Abstract: The use of lipopeptides as inducers of NF-?B for the protection of mammals from the effects of apoptosis is described.

Abstract: The use of flagellin and flagellin related polypeptides for the protection of mammals from the effects of apoptosis is described.

Abstract: Prosthesis for implantation in the ascending aorta comprising a tubular body made of biocompatible graft material, a cuff at the proximal portion of the tubular body for biasing pressure onto a sino-tubular junction and that is configured to conform to the junction. A stent assembly can also be used to the prosthesis to bias pressure on the wall of a dissection to substantially deflate a false lumen.

Abstract: The inventive subject matter relates to methods for treating glioblastoma, comprising administration of a composition comprising therapeutically effective amounts of supercritical extracts of rosemary, turmeric, oregano and ginger; and therapeutically effective amounts of hydroalcoholic extracts of holy basil, ginger, turmeric, Scutellaria baicalensis, rosemary, green tea, huzhang, Chinese goldthread, and barberry. The inventive subject matter further relates to methods for modulating gene expression of genes selected from the group consisting of interleukin-1?, interleukin-1?, heme oxygenase 1, aldo-keto reductase family 1, member C2, colony stimulating factor 3, leukemia inhibitory factor, heat shock 70 kDa protein, and combinations thereof, by administration of an effective amount of said compositions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and markers for characterizing a subject's, particularly a human subject risk of having cardiovascular disease. The present invention also provides methods of characterizing a subject's risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods for characterizing a subject's risk of experiencing a complication of cardiovascular disease or major adverse cardiac event within 1, 3, or 10 years. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for determining whether a subject presenting with chest pain is at risk near term of experiencing a heart attack or other major adverse cardiac event. The present methods are especially useful for identifying those subjects who are in need of highly aggressive CVD therapies as well as those subjects who require no therapies targeted at inhibiting or preventing CVD or complications of CVD.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion into a vascular system of a patient and for directing fluid flow includes a catheter body having a longitudinal axis and longitudinally spaced proximal and distal catheter ends with an intermediate catheter portion defined therebetween. An intermediate catheter outlet in the catheter body is located in the intermediate catheter portion and is spaced longitudinally from the proximal and distal catheter ends. A first lumen is defined within the catheter body and has longitudinally spaced proximal and distal first lumen ends with a reversing bend located therebetween, the first lumen providing fluid communication between the proximal catheter end and the intermediate catheter outlet. The reversing bend is located longitudinally between the intermediate catheter outlet and the distal catheter end. The reversing bend directs fluid flow to turn approximately 180° as the fluid flows through the first lumen. A method of using the catheter is also described.

Abstract: Techniques for registration of multiple measurement modes of a body include receiving first and second data from different modes. Each includes measured values with coordinate values. For two mechanically aligned modes, any non-rigid registration is performed. For some modes, the non-rigid registration includes a coarse transformation and multiple fine scale transformations. The coarse transformation maximizes a coarse similarity measure. The second data is sub-divided into contiguous sub-regions. Fine transformations are determined between the sub-regions and corresponding portions of the first data to maximize a fine similarity measure. Sub-dividing and determining fine transformations repeats until stop conditions are satisfied. Transformations between the last-divided sub-regions are interpolated.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, brain stimulation models, systems, devices, and methods, such as for deep brain stimulation (DBS) or other electrical stimulation. In an example, a target volume of activation (VOA) can be received, a test VOA can be simulated, and at least one of a target electrode location or parameter can be provide using a relationship between the target VOA and the test VOA.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a therapeutic composition containing a pentavalent antimonial is provided. The pentavalent antimonial can be sodium stibogluconate, levamisole, ketoconazole, and pentamidine and biological equivalents of said compounds. Additionally, pentavalent antimonials that can be used in accordance with the present invention may be any such compounds which are anti-leishmaniasis agents. The therapeutic composition of this embodiment contains an effective amount of pentavalent antimonial that can be used in treating infectious diseases. The types of diseases that can be treated with the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following: diseases associated with PTPase activity, immune deficiency, cancer, infections (such as viral infections), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. The types of cancers that the present embodiment can be used to treat include those such as lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukemia, melanoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, renal cancer, bladder cancer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining the volume of activation of neural tissue. In one embodiment, the method uses one or more parametric equations that define a volume of activation, wherein the parameters for the one or more parametric equations are given as a function of an input vector that includes stimulation parameters. After receiving input data that includes values for the stimulation parameters and defining the input vector using the input data, the input vector is applied to the function to obtain the parameters for the one or more parametric equations. The parametric equation is solved to obtain a calculated volume of activation.

