Patents Assigned to University of Pittsburgh
  • Publication number: 20230129584
    Abstract: A system, device and method of imaging using a real-time, AI-enabled analysis device coupled to an imaging device during an image scan of a subject includes: receiving data corresponding to a plurality of image frames from the imaging device and user input identifying a region of interest (ROI) in a first image frame; providing data corresponding to the first image frame, including the identified ROI and data corresponding to the remaining image frames to the AI-enabled data processing system; accepting a plurality of valid image frames from the plurality of image frames based on a predefined set of computer vision rules and a minimum accepted frame threshold; calculating, frame by frame, an ROI function value of the plurality of valid image frames; determining whether a predetermined ROI function value has been reached; and alerting an operator of the imaging device that the predetermined ROI function value has been reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Nghi Nguyen, Shandong Wu
  • Publication number: 20230110584
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are safety devices that are positioned on the end of a fiberoptic cable, such as those used in surgical procedures, to prevent patients and other objects from the risk of burn from light or heat emitted from the end of the cable when not connected to an optical instrument. The disclosed safety devices can be added to the ends of existing cables and/or can be included at the end of cables during manufacture. In some embodiments, the safety device replaces an existing connector at the end of a cable, and in some embodiments the safety device is added in addition to a connector at the end of the cable. In some embodiments, a slit end cover is included over an open end of an adaptor that is mounted on a distal connector of a fiberoptic cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicants: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, UPMC
    Inventors: Steven Gerard Docimo, William W. Clark, Alexandra Marie Delazio, John A. Holmes, Benjamin T. Ristau
  • Patent number: 11622700
    Abstract: An energy harvesting device includes a housing (2), a moveable device (12) disposed within the housing and including a first surface including a first material (15) and a second surface including a second material (17), wherein the moveable device is operable to move to bring the first and second surfaces together and apart to cause contact and separation between the first and second materials, a first strap (4) attached to the housing, a second strap (6) coupled to the moveable device, wherein movement of the second strap causes operation of the moveable device, and electronic circuitry (20) structured to harvest energy from the electrical charge generated by the contact between the first and second materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Paresh Vasandani, Mingui Sun, Wenyan Jia
  • Patent number: 11623004
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions for vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) comprising a RSV F polypeptide stabilized in a prefusion conformation and an inulin adjuvant. Also disclosed herein are methods of vaccinating a subject against a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection comprising administering to the subject an RSV F polypeptide stabilized in a prefusion conformation and an inulin adjuvant. In some embodiments, the subject is a female, and the method can reduce RSV infection in the subject and/or in the offspring of the subject. In some embodiments, the method decreases vaccine-enhanced respiratory disease (VERD) and/or eosinophilia in the subject or offspring of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, CALDER BIOSCIENCES INC., VAXINE PTY LTD
    Inventors: Kerry McGarr Empey, Nikolai Petrovsky, Christopher Marshall
  • Publication number: 20230108270
    Abstract: A composition comprising a complex of a cyclodextrin with a nitroalkene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Bruce A. Freeman, Francisco J. Schopfer, Sonia R. Salvatore
  • Publication number: 20230097618
    Abstract: Compounds and methods for modulating the activity of receptors are disclosed. Some of the compounds modulate the activity of glycine receptors. Certain embodiments of the compounds are useful for treatment of pain, treatment of opioid addiction, and/or reduction of side effects attributable to opioid use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Yan Xu, Pei Tang, Marta Megan Wells
  • Publication number: 20230094767
    Abstract: The invention relates to magnesium screws and screw-like devices for dental implant surgery and, more particularly, to magnesium and magnesium-based tenting devices for implementation in periosteal and gingival tissue overlying an alveolar ridge of a mandible or maxilla to provide vertical ridge augmentation, i.e., bone regeneration. The tenting devices may be composed of magnesium in dry form, such as metallic magnesium and salts thereof; or magnesium alloy including magnesium in dry form and at least one alloying element or compound; or magnesium-polymer composite including magnesium in dry form and at least one polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Charles S. SFEIR, Andrew J. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20230096719
    Abstract: A method (and system) of segmenting one or more histological structures in a tissue image represented by multi-parameter cellular and sub-cellular imaging data includes receiving coarsest level image data for the tissue image, wherein the coarsest level image data corresponds to a coarsest level of a multiscale representation of first data corresponding to the multi-parameter cellular and sub-cellular imaging data. The method further includes breaking the coarsest level image data into a plurality of non-overlapping superpixels, assigning each superpixel a probability of belonging to the one or more histological structures using a number of pre-trained machine learning algorithms to create a probability map, extracting an estimate of a boundary for the: one or more histological structures by applying a contour algorithm to the probability map, and using the estimate of the boundary to generate a refined boundary for the one or more histological structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh-Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Srinivas C. Chennubhotla, Om Choudhary, Akif Burak Tosun, Jeffrey Fine
  • Publication number: 20230089949
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of treating age-related retinal diseases by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) inhibitor and/or a PNPase purine nucleoside substrate. In some examples, the subject can have AMD or glaucoma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Lori Birder, Edwin Kerry Jackson, Amanda Wolf-Johnston, José-Alain Sahel, Yuanyuan Chen
  • Publication number: 20230071393
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for treating an acute respiratory distress syndrome, such as an acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with a viral infection, such as SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) in a subject in need thereof. These methods include administering to the subject a pharmaceutical preparation comprising isolated matrix bound vesicles (MBV) derived from extracellular matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Stephen Francis Badylak, George S. Hussey, Raphael Crum
  • Publication number: 20230074730
