Latest technologies from Texas Portal

NoShow-Predict: An AI-Powered Software for Patient Scheduling Management

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:16:23 GMT

UTHealth creators have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to create a software tool that is integrated with existing electronic health records (EHR) systems to analyze historical patient attendance patterns and non-sensitive patient attributes, and assigns a no-show probability to every upcoming appointment. Staff can then trigger targeted actions—extra reminders, wait-list fills, or strategic overbooking—potentially translating to multimillion-dollar annual savings with only a marginal rise in total visits. Current Challenges with Patient No-Shows Unexp...

FindADoctor: An AI-Powered Software for physician discovery and scheduling

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:15:11 GMT

UTHealth creators have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) physician discovery and scheduling platform built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), where patients can always see who is available right now, using a hybrid architecture that ensures the most clinically appropriate and immediately accessible providers appear first, cross-referencing department-level Areas of Interest, subspecialty scopes, patient eligibility, and live scheduling data to produce a single, prioritized list easily navigated by patients. Current Challenges with Finding a Physician Finding the right doctor t...

iDFax: AI-Powered Software for Healthcare Fax Management

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:05:26 GMT

UTHealth creators have utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to create a software tool that is integrated with existing electronic health records (EHR) systems to automate medical fax management, resulting in a 3.6x reduction in fax processing time or 60k hours compared to legacy systems. Efficiency in time and money on this task helped conserve resources so billing providers could see more patients. iDFax has been launched at UTHealth clinics, integrated with EHR, and has processed over 1.5 million faxes to date. Current Challenges with Fax Processing Despite advances in interopera...

Anti-LILRB5 Monoclonal Antibodies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:19:16 GMT

Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in regulating immune responses to tumors. UTHealth Houston and UTSW researchers discovered certain membrane tyrosine kinase Eph receptors, including EphA7 and EphB1, specifically bind to the immune inhibitory receptors leukocyte Ig-like receptor family B 5 (LILRB5) and result in bi-directional signaling. They further developed novel anti-LILRB5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and demonstrated their therapeutic potentials in vitro and in vivo. Background Current immune checkpoint blockade therapies have been successful in treating certain types ...

Anti-LILRB1 Monoclonal Antibodies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:13:29 GMT

LILRB1 expression on myeloid cells regulates both innate and adaptive immune responses. Researchers at UTHealth Houston and UTSW developed novel agonistic anti-LILRB1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for autoimmune and inflammatory disease treatments, and novel antagonistic anti-LILRB1 mAbs for cancer immunotherapies. Background LILRB1, a member of the ITIM-containing LILR receptor family, plays critical roles in regulation of both innate and adaptive immunity. It is expressed on several types of immune cells, including NK cells, and acts as an immune checkpoint protein. LILRB1 expression in mye...

Anti-LAIR1 Monoclonal Antibodies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:09:21 GMT

Leukocyte associated immunoglobulin like receptor 1 (LAIR1 or CD305) is an immune inhibitory receptor expressing on most immune cell types. Researchers at UTHealth Houston and UTSW generated novel antagonistic anti-LAIR1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that inhibited the activity of immunosuppressive myeloid cells and reactivated T cells from cancer patients in vitro and impeded tumor metastasis in a humanized mouse model. Background As an immune inhibitory receptor, LAIR1 was reported to have the function on regulating immune system balance and protecting tissue damages against ...

Anti-LILRB3 Monoclonal Antibodies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:55:54 GMT

UTHealth Houston and UTSW researchers discovered that LILRB3 stimulates NF-κB signaling and enhances acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. They generated a panel of novel anti-LILRB3 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which exhibited increasing killing of leukemia cells and promoting cytotoxic T cell activity against tumors. Background Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B (LILRB), a family of immune checkpoint receptors, contributes to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development, but the specific mechanisms triggered by activation or inhibition of these immune checkpoints in cancer is largel...

CAR-T Cells Targeting LILRB4 for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:49:51 GMT

CAR-T cell therapy development for AML has been limited by lack of an antigen with high specificity for AML cells that is not present on normal hematopoietic stem cells. UTHealth Houston and UTSW researchers discovered that leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor-B4 (LILRB4) is a tumor-associated antigen highly expressed on monocytic AML cells. They further generated a novel anti-LILRB4 CAR-T cell that displays high antigen affinity and specificity, which offers a new treatment strategy for monocytic AML. Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia of adults and ...

Novel Channelrhodopsins for Optogenetics Gene Therapy

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:41:56 GMT

When expressed in targeted neurons, light-sensitive channelrhodopsin proteins (ChRs) have the ability to selectively manipulate neuronal activity in a light-dependent manner. Gene therapy using anion ChRs (ACRs) has the potential for treating excessive neuron firing in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, neuropathic pain and epilepsy, while cation ChRs (CCRs) hold promise for vision restoration. Dr. John Spudich and his team at UTHealth have developed suites of ACRs and CCRs, which are orders of magnitude more efficient than currently available optogenetic tools and have the abilit...

