Abstract: Expression of a phosphatase inhibitor in heart cells can be used to treat cardiac disorders, e.g., heart failure. Decreasing phosphatase activity can improve ?-adrenergic responsiveness.

Abstract: A method of determining that an absence of suspicion of neurological injury is indicated in a subject is disclosed. The method involves prompting the subject to engage in three or more of the following neurological assessments: a) Reading Saccades, b) Near/far accommodation using Hart charts of different font sizes; c) Brock string, d) Maddox rod, e) closed-eye turns, f) Near Point of Convergence, and g) PERRLA with consensual reflex. The data from the neurological assessments is used to determine that an absence of suspicion of neurological injury is indicated in the subject.

Abstract: Novel lentivirus packaging systems engineered with a synthetic gene network having a positive feedback loop to amplify the expression of virus genes are provided. When co-transfected into a host cell with a transfer plasmid and envelope vector, extremely high viral titers are achieved when compared to transfection of a host cell with conventional third generation packaging systems. Methods for enhancing production of lentivirus, compositions comprising high titer lentivirus, and therapeutic methods based on delivery of lentiviral nucleic acid to target cells are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for delivery of pulsated air to a user using a device including a flow generator to generate a continuous air flow, a first actuator comprising a pulsated flow delivery mechanism configured to generate a pulsated air flow from the continuous air flow based on a pre-determined duty cycle to vary a frequency of the pulsated air flow, a user interface configured to generate and deliver vortices of pulsated air to the user at the frequency of the pulsated air flow, and a set of tubing to couple the flow generator, the first actuator, and the user interface.

Abstract: Described are novel female fertility therapies. A first aspect of the invention is directed to therapies that include FSH lowering methodologies to prevent and/or treat egg infertility. A second aspect of the invention is directed to agents that bind to activin, bind to receptors that bind activin, or that otherwise disrupt activin signaling (collectively referred to herein as “activin pathway modifier agents” or “APM agents”) and methods of utilizing these agents to prevent and/or treat egg infertility. A third aspect of the invention is directed to methods of administering an effective amount of an APM agent to a subject to increase oocyte yield and/or ovarian reserve. All three aspects of the invention may be used in humans and in animals. Additional aspects of the invention include therapeutic drug kits for treatment of humans and animals based on the methodologies described above.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions, kits and methods for treating tumors such as glioma and cancers such as leukemia with (R)-2-hydroxyglutarate (R-2HG) are provided, along with therapeutic regimens including treatment of a patient suffering from glioma or leukemia with a MYC-signaling inhibitor followed by or cotemporaneous with treatment with R-2HG, and optionally other chemotherapeutic agents.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for slowing, preventing, or reversing platelet damage, particularly as may occur during blood banking or during refrigeration of platelets. The composition may include one or more of a RAC inhibitor, a CDC42 inhibitor, a RHOA inhibitor, or a combination thereof. The compositions may further include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: Small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) of the Prolactin receptor, pharmaceutical compositions of the SMIs, and methods for treating patients suffering from disorders characterized increased expression or excitation of the Prolactin receptor, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and nociceptive pain disorders such as migraine headache, by administering pharmaceutical compositions of SMIs are provided.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing a full k-space dataset using parallel magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique is provided. The method includes acquiring, by a plurality of receiver coils, a set of first under-sampled k-space data, receiving a set of second partial or fully-sampled k-space data, respectively performing k-space interpolation of the set of the first under-sampled k-space data respectively acquired by each of the plurality of receiver coils, recovering respectively missing k-space lines of each of the set of first under-sampled k-space data using corresponding second partial or fully-sampled k-space data and corresponding first under-sampled k-space data, forming a plurality of full k-space datasets by respectively combining each of the set of first under-sampled k-space data and corresponding recovered missing k-space lines for each of the plurality of receiver coils, obtaining a plurality of fully-sampled images from the plurality of full k-space datasets, and combining images into a final image.

Abstract: A method for the treatment or the prevention of a kidney disorder is disclosed. The method involves administering an effective concentration of pregnenolone sulfate to a subject to increase cytoplasmic Ca2+ in kidney cells.

Abstract: The concentration of an administered compound, such as a drug (D), in an organ or a bodily fluid, such as blood, is determined directly through detecting the drug (D) or its metabolites (DM) in sweat. The concentration may be determined indirectly by administering the drug (D) together with one or more tracer compounds (T, T2) or metabolites thereof (TM, T2M) or by detecting concentrations and trends of other analytes present in the body that react to the presence of the drug (D). By determining tracer concentration in sweat, the concentration of the drug (D) in blood or an organ can be determined. The tracer (T, T2) is a compound selected for ease of detection in sweat, known metabolic and solubility profiles that correspond to those of the drug (D), and safety of use. A smart transdermal delivery patch (300) is used to administer a dosage of drug to a wearer in coordination with at least one sweat sensor (324) reading conveying information about the wearer.

