Abstract: Embodiments of the presently-disclosed subject matter include methods and systems for measuring a level of a neurotransmitter in a subject. Embodiments of the present methods comprise displaying a fixation point, a reward target, and a non-reward target, and measuring one or more saccade movement parameters for reward saccades and non-reward saccades. The saccade movement parameters can include velocity, amplitude, reaction time, or a combination thereof. The present methods can further include determining a reward modulation of the subject, the reward modulation being equal to a difference between the reward and the non-reward values for a respective saccade movement parameter. Some embodiments further include identifying the subject as including a deficiency of the neurotransmitter if there is a statistically measurable difference between the reward modulation of the subject and a reference reward modulation and/or if the non-reward and the reward saccade movement parameters are statistically equivalent.

Abstract: A renal cortex targeting elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), a renal medulla and cortex targeting ELP, and a method of treating a renal disorder are provided. The renal cortex targeting ELP includes up to 95 repeat units having the sequence VPGXG (SEQ ID NO: 1), where X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline. The renal medulla and cortex targeting ELP includes at least 95 repeat units of SEQ ID NO: 1, where X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline. The method of treating a renal disorder includes administering an ELP and a therapeutic drug to a subject in need thereof, where the ELP includes up to 671 repeat units of SEQ ID NO: 1 and X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline.

Abstract: A method for administration of citrulline for the treatment of sickle cell disease and other complications of sickle cell disease thereof.

Abstract: A renal cortex targeting elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), a renal medulla and cortex targeting ELP, and a method of treating a renal disorder are provided. The renal cortex targeting ELP includes up to 95 repeat units having the sequence VPGXG (SEQ ID NO: 1), where X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline. The renal medulla and cortex targeting ELP includes at least 95 repeat units of SEQ ID NO: 1, where X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline. The method of treating a renal disorder includes administering an ELP and a therapeutic drug to a subject in need thereof, where the ELP includes up to 671 repeat units of SEQ ID NO: 1 and X in each of the repeat units is any amino acid except proline.

Abstract: Provided herein is technology relating to treatment of sepsis and particularly, but not exclusively, to methods for predicting a response of a sepsis patient to treatment with L-carnitine.

Abstract: A composition including an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coupled to a kidney targeting peptide and. a therapeutic agent is provided. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to a subject in need thereof comprising: administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising: an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), a kidney targeting agent coupled to the ELP and a targeting agent and/or a drug binding domain coupled to the ELP, wherein the ELP includes an amino acid sequence having at least about repeats of the amino acid sequence GVPGX (SEQ ID NO: 1), and wherein the composition enhances the deposition and retention of the therapeutic agent in the kidney relative to the non-conjugated therapeutic.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for ascertaining at least one of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis in a subject, by processing of one or more medical images of the liver, using a computing machine, to quantify nodularity of the surface of the liver and calculate a liver surface nodularity score.

Abstract: A composition including an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coupled to a therapeutic agent is provided. The ELP comprises at least about 5 repeats of the amino acid sequence VPGXG. Further provided is a method of using the composition for therapeutic agent delivery during pregnancy to reduce the amount of the therapeutic agent crossing a placenta in a pregnant subject. The method includes administering to the pregnant subject an effective amount of the composition comprising the ELP coupled to the therapeutic agent.

Abstract: A composition including an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) coupled to a kidney targeting peptide and. a therapeutic agent is provided. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to a subject in need thereof comprising: administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising: an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), a kidney targeting agent coupled to the ELP and a targeting agent and/or a drug binding domain coupled to the ELP, wherein the ELP includes an amino acid sequence having at least about repeats of the amino acid sequence GVPGX (SEQ ID NO: 1), and wherein the composition enhances the deposition and retention of the therapeutic agent in the kidney relative to the non-conjugated therapeutic.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for colorizing and/or standardizing a medical image, comprising, for example, the steps of (i) receiving, in an image processing unit, digital image data obtained by an image capture device, wherein the digital image data includes a medical image; (ii) analyzing the data with the image processing unit to identify a region of interest; (iii) segmenting said region of interest; (iv) obtaining a measure of the pixel intensities in the segmented region of interest; (v) selecting an optimized color spectrum from a plurality of color spectra using the result of the measure of the pixel intensities in the segmented region of interest; (vi) colorizing the digital image data by mapping the selected color spectrum to the region of interest; and (vii) displaying the colorized medical image.