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for transient-based decoding of neural signals. In one aspect, a device such as a brain-computer interface (BCI), includes at least one processor configured to receive a plurality of neural signals from a subject. The at least one processor can detect, from the plurality of neural signals, first neural activity unique to a first defined temporal window corresponding to an onset phase of an intended action of the subject. The at least one processor can detect, from the plurality of neural signals, second neural activity unique to a second defined temporal window, occurring after the first temporal window and corresponding to an offset phase of the intended action. The at least one processor can generate at least one output indicative of the intended action, responsive to detecting at least one of the first neural activity or the second neural activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Brian DEKLEVA, Jennifer Lynn COLLINGER
  • Publication number: 20230073429
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for preparing a structure or object using an additive manufacturing process referred to as sequential cold spray laser sintering. The method includes depositing by cold spraying a plurality of sequential layers of material onto a substrate/build plate or particles of materials onto a compacted powder bed of material and employing an energy source to sinter or melt each of the plurality of sequential layers or powders to produce sequential sintered layers, wherein the number of additional layers is determined based on those needed to produce the final structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, CONCURRENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Prashant N. KUMTA, Abhijit ROY, Howard Arthur KUHN, Matthew CRIADO, John Michael OHODNICKI, Brock T. GOLESICH, Juan J. VALENCIA, Michael John POLLOCK, Michael L. TIMS
  • Publication number: 20230076977
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for increasing expression of utrophin in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising a post-transcriptionally utrophin upregulator compound. The present invention also provides methods for treating a subject having a muscular dystrophy. This invention further provides methods for high-throughput screening for a post-transcriptional utrophin upregulator compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicants: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Tejvir S. KHURANA, Donna M. HURYN
  • Publication number: 20230058380
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for polarizing macrophages to become M2 macrophages. Methods also are disclosed for treating type 1 diabetes in a subject. These methods include administering to the subject a vector comprising a macrophage specific promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule encoding TNF-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) protein. In some embodiments, the vector is administered locally to a pancreas of the subject. In further embodiments, compositions are disclosed including a) a vector comprising a macrophage specific promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule encoding TNF-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) protein; b) a buffer; and c) a contrast dye for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: George Gittes, Xiangwei Xiao
  • Publication number: 20230059358
    Abstract: A multi-lumen implantable device configured to deliver a therapeutic agent to a selected portion of a blood vessel is disclosed. As one example, an implantable device includes a first lumen configured to flow blood from an upstream end to a downstream end of the device when implanted in a blood vessel; a second lumen fluidly separated from the first lumen and configured for introducing a therapeutic agent to a selected, first portion of a wall of the blood vessel, between the upstream end and the downstream end of the device; and at least one sealing member configured to block the therapeutic agent from entering a second portion of the wall of the blood vessel, between the upstream end and the downstream end of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Bryan W. Tillman, Youngjae Chun
  • Publication number: 20230034660
    Abstract: Peptides capable of enhancing N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity by inhibiting binding of the NMDA receptor GluN2A to zinc transporter 1 (Zn1) are described. The GluN2A-derived peptides can be used to in the treatment of disorders associated with NMDA receptor hypofunction, such as schizophrenia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: University of Pittsburgh - Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Elias Aizenman, Athanassios Tzounopoulos
  • Patent number: 11559612
    Abstract: The invention relates to self-assembled organosilane- and small molecule drug-containing coatings for resorbable medical implant devices. The coatings can be prepared from precursor compositions containing an organosilane and a small molecule drug, and can be applied to substrates. Prior to applying the coatings, the surfaces of the substrates can be pretreated. The coatings can be functionalized with a binding compound that is coupled with an active component. The coatings can be applied using various techniques and apparatus, more particularly, by a deep-coating process conducted at ambient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH —OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Elia Beniash, Avinash Patil
  • Publication number: 20230008089
    Abstract: The present invention relates to oncolytic vaccinia viruses which have been modified to promote anti-tumor immunity and/or reduce host immunity and/or antibody response against the virus. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that oncolytic vaccinia virus (i) bearing a genome deletion of a gene that reduces T cell immunity (interleukin-18 binding protein); (ii) treated with a sialidase enzyme which is believed to reduce TLR2 activation and therefore the antibody response; (iii) carrying a gene that enhances cytotoxic T lymphocyte induction (e.g., TRIF) and/or (iv) reduces tumor myeloid-derived suppressor cells by reducing prostaglandin E2 reduces tumor growth. Accordingly, the present invention provides for immunooncolytic vaccinia viruses and methods of using them in the treatment of cancers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventor: Stephen Howard Thorne
  • Publication number: 20230011770
    Abstract: The invention relates to luminescence-based compounds, compositions and methods for chemical sensing in solid state and solutions. More particularly, the invention includes “turn-on” lanthanide sensors that luminesce only in the presence of an organic compound (analyte) and are non-emissive in the absence of the organic compound (analyte).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
    Inventors: Nathaniel L. ROSI, Tianyi LUO, Prasenjit DAS
  • Patent number: 11548939
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of treating a subject with an estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer comprising obtaining a sample of the breast cancer from the subject; determining a level of E-cadherin in the sample is reduced compared to a control; and administering a therapeutically effective amount of an IGF1R pathway inhibitor and an endocrine therapeutic. Also disclosed herein are methods to treat a cancer in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an IGF1R pathway inhibitor and an E-cadherin inhibitor. Also disclosed are methods to predict the likelihood a subject with a breast cancer will respond therapeutically to a treatment comprising administering an IGF1R pathway inhibitor, the method comprising obtaining a sample of the cancer from the subject; and determining a level of E-cadherin in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: University Of Pittsburgh-Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education
    Inventors: Adrian Lee, Alison Nagle, Steffi Oesterreich