CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160083448 | SITE 2 INSULIN ANALOGUES - An insulin analogue contains one or more modifications at a distinct protein surface comprising one or more of the residues at position B13, B17, A12, A13, and/or A17. Formulations of the above analogues at successive strengths U-100 to U-1000 in soluble solutions a at least pH value in the range 6.8-8.0 either in the presence of zinc ions at a molar ratio of 2.2-10 zinc ions per six insulin analogue monomers or in the presence of fewer than 1 zinc ions per six insulin analogue monomers. Use of the above formulation in an insulin pump functionally integrated with a continuous glucose monitor and computer-based control algorithm as a closed-loop system. A method of treating a patient with diabetes mellitus comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue to a patient by means of intravenous, intraperitoneal, or subcutaneous injection. | 03-24-2016 |
20160081932 | NEUTRALLY-CHARGED SYNTHETIC PLATELETS TO MITIGATE COMPLEMENT RESPONSE - The invention provides for compositions comprising nanoparticles comprising a core, water-soluble polymer and an RGD peptide and a poloxamer. | 03-24-2016 |
20150361153 | INSULIN ANALOGUES WITH CHLORINATED AMINO ACIDS AND NUCLEIC ACIDS ENCODING THE SAME - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide incorporating a chlorinated phenylalanine. The chlorinated phenylalanine may be located at position B24. The chlorinated phenylalanine may be para-monochloro-phenylalanine. The analogue may be of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encodes such an insulin analogue. The chlorinated insulin analogues retain significant activity. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. Chlorine substitution-based stabilization of insulin may reduce fibrillation and thereby enhance the treatment of diabetes mellitus in regions of the developing world lacking refrigeration. | 12-17-2015 |
20150353621 | N-TERMINAL TRUNCATED INSULIN ANALOGUES - An insulin analogue contains a foreshortened B-chain polypeptide lacking residues B1-B3 and optionally contains an additional substitution in the C-terminal B23-B30 segment of the B-chain. The insulin analogue lacking residues B1-B3 may contain substitutions at B28 and/or B29 that confer rapid action and optionally a non-standard substitution at B24. The analogue may be an analogue of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encoding such an insulin analogue is also provided. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. A method of semi-synthesis is provided using an unprotected octapeptide by means of modification of an endogenous tryptic site by non-standard amino-acid substitutions. | 12-10-2015 |
20150316634 | Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Fingerprinting With Parallel Transmission - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting with parallel transmission are described. One example apparatus includes individually controllable radio frequency (RF) transmission (TX) coils configured to apply varying NMR fingerprinting RF excitations to a sample. The NMR apparatus may apply excitations in parallel. An individual excitation causes different resonant species to produce different signal evolutions. The apparatus includes a parallel transmission logic that causes one of the coils to apply a first excitation to the sample and that causes a different coil to apply a second, different excitation to the sample. The excitations are configured to produce a spatial inhomogeneity between a first region in the sample and a second region in the sample that allows a resonant species to produce a first signal evolution in the first region and to produce a second signal evolution in the second region to facilitate de-correlating the signal evolutions. | 11-05-2015 |
20150231397 | METHODS AND ASSOCIATED NEURAL PROSTHETIC DEVICES FOR BRIDGING BRAIN AREAS TO IMPROVE FUNCTION - Methods for bridging brain sites between which there is substantially no effective communication, and associated neural prosthetic devices, are provided. A neural spike in a first neural site in a subject is detected, and a stimulus to a second neural site in the subject is delivered within a defined period of time after the detection of the neural spike, wherein there is substantially no effective communication between the first and second neural sites. The method forms an artificial bridge between the two neural sites, and establishes lasting communication between the two sites. The present disclosure provides, among other things, a neural prosthetic device comprising an integrated circuit that comprises a recording front-end comprising a plurality of recording channels; a processor unit; and a stimulus delivering back-end comprising a plurality of stimulation channels. | 08-20-2015 |
20150225426 | ANTI-CANCER AGENTS AND METHODS OF USE - An anti-cancer agent includes Au(I) purinyl, indolyl, or azaindolyl analogues encapsulated in sterically hindered phosphine ligands. | 08-13-2015 |
20150204789 | MULTIFOCAL HYPERSPECTRAL RAMAN SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR IMAGING OF MATERIALS - A hyperspectral Raman imaging system having the ability to focus on excitation laser beam over a relatively wide field of view due to the use of a lens array, in particular a microlens array. Hyperspectral selection is provided in one embodiment through the use of dual-axis controlled dielectric filtration. Methods for analyzing materials with the system are disclosed. The device or system can be used in generally any application where investigation of materials is required. | 07-23-2015 |
20150197908 | SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR ASSESSING SOIL HEAVE - A method of assessing soil heave includes providing a plurality of determined values of a shear modulus of soil, the determined values being values of the shear modulus of the soil at different times; and determining a change over time in the shear modulus of the soil, based on the plurality of determined values of the shear modulus of the soil. The soil may have been treated by adding a stabilizer to the soil. The soil may be hydrated. A system for assessing soil heave includes a bender element disposed in soil, for determining a change over time of a shear modulus of the soil, and a time domain reflectometer probe disposed in the soil, for determining a change over time of moisture content of the soil. The determined change over time of the shear modulus and the determined change over time of the moisture content are used to assess heaving of the soil. | 07-16-2015 |
20150141380 | INHIBITORS OF ERK FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS OF NEURONAL CONNECTIVITY - A method of treating a subject at risk of or suspected of having Fragile X syndrome or autism spectrum disorder associated with abnormalities of ERK includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of at least one ERK inhibiting compound that prevents abnormalities in neuronal connectivity, a prodrug thereof that is metabolisable to form the compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. | 05-21-2015 |
20150093364 | USE OF STEM CELLS TO PREVENT NEURONAL DIEBACK - The invention is generally directed to treatment of neuronal injury. In particular, the invention is directed to reducing axonal retraction (“dieback”) that occurs as a result of the interaction of activated macrophages with dystrophic axons that are produced during nervous system acute or chronic injury. The invention is also directed to promoting axonal growth/regeneration. The invention is specifically directed to using stem cells or their secreted cellular factors, such as would be produced in conditioned cell culture medium, to ameliorate or prevent axonal dieback and/or promote growth/regeneration of axons. | 04-02-2015 |
20150071540 | VISUAL SEGMENTATION OF LAWN GRASS - Disclosed is a method for identifying lawn grass which includes capturing an image of the terrain in front of a mower, segmenting the image into neighborhoods, calculating at least two image statistics for each of the neighborhoods, generating a binary representation of each image statistic. The binary representation of each image statistic is generated by comparing the calculated image statistic values to predetermined image statistic values for grass. The method further includes weighting each of the binary representations of each image statistic, and summing corresponding neighborhoods for all image statistics. A binary threshold is applied to each of the summed neighborhoods to generate a binary map representing grass containing areas and non-grass containing areas. | 03-12-2015 |
20150023861 | ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF ORGANOSILICON COMPOUNDS - A method of forming chloro-substituted silanes from the reaction of an alkoxysilane with a chlorinating agent in the optional presence of a catalyst is provided. More specifically, chloro-substituted silanes, including but not limited to silicon tetrachloride, are formed by reacting a chlorinating agent, such as thionyl chloride, with an alkylalkoxysilane having the formula (R′O) | 01-22-2015 |
20150021195 | ELECTROWINNING CELL AND PROCESS - An electrochemical cell and method for electrowinning a variety of multivalent metals including titanium is described. In one aspect, the invention provides an electrochemical cell comprising an anolyte chamber comprising an anode and configured for containing an anolyte, a catholyte chamber comprising a cathode and configured for containing a catholyte comprising a metal to be electrolytically produced, and a diaphragm separating the anolyte chamber and the catholyte chamber, the diaphragm configured to control the potential drop across the diaphragm so that it is below the potential difference required for inducing bipolarity at the diaphragm. | 01-22-2015 |
20140358053 | POWER ASSISTED ORTHOSIS WITH HIP-KNEE SYNERGY - A power-assisted orthosis is shown and described. The power assisted orthosis may include a knee orthosis adapted to be secured to at least one of a user's knee joint, a hip orthosis adapted to be secured to a user's hip joints, and a first actuator attached with the knee orthosis, the first actuator moveable in conjunction with movement of the at least one of the user's knee joint. The power assisted orthosis may also include a second actuator attached to the hip orthosis, the second actuator moveable in conjunction with movement of the user's hip joints, and a valve in fluid communication with a port of at least one of the first and second actuators, where the valve controls fluid flow within the at least one of the first and second actuators to lock or unlock at least one of the first and second actuators. | 12-04-2014 |
20140342342 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS THAT UTILIZE TOUCH-SCREEN TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE USER-CENTRIC EDUCATIONAL TRAINING - One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can provide user-centric training. The system can include a touch screen that can be configured to receive a touch input from a user. The system can also include a non-transitory memory that stores instructions and a processor that can be configured to execute the instructions to at least: receive the touch input (that corresponds to a first node of a concept map related to a question) from the user in response to the question; create a user generated concept map based on a connection between the first node and a second node of the concept map related to the question; and score the touch input based on the connection in response to the question. | 11-20-2014 |
20140336729 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOVING CONTAMINATING NOISE FROM AN ELECTRIC WAVEFORM FOR NEURAL STIMULATION AND NERVE BLOCK - One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can remove contaminating noise (e.g., direct current (DC) contamination or high frequency contamination) from an electric waveform. The system can include a passive filter that includes at least a secondary-side-open-transformer-inductor (SOTI). The SOTI can include a first coil inductively coupled to a second coil. The first coil of the SOTI can receive the electric waveform contaminated with the noise and output the electric waveform. The second coil of the SOTI can provide an impedance that facilitates removal of the noise from the electric waveform. | 11-13-2014 |
20140336728 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS THAT PROVIDE AN ELECTRICAL WAVEFORM FOR NEURAL STIMULATION OR NERVE BLOCK - One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can provide an electric waveform for neural stimulation or nerve block. The system can include a first circuit component configured to provide a self-oscillating, voltage-boosted electric waveform. In some instances, the first circuit component can provide a “pause” waveform (e.g., with a period (T) that includes a swing time (ts) in which the waveform varies in a biphasic manner and a pause time (tp) in which the waveform has a constant amplitude). The system can also include a second circuit component configured to ensure that the oscillating signal is charge-balanced across at least one period of the self-oscillating, voltage-boosted electric waveform. | 11-13-2014 |
20140324129 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TEMPORARY, INCOMPLETE, BI-DIRECTIONAL, ADJUSTABLE ELECTRICAL NERVE BLOCK - One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can provide an incomplete nerve block to a patient. In some instances, the incomplete nerve block can be bi-directional. In other instances, the incomplete nerve block can be adjustable. The system can include a waveform generator that can provide temporary electrical nerve conduction block to a nerve using an electrode. The electrode can include at least one contact. The temporary electrical nerve conduction block can block conduction in less than 100% of the fibers within the nerve located in close proximity to or being surrounded by the electrode. The temporary electrical nerve conduction block does not cause intentional damage to neural tissue as mode of action to achieve the incomplete nerve block. A complete recovery of nerve conduction can be expected post application of the incomplete nerve block. | 10-30-2014 |
20140311925 | IN VITRO POINT-OF-CARE SENSOR AND METHOD OF USE - An in vitro sensor point-of-care sensor including a substrate, a sensing system, and a reference system. The substrate can include a first cavity and a second cavity. The sensing system can be disposed within the first cavity and include an optode membrane, a selectively-permeable membrane, and a plurality of microbeads. The optode membrane can be sensitive to an analyte in the biological fluid. The selectively-permeable membrane can cover an opening of the first cavity. The plurality of microbeads can be associated with at least one of the optode membrane and the selectively-permeable membrane. The reference system can be disposed within the second cavity. | 10-23-2014 |
