Abstract: The present disclosure describes compositions and methods to promote wound healing. The compositions and methods include an interleukin-1 beta (IL-1?) receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), such as anakinra. The IL-1Ra can be administered topically to a chronic wound including a diabetic ulcer.

Abstract: Microbial keratitis is a sight threatening disorder and infections result in ocular pain, stromal destruction, corneal thinning and/or perforation, leading to vision loss, if untreated and the need for transplantation. Methods of treating bacterial infection of the cornea prophylactically or therapeutically in a subject, are provided according to aspects of the present invention which include administering an effective dose of glycyrrhizin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, solvate, ester, amide, isomer or derivative thereof characterized by anti-bacterial activity, to the subject.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes compositions and methods to promote wound healing. The compositions and methods include an interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), such as anakinra.

Abstract: Dendrimer-based compositions and methods are provided, that are useful for administering pharmaceutical compositions to target cells and tissues for treatment of ocular diseases including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Abstract: Nucleic acids for the treatment of diseases are described, as are cells including such nucleic acids and methods of using both nucleic acids and cells. The nucleic acids include a thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) promoter and a gene that encodes a therapeutic protein or an interfering nucleic acid sequence (e.g., interfering RNA (iRNA sequence)).

Abstract: A system and method for detection, reduction of combustion resonance and engine control is provided. The system senses ion current within one or each cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine and determines combustion resonance from the ion current signal. In addition, the system may determine an engine control strategy to reduce combustion resonance based on the feedback from the ion current signal.

Abstract: Compositions and methods that utilize anti-CD11b antibodies, anti-CD18 antibodies, anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies, anti-integrin ?V antibodies, anti-integrin ?1 antibodies, Abciximab, neutrophil inhibitory factor (NIF) protein, and/or combinations thereof to treat solid tumors are described.

Abstract: Antigenic polypeptides of the growth factor receptor HER2, for breaking the tolerance of a host against self HER2. The antigenic polypeptides include HER2 polypeptides with single amino acid substitutions of lysine for glutamine, arginine for glutamine, or aspartic acid for asparagine. Gene expression constructs, vaccine compositions, and immunization methods including the substituted HER2 polypeptides. Methods for immunizing mammalian subjects with heterologous unsubstituted HER2 antigenic polypeptides, including polypeptides of feline and bear HER2. A diagnostic method of determining whether a mammalian subject is sufficiently immunocompetent to respond to immunotherapies directed at breaking tolerance to self HER2.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film on a substrate which includes a step of reacting a precursor compound with a Lewis base. The precursor compound has a transition metal and one or more alkyl-1,3-diazabutadiene ligands is provided.

Abstract: A cell permeable ATP analog has the following formula: or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: R0 is n, o, p are each independently 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5; X is O, S, NH, or CH2. R1 is H or C1-6 alkyl, R2 is H, C1-6 alkyl, C6-30 aryl, C5-32 heteroaryl, or C7-32 alkylaryl; R3, R4 are each independently H, C1-6 alkyl, C6-30 aryl, C5-32 heteroaryl, or C7-32 alkylaryl, wherein R3, and R4 can be combined together to form a ring structure.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for assessing the presence or risk of obstetrical complications, particularly those related to an angiogenic and anti-angiogenic imbalance. Also provided are methods of treating an angiogenic and anti-angiogenic imbalance with water-soluble statins, such as pravastatin.

Abstract: A photobioreactor system includes vessel for containing a biomass and a plurality of illuminators which may have solid state devices embedded therein or coupled thereto. The light energy is distributed in the vessel volume by the illuminators so as to reach substantially all of the biomass being circulated in the vessel. Biomass may exit the top of the vessel and be refreshed with nutrients and liquid before being reintroduced at the bottom of the vessel. Carbon dioxide is introduced at the bottom of the vessel. The biomass may be agitated either ultrasonically or by motion of the illuminators. A source of energy for the light sources may be solar panels with battery storage and the carbon dioxide may be a byproduct of thermal power generation.

Abstract: Systems and methods to assess the health of various microbiomes and to identity species therein are disclosed. Described assessments and identifications can inform treatment decisions if a microbiome is determined to have a less than optimal balance of bacterial species within it; the presence of one or more negative species; and/or the absence of one or more positive species.

