A catalyst support comprising at least 95% silicon carbide, having surface areas of ≤10 m.sup.2/g and pore volumes of ≤1 cc/g. A method of producing a catalyst support, the method including mixing SiC particles of 0.1-20 microns, SiO.sub.2 and carbonaceous materials to form an extrusion, under inert atmospheres, heating the extrusion at temperatures of greater than 1400° C., and removing residual carbon from the heated support under temperatures below 1000° C. A catalyst on a carrier, comprising a carrier support having at least about 95% SiC, with a silver solution impregnated thereon comprising silver oxide, ethylenediamine, oxalic acid, monoethanolamine and cesium hydroxide. A process for oxidation reactions (e.g., for the production of ethylene oxide, or oxidation reactions using propane or methane), or for endothermic reactions (e.g., dehydrogenation of paraffins, of ethyl benzene, or cracking and hydrocracking hydrocarbons).

Compositions and methods for improving embryo development, treating idiopathic male factor infertility, and enabling infertile/sub-fertile/sterile men to father their own genetic offspring are provided. Typically, the methods include administering into a male or female gamete or fertilized embryo an effective amount of a compound that increases bioavailability of a TET protein to improve development of an embryo resulting from fertilization of the female gamete by a male gamete. The compound can be administered into the gamete or embryo before, during, or after fertilization. The compound can be administered by an injection such as intracytoplasmic injection. The compound and the male gamete can be administered in combination by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Methods of making male gametes, and methods of modifying the genome of a male gamete or embryo using an effective amount of a gene editing composition to correct a gene mutation or anomaly in the genome thereof are also provided.

Provided herein are RNAi molecules for treating myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Further provided herein are expression cassettes, vectors (e.g., rAAV), viral particles, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the RNAi. Yet further provided herein are methods and kits related to the use of the RNAi, for example, to treat DM1.

Artificial expression constructs for selectively modulating gene expression in selected central nervous system cell types are described. The artificial expression constructs can be used to selectively express synthetic genes or modify gene expression in GABAergic neurons generally; and/or GABAergic neuron cell types such as lysosomal associated membrane protein 5 (Lamp5) neurons; vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (Vip) neurons; somatostatin (Sst) neurons; and/or parvalbumin (Pvalb) neuron cell types. Certain artificial expression constructs additionally drive selective gene expression in Layer 4 and/or layer 5 intratelencephalic (IT) neurons, deep cerebellar nuclear neurons or cerebellar Purkinje cells.

A method for producing a new deafness model animal and a new deafness model animal produced by the method, enabling research that can also be applied to clinical application to a human. The present invention provides a method for producing an acoustic trauma deafness model animal, the method including exposing a non-human primate animal to a sound having a frequency of 1 kHz to 32 kHz and a sound pressure level of 100 dB to 150 dB for 10 minutes to 360 minutes. In addition, the present invention provides an acoustic trauma deafness model animal provided by the method for producing an acoustic trauma deafness model animal.

Provided herein are methods of generating hindbrain cells, including respiratory hindbrain cells, from pluripotent stem cells. Also provided are methods of generating a three-dimensional organoid comprising a population of hindbrain cells including a heterogeneous population of interneurons.

The present disclosure provides recombinant nucleic acids comprising one or more polynucleotides encoding a polypeptide (e.g., an inhaled therapeutic polypeptide, such as a human alpha-1-antitrypsin polypeptide); viruses comprising the recombinant nucleic acids; compositions and formulations comprising the recombinant nucleic acids and/or viruses; methods of their use (e.g., for delivering the polypeptide to one or more cells of the respiratory tract and/or for the treatment of a disease affecting the lungs, such as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency); and articles of manufacture or kits thereof.

Provided is a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence represented by any of SEQ ID NOs:13-24, or a sequence having at least 90% sequence homology with any one of the foregoing, or a sequence having at least 95% sequence homology with any one of the foregoing. Also provided is a polynucleotide including a fluorescent protein connected to an aequorin by a linker, wherein the amino acid sequence of the fluorescent protein is represented by amino acids 1 through 239 of SEQ ID NO:13, amino acids 1 through 239 of SEQ ID NO:14, amino acids 1 through 237 of SEQ ID NO:15, or amino acids 1 through 237 of SEQ ID NO:16, the amino acid sequence of the linker is represented by amino acids 240 through 256 of SEQ ID NO:13, and the amino acid sequence of the aequorin is represented by amino acids 257 through 448 of SEQ ID NO:13, amino acids 257 through 450 of SEQ ID NO:17, or amino acids 257 through 450 of SEQ ID NO:21. Also provided is a polynucleotide including a sequence that encodes for the polypeptide and a viral vector including the polynucleotide.

Provided is a method of detecting neural activity, including inducing neurons of a subject to express two or more polypeptides each comprising an amino acid sequence represented by one of SEQ ID NOs:13-24, wherein inducing comprises stimulating interneuronally different relative levels of expression of the two or more polypeptides; applying coelenterazine to the subject; applying a first stimulation of neural activity to the subject; detecting a first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation emitted by neurons of the subject in response to the first stimulation; recording the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation in a computer memory; applying a second stimulation of neural activity to the subject; detecting a second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation emitted by neurons of the subject in response to the second stimulation; comparing the second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation to the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation, wherein differences between the second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation and the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation indicate differences in neural activity caused by the first stimulation and the second stimulation.

Provided is a method of detecting neural activity, including inducing neurons of a subject to express two or more polypeptides each comprising an amino acid sequence represented by one of SEQ ID NOs:13-24, wherein inducing comprises stimulating interneuronally different relative levels of expression of the two or more polypeptides; applying coelenterazine to the subject; applying a first stimulation of neural activity to the subject; detecting a first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation emitted by neurons of the subject in response to the first stimulation; recording the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation in a computer memory; applying a second stimulation of neural activity to the subject; detecting a second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation emitted by neurons of the subject in response to the second stimulation; comparing the second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation to the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation, wherein differences between the second spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation and the first spatiotemporal and spectral pattern of electromagnetic radiation indicate differences in neural activity caused by the first stimulation and the second stimulation.