Abstract: A metal artifact reduction (MAR) method and system for reducing metal artifacts from X-ray images. The method is suitable for CT images generated with metallic elements exterior to a patient being scanned, for example, where external probes are applied to a patient, such as ultrasound probes. The method may be embodied in a computer algorithm for use, for example, in radiotherapy treatment planning and patient positioning procedures. In one application, the disclosed technique improves the dose delivery accuracy in ultrasound-guided cardiac radioablation, making this treatment modality a viable option for cardiac arrhythmias.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a three-dimensional multiphasic synthetic tissue scaffold comprising first, second and third compartments, wherein: each said compartment comprises distinct microstructural, and/or chemical, and/or mechanical properties, and is connected with at least one other compartment of the scaffold via a continuous interface; the tissue scaffold is porous; and the external morphology of the tissue scaffold mimics that of a mammalian joint or a component thereof. The invention further relates to a method for producing the three dimensional multiphasic synthetic tissue scaffold using a polymeric material, the method comprising using a three-dimensional (3D) bioprinter to print the tissue scaffold by continuously deposit the polymeric material onto a platform until the tissue scaffold is produced in its entirety.

Abstract: A new banana cultivar ‘QCAV-4’ is provided that, when under significant disease pressure, remains largely free from infection by Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4). In the absence of such significant disease pressure, ‘QCAV-4’ appears to be essentially phenotypically identical to the wild type parent Cavendish Grand Nain. This includes in relation to immature and mature plant characteristics, fruit characteristics, and yield.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of at least partly removing a biological deposit, such as a dag, from the skin of an animal. The method includes administering to the biological deposit an effective amount of a composition containing a keratinase, and optionally one or both of a reducing agent and a surfactant. Also provided is a composition for use in the aforementioned method as well as a method of making same.

Abstract: An ophthalmic imaging apparatus comprising: an illumination light source and an optical assembly for directing light from the light source into an eye of a subject; a photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensors positioned for acquiring images of portions of a fundus of the eye; an objective lens positioned along an imaging axis intersecting a point on the fundus of the eye wherein the objective lens is positioned for refracting light that has been reflected by the fundus to form an image of the fund us on an image plane of the objective lens such that the image plane is positioned away from the photosensor array; and a microlens array comprising a plurality of microlenses wherein the microlens array is spaced away from and positioned behind the image plane and wherein the microlens array is positioned in between the image plane and the photosensor array such that each microlens in the array projects a different view of the image formed at the image plane thereby forming an array of elemental imag

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to novel recombinant polypeptides of Bahia grass pollen and to genetic sequences encoding same. More particularly, the present invention is directed to Pas n 1 polypeptides and derivatives, and fragments thereof and genetic sequences encoding same. The molecules of the present invention are useful in a range of therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic applications including, but not limited to, applications in the context of conditions characterized by an aberrant, inappropriate or otherwise unwanted immune response to the Bahia grass pollen.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of sugar cane (Saccharum spp.) comprising introducing a nucleotide sequence of interest into a sugar cane callus tissue or cell thereof via Agrobacterium mediated delivery, wherein the sugar cane callus tissue is less than 28 days post-initiation. The invention further provides methods for transforming a sugar cane callus tissue or cell thereof comprising inoculating the sugar cane callus tissue that is less than 28 days post-initiation with an Agrobacterium comprising a nucleotide sequence of interest to produce an Agrobacterium-inoculated sugar cane tissue or cell thereof; and co-cultivating the Agrobacterium and the sugar cane callus tissue to produce a transformed sugar cane callus tissue or cell thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming a coating on a substrate is provided comprising forming a lignin solution by at least partially dissolving lignin in a solvent, coating the lignin solution onto the substrate and exposing the lignin coated substrate to a treatment selected from the group consisting of a heat treatment and an acid treatment. The coating provides for improved waterproofing and/or strengthening of the substrate.

Abstract: Allergenic Johnson Grass proteins, antibodies thereto and encoding nucleic acids are provided, which may be used for the diagnosis and/or therapy of sensitivity to these allergenic proteins or to immunologically cross-reactive allergenic proteins. In particular, the allergenic Johnson grass proteins and nucleic acids may be used for environmental testing for airborne allergens and/or for batch standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a future event prediction. Embodiments include capturing spatiotemporal data pertaining to activities, wherein the activities include a plurality of events, and employing an augmented-hidden-conditional-random-field (a-HCRF) predictor to generate a future event prediction based on a parameter-vector input, hidden states, and the spatiotemporal data. Methods therein utilize a graph including a first node associated with random variables corresponding to a future event state, a second node associated with random variables corresponding to spatiotemporal input data, a first group of nodes, each node therein associated with random variables corresponding to a subset of the spatiotemporal input data, a second group of nodes, each node therein associated with random variables corresponding to a hidden-state; wherein the edges connect the first node with the second node, the first node with the second group of nodes, and the first group of nodes with the second group of nodes.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in assessing strength of at least one knee flexor muscle of a subject, the apparatus including a support, two securing members, each securing member securing a respective lower leg of the subject in a position that in use is substantially fixed relative to the support and at least one sensor, which in use senses a force indicative of the strength of the at least one knee flexor muscle in at least one leg of the subject while the subject performs an eccentric contraction of the at least one knee flexor muscle.

