Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure concern compositions and methods of use related to particular c-kit+ mesenchymal cells, including cardiac stem cells, obtained from a pediatric or neonatal individual. In specific embodiments, the cells, or conditioned medium or partial or total secretomes thereof, are provided in an effective amount to an individual in need thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for radiation therapy using functional measurements of branching structures. The method includes determining a location of each voxel of a plurality of voxels in a reference frame of a radiation device. The method further includes obtaining measurements that indicate a tissue type at each voxel. The method further includes determining a subset of the voxels based on an anatomical parameter of a respective branching structure of a set of branching structures indicated by the measurements. 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 at each voxel. The method further includes determining a series of beam shapes and intensities which minimize a value of an objective function based on a computed dose delivered to each voxel and the utility measure for that voxel summed over all voxels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating sepsis in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound of the formula wherein R1 and R2 may be H, OH, protonated phosphate, a phosphate salt, a sugar phosphonate, or a mono-, di- or poly-saccharide, R3 may be OH or a mono-, di- or poly-saccharide, R4, R5, R6 and R7 may be an alkyl or alkenyl chain of up to 13 carbons (for a chain of 16 carbons), and R8, R9, R10 and R11 may be H, OH, or an alkyl or alkenyl ester of up to 16 carbons, or a salt thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for automated emergency arterial cannulation. The device comprises a hand-held automated emergency arterial sheath placement device having a body with a handle and an actuator, and an arterial sheath placement head at the distal end of the handle body configured for placement against the patient's skin. The arterial sheath placement head includes an arterial sheath insertion device configured to advance an arterial needle, guide wire, and arterial sheath into a patient's artery upon sequential operation of the actuator. The arterial sheath placement head also includes a non-invasive artery locator configured to locate an artery into which the arterial sheath is intended to be placed. The arterial sheath placement head also preferably includes a Doppler gel and antiseptic needle, a local anesthetic needle, and a scalpel, all of which are likewise configured to advance from the upper body portion upon sequential operation of the actuator.

Abstract: Novel retinamides with unique properties and biological activities, including inhibition of retinoic acid metabolism and modulation of Mnk1/2-eIF4E and androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathways, are synthesized and developed. The novel retinamides are capable of effecting treatment of a variety of dermatological conditions while limiting adverse side effects.

Abstract: Prodrugs of colchicine, de-acetyl colchicine, colcemid, and nocodazole are provided as therapies for the treatment of diseases ameliorated by the inhibition of microtubule polymerization.

Abstract: This invention is a computer-implemented method and system of using a secondary classification algorithm after using a primary source code vulnerability scanning tool to more accurately label true and false vulnerabilities in source code. The method and system use machine learning within a 10% dataset to develop a classifier model algorithm. A selection process identifies the most important features utilized in the algorithm to detect and distinguish the true and false positive findings of the static code analysis results. A personal identifier is used as a critical feature for the classification. The model is validated by experimentation and comparison against thirteen existing classifiers.

Abstract: Technologies for the prevention and/or treatment of nosocomial infections.

Abstract: Metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) still carries a dismal prognosis with the current treatment paradigms. The effectiveness of drug treatment for many solid tumors such as TNBC is limited by tumor heterogeneity, lack of tumor specificity, off-target toxicities, and transient therapeutic action(s). Strategies that provide tumor-specific, sustained concentrations of drugs to the tumors and tumor receptor-specific binding, while reducing off-target effects are needed to ensure sufficient tumor cell uptake within the primary and metastatic tumor microenvironment. The decreased non-specific adhesivity, receptor-targeted nanoparticle formulations (“DART” nanoparticles) of the invention were assessed for clinical potential in directing biological agents to the cell surface receptor Fn14, which is expressed in many solid cancer types, including TNBC primary tumors and metastatic lesions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of lowering blood pressure in a subject, comprising genetically modifying a myosin phosphatase target subunit (Mypt1) gene in a vascular smooth muscle cell of the subject, whereby the genetic modification of Mypt1 results in a deletion or inactivation of exon 24. The invention further provides vectors, host cells, and compositions useful for carrying out the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices for co-culture of cells. The devices include inserts having invertible wells that can be lowered into a well of any standard cell culture plate. A first population of cells can be cultured in the invertible wells of the inserts and a second population of cells can be cultured in the wells of a cell culture plate. Once the first population of cells attach to the invertible wells, the inserts are flipped over and placed into the wells of the cell culture plate to co-culture with the second population of cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for selective inhibition of the classical or non-classical LT?R-NF?B signaling pathway. In some embodiments, the compositions and methods of the present invention are useful for treating or preventing tissue graft rejection, inflammation, contact hypersensitivity, and cancer by decreasing cell motility.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are broadly drawn to methods for determining an optimum dose of an antiarrhythmic drug, for example sotalol. In particular, the method involves titrating the dose of the drug gradually to determine the optimum plasma concentration for a patient, whether the patient has normal or abnormal renal function.

