Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient and methods of prognosing a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that preferentially kills or inhibits proliferation or activity of leukocytes relative to nonhematopoietic cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of methods for the identification and/or treatment of subjects that are at risk for developing life-threatening complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection and other infections. Such methods involve determining if a subject has clonal hematopoiesis.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient and methods of prognosing a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that preferentially kills or inhibits proliferation or activity of leukocytes relative to nonhematopoietic cells.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient and methods of prognosing a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that preferentially kills or inhibits proliferation or activity of leukocytes relative to nonhematopoietic cells.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient and methods of prognosing a nonhematopoietic malignant tumor in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that preferentially kills or inhibits proliferation or activity of leukocytes relative to nonhematopoietic cells.

Abstract: A valve assembly has a valve body having an upper portion defining an upper chamber having an upper valve seat, and a lower portion defining a lower chamber having a lower valve seat, with an intermediate seat region between the upper valve seat and the lower valve seat. An upper valve stem is movable between a closed position seated against the upper valve seat and an open position spaced apart from the upper valve seat, and a lower valve stem is movable between a closed position seated against the lower valve seat and an open position spaced apart from the lower valve seat. A blocking ring is disposed in between the upper valve stem and the lower valve stem, and in contact with the intermediate valve seat. When the upper valve stem is open and the lower valve stem is closed, fluid escaping the upper chamber impinges on the blocking ring. When the upper valve stem is closed and the lower valve stem is open, fluid escaping the lower chamber impinges on the blocking ring.

Abstract: Techniques for determining optimal duration for treatment of disease include receiving an untreated series of measurements and a treated series of measurements. The untreated series indicates temporal progression of a physical property related to a disease while the disease is untreated. The treated series of measurements indicates temporal progression of the physical property of the disease while a particular treatment is administered. A series of effectiveness values is determined based on the untreated and treated series. Each effectiveness value indicates a ratio between an untreated and a treated rate of change of the physical property at a corresponding time. An elapsed time is determined from start of treatment to an earliest time when an effectiveness value reaches an extreme compared to adjacent effectiveness values. Duration for treatment is based on the elapsed time, and is especially useful for each cycle of dose dense regimes for treatments with toxic side effects.

Abstract: This invention relates, e.g., to a method for identifying an agent that inhibits a metastatic cell (e.g. that inhibits cancer metastasis), comprising measuring the amount of seeding of a tumor by a detectably labeled, metastatic cell, in a subject, in the presence and absence of a putative agent, wherein the amount of seeding by the metastatic cell is proportional to the metastatic potential of the cell, and wherein a significant amount of inhibition of the seeding by the putative agent indicates that the putative agent is effective to inhibit the metastatic cell (e, g, cancer metastasis). Also described are kits suitable for performing methods of the invention.

Abstract: A valve assembly has a valve body having an upper portion defining an upper chamber having an upper valve seat, and a lower portion defining a lower chamber having a lower valve seat, with an intermediate seat region between the upper valve seat and the lower valve seat. An upper valve stem is movable between a closed position seated against the upper valve seat and an open position spaced apart from the upper valve seat, and a lower valve stem is movable between a closed position seated against the lower valve seat and an open position spaced apart from the lower valve seat. A blocking ring is disposed in between the upper valve stem and the lower valve stem, and in contact with the intermediate valve seat. When the upper valve stem is open and the lower valve stem is closed, fluid escaping the upper chamber impinges on the blocking ring. When the upper valve stem is closed and the lower valve stem is open, fluid escaping the lower chamber impinges on the blocking ring.

Abstract: This invention relates, e.g., to a method for identifying an agent that inhibits a metastatic cell (e.g. that inhibits cancer metastasis), comprising measuring the amount of seeding of a tumor by a detectably labeled, metastatic cell, in a subject, in the presence and absence of a putative agent, wherein the amount of seeding by the metastatic cell is proportional to the metastatic potential of the cell, and wherein a significant amount of inhibition of the seeding by the putative agent indicates that the putative agent is effective to inhibit the metastatic cell (e, g, cancer metastasis). Also described are kits suitable for performing methods of the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provides cleanability in a valve having a valve body with a radius seal between the seat and the body and an axial movable valve stem. A valve apparatus has a hollow valve body having an inner seat face; a valve disc reciprocally moveable within the valve body; a seal element disposed around the valve disc to contact the inner seat face of the valve body; and a fluid control groove disposed on the seat face, with the flow control groove comprising an annular circumferential groove portion, and a secondary groove portion. The secondary groove portion can be helical or axial.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for detecting genomic rearrangements (e.g., amplification) at one or more genetic loci and various applications of such methods and compositions. Examples of genetic loci include HER2, TOP2A and other loci on the human chromosome 17.