20140303076 | NON-STANDARD INSULIN ANALOGUES - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide containing a cyclohexanylalanine substitution at position B24 and optionally containing additional amino-acid substitutions at positions A8, B28, and/or B29. A proinsulin analogue or single-chain insulin analogue containing a B domain containing a cyclohexanylalanine substitution at position B24 and optionally containing additional amino-acid substitutions at positions A8, B28, and/or B29. The analogue may be an analogue of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encoding such an insulin analogue is also provided. A method of lowering the blood sugar of a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. A method of semi-synthesis using an unprotected octapeptide by means of modification of an endogenous tryptic site by non-standard amino-acid substitutions. | 10-09-2014 |
20140296702 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) With Self-Navigation and Self-Registration - Three-dimensional (3D) projections of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals are acquired from a liver experiencing NMR in response to a 3D multi-echo non-Cartesian pulse sequence. The projections are reconstructed into two sets of images having different resolutions. Bins associated with the different positions to which the liver moves during respiration are identified in lower resolution images, and then higher resolution images are binned into the position dependent bins based on navigator data in the lower resolution images. A combined image for a bin is made from images located in the bin and then registered to a reference image. An overall combined image is made by summing the combined bin images. Quantized data for a contrast agent concentration in the liver is produced using signal intensity in the overall combined image. The quantized value may describe a liver perfusion parameter. A diagnosis may be made from the quantized value. | 10-02-2014 |
20140294279 | Quantitatively Characterizing Disease Morphology With Cell Orientation Entropy - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with objectively predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR) with cell orientation entropy (COrE) are described. One example apparatus includes a set of logics that associate directional disorder with a risk of biochemical recurrence in a tissue. A first logic detects a cell in the tissue, segments boundaries of the cell, and calculates a cell direction for the cell. A second logic constructs a localized sparsified subgraph whose nodes represent centroids of the cells, defines pairwise spatial relationships between the cells, and constructs a directional co-occurrence matrix based on the spatial relationships. A third logic derives second order statistical features from the co-occurrence matrix, and produces a BCR risk score as a function of the second order statistical features. The second order statistical features include the entropy of the directional organization of the cells. | 10-02-2014 |
20140294272 | Discriminatively Weighted Multi-Scale Local Binary Patterns - Apparatus and methods associated with detecting prostate cancer (CaP) in a magnetic resonance (MR) image of a prostate of a CaP patient are described. One example apparatus includes logics that acquire an image of a prostate, learn a weighted vector, detect salient features in the image of the prostate, and generate a heatmap that facilitates detecting CaP. An image acquisition logic acquires a T2 weighted MR image of a prostate. A learning logic learns a weighted vector based on a set of positive LBP descriptors and a set of negative LBP descriptors extracted from the image at multiple scales. A salient feature detection logic detects salient features in the image based on the weighted vector and a pixel-by-pixel weighted Hamming matching of the image. A prediction logic generates a statistical probability heatmap based on the weighted vector and the weighted Hamming matching of the image. | 10-02-2014 |
20140294271 | Image Similarity-Based Finite Element Model Registration - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with evaluating global deformations and local deformations in a prostate are described. One example apparatus includes logics that evaluate global and local deformations in a prostate and register a pre-External Beam Radiation Treatment (EBRT) three dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance (MR) image with a post-EBRT 3D MR image. An image acquisition logic acquires a pre-EBRT image and a post EBRT image of an organ, item, or volume. An image texture information logic extracts image texture information from the pre-EBRT and post-EBRT images. A finite element model (FEM) transformation logic constructs a FEM of the volume imaged in the pre-EBRT image, deforms the FEM, deforms the pre-EBRT image as a function of the deformed FEM, and maximizes the image texture similarity between the deformed pre-EBRT image and the post-EBRT image. A registration logic registers the pre-EBRT image with the post-EBRT image based on the transformation. | 10-02-2014 |
20140294264 | Quantitatively Characterizing Disease Morphology With Co-Occurring Gland Tensors In Localized Subgraphs - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with objectively predicting biochemical recurrence with co-occurring gland tensors in localized subgraphs are described. One example apparatus includes a set of logics that associate directional disorder with a risk of failure in a material. A first logic detects a fundamental unit of composition in the material, segments boundaries of the fundamental unit, and calculates a directional tensor for the fundamental unit. A second logic constructs a localized sparsified subgraph whose nodes represent centroids of the fundamental units, defines pairwise spatial relationships between the fundamental units, and constructs a directional co-occurrence matrix based on the spatial relationships. A third logic derives second order statistical features from the co-occurrence matrix, and produces a risk failure score as a function of the second order statistical features. The second order statistical features include the entropy of the directional organization of the fundamental units. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292330 | Quantifying Magnetic Resonance Parameters - Example apparatus and methods provide improved spatial and temporal resolution over conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a large (e.g., 500 cm | 10-02-2014 |
20140292324 | Fiber Optic Telemetry For Switched-Mode Current-Source Amplifier In Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and other embodiments described herein concern acquiring telemetry data from an MR system and providing the telemetry data via fiber optic cable. One example apparatus includes a telemetry signal acquisition element (e.g., circuit, circuit component) that is configured to acquire a telemetry signal from a component in the MR apparatus. The component may be, for example, a transmit coil or an on-coil amplifier. The example apparatus also includes a fiber optic cable that is configured to carry an output signal from the MR apparatus through a field produced by the MR apparatus. The example apparatus also includes a telemetry signal output element that is configured to produce the output signal from the telemetry signal and to transmit the output signal via the fiber optic cable. | 10-02-2014 |
20140266199 | Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Fingerprinting - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting are described. One example NMR apparatus includes an NMR logic configured to repetitively and variably sample a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals. Members of the set of NMR signals are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The varying parameters may include flip angle, echo time, RF amplitude, and other parameters. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic configured to produce an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals, a matching logic configured to compare a signal evolution to a known, simulated or predicted signal evolution, and a characterization logic configured to characterize a resonant species in the object as a result of the signal evolution comparisons. | 09-18-2014 |
20140248339 | MULTI-COMPONENT NANOCHAINS - A multi-component nanochain for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications includes at least three nanoparticles linked together to form the nanochain. At least one nanoparticle of the nanochain has an asymmetric surface chemistry defined by asymmetrically disposed first linkers and second linkers. The nanoparticles are linked to form the nanochain by linking first linkers and/or second linkers disposed on separate nanoparticles. | 09-04-2014 |
20140232399 | Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Fingerprinting - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting are described. One example NMR apparatus includes an NMR logic configured to repetitively and variably sample a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals. Members of the set of NMR signals are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The varying parameters may include flip angle, echo time, RF amplitude, and other parameters. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic configured to produce an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals, a matching logic configured to compare a signal evolution to a known, simulated or predicted signal evolution, and a characterization logic configured to characterize a resonant species in the object as a result of the signal evolution comparisons. | 08-21-2014 |
20140221505 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR CATEGORIZING PATIENTS - The disclosure provides, among other things, molecular markers for categorizing the neoplastic state of a patient, methods for using the molecular markers in diagnostic tests, nucleic acid and amino acid sequences related to the molecular markers, reagents for detection of molecular markers, and methods for identifying candidate molecular markers in highly parallel gene expression data. | 08-07-2014 |
20140220679 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR CATEGORIZING PATIENTS - The disclosure provides, among other things, molecular markers for categorizing the neoplastic state of a patient, methods for using the molecular markers in diagnostic tests, nucleic acid and amino acid sequences related to the molecular markers, reagents for detection of molecular markers, and methods for identifying candidate molecular markers in highly parallel gene expression data. | 08-07-2014 |
20140219072 | OPTICAL INFORMATION STORAGE MEDIUM - An optical information storage medium includes a multilayer film that includes a plurality of extruded alternating active data storage layers and buffer layers, which separate the active data storage layers. The active data storage layers and buffer layers have thicknesses that allow the active data storage layers to be writable by permanent or reversible one- or multiphoton, linear, nonlinear, or threshold optical writing processes to define data voxels within the active data storage layers that are readable by an optical reading device. | 08-07-2014 |
20140206855 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTING CANCERS ASSOCIATED WITH METHYLATION OF HMLH1 PROMOTER DNA - Methods are provided for detection of cancers associated with methylation of hMLH1 promoter DNA in a subject. The method comprise assaying for the presence of methylated hMLH1 promoter DNA in a bodily fluid from a subject. In one embodiment, the method comprises reacting DNA from the sample with a chemical compound that converts non-methylated cytosine bases but not methylated cytosine bases, to a different nucleotide base. The compound-converted DNA is then amplified using a methylation-sensitive polymerase chain reaction (MSP) employing primers that amplify the compound-converted DNA template. The present invention also provides nucleotide primer sequences for use in the methylation-sensitive PCR assay. | 07-24-2014 |
20140186952 | SCAFFOLD-FREE TISSUE CONSTRUCTS - A tissue construct comprising includes a self-assembled, scaffold-free, high-density cell aggregate. The cell aggregate includes a plurality of cells and a plurality of biocompatible and degradable nanoparticles and/or microparticles that are incorporated within the cell aggregate. The nanoparticles and/or microparticles act as a bulking agent and/or provide bioactive agents or signals within the cell aggregate to increase the cell aggregate size and/or thickness and improve the mechanical properties of the cell aggregate and/or regulate cell function within the aggregate allowing the cell aggregate to be readily manipulated and formed into tissue constructs with defined architectures and potential tissue specific functionality. | 07-03-2014 |
20140186319 | NOTCH INDUCED NATURAL KILLER CELL GENERATION AND THERAPEUTIC USES - A method of preparing differentiated NK cells by ex vivo expansion includes the steps of; (1) isolating a plurality of CD34 | 07-03-2014 |
20140186318 | PROBIOTIC CONTROLLING FUNGI AND USES THEREOF - A method for controlling detrimental oral organisms in various individuals includes administering a priobiotic composition that includes one or more species or strains of beneficial fungi and/or one or more compounds produced therefrom that control one or more species of detrimental oral bacteria and/or other organisms. | 07-03-2014 |
20140186307 | Use of Stem Cells to Prevent Neuronal Dieback - The invention is generally directed to treatment of neuronal injury. In particular, the invention is directed to reducing axonal retraction (“dieback”) that occurs as a result of the interaction of activated macrophages with dystrophic axons that are produced during nervous system acute or chronic injury. The invention is also directed to promoting axonal growth/regeneration. The invention is specifically directed to using stem cells or their secreted cellular factors, such as would be produced in conditioned cell culture medium, to ameliorate or prevent axonal dieback and/or promote growth/regeneration of axons. | 07-03-2014 |
20140182004 | MOUSE MODEL OF RETINAL DEGENERATION - The invention is directed to a method of producing a non-human mammal having one or more pathological characteristics of retinal degeneration and/or age-related macular degeneration. In particular, the invention provides a method of producing a non-human mammal having age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The invention is also directed to non-human animals produced by the methods described herein. Methods of identifying an agent for use in inhibiting one or more pathological characteristics of retinal degeneration and/or AMD is also encompassed by the invention. Also provided is a method of treating AMD in an individual in need thereof comprising, administering to the individual an agent identified herein. | 06-26-2014 |
20140178299 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTION OF CANCER - A molecular probe for use in detection of cancer cells expressing an Ig superfamily cell adhesion molecule that binds in a homophilic fashion in a subject includes a targeting agent that specifically binds to and/or complexes with a proteolytically cleaved extracellular fragment of the Ig superfamily cell adhesion molecule. | 06-26-2014 |
