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Available for licensing and commercial development is a guidewire device and system for MRI guidance of vascular interventions. The guidewire design, and its coupled system, enables interventionalists to visualize the location of the tip and distal shaft of an MRI compatible guidewire relative to the vascular system and surrounding anatomy. Visualization of both the shaft and tip enables interventionalists to advance the guidewire through tortuous vessels reducing the risk of puncturing vessel walls and also steering it through labyrinthine vasculature.

Antibodies to NHE3, useful for immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, are available to resell for research purposes. NHE3 is a membrane Na+/H+ exchanger involved in maintenance of fluid volume homeostasis in the kidney. It is expressed on the apical membrane of the renal proximal tubule and plays a major role in NaCl and HCO3 absorption. The inventor has developed rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against a peptide sequence common to human, rat and mouse NHE3.

Antibodies to thiazide-sensitive sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC), useful for immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, are available to resell for research purposes. NCC is found on the apical membrane of the distal convoluted tubule, where it is the principal mediator of Na+ and CI- reabsorption in this segment of the nephron. NCC is the target of thiazide diuretics used in the treatment of hypertension. The inventors have developed rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against a peptide sequence in the C-terminal region of NCC.

Antibodies to NKCC2, useful for immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, are available to resell for research purposes. NKCC2 is found on the apical surface of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, where it facilitates transport of sodium, potassium, and chloride ions from the lumen of the renal thick ascending limb into the cell. Transport of sodium dilutes the luminal fluid, decreasing its osmolality creating an osmotic driving force for water reabsorption in the connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct under the influence of the hormone vasopressin.

Antibodies to UTA1, useful for immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, are available to resell for research purposes. Urea Transporter 1 (UTA1) is activated by vasopressin and is responsible for urea transport across the apical membrane into the intracellular space within the renal inner medullary collecting duct. The inventor has developed rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against a peptide sequence in human UTA1. Antibody also recognizes UTA3, another product of the same gene.

Aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation are the most common types of aortic valvular diseases. Such diseased aortic valves in the body are traditionally replaced with valve prosthesis by an open surgical implantation. Available for licensing and commercial development is intellectual property covering stents for use with valve prostheses. As illustrated below, one possible embodiment of the invention includes a self-expandable stent with an elastic tubular latticework having radial and longitudinal direction.

This invention is directed to use of certain peptide analogs comprising multiple amphipathic helical domains that are able to promote cellular lipid efflux and stimulate lipoprotein lipase activity. As a result, administration of invention peptides lead to reduced incidences of hypertriglyceridemia without inducing toxicity. Existing peptides that stimulate efflux of lipids from cells exhibit unacceptably high toxicity. Invention peptides are superior to existing peptides and can also be used to treat or prevent a vast range of vascular diseases, and their dyslipidemic precursors.

Cryopreservation using liquid nitrogen frozen polyvinyl bags allows for storing cellular materials for extended periods while maintaining their activity and viability. Such bags are commonly used in the clinic to store blood products including blood cells, plasma, hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord blood for future uses including transplantation. These materials, typically obtained in limited quantities, may be of great therapeutic value, as is the case of stem cells or cord blood derived cells which can be used to potentially treat a number of diseases.

X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (XNDI) is a severe kidney disease caused by inactivating mutations in the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) gene that result in the loss of renal urine-concentrating ability. At present, no specific pharmacological therapy has been developed for XNDI, primarily due to the lack of suitable animal models. This technology provides a unique and viable animal model of XNDI. NIH investigators have generated mice in which the V2R gene could be conditionally deleted during adulthood by administration of 4-OH-tamoxifen.

Investigators at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have developed modified defensins that are resistant to degradation, have improved characteristics compared to unmodified defensins, and are promising candidates for pulmonary disease therapeutics.