Abstract: Systems and methods for treating or manipulating biological tissues are provided. In the systems and methods, a biological tissue is placed in contact with an array of electrodes. Electrical pulses are then applied between a bias voltage bus and a reference voltage bus of a distributor having switching elements associated with each of the electrodes. The switching elements provide a first contact position for coupling electrodes to bias voltage bus, a second contact position for coupling electrodes to the reference voltage bus, and a third contact position for isolating electrodes from the high and reference voltage buses. The switching elements are operated over various time intervals to provide the first contact position for first electrodes, a second contact position for second electrodes adjacent to the first electrodes, and a third contact position for a remainder of the electrodes adjacent to the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A method of treating cancerous tumors is presented herein. The method includes injecting an effective dose of a plasmid encoded for IL-12, B7-1 or IL-15 into a cancerous tumor and subsequently administering at least one high voltage, short duration pulse to the tumor. The electroporation pulses may be administered at at least 700V/cm for a duration of less than 1 millisecond. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in at least a two-treatment protocol with the time between treatments being about 7 days. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in a three-treatment protocol with a time of four days between the first and second treatments and a time of three days between the second and third treatments. It was found that the intratumor treatments using electroporation not only resulted in tumor regression but also induced an immune memory response which prevented the formation of new tumors.

Abstract: Catheter devices can include an elongate housing extending along a major axis, the elongate housing comprising a first end an opening. The catheter devices can also include an electrode assembly disposed in the elongate housing and including deformable electrodes with respective electrode distal ends, where the electrode distal ends each consist of respective member portions and respective tip portions. The electrode assembly is slidably movable within the housing along the major axis to allow the electrode distal end portions to transition between a first retracted position and a second extended position. The catheter device is configured such that an average distance between the tip portions in the second position is configured to be greater than an average distance between the tip portions in the first position the tip portions are positioned substantially in a same plane when the electrode assembly is in the second position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of directing, focusing, or concentrating electrical charges within a defined electric field so that these charges can be used to exert forces on cells and tissues in vivo and/or cell cultures in vitro. The present invention reduces and/or eliminates the damage at a target site that would normally be caused by an electrode that acts as a current source or sink to accomplish the same task.

Abstract: Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins have a fundamental role cell signaling, and are activated by a large number of cytokines and growth factors. One member of the STAT family, STAT3, has a critical role in oncogenesis. The present invention relates generally to disruption of the pathway of STAT3 signaling in the treatment of human cancer. STAT3 activation is shown to be present in diverse tumor cell lines and tumors, to promote oncogenesis, to inhibit apoptosis, and to reduce sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. Inhibition of STAT3 signaling induces apoptosis specifically in tumor cell lines, and increases sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. The invention relates more particularly to methods, compositions, means of administering such compositions, and means for identifying such compositions for the inhibition of STAT3 intracellular signaling in the treatment of human cancers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of directing, focusing, or concentrating electrical charges within a defined electric field so that these charges can be used to exert forces on cells and tissues in vivo and/or cell cultures in vitro. The present invention reduces and/or eliminates the damage at a target site that would normally be caused by an electrode that acts as a current source or sink to accomplish the same task.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of directing, focusing, or concentrating electrical charges within a defined electric field so that these charges can be used to exert forces on cells and tissues in vivo and/or cell cultures in vitro. The present invention reduces and/or eliminates the damage at a target site that would normally be caused by an electrode that acts as a current source or sink to accomplish the same task.

Abstract: A method of treating cancerous tumors is presented herein. The method includes injecting an effective dose of a plasmid encoded for IL-12, B7-1 or IL-15 into a cancerous tumor and subsequently administering at least one high voltage, short duration pulse to the tumor. The electroporation pulses may be administered at at least 700V/cm for a duration of less than 1 millisecond. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in at least a two-treatment protocol with the time between treatments being about 7 days. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in a three-treatment protocol with a time of four days between the first and second treatments and a time of three days between the second and third treatments. It was found that the intratumor treatments using electroporation not only resulted in tumor regression but also induced an immune memory response which prevented the formation of new tumors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treatment of a biological tissues comprising target tissues and other tissues. The method includes elevating a temperature of the target tissues above a physiological temperature of the biological tissues to treatment temperature, and generating an electric field extending through at least a portion of the target tissues using a pre-defined sequence of short voltage pulses applied between at least two electrodes. In the method, the treatment temperature is maintained during the generating. Further, the pre-defined sequence is selected such that a magnitude of the electric field generated is sufficient to induce electromanipulation in the portion of the target tissues without substantially elevating of the temperature of the portion of the target tissues above the treatment temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for delivering an agent into a cell through the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields (“nsPEF's”). The method includes circuitry for delivery of an agent into a cell via known methods followed by the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields to said cell in order to facilitate entry of the agent into the nucleus of the cell. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of enhancing gene expression in a cell comprising the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields to said cell. An apparatus for generating long and short pulses according to the present invention is also provided. The apparatus includes a pulse generator capable of producing a first pulse having a long duration and low voltage amplitude and a second pulse having a short duration and high voltage amplitude.

