Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for treating neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, attention deficit disorder, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and bipolar disorder. The methods entail administering to a patient diagnosed as having a neuropsychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, attention deficit disorder, mild cognitive impairment, dementia bipolar disorder, etc.) or as at risk for a neuropsychiatric disorder a benzoic acid, benzoic acid salt, and/or benzoic acid derivative, and/or a sorbic acid, sorbic acid salt, and/or sorbic acid derivative, in combination with a neuropharmacological agent (e.g., an antipsychotic, an antidepressant, medications for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, cognitive impairment, or dementia, etc.) where the benzoic acid, benzoic acid salt, or benzoic acid derivative, and/or a sorbic acid, sorbic acid salt, and/or sorbic acid derivative, is in an amount sufficient to increase the efficacy of the neuropharmacological agent.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for determining the overall survival of maintenance hemodialysis patients. The methods include measuring low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and subfraction concentrations as prognostic tools for early mortality risk detection. For example, the presence of increased very small LDL concentration or decreased LDL particle size in blood-serum serves as a useful means for prognostic risk assessment and monitoring.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, devices, software, and systems for identifying a person based on relatively permanent pigmented or vascular skin mark (RPPVSM) patterns in images. Locations of RPPVSMs in different images of people are point matched, and a correspondence probability that the point matched RPPVSMs are from different people is calculated. Other embodiments are also described. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention provide isolated peptides, protides and conjugates having novel peptide sequences which are able to induce antimicrobial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative or programmed cell death activity. The invention also provides a method of inducing programmed cell death in a cell by contacting the cell with an isolated peptide, protide or conjugate described herein. In some aspects, the method can be used in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of a disease, such as an infection, cancer, autoimmune disease, or inflammatory disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic lung surfactant compositions that contain one or more of phospholipase-resistant phospho-glycerol derivatives, phospholipase-resistant phospho-choline derivatives, and surface active proteins or peptides, more preferably a combination of at least two or all three of these materials. Novel phospholipase-resistant phospho-glycerol derivatives, phospholipase-resistant phospho-choline derivatives, and surface active peptides are also disclosed herein. Uses of the surfactant compositions of the present invention to treat endogenous surfactant dysfunctional or deficient lung tissue, to prepare synthetic peptides for use in the surfactant compositions, and to deliver therapeutic agents are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel kinocidin peptides comprising a C-terminal portion of a kinocidin, wherein the C-terminal portion encompasses an ?-helical secondary structure and further displays antimicrobial activity. The kinocidin peptides of the invention are derived from and correspond to a C-terminal portion of a kinocidin that includes a ??o core and that can be a CXC, CC, or C class chemokine. Structural, physicochemical and functional properties of this novel class of antimicrobial peptides and amino acid sequences of particular kinocidin peptides are also disclosed. The invention also provides related antimicrobial methods.

Abstract: A Candida albicans bloodstream infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Filament formation and adherence to host cells are critical virulence factors of C. albicans. Multiple filamentation regulatory pathways have been discovered, however the downstream effectors of these regulatory pathways remain unknown. The cell surface proteins in the ALS group are downstream effectors of the filamentation regulatory pathway. Particularly, Als1p mediates adherence to endothelial cells in vitro and is required for virulence. The blocking of adherence by the organism is described resulting from the use of a composition and method disclosed herein. Specifically, a pharmaceutical composition comprised of a gene, gene product, or specific antibody to the ALS gene family is administered as a vaccine to generate an immune response capable of blocking adherence of the organism.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of determining vein patterns from a color image for personal identification, the method comprising forming a counterpart of the color image by applying a functional relationship obtained from optimization on the color image, wherein the counterpart of the color image comprises the vein patterns. An apparatus for determining vein patterns from a color image is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provided Mucorales CotH polypeptides and encoding nucleic acid molecules. The Mucorales CotH polypeptides and encoding nucleic acids can be advantageously used to diagnose, treat or prevent fungal conditions, in particular mucormycosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides therapeutic compositions and methods for treating and preventing fungal disease or conditions including mucormycosis. The therapeutic methods and compositions of the invention include antibody, antibody fragment, siRNA and vaccine compositions having or directed against a GRP78 polypeptide or an antigenic fragment of the polypeptide.

