Digital Commons Network^™

Radio Guided Seed Localization Of Imaged Lesions, Charles E. Cox, Emilia L. Dauway

USF Patents

A method of removing lesions by implanting a radioactive seed at the location of the lesion, locating the lesion with the radioactive seed, and removing the lesion with the radioactive seed.

Method Of Intranasal Gene Transfer For Protection Against Respiratory Infection, Shyam S. Mohapatra, Hiroto Matsuse, Aruna K. Behera, Mukesh Kumar

USF Patents

A method of preventing a respiratory infection by administering DNA which encodes IFN is provided. Also provided is a therapy for the prevention of a respiratory infection containing DNA which encodes IFN.

Method To Diagnose And Monitor Cellular Immune Deficiencies, John W. Hadden

USF Patents

A method and kit for determining candidates for immunotherapy, for monitoring the effect of immunotherapy and analysis of cell mediated immunity functionality in a patient who needs immunotherapy is provided. The method includes performing two intracutaneous skin tests and reading the skin test after twenty-four hours. One skin test is the administration of a mitogen such as phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (ConA), pokeweed antigen (PWA) and other mitogens as known in the art. The PHA skin test responses reflect the ability of the T-lymphocytes which are present to react to PHA and to release cytokines like IL-2 and induce a …

N-Thiolated β-Lactam Antibiotics, Edward Turos, Edward T. Carpenter, Timothy Long, Daniel V. Lim, Sonja S. Dickey

USF Patents

Substituted monocyclic β-lactam compounds that are N-1-thiolated monolactams, and which exhibit wide-ranging antibacterial activities, having a single 4-membered azetidinone ring in which: the N-1 nitrogen atom of the azetidinone ring is bonded to sulfur but is not sulfonated, of the formula: wherein R_1-5 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, or alkynyl; X is H, C, or O; and n=0-3. Chemical synthesis of these compounds by a [2+2]-imine-acid chloride cycloaddition, and methods for subsequent derivatization, are also disclosed. The compounds and compositions disclosed herein are useful as antibacterial and antibiotic agents.

Efficient Synthesis Of Alkyl Carbonates, Kyung Woon Jung

USF Patents

Efficient synthetic methods towards mixed aliphatic carbonates through the three component couplings of aliphatic alcohols, alkyl halides and carbon dioxide in the presence of cesium carbonate and tetrabutylammonium iode (TBAI). Due to their enhanced nucleophilicities, cesium alkoxides are smoothly incorporated into CO₂, allowing for mild reaction conditions such as ambient temperatures and short reaction durations. Various primary and secondary substrates are compatible under the standard conditions, offering high yields, while chiral templates such as α-hydroxy carbonyls are resistant to racemization.

Methods And Uses Of Connective Tissue Growth Factor For Differentiation Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Gary R. Grotendorst

USF Patents

The present invention relates to novel methods and compositions related to the administration of connective tissue growth factor, alone or in combination with other growth factors, compositions or compounds, to induce the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes or asteablasts.

Method And Composition For Treatment Of Ischemic Neuronal Reperfusion Injury, Harpal S. Mangat, Gerry Ballough, Gary Brown

USF Patents

Methods and compositions for treatment of, or protection from, neuropathy resulting from reperfusion injury upon reversal of an ischemic condition, comprising treatment or prophylactic treatment of the patient with an antagonist of the type 3 ryanodine receptor, such that a rise in cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration is prevented. Therapeutic compositions containing dantrolene or aminodantrolene are administered to the patient to prevent a rise in cytosolic Ca²⁺ that would otherwise result in Ca²⁺ -mediated neuronal damage. Treatment of ischemic optic neuropathy by this method is shown, and the methods and compositions presented are also applicable to other ischemic reperfusion …

Intestinal Stapling Device And Method, Timothy J. Yeatman

USF Patents

A stapler and associated methods for joining resected passageways together and leak testing the anastomosis is described, the stapler including an elongated member for insertion adjacent two sections of tissue desired to be joined. At the distal end of the elongated member is positioned tissue-joining apparatus, which is activated from adjacent the proximal end. The elongated member has a lumen extending from adjacent the distal end to adjacent the proximal end. A method of the present invention includes leak testing the anastomosis with the same instrument that was used for joining the tissue sections together by introducing air through the …

Lateral Wall Retractor Vaginal Speculum, M. Rony Francois

USF Patents

A vaginal speculum for retaining loose vaginal tissue in a lateral direction includes a pair of blades that are moveable between an open position and a closed position. The blades in the closed position are adapted for insertion into a vagina and in the open position are adapted for dilating the vagina for providing access to a cervix. The speculum also includes a flexible membrane structure, such as a pair of membranes that extend between the blades, The membranes are adapted to retain the lateral walls of the vagina in spaced relation from a midline of the vagina when the …

Method And System For Knowledge Guided Hyperintensity Detection And Volumetric Measurement, Karen M. Gosche