SLC13A3 Monoclonal Antibody for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:39:58 GMT

Description: SLC13A3 is revealed here, for the first time based on our evaluation, as a transporter for itaconate in tumor cells which plays a role in promoting tumor ferroptosis resistance, thereby weakening tumor immunity and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). World renowned immuno-oncology leaders from UTHealth and University of Michigan (UMich) have identified a panel of monoclonal antibodies with therapeutic and diagnostic potential targeting SLC13A3 immune modulation axis, potentially pioneering the novel class of immunotherapeutics of specific antibodies in clinical trials. Background...

Generation of Region-Specific Airway Basal Cells

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 08:45:11 GMT

Airway basal cells are essential for the homeostatic maintenance and repair of the respiratory epithelium. Recent study also revealed pronounced regional differences between human proximal and distal airway cell types, including basal cells. UTHealth researchers and their collaborators established a novel strategy to generate region-specific proximal, intermediate, and distal airway basal cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), leading to new opportunities in regeneration medicine, cell-based therapies, and related disease research. Background Basal c...

AI SpamShield: IMAP-Compatible, AI-Driven Spam Purging Tool with Continuous Learning Feature

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:08:05 GMT

UTHealth creators have developed AI SpamShield, a standalone AI spam-purging tool that could easily be integrated into any IMAP-based email system. AI SpamShield’s capabilities include skilled distinction between legitimate and spam messages, complemented by the abiliity to continuously learn from user feedback that further enhances accuracy for individual users over time. Additional features such as automatic folder allocation can boost business productivity and efficiency. Background Traditional spam filters for email messages perform marginally because they rely on predefine...

Electrode Micromanipulator

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 11:09:47 GMT

UTHealth inventors have designed and developed a novel low-cost manual electrode micromanipulator, which can be as small as 73mm x 12 mm x 37 mm (length, width, height) with a weight of 25 g. The design incorporates a compliant mechanism via a simple flexible hinge to mediate the movement along three axes: 12 mm (forward/backward), 9 mm (vertical), 5 mm (left/right). The designed micromanipulator can be easily assembled from 3D-printed parts. Background Micromanipulators are a common laboratory and clinical instrument used in cell biology, neurobiology, microelectronics, and microsu...

S100A4 Monoclonal Antibody for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:24:10 GMT

Cancer metastasis are responsible for ~90% of cancer associated deaths. Recent studies suggest that immune cells play critical roles in promoting metastasis, especially myeloid cells from the bone marrow. UTHealth researchers, with researchers from Houston Methodist Hospital, observed a highly conserved expression of S100A4 in immune suppressive myeloid cells in all cancers. They created and engineered monoclonal antibodies against S100A4 and showed that the S100A4 antibodies suppressed breast cancer metastasis to the lung in two different mouse models. Background Cancer is a leading...

LILRB2 Monoclonal Antibody for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Uses of Neurodegenerative Diseases

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 19:48:54 GMT

Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) plays a key regulatory role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by controlling microglia activation and metabolic activities in brain tissues. TREM2 signaling inhibition is mediated by leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B member 2 (LILRB2). UTHealth inventors created and engineered an effective monoclonal antibody that blocks LILRB2/ligand interactions and rescues the inhibition of TREM2 signaling by LILRB2, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy for improving microglial functions. Background AD is a neurodegenerat...

Novel Channelrhodopsins for Optogenetics Gene Therapy (KCRs, ACRs, CCRs)

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:26:25 GMT

When expressed in targeted neurons, light-sensitive channelrhodopsin proteins (ChRs) have the ability to selectively manipulate neuronal activity in a light-dependent manner. Kalium (potassium)-conducting channelrhodopsins (KCRs) has the potential for optogenetic applications and as therapeutic agents for electrically active cell mediated disorders, anion ChRs (ACRs) has the potential for treating excessive neuron firing in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, neuropathic pain and epilepsy, while cation ChRs (CCRs) hold promise for vision restoration. Dr. John Spudich and his team at...

Monoclonal Antibodies Against PCDH7 for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 10:05:54 GMT

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. UTHealth researchers discovered that the cell surface protein Protocadherin 7 (PCDH7) is highly expressed in NSCLC and promotes lung cancer development. Inventors at UTH in collaboration with Dr. O’Donnell’s group at UTSW have discovered a panel of PCDH7-targeting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which exhibited therapeutic potentials. The high affinity anti-PCDH7 mAbs inhibit downstream MAPK pathway activation and suppress tumor growth in mouse tumor models. Background NSCLC is the most c...

Monoclonal antibodies against human endotrophin for therapeutic and diagnostic use.