Abstract: IgA-based Fc-folate conjugates as a treatment for cancer are provided. The conjugates utilize only the Fc portion of IgA to target its receptor on neutrophils (Fc?R1) to elicit antibody-dependent cellular-cytotoxicity (ADCC).

Abstract: Methods for preventing and/or inhibiting preterm labor in a pregnant subject, such as a human subject, are disclosed according to the invention including administering a therapeutically effective amount of a protein selected from the group consisting of: PIBF1, a fragment or variant thereof; IL-33, a fragment or variant thereof; and a combination of any two or more thereof. Pharmaceutical compositions for preventing and/or inhibiting preterm labor in a pregnant subject, such as a human subject, are disclosed according to the invention including a therapeutically effective amount of a protein selected from the group consisting of: PIBF1, a fragment or variant thereof; IL-33, a fragment or variant thereof; and a combination of any two or more thereof.

Abstract: Identifying pathways that are significantly impacted in a given condition is a crucial step in the understanding of the underlying biological phenomena. All approaches currently available for this purpose calculate a p-value that aims to quantify the significance of the involvement of each pathway in the given phenotype. These p-values were previously thought to be independent. Here, we show that this is not the case, and that pathways can affect each other's p-values through a “crosstalk” phenomenon that affects all major categories of existing methods. We describe a novel technique able to detect, quantify, and correct crosstalk effects, as well as identify novel independent functional modules. We assessed this technique on data from four real experiments coming from three phenotypes involving two species.

Abstract: A battery network includes a plurality of heterogeneous batteries coupled to at least one energy source and one energy load, a plurality of switches coupled to the heterogeneous batteries, and the switches controllable having a duty cycle between 0 and 1. A controller is configured to characterize each of the plurality of heterogeneous batteries characteristics, determine duty cycles for each of the plurality of switches based on the characterization such that a charge applied from the at least one energy source or a discharge to the at least one energy load converges to a balanced state for the plurality of heterogeneous batteries, and apply the determined duty cycles to the plurality of switches.

Abstract: Iron nanoparticles that are useful for constructing electrodes for lithium ion batteries and a method of making said particles is disclosed herein. The nanoparticles may include magnetite. The electrode may be constructed by centrifuging the nanoparticles to a current collector, such as a disc of copper, without the use of an extrinsic binder. The solvothermal method of making nanoparticles decreases the time of the procedure from about 24 hours to about 75 minutes. The method of making electrode decreases the complexity and number of steps compared to the conventional procedure to prepare an electrode, and eliminates the use of additives (binder and current enhancer) and toxic NMP solvents in the electrode preparation process.

Abstract: A protein transduction method for efficiently delivery of exogenous proteins into mammalian cells is invented, which has the capability of targeting different cellular compartments and protection from degradation of the delivered proteins from cellular proteases. A composition for treat proteins has cation reagents, lipids and enhancers in a carrier. The method can be used in a number of ways including: production of large quantities of properly folded, post-translationally modified proteins using mammalian cell machinery, a in-cell fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging using small molecule fluorophores and a in-cell NMR spectroscopy using living mammalian cells. The method permits cell biology at atomic resolution that is physiologically and pathological relevant and permits protein therapy to treat human diseases. The method can also be used to deliver exogenous protein inside mammalian cells, wherein the exogenous proteins follow a similar secretion pathway as that of the endogenous protein.

Abstract: A method of retrieving fetal cells from an endocervical sample by removing the mucus from the endocervical sample by disassociating fetal cells and maternal cells in the endocervical sample; and isolating disassociated fetal cells from other cells in the endocervical sample. Also provided is a method of retrieving fetal cells from an endocervical sample, by obtaining a mixture of disassociated cells prepared by the above method, treating the cells with a fetal-specific antibody, identifying cells that have bound to the fetal-specific antibody, and isolating the identified cells. The disassociated cell prepared by the above method can be analyzed and used for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, the identification of fetal cells among cervical cells, determination of fetal cell density to predict high risk pregnancy, genetic analysis of fetal cells, and determination of growth factor or other biomarker expression to predict obstetrical disorders.