USF Patents

An automated method and/or system for identifying suspected lesions in a brain is provided. A processor (a) provides a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of a patient's head, including a plurality of slices of the patient's head, which MRI comprises a multispectral data set that can be displayed as an image of varying pixel intensities. The processor (b) identifies a brain area within each slice to provide a plurality of masked images of intracranial tissue. The processor (c) applies a segmentation technique to at least one of the masked images to classify the varying pixel intensities into separate groupings, which potentially …

Supercritical Fluid Aided Coating Of Particulate Material, Aydin K. Sunol

USF Patents

A method for preparing coatings of thin films onto solid particle has been achieved by in-situ simultaneous nucleation and deposition of dissolved material out of supercritical fluid, resultant film formation on the solid particles suspended in the supercritical fluid, and subsequent thermal conditioning of the coating in the particles. The coating method involves an enclosed system that provides: 1) for suspension of the solid particles to be coated; 2) for dissolution of the coating material in the supercritical fluid solvent; 3) for temperature or pressure swing operations causing film deposition/coating of the suspended solid particles and; 4) additional chemical addition …

Efficient Synthesis Of Secondary Amines By Selective Alkylation Of Primary Amines, Kyung Woon Jung

USF Patents

A method for selective mono-N-alkylation of primary amines to produce secondary amines that are substantially free of overalkylated tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium salts, under mild reaction conditions without the necessity of protecting groups. Compounds of the class of secondary amines are produced by reacting an alkyl halide with an alkyl amine in anhydrous solvent, preferably dimethyl sulfoxide or N,N-dimethylformamide, in the presence of 0.1 to 3 molar equivalents of a cesium base. Optionally, the extent and selectivity of mono-N-alkylation is enhanced by addition to the reaction mixture of a powdered molecular sieve material for removal of water produced by …

Method Of Detecting And Monitoring Stresses In A Semiconductor Wafer, Sergei Ostapenko

USF Patents

A method of detecting and monitoring elastic strains in a semiconductor wafer (12) comprising the steps of coupling the wafer (12) to a transducer (10) having a periphery (11). This is followed by operating the transducer (10) to produce ultrasonic vibrations at a predetermined wavelength λ and propagating a standing wave through the wafer (12) in response to the ultrasonic vibrations. The method is characterized by extending the wafer (12) in a cantilevered section L from the periphery (11) of the transducer (10) to a distal end (13), and measuring the amplitude of the standing wave λ in the cantilevered …

Efficient Carbamate Synthesis, Kyung Woon Jung

USF Patents

A method of preparing carbamates of the general formula RR’—N—CO₂—R” by reacting an amine with carbon dioxide and an organic electrophile in an anhydrous solvent in the presence of a cesium base, whereby carbamate synthesis is accomplished in good yield at mild temperatures, either in solution or on a solid support, and wherein R, R², and R” are hydrogen, alkyl of 1-18 carbon atoms, silyl, phenyl, benzyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, allyl, or heterocycle, which are widely used as industrial products, and as intermediates in organic synthesis.

Surgical Device And Method For Removing Unwanted Tissue, Christopher D. Adamson, Darrel M. Adamson, Brandon M. Adamson

USF Patents

A surgical device for removing unwanted tissue is disclosed. The surgical device includes a housing having a cavity with a lateral opening. The ends of the cavity are enclosed by an endplate and at a distal end by a motor mount . The motor mount provides for the mounting of a pneumatic motor . The pneumatic motor drives a cylindrical wire brush . The cylindrical wire brush includes a plurality of wire bristles extending radially from a central shaft . The pneumatic motor rotatably drives the central shaft at a first end and a high speed bearing mounted in the …

Lateral Motion Sensing Assembly, Austin Gray Mullins

USF Patents

A lateral motion sensing assembly for sensing movement experienced by a structural member such as a support beam or driven pile. The sensing assembly is immersed within a casing which is mounted to the structural member. The sensing assembly includes a support body and an accelerometer mounted to the support body for measuring movement of the structural member. The accelerometer is aligned with an anticipated line of motion such that measurements can be made along this line of motion. A pair of lever arms are pivotally mounted to the support body for removably securing the support body within the casing. …

Electrofusion Chamber, Mark J. Jaroszeski, Richard A. Gilbert, Richard Heller

USF Patents

A new and useful apparatus for producing cell electrofusion is provided. The apparatus comprises:

a. a chamber with a substrate disposed therein,

b. means for directing the cells to be fused toward one side of the substrate; and

c. a device for inducing fusion of the portion of the cells.

Peptide Antagonists Of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, Richard Y. Liu, Kenneth S. Zuckerman

USF Patents

There is provided a method of inhibiting TNF-α from binding to TNF receptors by administering an effective amount of an inhibitory peptide. Also provided is a method of inhibiting TNF-α functions by administering an effective amount of an inhibitory peptide. There also are provided peptides which have TNF-α inhibitory properties. Also provided is a method of inhibiting TNF-α binding to TNF receptors by administering an effective amount of peptides having the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID No. 1,2,3,4, wherein the peptides can be administered either singly or in combination.