Patents Assigned to The University of Pittsburgh-of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
  • Publication number: 20190175788
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a peripheral nerve-specific hydrogel material, which is deliverable in a minimally invasive fashion, sustains the growth of neurons, and speeds recovery following surgical reconstruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Bryan Nicklaus Brown, Jonathan Cheetham
  • Publication number: 20190167648
    Abstract: A compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, having a structure of: wherein A is a ring; Y1 and Y2 are each independently N or C with the proper valency; X1 and X2 are each independently —NH—, —O—, —CH2—O—, —NH—CH2—, or —N(CH3)—CH2—, provided that when at least one of X1 and X2 is —CH2—O—, —NH—CH2—, or —N(CH3)—CH2— then the —CH2— is directly connected to A; a and b are each independently 0 or 1; c and d are each independently 0 or 1; Z1 and Z2 are each independently a heterocyclic; and R1 and R2 are each independently optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, amino, optionally substituted heteroaralkyl, optionally substituted alkylalkoxy, optionally substituted alkylaryloxy, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, or optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl; provided that if Y1 and Y2 are each C, then a is 1 and b is 1; provided that if Y1 and Y2 are each N, then a is 0 and b is 0; provided that if Y1 is N and Y
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Cornell University
    Inventors: Lee A. McDermott, Prema C. Iyer, Richard A. Cerione, William P. Katt
  • Publication number: 20190167182
    Abstract: A method of classifying a swallow of a subject includes obtaining vibration data that is based on and indicative of a number of vibrations resulting from the swallow, and using a computer implemented deep learning classifier to classify the swallow based on the vibration data. Also, a system for classifying a swallow of a subject includes a computing device implementing a deep learning classifier. The computing device includes a processor apparatus structured and configured to receive vibration data that is based on and indicative of a number of vibrations resulting from the swallow, and use the deep learning classifier to classify the swallow based on the vibration data. The deep learning classifier may comprise a single layer or a multi-layer Deep Belief network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Ervin Sejdic, Amro El-Jaroudi, James Coyle, Joshua Dudik, Mingui Sun, Zhi-Hong Mao
  • Publication number: 20190167120
    Abstract: The invention relates to endovascular medical implant devices, systems and methods that including a sensing device and a flow diverter device, which are effective to monitor intra-/post-operative hemodynamic properties in the location of a cerebral aneurysm and, hemodynamic alterations following placement of the system for treating ischemic diseases in carotid, coronary and peripheral arteries. The sensing device includes wireless, non-thrombogenic, highly stretchable, ultra-low profile flow sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Virginia Commonwealth University
    Inventors: Young Jae Chun, Brian T. Jankowitz, Sung Kwon Cho, Yanfei Chen, Woon-Hong Yeo, Yongkuk Lee, Connor Howe
  • Patent number: 10308960
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for treating prostate cancer patients. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that approximately 90% of men carrying at least one of the following fusion genes: TRMT11-GRIK2, SLC45A2-AMACR, MTOR-TP53BP1, LRRC59-FLJ60017, TMEM135-CCDC67 and CCNH-05orf30 experienced prostate cancer recurrence, metastases and/or prostate cancer-specific death after radical prostatectomy (each examples of “progressive prostate cancer”), while these outcomes occurred in only 36% of men not carrying any of these fusion genes. It is also based, at least in part, on the discovery that a genome editing technique that specifically targets a fusion gene can induce cell death in a cancer cell that carries the fusion gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Jianhua Luo, Yanping Yu, Zhanghui Chen, George Konstantine Michalopoulos, Joel Nelson
  • Patent number: 10307423
    Abstract: A compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, having a structure of: wherein X is a divalent linking moiety; and R1-R10 are each individually H, optionally-substituted alkyl, optionally-substituted alkoxy, optionally-substituted aryl, optionally-substituted cycloalkyl, optionally-substituted heterocyclic, halogen, amino, or hydroxy, provided that at least one of R3 or R8 is an optionally-substituted alkyl, a substituted alkoxy, optionally-substituted aryl, optionally-substituted cycloalkyl, optionally-substituted heterocyclic, or halogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, The United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Beibei Chen, Rama K. Mallampalli
  • Publication number: 20190161520
    Abstract: A chimeric antigen receptor is disclosed that includes: (a) an extracellular high affinity streptavidin;(b) a hinge domain from CD8; (c) a CD28 transmembrane domain; (d) an intracellular 4-1BB and/or CD28 signaling domain; and (e) an intracellular CD3 zeta signaling domain, wherein (a)-(e) are in N-terminal to C-terminal order. Nucleic acids encoding this chimeric antigen receptor, and T and natural killer (NK) cells transformed with this chimeric antigen receptor are also disclosed. The use of this chimeric antigen receptor for the treatment of tumors is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventor: Jason Lohmueller
  • Patent number: 10300108
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and compositions for protection of subjects from acute kidney injury by treating the subject with compounds that modulate the cell cycle. Modulating the cell cycle can comprise inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, and/or inducing cell cycle progression. As demonstrated below, even a single administration of a compound which induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest can protect subjects from AKI, and may be used prophylactically in advance of, or as a treatment following, various treatments or conditions that are known to be injurious to the kidney, followed optionally by release of the arrest. Once AKI is established, cell cycle progression can be induced to increase replacement of lost and damaged cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignees: Astute Medical, Inc., University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Paul McPherson, John A. Kellum
  • Publication number: 20190147344
    Abstract: A method of deploying a neural network on a target device method includes extracting a number of device dependent error masks from the target device, using the number of device dependent error masks in a training phase of the neural network to generate a device dependent weight matrix for the neural network, and storing the device dependent weight matrix in the target device for use by the target device to perform inference tasks using the neural network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: YOUTAO ZHANG, LEI ZHAO, JUN YANG, SHUAI DING
  • Publication number: 20190142883