Abstract: This disclosure provides tyrosine kinase protein and nucleic acid variants, particularly FGFR2 variants, which are linked to drug resistance. The disclosure further provides methods of diagnosis and theranosis, and development of new therapeutic agents using these molecules and fragments thereof, and kits for employing these methods and compositions.

Abstract: A method for fractionating a lignocellulosic material, the method comprising; contacting (2) the lignocellulosic material with an ionic liquid (3) and dissolving the lignocellulosic material therein, providing a second liquid (7) which is immiscible with the ionic liquid and is also a non-solvent for cellulose, adding the second liquid to the ionic liquid so as to form a biphasic system (6) which comprises an ionic liquid phase essentially free of lignocellulose and a second liquid phase comprising lignin in solution and cellulose as a precipitate, separating the two phases and recovering (8) the precipitated cellulose from the separated second liquid phase.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing a transformed sugar cane tissue or cell thereof, said methods comprising: a) inoculating a sugar cane tissue or a cell thereof with an Agrobacterium inoculation suspension, said Agrobacterium comprising a nucleic acid of interest, to obtain an Agrobacterium-inoculated sugar cane tissue or cell thereof; b) co-cultivating said Agrobacterium-inoculated sugar cane tissue or cell thereof on a surface in the absence of co-culture media for a time period sufficient to reduce original weight of said Agrobacterium-inoculated sugar cane tissue or cell thereof; and c) selecting a transformed sugar cane tissue or a cell thereof comprising said nucleic acid of interest. The transformation methods of the invention provide for increased transformation frequency and recovery of transgenic sugar cane plants.

Abstract: The invention provides an ophthalmic lens comprising one or more oblique prismatic component, wherein the lens slows myopia progression and/or treats or prevents myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia. The one or more oblique prismatic components may be base-down or base-down and base-in or base up and base-in. The one or more oblique prismatic components may be central and/or in a distance and/or near zone of the ophthalmic lens. The invention also provides an ophthalmic lens comprising a central base-down prism in a distance zone wherein the lens slows myopia progression and/or treats or prevents myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia. Also provided is an optical device comprising one or more ophthalmic lenses and a method of slowing myopia progression and/or treating or preventing myopia or a disease or condition associated with myopia including using one or more ophthalmic lenses.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating a disease or condition characterized by aberrant epithelial cell proliferation and/or migration. One step of the method can include administering to a mammal an agent which disrupts an isolated protein complex including: insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I); an insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) selected from IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5; and vitronectin; or which prevents formation of the isolated protein complex, to thereby treat the disease or condition in the mammal. The agent is selected from the group consisting a polypeptide that is distinguished from IGF-II by substitution of at least one amino acid residue, wherein the polypeptide disrupts the isolated protein complex.

Abstract: A cell culture medium and system are provided which eliminate or at least reduce the requirement for exogenous components such as serum and feeder cells. The cell culture medium comprises an IGF and vitronectin or fibronectin and, optionally an IGFBP, and is particularly suitable for propagating keratinocytes for subsequent use in skin growth and regeneration. This invention also relates to compositions and methods for skin growth and regeneration in situ, which utilize aerosol delivery of cultured keratinocytes.

Abstract: A sugar cane plant cell comprising a recombinant nucleic acid molecule is provided, the recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence of interest, a promoter and the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein the promoter is downstream of and in operative association with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and upstream of and in operative association with the nucleotide sequence of interest, and the nucleotide sequence of interest is expressed at a level at least about 6 times greater than the level of expression of said nucleotide sequence of interest in a control. Additionally, a method of increasing the expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest in a sugar cane plant cell using the recombinant nucleic acid molecule of the invention is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to constructs and in particular genetic constructs comprising polynucleotide sequences capable of release in covalently closed, circular form from a larger nucleotide sequence such as, but not limited to, a genome of a eukaryotic cell. Preferably, once released, a polynucleotide sequence is reconstituted in a form which permits expression of the polynucleotide sequence. In one embodiment, the reconstituted polynucleotide sequence comprises a coding sequence with all or part of an extraneous nucleotide such as, but not limited to, an intronic sequence or other splice signal inserted therein. Expression and in particular transcription of the coding sequence involves splicing out the extraneous sequence. The release and circularization is generally in response to a stimulus such as a protein-mediated stimulus. More particularly, the protein is a viral or prokaryotic or eukaryotic derived protein or developmentally and/or tissue specific regulated protein.

Abstract: The invention provides a dressing composition comprising a bisphosphonate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor covalently bound to a polymer wherein, when the dressing is contacted with a wound, substantially all of the bisphosphonate remains with the dressing composition and is unable to enter the wound tissue. The invention also provides for a method of treatment of a wound by contacting a dressing composition comprising a covalently bound MMP inhibitor with the wound fluid to thereby selectively inhibit one or more MMP's in the wound fluid without inhibiting those in the wound tissue.