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:54:37 GMT

Background Studies have shown that endotrophin, the carboxy-terminal cleavage product of the COL6α3 chain, has potent effects on transformed mammary ductal epithelial cells in rodents. It is abundantly expressed in adipose tissue and is a chemoattractant for macrophages, exerts effects on endothelial cells and enhances the progression through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells. In a recombinant form, human endotrophin exerts similar effects on human macrophages and endothelial cells as in its rodent counterpart. It enhances EMT in human breast cancer cells and upon ...

Monoclonal Antibodies Binding to Transferrin Receptor (TfR) for Therapeutic Protein Delivery across Blood-Brain Barrier

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 14:49:09 GMT

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits brain entry and is one of the major hurdles in developing antibody and protein-based therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. UTHealth researchers identified and engineered monoclonal antibodies binding to transferrin receptor (TfR) but not affecting transferrin (Tf) binding to TfR. An engineered monovalent anti-TfR antibody fused with a VEGF-Trap protein improved the delivery of the protein fusion crossing the BBB. Background Antibody and protein-based drug modalities are promising options for treating diseases in the central nervous syst...

TREM2 Monoclonal Antibody for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 14:45:36 GMT

Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) plays a key regulatory role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by controlling microglia activation and metabolic activities in brain tissues. Previous studies in rodent models of AD have shown that mice with increased TREM2 expression have reduced amyloid pathology. UTHealth inventors created and engineered an effective TREM2 agonist monoclonal antibody for the development of AD treatment. Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10% of the elderly population and is one of the lead...

Artificial Image Objects (AIO) for Disease Diagnosis and Risk Management

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 08:09:09 GMT

To identify a specific biological trait from a large volume of genetic and other biological omics data, UTHealth researchers developed a general method to transform the biological data into artificial image objects (AIO). The artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analysis of AIOs based on image classification can quickly determine the presence of different biological traits. The AIO technology can be broadly applied to disease prediction, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Background Over the last 50 years, researchers have discovered that various genetic variations, gene expressi...

Clot Burst Pressure (CBP) Measurement Device

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 14:51:21 GMT

Researchers from UTHealth designed a device for developing a clot burst pressure (CBP) which can be used for direct measurement of the pressure required to dislodge a clot. More particularly, this measurement can distinguish between thrombi of hypo- and hypercoagulable states by observing differences in the CBP of conditioned groups compared to control CBP. This has the potential to be applied for a better understanding of trauma pathophysiology, thus can help direct acute care to reduce mortality rates and associated morbidities due to inappropriate resusitation. Background Trauma is the le...

Identifying and characterizing genes whose perturbation leads to intracranial aneurysms (IA) and/or vascular endothelial cell dysfunction

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:43:34 GMT

The proposed invention involves identification and characterization of molecular targets for treating intracranial aneurysms. A focus is endothelial podosomes regulated by the transmembrane receptor protein THSD1. THSD1 also regulates autophagy processes that contribute to aneurysm formation as well as positively regulates TGFβ signaling, which may ameliorate IA disease. Technology Overview The technology is a novel therapeutic approach to treat intracranial aneurysms via elucidation and characterization of several genes involved in endothelial podosome formation, which has been shown to...

Directional and Scalable (DISC) Electrode Array

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:44:01 GMT

UTHealth researchers developed a directional and scalable (DISC) electrode array, which achieved directional (stereo) measurements of local field potentials, resulting in up to 3x better signal amplitude, 1.6x higher signal-to-noise (SNR), and 98% decoding accuracy than the average testing results of a tetrode in over 450 stimulation recordings. This enables less noisy and more precise detection and localization of seizure or other brain activity, enhancing potential capability in epilepsy models and advanced decoding tasks. Components: The array design proposed here is an im...

Synthetic Antifungal Peptides

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:30:05 GMT

Novel antifungal compositions that inhibit fungal growth which have both medical and non-medical utility and applications Inventors at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have developed a series of novel peptide compounds to inhibit fungal growth. The peptides are based on the bacteriocin EntV, which is secreted by Enterococcus faecalis. Studies in their lab have shown that the peptide is effective against Candida albicans infection not only in a C. elegans model but also in a mouse model of systemic infection and a rat model of venous catheter infection. Importantly...

Method for Matrix Computation with Homomorphic Encryption

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 13:41:09 GMT

Researchers have developed a general method based on homomorphic encryption for performing computations on sensitive data while guaranteeing privacy. More specifically, this secure matrix operation framework can protect data privacy or trade secret that have a sensitive nature, and have potential applications in Healthcare IT and Financial Section. Background Homomorphic encryption is a powerful method that allows computations to be performed on data without decrypting it and without access to a private key. Typically, sensitive information (such as genomic data) is stored in an encryp...

Intra-operatively Fitted Antibiotic Spacer Construct for Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) Treatment

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 08:03:02 GMT

Researchers at UTHealth have created a novel weight-bearing articular antibiotic spacer to address the known limitations of standard PJI treatment while improving its potential to be a one-stage revision. The intra-operatively shapeable antibiotic spacer construct is incorporated with additional capabilities to treat bone defects while preserving host bone and has the potential to significantly impact the manner in which surgeons treat PJI. Technology Overview PJI has become the leading cause of total joint replacement failure, resulting in significant bone loss and disability with a...

