Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting electromechanical wave propagation within a body structure of a patient in a series of image frames representing movement the body structure are provided. Image data is acquired comprising a series of image frames corresponding to the movement of a body structure. A correlation calculation is performed on the image frames to generate a displacement map representing the relative displacement between the first and second image frames. A video is generated comprising a series of displacement maps. The parameters of movement of the body structure are detected by analysis of the displacement maps. The image acquisition can detect the movement of the body structure without inducing such movement.

Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated Tilapia Lake Virus or TiLV, and isolated nucleic acids sequences and polypeptides thereof. The invention also relates to probes and primers, and to antibodies against antigens from TiLV, and use of these reagents for detecting the presence or absence of TiLV in an animal. The invention also relates to iRNAs which target nucleic acid sequences of TiLV. The invention is also related to immunogenic compositions, including antibodies and vaccines, for inducing an immune response against TiLV in an animal. The invention is also related to gene constructs and cells comprising TiLV and isolated nucleic acids sequences and polypeptides thereof for use in developing prophylactic and therapeutic agents.

Abstract: Evaporation-driven engines are disclosed herein. An example engine can include a water source having a high humidity zone proximate the surface of the water source, a supporting structure, and a hygroscopic material disposed on the supporting structure and configured to generate mechanical force in response to a changing relative humidity. The hygroscopic material can be repeatedly exposed to the high humidity zone and removed from the high humidity zone thereby causing the hygroscopic material to generate mechanical force.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of treating various neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases which employ inhibition of the mTOR pathway, particularly using mTOR kinase inhibitors. It is based, at least in part, on extensive phenotypic characterization of a knock-out mouse model of Caspr2, the murine ortholog of CNTNAP2, which indicate that the mechanism via which CNTNAP2 deficits lead to neuropsychiatric disorders is overactivation of the mTOR pathway. Accordingly, the present invention provides for methods of treating subjects suffering from neurodevelopmental and/or neuropsychiatric disorders comprising administering, to the subject, an agent that inhibits the mTOR pathway. In particular non-limiting embodiments, the inhibitor of the mTOR pathway is a mTOR kinase inhibitor such as, but not limited to, WYE125132 and analogous compounds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of predicting pregnancy outcome in a subject by determining the amount of an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of hCG in a sample. The present invention further provides a method for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated molecular isoforms of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a sample. The present invention also provides a diagnostic kit for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated hCG in a sample. The present invention additionally provides an antibody which specifically binds to an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of human chorionic gonadotropin. Finally, the present invention provides methods for detecting trophoblast or non-trophoblast malignancy in a sample.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds, several of which belong to a class having two or more nonpolar components connected by a polar group and having polar groups on the termini of the compound.The invention also concents a method of selectively inducing termini differentiation of neoplastic cells and thereby inhibiting proliferation of such cells which comprises contacting the cells under suitable condition with an amount of the compound effect to selectively induce terminal differentiation.Moreover, the invention provides a method of treating a patient having a tumor characterized by proliferation of neoplastic cells which comprises administering to the patient an amount of the compound effective to selectively induce terminal differentiation of such neoplastic cells, thereby inhibiting their proliferation and suppressing oncogenicity.