Abstract: Trauma cervical stability devices for use by ambulatory personnel arriving at the scene of an injured patient are disclosed. The trauma cervical stability devices comprise a cap element, releasable and adjustable head straps, a shoulder harness, and at least one adjustable member operatively connected to the cap element and the shoulder harness. The trauma cervical stability devices are compact, easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture, and can be placed on a patient with little or no movement of the patient. The trauma cervical stability devices are also useful in diagnosing the severity of damage to a neck and the stability of the patient's neck by applying forces to the patient's head using the trauma cervical stability device. In another embodiment of the devices the devices comprise head straps 210, shoulder harnesses 220, lateral head elements 212, and adjustable pressure fixation elements 214. The fixation elements may be vacuum pillows.

Abstract: Immunostimulatory compositions and methods comprising an ITIM motif-containing DC immunoreceptor (DCIR) to mediate potent crosspresentation are described herein. The inventors evaluated human CD8+ T cell responses generated by targeting antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) through various lectin receptors. A single exposure to a low dose of anti-DCIR-antigen conjugate initiated antigen-specific CD8+ T cell immunity by all human DC subsets including ex vivo generated DCs, skin-isolated Langerhans cells and blood mDCs and pDCs. Enhanced specific CD8+ T cell responses were observed when antigens like, FluMP, MART-1, viral (HIV gag), etc. were delivered to the DCs via DCIR, compared to those induced by a free antigen, or antigen conjugated to a control mAb or delivered via DC-SIGN, another lectin receptor. Addition of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8-agonist enhanced DCIR-mediated crosspresentation as well as crosspriming.

Abstract: Novel antigen-presenting cells, including but not limited to dendritic cells, that are loaded with antigens from dead or dying cells including allogenic cell lines, and the methods for making such antigen-presenting cells are described. These loaded antigen-presenting cells induce therapeutic immune responses in humans. Such loaded antigen-presenting cells are useful in the management of cancer. Antigen-loaded dendritic cells prepared as described here can prime naïve T cells to differentiate into effector cells able to recognize multiple and/or shared tumor antigens that are expressed either on the tumor cells that are used to load the dendritic cells and/or on other tumor cells. The cytotoxic T cells generated by exposure to antigen-loaded dendritic cells prepared as described here can be used in adoptive therapy. This induction of responses against multiple antigens shared between different cells, for instance tumor cells, as described here is important as it leads to broad immune responses.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that a caspase specifically cleaves the transcription factor, Nanog, leading to the initiation of cellular differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells. The present invention includes a method of inhibiting the cleavage of Nanog, thereby maintaining the pluripotency of an ES cell or preventing the differentiation of an ES cell. The present invention further provides compositions and methods for inhibiting caspase expression, activity, and/or stability.

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 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, polyethylene or a biodegradable thermoplastic polymer fiber such as polylactic acid, or mixture thereof. A hot-pressed non-woven fabric composite material prepared from the non-woven fabric composite.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for the treatment of autoimmune diseases by administering to a subject having an autoimmune disorder an effective amount of a therapeutic composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and at least one IL-12 inhibitor, e.g., a blocking anti-IL-12 antibody or fragment thereof.

Abstract: A method for determining sugar concentration using spectropolarimetry and multivariate regression modeling A set of fixed polarizers are used in association with a spectrometer, which enables the measurement of optical rotation as absorbance values over a range of wavelengths. The adverse effects of color within the samples is corrected by measuring a background level of absorbance that is not due to optical rotation and using this as a baseline. A regression model is then developed for predicting sugar concentration in unknown samples. This method is effective even if the sample is colored.

Abstract: Novel therapies for the treatment of Fabry disease by using androgen/androgen receptor (AR) pathway-related molecules as biomarkers and use of approaches targeting androgen/AR pathway are presented herein. The involvement of aberrant androgen/AR pathway in Fabry disease has never been previously described. The present invention describes, (i) use of approaches that target androgen/AR pathway as therapeutic treatments for Fabry disease and (2) use of the levels of androgen/AR pathway-related molecules in body fluids or tissues as biomarkers for evaluation of disease progression and efficacy of treatments in Fabry patients.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of inhibiting viral infection of a mammalian cell, said method comprising reducing or inhibiting ps20 polypeptide expressed by said cell. Suitably ps20 is inhibited by contacting said cell with an antibody capable of binding to ps20 polypeptide. Suitably said antibody is ps20 neutralising antibody. The invention also provides antibody capable of binding ps20 polypeptide, siRNA targeted to a transcript encoding ps20 polypeptide, or antisense ps20 polynucleotide for use as a medicament for viral infection. The invention also provides a method of identifying an agent for inhibiting a viral infection, comprising determining level of ps20 expression in first and second samples, the first contacted with test agent; and comparing the level of ps20 expression in said first and second samples; wherein lower level of ps20 expression in said first sample relative to said second sample identifies test agent as an agent for inhibiting a viral infection.