Abstract: A compound including a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) and elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), and a method for use thereof, are useful for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to peptides for treating cancer, wherein the peptides suppress BRCA1-IRIS expression or activity. The peptides may include an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and/or SEQ ID NO: 2. Further, the present disclosure provides methods for treating cancer, wherein the cancer may be breast or ovarian cancer, including administering one of said peptides to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to peptides for treating cancer, wherein the peptides suppress BRCA1-IRIS expression or activity. The peptides may include an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and/or SEQ ID NO: 2. Further, the present disclosure provides methods for treating cancer, wherein the cancer may be breast or ovarian cancer, including administering one of said peptides to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Methods for diagnosis and treatment of a cancer treatable with a c-Abl inhibitor are provided. Methods for diagnosing a cancer treatable with a c-Abl inhibitor include providing a biological sample from subject, determining an amount in the sample of geminin, c-Abl, or both, and comparing the amount of geminin, c-Abl, or both, if present, to a control level to thereby diagnose a subject as having a cancer treatable with a c-Abl inhibitor if there is a measurable difference in the amount of geminin, c-Abl, or both in the sample as compared to the control level. Methods for treating a cancer include identifying a subject as having a cancer treatable with a c-Abl inhibitor by determining an amount of geminin, c-Abl, or both, and then administering an effective amount of a c-Abl inhibitor to the subject. Screening methods for identifying compounds useful for inhibiting c-Abl are also provided.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include methods for inhibiting damage to a mammalian cornea, comprising administering an effective ?-toxin inhibiting about of a composition that comprises a ?-cyclodextrin and cholesterol.

Abstract: Embodiments of the presently-disclosed subject matter include methods and systems for measuring a level of a neurotransmitter in a subject. Embodiments of the present methods comprise displaying a fixation point, a reward target, and a non-reward target, and measuring one or more saccade movement parameters for reward saccades and non-reward saccades. The saccade movement parameters can include velocity, amplitude, reaction time, or a combination thereof. The present methods can further include determining a reward modulation of the subject, the reward modulation being equal to a difference between the reward and the non-reward values for a respective saccade movement parameter. Some embodiments further include identifying the subject as including a deficiency of the neurotransmitter if there is a statistically measurable difference between the reward modulation of the subject and a reference reward modulation and/or if the non-reward and the reward saccade movement parameters are statistically equivalent.

Abstract: A diagnostic method and predictor of prognosis from various therapeutic treatments is provided using discriminant analysis statistics. In one form, a patient is identified as having a disease using discriminant analysis when one or more values of a physiological parameter of the patient is closer to that of a previously characterized group of individuals having a disease and the patient is diagnosed as not having the disease, or healthy, if the value of a patient's parameter is closer to that of individuals previously characterized as healthy, or not having the disease. For example, the parameters can be based on the autonomic and/or enteric nervous system. Advantageously, the present method can be readily adapted using conventional linear discriminant analysis statistics to factor more than one parameter between a patient and one or more previously classified groups, to thereby enhance predictability and reliability of the present method.

Abstract: A compound including a cell penetrating peptide (CPP), an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), and a therapeutic peptide (TP) can be preferentially directed to a target site by applying hyperthermia. The compound can be useful for the treatment of tumors.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for treating treat gastrointestinal disorders using electrical stimulation. In one advantageous form, the method uses mucosal EGG (mEGG) to analyze a patient's natural gastric electrical activity. The mEGG can be measured anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. From the mEGG, one can determine whether a patient is a good candidate for gastrointestinal electrical stimulation. For example, analysis of the frequency, amplitude and a ratio of frequency to amplitude can be used to determine who should receive gastrointestinal electrical stimulation, and at what the various stimulation parameters should be. The present method can be used to treat various disorders relating to gastrointestinal electrical activity. Ideally, the gastric electrical stimulation is delivered at a desired frequency and amplitude to effectuate normalization of gastric electrical current/activity, thereby treating disorders associated with gastric electrical activity.

Abstract: Elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) serves as a vector for thermally-targeted delivery of therapeutics, including cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs such as doxorubicin. Examples of an ELP-based delivery vehicle can comprise: (1) a cell penetrating peptide, such as a Tat peptide, (2) ELP, and (3) the lysosomally degradable glycylphenylalanylleucylglycine (GFLG) (SEQ ID NO: 3) spacer and a cysteine residue (SEQ ID NO: 4) conjugated to therapeutic such as doxorubicin, or an analog thereof.