Abstract: Methods of using azide-modified biomolecules, such as fatty acids, carbohydrates and lipids, to treat a plant, an insect or an animal infected with a virus or to inhibit infectivity of a virus, such as the human immunodeficiency virus, are provided. Also provided are methods of labeling a virus, such as human immunodeficiency virus, with an azide-modified biomolecule, such as a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, or an isoprenoid lipid. Also, provided are methods of tracking a virus in vivo, with an azide-modified biomolecule, such as a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, or an isoprenoid lipid. The azide-modified biomolecules may be combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient to produce a pharmaceutical composition, optionally containing another anti-viral agent and/or a delivery agent, such as a liposome.

Abstract: A radiator (RAD) enhanced geothermal system (EGS) may comprise a radiator vane heat exchanger (RVHE). The RVHE may be configured to be located in a plane defined by an injector well and a production well that is defined by a principal stress direction (S1) of a plurality of principal stress directions and a maximum horizontal stress component (SHmax). The RVHE may include one or more stacked laterals oriented along SHmax. Each stacked lateral, of the one or more stacked laterals, may include one or more vertical branches oriented along Si. The RVHE may be configured to extract energy from a non-hydrothermal source of energy.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions for treating schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (in particular, mania) by using a combination of a synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) inhibitor and an antipsychotic or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates, polymorphs thereof. In some embodiments, the methods and the compositions are for treating one or more positive and/or negative symptoms, as well as cognitive impairment, associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (in particular, mania).

Abstract: A fastener is configured to maintain electromagnetic interference characteristics of metamaterial shielding. The fastener includes a head having an interior side and an exterior side, a shank extending from the interior side of the head and configured to be driven into a receiving surface, and a seal being formed as a loop and disposed on the interior side of the head. The seal may include a conductive material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of brain injuries. More specifically, the present invention provides methods and compositions useful in the diagnosis/prognosis/assessment of brain injuries. In a specific embodiment, a method for identifying which patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) require a head computerized tomography (CT) scan for diagnosing acute intracranial pathology comprises the steps of (a) obtaining or collecting a sample from the patient; (b) measuring the levels of one or more biomarkers in the blood sample obtained from the patient, wherein the biomarkers comprise glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100B, metallothionein 3 (MT3), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and intracellular adhesion molecule 5 (ICAM5); and (c) identifying the patient as requiring or not requiring a head CT scan based on the measured levels of one or more of biomarkers comprising GFAP, S100B, MT3, NSE and ICAM5.

Abstract: Oligodendrogliomas are the second most common malignant brain tumor in adults. These tumors often contain a chromosomal abnormality involving a pericentromeric fusion of chromosomes 1 and 19, resulting in losses of the entire short arm of the former and the long arm of the latter. To identify the molecular genetic basis for this alteration, we performed exomic sequencing of seven anaplastic oligodendrogliomas with chromosome 1p and 19q losses. Among other changes, we found that that CIC (homolog of the Drosophila gene capicua) on chromosome 19q was somatically mutated in six of the seven cases and that FUBP1 (far upstream element (FUSE) binding protein) on chromosome 1p was somatically mutated in two of the seven cases. Examination of 27 additional oligodendrogliomas revealed 12 and 3 more tumors with mutations of CIC and FUBP1, respectively, 58% of which were predicted to result in truncations of the encoded proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods for treating or ameliorating an effect of a solid tumor present in a human. These methods include administering intratumorally to the human a unit dose of C. novyi, preferably C. novyi NT, colony forming units (CFUs), which contains about 1×103-1×107 CFUs suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or solution. Methods for debulking a solid tumor present in a human, methods for ablating a solid tumor present in a human, a method for microscopically precise excision of tumor cells in a human, methods for treating or ameliorating an effect of a solid tumor that has metastasized to one or more sites in a human, unit doses of C. novyi, preferably C. novyi NT, CFUs, and kits for treating or ameliorating an effect of a solid tumor present in a human are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of epigenetics. More specifically, the present invention provides methods and compositions useful for predicting response to epigenetic drug therapy. As described herein, we have identified a unique signature termed AZA Immune gene set or AIM that differentiates patients with a low immune and high immune signature and is regulated by epigenetic drugs such as demethylating drugs, histone deacetylase inhibitors. In certain embodiments, patients with a high immune signature may benefit from immunotherapies such as anti PD1 or anti PDL1 antibodies or vaccines. In other embodiments, patients with a low immune signature or low AIM would be patients who would then benefit from treatment with epigenetic drugs and then subsequent immunotherapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for inhibition of human herpes virus replication in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising a cardiac glycoside analog, including for example, a digitoxin analog and pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other methods of the present invention include administering a digitoxin analog along with at least one other biologically active compound and pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods for inhibition of the ?3 subtype of the Na/K ATPase in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising a digitoxin analog are also provided.

Abstract: A method of assessing tissue vascular permeability for nanotherapeutics using non-labeled dextran can include: receiving a non-labeled, physiologically-tolerable dextran solution by a subject; acquiring a plurality of magnetic resonance images of a distribution of the dextran solution within at least one region of interest of the subject for a corresponding plurality of times; and assessing a tissue vascular permeability of the at least one region of interest to dextran particles in the dextran solution based on differences between the plurality of magnetic resonance images, wherein the dextran solution is a substantially mono-disperse solution of dextran particles of one size.

