Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds, compositions, and methods for inhibiting drug-efflux pumps. The compounds, compositions, and methods can be used for enhancing the activity of therapeutic agents that are efflux pump substrates and for the treatment of drug-resistant diseases or disorders, such as microbial infections and cancers.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 31, 2021
Publication date:
March 3, 2022
Applicant:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Lauren E. BROWN, Kaddy CAMARA, Leah E. COWEN, John A. PORCO, JR.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to compositions, methods and kits for treatment of cancer, e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In some embodiments, the present invention discloses the use of a small-molecule compounds of Formula (I) to inhibit tubulin acetylation, to inhibit cell migration, or to modulate cell compaction.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 1, 2021
Publication date:
March 3, 2022
Applicant:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Scott Edward SCHAUS, Ulla HANSEN, Emily Ann YORK, Niranjana POKHAREL
Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to polypeptide systems using drug-controlled peptide docking domains and cognate docking domain-binding peptides and their use to control cellular signaling, activity, and/or gene expression.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 31, 2021
Publication date:
March 3, 2022
Applicant:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
John T. NGO, Mary DUNLOP, Elliot Parker TAGUE, Nathan Michael TAGUE, Alexander Michael MARZILLI
Abstract: Described herein are methods and compositions related to modular engineered receptor polypeptide constructs and their use in modulating the activity of a cell.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 27, 2021
Publication date:
March 3, 2022
Applicant:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Elliot Parker TAGUE, John T. NGO, Jeffrey Blye MCMAHAN
Abstract: An apparatus, and method of operating the same, include a system for indoor positioning and localization. The apparatus includes a first beacon having a beacon optical detector to receive an optical signal, and a beacon microcontroller. The apparatus includes a zone-positioning unit (ZPU) having an optical source configured to transmit the optical signal, and a ZPU microcontroller. The beacon microcontroller is configured to identify and decode the optical signal after receipt by the beacon optical detector to determine data related to a position of the ZPU. The beacon microcontroller is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the ZPU microcontroller to convey information to the ZPU including the data related to a position of the ZPU and a known position of the first beacon. The ZPU microcontroller is configured to determine a position of the ZPU based on the information received from the first beacon.
Abstract: A lens-free ultrathin imaging sensor using a compound-eye vision modality can be formed by forming a metasurface on each pixel of an array of pixels in a solid state imaging sensor. The metasurface can be configured to form a diffraction grating that directs light incident on the metasurface at a predefined angle to excite surface plasmon polaritons into the solid state imaging sensor and light incident at any other angle is reflected or diffracted away from the metasurface. Each pixel of the imaging sensor can be configured using the metasurface to only receive light incident from a different portion of a field of view. A computational imaging system can be used to construct the image from the individual pixels.
Abstract: The present invention is directed to heterocyclic SV40 Factor (LSF) inhibitors and their uses. In some implementations, the present invention discloses small-molecule compounds of Formula (I). In some implementations, the compounds of Formula (I) are used in methods for inhibiting LSF in a subject. In some implementations, the compounds of Formula (I) are used in methods for treating cancer in a subject.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 22, 2021
Date of Patent:
February 8, 2022
Assignee:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Scott E. Schaus, Ulla Hansen, John A. Kavouris, Emily A. York, Niranjana Pokharel
Abstract: A system and methods for monitoring and controlling a mental state of a subject are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving physiological and behavioral data acquired using the plurality of sensors while the subject is performing a task, and applying, using the data, a state-space framework to determine a plurality of decoder parameters correlating brain activity and behavior with a mental state of the subject. The method also includes identifying the mental state of the subject using the decoder parameters, and generating a report indicating the mental state of the subject. In some aspects, the method further includes generating, based on the identified mental state, a brain stimulation to treat a brain condition of the subject.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 30, 2016