Abstract: A method of treating cancerous tumors is presented herein. The method includes injecting an effective dose of a plasmid encoded for IL-12, B7-1 or IL-15 into a cancerous tumor and subsequently administering at least one high voltage, short duration pulse to the tumor. The electroporation pulses may be administered at least 700V/cm for a duration of less than 1 millisecond. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in at least a two-treatment protocol with the time between treatments being about 7 days. The intratumor treatments with electroporation may be administered in a three-treatment protocol with a time of four days between the first and second treatments and a time of three days between the second and third treatments. It was found that the intratumor treatments using electroporation not only resulted in tumor regression but also induced an immune memory response which prevented the formation of new tumors.

Abstract: A device and related methodologies to deliver molecules to the cells that comprise any tissues. The invention includes a catheter-based electrode and methods for its use for the delivery of molecules to cardiac tissue, blood vessels, other tissues/organs that can be accessed through a luminal tissue, and luminal tissues. The invention is also a non-catheter based electrode for performing the same functions. In certain embodiments the electrode utilizes a segmented electrode array wherein each electrode is separately addressable by a source of electricity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treatment of a heated exhaust gas including hydrocarbons are provided. A method includes providing a first gas including a gaseous mixture of vaporized diesel fuel and steam and treating the first gas using at least one corona discharge including a combination of streamers to transform the first gas into a second gas including volatile partially oxidized hydrocarbons (PO—HC) and hydrogen gas (H2), the combination of streamers including primarily surface streamers. The method also includes extracting at least a portion of vaporized diesel fuel and steam from the second gas to form a third gas and directing a combination of the third gas and the exhaust gas into a nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction reactor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating or manipulating biological tissues are provided. In the systems and methods, a biological tissue is placed in contact with an array of electrodes. Electrical pulses are then applied between a bias voltage bus and a reference voltage bus of a distributor having switching elements associated with each of the electrodes. The switching elements provide a first contact position for coupling electrodes to bias voltage bus, a second contact position for coupling electrodes to the reference voltage bus, and a third contact position for isolating electrodes from the high and reference voltage buses. The switching elements are operated over various time intervals to provide the first contact position for first electrodes, a second contact position for second electrodes adjacent to the first electrodes, and a third contact position for a remainder of the electrodes adjacent to the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: By maintaining a substantially constant total die power during the entire lifetime of sophisticated integrated circuits, the performance degradation may be reduced. Consequently, greatly reduced guard bands for parts classification may be used compared to conventional strategies in which significant performance degradation may occur when the integrated circuits are operated on the basis of a constant supply voltage.

Abstract: Processing data in a multithreaded application to alleviate impaired or substandard performance conditions is provided. Work items that are pending processing by the multithreaded application are placed into a data structure. The work items are processed by a plurality of threads within the multithreaded application in accordance with a first algorithm, e.g., first-in first-out (FIFO). A thread within the multithreaded application is configured apart from the plurality of threads such that it processes work items in accordance with a second algorithm that differs from the first algorithm, thereby avoiding the impairing condition. For example, the thread may process a pending work item only if it has a particular characteristic. The thread restricts its own processing of work items by intermittently evaluating workflow conditions for the plurality of threads; if the workflow conditions improve or are unimpaired, then the thread does not process any work items.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for electromanipulation of chemical species in vivo relative to a target tissue utilizing a nonconductive, conformable array base adapted to be placed coincident to the target tissue, a plurality of electrode elements projecting from the array base towards the target tissue, the electrode elements addressable individually, an electrical source coupled to the plurality of electrodes, a control means interposed between the electrical source and the plurality of electrode elements and in circuit communication therein, the control means adapted to establish an electrical potential between at least two electrodes, and a delivery means adapted to introduce chemical species to the target tissue.

Abstract: A method is presented for processing data in a multithreaded application to alleviate impaired or substandard performance conditions. Work items that are pending processing by the multithreaded application are placed into a data structure. The work items are processed by a plurality of threads within the multithreaded application in accordance with a first algorithm, e.g., first-in first-out (FIFO). A thread within the multithreaded application is configured apart from the plurality of threads such that it processes work items in accordance with a second algorithm that differs from the first algorithm, thereby avoiding the impairing condition. For example, the thread may process a pending work item only if it has a particular characteristic. The thread restricts its own processing of work items by intermittently evaluating workflow conditions for the plurality of threads; if the workflow conditions improve or are unimpaired, then the thread does not process any work items.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention is provided a method of treating a subject having a cancerous tumor. The treatment protocol methodology includes injecting the cancerous tumor with an effective dose of plasmid coding for a therapeutic protein followed by administering electroporation therapy to the tumor, the electroporation therapy includes the administration of at least one high voltage, short duration pulse to the tumor.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a system and method whereby aspirin and acetic acid help to permeabilize cell membranes to allow exogenous molecules to gain access to the cell interior. As such, the present invention provides a low cost drug and gene delivery tool that can be applied in combination with other molecular delivery methods.