20140176135 | Multiturn MRI Coils In Combination With Current Mode Class D Amplifiers - Example systems, apparatus, and circuits described herein concern a multi-turn transmit surface coil used in parallel transmission in high field MRI. One example apparatus includes a balun network that produces out-of-phase signals that are amplified to drive current-mode class-D (CMCD) field effect transistors (FETs) that are connected by a coil that includes an LC (inductance-capacitance) leg. The LC leg selectively alters the output analog RF signal and the analog RF signal is used in high field parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) transmission. The multi-turn transmit surface coil produces an improved (e.g., stronger) B1 field without increasing heat dissipation. | 06-26-2014 |
20140170165 | METHODS OF GENERATING HYPER INOS EXPRESSING CELLS AND USES THEREOF - A method of generating a hyper iNOS expressing cell includes administering to a myeloid derived cell an amount of a PPARγ agonist and an IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway antagonist effective to substantially inhibit STAT3 activation in the cell and administering an inflammatory insult to the cell to stimulate hyper iNOS expression from the cell. | 06-19-2014 |
20140167754 | Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) With Echo Splitting - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) fingerprinting using echo splitting are described. One example apparatus includes an NMR logic configured to repetitively and variably sample a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals. Members of the set of NMR signals are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The varying parameters may include the number of echo splitting pulses, spacings between echo splitting pulses, flip angle of echo splitting pulses, echo time, RF amplitude, and other parameters. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic configured to produce an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals, and a characterization logic configured to characterize a resonant species in the object as a result of comparing acquired signals to reference signals. | 06-19-2014 |
20140148517 | DISPERSION OF PARTICULATE CLUSTERS VIA THE RAPID VAPORIZATION OF INTERSTITIAL LIQUID - A process for dispersing agglomerates or clusters of particles utilizing pressure generated from volatilization of an interstitial liquid. More particularly, the method relates to infusing the particles with a first liquid, placing the infused particles in a second liquid or fluid having a higher boiling point than the first liquid and heating the composition to a temperature above the boiling point of the first liquid thereby resulting in breakage of the particles. Compositions including particles dispersed by interstitial liquid vaporization are also disclosed. | 05-29-2014 |
20140147468 | LPRG AS A CHAPERONE OF IMMUNE ADJUVANTS - An adjuvant combination that stimulates immune activation or response includes a hydrophobic immune adjuvant and a pathogen derived lipoprotein that chaperones the hydrophobic immune adjuvant to an immune receptor. | 05-29-2014 |
20140128319 | INSULIN ANALOGUES CONTAINING PENTA-FLUORO-PHENYLALANINE AT POSITION B24 - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide incorporating a halogenated phenylalanine at position B24, B25 or B26. The halogenated phenylalanine may be ortho-monofluoro-phenylalanine, ortho-monobromo-phenylalanine, ortho-monochloro-phenylalanine, or para-monochloro-phenylalanine or penta-fluoro-Phenylalanine at position B24 alone or in combination with an acidic substitution (Aspartic Acid or Glutamic Acid) at position B10. The analogue may be of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encodes such an insulin analogue. The halogenated insulin analogues retain significant activity. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. Halogen substitution-based stabilization of insulin may enhance the treatment of diabetes mellitus in regions of the developing world lacking refrigeration. | 05-08-2014 |
20140114162 | NERVE INTERFACE ELECTRODE WITH FIBERS FOR INSERTION BETWEEN NERVE FASCICLES - A nerve interface electrode has a plurality of conductive fibers. The fibers have a nonconductive sheath ( | 04-24-2014 |
20140113829 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF SELECTING COMBINATORIAL COORDINATELY DYSREGULATED BIOMARKER SUBNETWORKS - Systems and methods of selecting combinatorial coordinately dysregulated biomarker subnetworks are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises comparing the normalized gene expression data to a predetermined threshold to provide binary gene expression data associated with phenotype samples and control samples, analyzing subnetwork states of the binary gene expression data associated with phenotype samples and control samples to identify gene expression patterns that occur in phenotype samples and do not occur in control samples and identifying a subnetwork that provides gene expression patterns indicative of a sample being a phenotype sample. | 04-24-2014 |
20140113290 | ABERRANT METHYLATION OF C6ORF150 DNA SEQUENCES IN HUMAN COLORECTAL CANCER - This application describes methods and compositions for detecting and treating C6Orf150-associated neoplasia. Differential methylation of the C6Orf150 nucleotide sequences has been observed in C6Orf150-associated neoplasia such as colon neoplasia. | 04-24-2014 |
20140109944 | Self Leveling Walker - This invention relates to a self leveling walker to assist persons who have insufficient strength or movement in their legs when standing and walking on uneven surfaces, and for traversing ramps and stairs. The inventive self leveling walker includes a frame assembly with a leveling assembly for adapting the relative length of the four legs of the walker to accommodate a substantially constant level of the walker so that the user may maintain an erect standing posture at all times, without the need to lean forward or back to accommodate uneven surfaces. The invention employs a fluid or gas based circuit between the front and back walker legs on each respective side, so as to shorten or lengthen each front and back leg with respect to each other, thereby maintaining the overall level of the walker on the subject surface being traversed. | 04-24-2014 |
20140107521 | FUNCTIONAL BRAIN CONNECTIVITY AND BACKGROUND NOISE AS BIOMARKERS FOR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND EPILEPSY - A method of determining functional brain connectivity and its application as a biomarker is presented. Brain activity signals are measured to detect a functional connection between a first region of a brain and a second region of said brain. The direction of the functional connection is determined by determining whether said first region excites or inhibits the second region more strongly than the second region excites or inhibits the first region. The functional connectivity is then used as a biomarker to predict the existence of a condition, such as epilepsy or autism. The functional connection may be measured while said brain is in a resting state. | 04-17-2014 |
20140099359 | SYNTHETIC PLATELETS - A synthetic platelet includes a biocompatible flexible nanoparticle that includes an outer surface and a plurality of peptides conjugated to the surface, the peptides including a plurality of von Willebrand factor-binding peptides (VBPs), collagen-binding peptides (CBPs) and an active platelet GPIIb-IIIa-binding peptides (GBPs). | 04-10-2014 |
20140094872 | DELAYING THE ONSET OF MUSCLE FATIGUE ASSOCIATED WITH FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION - The present invention relates a system that can configure a stimulus for functional electrical stimulation (“FES”) to maintain a constant muscle force while delaying the onset of muscle fatigue and a related method of use. The stimulus can be delivered to a nerve via a set of multiple electrode contacts according to a stimulation parameter that maximizes a joint moment associated with the stimulus and minimizes the overlap between pairs of contacts. The joint moment can be related to the muscle force, and the overlap can be related to the onset of muscle fatigue. | 04-03-2014 |
20140079635 | MOLECULAR PROBES FOR DETECTING LIPID COMPOSITION - A method of detecting myelin in a subject includes administering to the subject a molecular probe that includes a fluorescent trans stilbene derivative and detecting the amount or distribution of the molecular probe in a tissue of interest of the subject. | 03-20-2014 |
20140074176 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING NEURAL ACTIVITIES AND APPLICATIONS OF SAME - In one aspect of the present invention, a method of transient and selective suppression of neural activities of a target of interest, such as one or more nerves, includes selectively applying at least one light to the target of interest at selected locations with predetermined radiant exposures to create a localized and selective inhibitory response therein. The localized and selective inhibitory response comprises a local temperature change. | 03-13-2014 |
20140066464 | METHODS OF DIAGNOSING AND TREATING CANCER - A method of determining the susceptibility of a cancer in a subject to treatment with an antimetabolite includes obtaining a sample of cancer cells from the subject, measuring the level of UDG expression in the cancer cells, and comparing the measured levels of UDG expression in the cancer cells to a control level. | 03-06-2014 |
20140044791 | TARGETED NANOPARTICLE CONJUGATES - A composition for treating a disorder in a subject includes a polyethylene glycolylated (PEGylated) nanoparticle, at least one hydrophobic therapeutic agent coupled to the surface of the nanoparticle; and at least one targeting moiety coupled to polyethylene glycol of the nanoparticle for targeting the composition to a cell associated with disorder. | 02-13-2014 |
20140033334 | TARGETED CELL DEATH - The present invention provides compositions and methods for studying neuropathy. The compositions and methods provided herein are particularly useful for screening agents of therapeutic and/or diagnostic potential. | 01-30-2014 |
20140030245 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING CANCER - A composition for inhibiting cancer cell proliferation includes exogenous constitutively active Chk1 or an agent that promotes phosphorylation of endogenous Chk1 of the cancer cell. | 01-30-2014 |
20140023591 | HETEROMULTIVALENT NANOPARTICLE COMPOSITIONS - A composition for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications includes a heteromultivalent nanoparticle having an outer surface and a plurality of targeting moieties conjugated to the surface of the nanoparticle, the targeting moieties includes a first activated platelet targeting moiety and a second activated platelet targeting moiety. | 01-23-2014 |
20140018383 | MYELOID DIFFERENTIATION INDUCING AGENTS - Myeloid differentiating agents can be used in the treatment of myeloid proliferative disorders. | 01-16-2014 |
20140015527 | Through-Time GRAPPA - Example apparatus and methods control a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus to acquire, from an object to be imaged, throughout a period of time, a partitioned non-Cartesian fully-sampled calibration data set. Different groups of lines in the calibration data set are acquired at different points in time under different gradient encoding conditions that yield phase encoding in the direction perpendicular to the non-Cartesian encoded plane. The MRI apparatus is controlled to acquire an under-sampled non-Cartesian data set from the object to be imaged and to reconstruct an image from the under-sampled data set based, at least in part, on a through-time GRAPPA calibration. A GRAPPA weight set can be computed from data in different groups of lines in the calibration data set because different groups of lines can be treated as unique calibration time frames due to phase encoding produced by the different gradient encoding conditions. | 01-16-2014 |
20140003695 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING AN IMPLANT | 01-02-2014 |
20130317415 | NEURAL PROSTHESIS - A neural prosthesis includes a centralized device that can provide power, data, and clock signals to one or more individual neural prosthesis subsystems. Each subsystem may include a number of individually addressable, programmable modules that can be dynamically allocated or shared among neural prosthetic networks to achieve complex, coordinated functions or to operate in autonomous groups. | 11-28-2013 |
20130316180 | Biocompatible Packaging Suitable for Long-term Implantation and Method of Formation - A method for forming an electrical-conductor-free vapor barrier suitable for protecting long-term implanted electronic systems is disclosed. The method comprises forming a nascent layer of a partially cured layer and repeatedly compressing the layer via a roller-based process. Once the layer has been suitably compressed, the layer is fully cured. In some embodiments, a multi-layer protective layer is formed by repeating the roller-based formation process for each of a plurality of layers. In some embodiments, a multi-layer protective layer comprising layers of different materials is formed. | 11-28-2013 |
20130316010 | POLYMERIC MICROPARTICLES - A pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising microparticles encapsulating high weight percent active agent and providing sustained release over a prolonged period of time of active agent levels bioequivalent to direct administration of active agent. Polymeric microparticle compositions containing one or more active agents, and methods of making and using thereof, are described. The microparticles are optimized for the agent to be delivered, so that the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the polymer and charge of the polymer maximizes loading of the agent, and the selection and molecular weight of the polymers maximize release of an effective amount of the active agent for the desired period of time. | 11-28-2013 |
20130304233 | CONTINUOUS DIGITAL LIGHT PROCESSING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF IMPLANTS - A process for additive manufacturing of a resorbable implant to be implanted into a patient includes providing a biocompatible resin including a liquid light-polymerizable material that is resorbable after polymerization and an initiator. The process further includes actuating an additive manufacturing apparatus to expose an amount of the biocompatible resin to light to at least partially cure the exposed amount of biocompatible resin to form a layer of the resorbable implant and actuating the additive manufacturing apparatus to expose at least some additional amount of biocompatible resin to light to at least partially cure the exposed additional amount of biocompatible resin to form an additional layer of the resorbable implant and to at least partially overcure previously cured layers to cause at least some interlayer binding between the previously cured layers and the additional layer. | 11-14-2013 |