Abstract: Provided is a method for forming an implant with an autonomous manufacturing device. The method includes accessing a first computer-readable reconstruction of a being's anatomy; accessing a second computer-readable reconstruction of an implant; accessing a third computer-readable reconstruction comprising the first computer-readable reconstruction superimposed with the second computer readable reconstruction; generating at least one computer-readable trace from a point cloud; and forming an implant with an autonomous manufacturing device, wherein the autonomous manufacturing device forms the implant into a shape defined by at least one dimension of the computer-readable trace.

Abstract: Many areas of biomedical research depend on the analysis of uncommon variations in individual genes or transcripts. Here we describe a method that can quantify such variation at a scale and ease heretofore unattainable. Each DNA molecule in a collection of such molecules is converted into a single particle to which thousands of copies of DNA identical in sequence to the original are bound. This population of beads then corresponds to a one-to-one representation of the starting DNA molecules. Variation within the original population of DNA molecules can then be simply assessed by counting fluorescently-labeled particles via flow cytometry Millions of individual DNA molecules can be assessed in this fashion with standard laboratory equipment. Moreover, specific variants can be isolated by flow sorting and employed for further experimentation.

Abstract: Mesothelin can be used as an immunotherapeutic target. It induces a cytolytic T cell response. Portions of mesothelin which induce such responses are identified. Vaccines can be either polynucleotide- or polypeptide-based. Carriers for raising a cytolytic T cell response include bacteria and viruses. A mouse model for testing vaccines and other anti-tumor therapeutics and prophylactics comprises a strongly mesothelin-expressing, transformed peritoneal cell line.

Abstract: The instant disclosure features, among other things, compositions and methods for treating an autism spectrum disorder in a human. The compositions comprise an effective amount of: (1) an isothiocyanate (e.g., sulforaphane or a derivative thereof) or (2) a glucosinolate, and optionally, an enzyme, to thereby treat an autism spectrum disorder and/or reduce the severity of at least one symptom of the disorder. Methods for preparing such compositions are also featured.

Abstract: Example apparatuses and methods relating to antennas are provided. An example apparatus in the form of an antenna assembly includes a first conductor formed into a first helical structure wound around a central axis and a second conductor formed into a second helical structure wound around the central axis. The first helical structure may have a first coil sense and the second helical structure may have second coil sense that is opposite the first coil sense. The first conductor may have a first conductor proximal end and a first conductor distal end and the second conductor may have a second conductor proximal end and a second conductor distal end. The first conductor distal end may be adjacent the second conductor proximal end. The antenna assembly may further include first, second, and third ground planes with one disposed at each end of the conductors and one disposed between the conductors.

Abstract: A cell culture system and method of generating organoids is provided. The system includes a multiwell culture plate having shafts for mixing culture media within wells of the culture plate. The multiwell culture plate includes a base substrate having a plurality of culture wells, and a shaft operably associated with each culture well, each shaft being configured to mix media present in each culture well and having a gear adapted to operably associate with a gear on a shaft associated with an adjacent culture well. The system further includes a motor having a drive shaft in operable communication with the shaft gears of the multiwell culture plate. The system can be widely used as a standard platform to generate stem cell-derived human organoids for any tissue and for high-throughput drug screenings, toxicity testing, and modeling normal human organ development and diseases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of cancer. More specifically, the present invention provides compositions and methods for treating cancer using albumin-proaerolysin prodrugs. Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides prodrug compositions. In certain embodiments, a prodrug composition comprises a prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-activated pro-aerolysin (PA), wherein a PSA cleavable linker replaces the native furin cleavage site within PA; and human serum albumin (HSA) or a fragment thereof fused to the N-terminus of the PSA-activated PA.

Abstract: A magnetic-resonance-imaging-compatible (MRI-compatible) cardiac defibrillator includes: a defibrillator generator; first and second electric wires, each being electrically connected to said defibrillator generator; first and second defibrillation pads, each being electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second electric wires; and a low pass filter electrically connected between said defibrillator generator and said first and second electric wires to prevent a noise in an MRI image caused by a radiofrequency interference from the defibrillator as well as protect a patient and the defibrillator from MRI radiofrequency imaging signals, wherein said low pass filter has a cutoff frequency set such that differential mode noise at an MRI Larmor frequency is in an attenuated band while a system-test signal by said defibrillator generator is in a pass band of said low pass filter.

Abstract: Highly specific and novel methods for analyzing glycans and proteoglycans are provided. The present invention provides glycan-reactive isobaric Aldehyde-Reactive Tags (iARTs) and the quantification of iARTs-labeled glycans by tandem mass spectrometry. The iARTs have an amine as an active group to react with aldehyde at the reducing end of glycans through reductive amination and demonstrated complete labeling. Due to the isobaric nature of the iARTs, differentially labeled glycans do not differ in mass, and quantitative information is provided by the isotope-encoded reporter ions generated from MS/MS or MS3 spectra. Quantitative information is thus derived from signal of the reporter ions on same precursor. Uses of the information generated by the inventive methods for diagnosis and treatment are also disclosed.

Abstract: Assays can be used to detect mutations found in neoplasms of the pancreas, as well as for other neoplasms and other uses. Nucleic acids can be captured from body fluids such as cyst fluids. Thousands of oligonucleotides can be synthesized in parallel, amplified and ligated together. The ligated products can be further amplified. The amplified, ligated products are used to capture complementary DNA sequences, which can be analyzed, for example by massively parallel sequencing.