385 results about "Elevated level" patented technology

Biomaterials with enhanced properties such as improved strength, flexibility, durability and reduced thickness are useful in the fabrication of biomedical devices, particularly those subjected to continuous or non-continuous loads where repeated flexibility and long-term durability are required. These enhanced properties can be attributed to elevated levels of elastin, altered collagen types, and other biochemical changes which contribute to these enhanced properties. Examples of devices which would be improved by use of such tissue include heart valves, including percutaneous heart valves, and vascular grafts, patches and the like. Such enhanced materials can be sourced from specific populations of animals, such as neonatal calves, or in range-fed adult cattle, or can be fabricated or created from cell populations exhibiting such properties. In one embodiment, glutaraldehyde-fixed neonatal pericardial tissue is used to create leaflets in a percutaneous heart valve, and may be used without chemical fixation, with or without processes to remove residual cellular membranes, and utilized as a scaffold material for tissue engineering.

The invention provides a genetic screening method for identifying a transfected cell expressing the polypeptide of interest. The methods allows for high throughput screening of recombinant cells for elevated levels of expression of the polypeptide of interest. The invention also provides capture media, formulations and methods of making and using thereof.

Elevated levels of homocysteine have been implicated as an important risk factor for cardiovascular and other diseases. A composition for decreasing levels of plasma homocysteine and a method for administering the composition are provided, the composition containing dextromethorphan (DM), folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12. The composition provides a synergistic therapeutic effect so that lower amounts of the above ingredients may be employed to minimize any undesirable side effects caused by the use of high levels of a component such as DM. Preferred compositions for cardiovascular diseases further include lecithin, vitamin E, betacarotene, procyanidins/flavonoids, trimethylglycine, garlic oil and minerals. Other compositions for treating glaucoma include bilberry, bioflavonoids and beta-carotene and for treating tardive dyskinesia include an antioxidant such a grape seed extract and pine bark extract, lecithin and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. The compositions may be administered using any suitable means such as orally or intravenous.

Polymer compositions capable of a high degree of curing at relatively low temperatures, and prepregs, adhesives, films and composites formed therefrom are discussed. The polymer compositions include epoxy resin systems and a dual curing system including one or more curing agents containing one or more hydrazine-based curing agents having hydrazine functional groups and one or more amine-based curing agents containing one or more amine functional groups. The hydrazine-amine curing systems enable the polymer composition to achieve elevated levels of gelation or degree of cure at lower temperatures than are achievable with amine functional curing agents alone. Furthermore, this elevated degree of curing of the polymer composition may be achieved with substantially no reduction in tack life and/or out life of the prepreg, adhesive or film or cured state mechanical properties of composites, adhesives or other products fabricated therefrom, such as open hole compression strength and compressive strength after impact. The glass transition temperature of the cured polymer compositions is similarly unaffected.

A method in which a parent hydrocarbon-rich material is processed so as to produce both a carbon-rich solid material that has a higher carbon to hydrogen ratio than that of the parent material and a carbon-deficient combustible gas that has a lower carbon to hydrogen ratio than the parent material. In the process, the material is activated by exposing it to a hot gas stream having elevated levels of one or both of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The combustible gas is combusted to produce heat. At least about 80% of the heat is used in one or more endothermic steps that include drying coal or biomass.

The present invention provides peptidomimetics derived from Apolipoprotein A-I, which is useful for beneficially influencing lipid parameters and/or plasma cholesterol levels. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment for elevated levels of plasma cholesterol.

The present invention provides a composition comprising prebiotic and probiotic components and is used to reduce elevated levels of nitrogenous waste products and to promote a healthy bowel microenvironment.

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and CAR-expressing T cells are provided that can specifically target cells that express an elevated level of a target antigen. Likewise, methods for specifically targeting cells that express elevated levels of antigen (e.g., cancer cells) with CAR T-cell therapies are provided.

Elevated levels of GP73 in the sera is diagnostic for hepatocellular carcinoma. An increase in serum GP73 levels over time can also indicate the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma in subjects at risk for the disease.