Abstract: A method of using the transverse relaxation rate (R2) of solvent NMR signal to noninvasively assess alum-containing products such as vaccines. This technique can be used for quality control in vaccine manufacturing (e.g., fill-finish step) to determine the evenness of alum filling level as well as extent of alum particle sedimentation in filled and sealed products.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for the placement of elongate medical members within a patients body using coaptive ultrasound. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a flexible tube includes a first balloon at a distal end of the tube, and a second balloon at the distal end of the tube and positioned within the first balloon. The first and second balloons are inflatable to form one or more echogenic windows between them, which echogenic window may be detected from within a patient's body by an ultrasound probe that is external to the patient's body. Detection of such echogenic window is used to identify an acceptable location on the patient's body at which to insert a guidewire configured to receive an elongate medical member without damage to surrounding patient tissues or organs.

Abstract: Provided herein is an inhibitor for decreasing cellular levels X-box-binding protein 1 variant 1 (Xv1) in a cancer cell and a method for decreasing Xv1 in a cancer cell by contacting the cancer cell with this inhibitor. Also provided is a pharmaceutical composition for treating a cancer and a method for treating a cancer by administering this composition. In addition there is provided a kit for targeting Xv1 with at least one Xv1 inhibitor, at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a means for detecting the Xv1 protein or mRNA.

Abstract: The present invention provides for metallic structures comprising a sulfhydryl or amino-terminated hydrophilic coating to provide a layer of hydrophilic character on the surface of the metallic structures thereby allowing the use of low volumes of aqueous solvents of fluorophores that have the ability to “spread out” across the surfaces of the metallic structures and to provide for a more uniform surface coating of fluorophores attached to or near the metallic structures.

Abstract: The present invention describes an integrated apparatus that enables identification of migratory cells directly from a specimen. The apparatus only requires a small number of cells to perform an assay and includes novel topographic features which can reliably differentiate between migratory and non-migratory cell populations in a sample. Both the spontaneous and chemotactic migration of cancer cells may be measured to distinguish between subpopulations within a tumor sample. The migratory cells identified using the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be separated and further analyzed to distinguish factors promoting metastasis within the population. Cells in the apparatus can be treated with chemotherapeutic or other agents to determine drug strategies to most strongly inhibit migration. The use of optically transparent materials in some embodiments allows a wide range of imaging techniques to be used for in situ imaging of migratory and non-migratory cells in the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides nucleic acids encoding a fusion protein comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding GRIM-19 or a biologically active fragment or derivative thereof and a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein transduction domain. Proteins encoded by the nucleic acids, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment are also provided. The invention also provides viral vectors comprising GRIM-19 or a biologically active fragment or derivative thereof, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment using the same.

Abstract: Methods of treating cancer, such as leukemia, via administration of therapeutically effective amounts of artemisinins and one or more additional therapeutic agents are detailed herein. The artemisinins include artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, artemether, arteether, artelinate, ART-631, and ART-838. The one or more additional therapeutic agents include BCL-2 inhibitors such as ABT-199, ABT-263, and ABT-737; kinase inhibitors such as lestaurtinib, midostaurin, and sorafenib; and anti-neoplastic agents such as cytarabine, doxorubicin, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, triplotide, vinorelbine, cisplatin, and rituximab.