Abstract: The invention features fragments of the Candida cell surface proteins Als3 and Hyr1 and combinations thereof useful in immunizing a subject against fungal or bacterial infections or both.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preventing or treating a disease caused by an extracellular microorganism, said method comprising systemically administering to a subject in need thereof a prophylactically or therapeutically effective amount of a salicylic acid (SAL) or a SAL analog. The extracellular microorganism can be of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus, for example, Staphylococcus aureus. The extracellular microorganism can be a strain that is resistant to at least one antibiotic. The strain can be selected from the group consisting of methycillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA).

Abstract: The invention provides, in certain embodiments, a method of preventing and/or treating peritoneal injury and/or diminished function by administering an effective amount of one or more inhibitors of JAK. The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition including a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of peritoneal injury and/or diminished function. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of detecting an indicator of peritoneal injury. The method entails assaying a biological sample for periostin, wherein the presence of periostin at an elevated level indicates the presence and/or degree of peritoneal injury. Also provided, are methods of identifying subject for treatment of peritoneal injury and/or diminished function, methods of determining progression of these conditions, as well as methods of determining subjects' response to treatment.

Abstract: Treating or inhibiting an ischemic condition affecting the skeletal muscle comprising administering an agent having a property to inhibit an activity or a protein expression of myostatin or growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8) according to a regimen to treat or inhibit the ischemic condition. Treating or inhibiting an ischemic condition affecting the skeletal muscle including administering an effective amount of a thiazolidenedione or other PPAR gamma agonist at a dosage that do not exert glycemic control or induce overweight. A kit for use in treating or inhibiting an ischemic condition affecting the skeletal muscle comprising a quantity of an agent having a property to inhibit an activity or a protein expression of myostatin or growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8) and/or a quantity of a thiazolidenedione or other PPAR gamma agonist and instructions for administration of a dosage of that quantity according to a long term continuous regimen.

Abstract: This invention provides pertains to the discovery that that nicotine interrupts molecular signaling between endodermal and mesodermal cells of the lung alveolus. Treatment of the lung with specific molecular agents (e.g., PPAR gamma agonists) can prevent and/or reverse the injury caused by nicotine.

Abstract: The present invention provides vaccine and pharmaceutical compositions for treating or preventing bacterial inventions. The vaccine compositions of the invention include a carbapenemase such as a serine carbapenemase, a metallo-?-lactamase or an immunogenic fragment thereof. The pharmaceutical compositions include an anti-carbapenemase antibody or fragment thereof. Also provided are methods for treating and preventing a bacterial infection using the vaccine and pharmaceutical compositions of the invention. The invention further provides antibody conjugates that include an antibody or fragment thereof conjugated to a siderophore or an analog thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus may be configured for documenting a code blue scenario when adhered to the chest of a subject undergoing resuscitation by sensing and transmitting information associated with the code blue scenario. Such information may include one or more of vital signs of the subject during resuscitation, information associated with chest movements of the subject during resuscitation, and audio information from an environment of the subject during resuscitation. A computing platform that is separate and distinct from the apparatus may provide code blue documentation conveying information related to the vital signs of the subject and derived from the audio information from the environment of the subject during resuscitation.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, devices, software, and systems for identifying a person based on relatively permanent pigmented or vascular skin mark (RPPVSM) patterns in images. Locations of RPPVSMs in different images of people are point matched, and a correspondence probability that the point matched RPPVSMs are from different people is calculated. Other embodiments are also described. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention features a method of vaccinating a mammal against Staphylococcus aureus which includes the steps of: a) identifying a mammal at risk for the development of a Staphylococcus aureus skin or soft tissue infection; and b) administering to said mammal an immunogenic amount of a vaccine that includes a polypeptide including an isolated agglutinin-like sequence (Als) 3 protein (Als3p), or an immunogenic fragment thereof, in a pharmaceutically acceptable medium.

Abstract: The peptides and derivative metapeptides based upon natural antimicrobial peptides have potent and broad spectrum activity against pathogens exhibiting multiple antibiotic resistance. Specific peptides can also potentiate the antimicrobial functions of leukocytes, such as neutrophils. In addition, they exhibit lower inherent mammalian cell toxicities than conventional antimicrobial peptides, and overcome problems of toxicity, immunogenicity, and shortness of duration of effectiveness due to biodegradation, retaining activity in plasma and serum. The peptides and derivative metapeptides exhibit rapid microbicidal activities in vitro, can be used to potentiate conventional antimicrobial agents, to potentiate other antimicrobial peptides and are active against many organisms that exhibit resistance to multiple antibiotics currently in existence.