LGR4 Specific Monoclonal Antibodies and Their Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 10:02:47 GMT

Researchers at UTHealth have isolated and characterized monoclonal antibodies as well as antibody fragments that specifically binding to LGR4, a 7TM receptor that is highly expressed in major types of solid tumors, including but not limited to colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and ovarian cancer. These LGR4 specific monoclonal antibodies have the potential applications for cancer therapeutics, diagnosis and detection. Background Leucine-rich repeat-containing, G-protein coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) consists of a large extracellular domain with 17 leucine-rich repeats and a se...

R-Spondin Polypeptides and Drug Conjugates for Cancer Treatment

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:26:03 GMT

R-spondins (RSPOs) are secreted proteins with critical roles in cancer development through binding to LGR4/5/6 and RNF43/ZNRF3 and potentiating Wnt signaling. UTHealth pioneering scientist engineered and fused an immunoglobin Fc domain to the mutated RSPOs (RSPO peptibodies). RSPO peptibodies can binds to LGR4/5/6 with high affinity but exhibit reduced Wnt signaling, suggesting a promising candidate for cancer treatment. Background R-spondins (RSPOs) and LGR4/5/6 form a ligand-receptor system with critical roles in normal development as well as in tumor initiation and progression. Aberrant ...

Distributed Real-Time Low-Latency Audio I/O Framework for Mobile Devices

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 07:21:42 GMT

Technology Description: We present a system and method of a distributed real-time low-latency audio input/output (I/O) framework for mobile devices. The framework relates generally to real-time audio I/O mobile devices featuring a processing unit and some type of wireless communication capabilities that can be used for real-time wireless transmission among a group of multiple similar devices without the requirement of internet access. The purpose of the framework is to simulate an irregular and flexible microphone array using two or more mobile devices. The...

Scaling a Distributed Sensor Array

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:15:15 GMT

Technology Description: We present a method for adding a new sensor node to an existing distributed sensor array (DSA) through individual calibration of the new sensor node without having to recalibrate the entire system. Prior solutions for adding a new node to a DSA typically include performing a calibration procedure not only for the new node but for each existing node, which can introduce new errors, limiting accuracy, require vast processing power and time. UTD researchers have overcome these problems through an efficient closed form solution for indi...

Deep Learning Based Method for Implanted Medical Devices Automatic Identification Using PACS

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:01:25 GMT

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the most commonly used imaging modality for diagnosis and surveillance of various neurosurgical conditions, while patients usually need to undergo a rigorous screening process prior to MRI examination to ensure the implants they have are MR safe and assure patient safety. Researchers at UTHealth have developed a new pipeline to identify implantable device MRI compatibility using mobile phone quality images, which outperforms the other currently available methods, and has the potential to become a safety tool for radiologists to efficiently coordinate th...

Smartphone-based Hearing Aid System

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 15:40:13 GMT

Technology Description: We present a smartphone app which, when paired with a conventional smartphone and an ear-level device (i.e., wired or wireless ear buds), can provide a user with a cost-effective and complete assistive hearing aid system for both monaural and binaural applications. Using integrated microphone(s) and camera(s) of iOS-based and Android-based smartphones, the app processes ambient audio and visual information through a system of novel signal processing algorithms (including machine learning and deep neural net methods) to identify and ...

Combination Drug for Preventing Early Hippocampal Synapse Loss and Cognitive Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 10:54:16 GMT

Technology Description: We present a new combination drug for the pharmaceutical treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) based on our discovery of a novel mechanism of hippocampal vulnerability in AD patients. Hippocampal synaptic injury and neurodegeneration are defining pathological features of the cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current therapeutic efforts for the treatment of AD are not effective in correcting hippocampal synaptic deficits. Our research has revealed an important contribution of GHSR1a, the functional isoform of GHSR, in the regu...

Monoclonal Antibodies Against Oncostatin M Receptor (OSMR) for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 13:44:45 GMT

Researchers from UTHealth and The Medical College of Wisconsin have collaborated to reveal the role of OSMR in promoting ovarian cancer cell proliferation and metastasis through activation of STAT3 signaling, as well as illuminated the preclinical efficacy of antibody-based OSMR targeting for ovarian cancer treatment. More particularly, researchers have generated anti-OSMR monoclonal antibodies and demonstrated the utilities of those antibodies for the treatment and detection of cancer. Background Ovarian cancer is among the most lethal gynecological malignancies and the fifth leading c...

Peptides Targeting Chemotherapy-Resistant Metastatic Cancer Cells for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 13:42:03 GMT

Researchers at UTHealth have identified new molecules that selectively target metastatic cancer cells in mammals both in vitro and in vivo by screening a combinatorial library in a mouse mammary tumor model of spontaneous metastasis, and demonstrated their application as noninvasive imaging probes and vehicles for cytotoxic therapy delivery in preclinical cancer models. Background Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and metastatic cancers remain largely incurable due to chemoresistance. Biomarkers of metastatic cells are lacking, and probes that could be us...