Abstract: A system and method may provide for conducting a stimulation of anatomic regions to treat a neuromotor, neurocognitive or neuromotor and neurocognitive disorder, according to which stimulation, motor regions are stimulated, while creep of current to non-motor regions is minimized. Stimulation parameters may be selected based on tests of motor function, tests of cognitive function, and tests of a combination of motor and cognitive functions.

Abstract: A method for differentiating malignant in vivo liver tissues from normal in vivo liver tissues of a living subject includes the steps of: (a) illuminating a first area and a second area of in vivo liver tissues of the living subject with a first excitation light, (b) measuring an intensity of fluorescent light emitted from each of the first area and the second area of in vivo liver tissues in response to the first excitation light as a function of wavelength so as to obtain a first and a second fluorescent spectra, respectively, (c) illuminating the first area and the second area of in vivo liver tissues with a second excitation light, (d) measuring an intensity of diffuse light reflected by each of the first area and the second area of in vivo liver tissues in response to the second excitation light as a function of wavelength so as to obtain a first and a second diffused reflectance spectra, respectively, and (e) identifying one of the first area and the second area of in vivo liver tissues as malignant liv

Abstract: A system and method is provided for using a first vascular image, or more particularly a plurality of control points located thereon, to identify a border on a second vascular image. Embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device and a computing device electrically connected thereto. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, an IVUS console is electrically connected to a computing device and adapted to acquire IVUS data. The IVUS data (or multiple sets thereof) is then provided to (or acquired by) the computing device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the computing device includes a plurality of applications operating thereon—i.e., a border-detection application, an extrapolation application, and an active-contour application. These applications are used to (i) identify a border and control points on a first IVUS image (i.e., any IVUS image), (ii) extrapolate the control points to a second IVUS image (i.e.

Abstract: Provided herein are diagnostic and prognostic methods, diagnostic and prognositic markers, and methods for evaluating anti-inflammatory agents or drugs in subjects with asthma and/or an analogous disease associated with high oxidative and nitrative stress at the disease site. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise a step of assaying for decreased levels of superoxide dismutase activity in the blood, serum, or plasma of the subject. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise a step of assaying for elevated levels of one or more oxidatively-modified SOD isoforms or species in the blood, serum or plasma of the subject. Also provided are diagnostic kits for use in the present invention. In certain embodiments, such kits comprise at least one binding reagent that specifically binds to at least one oxidatively-modified SOD species.

Abstract: Modular graft systems with conjoinable grafts comprising graft material with the system comprising a first and second graft prosthesis with mating ends, securing rods attached to one of the mating ends comprising at least one spike that juts from the securing rod. The other of the mating ends is double layered with graft material for receiving at least one spike in the first layer of graft material when the mating ends are conjoined.

Abstract: Diagnostic tests for characterizing an individual's risk of developing or having a cardiovascular disease. In one embodiment the present diagnostic test comprises determining the level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in a bodily sample obtained from the individual or test subject. In another embodiment, the diagnostic test comprises determining the level of MPO mass in a bodily sample obtained from the test subject. In another embodiment, the diagnostic test comprises determining the level of one or more select MPO-generated oxidation products in a bodily sample obtained from the test subject. The select MPO-generated oxidation products are dityrosine, nitrotyrosine, methionine sulphoxide or an MPO-generated lipid peroxidation products.

Abstract: The present invention relates to treating a tissue in a mammal from the effects of reperfusion using flagellin.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to assays for the detection of Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-related Retrovirus (“XMRV”) and diseases associated with XMRV infection. Additionally, the invention relates to specific XMRV antigens capable of inducing an immunogenic response as well as XMRV-related nucleic acids having significant diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic utilities.

Abstract: A body tissue fixation apparatus includes a plate having oppositely disposed outer and tissue-contacting surfaces, and at least one fixation hole extending between the outer and tissue-contacting surfaces along a longitudinal axis. The fixation hole is defined in part by an inner hole surface having at least one serration. At least one fixation device of the body tissue fixation apparatus has a shank and a head portion, the shank being insertable through the fixation hole in the plate to affix the plate to the body tissue member upon rotation of the head portion. At least one deformable member is connected to the head portion, the deformable member extending laterally in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and being adapted to deflect to engage with at least one serration formed on the inner hole surface. A method for using the body tissue fixation apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. The device features a shuttle member that is magnetically coupled to a guide wire within a guide tube, through the guide-tube wall, so that translation of the shuttle member induces a corresponding translation of the guide wire within the guide tube, without penetrating or compromising the guide-tube wall. In this manner, when the guide tube is coupled to a medical tube where obstructions have formed, the guide wire and clearance member may be inserted into and withdrawn from the medical tube, via actuation of the shuttle member, to engage and help clear such obstructions from the medical tube without compromising the sterile field. Methods of clearing a medical tube of obstructions are also disclosed.