Date of Patent:
February 8, 2022
Assignees:
The General Hospital Corporation, Trustees of Boston University
Inventors:
Alik Widge, Emad Eskandar, Darin Dougherty, Uri Tzvi Eden, Xinyi Deng, Ali Yousefi, Angelique Paulk
Abstract: Various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to methods and compositions for functionalizing endogenous bacteria in vivo. The methods include delivering to endogenous bacterial cells a recombinant bacteriophage or phagemid that is engineered to contain at least one genetic circuit.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 1, 2021
Publication date:
February 3, 2022
Applicants:
Trustees of Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Timothy Kuan-Ta Lu, Robert James Citorik, James Collins, Russell-John Krom
Abstract: Provided herein are novel compositions comprising anti-DEspR antibodies and fragments thereof derived from 6G8G7 and 7C5B2 anti-DEspR variant antibodies, including fully human, composite engineered human, humanized, monoclonal, and polyclonal anti-DEspR antibodies and fragments thereof, and methods of their use in a variety of therapeutic applications. The compositions comprising the anti-DEspR antibodies and fragments thereof described herein are useful in diagnostic and imaging methods, such as DEspR-targeted molecular imaging of angiogenesis, and for companion diagnostic and/or in vivo non-invasive imaging and/or assessments.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 31, 2019
Date of Patent:
February 1, 2022
Assignee:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Nelson Ruiz-Opazo, Victoria L. M. Herrera, Francis Joseph Carr
Abstract: Systems and methods implement of high-speed delay scanning for spectroscopic SRS imaging characterized by scanning a first pulsed beam across a stepwise reflective surface (such as a stepwise mirror or a reflective blazed grating) in a Littrow configuration to generate near continuous temporal delays relative to a second pulsed beam. Systems and methods also implement deep learning techniques for image restoration of spectroscopic SRS images using a trained encoder-decoder convolution neural network (CNN) which in some embodiments may be designed as a spatial-spectral residual net (SS-ResNet) characterized by two parallel filters including a first convolution filter on the spatial domain and a second convolution filter on the spectral domain.
Abstract: The technology described herein is directed to inducible and repressible polypeptides and polypeptide systems. In particular, described herein are split sequence-specific nucleases and split recombinases that are linked to drug-inducible or drug-repressible dimerization domains. In some embodiments, the polypeptides comprise sequestering domains and/or have their expression controlled by an inducible promoter. In multiple aspects described herein are polynucleotides, vectors, cells, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising said polypeptides or polypeptide systems. Also described herein are methods of using said polypeptide systems to modulate the expression of a target polypeptide or to treat a subject in need of a cell therapy.
Abstract: A neural interface device that comprises an implantable microelectrode body. The implantable microelectrode body includes a neural interface probe, which includes a thin film metal trace connected to an interface pad and an amorphous silicon carbide insulation. The amorphous silicon carbide insulation surrounds the thin film metal trace to form an outside surface of the neural interface probe. The interface pad is exposed to an ambient environment of the neural interface probe through an opening in the amorphous silicon carbide insulation. Methods of manufacturing the neural interface device are disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 22, 2018
Date of Patent:
January 18, 2022
Assignees:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Trustees of Boston University
Abstract: A method for obtaining one or more images of a sample using a microscope includes dividing, using a reverberation cavity, a first one of a plurality of laser pulses into a plurality of sequential sub-pulses, each of the plurality of sequential sub-pulses having a power that is less than a previous one of the plurality of sequential sub-pulses, directing, using the one or more lenses of the microscope, the plurality of sequential sub-pulses onto a portion of the sample to generate a plurality of signals, each of the plurality of signals being associated with a different depth within the sample, and detecting the plurality of signals from the sample to generate one or more images of at least a portion of the sample.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 23, 2020
Date of Patent:
January 18, 2022
Assignee:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Jerome Charles Mertz, Devin Robert Beaulieu, Thomas Gary Bifano
