Abstract: Systems and methods are described providing for the use of ultrasound energy to effect the dislodging of one or more blood clots inside blood vessels. Such clots can include those inside retinal vessels, especially in patients with central retinal vein occlusion. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used for any retinal arterial or venous occlusion. In exemplary embodiments, a small probe can be inserted into the eye of a patient and placed over the retinal vessels. Acoustic streaming created by the probe can be directed to an area or region including targeted blood vessels, resulting in increased flow in one or more retinal veins and facilitating or effecting mechanical dislodging of one or more blood clots in the targets blood vessels. Exemplary embodiments can utilize ultrasonic energy produced at a frequency of approximately 44 MHz to 46 MHz with pulse repetition frequencies of approximately 100 Hz to 100 kHz.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed providing for the use of ultrasound energy to measure blood flow within blood vessels by Doppler velocity measurement. Directional high-frequency pulsed-wave Doppler measurements can be made with a suitable ultrasonic needle transducers for in vivo measuring of blood flow. A needle probe can include a ultrasonic material such as PMN-PT. Such blood flow measurements can be made in any part of the body, e.g., in the central retinal vein and branch retinal veins.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed providing for the use of ultrasound energy to measure blood flow within blood vessels by Doppler velocity measurement. Directional high-frequency pulsed-wave Doppler measurements can be made with a suitable ultrasonic needle transducers for in vivo measuring of blood flow. A needle probe can include a ultrasonic material such as PMN-PT. Such blood flow measurements can be made in any part of the body, e.g., in the central retinal vein and branch retinal veins.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described providing for the use of ultrasound energy to effect the dislodging of one or more blood clots inside blood vessels. Such clots can include those inside retinal vessels, especially in patients with central retinal vein occlusion. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used for any retinal arterial or venous occlusion. In exemplary embodiments, a small probe can be inserted into the eye of a patient and placed over the retinal vessels. Acoustic streaming created by the probe can be directed to an area or region including targeted blood vessels, resulting in increased flow in one or more retinal veins and facilitating or effecting mechanical dislodging of one or more blood clots in the targets blood vessels. Exemplary embodiments can utilize ultrasonic energy produced at a frequency of approximately 44 MHz to 46 MHz with pulse repetition frequencies of approximately 100 Hz to 100 kHz.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a purified retinal pigmented epithelium derived neurotrophic factor composition and a method for purifying such a retinal pigmented epithelium neurotrophic factor. The present invention also relates to a recombinant DNA molecule comprising a gene encoding a retinal pigmented epithelium derived neurotrophic factor having the DNA sequence or the amino acid sequence in SEQ ID NO:1 and to an organism transformed with the recombinant DNA molecule. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of treating tumors, ocular diseases, nerve injuries, and conditions resulting from the activity of serine proteases, which comprises administering PEDF.

Abstract: Nucleic acids encoding the neurotrophic protein known as pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a truncated version of PEDF referred to as rPEDF, and equivalent proteins, vectors comprising such nucleic acids, host cells into which such vectors have been introduced, recombinant methods for producing PEDF, rPEDF, and equivalent proteins, the rPEDF protein and equivalent proteins of rPEDF and PEDF-BP, -BX and BA, and the PEDF protein produced by recombinant methods. Effects and uses of these variants on 1) neuronal differentiation (neurotrophic effect) 2) neuron survival (neuronotrophic effect) and 3) glial inhibition (gliastatic effect) are described.