The present invention provides novel radiation associated markers. The radiation associated markers may be one or more of albumin, LTGF-β, or any protein or peptide listed in any one of Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 provided herein. The present invention also provides methods of assessing exposure to ionizing radiation by determining the presence of one or more radiation associated markers. The methods may optionally include quantifying one or more of the radiation associated markers. The methods may further include comparing the amount of one or more radiation associated markers in the sample determined to be present in the sample with either (i) the amount determined for temporally matched, normal samples or (ii) the amount determined for samples obtained from individuals or subjects that have not been exposed to an elevated level of ionizing radiation. The present invention further provides a method of predicting outcome in a subject after exposure to elevated levels of ionizing radiation. Further, the present invention provides a method of determining the amount of radiation therapy that has been delivered to a particular tissue. Also, the present invention provides kits for assessing the likelihood of significant damage, death, illness or medical complications post exposure to elevated levels of ionizing radiation by determining the presence or absence or by quantifying the amount of one or more radiation associated markers.

It is intended to provide a soy protein gel which has such gel properties that have never been obtained hitherto and is excellent in taste and color tone, and a soy protein food taking advantage of the gel properties. It has been found out that gel properties can be modified at an extremely elevated level and thus the desired soy protein gel can be obtained by preparing a gel by using a soy protein material in which the lipophilic protein content is reduced and conducting the gelation with the utilization of not only heat but also the action of a protein crosslinking enzyme.

Various arrangements for detecting and mitigating toxic gases are presented. Components of a home automation system may be used to monitor gas concentrations in home. Changes or elevated levels of gas concentrations may trigger mitigation or diagnosis procedures. Diagnosis procedures may include correlating the gas sensor readings with the activity of components of a home to identify possible causality. The activity of components may be changed and altered to test correlations or determine causality between components.

Provided herein are methods that include (i) determining a level of soluble ST2 in a biological sample from a subject, (i) comparing the level of soluble ST2 in the biological sample to a reference level of soluble ST2 (e.g., a level of soluble ST2 in the subject at an earlier time point), and (iii) selecting, implanting, replacing, or reprogramming an implanted cardiac device, e.g., an ICD, CRT, or CRT-D device, for a subject having an elevated level of soluble ST2 in the biological sample compared to the reference level of soluble ST2, or selecting a subject for participation in, or stratifying a subject participating in, a clinical study of a treatment for reducing the risk of a ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) event. Also provided are methods for evaluating the risk of a VTA event in a subject. Also provided are kits for performing any of these methods.

New methods are provided for suppressing the immune system and for treating immune related disorders. Therapies of the invention include administration of an FLT3 inhibitor compound to a subject in need thereof, such as a subject suffering from organ rejection, bone marrow transplant rejection, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, arthritis, aplastic anemia, graft-versus-host disease, Graves' disease, established experimental allergic encephalitomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, or a neurological disorder. Methods are also provided for screening therapeutic agents for treating immune disorders, including the use of a mouse having an elevated level of FLT3 receptor activity.

A neurodegenerative disease or condition is diagnosed in a subject by obtaining a sample of cerebral spinal fluid from the subject and assaying the sample by an assay method that detects the presence of at least one antiphospholipid autoantibody in the sample, wherein an elevated level of at least one antiphospholipid autoantibody in the sample of cerebral spinal fluid correlates with a neurodegenerative disease or condition in the subject. The neurodegenerative disease or condition may also be diagnosed by assaying a sample of cerebral spinal fluid to detect nitrosylated antibodies, wherein an elevated level of nitrosylated antibodies correlates with a neurodegenerative disease or condition in said subject. A neurodegenerative disease or condition is also detected or diagnosed by assaying a first sample of cerebral spinal fluid from the subject to determine a level of at least one autoantibody having a selected specificity, treating a second sample of cerebral spinal fluid with an oxidizing agent and assaying the oxidized second sample to determine a level the at least autoantibody having the selected specificity, and comparing the level of the at least one autoantibody in the first sample with the level of the at least one autoantibody in the oxidized second sample, wherein a lack of increase in the level of the at least one autoantibody in the oxidized second sample as compared to the level of the at least one autoantibody in the first sample correlates with a neurodegenerative disease or condition in said subject.