20130304019 | PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY SYSTEM, DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD OF TREATMENT - As one example, a photodynamic therapy system can include a flexible panel comprising a plurality of light sources distributed across a conformable light delivery surface thereof. The plurality of light sources can be configured to provide a treatment light to achieve a desired therapeutic effect at a predetermined distance from the light delivery surface. The system can also include a spacer configured at the light delivery surface to position the light delivery surface at the predetermined distance from a treatment area of a patient. | 11-14-2013 |
20130303942 | IMPLANTABLE PRESSURE SENSOR - Systems and methods are provided for in vivo measurement of pressure. An implantable sensor assembly includes a pressure sensor configured to provide an analog signal representing pressure and a signal conditioning component configured to convert the pressure sensor output into a digital signal. A transmitter is configured to transmit the digital signal to an external base unit. A power control unit is configured to dynamically allocate power throughout the implantable sensor assembly, such that during an active measurement interval of the implantable sensor assembly, each of the pressure sensor, the signal conditioning component, and the transmitter are powered only for a portion of the active measurement interval necessary to perform a related function. | 11-14-2013 |
20130291729 | GAS SEPERATION MEMBRANE - A method of fabricating a gas separation membrane includes providing a coextruded multilayer film that includes a first polymer layer formed of a first polymer material and a second polymer layer formed of a second polymer material, the first polymer material having a first gas permeability. The coextruded multilayer film is axially oriented such that the second polymer layer has a second gas permeability that is greater than the first gas permeability. | 11-07-2013 |
20130274132 | Genetic Modifiers of Cystic Fibrosis - Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for and treating Cystic Fibrosis lung disease severity and/or secondary manifestations, including meconium ileus and CF related liver disease. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271140 | Ordering Projections For Magnetic Resonance - Example apparatus and methods order projections in a 3D MRI acquisition to achieve improved equidistant spacing or to achieve improved adherence to a target distribution. The equidistant or target spacing may exist in k-space and/or in kt-space. In one embodiment, the improved equidistant spacing is a substantially uniform spacing. The substantially uniform spacing may be achieved using a modification of a charge repulsion analysis that treats points of projections that intersect the surface of a 3D volume to be imaged as point charges distributed on the 3D volume. In another embodiment, the target spacing may be uniform, non-uniform, uniform in parts and non-uniform in other parts, and other combinations. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271137 | Magnetic Resonance Trajectory Correcting - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with magnetic resonance (MR) trajectory correcting using GRAPPA operator gridding (GROG) are described. One example method includes identifying an on angle or regular portion of a projection in an MR trajectory and then computing base GROG weights for that portion. The example method includes identifying a shift direction and a shift amount for the projection. The shift direction is configured to shift the projection towards a desired point in k-space and the shift amount is configured to shift the projection by a desired amount in the shift direction. With a shift direction and amount available, the example method corrects for a gradient delay by manipulating the MR source signal data using the shift direction and the shift amount. In one embodiment, a gradient delay can be determined and used to calibrate an MRI apparatus. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271132 | Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Fingerprinting With Parallel Transmission - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting with parallel transmission are described. One example apparatus includes individually controllable radio frequency (RF) transmission (TX) coils configured to apply varying NMR fingerprinting RF excitations to a sample. The NMR apparatus may apply excitations in parallel. An individual excitation causes different resonant species to produce different signal evolutions. The apparatus includes a parallel transmission logic that causes one of the coils to apply a first excitation to the sample and that causes a different coil to apply a second, different excitation to the sample. The excitations are configured to produce a spatial inhomogeneity between a first region in the sample and a second region in the sample that allows a resonant species to produce a first signal evolution in the first region and to produce a second signal evolution in the second region to facilitate de-correlating the signal evolutions. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271131 | Varying Blipped Trajectory - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blipped trajectories having varying blip amplitudes are described. One example method includes controlling an MRI apparatus to produce a set of blipped trajectories including a first blipped trajectory having a first blip amplitude and a second, different blipped trajectory having a second, different blip amplitude. The blip amplitudes may be based on a relationship between a trajectory and a reference. The relationship may be, for example, a rotation angle. The rotation angle may be a proxy for information including a gradient trajectory speed associated with a blipped trajectory or an amount of unused gradient energy available while producing the blipped trajectory. The blip amplitudes may be selected to produce incoherent sampling during an MRI acquisition that uses the blipped trajectories. In one example, readout directions may be altered between trajectories to reduce regularity in k-space. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271128 | Multi-slice Blipped TrueFISP-CAIPIRINHA - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with multi-slice blipped TrueFISP-CAIPIRINHA in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. One example apparatus produces CAIPIRINHA phase cycling in a TrueFISP-CAIPRINHA pulse sequence using a blipped gradient pattern rather than using radio frequency (RE) pulses. The phase cycling is produced by controlling a gradient coil in an MRI apparatus to produce a pre-scan pulse that is configured to set magnetization into a steady state position and then controlling the gradient coil to produce a balanced alternating phase pulse per repetition (TR). The balanced alternating phase pulse is configured to introduce a CAIPIRINHA aliasing pattern between slices. Controlling the gradient coil includes selectively adding and removing a finite gradient area, from de-phase pulses and re-phase pulses in the pulse sequence. | 10-17-2013 |
20130271126 | Wireless Magnetic Field Monitoring In Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with wireless magnetic field monitoring (wMFM) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. One example apparatus includes a wMFM module configured to receive an MFM signal from an MFM probe and to wirelessly transmit modulated MFM signals produced from the received MFM signals to an MRI apparatus. The MRI apparatus is configured with a wireless receiver that receives and processes the modulated MFM signals into information used in an image reconstruction. The MRI apparatus includes an MRI reconstruction logic configured to produce an MR image from the MRI signal based, at least in part, on the magnetic field measurement information. | 10-17-2013 |
20130265047 | Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Fingerprinting - Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with NMR fingerprinting are described. One example NMR apparatus includes an NMR logic configured to repetitively and variably sample a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals. Members of the set of NMR signals are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The varying parameters may include flip angle, echo time, RF amplitude, and other parameters. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic configured to produce an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals, and a characterization logic configured to characterize a resonant species in the object as a result of comparing acquired signals to reference signals. | 10-10-2013 |
20130217633 | INHIBITORS OF BCL-2 - A protease resistant polypeptide includes an amino acid sequence that has a sequence identity at least 80% homologous to about 10 to 80 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1. | 08-22-2013 |
20130209357 | MOLECULAR PROBES FOR IMAGING MYELIN - A molecular probe for use in the detection of myelin in a subject includes a compound having the general formula selected from the group consisting of: formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. | 08-15-2013 |
20130202612 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING BONE CONDITIONS - A method of treating a degenerative bone condition of a subject includes administering to hematopoietic progenitor cells or osteoclast progenitor cells of the subject at least one agent that substantially reduces the interaction of at least one of C3a or C5a with the C3a receptor (C3aR) and/or C5a receptor (C5aR), a STAT3/IL-6 signaling pathway antagonist, and a combination thereof, the agent being administered to the hematopoietic progenitor cells or osteoclast progenitor cells at an amount effective to inhibit osteoclast differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells or osteoclast progenitor cells. | 08-08-2013 |
20130190230 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING COGNITIVE DEFICITS - A method of treating or preventing cognitive impairment deficits in subjects with age-associated cognitive decline or a dementing illness includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of amylin, an amylin agonist, or an amylin derivative to treat the cognitive impairment or deficit. | 07-25-2013 |
20130180557 | Vertical Lift Walker for Sit to Stand Transition Assistance - This invention relates to a lift to assist in standing and/or walking for persons who have insufficient strength or movement in their legs. The inventive lift walker includes a frame assembly having a lower an upper and lower portion that wheels are provided beneath the lower frame so as to enable the lift to be propelled and maneuvered. A bracing assembly is provided at the upper portion and comprises a supporting platform which is adapted to fit under the forearms of a person, and optional handles for gripping by the user's left and right hands. An elevator assembly is provided which includes lift and stabilization tracks for raising and lowering the supporting assembly in a coordinated, purely vertical fashion, and further includes gas lift means for effectuating the same via use of a remotely switched activation mechanism. There are also anti-tip means for maintaining the stability of the device when contacting uneven ground surface during movement. | 07-18-2013 |
20130172539 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS OF PREPARATION FOR PROTEOME ANALYSIS - A method of extracting a polypeptide from a biological sample includes contacting the biological sample with an extraction reagent to form a solution of the biological sample and the extraction reagent. The extraction reagent includes perfluorooctanoic and can be used at a concentration effective to solubilize the polypeptides in the biological sample. | 07-04-2013 |
20130165554 | Dynamic Mechanical Polymer Nanocomposites - Polymer nanocomposites exhibit a reversible change in stiffness and strength in response to a stimulus. The polymer nanocomposites include a matrix polymer with a comparably low modulus and strength and nanoparticles that have a comparably high modulus and strength. The particle-particle interactions are switched by the stimulus, to change the overall material's mechanical properties. In a preferred embodiment, a chemical regulator Is used to facilitate changes of the mechanical properties. Methods for inducing modulus changes in polymer nanocomposites are also disclosed. | 06-27-2013 |
20130156696 | HUMAN ANTIBODIES AGAINST PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA LPS DERIVED FROM TRANSGENIC XENOMOUSE - The invention described herein provides for human antibodies produced in non-human animals that specifically bind to | 06-20-2013 |
20130143823 | Compositions and methods of inhibiting apoptosis - A method of inhibiting apoptosis in a cell includes administering to a cell an effective amount of a cell penetrating peptide (CPP), wherein the CPP consists of about 5 to about 41 amino acids and is substantially homologous to a portion of the C-terminal region of IFNγR2. | 06-06-2013 |
20130138193 | METHOD TO TREAT PAIN THROUGH ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF NERVES - Methods of treating pain are disclosed, wherein a non-pulsed, low-frequency electrical current is applied to the nerve carrying the pain signals in order to suppress transmission of those signals. In desired embodiments, the current is applied in a direction transverse to the nerve axis. Such currents have been found not to induce motor-neuron recruitment, meaning these methods can treat pain without causing muscle spasm or other muscular responses. A cuff for applying such a current transverse to the nerve axis is also disclosed. | 05-30-2013 |
20130131329 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTING GASTROINTESTINAL AND OTHER CANCERS - This application describes methods and compositions for detecting and treating vimentin-associated neoplasia. Differential methylation of the vimentin nucleotide sequences has been observed in vimentin-associated neoplasia such as neoplasia of the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and/or bladder. | 05-23-2013 |
20130116404 | TARGETED NON-INVASIVE IMAGING PROBES OF EGFR EXPRESSING CELLS - A probe for imaging EGFR expressing cells includes an EGFR targeting moiety, a reporter moiety, and a hydrophilic linker that links the EGFR targeting moiety to the reporter moiety. The hydrophilic linker enhances solubility of the probe in an aqueous media as well as binding affinity of the probe to EGFR expressing cells. | 05-09-2013 |
20130109996 | EXPERT SYSTEM TO FACILITATE SOURCE LOCALIZATION OF BRAIN ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY | 05-02-2013 |
20130109040 | IN VITRO POINT-OF-CARE SENSOR AND METHOD OF USE | 05-02-2013 |
20130085101 | LONG-ACTING INSULIN ANALOGUE PREPARATIONS IN SOLUBLE AND CRYSTALLINE FORMS - A pharmaceutical formulation comprises an insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof contains an insulin A-chain sequence that contains paired Histidine substitutions at A4 and A8, and optionally a substitution at A21. The formulation further contains a pharmaceutically acceptable buffer containing at least about 4 zinc ions per 6 insulin analogue molecules. The formulation forms a long-acting zinc-dependent subcutaneous depot upon subcutaneous injection. In a zinc-free formulation, the insulin analogue monomer exhibits decreased affinity for the Insulin-like Growth Factor receptor and at least 20% of the affinity for the insulin receptor of the same species, in comparison to an otherwise identical insulin or insulin analogue that does not contain the His | 04-04-2013 |