Abstract: A passive MRI enhancing embodiment includes a plurality of resonators and increases signal-to-noise ratio of radiofrequency signals emitted by a specimen and captured by an MRI machine. The apparatus increases the magnetic field component of radiofrequency energy during signal transmission from the MRI machine to the specimen, and/or reception of signals from the specimen to the MRI machine. Use of the apparatus improves the images generated by the MRI machine, and/or reduces the time necessary for the MRI machine to capture the image. An isolator embodiment has a nonlinear resonator controllably configurable alternately into an isolation configuration and a transmission configuration, and a second resonator.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 8, 2020
Date of Patent:
January 11, 2022
Assignee:
Trustees of Boston University
Inventors:
Xin Zhang, Stephan Anderson, Xiaoguang Zhao, Guangwu Duan
Abstract: The present invention is a DNA expression vector comprising: a toxP; a mutant toxO that blocks Fe-mediated regulation of gene expression; and a DNA sequence encoding a protein, wherein the toxP and the mutant toxO regulate expression of the DNA segment encoding the protein. It is preferred that DNA expression vectors of the present invention include DNA sequences encoding a signal peptide so that a protein expressed is attached to the signal peptide prior to processing. Novel proteins are produced off of the DNA expression vector of the present invention.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 11, 2017
Date of Patent:
December 21, 2021
Assignees:
The Johns Hopkins University, Trustees of Boston University
Inventors:
William R. Bishai, John R. Murphy, Laurene Cheung, Shashank Gupta, Cynthia K. Bullen
Abstract: A method includes directing a first plurality of probe laser pulses through a sample, dividing each of the first plurality of probe laser pulses to generate a first interferogram, and generating first image data reproducible as a first phase image of the sample. A plurality of pump laser bursts are directed onto the sample to heat the sample. A second plurality of probe laser pulses are directed through the sample at a predetermined time delay. Each of the second plurality of probe laser pulses are divided to generate a second interferogram. Second image data is generated that is reproducible as a second phase image of the sample. A transient phase shift is determined in the second phase image relative to the first phase image. A vibrational spectroscopy property is determined of the sample based on the transient phase shift, thereby allowing an identification of chemical bond information of within the sample.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 9, 2020
Date of Patent:
December 14, 2021
Assignees:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY, PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Abstract: Provided herein is a method to produce relaxin or relaxin analogues or variants and their use in methods of treatment, e.g., in the treatment of a stiffened fibrotic joint.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 1, 2021
Publication date:
December 9, 2021
Applicant:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Inventors:
Mark W. GRINSTAFF, Jack KIRSCH, William BLESSING
Abstract: Sensing and control apparatus for a building HVAC system includes interior and boundary sensors, such as cameras and thermal sensors, generating sensor signals conveying occupancy-related features for an area. A controller uses the sensor signals to produce an occupancy estimate and to generate equipment-control signals to cause the HVAC system to supply conditioned air to the area based on the occupancy estimate. The controller includes fusion systems collectively generating the occupancy estimate by corresponding fusion calculations, the fusion systems producing a boundary occupancy-count change based on sensor signals from the boundary sensors, an interior occupancy count based on sensor signals from the interior sensors, and the overall occupancy estimate. Fusion may be of one or multiple types including cross-modality fusion across different sensor types, within-modality fusion across different instances of same-type sensors, and cross-algorithm fusion using different algorithms for the same sensor(s).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 23, 2019
Date of Patent:
December 7, 2021
Assignee:
Trustees of Boston University
Inventors:
Janusz L. Konrad, Prakash Ishwar, Thomas D C Little, Michael Gevelber
Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for the treatment of diseases and disorders. In some embodiments the compositions and methods involve administration of a microparticle, or composition thereof that includes an antifibrotic.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 21, 2021
Publication date:
November 25, 2021
Applicants:
TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY, BETHISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
Inventors:
Mark W. GRINSTAFF, William BLESSING, Amanda WILLIAMSON, Jack KIRSCH, Katherine COOK, Ara NAZARIAN, Edward K. RODRIGUEZ