Abstract: An antifungal composition and a method of treating a systemic fungal infection are provided herein. The antifungal composition includes a diaryl bishydrazone. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of the diaryl bishydrazone to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Therapeutic peptides of the following sequence are disclosed: Xaa1-Xaa2-Xaa3-Xaa4-Xaa5, and optionally further comprising Xaa6, wherein Xaa represents an amino acid; Xaa3 is proline; and subscripts represent the positions of each amino acid in the peptide sequence starting from the amino terminus of said peptide extending to the C-terminus. A therapeutic peptide optionally includes a linker that cyclizes the peptide. Also described are methods of treating a neurodegenerative disorder and/or injury in a human subject in need of such treatment by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic peptide as disclosed herein.

Abstract: Provided herein are antibodies, or antigen-binding portions thereof, which specifically bind to pathologic forms of calcineurin. The invention further provides a method of obtaining such antibodies and nucleic acids encoding the same. The invention further relates to compositions and methods for use of these antibodies.

Abstract: An acid gas absorber includes a co-current flue gas-lean solution section and a packed counter-current flue gas-liquid phase section useful in a method of capturing an acid gas from flue gas in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

Abstract: A method for recovering valuable elements from pre-combustion coal-based materials includes the steps of grinding the materials to a predetermined size, roasting the ground materials at a temperature of 600° C.-700° C. for a predetermined residence time needed for mineral decomposition, submerging the roasted, ground materials in a solution of lixiviant, filtering the lixiviant solution to separate residual solids from a pregnant leach solution including the valuable elements and recovering and concentrating the valuable elements from the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: This application concerns a loupe-based wearable device that is enhanced by a mounted visualization aid on the housing body of at least one of the loupe eyepieces, the aid providing a dual light source, a beam splitter, and a camera directed in the same optical path as a user's eyesight such that both visible light and fluorescent dye exciting light can be directed at a site of operation to enhance real time visualization of tissue resection.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N?-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products.

Abstract: A D-tagatose spray-drying feed formulation is a mixture of D-tagatose and a functional excipient co-dissolved in a solvent to produce a excipient/D-tagatose composite having a glass transition temperature of greater than 30° C. A method of spray-drying D-tagatose includes the steps of (a) preparing the D-tagatose spray-drying formulation, (b) atomizing the D-tagatose spray-drying formulation in a drying chamber containing a hot inert processing gas and evaporating droplets to produce solid particles of excipient/D-tagatose composite and (c) separating and collecting the solid particles of excipient/D-tagatose composite from the processing gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyplex composition for modulating expression of a gene-of-interest in an insect comprising: a crosslinker, a cation, and a molecule for initiating RNA interference (RNAi). The present invention further relates to polyplex compositions for modulating genes of interest in Aedes aegypti. The present invention further relates to methods of modulating a gene-of-interest in an insect, comprising: administering to an insect a polyplex composition for modulating expression of a gene-of-interest in an insect comprising: a crosslinker, a cation, and a molecule for initiating RNA interference (RNAi).

Abstract: Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N?-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Nicotiana plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for cytochrome P450s that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Expression cassettes, vectors, plants, and plant parts thereof comprising inhibitory sequences that target expression or function of the disclosed cytochrome P450 polypeptides are also provided. Methods for the use of these novel sequences to inhibit expression or function of cytochrome P450 polypeptides involved in this metabolic conversion are also provided. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products.

Abstract: A method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine is provided herein. The methods includes administering at least one basic region/leucine zipper (bZIP) type transcription factor inhibitor to an organism in need thereof. Also provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a bZIP type transcription factor binding site on a promoter of a nicotine N-demethylase (NND). Further provided herein is a method of decreasing conversion of nicotine to nornicotine including mutating a plant genome to knockout at least one bZIP type transcription factor.

Abstract: An apparatus for trace gas detection includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a sensor package including an ambient environmental parameter sensor and a gas sensor for trace gas detection. A trace gas detection system includes two such unmanned aerial vehicles and a ground station all adapted for monitoring ambient environmental parameters and trace gas detection.

Abstract: A method of treating cancer in an individual includes a step of administering to the individual a pharmaceutically effective amount of (a) a first active agent adapted for producing secretion of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) from normal cells and (b) a second active agent adapted for elevating GRP78 receptors for Par-4 on a surface of a cancer cell in the individual.

Abstract: Therapeutic uses P2X7 inhibition and inhibition of IRAK1 and/or IRAK4, methods protecting a cell, and screening methods for identifying inhibitors are described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compounds and compositions that inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome, for example, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Also disclosed are methods for treating, and in particular methods for treating macular degeneration, e.g., dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and wet AMD, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, using compounds and compositions that inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Abstract: A method of treating cancer is provided. The method includes administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of a glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor, a glycogen synthase inhibitor, a glycogen degradation molecule, an anti-sense oligonucleotide that down-regulates glycogen synthesis, and combinations thereof, where the cancer includes elevated levels of glycogen.

Abstract: Mithramycin (MTM) short side chain ketone (SK) derivatives and MTM short side chain diketone (SDK) derivatives are provided. The MTM SK and MTM SDK derivatives are useful for treatment of cancer or neuro-diseases associated with an aberrant erythroblast transformation-specific transcription factor. Unique MTM SK and MTM SDK derivatives have increased selectively toward ETS transcription factor.

Abstract: A method of enhancing yield and transfer rate of a packed bed in a reactor chamber of a vessel includes steps of applying acoustic energy to the packed bed, measuring impedance of the packed bed deriving a natural resonance frequency of the packed bed from the measured impedance and applying the acoustic energy to the packed bed at the derived natural resonance frequency of the packed bed.

Abstract: A composition and method for treating a subject following myocardial infarction are provided. The composition includes a non-PEGylated liposome. The method includes administering a non-PEGylated liposome to a subject in need thereof following myocardial infarction.

Abstract: Purification devices and methods remove perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) from PFC-contaminated water using temperature swing adsorption and desorption.