Abstract: Compositions and methods for the treatment of cancer disclosed herein. The method of the present invention comprises administration of compositions comprising ?-glucan, a natural ligand for dectin-1, to block OX40L expression on tumor associated mDCs by blocking STAT6 phosphorylation. The ?-glucan-treated mDCs secrete higher levels of IL-12p70 and do not expand TNF? and IL-13-producing CD4+ T cells, further resulting in inhibition of Th2 responses. Thus, compositions disclosed herein reprogram the function of mDCs in breast tumor microenvironment and turn tumor promoting Th2-type chronic inflammation into Th1-type acute inflammation that are able to reject tumors. The present invention finds particular uses for the intratumoral administration of the composition thereby directly binding to and directing a Th1-type acute inflammation.

Abstract: The present invention generally concerns particular methods and compositions for antimicrobial therapy. In particular embodiments, the compositions target DXR. In specific embodiments, the compositions are electron-deficient heterocyclic rings.

Abstract: The present invention generally concerns methods and compositions for treating and/or preventing cancer with microRNAs. In specific embodiments, the present invention encompasses a particular microRNA, microRNA-31, as useful in cancer therapy and/or prevention. Specific cancers may be treated, including at least ovarian, prostate, urothelial, osteosarcoma, and glioblastoma.

Abstract: Analogs of combretastatin have been discovered which demonstrate impressive cytotoxicity as well as a remarkable ability to inhibit tubulin polymerization. Such compounds are excellent clinical candidates for the treatment of cancer in humans. In addition, certain of these ligands, as pro-drugs, may well prove to be tumor selective vascular targeting chemotherapeutic agents or to have vascular targeting activity resulting in the selective prevention and/or destruction of nonmalignant proliferating vasculature.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for enhancing Th1/Th17 cell responses and decreasing Th2 cell responses. In various embodiments the present invention describes activation of human dendritic cells and enhancement of antigen-specific T cell responses in a Dectin-1-expressing human dendritic cells comprising an anti-Dectin-1-specific antibody or fragment thereof fused with one or more antigens. TLR2 ligands may also be included to enhance the activation and for enhancement of T-cell responses. Further, the invention also includes methods based on the compositions described herein for the treatment of allergy, and asthma.

Abstract: A flexible method for making multiplexed assays for antigen-specific antibody responses is disclosed herein. The method of the present invention comprises incubation of a substrate or a set of beads coated with a dockerin or a cohesin protein with a cohesin or dockerin-antigen fusion proteins to attach the fusion protein essentially irreversibly by non-covalent interaction. The present invention enables the use of one dockerin- or cohesin-coated bead for multiple sets of cohesin- or dockerin-antigens, obviating the need to directly chemically couple new antigens to new beads.

Abstract: A platform is provided, which platform is adapted to engage a base through a multiplicity of pulley engaging cables. A first end of each cable is attached to a cam follower assembly located on the base and a second portion of the cable is attached to the platform. A motor driving the multiplicity of cams, cam followers, and cables will move the platform, the platform typically being suspended above the base on the cables or the cables and compression springs.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for eliciting therapeutic immunity and improving clinical outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer are disclosed herein. The present invention describes a dendritic cell (DC)-vaccine comprising DCs pulsed with peptides derived from pancreatic cancer antigens for the therapy against pancreatic cancer. The vaccine described herein is safe, and leads to expansion of cancer specific T cells in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Abstract: A bifunctional shRNA-based composition and methods for knocking down the expression of the PDX-1 oncogene in target cells is described herein. The invention also provides methods to deliver the shRNA-containing expression vectors to target tissues overexpressing the PDX-1 oncogene.

Abstract: The present invention concerns compositions and methods related to utilizing glycine and N-acetylcysteine for a variety of methods, including, for example, reducing deleterious effects of oxidative stress; treating and/or preventing diabetes; and/or increasing GSH levels.

Abstract: A non-woven fabric composite containing coir fibers and a method for producing such composites. The non-woven fabric composite is comprised of coir fibers, which are large diameter, lignin-rich fibers, with a high viscous flow temperature and a high degradation temperature combined with fibers made of a thermoplastic polymer with a lower viscous flow temperature such as polypropylene (“PP”), polyethylene (“PE”), polylactic acid (“PLA”), and polyester (“PET”) or mixtures thereof. A hot-pressed non-woven fabric composite material prepared from the non-woven fabric composite.

