Viral Vector Eluting Lenses for Single-Step Targeted Expression of Genetically-Encoded Activity Sensors for in Vivo Microendoscopic Calcium Imaging.

Optical methods for studying the brain offer powerful approaches for understanding how neural activity underlies complex behavior. These methods typically rely on genetically encoded sensors and actuators to monitor and control neural activity. For microendoscopic calcium imaging, injection of a virus followed by implantation of a lens probe is required to express a calcium sensor and enable optical access to the target brain region.

Biomimetic Non-ergodic Aging by Dynamic-to-covalent Transitions in Physical Hydrogels.

Hydrogels are soft materials engineered to suit a multitude of applications that exploit their tunable mechanochemical properties. Dynamic hydrogels employing noncovalent, physically cross-linked networks dominated by either enthalpic or entropic interactions enable unique rheological and stimuli-responsive characteristics. In contrast to enthalpy-driven interactions that soften with increasing temperature, entropic interactions result in largely temperature-independent mechanical properties.

Viral vector eluting lenses for single-step targeted expression of genetically-encoded activity sensors for in vivo microendoscopic calcium imaging.

Optical methods for studying the brain offer powerful approaches for understanding how neural activity underlies complex behavior. These methods typically rely on genetically encoded sensors and actuators to monitor and control neural activity. For microendoscopic calcium imaging, injection of a virus followed by implantation of a lens probe is required to express a calcium sensor and enable optical access to the target brain region.

Continuous carbon capture in an electrochemical solid-electrolyte reactor.

Electrochemical carbon-capture technologies, with renewable electricity as the energy input, are promising for carbon management but still suffer from low capture rates, oxygen sensitivity or system complexity. Here we demonstrate a continuous electrochemical carbon-capture design by coupling oxygen/water (O/HO) redox couple with a modular solid-electrolyte reactor. By performing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) redox electrolysis, our device can efficiently absorb dilute carbon dioxide (CO) molecules at the high-alkaline cathode-membrane interface to form carbonate ions, followed by a neutralization process through the proton flux from the anode to continuously output a high-purity (>99%) CO stream from the middle solid-electrolyte layer.

Fluorinated Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Coated Separator Mitigates Polysulfide Shuttle in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Li-S batteries still suffer from two of the major challenges: polysulfide shuttle and low inherent conductivity of sulfur. Here, we report a facile way to develop a bifunctional separator coated with fluorinated multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Mild fluorination does not affect the inherent graphitic structure of carbon nanotubes as shown by transmission electron microscopy.

Symptomatic and asymptomatic infections of rotavirus, norovirus, and adenovirus among hospitalized children in Xi'an, China.

Rotavirus (RV), norovirus (NoV), and adenovirus (AdV) have been reported as the common viral pathogens of acute gastroenteritis in children. To determine the prevalence of RV, NoV, and AdV infections among hospitalized children with and without symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, fecal specimens, and data on clinical symptoms were collected from 201 children with diarrhea and 53 children without diarrhea admitted to the Xi'an Children's Hospital in Xi'an, China between March 2009 and May 2010. RV, NoV, and AdV were identified in 68.