20130072555 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING METABOLIC DISEASES - In one aspect of the present invention, a pharmaceutical composition for treating a metabolic disease in a mammalian subject includes a therapeutically effective amount of (R)-all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. In another aspect of the present invention, pharmaceutical composition for treating a metabolic disease in a mammalian subject includes a therapeutically effective amount of (S)-all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. In a further aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for treating a metabolic disease in a mammalian subject. The method includes administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoid, all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoid derivative, or agent capable of modulating the level of at least one all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoid or all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinoid derivative in the subject. | 03-21-2013 |
20130072549 | METHODS OF TREATING CARDIOMYOPATHY - A method of treating a cardiomyopathy in a subject includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that modulates contractile function in myocardial tissue of the subject. | 03-21-2013 |
20130071395 | COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING PATHOLOGIES - A composition for treating a neoplastic disorder includes an activatable cell penetrating peptide coupled to antibody and/or fragment thereof to an essential gene product of a neoplastic cell. | 03-21-2013 |
20130041275 | SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIAGNOSING SEIZURES - Systems and methods can be used to help discriminate between epileptic and non-epileptic seizures based on a relationship between the postictal heart electrical activity and the preictal heart electrical activity. Also disclosed is an approach to determine an R-R interval by using a time-invariant complex wavelet transform. | 02-14-2013 |
20130020524 | HIGH TEMPERATURE PIEZOELECTRIC CERAMICS - Piezoelectric ceramics that can be used in high temperature actuators. The piezoelectric ceramics have various desirable properties, for example the materials do not depole up to about 400° C. and have large piezoelectric coefficients>400 pm/V. In addition the thickness mode electromechanical coupling coefficient is large, increasing from 0.5 to 0.65 with temperature. The planar electromechanical coefficient is around 0.40 and does not show a significant dependence on temperature. These materials are highly polarizable with remnant polarization around 50 μC/cm | 01-24-2013 |
20130018497 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING AN IMPLANT - A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject includes obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject, superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion, and determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion. | 01-17-2013 |
20120329077 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR CATEGORIZING PATIENTS - The disclosure provides, among other things, molecular markers for categorizing the neoplastic state of a patient, methods for using the molecular markers in diagnostic tests, nucleic acid and amino acid sequences related to the molecular markers, reagents for detection of molecular markers, and methods for identifying candidate molecular markers in highly parallel gene expression data. | 12-27-2012 |
20120323164 | PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY WITH PHTHALOCYANINES AND RADICAL SOURCES - The use of phthalocyanines together with a free radical source for photodynamic therapy is described. The free radical sources cause the photodecomposition of the phthalocyanines, which can be useful for various reasons such as allowing light to penetrate to lower tissue levels that would otherwise be obscured. The nature of the phthalocyanine and the free radical source chosen can both have an influence on the rate of photodecomposition. The free radical sources can be provided along with the phthalocyanines either in free unattached form, or they can be attached to the phthalocyanines themselves. | 12-20-2012 |
20120316242 | METHODS OF TREATING METABOLIC DISORDERS - A method of increasing the insulin sensitivity of insulin resistant cells includes administering to the cells an amount of all-trans-retinoic acid effective to activate transcription factor perosixome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) β/δ of the cells. | 12-13-2012 |
20120316107 | FIBRILLATION-RESISTANT INSULIN AND INSULIN ANALOGUES - A fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue may be a single-chain insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, containing an insulin A chain sequence or an analogue thereof and an insulin B chain sequence or an analogue thereof connected by a polypeptide of 4-10 amino acids. The fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue preferably displays less than 1 percent fibrillation with incubation at 37° C. for at least 21 days. A single-chain insulin analogue displays greater in vitro insulin receptor binding than normal insulin while displaying less than or equal binding to IGFR than normal insulin. The fibrillation-resistant insulin may be used to treat a patient using an implantable or external insulin pump, due to its greater fibrillation resistance. | 12-13-2012 |
20120277148 | INSULIN ANALOGUES WITH CHLORINATED AMINO ACIDS - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide incorporating a chlorinated phenylalanine. The chlorinated phenylalanine may be located at position B24. The chlorinated phenylalanine may be para-monochloro-phenylalanine. The analogue may be of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encodes such an insulin analogue. The chlorinated insulin analogues retain significant activity. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. Chlorine substitution-based stabilization of insulin may reduce fibrillation and thereby enhance the treatment of diabetes mellitus in regions of the developing world lacking refrigeration. | 11-01-2012 |
20120265121 | PHTHALOCYANINE-BASED ANTIFUNGAL AGENTS - A method is described for the photodynamic treatment of a fungal infection in a subject by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a phthalocyanine compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the subject and activating the phthalocyanine compound with light. The method is useful for treating various dermatophyte infections such as onychomycosis, and in particular fungal infection by | 10-18-2012 |
20120265063 | GATED OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT) - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with gated optical coherence tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes generating an image control signal to control an OCT apparatus to acquire an image of an embryonic heart at a specified point in time during a cardiac cycle of the embryonic heart. The method may also include controlling the OCT apparatus to acquire the image based on the image control signal. In different examples, the image may be acquired in vivo or from an excised heart that is paced. The OCT apparatus and the embryonic heart may be housed in an environmental chamber having a set of controllable environmental factors. Therefore, the method may include detecting and controlling the set of controllable environmental factors. | 10-18-2012 |
20120258436 | AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE, FINE-MOTOR, AND MEMORY SKILLS - An automated assessment of various capabilities, such as cognitive, fine-motor, and memory skills, includes the use of Tangible Geometric Games (TAG-Games), which are a play-based assessment tools. TAG-Games are based on Sensor-Integrated Geometric Blocks (SIG-Blocks) and an interactive graphical user interface (GUI), which provide a means for real-time and remote monitoring of a user through operative communication between blocks and a remote computer. The data made available by employing TAG-Games includes: 1) block accelerations, 2) time at stages of assembly completion, 3) total completion time for quizzes, and 4) correctness of assembly steps. In addition, a GUI can display the real-time assembly configuration of the blocks. | 10-11-2012 |
20120231014 | Neural Regeneration - A method of promoting neural cell regeneration is carried out by contacting a neural cell with a compound that inhibits the binding of a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) to a cellular (e.g., trans-membrane) PTPσ protein. The neural cell is associated with an injury or neurodegenerative condition. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230566 | PRODUCING A THREE DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF AN IMPLANT - Determining a shape of a medical device to be implanted into a subject produces an image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of a surface of a tissue of interest included in the subject. The tissue of interest is segmented within the image. A template, representing a normative shape of an external anatomical surface of the tissue of interest, is superimposed to span the defective portion. An external shape of an implant, is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion as seen in the template, for repairing the defective portion. | 09-13-2012 |
20120220518 | THERAPEUTIC AGENT DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A therapeutic agent delivery system includes a therapeutic agent delivery platform and a therapeutic guest agent. The therapeutic agent delivery platform is capable of being implanted in a tissue being treated. The platform includes a substrate and at least one host molecule coupled to the substrate. The therapeutic guest agent is capable of reversibly coupling with the host molecule when administered to the tissue being treated. The reversible coupling is defined by the binding affinity between the host molecule and the therapeutic guest agent. The therapeutic guest agent is delivered at a rate determined by the affinity release rate between the host molecule and the therapeutic guest agent. The degradation rate of the therapeutic guest agent may be slower than the affinity release rate between the host molecule and the therapeutic guest agent. | 08-30-2012 |
20120212638 | VISUAL SEGMENTATION OF LAWN GRASS - This invention provides a method for identifying lawn grass comprising capturing an image of the terrain in front of a mower, segmenting the image into neighborhoods, calculating at least two image statistics for each of the neighborhoods, generating a binary representation of each image statistic. The binary representation of each image statistic is generated by comparing the calculated image statistic values to predetermined image statistic values for grass. The method further comprises weighting each of the binary representations of each image statistic, and summing corresponding neighborhoods for all image statistics. A binary threshold is applied to each of the summed neighborhoods to generate a binary map representing grass containing areas and non-grass containing areas. | 08-23-2012 |
20120198574 | Targeted cell death - The present invention provides compositions and methods for studying neuropathy. The compositions and methods provided herein are particularly useful for screening agents of therapeutic and/or diagnostic potential. | 08-02-2012 |
20120184488 | INSULIN ANALOGUES OF ENHANCED RECEPTOR-BINDING SPECIFICITY - A method of treating a patient includes administering a physiologically effective amount of an insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to the patient. The insulin analogue or physiologically acceptable salt thereof contains an insulin A-chain sequence modified at positions selected from the group consisting of A0, A1, A4, A8, and A21. The insulin analogue may exhibit decreased affinity for the IGF receptor in comparison to wild type insulin of the same species and at least 20% of the affinity of wild-type insulin for the insulin receptor of the same species. Position A0 may be arginine. Position A1 may be D-alanine, D-aspartic acid, or D-leucine. Position A8 may be histidine, lysine, or arginine. Optionally, an insulin B-chain analogue sequence comprises a histidine at position B1. A nucleic acid may encode such an insulin polypeptide. | 07-19-2012 |
20120164638 | Digital Quantification of DNA Methylation - Abnormal DNA methylation can be used as a biomarker in cancer patients. For such purposes, it is important to determine precisely the fraction of methylated molecules in an analyzed sample. A technology we term Methyl-BEAMing achieves this goal. Individual bisulfite-treated DNA molecules can be PCR-amplified within aqueous nanocompartments containing beads, resulting in a population of beads each containing thousands of copies of the template molecule. After hybridization with probes specific for methylated sequences, the beads can be analyzed by flow cytometry. This approach enables detection and enumeration of one methylated molecule in a population of ˜5000 unmethylated molecules. Methyl-BEAMing provides digital quantification of rare methylation events and is generally applicable to the assessment of methylated genes in clinical samples. | 06-28-2012 |
20120100615 | CELL FATE CONVERSION OF DIFFERENTIATED SOMATIC CELLS INTO GLIAL CELLS - The present invention relates to the reprogramming of differentiated somatic cells, such as those differentiated cells that arise from embryonic mesoderm, into glial cells. Glial cells produced from this reprogramming are functionally equivalent to glial cells that arise from ectodermal origins. | 04-26-2012 |
20120100113 | DIFFERENTIATION METHOD FOR PRODUCTION OF GLIAL CELL POPULATIONS - The present invention provides methods for generating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from pluripotent cells, as well as methods for sustaining these oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in relatively pure cultures for long periods of time. The present invention also provides methods for further differentiating these oligodendrocyte progenitor cells into various glial cells. | 04-26-2012 |
20120098152 | POROUS MATERIAL HAVING ANISOTROPIC STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - A method of forming an anisotropic porous material includes forming an aerogel precursor, the aerogel precursor including a matrix material and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing the matrix material. The aerogel precursor is frozen so that the dispersion is solidified while controlling the direction of crystal growth within the aerogel precursor. The aerogel precursor is freeze dried to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material. | 04-26-2012 |