Abstract: A method and system to induce bone growth by locally delivering bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) to the target location for a prolonged period without invasive procedures are disclosed. The new bone growth is induced by delivering cells producing BMPs from transduced viral vectors to the target cite. In various embodiments, the cells are encapsulated in hydrogel microspheres that are non-degradable or degradable by enzymes produced during the bone formation process. Various embodiments may be used to induce spinal fusion or repair critical bone defects.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for generating dendritic cell (DC)-targeting vaccines against vaginal infections, including but not limited to sexually transmitted diseases, are disclosed herein. The present invention reports the isolation of at least four major subsets of myeloid-originated antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that possess distinct phenotypes and functions in directing immune responses, namely, Langerhans cells (LCs: E-cadherin+CD207+CD205+), CD1c+CD14? DCs (DC-ASGPR+CD209+/?Dectin-1+/?), and CD1c+CD14+ DCs (CD209+/?DC-ASGPR+/?) all expressing high levels of CD11c, CD83, and CCR6, and are more potent than CD1c?CD14+ macrophages (CD163+CD209+DC-ASGPR+/?Dectin-1+/?LOX-1+CD1d+) at eliciting naïve T cell proliferation The compositions, methods and vaccines of the present invention are directed towards the four functionally distinct major subsets of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that can differentially contribute to the host immune response in the female genital tract, including the vagina.

Abstract: A composition and method for generating patient- or person-specific proliferative and substantially pure cardiac myocyte cell lines from pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is described herein. The patient-specific cardiac myocyte cell lines of the present invention find applications in research, drug screening and autologous cell-based therapy. The method of the present invention is simple and reproducible and generates cardiac myocyte cells having high purities and proliferating capacities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizing fatostatin A and/or a derivative and/or analog thereof. In other aspects, the compound for treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizes an A-B-C tripartite structure, wherein A, B, and C are identical or non-identical structures and are described in detail herein. In specific aspects, the metabolic disorder includes obesity or diabetes, for example.

Abstract: The present invention relates to treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizing fatostatin A and/or a derivative and/or analog thereof. In other aspects, the compound for treatment and/or prevention of one or more metabolic disorders utilizes an A-B-C tripartite structure, wherein A, B, and C are identical or non-identical structures and are described in detail herein. In specific aspects, the metabolic disorder includes obesity or diabetes, for example.

Abstract: A method for treating glycogen storage disease by administering an effective amount of a composition that includes ketogenic odd carbon fatty acids that ameliorate the symptoms of these diseases.

Abstract: Neural responses to a repeated stimulus typically diminish, an effect known as repetition suppression. When a single visual stimulus (e.g., letter of the alphabet, word, object, face) is serially flashed in different locations of a display, several stimuli appear to be present simultaneously due to an effect known as persistence of vision. Normal human observers' estimates of how many stimuli they perceived at any instant of time are significantly lower when the same stimulus is flashed repeatedly than when a different stimulus is used for each flash. This is a result of the brain's diminishing response (repetition suppression) to the repeated stimuli. The present invention generally relates to methods for assessing the normality of neural performance, particularly as relates to the integrity of cortical inhibition, visual persistence, proliferation effect, and repetition suppression. Deficits in repetition suppression serve as early and confirmatory measures of cognitive disorders such as schizophrenia.

Abstract: A series of viral vectors derived from foxtail mosaic virus, sunn hemp mosaic virus and white clover mosaic virus sequences, and which are capable of expressing heterologous proteins in plants, including the tobacco, Nicotiana benthamiana, and cowpea, bean, and other legumes with the properties of unusually limited expression in the absence of gene silencing suppressors and high level expression in their presence. In a preferred embodiment, these viral vectors may be introduced via agroinoculation, and expression of the heterologous gene may be inducible with little or no leakiness in the absence of induction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of diagnosing multiple disorders and distinguishing there between using a plasma sample obtained from a plasma separator device and analyzing the plasma sample using an LC-MS/MS to detect at least two analyte levels in the plasma sample to diagnose one or more disorders.