Monoclonal Antibodies Against Chitinase 3-like-1 (Chi3l1) for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:50:34 GMT

Researchers at UTHealth have unveiled a critical role of Chi3l1 in hepatic platelet recruitment during acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury (AILI) using murine models of AILI and concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis. Significantly, they have developed anti-Chi3l1 monoclonal antibodies and demonstrated the feasibility of targeting CHI3L1 by neutralizing such monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of AILI and perhaps other acute liver injury conditions, as well as the potential to treat many solid tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metastatic breast cancer. ...

Prevention of epileptic seizures by targeting canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels in the brain

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 10:28:40 GMT

10 mg/kg (i.p.) M084 hydrochloride was administered 30 minutes prior to a widely used model of seizure induction in mice (pilocarpine-induced seizure). The TRPC channel antagonist significantly blocked seizure activity, compared to vehicle-injected control animals. We will investigate TRPC channel block for control of seizures in multiple mouse models including chemoconvulsant-induced seizure and traumatic brain injury-induced seizure.

Encapsulated Thermoacoustic Projector Based on Free-Standing Carbon Nanotube Film

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 09:51:37 GMT

Technical Summary: There are promising applications for thermophones in high power sonar arrays, flexible loudspeakers, and noise cancellation devices. Transparent CNT sheets have the density of air, the electrical conductivity of metals, and the flexibility to fit to any curved surface. Thermoacoustic (TA) sound generation results from temperature variation in a carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet that is produced by heating the sheet using an applied alternating voltage. A hot CNT sheet heats up surrounding air in the loudspeaker application, thereby inducing volume expansion and subsequent p...

Oxytocin to prevent, reduce and reverse Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 07:21:35 GMT

Opioid-induced respiratory depression is the primary cause of death due to overdose. Opioid antagonism by naloxone (Narcan), the only FDA-approved drug to treat opioid overdose, causes severe withdrawal related pain and stress in resuscitation patients. Therefore, there is a desperate need for drug targets that counter respiratory depression by opioids without producing such undesirable side effects. Our studies reveal that selectively targeting of the oxytocin receptor with the neuropeptide oxytocin or non-peptide agonists is effective in preventing, reducing, and reversing...

Novel Fendiline Derivatives for the Treatment of KRAS Mutant Tumors

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 08:45:55 GMT

RAS is the most common oncogene in human cancer, with ~20% mutation rate in human tumor overall and up to 90% in certain types of cancers (e.g. pancreatic cancer). Responsible for 76% of RAS-mutated cancers of the three RAS genes (HRAS, KRAS, and NRAS), KRAS remains a promising yet challenging therapeutic target despite research efforts for the past four decades with toxicity being a major hurdle in drug targeting. To overcome this problem, UTHealth researchers identified selected Fendiline derivatives as novel cancer therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Background: KRAS gene is ...

Systems and methods for network based neurostimulation of cognitive processes

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 10:05:44 GMT

Cognitive processes are brain operations that allow us to perform complex functions that are the very essence of being human—examples include but are not limited to memory, language, control over emotions, resolving conflicting information, reading, making decisions, puzzle solving etc. This invention describes a method and a system that utilizes multifocal direct brain stimulation to enhance cognitive processing. Background Direct Brain Stimulation (DBS) has provided many therapeutic benefits. It has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for essent...

Cuff-less, Effortless Blind Insertion Airway Management Device with Mouthpiece Seal

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 09:38:36 GMT

Conventional airway management devices typically include an inflatable cuff that seals the tube within the trachea, while this inflated cuff design could place excessive pressure on the patient’s adjacent tissues and cause tissue damage. Although laryngeal mask airways (LMAs) can avoid potential damage to the trachea by providing a seal above the glottis, LMAs do not always form an adequate seal, and can place pressure on the pharynx, causing potential throat pain, nausea, and gag reflex. UTHealth Inventor has designed an improved airway management device with a mouthpiece provided to ...

A genetic test for platelet function from Chromosome 18

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:30:16 GMT

From the Invention Disclosure form and related documents: Individuals with one copy of 18p chromosome have decrease platelet aggregation response compared to healthy controls and individuals with Tetrasomy 18p. These results identify a possible human genetic test to predict platelet aggregation and clot formation. Value PropositionFrom the Invention Disclosure form and related documents: Current standard of care to define platelet function for pre-operation or during critical illness is to obtain a platelet count. Platelet count is a very poor marker of platelet function or if t...