Abstract: RNA nanoparticles functionalized with a HER2-targeting RNA aptamer and at least one MED1 siRNA for targeted delivery of MED1 siRNA to human cancer cells via human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors, pharmaceutical compositions of the inventive RNA nanoparticles, and methods for treating breast, HER2-implicated cancers, and in particular therapeutic-resistant cancer such as tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer, by administering pharmaceutical compositions of the inventive RNA nanoparticles.

Abstract: Methods and compositions disclosed herein generally relate to methods of identifying, validating, and measuring clinically relevant, quantifiable biomarkers of diagnostic and therapeutic responses for blood, vascular, cardiac, and respiratory tract dysfunction, particularly as those responses relate to septic shock in pediatric patients. In particular, the invention relates to identifying two or more biomarkers associated with septic shock in pediatric patients, obtaining a sample from a pediatric patient having at least one indication of septic shock, then quantifying from the sample an amount of two or more of said biomarkers, wherein the level of said biomarker correlates with a predicted outcome.

Abstract: A sensor for isolating, identifying, and quantifying one or more analytes in a sample is provided, the sensor having a metal substrate base and a polymer waveguide disposed on the metal substrate base, the polymer waveguide including an optical channel and a polymer disposed in the optical channel; wherein the polymer waveguide optically couples a first and a second fiber optic cable. Also provided herein are methods of using the sensor for isolating, identifying, and quantifying one or more analytes in a sample, the method including contacting the polymer waveguide with a sample, sequentially heating the sensor to a plurality of temperature thresholds, obtaining an optical output at each temperature threshold, and analyzing differences in sequentially-obtained optical outputs in order to identify and determine concentrations of individual analytes of interest in the sample.

Abstract: A nanoparticle delivery system designed for sustained delivery of microRNA-150 (miR-150) to FLT3-overexpressing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, the delivery system comprising poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers complexed with miR-150, wherein at least one dendrimer is surface-functionalized with a ligand specific for FLT3 receptor, and methods for treating AML characterized by FLT3-overexpression are provided.

Abstract: Methods are described for identifying CDI patients as well as CDI patients at risk for recurrence. Embodiments include: (1) flow cytometry of circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to phenotype for the less efficient immunoglobulin response to bacterial toxins and surface antigens that characterizes patients who will become recurrent; (2) stratification by means of complete blood count (CBC) using a Coulter counter to detect the differences in lower angle light scatter (LAL), which has a larger range in the recurrent population; and (3) stratification by means of complete blood count (CBC) using a Coulter counter to detect the lower axial light loss (AL2) exhibited in recurrent patients.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols to improve MRI value are described herein. An example method includes selecting an imaging sequence, selecting at least one objective function from a plurality of objective functions, simulating a relationship between controllable acquisition variables and the objective functions, trade-offing the influence of the controllable acquisition variables for MRI value in whole k-space acquisition to determine optimal acquisition condition, acquiring at least one MR image using the optimal acquisition condition, receiving or estimating outcomes related to the at least one MR image, and evaluating an MR image value for the MR image based on the outcomes.

Abstract: A method of treating skeletal muscle cachexia and inflammation associated with burn injury in a subject in need thereof is provided, the method including administering to the subject an effective amount of a phosphodiesterase-4B (PED4B)-selective inhibitor.

Abstract: A system may include a first injection electrode, a second injection electrode, a first sensing coil, and a second sensing coil. The first injection electrode and the second electrode may each be configured to contact a material and conduct an alternating current through a portion of the material. The first sensing coil and a second sensing coil may each be configured to inductively sense a Hall current created by the alternating current and a magnetic field perpendicular to the alternating current. The first sensing coil and the second sensing coil may be coupled in series.

Abstract: A method and system for improving the quality of MR images acquired with optimal variable flip angles includes receiving MRI parameters for a target tissue, selecting at least one objective function from a plurality of objective functions, simulating a relationship between each flip angle and the at least one objective functions based on the MRI parameters, determining optimal variable flip angle distribution to reach optimization of the at least one objective function for whole acquisition of the MR image, selecting or optimizing a k-space strategy, applying a plurality of radio frequency (RF) pulses with the optimal variable flip angle distribution and the k-space strategy to a target area in an object, receiving MR signals from the target area, the MR signals corresponding to the plurality of RF pulses, acquiring, in the k-space strategy, k-space lines based on the MR signals, and reconstructing the MR image from the k-space lines.