Abstract: The present invention describes methods and compositions for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging. The present invention discloses an anaplerotic diet therapy for the treatment of AD. The high fat, low carbohydrate diet described in the various embodiments of the present invention increasing circulating ketone bodies, reduces amyloid-? (A?) deposition in AD patients, thereby improving cognition and locomotive skills.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention disclose processes and systems for the off-line in-vitro purification of plasma harvested from a patient. In an embodiment of a process, in a first step cellular components are capable of being eliminated by membrane plasma separation at temperatures sufficiently high to avoid formation of a cryoaggregates, and in a second step the resulting plasma solution is cooled to a temperature that allows the formation of cryoaggragated molecules, but no formation of a cryogel.

Abstract: Methods for modification of tissue using covalent chemistry. Tissue can be modified through direct alkylation, reduction followed by alkylation, or oxidation followed by condensation to covalently attach small organic molecules or appropriately modified proteins. The modification can be spatially limited to desired regions of the tissue surface.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods, systems and kits for distinguishing between active and latent mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a patient suspected of being infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis, and distinguishing such patients from uninfected individuals, the method including the steps of obtaining a gene expression dataset from a whole blood obtained sample from the patient and determining the differential expression of one or more transcriptional gene expression modules that distinguish between infected and non-infected patients, wherein the dataset demonstrates an aggregate change in the levels of polynucleotides in the one or more transcriptional gene expression modules as compared to matched non-infected patients, thereby distinguishing between active and latent mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions that employ peptides that target dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. In particular, the peptides are used to target therapeutic agents, such as proteins, liposomes, or viral particles comprising therapeutic polynucleotides, to one or more peripheral neuropathies or neuropathic pain, for example. In particular cases, the peripheral neuropathies or neuropathic pain is caused directly or indirectly by DRG neuronopathy.

Abstract: Novel antigen-presenting cells, including but not limited to dendritic cells, that are loaded with antigens from dead or dying cells including allogenic cell lines, and the methods for making such antigen-presenting cells are described. These loaded antigen-presenting cells induce therapeutic immune responses in humans. Such loaded antigen-presenting cells are useful in the management of cancer. Antigen-loaded dendritic cells prepared as described here can prime naïve T cells to differentiate into effector cells able to recognize multiple and/or shared tumor antigens that are expressed either on the tumor cells that are used to load the dendritic cells and/or on other tumor cells. The cytotoxic T cells generated by exposure to antigen-loaded dendritic cells prepared as described here can be used in adoptive therapy. This induction of responses against multiple antigens shared between different cells, for instance tumor cells, as described here is important as it leads to broad immune responses.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for the prophylaxis and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are disclosed herein. More specifically the present invention discloses describes an autologous dendritic cell (DC) vaccine product derived by culturing a patient's monocytes with granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interferon alpha 2b (IFN-?), loading the DC with a mixture of five lipopeptides of Gag, Nef and Pol HIV antigens, and, optionally activating the DC with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Abstract: An ultrasound-mediated gene transfer method named Ultrasound Targeted Microbubble Destruction (UTMD) for the delivery of human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) gene to transplanted islets and the surrounding tissue is described herein. The delivery of hVEGF promotes islet revascularization and survival. The inventors, first transplanted human islets were transplanted into diabetic nude mice liver followed by the induction of non-viral plasmid vectors encoding hVEGF or Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene in the host liver by UTMD. Transplantation without gene delivery was also performed as a control. Blood glucose, serum human insulin, C-peptide levels and the revascularization in graft islets were evaluated. The findings of the method of the present invention indicated that hVEGF gene delivery to host liver using UTMD promoted islet revascularization after islet transplantation and improved the restoration of euglycemia.

Abstract: The invention relates to bone compression devices and bone compression systems, and in particular, to bone compression devices and systems for use in connection with vertebrae. The bone compression devices and bone compression systems are disposed, or installed, along at least one bone to maintain the at least one bone in a desired spatial relationship. Broadly, the invention is directed to a bone compression device for placing in communication with at least one bone having a bone radius of curvature, the bone compression device comprising a plate having a pre-formed shape, a deformed shape, and at least one elastic shape therebetween, the pre-formed shape having a pre-formed radius of curvature less than the bone radius of curvature, the deformed shape having a deformed radius of curvature greater than the bone radius of curvature, and at least one of the at least one elastic shapes having an elastic radius of curvature that substantially corresponds to the bone radius of curvature.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for determination of urinary globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) levels in non-Fabry disease cardiac patients. Determination of Gb3 levels provides a screening method for determining cardiac risk and may offer an alternative therapeutic option for cardiac disease management or cardiac disease risk mitigation by lowering Gb3 levels by the use of pharmacological chaperones or other agents.