Abstract: The present invention relates to, in part, artificial antigen presenting cells that are useful in treating disease (including cancers) and have uses, for example, directly in vivo and/or in the expansion of a patients cells for re-introduction ex vivo.

Abstract: A method is provided for predicting that a patient will require a blood transfusion during a treatment. The method includes obtaining, on a processor, first data that indicates values for one or more parameters of a characteristic of a continuous photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveform collected during the treatment. The method further includes applying, on the processor, coefficients to the values for the one or more parameters. The method further includes determining, on the processor, second data that indicates a prediction that the patient will require the blood transfusion during the treatment based on applying the coefficients to the values for the one or more parameters. An apparatus is also provided for predicting that the patient will require the blood transfusion during the treatment.

Abstract: Techniques for metal enhanced fluorescence include determining a calibration curve that relates concentration of a particular analyte to at least one of intensity or lifetime of fluorescent emissions at a plasmonic substrate in response to incident light, for a plurality of known concentrations of the particular analyte mixed with a reagent. The reagent comprises a detection molecule. A concentration of the particular analyte in a vicinity of a cell in a sample is determined directly from the calibration curve and measurements, in response to the incident light, of at least one of intensity or lifetime of fluorescent emissions at the plasmonic substrate in contact with the cell and reagent.

Abstract: A device disclosed herein includes a tubular member which is flexible and configured to receive ultraviolet (UV) light from a UV illumination coupler. The tubular member contains a lumen defining a longitudinal interior space within the tubular member, a tubular body bounded by an inner wall defining an outer boundary of the lumen and an outer wall defining an outer surface of the tubular member, at least one optical fiber disposed outside of the interior space not parallel to an axis of the lumen and adapted to receive the UV light from the UV illumination coupler, and a protective component adapted to prevent substantively all of the UV light emitted from the optical fiber from exiting the outer wall. Methods for producing and using such devices are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to annotating live video during endoscopy medical procedures.

Abstract: Techniques for enhanced fluorescence include a functionalized substrate for a target optical frequency comprising a one dimensional photonic crystal that is functionalized with a bioactive target molecule that has an affinity for a particular analytic. The one dimensional photonic crystal includes a plurality of dielectric layers including a plurality of high index of refraction layers alternating with a plurality of low index of refraction layers. The thickness of each layer is within a factor of four of a wavelength of the optical frequency in the layer. For emissions from a fluorophore bound to the target molecule and excited by incident light, there is an emission intensity maximum centered at an angle independent of the direction of the incident light.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for irradiation therapy using voxel based function measurements of organs-at-risk (OAR). The method includes determining size and location of each voxel of a plurality of voxels in a reference frame of a radiation device. The method further includes obtaining measurements that relate to utility of tissue type at each voxel. The method further includes determining a subset of the voxels that enclose an organ-at-risk (OAR) volume. The method further includes determining a value of a utility measure fj at each voxel of the subset based on a corresponding value of the measurements. The method further includes determining a series of beam shapes and intensities which minimize a value of an objective function that is based on a computed dose delivered to an OAR voxel multiplied by the utility measure fj for that voxel summed over all voxels.

Abstract: Techniques for metal enhanced fluorescence include determining a calibration curve that relates concentration of a particular analyte to at least one of intensity or lifetime of fluorescent emissions at a plasmonic substrate in response to incident light, for a plurality of known concentrations of the particular analyte mixed with a reagent. The reagent comprises a detection molecule. A concentration of the particular analyte in a vicinity of a cell in a sample is determined directly from the calibration curve and measurements, in response to the incident light, of at least one of intensity or lifetime of fluorescent emissions at the plasmonic substrate in contact with the cell and reagent.

Abstract: The present invention concerns protection of an organ or tissue following an ischemic episode In particular aspects, the invention concerns organ preservation for transplantation, angina pectoris, kidney reperfusion injury, and so forth In specific embodiments, the organ is subjected to an inhibitor of an NCCa-ATP channel that is regulated by SUR1 Exemplary inhibitors include sulfonylurea compounds, such as glibenclamide, for example.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an antigenomic RNA of Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) carrying one or more foreign genes inserted before NP gene, between P and M genes, and/or between HN and L genes. The invention is also directed toward a cDNA encoding a recombinant antigenomic RNA having one or more foreign genes inserted according to the invention, a cell containing the cDNA, a plasmid comprising the cDNA, a cell containing the plasmid, a cell containing the recombinant antigenomic RNA, and a recombinant NDV containing the recombinant antigenomic RNA of the invention, such as a recombinant NDV carrying one or more foreign genes recovered from transcription of the cDNA or the plasmid in a competent cell. The recombinant NDV carrying the one or more foreign genes can be used as a vaccine or vaccine vector.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems, including computer program products, for optimizing and controlling the energy consumption of a building. A computing device generates thermal response coefficients for the building based on energy characteristics of the building and weather data associated with the location of the building. The computing device an energy response for each of a plurality of different points in time based on the thermal response coefficients and forecasted weather conditions. The computing device selects minimal energy requirements based on an energy consumption cost. The computing device determines a series of temperature set points based on the corresponding energy response and the minimal energy requirements. The computing device transmits the series of temperature set points to a thermostat, which adjusts operating parameters using each series of temperature set points when a time value matches the point in time associated with each series of temperature set points.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing a contrast injection function for CT imaging. The method includes injecting, with an injector pump, a test bolus of a contrast agent into a subject. The method also includes computing, on a processor, an impulse enhancement function. The method also includes determining, on a processor, a target enhancement function for a region of interest. The method also includes determining, with a processor, a plurality of parameters for a functional form for a contrast injection function in a time domain. The method also includes determining for the contrast injection function a constraint. The method also includes determining, with a processor, particular values for the plurality of parameters, which satisfy the constraint and minimize a difference between a value of an enhancement function and the target enhancement function computed in the time domain at discrete time periods without use of a Fourier transform.

