The Generalized Apparatus for Behavioral Assessment (GABA) is an automated system designed to precisely deliver liquid and/or air stimuli to a subject while holding them in a fixed position. The system comprises a base, a platform, and one or more restraining arms to position the subject. A translational manipulator holds a plurality of spouts, which are connected to a liquid delivery system and an air delivery system. A controller orchestrates the delivery of stimuli, allowing for highly controlled and repeatable behavioral assessments. The system's modular design and use of a translational manipulator for multiple spouts enable a wide range of experimental setups and protocols.

This invention describes a novel method for the inhibition of specific potassium ion channels, particularly TWIK-related arachidonic acid-activated K+ channels (TRAAK), using cannabinoid compounds. The research demonstrates that these compounds can be used to modulate the function of these channels, which are implicated in various neurological and physiological disorders, including epilepsy. This approach presents a new pharmacological strategy for targeting these channels and developing treatments for associated conditions.

The invention is a self-selection DNA editing system for modifying microbial communities. It consists of a gene editing tool and a donor DNA with a bacteriocin unit. This unit is integrated into the target cell's genome, providing a survival advantage and ensuring that only the successfully modified cells proliferate. This allows for precise, targeted editing of microbial populations in various settings, including in vitro and in vivo environments.

This invention provides a novel method for delivering epigenetic editor components into cells using virus-like particles (VLPs). The VLPs are designed to encapsulate the necessary genetic and protein components for targeted epigenetic editing without integrating into the host cell's genome. This non-integrating approach reduces the risk of off-target effects and potential for unintended genetic modifications, making it a safer and more precise delivery system for therapeutic and research applications. The VLPs can be engineered to target specific cell types, ensuring that the epigenetic editing components are delivered only where they are needed.

A clean, efficient process to produce high-quality graphene thin films from natural gas for advanced electronics and energy applications.

Bioluminescence technology offers highly sensitive and non-invasive imaging in living organisms without the need for external excitation. Naturally occurring luciferases, the enzymes responsible for catalyzing light emission, constrained the full potential of luminescence technology for the past several decades due to their poor protein folding, large size, ATP dependency, and low efficiency.Creation of the next generation of luciferases required breaking free of evolutionary constraints. This work describes the creation of novel bioluminescent enzymes that surpass qualities of native luciferase using AI-powered de novo protein design. These designer luciferase catalysts enable genetic labeling across molecular, cellular, and individual levels in a multiplexed manner, using the same underlying technology.This advancement showcases the design of efficient enzymes from scratch in which our de novo luciferases will enable researchers to study complex biological phenomena effectively.In the last three decades, the development of fluorescent protein families has brought a revolution in the way researchers study biological processes in living cells. However, the dependency on external excitation for FPs introduces inherent drawbacks, such as phototoxicity and autofluorescence background. These especially limit the applications for fluorescent proteins in vivo. Bioluminescence technologies, which rely on an enzyme-catalyzed chemiluminescent reaction of a chromophore substrate to emit photons without the need for external light sources, circumvent these limitations and offer several orders-of-magnitude-higher sensitivity than fluorescence for macro-scale imaging.Practically implementing luciferases as general molecular proges has not progressed as far as fluroescent proteins due to a number of factors. Firefly luciferase (FLuc) is used widely for in vivo imaging, but it is dim, large (61 kDa), and ATP dependent. Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) is brighter than FLuc, but has five disulfide bonds and therefore cannot be used intracellularly. It is also prone to misfolding. Engineered variants of Renilla luciferase (RLuc) and Oplophorus Luciferase (NLuc) are brighter and more stable, but they emit blue light and have poor substrate specificity and therefore are difficult to used in multiplexed applications. LuxSit luciferase (Monod Bio Inc.) is the first de novo designed luciferase and has superior folding fidelity and stability to natural luciferases, but more de novo luciferase species are necessary to meet the needs of researchers.  

A novel method to form single-phase high entropy silicide materials by multilayer metal deposition and controlled heat treatment on silicon substrates.

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