20120088857 | POLYMER REINFORCED POROUS MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A method of forming a porous material having improved compressive strength, includes forming an aerogel precursor that includes a polymer having a functional group capable of undergoing a crosslinking reaction dispersed in a dispersion medium. The precursor also includes a crosslinking agent. The aerogel precursor is frozen so that the dispersion is solidified, and freeze dried to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material. The crosslinking agent is reacted with the functional group to effect crosslinking, thus improving the compressive strength of the porous material. | 04-12-2012 |
20120088855 | LOW DENSITY HYDROPHOBIC MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - Low density, buoyant materials, in particular hydrophobic aerogels, may be used to absorb hydrophobic liquids. The materials are adapted to float on aqueous solutions and can absorb oils or other hydrophobic liquids from the surface of the solution without absorbing appreciable amounts of the aqueous solution. Methods for creating and using the materials are disclosed. | 04-12-2012 |
20120086139 | POROUS MATERIAL HAVING CONTROLLED VOIDS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - A porous material having controlled void dimensions and method of forming the same includes forming an aerogel precursor, the aerogel precursor including a matrix material and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing the matrix material. A plurality of particles having preselected dimensions is dispersed in the aerogel precursor. The aerogel precursor with the particles dispersed therein is frozen so that the liquid dispersion is solidified. The aerogel precursor is freeze dried to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material. | 04-12-2012 |
20120083543 | POROUS MATERIAL HAVING IMPROVED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A method of forming a porous material having improved compressive strength includes forming an aerogel precursor, the aerogel precursor including a matrix material and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing the matrix material. A freeze/thaw cycle is performed on the aerogel precursor, the freeze/thaw cycle including freezing the aerogel precursor so that the dispersion is solidified and thawing the aerogel precursor to liquefy the frozen dispersion medium. The aerogel precursor is frozen so that the dispersion is solidified, and freeze dried to sublime the dispersion medium and form the porous material. | 04-05-2012 |
20120075638 | SEGMENTATION AND QUANTIFICATION FOR INTRAVASCULAR OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGES - A system and related methods for automatic or semi-automatic segmentation and quantification of blood vessel structure and physiology, including segmentation and quantification of lumen, guide wire, vessel wall, calcified plaques, fibrous caps, macrophages, metallic and bioresorbable stents are described, and including visualization of results. Calcified plaque segmentation can be used to estimate the distribution of superficial calcification and inform strategies stenting. Volumetric segmentation and quantification of fibrous caps can provide more comprehensive information of the mechanisms behind plaque rupture. Quantification of macrophages can aid diagnosis and prediction of unstable plaque and associated acute coronary events. Automated detection and quantification of metallic and bioresorbable stents can greatly reduce the analysis time and facilitate timely decision making for intervention procedures. | 03-29-2012 |
20120071810 | PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY INCLUDING LIGHT PRETREATMENT - A method of photodynamic therapy is described that includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of a photosensitizer to an area of tissue such as the skin of a subject, delivering a first photoirradiation with light having a wavelength suitable to activate the photosensitizer to the area of skin, allowing a sufficient interval of time to pass for an effective amount of the photosensitizer to penetrate the tissue, and then delivering a second photoirradiation with light having a wavelength suitable to activate the photosensitizer to provide a therapeutic effect. Use of multiple photoirradiations increases the speed with which the photosensitizer can penetrate the tissue to reach the area where the source of the disease is present. | 03-22-2012 |
20120063655 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING AN IMPLANT - A computer implemented method for determining the 3-dimensional shape of an implant to be implanted into a subject includes obtaining a computer readable image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of tissue in the subject, superimposing on the image a shape to span the defective portion, and determining the 3-dimensional shape of the implant based on the shape that spans the defective portion. | 03-15-2012 |
20110311158 | MOTION ARTIFACT REMOVAL - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with removing motion artifacts from MR images are described. One example method includes controlling an MRI apparatus to acquire a fully sampled, centric-ordered, non-interleaved, data set from an object to be imaged and controlling a Generalized Auto-Calibrating Partially Parallel Acquisition (GRAPPA) logic to produce a GRAPPA duplicate of a single partition through the data set. The method also includes computing, from the GRAPPA duplicate, a GRAPPA navigator for a phase encoding (PE) line in the single partition and computing an error between the PE line in the single partition and a corresponding PE line in the GRAPPA duplicate using the GRAPPA navigator. The method also includes selectively replacing data in the PE line in the single partition with replacement data upon determining that the error exceeds a threshold. The method may include reconstructing an MR image based, at least in part, on the single partition. | 12-22-2011 |
20110305638 | Modulation of Macrophage Activation - The invention provides methods for treating pathological conditions associated with an undesirable inflammatory component. The invention is generally directed to reducing inflammation by administering cells that modulate macrophage activation. The invention is also directed to drug discovery methods to screen for agents that modulate the ability of the cells to modulate macrophage activation. The invention is also directed to cell banks that can be used to provide cells for administration to a subject, the banks comprising cells having desired potency to modulate macrophage activation. | 12-15-2011 |
20110293578 | Use of Stem Cells to Prevent Neuronal Dieback - The invention is generally directed to treatment of neuronal injury. In particular, the invention is directed to reducing axonal retraction (“dieback”) that occurs as a result of the interaction of activated macrophages with dystrophic axons that are produced during nervous system acute or chronic injury. The invention is also directed to promoting axonal growth/regeneration. The invention is specifically directed to using stem cells or their secreted cellular factors, such as would be produced in conditioned cell culture medium, to ameliorate or prevent axonal dieback and/or promote growth/regeneration of axons. | 12-01-2011 |
20110264178 | Probe for Neural Stimulation - A neural probe for stimulating neural tissue is disclosed. The probe comprises a three-dimensional arrangement of individually addressable electrodes. As a result, embodiments of the present invention can steer stimulative electric current through a wide range of paths through neighboring neural tissue. This enables specific targeting of neural selected neural tissue. In addition, embodiments of the present invention provide increased tolerance to probe misplacement or movement after insertion. Further, embodiments of the present invention enable changes in the neural tissue being stimulated without requiring additional surgical procedures. | 10-27-2011 |
20110241685 | SWITCHED MODE PRE-AMPLIFICATION AND AM FEEDBACK FOR ON-COIL SWITCHED MODE AMPLIFIERS IN PARALLEL TRANSMISSION MRI - Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and so on described herein concern parallel transmission in MRI with on-coil current-mode (CMCD) amplifiers. One example apparatus includes switched voltage-mode class D (VMCD) pre-amplifiers. Another example apparatus includes amplitude modulation of the output of the CMCD amplifiers using feedback control based, at least in part, on a comparison of an envelope of transmit coil current to an envelope of an input RF pulse. | 10-06-2011 |
20110241682 | ON-COIL CURRENT MODE CLASS D RF POWER AMPLIFIER IN HIGH FIELD PARALLEL TRANSMISSION MRI - Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and so on described herein concern parallel transmission in high field MRI. One example apparatus includes a balun network that produces out-of-phase signals that are amplified to drive current-mode class-D (CMCD) field effect transistors (FETs) that are connected by a coil that includes an LC (inductance-capacitance) leg. The LC leg is to selectively alter the output analog RF signal and the analog RF signal is used in high field parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) transmission. | 10-06-2011 |
20110241681 | HALL EFFECT CURRENT SENSOR - Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and so on described herein concern a Hall effect current sensor that includes a planar portion of a conductor that is oriented perpendicular to a base magnetic field in which it is located. In the presence of the magnetic field, a differential voltage is produced across the planar portion that is proportional to a strength of the magnetic field and the amount of current flowing through the conductor. | 10-06-2011 |
20110217708 | METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR DETECTING COLON CANCERS - This application describes methods and compositions for detecting and treating vimentin-associated neoplasia. Differential methylation of the vimentin nucleotide sequences has been observed in vimentin-associated neoplasia such as colon neoplasia. | 09-08-2011 |
20110195896 | ISOFORM-SPECIFIC INSULIN ANALOGUES - A method treating a mammal by administering a physiologically effective amount of an insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof where the insulin analogue displays more than twofold greater binding affinity to insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) than insulin receptor isoform B (IR-B). The insulin analogue may be a single-chain insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, containing an insulin A-chain sequence or an analogue thereof and an insulin B-chain sequence or an analogue thereof connected by a polypeptide of 4-13 amino acids. A single-chain insulin analogue may display greater in vitro insulin receptor binding to IR-A but lower binding to IR-B than normal insulin while displaying less than or equal binding to IGFR than normal insulin. | 08-11-2011 |
20110166064 | HALOGEN-STABILIZED INSULIN - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide incorporating a halogenated phenylalanine at position B24, B25 or B26. The halogenated phenylalanine may be ortho-monofluoro-phenylalanine, ortho-monobromo-phenylalanine, ortho-monochloro-phenylalanine, or para-monochloro-phenylalanine. The analogue may be of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encodes such an insulin analogue. The halogenated insulin analogues retain significant activity. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. Halogen substitution-based stabilization of insulin may enhance the treatment of diabetes mellitus in regions of the developing world lacking refrigeration. | 07-07-2011 |
20110165058 | Growth of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes - A method for synthesizing carbon nanotubes having a narrow distribution of diameter and/or chirality is presented. The method comprises providing catalyst particles to a reactor for synthesizing the carbon nanotubes, wherein the catalyst particles are characterized by a narrow distribution of catalyst-particle diameters and a narrow distribution of catalyst-particle compositions. Preferably, the catalyst particles are characterized by a mean catalyst-particle diameter of 2.6 nm or less and a composition of Ni | 07-07-2011 |
20110160798 | SEPARATED-INTERFACE NERVE ELECTRODE - Example ionic coupling electrodes are described. One example ionic conducting electrode includes a first portion that can be coupled to a single phase current source. The first portion carries current flow via electrons. The electrode includes a second portion to apply a current to a nerve tissue. The second portion carries current flow via ions. The second portion is positioned between the nerve tissue and the first portion to prevent the first portion from touching the nerve tissue. The current applied to the nerve tissue is produced in the second portion in response to a current that is present in the first portion. The current present in the first portion is provided from a single phase current source. The electrode may be used in applications including, but not limited to, nerve block applications and nerve stimulation applications. | 06-30-2011 |
20110096092 | NON-CARTESIAN CAIPIRINHA - Example systems, methods, and apparatus concern non-Cartesian CAIPIRINHA (Controlled Aliasing In Parallel Imaging Results IN Higher Acceleration). One example parallel magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) manipulation logic configured to control the pMRI apparatus to perform a non-Cartesian CAIPIRINHA acquisition process in which under-sampled data is acquired using a non-Cartesian (e.g., radial) pattern. The apparatus also includes a reconstruction logic configured to reconstruct the under-sampled data as a function of phase shift applied by the non-Cartesian CAIPIRINHA acquisition process and coil sensitivities acquired during the non-Cartesian CAIPIRINHA acquisition process. | 04-28-2011 |
20110093233 | THROUGH-TIME RADIAL GRAPPA CALIBRATION - Example systems and methods control a parallel magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) apparatus to acquire radial calibration data sets throughout time. Example systems and methods also control the pMRI apparatus to acquire an under-sampled radial data set from the object to be imaged. Example systems and methods then control the pMRI apparatus to reconstruct an image of the object to be imaged from the under-sampled radial data set. The reconstruction depends, at least in part, on a through-time radial GRAPPA calibration where a value for a point missing from k-space in the under-sampled radial data set is computed using a GRAPPA weight set calibrated and applied for the missing point. The GRAPPA weight set is computed from data in the radial calibration data sets. | 04-21-2011 |