The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating diseases or disorders in which elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta_1-42 are prevalent. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating a major or minor depressive episode/disorder attributed to elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta_1-42, found particularly in body fluids including whole blood, blood cells, serum, plasma, urine and CSF. The invention also relates to the treatment of these disorders by administering an agent that either prevents production of Abeta, prevents aggregation of Abeta fibrils, or that increases the degradation or clearance of Abeta. In addition, the invention provides a method of treating or preventing a major or minor depressive disorder comprising administering an agent that prevents or interferes with Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such agents and methods of screening for novel agents.

This invention relates, e.g., to a method for predicting the response of a subject having estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer to an inhibitor of the estrogen signaling pathway (e.g. tamoxifen), comprising measuring in a cancer sample from the subject the level of phosphorylation, compared to a baseline value, of one or more of the following members of an interconnected intracellular signaling pathway: (a) 4EBP1, and/or (b) p70S6, and/or (c) STAT3, and/or (d) FAK, wherein a significantly elevated level of phosphorylation of 4EBP1, and/or p70S6 and/or STAT3, and/or a significantly decreased level of phosphorylation of FAK, compared to the baseline value, indicates that the subject is likely to be a non-responder to the inhibitor and/or has a poor prognosis. Additional members of the intracellular signaling pathway whose phosphorylation can be measured are also described. Also described is a method for treating breast cancer in a subject in need thereof, wherein the subject exhibits an elevated level of phosphorylation of these markers, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more inhibitors of members of the interconnected intracellular signaling pathway.

The present invention pertains to the use of BMP-2, which is overexpressed in most common cancers, as 1) a target for cancer treatment therapies and 2) a means to diagnose cancer. The therapeutic component of this invention involves administering to a patient a composition that inhibits bone morphogenetic-2 activity. Such inhibition may be accomplished by ligands or antibodies that bind to BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptors. It may also be achieved by preventing the processing of pro-BMP-2, or blocking transcription or replication of BMP-2 DNA or translation of BMP-2 mRNA. The diagnostic component of the invention involves measuring the BMP-2 level in biological samples from both a patient and a subject and comparing those levels. Elevated levels of BMP-2 in the patient compared to the non-cancerous subject indicate cancer.

UBC.P-031 Patent Application-Therapeutic agents which target heat shock protein (hsp) 27 in vivo are used to provide treatment to individuals, particularly human individuals, suffering from prostate cancer and other cancers that overexpress hsp27. A therapeutic agent, for example an antisense oligonucleotide or RNAi nucleotide inhibitor with sequence specificity for hsp27 mRNA, for example human hsp27 mRNA, is administered to an individual suffering from prostate cancer or some other cancer expressing elevated levels of hsp 27 in a therapeutically effective amount. The therapeutic agent is suitably formulated into a pharmaceutical composition which includes a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and packaged in dosage unit form. A preferred dosage unit form is an injectable dosage unit form.

A system for setting a table that displays a plurality of items on different elevated levels using invertible stacking members, the stacking members having two forms, plate and pedestal, that form a plurality of different configurations. A pedestal base member engages a plate member in a pedestal plate configuration and inverts into a vase configuration. The pedestal base member converts into a candle holder and selectively engages the plate member, the plate member selectively displaying a decorative item surrounding the base member, the combination forming a centerpiece. The pedestal base member engages the plate member, forming a stackable pair, stacking with other pairs, another base member or another plate member. The pedestal base members selectively stack with each other. The plate members each have an interlocking rim that locks with the plate above and the plate below, forming a compact stack on a buffet table.

A method is described for rapid and economical activation and/or preconditioning of gas purification substrates by providing forced convection of the preconditioning or activating gas through the pores of the substrate. The gas is pumped into the substrate-containing vessel and raised to an elevated pressure, which is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of contents of the vessel. The vessel is again pressurized with the purging gas to an elevated level, and the elevated pressure is maintained for a short predetermined time, followed by venting of the vessel. This cycle is repeated as often as needed or desired. Activation and/or preconditioning can be accomplished in a much shorter time and with much less gas usage compared to diffusion preconditioning and activation processes. This process is particularly suited for preconditioning and activation of gas purifier substrates for decontamination of gases down to <=1 ppm contaminants.