Fluid movement pumping device with artificial valve for increased blood and lymph circulation

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:14:46 GMT

The proposed work will investigate a general approach to improving peripheral blood circulation in the lower legby augmenting venous blood return.The general approach is based onthe literature and findings of a recent investigation that assessed the effects of vacuum-assisted suspensionsystem (VASS) prostheses on blood circulation in dysvascular transtibialamputees.Some support was found for the hypothesis that such devices increase blood flow in the residual limb, but therealso were several unexpected outcomes including elevatedtranscutaneous oxygen in the residual limb and increased blood fl...

Pharmacological EZH2 inhibition enhances cancer cell sensitivity to genotoxic insults through suppressing DNA damage repair

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:06:09 GMT

HSC-1535 Pharmacological EZH2 inhibition enhances cancer cell sensitivity to genotoxic insults through suppressing DNA damage repair Kexin Xu: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.Myles Brown: Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics and Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.Chen-Hao Chen and Xiaole Shirley Liu: Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public ...

Low profile PEG tube conversion kit

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 09:55:36 GMT

What are the advantages of your invention over the current state-of-the-art? PEG tubes are commonly used to provide enteral feedings . The long catheter and the attachments use to connect the tube to the enteral feedings are very uncomfortable to the patients , cause pain and are a constant reminder of their severe debilitating disease . Low profile G tube are used in many patients but are difficult to place the novo and are expensive . Converting a PEG tube into a low profile G tube is difficult as the bumper that is inside the patient’s stomach is very difficult...

Devices and Methods for Umbilical Cord Processing

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:59:32 GMT

Background Cleft lip and cleft palate (CLP) is the most common birth defect in the United States, affecting more than 2,650 children born each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The accepted standard treatment for cleft palate is autologous bone grafting, which provides a stable repair but is invasive and can be followed by potential complications of graft exposure and loss. In addition, autologous bone grafting is subject to donor site morbidity including infection, long-term pain and/or nerve damage that lead to the need of additional surgeries. Another strat...

Volume-Filler Universal Sample Holder for Critical Point Dryers

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 20 May 2020 09:57:37 GMT

Critical Point Dryers (CPD) require strict adherence to operation guidelines to minimize accumulation of foreign particles, but there are still some that accrue during regular use. Particles build-up over time and may become trapped within the CPD, leading to consistent particle contamination of samples despite carefully cleaning the machine. While an analysis of the CPD revealed several design flaws that were ultimately fixed, the main problem of latent particle deposition on samples was solved with the invention of this universal sample holder. Technical Summary: This Volume-Fille...

Method and Apparatus for Applying Pressure to the Lower Limb to Increase Blood and Lymph Circulation

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 14 May 2020 10:01:07 GMT

The disclosed technology is intended to address fluid accumulation in the legs that is symptomatic of lower extremity disorders, such as peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and lymphedema. The device is designed to be worn on the foot and leg and to provide directional pressure to move the fluid in the lower extremity back towards the heart. The directional pressure force is created by the heel strike of each step.

Oxygenation/Intubation Assembly Hood (COVID-19)

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 11 May 2020 13:33:58 GMT

Oxygenation/Intubation Assembly Hood (COVID-19) The Oxygenation/Intubation Assembly Hood is designed to fit behind the mattress and is measured to fit down to the level of the hospital bed hinge. It forms a frame around the top and front of the patient’s head and face. By using this frame, the plastic equipment bags used in all hospitals can then be draped over and around it to completely cover the patient down to their hips/legs. There frame provides enough clearance behind the front visor for all types of oxygenation equipment, including HFNC or NIPPV. If the patient needs to...

Methods and protein design to increase the efficiency and contrast of photo convertible fluorescent proteins

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:59:14 GMT

We disclose two fluorescent protein technologies, which we refer to as “Janus” and “Ignis,” respectively. Bothare green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (PC-FPs) of the EosFP family, generated through sitedirectedmutagenesis of the mEos4b protein coding sequence at amino acid positions 41 and 70 (Janus) andpositions 41, 70 and 197 (Ignis) relative to the start codon ATG. Methionine at position 41 has been mutated toisoleucine (Met41Ile) and valine at position 70 has been mutated to threonine (Val70Thr) in both proteins.Ignis fluorescent protein contains the ...

An improved muscarinic-antagonist antidepressant

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:46:16 GMT

Scopolamine, a non-selective muscarinic antagonist, is a rapidly effective antidepressant compoundin humans likely mediated through an antimuscarinic effect. Unfortunately, scopolamine canproduce cognitive impairment including memory disturbances in humans. It is our goal to identifya muscarinic antagonist that may be able to relieve depression without disrupting cognitive effects.The 3-exo-1-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, and N-methyltetrahydropyidine 3-substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazoles appear to be excellent chemical scaffolds for the generation of potentmuscarinic agonists...

New approach for treating functional dyspepsia

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:29:39 GMT

My inventive idea is to use a therapeutic molecule that slows gastric emptying for the treatment of functional dyspepsia in non-diabetic patients. This contrarian idea is based on our research of gastric emptying which shows that 30% of non-diabetic patients referred for gastric emptying studies due to gastrointestinal symptoms have elevated postprandial glycemic excursions and that elevated postprandial glycemic excursions are due to rapid gastric emptying of the carbohydrate portion of the meal. Based on our observations and recording of symptoms, an unexpectedly high number of p...