20110082188 | GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE - The present invention relates to methods for identifying and/or classifying patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), particularly patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Gene expression profiling shows broad and fundamental differences in the pathogenic mechanism of UC and CD. The subject method is based on the findings that certain genes are differentially expressed in intestinal tissue of IBD patients compared with related normal cells, such as normal colon cells. That change can be used to identify or classify IBD cells by the upregulation and/or downregulation of expression of particular genes, alterations in protein levels or modification, or changes at the genomic level (such as mutation, methylation, etc), e.g., an event which is implicated in the pathology of inflammatory bowel diseases. | 04-07-2011 |
20110077196 | NON-STANDARD INSULIN ANALOGUES - An insulin analogue comprises a B-chain polypeptide containing at least one alteration selected from a methylated phenylalanine substitution at position B24 and an addition of two amino acids to the carboxyl end of the B-chain polypeptide. A first amino acid at position B31 is selected from glutamate and aspartate, and a second amino acid at position B32 is selected from glutamate, alanine and aspartate. The methylated phenylalanine may be ortho-monofluoro-phenylalanine, meta-monobromo-phenylalanine or para-monochloro-phenylalanine. The analogue may be an analogue of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encoding such an insulin analogue is also provided. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. | 03-31-2011 |
20110059887 | MEAL-TIME INSULIN ANALOGUES OF ENHANCED STABILITY - A method treating a patient includes administering a physiologically effective amount of a fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to the patient. The fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, contains an insulin A-chain sequence modified at position A8 and an insulin B-chain sequence or an analogue thereof. The fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue may exhibit thermodynamic stability similar to or exceeding that of wild-type human insulin and displays a susceptibility to fibrillation similar to or exceeding that of wild-type human insulin. An insulin analogue may display greater in vitro insulin receptor binding than normal insulin while displaying binding to IGFR less than twice that of normal insulin and less than that of fast-acting insulin analogs. The fibrillation-resistant insulin may be used to treat a patient by subcutaneous injection or by using an implantable or external insulin pump, due to its fibrillation resistance. | 03-10-2011 |
20110028967 | CHARACTERIZING ABLATION LESIONS USING OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT) - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal. | 02-03-2011 |
20110004118 | NEURAL PROSTHESIS SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROL - Multiple designs, systems, methods and processes for control using electrical signals recorded from clinically paralyzed muscles and nerves are presented. The discomplete neural prosthesis system and method for clinically paralyzed humans utilizes a controller. The controller is adapted to receive a volitional electrical signal generated by the human that is manifest below the lesion that causes the clinical paralysis. The controller uses at least the volitional electrical signal to generate a control signal that is output back to a plant to change the state of the plant, which in one aspect is one or more of the user's paralyzed muscles to achieve a functional result or to devices in the environment around the user that are adapted to receive commands from the controller. | 01-06-2011 |
20100241190 | ONSET-MITIGATING HIGH-FREQUENCY NERVE BLOCK - A method of blocking signal transmission through a nerve with reduced onset activity includes applying an HFAC to an axon of a nerve to block the transmission of signals through the axon. The method may also include applying a direct current (DC) to the axon, increasing the amplitude of the DC over time to a predetermined amplitude, applying the HFAC, and then decreasing the DC. The method may also include temporarily reducing the amplitude of the HFAC to permit the transmission of signals through the axon and subsequently increasing the amplitude to block transmission without triggering an onset response. The method may also include temporarily applying an unbalanced charge to the nerve and then balancing the charge over time. | 09-23-2010 |
20100240609 | PHTHALOCYANINE SALT FORMULATIONS - Pharmaceutical compositions of phthalocyanine compounds with a structure according to Formula (I) are described. Phthalocyanines are photosensitizer compounds having a phthalocyanine ring system that can be used for photodynamic therapy. Different phthalocyanines and phthalocyanine salts are shown to have useful characteristics such as water solubility, oil solubility, or tunable photostability. Formulations of phthalocyanines and phthalocyanine salts that can be used for topical and systemic administration are described. | 09-23-2010 |
20100239143 | REDUCING ACQUISITION TIME - Systems, methods, apparatus, and other embodiments associated with reducing imaging acquisition time are described. One example method includes accessing an under-sampled data set and a library of previously acquired data sets. The method includes producing an approximation of the under-sampled data set by transforming data stored in the library. The method includes producing a sparsified data set from the approximation and the under-sampled data set and then reconstructing the sparsified data set into a sparse image using a reconstruction technique configured to reconstruct sparse data. The method includes producing a fully-sampled approximation of the under-sampled data set and producing a final reconstructed image from the sparse image and the fully sampled approximation. | 09-23-2010 |
20100209906 | Methods and compositions for detecting colon cancers - This application describes methods and compositions for detecting and treating vimentin-associated neoplasia. Differential methylation of the vimentin nucleotide sequences has been observed in vimentin-associated neoplasia such as colon neoplasia. | 08-19-2010 |
20100201363 | CALIBRATING PARALLEL MRI WITH CARTESIAN CONTINUOUS SAMPLING - Example systems, methods, and apparatus control a pMRI apparatus to produce a pulse sequence having an extended acquisition window, and overlapping phase-encoding gradients and read gradients. One example method controls a pMRI apparatus to produce a trajectory having Cartesian and non-Cartesian segments that sample in a manner that satisfies the Nyquist criterion in at least one region of a volume to be imaged. The pMRI apparatus is controlled to apply radio frequency energy to the volume according to the pulse sequence and following the trajectory and to acquire MR signal from the volume in response to the application of the RF energy. The MR signal includes a first component associated with the Cartesian segment of the trajectory and a second component associated with the non-Cartesian segment of the trajectory. The example method includes calibrating a reconstruction process using Nyquist-satisfying data from the second component. | 08-12-2010 |
20100131029 | METHOD OF TREATING OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA USING ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION - A method for treating a medical condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea, includes the step of stimulating a nerve, particularly the hypoglossal nerve, using at least one of the following techniques: (a) continuous low-level electrical stimulation; (b) electrical stimulation synchronized with a physical process, such as inspiration, without feedback from the nerve being stimulated; and (c) intermittent electrical stimulation at controlled intervals based on the patient's metabolism. | 05-27-2010 |
20100099601 | FIBRILLATION-RESISTANT INSULIN AND INSULIN ANALOGUES - A fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue may be a single-chain insulin analogue or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, containing an insulin A chain sequence or an analogue thereof and an insulin B chain sequence or an analogue thereof connected by a polypeptide of 4-10 amino acids. The fibrillation-resistant insulin analogue preferably displays less than 1 percent fibrillation with incubation at 37° C. for at least 21 days. A single-chain insulin analogue displays greater in vitro insulin receptor binding than normal insulin while displaying less than or equal binding to IGFR than normal insulin. The fibrillation-resistant insulin may be used to treat a patient using an implantable or external insulin pump, due to its greater fibrillation resistance. | 04-22-2010 |
20100076301 | ADAPTIVE IMAGING PARAMETERS WITH MRI - Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with automatically adapting MRI controlling parameters are described. One exemplary method embodiment includes configuring an MRI apparatus to acquire MR signal data using a non-rectilinear trajectory. The example method may also include acquiring MR signals, transforming the MR signals into image data, and selectively adapting the MRI controlling parameters based, at least in part, on information associated with the MR signals. | 03-25-2010 |
20100066365 | METHODS FOR FAT SIGNAL SUPPRESSION IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING - The present invention is directed to methods for chemical species signal suppression in magnetic resonance imaging procedures, wherein Dixon techniques are enhanced by continuously sampling techniques. In the invention, k-space data is acquired during the entire period of read gradient associated with a gradient echo pulse acquisition scheme. The invention utilizes a total sampling time (TST) acquisition during the entire read gradient, using three echoes of a TST data set to achieve chemical species separation in both homogenous fields as well as areas of field inhomogeneity. As an example, a continuously sampled rectilinearly FLASH pulse sequence is modified such that the time between echoes was configured to be 2.2 milliseconds, with TE selected to allow 180° phase variation in the fat magnetization between each of the three TE's (TE | 03-18-2010 |
20100063380 | Steady state dark blood magnetic resonance imaging - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with steady state dark blood magnetic resonance imaging MRI are described. One example method includes controlling an MRI apparatus to produce a steady state pulse sequence. The example method may also include controlling the MRI apparatus to generate radio frequency (RF) energy and magnetic gradients associated with the steady state pulse sequence. The steady state pulse sequence is different from conventional steady state pulses in that it is characterized by regularly spaced slice selection excitation pulses to excite a region to be imaged in an object to be imaged using a consistent repetition time (TR), a set of readout modules, and a set of a magnetization preparation modules. A magnetization preparation module is characterized by gradients associated with imaging not being active, gradients associated with slice selection being active, and RF pulses associated with slice selection being active. | 03-11-2010 |
20100062403 | SITUATED SIMULATION FOR TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND THERAPY - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with producing an immersive training content module (ITCM) are described. One example system includes a capture logic to acquire information from which the ITCM may be produced. An ITCM may include a set of nodes, a set of measures, a logic to control transitions between nodes during a training session, and a logic to establish values for measures during the training sessions. Therefore, the example system may also include an assessment definition logic to define a set of measures to be included in the ITCM and an interaction logic to define a set of interactions to be included in the ITCM. The ITCM may be written to a computer-readable medium. | 03-11-2010 |
20090322322 | SCANNING SUSCEPTOMETER - According to one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a magnet assembly to produce a static magnetic field and a set of high-T | 12-31-2009 |
20090318590 | Dynamic mechanical polymer nanocomposites - Polymer nanocomposites exhibit a reversible change in stiffness and strength in response to a stimulus. The polymer nanocomposites include a matrix polymer with a comparably low modulus and strength and nanoparticles that have a comparably high modulus and strength. The particle-particle interactions are switched by the stimulus, to change the overall material's mechanical properties. In a preferred embodiment, a chemical regulator is used to facilitate changes of the mechanical properties. Methods for inducing modulus changes in polymer nanocomposites are also disclosed. | 12-24-2009 |
20090304814 | FIBRILLATION RESISTANT PROTEINS - Protection of proteins against fibrillation may be afforded by introduction of certain histidine substitutions into the protein, such that a pair of histidines are present with sufficient spacing as to allow the histidines to coordinate with zinc. In the case of insulin, introduction of histidine residue substitutions at residues A4 and A8 together or a histidine residue substitution at residue B1, provides increased resistance to fibrillation while maintaining at least a majority of the activity of the insulin analogue. Introduction of a histidine residue substitution at residue A8 restores at least a portion of fibrillation resistance that may have been harmed by substitutions present on the B-chain such as those present in fast-acting insulins. Proteins protected by such histidine substitutions may be used to provide a pharmaceutical composition. A method of treating a patient includes administering a physiologically effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition to the patient. | 12-10-2009 |
20090288599 | SELF-WELDED METAL-CATALYZED CARBON NANOTUBE BRIDGES AND SOLID ELECTROLYTIC NON-VOLATILE MEMORIES - Systems and methods for simultaneously creating a plurality of carbon nanotubes on substrates and across large wafers via employing vapor deposition of material on the surface of the substrate and fluid flow to aid in and direct the growth of the nanotubes in pre-specified locations and directions. In addition, the nanotubes created can be used as gas and chemical sensors, electronic switches, resonators, and non-volatile memory devices. | 11-26-2009 |
20090265421 | Internet measurement system application programming interface - Systems, application programming interfaces, and other embodiments associated with internet measurements are described. Example systems and methods facilitate requesting that a control server acquire internet measurements from a set of distributed measurement points. One example application programming interface (API) includes a list request interface to provide a list request to a control server. The list request may request a list of measurement points from the control server. The example API may also include a list receipt interface to receive a list response from the control server. The list response may contain information concerning measurement points. The API may enable a user to perform a complex series of internet measurements by giving the user access to standardized function calls for accessing a distributed internet measurement system. | 10-22-2009 |