Abstract: Techniques for determining optimal duration for treatment of disease include receiving an untreated series of measurements and a treated series of measurements. The untreated series indicates temporal progression of a physical property related to a disease while the disease is untreated. The treated series of measurements indicates temporal progression of the physical property of the disease while a particular treatment is administered. A series of effectiveness values is determined based on the untreated and treated series. Each effectiveness value indicates a ratio between an untreated and a treated rate of change of the physical property at a corresponding time. An elapsed time is determined from start of treatment to an earliest time when an effectiveness value reaches an extreme compared to adjacent effectiveness values. Duration for treatment is based on the elapsed time, and is especially useful for each cycle of dose dense regimes for treatments with toxic side effects.

Abstract: There is provided a new dosage regimen for capecitabine which maximizes anti-tumor activity while maintaining acceptable toxicity levels.

Abstract: A tool and method is provided for the installation of radial seals such as for example O-rings into radial grooves. The tool and method can be used to install an O-ring into a dovetailed groove of an items such as a valve stem. The tool includes a first part having a first face at an angle relative to a plane in which the plane lies and a second part having a second face opposed to the first face and that a second opposite angle relative to the plane in which the seal lies. Compressing the first and the second part towards the two faces together squeezes the seal and urges it into the groove.

Abstract: A tool and method is provided for the installation of radial seals such as for example O-rings into radial grooves. The tool and method can be used to install an O-ring into a dovetailed groove of an items such as a valve stem. The tool includes a first part having a first face at an angle relative to a plane in which the plane lies and a second part having a second face opposed to the first face and that a second opposite angle relative to the plane in which the seal lies. Compressing the first and the second part towards the two faces together squeezes the seal and urges it into the groove.

Abstract: Breast cancer is treated by (a) administering to a patient in a first plurality of chemotherapy cycles a therapeutically-effective and well-tolerated amount of doxorubicin in a dose-dense protocol; (b) subsequently administering to the patient in a second plurality of chemotherapy cycles a therapeutically-effective and well-tolerated amount of a taxane chemotherapy agent, for example paclitaxel, in a dose-dense protocol; and (c) subsequently administering to the patient in a third plurality of chemotherapy cycles a therapeutically-effective and well-tolerated amount of cyclophosphainide in a dose-dense protocol. Preferably, the dose dense interval between treatments is about 14 days. The number of cycles in each plurality of chemotherapy cycles is suitably 3 or more, preferably 4. Suitable well-tolerated treatment levels are 60 mg/m2 of doxorubicin, 175 mg/2 of paclitaxel, and 600 mg/2 of cyclophoshamide.

Abstract: A diaphragm valve assembly includes a valve housing having two or more fluid ports and defining both a valve chamber extending therebetween for fluid flow therethrough and an access port leading into the valve chamber. A bonnet covers the access port and defines an opening therein through which a valve stem arrangement extends. The valve stem arrangement includes a valve seat disposed within the valve chamber. The valve stem arrangement is slidable through the opening in the bonnet between a first position, wherein the valve seat is disposed in sealing engagement with a fluid port to thereby define a closed position of the valve assembly, and a second position, wherein the valve seat is disengaged from the first fluid port to thereby define an open position of the valve assembly. A diaphragm surrounds and is attached to the valve stem arrangement to form a seal therewith.

Abstract: A double seat flow control valve includes three pneumatic pistons enclosed within two air chambers to operate upper and lower valve disks for venting operations in addition to valve opening and valve closing operations. An air boost is provided for the upper valve disk to maintain the upper valve disk in a closed position during venting of the lower valve disk.

Abstract: An improved endless belt conveyor apparatus includes a supporting frame in the form of a pair of parallel longitudinal carrier rails that flank the endless belt in a plane below the upper carrying run of the belt. The carrier rails extend continuously from end-to-end of the conveyor and have uninterrupted trolley supporting portions that are adapted to support wheeled trolleys for movement therealong. The apparatus may be readily converted from a belt conveyor to an animal feeding apparatus that includes a reciprocating plow assembly by mounting such a plow assembly in a carriage that has wheeled trolleys that ride on the trolley supporting portions of the carrier rails. The conveyor frame structure also permits easy addition of the drive components for the reciprocating carriage.