Full field ElectroRetinoGraphy interpretation by artificial intelligence

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:18:31 GMT

Interpretation of full field ElecroRetinoGraphy is very difficult, since numerous variables exist and every disorder have their own patternof alterations in these variables. Therefore, interpretation of ffERG is something that is difficult to commit tomemory. To solve this problem, we have created software that carries out the following tasks:1) Define the threshold values for normal versus abnormal of every variable in the ffERG test.2) Software will automatically assign red color to excel cells that are abnormal for that specific variable. Greencolor will be assigned to variables that are no...

Monoclonal antibodies against human and mouse leptin for therapeutic and diagnostic use.

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 09:18:59 GMT

BackgroundLeptin is a hormone produced by adipocytes and is elevated in obesity. The congenital lack of leptin results in obesity and the metabolism field widely accepts the concept. Upon cloning of the leptin gene, the original hope was that leptin would act as a break for further food intake and a trigger to increase energy expenditure. The hope was that the injection of recombinant leptin would act as an effective weight loss mechanism. However, these hopes were quickly disappointed, since obese individuals have high leptin levels, but these individual are leptin resistant. Not even the inj...

Closed-loop continuous sodium monitoring and hypertonic saline administration system

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 09:32:41 GMT

The device is a closed-loop continuous sodium monitor combined with an infusion pump that automatically adjusts hypertonic saline administration according to the serum sodium. For the initial prototype, an ion-specific electrode will be used for continuous sodium monitoring. We will also develop a noninvasive sensor for continuous sodium monitoring using near-infrared spectroscopy. The sodium value will feed back to the infusion pump which will be programmed to use What are the advantages of your invention over the current state-of-the-art? More precise administration of hypertonic saline...

Pharmacological manipulation of M-type (KCNQ, Kv7) potassium currents as a therapeutic target for treatment of addiction

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:55:25 GMT

Members of KCNQ2-5 (Kv7.2-7.5) K+ channel subunits underlie the neuronal M-type K+ current, a critical regulator of neuronal excitability, including resting membrane potential, threshold excitability and spike bursting. Inhibition of M-type channels is excitatory, whereas their augmentation usually has an inhibitory, silencing effect. M current has been described in VTA neurons, where they powerfully control bursting behavior, suggesting control over release of dopamine at nerve terminals, including that induced by psychostimulants. Given these facts, manipulation of M current in the VTA...

Acute Stroke Treatment Eligibility with AI and Stroke Imaging

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:20:38 GMT

Determining if a patient can benefit from acute stroke treatments (endovascular thrombectomy and late window thrombolysis) relies on the use of advanced imaging modalities such as CT Perfusion (CTP) or MRI, which are not available at the majority of community hospitals and primary stroke centers. Transferring all patients who could potentially need treatment to advanced-imaging capable centers is cost-prohibitive and impractical. Investigators at UTHealth have addressed this problem by developing unique AI-machine learning methodologies to generate the types of information prod...

Dopamine 2 Receptor agonists as new therapeutics for Age Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 10:31:17 GMT

By understanding and controlling activation of specific dopamine receptors, we showed that the current dopamine pathway drugs can be used in new ways as new therapeutics to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). It will reduce the chance of a side effect of conventional ARMD or DR therapy, leading to vision loss after the intravitreal injection treatment. . These proposed specific dopaminergic molecules (in particular, dopamine 2 receptor agonists) would prevent side effects of current regimen by avoiding the invasive intravitreal injection...

CsA treatment for BRCA1 mutant cancers

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 09:02:25 GMT

I have demonstrated that BRCA1-mutant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells are highly sensitive to cyclosporine (CsA) and non-immunosuppressive CsA-derivatives (NIM811 or Alisporivir). To determine whether CsA would also be effective in treating BRCA1-mutant TNBC cells in vivo, I set up a pilot study using a preclinical xenograft model to investigate the efficacy of CsA on BRCA1-mutant TNBC cell-derived tumors. Luciferase expressing SUM149PT BRCA1-mutant stably transfectant cells were created by G418 selection. To induce tumor formation, two million cancer cells were injected subcutaneou...

A new approach for treatment of liver cancers

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 08:52:14 GMT

The early stage of hepatocellular carinoma (HCC) tumors (<5cm) can either be excised surgically, or removed byablation therapy, but treatment of advanced stage HCC remain challegning. Since, HCC and other liver cancersare diagnosed at advanced stage, their surgical excision is not feasible. The existing front- and second-linetherapies for advanced hepatocellular carinoma include sorafenib (Nexavar) and cabozantinib (Cabometyx),respectively. However these drugs can extend median overall survival of HCC patients up to only 3 months.These facts underscore the most important unmet need, which i...