20090259725 | EMAIL CONSUMER REPUTATION - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with email address consumer reputation are described. One example method includes detecting a provision of an email address to an email address consumer. The example method may also include warning a user that the email address consumer may be associated with undesirable email traffic upon determining that the email address consumer satisfies a standard based on data acquired from a reputation system. | 10-15-2009 |
20090254144 | System and Method of Bladder and Sphincter Control - A method and system for bladder control are disclosed. In embodiments, a method for bladder control is provided that comprises coupling an electrode to an afferent nerve that is related to the bladder. Applying a plurality of pulse burst stimulations via the electrode causes voiding of urine from the bladder. In embodiments, the plurality of pulse burst stimulations to the afferent nerve reduces external urethral sphincter (EUS) contractions and evokes bladder contractions to expel urine from the subject. In embodiments, the plurality of pulse burst stimulations to the afferent nerve evokes bladder contractions alone to expel urine from the subject. In embodiments, a system for bladder control is provided that comprises an electrode for applying a pulse burst stimulus to an afferent nerve or dermatome to reduce reflex contractions and a signal generator for generating the pulse burst stimulus. | 10-08-2009 |
20090247723 | TELECHELIC POLYMER COMPOSITION - A telechelic polymer composition comprising a telechelic polymer having phenolic hydroxyl groups at both ends and having a weight average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 10,000, and a compound having a benzoxazine ring structure or a compound having a naphthoxazine ring structure. | 10-01-2009 |
20090247709 | DIAMINE POLYMER AND RESIN COMPOSITION THEREOF - A diamine polymer comprising a repeat unit represented by the following formula (I) in which diamine is linked to form a triaza ring; | 10-01-2009 |
20090240006 | NOVEL NAPHTHOXAZINE COMPOSITION - The present invention is intended to provide a novel naphthoxazine composition having a smaller amount of volatile components (weight reduction) upon curing, and is to provide a naphthoxazine composition characterized in that a naphthoxazine compound having a phenolic hydroxyl group in the same molecule is further added with an epoxy resin, and a molded product obtained by molding the naphthoxazine composition. | 09-24-2009 |
20090177075 | Resolution enhanced T1-insensitive steady state imaging (RE-TOSSI) - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with RE-TOSSI are described. One system embodiment includes an MRI apparatus configured to produce a RE-TOSSI pulse sequence and to acquire T2-weighted images in response to the RE-TOSSI pulse sequence. An example RE-TOSSI pulse sequence includes a TOSSI portion and a non-inverting, non-TOSSI portion. | 07-09-2009 |
20090162855 | Identification of Genetic Variants Associated with Increased Severity of Pulmonary Disease - A method of determining a genetic component contributing to the severity of a pulmonary disease in a patient comprises determining the presence or absence of one or more single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Endothelin Receptor A (EDNRA) gene or the Interleukin-8 (IL-8) gene of the patient. The SNPs are rs5335 or rs1801708 for EDNRA, or rs4O73 for IL-8. The pulmonary disease may be cystic fibrosis or lymphangioleimyomatosis. Determining the presence or absence of one or more of SNPs rs5335 or rs1801708 in the EDNRA gene or rs4073 in the IL-8 gene of the patient may also be used in a method of treating a patient having a pulmonary disease. A kit may comprise one or more probes for determining the presence or absence of one or more of SNPs rs5335 and rs1801708 in the EDNRA gene or the SNP rs4073 in the IL-8 gene. | 06-25-2009 |
20090143297 | MODULATORS OF ANTIESTROGEN PHARMACOLOGY - A protein, designated ERCoA3 is provided. The ERCoA3 protein interacts with the estrogen receptor and the progesterone receptor and causes activation of these receptors is provided. Also provided are polynucleotides which encode ERCoA3 or block translation of the mRNA which encodes ERCoA3. Antibiodies that bind to one or more epitopes in the human ERCoA3 protein are provided. The present invention also relates to methods of inhibiting or reducing tamoxifen or estrogen induced proliferation of cancer cells, particularly breast cancer cells, endometrial cancer cells and uterine cancer cells. The method comprises reducing the activity or levels of ERCoA3 in such | 06-04-2009 |
20090134876 | Multi-frequency excitation coils for MRI - Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an RF coil for use in multi-nuclear excitation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The RF coil includes a set of two or more L-C coils. Members of the set of two or more L-C coils have individual resonance frequencies. An RF amplifier is placed near the RF coil. The RF amplifier is controllable to selectively produce the individual resonance frequency of a member of the set of two or more L-C coils based, at least in part, on a digital input provided to the RF amplifier. | 05-28-2009 |
20090130654 | METHOD FOR SCREENING HIV DRUG SENSITIVITY - A method for monitoring ARV resistance, to determine viral fitness, and to forecast possible drug failure utilizes two nucleic acid sequences. One nucleic acid includes a retroviral nucleic acid devoid of at least a majority of the sequence for one of the two long terminal repeat regions. A second nucleic acid, includes a retroviral nucleic acid sequence devoid of the sequences encoding an envelope gene and the second long terminal repeat region of the retrovirus. The method allows the rapid cloning of an amplicon into an HIV-1 genome vector through recombination/gap repair in organisms such as yeast. The vectors can be directly passed to a mammalian cell line which has been specifically engineered to produce replication competent HIV-1 particles. The susceptibility of an isolate to any of several ARVs, i.e. PRIs, NRTIs, NNRTIs, T20, as well as entry and integrase inhibitors in developmentlclinical trials, may be tested. | 05-21-2009 |
20090069703 | SYSTEM FOR ARTIFACT DETECTION AND ELIMINATION IN AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM SIGNAL RECORDED FROM A PATIENT MONITOR - A system eliminates artifacts from an electrocardiogram signal. The system includes a monitor for receiving an electrocardiogram signal from a patient and a microprocessor utilizing a shift-invariant wavelet transform for decomposing the electrocardiogram signal into a plurality of scales. The microprocessor applies rules to the scales for removing artifacts from the scales. The microprocessor reassembles the plurality of scales to produce a reconstructed and accurate electrocardiogram signal without the artifacts. | 03-12-2009 |
20090053102 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC IMAGING (ECGI) - Noninvasive systems and methods are provided for determining electrical activity for a heart of a living being. A processor is configured to meshlessly compute data that represents heart electrical activity from a set of noninvasively measured body surface electrical potentials. This is accomplished using data that describes a geometric relationship between a plurality of locations corresponding to where the body surface electrical potentials were measured and the heart. | 02-26-2009 |
20090047257 | Novel cell populations and uses thereof - The invention provides, among other things, novel cell populations of CD133 | 02-19-2009 |
20090030480 | Controlling seizure activity with electrical stimulation - Apparatus and methods associated with controlling seizure activity with electrical stimulation that either suppress axonal conduction between brain structures and/or that generate a desired response in a targeted neuronal pool are described. One example apparatus includes an implantable stimulating electrode that provides an electrical stimulus to fiber tracts of the hippocampal commissure of the brain of a subject. The stimulus may be a high frequency structure that prevents communication of signals associated with an epileptic episode and/or prevents seizure activity in a target nucleus. The example apparatus may also include a detection logic that detects specific electrical activity in the central nervous system that identifies that an epileptic episode is imminent. The example apparatus includes a pacing system to selectively configure and apply the electrical stimulus to fiber tracts of the hippocampal commissure of the brain. | 01-29-2009 |
20090004526 | PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FOR FUEL CELL - A proton exchange membrane (PEM) with an ion exchange capacity of not less than 1 molar equivalent per kilogram and less than 20% water swelling is provided. The PEM includes a polymer having a polyphosphazene backbone with a polyaromatic functional group linked to the polyphosphazene as a polyaromatic side chain, a non-polyaromatic functional group linked to the polyphosphazene as a non-polyaromatic side chain, and an acidic functional group linked to the non-polyaromatic side chain. The polyaromatic functional group linked to the polyphosphazene provides for increased thermal and chemical stability, excellent ionic conductivities and low water swelling. The mole fraction of polyaromatic functional groups linked to the polyphosphazene backbone is between 0.05 and 0.60. | 01-01-2009 |
20080308421 | Device for the Adjustment of the Ph of Aqueous Solutions - A device for adjustment of the pH of a target liquid includes a working electrode ( | 12-18-2008 |
20080294221 | Action potential conduction prevention - An example method for selectively and reversibly preventing the conduction of action potentials in a targeted nerve region is presented. The method includes generating an electrical waveform having two phases and selectively depolarizing a nerve membrane using the electrical waveform. The nerve membrane is depolarized to a state where the nerve membrane cannot conduct an action potential. The depolarization is achieved by selectively repetitively providing the electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region associated with the nerve region to control m gates and h gates in the region and thus to control the availability of ions. | 11-27-2008 |
20080279834 | Methods and Reagents for Identifying/Isolating T Regulatory (Treg) Cells and for Treating Individuals - An affinity ligand is reactive to the GARP protein may be capable of binding to an extracellular domain of GARP protein expressed on regulatory T (Treg) cells. The affinity ligand may be an antibody and may be used to identify Treg cells. A method comprises providing a blood sample from a subject and determining the amount of Treg cells in that sample. A composition containing Treg cells may be administered to an individual to suppress effector T cell activity in the individual. A composition containing an affinity ligand capable of binding to a GARP domain may be administered to an individual to suppress Treg cell activity and increase effector T cell activity in the individual. A kit for detecting Treg cells may include an affinity ligand reactive with mammalian GARP protein. | 11-13-2008 |
20080242765 | Self-assembled nanofiber templates; versatile approaches for polymer nanocomposites - Polymer nanocomposites, nanoparticle-containing organogels utilized in forming the polymer nanocomposites, and methods for forming the polymer nanocomposites and nanoparticle-containing organogels are disclosed. Relatively simple and versatile methods are utilized to form the polymer nanocomposites. The process is based on the format of a three-dimensional network of well-individualized nanoparticles, such nanofibers through gelation thereof with an appropriate non-polymeric solvent. The nanoparticle-containing organogel is subsequently filled with a solution of a desired matrix polymer, the composite is dried and compacted to create the polymer nanocomposite. Polymer nanocomposites can be prepared which exhibit dramatic changes in mechanical properties, such as increased shear modulus, when compared to the neat polymer. | 10-02-2008 |
20080231282 | On-coil switched mode amplifier for parallel transmission in MRI - Example systems, apparatus, circuits, and so on described herein concern parallel transmission in MRI. One example apparatus includes at least two field effect transistors (FETs) that are connected by a coil that includes an LC (inductance-capacitance) leg. The apparatus includes a controller that inputs a digital signal to the FETs to control the production of an output analog radio frequency (RF) signal. The LC leg is to selectively alter the output analog RF signal and the analog RF signal is used in parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) transmission. | 09-25-2008 |
20080221445 | Gated optical coherence tomography (OCT) environmental chamber - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with gated optical coherence tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes generating an image control signal to control an OCT apparatus to acquire an image of an embryonic heart at a specified point in time during a cardiac cycle of the embryonic heart. The method may also include controlling the OCT apparatus to acquire the image based on the image control signal. In different examples, the image may be acquired in vivo or from an excised heart that is paced. The OCT apparatus and the embryonic heart may be housed in an environmental chamber having a set of controllable environmental factors. Therefore, the method may include detecting and controlling the set of controllable environmental factors. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218169 | METHODS FOR FAT SIGNAL SUPPRESSION IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING - The present invention is directed to methods for chemical species signal suppression in magnetic resonance imaging procedures, wherein Dixon techniques are enhanced by continuously sampling techniques. In the invention, k-space data is acquired during the entire period of read gradient associated with a gradient echo pulse acquisition scheme. The invention utilizes a total sampling time (TST) acquisition during the entire read gradient, using three echoes of a TST data set to achieve chemical species separation in both homogenous fields as well as areas of field inhomogeneity. As an example, a continuously sampled rectilinearly FLASH pulse sequence is modified such that the time between echoes was configured to be 2.2 milliseconds, with TE selected to allow 180° phase variation in the fat magnetization between each of the three TE's (TE | 09-11-2008 |
20080199882 | METHOD FOR DETECTION OF BIOMARKERS FOR EXPOSURE TO STACHYBOTRYS - A method of determining exposure of an individual to a macrocyclic trichothecene comprises isolating a sample of at least a portion of a naturally occurring protein from an individual, and detecting a reaction of the sample with a macrocyclic trichothecene. The macrocyclic trichothecene may be a product of | 08-21-2008 |