendered from a more distant viewpoint and composited with the background to create a new image in which apparent perspective distortion is reduced.

Abstract: A super resolution optofluidic microscope device comprises a body defining a fluid channel having a longitudinal axis and includes a surface layer proximal the fluid channel. The surface layer has a two-dimensional light detector array configured to receive light passing through the fluid channel and sample a sequence of subpixel shifted projection frames as an object moves through the fluid channel. The super resolution optofluidic microscope device further comprises a processor in electronic communication with the two-dimensional light detector array. The processor is configured to generate a high resolution image of the object using a super resolution algorithm, and based on the sequence of subpixel shifted projection frames and a motion vector of the object.

Abstract: Images are detected in a manner that addresses various challenges as discussed herein. As may be consistent with one or more embodiments, aspects are directed to an apparatus having sets of photosensors that detect light rays received at different angles from a specimen via a microlens array, with the light rays detected by each set of photosensors representing an aliased view of the specimen. An output indicative of aliased views of the specimen is provided. Certain embodiments further include a logic circuit that processes the output and generates a deconvolved volume image by combining aliased views of the specimen as detected by the photosensors.