Abstract: A turbulence-free CCD camera system with nonclassical imaging resolution, for applications in long- distance imaging, such as satellite and aircraft-to-ground based distant imaging, utilizing an intensity- fluctuation correlation measurement of thermal light. The proposed camera system has the following advantages over classic imaging technology: (1) it is turbulence-free; (2) its spatial resolution is mainly determined by the angular diameter of the light source. For example, using sun as the light source, this camera may achieve a spatial resolution of 200 micrometer for any object on Earth. 200-micrometer resolution is insignificant for short distance imaging, however, taking a picture of a target at 10-kilometer, a classic camera must have a lens of 90-meter diameter in order to achieve 200-micrometer resolution.

Abstract: A method is provided for predicting that a patient will require a blood transfusion during a treatment. The method includes obtaining, on a processor, first data that indicates values for one or more parameters of a characteristic of a continuous photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveform collected during the treatment. The method further includes applying, on the processor, coefficients to the values for the one or more parameters. The method further includes determining, on the processor, second data that indicates a prediction that the patient will require the blood transfusion during the treatment based on applying the coefficients to the values for the one or more parameters. An apparatus is also provided for predicting that the patient will require the blood transfusion during the treatment.

Abstract: Techniques for enhanced fluorescence include a functionalized substrate for a target optical frequency comprising a one dimensional photonic crystal that is functionalized with a bioactive target molecule that has an affinity for a particular analytic. The one dimensional photonic crystal includes a plurality of dielectric layers including a plurality of high index of refraction layers alternating with a plurality of low index of refraction layers. The thickness of each layer is within a factor of four of a wavelength of the optical frequency in the layer. For emissions from a fluorophore bound to the target molecule and excited by incident light, there is an emission intensity maximum centered at an angle independent of the direction of the incident light.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing a contrast injection function for CT imaging. The method includes injecting, with an injector pump, a test bolus of a contrast agent into a subject. The method also includes computing, on a processor, an impulse enhancement function. The method also includes determining, on a processor, a target enhancement function for a region of interest. The method also includes determining, with a processor, a plurality of parameters for a functional form for a contrast injection function in a time domain. The method also includes determining for the contrast injection function a constraint. The method also includes determining, with a processor, particular values for the plurality of parameters, which satisfy the constraint and minimize a difference between a value of an enhancement function and the target enhancement function computed in the time domain at discrete time periods without use of a Fourier transform.

Abstract: It has now been discovered that p53 is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and arteriogensis. Inhibition of p53 stimulates angiogenesis, arteriogenesis and improves perfusion in limbs. Therefore, methods are provided for treating diabetic-induced ischemia in a subject in need thereof comprising locally administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more p53 molecule inhibitors or analogs and derivatives thereof to a site of ischemic tissue in the subject. Methods are provided for improving limb perfusion in a subject in need thereof comprising locally administering a therapeutically effective amount one or more p53 inhibitors together with a therapeutic agent or separately from the therapeutic agent to cells of a limb of a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Techniques for emergency apneic oxygenation include a cannula having a longitudinal inner passage with an inner diameter. A distal portion has a first outer diameter greater than the inner diameter, and is made of shape memory material shaped to bend in a first direction along the inner passage. A cannula base has a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter. A distance from a distal end of the cannula to a proximal end of the distal portion of the cannula is less than a distance from a surface of a throat of a subject to a distal surface of an airway of the subject. The inner passage is configured to pass a catheter connected at a proximal end to an oxygen source. In various embodiments, the cannula is used with a trocar and, optionally, a system base, or supplied in a kit with a catheter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for authenticating a biometric scanner, such as swipe type finger print scanners, involves estimating unique intrinsic characteristics of the scanner (scanner pattern), that are permanent over time, and can identify a scanner even among scanners of the same manufacturer and model. Image processing and analysis are used to extract a scanner pattern from images acquired with the scanner. The scanner pattern is used to verify whether the scanner that acquired a particular image is the same as the scanner that acquired one or several images during enrollment of the biometric information. Authenticating the scanner can prevent subsequent security attacks using counterfeit biometric information on the scanner, or on the user authentication system.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a location of a mobile object is provided. The system determines the location of the mobile object by determining distances between a plurality of sensors provided on a first and second movable parts of the mobile object. A stride length, heading, and separation distance between the first and second movable parts are computed based on the determined distances and the location of the mobile object is determined based on the computed stride length, heading, and separation distance.