Clones Encoding Mammalian ADP-Ribosylarginine Hydrolases

ADP-ribosylation of arginine residues in proteins may be involved in cell adhesion and is crucial for the action of cholera toxin and E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin, agents involved in the pathogenesis of cholera and traveller's diarrhoea, respectively. ADP-ribosylation is reversed by ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases, which cleave the ADP-ribose-arginine bond. ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases from a variety of mammalian species and tissues were isolated, and the coding regions for the hydrolases were cloned and expressed.

Electroacoustic Imaging Methods and Apparatus

Recently, an electroacoustic imaging apparatus and two electroacoustic imaging methods have been developed. The two methods are "forward" and "reverse" electroacoustic imaging which requires the application of a probing signal, and the detection and measurement of an induced signal to produce images. The electroacoustic apparatus offers the advantage of generating 2D and 3D images non-invasively. It can simultaneously image several contrast mechanisms, including the Hall effect, the thermoacoustic effect, and the electroacoustic effect.

Factors That Bind Intestinal Toxins

This invention discloses and covers polyphenolic compounds that will bind bacterial toxins, methods for the treatment of such infections, specifically Stx-1 toxins from STEC strains of E. coli.

Bacterial infections not only cause disease by their presence but also upon the release of toxins. The common enteric bacteria, E. coli O157:H7 releases such toxins (Stx-1) upon treatment with antibiotics. These toxins, when released into the lumen of the intestinal tract, will cause cellular damage thus increasing the severity of the infection.

Particles for Imaging Cells

Available for licensing are NIH patent pending contrast particles for use in MRI and flow cytometry to track cells migration in real time. Present cell-tracking studies rely on labeling cells with ultra-small dextran-coated iron particles that are endocytosed. The contrast agent of the present invention uses larger iron oxide particles, approximately 1 µm, situated in a tri-layer structure.

Contrast Agent Enhancement of Chemical Exchange Dependent Saturation Transfer (CEDST) MRI

Available for licensing is an MRI image improving system wherein at least one contrast agent is administered to a subject in amounts effective to perform chemical exchange dependent saturation transfer (CEDST) MRI analysis.

Examples of contrast agents suitable for administration as exogenous contrast agents include at least one functional group bearing a proton capable of chemical exchange. Examples of these functional groups include, without limitation, amides, amines, and carboxyl, hydroxyl, and sulfhydryl groups.

Treatment of the beta-globinopathies through inhibition of RIOK3 activity

Disorders of adult beta-globin synthesis, which include sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta-thalassemia, are the most common monogenic disorders in the world. While the curative potential of bone marrow transplantation has been demonstrated, this approach is limited to a small fraction of affected patients due to the requirement for an HLA-matched donor, the highly specialized approach that requires critical infrastructure, and the high cost.

TSLP Induces Neutrophil-mediated Killing of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

This technology includes the use of thymic stromal lymphopoetin (TSLP) for the treatment of MRSA. Our studies show that mouse neutrophils express the TSLP receptor, TSLPR, and that TSLP protein is increased during cutaneous MRSA infection. Using in vitro MRSA whole blood killing assays, we show that TSLP acts on mouse neutrophils to enhance MRSA killing. In an in vivo MRSA intradermal ear infection, TSLPR-deficient mice exhibit increased MRSA burden compared to wild-type mice.

Vascular Anchoring Introducer Sheath for Interventional Cardiac Procedures

This technology includes a device and method for maintaining access to a location in the body while reducing or eliminating the potential for pulling an access device (i.e., catheter) back through an opening, such as a cardiac procedure. An introducer sheath includes a distal indented portion and a balloon, so that once placed in a desired location through tissue, the balloon can be inflated to anchor the sheath against retraction.

Free Breathing Motion Corrected Pixel-wise MRI Myocardial T1 Parameter Mapping for Clinical Cardiac Imaging

This technology includes a method for performing cardiac imaging without the need for the patient to hold their breath. Free breathing pixel-wise myocardial T1 parameter mapping includes performing a free-breathing scan of a cardiac region at a plurality of varying saturation recovery times to acquire a k-space dataset; generating an image dataset based on the k-space dataset; and performing a respiratory motion correction process on the image dataset.

Methods and Systems for Automatically Determining Magnetic Field Inversion Time of a Tissue Species

This technology includes a computer-implemented method for determining magnetic field inversion time of a tissue species using a T1-mapping image, information about the region of interest, and a tissue classification algorithm. This method includes T1-mapping image comprising a plurality of T1 values within an expected range of T1 values for the tissue of interest. An image mask is created based on predetermined identification information about the tissue of interest. Next, an updated image mask is created based on a largest connected region in the image mask.

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