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to modified viruses, e.g., oncolytic vaccinia viruses, which have been modified to contain an exogenous nucleic acid that expresses a protein that modulates STAT3 activity. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that vaccinia viruses modified to contain nucleic acid encoding PIAS3 and that express PIAS3 or a fragment thereof can inhibit STAT3 activity and enhance the anti-cancer activity of the vaccinia virus. Accordingly, this disclosure provides for oncolytic vaccinia viruses and methods of using them in the treatment of cancers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Stephen Howard Thorne, Daniel J. Byrd
  • Publication number: 20190142758
    Abstract: Methods for inhibiting tissue ossification or calcification in a subject, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of BMP I inhibitor-loaded microparticles to a subject in need thereof, wherein the administration provides local and sustained release of the BMP I inhibitor thereby inhibiting tissue ossification or calcification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Riccardo Gottardi, Peter Alexander, Patrick A. Bianconi, Steven R. Little
  • Publication number: 20190142592
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to generation of biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering and, more particularly, to multi-level lamellar structures having rotated or alternated plywood designs to mimic natural bone tissue. The invention also includes methods of preparing and applying the scaffolds to treat bone tissue defects. The biomimetic scaffold includes a lamellar structure having multiple lamellae and each lamella has a plurality of layers stacked parallel to one another. The lamellae and/or the plurality of layers is rotated at varying angles based on the design parameters from specific tissue structural imaging data of natural bone tissue, to achieve an overall trend in orientation to mimic the rotated lamellar plywood structure of the naturally occurring bone tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: PRASHANT N. KUMTA, GARY YU, ABHIJIT ROY
  • Publication number: 20190134240
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multivalent compound for targeted molecular imaging and/or targeted drug delivery, wherein two components or targeting molecules each interacts with one or more biomarkers on a cell. The present invention further provides a multifunctional chelator to combine the targeting molecules. The present invention also provides an in vitro high-throughput screening assay to determine the length of the spacer molecules. The present invention also relates to compounds/probes, kits and methods for use in targeted molecular imaging and/or targeted drug delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Dexing ZENG, Lingyi SUN, Yongkang GAI
  • Publication number: 20190134239
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of targeted molecular imaging and/or targeted drug delivery, wherein two components or probes each interacts with one or more biomarkers on a cell and separately interact with each other to form a stable bond, such as a stable covalent bond. In certain non-limiting embodiments, at least one of the probes is photo-triggered to allow for bonding with at least one second probe. In certain non-limiting embodiments, the cell is a tumor or cancer cell. The present invention also relates to compounds, probes, and kits for use in targeted molecular imaging and/or targeted drug delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Dexing ZENG, Lingyi SUN, Yongkang GAI
  • Publication number: 20190136133
    Abstract: An optically transparent actuator apparatus is provided that includes an optically transparent bi-stable member including an optically transparent liquid crystalline polymer layer. The bi-stable member is structured to move from a first state to a second state in response to a first stimulus and from the second state to the first state in response to a second stimulus. Also, a display apparatus includes a plate member and an actuator assembly coupled to the plate member. The actuator assembly includes a number of optically transparent liquid crystalline polymer layers, wherein each of the optically transparent liquid crystalline polymer layers is structured to move from a first state to a second state in response to a first stimulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventor: RAVI SHANKAR MEENAKSHISUNDARAM
  • Publication number: 20190125189
    Abstract: A system and method for wirelessly and passively powering and/or interrogating an implanted stent using a touch probe assembly through a near-field electrical connection not over an air interface. The stent apparatus includes at least one stent member functioning as an antenna and an electronics module coupled to the at least one stent member. Also, a wirelessly and passively powered power meter for use with implanted stents. The power meter includes an electronics module coupled to a stent member, wherein the electronics module includes a programmable oscillator structured to generate an oscillating signal that is proportional to an amount of AC power received by the implantable stent apparatus power meter through the stent member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH-OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Rothfuss, Ervin Sejdic, Michael L. Gimbel
  • Publication number: 20190120843
    Abstract: A Fe(II)- and Ca+2-chelated alginate/gelatin conjugate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Abhinav Acharya, Steven R. Little, Tatum V. Tarin
  • Publication number: 20190117611
    Abstract: Methods of treating propionic acidemia (PA), methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and fatty acid oxidation disorders are described. The methods include administering an anaplerotic agent that can directly enter the tricarboxylic acid cycle, such as a succinate derivative or pro-drug, for example trisuccinylglycerol (TSG). Methods of restoring tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle function in a cell deficient for propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC) or methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT) by contacting the cell with a succinate derivative or pro-drug, such as TSG, are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Gerard Vockley, Al-Walid A. Mohsen
  • Publication number: 20190117837
    Abstract: A composition is disclosed herein that includes isolated ECM-derived nanovesicles and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods are producing the ECM-derived nanovesicles are also disclosed. These ECM-derived nanovesicles can be included in pharmaceutical compositions, bioscaffolds, and devices. Methods for using these ECM-derived nanovesicles are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Stephen Francis Badylak, Luai Huleihel, George S. Hussey, Juan Diego Naranjo Gutierrez
  • Publication number: 20190099365
    Abstract: A method for sustained delivery of an agent to an ocular organ in a subject, comprising topically delivering to the ocular surface a liquid thermoresponsive hydrogel comprising agent-loaded polymer microparticles, wherein the agent is an antibody, a fusion protein, a chemokine, an interleukin, a growth factor, albumin, immunoglobulin, an interferon, a peptide, stem cell-conditioned media, plasma or serum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Morgan V. Fedorchak, Steven R. Little, Joel S. Schuman