BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM

The disclosure provides a surgical apparatus comprising: a steerable member that is bendable and comprises a plurality of bending segments with channels therein; and a plurality of bending actuation wires that are arranged to pass through the steerable member and cause the steerable member to bend, the steerable member comprising at least one outwardly opening lumen through which the bending actuation wires pass.

The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

Described herein are methods and compositions for treating cancer and for predicting a subjects' response to combination checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of treating cancer and/or reducing toxicity to a therapy in a subject comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising at least one isolated or purified population of bacteria belonging to one or more of the genera Flavonifractor, Dielma, Akkermansia, Alistipes, Bacteroides, Butyricimonas, Vampirovibrio, Tyzzerella, Parabacteroides distasonis, Fournierella, Fournierella massiliensis, Eisenbergiella tayi, Tissierellales, Hungateiclostridium thermocellum, Dorea formicigenerans, Caloramator coolhaasi, Muricomes, Geosporobacter, Prevotella paludivivens, Lactobacillus secaliphilus, Bacteroides finegoldii, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Parapedobacter composti , and Anaerotignum lactatifermentans and wherein the method further comprises treating the subject with a combination of (i) a PD-1, PDL1, or PDL2 inhibitor and (ii) a CTLA-4, B7-1, CN or B7-2 inhibitor.

The technology relates generally to the field of immunology and relates in part to compositions and methods for growing and storing modified natural killer cells, including for example, conditional chemical regulation of natural killer cell function. The technology further relates to pharmaceutical compositions and treatment of subjects using modified natural killer cells.

Methods and kits are provided for amplifying and detecting αS proteins from samples, for example, from patients having Parkinson's Disease. For example, a method for determining a presence of a soluble, misfolded αS protein may include: contacting the sample with a monomeric, folded αS protein to form an incubation mixture; conducting an incubation cycle two or more times on the incubation mixture effective to form an amplified portion of misfolded αS protein; incubating the incubation mixture effective to cause misfolding and/or aggregation of at least a portion of the monomeric, folded αS protein in the presence of the soluble, misfolded αS protein; physically disrupting the incubation mixture effective to at least partly de-aggregate at least a portion of a misfolded αS aggregate present; and determining the presence of the soluble, misfolded αS protein in the sample by detecting at least a portion of the soluble, misfolded αS protein.

A method is provided for distinguishing between and/or diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) or multiple system atrophy (MSA) in a subject who is exhibiting symptoms associated with both PD and MSA. The method comprises: (A) contacting a biological sample obtained from the subject and comprising soluble, misfolded alpha-synuclein (αS) protein with a pre-incubation mixture comprising a monomeric αS substrate and an indicator to form an incubation mixture; (B) conducting an incubation cycle two or more times on the incubation mixture to form misfolded αS aggregates; (C) subjecting the incubation mixture to excitation and detecting via indicator fluorescence emission the misfolded αS aggregates; and (D) diagnosing the subject has having PD or MSA depending on the fluorescence emission intensity. In some aspects, the incubation cycles are conducted in the presence of a bead.

A method of promoting neuroprotection in a subject from axonal degeneration, neuronal cell death, and/or glia cell damage after injury, augmenting neuronal signaling underlying learning and memory, stimulating neuronal regeneration after injury, and/or treating a disease, disorder, and/or condition of the nervous system in a subject in need thereof includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a 15-PGDH inhibitor.

Embodiments of the present disclosure pertains to a genetically altered bacterial strain that lacks functional versions of at least three of the following proteins: FbpA; SapM; Zmp1; DosR; FadD26; SigH; nuoG; and Eis. In some embodiments, the bacterial strain lacks functional versions of at least the following proteins: FbpA; SapM; Zmp1; and DosR. In some embodiments, the bacterial strain lacks functional versions of at least the following proteins: FbpA; SapM; Zmp1; DosR; FadD26; and SigH. In some embodiments, the bacterial strain lacks functional versions of at least the following proteins: SapM; Zmp1; and nuoG. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of treating or preventing a bacterial infection in a subject by administering to the subject a bacterial strain of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the bacterial infection is tuberculosis.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a composition. In some embodiments, the composition includes a cross-linked network of cyclic macromolecules. In some embodiments, the cyclic macromolecules are covalently cross-linked to one another by a plurality of cross-linking agents. In some embodiments, at least some of the cross-linking agents are covalently functionalized with a plurality of functional groups. In some embodiments, the plurality of functional groups include a chain of at least three atoms that protrude out of the cross-linking agents. In some embodiments, the cross-linking agents and the functional groups form a polymer matrix, such as poly (β-amino ester). In some embodiments, the composition is in the form of particles. In another embodiment, the present disclosure pertains to a method of administering an active agent to a subject. In some embodiments, the method includes administering a composition of the present disclosure to the subject.

A composition and method of providing nitric oxide and nitrite therapy to patients whereby a therapeutic amount is bioavailable within approximately 30 minutes of administration. In embodiments of the invention, nitric oxide is produced in the oral cavity.