Scaffold System to Treat Aneurysms

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 14:30:12 GMT

Scaffold to Treat Aneurysms, Optimized to Direct Tissue Development and Control Blood Flow Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysms, commonly referred to as AAA, consist of a 50% enlargement of the abdominal aorta. While the exact cause of AAA is not well understood, it is believed to be a complex process involving loss of elasticity and strength, leading to arterial expansion. Studies show that 3% of all individuals aged 50 and over, have AAA. Only 25% of patients with ruptured aneurysms reach the hospital and only 10% make it to the operating room. Because of such high mor...

Bacteriophage-Enhanced Evolution of Bacterial Genes

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 14:43:13 GMT

Directed Evolution Enhanced Phage Therapy. Phage therapy has long been available for numerous antibiotic applications. However, the practice was largely replaced for the more cost effective, widespread use of conventional antibiotic compounds. In light of the growing number of antibiotic resistant pathogens encountered in the clinic, novel therapeutic avenues to extinguish resistant or recalcitrant organisms are desperately needed. A critical barrier limiting the effectiveness of current phage therapies is the lack of phage propagation in the treatment environment (such as the wound). Th...

Formulation of HDACi Loaded ß-Cyclodextrin-poly (ß-amino ester) Nanoparticles

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 08:44:48 GMT

Researchers have developed a novel formulation strategy to encapsulate molecules, including but not limited to histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) drugs in nanoparticle networks composed of beta-cyclodextrin-poly(beta-amino esters). Advantages of this system include high loading capacity, increased in vivo tolerability, sustained release, and improved drug distribution and activity in the treatment of solid tumors. Technology Overview A beta-cyclodextrin-based, cross-linked polymer is employed in the formulation as a novel excipient instead of conventional diblock copolymers like ...

HER3 specific monoclonal antibodies for diagnosis and therapeutic use

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 08:27:54 GMT

BackgroundHER-3 is a receptor in the tyrosine kinase family that is a key oncogenic protein in breast cancer as well as other cancers. HER-3 is centrally involved in signaling leading to tumor growth and has been implicated in resistance to cancer treatments, making it an attractive target for cancer therapies. Several drugs, including some in clinical use, directly target HER-2, the oncogenic signaling partner of HER-3. However, these treatments often activate compensatory HER-3 signaling, which circumvents the activity of the drug and frequently leads to treatment failure. Drugs that t...

MicroRNA mimics as potential differentiation agents for treating neuroblastoma

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 15:31:29 GMT

Neuroblastoma,themostcommonextracranialsolidtumorofchildhood,arisesfromneuralcrestcellprecursorsthatfailtodifferentiate.Inducingcelldifferentiationisanimportanttherapeuticstrategyforneuroblastoma.Wedevelopedadirectfunctionalhigh-‐contentscreentoidentifydifferentiation-‐inducingmicroRNAs,inordertodevelopmicroRNA-‐baseddifferentiationtherapyforneuroblastoma.WediscoverednovelmicroRNAs,andmorestrikingly,threemicroRNAseedfamiliesthatinduceneuroblastomacelldifferentiation.Inaddition,weshowedthatmicroRNAseedfamilieswereoverrepresentedintheidentifiedgroupoffourteendifferentiation-‐...

ebpABC gene deletion mutant TX5608 and E. faecalis strain OG1RF

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 13:38:17 GMT

Endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili (EbpABC) gene deletion of Enterococcus faecalis and WT parent bacteria OG1RF. See published research paper on these bacterial strains: Research paper published:J Clin Invest. 2006 Oct;116(10):2799-807. Endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili of Enterococcus faecalis.Nallapareddy SR, Singh KV, Sillanpää J, Garsin DA, Höök M, Erlandsen SL, Murray BE.doi:10.1172/JCI29021

Magnetic Antegrade Retrograde Alignment System (MARA)

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 07:59:39 GMT

Coronary artery disease occurs when the coronary arteries become narrowed or blocked as a result of atherosclerosis, which is the build-up of fatty deposits and plaque on the inner walls of the arteries that restrict blood flow. This device for treating chronic total occlusion (CTO) facilitates the passing of a coronary wire across a coronary lesion that has occluded blood flow for purposes of implanting a stent (CART procedure). Background In the reverse CART technique, a catheter and a wire are positioned on opposite sides of the coronary occlusion. Through different...

Multi-Functional Linking Agent for Imaging and Therapy

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 09:59:17 GMT

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL LINKING AGENT FOR IMAGING AND THERAPY Imaging technologies are uniquely positioned to enhance how localized and metastatic tumors are treated. In cases where surgery is indicated, a novel class of imaging agents which combine radioactive of fluorescent tags can be used to improve tumor visualization in real-time. When cancer has spread throughout the body, a cytotoxic compound can be combined with radioactive label to develop a “theranostic” method to see and treat disease. Tumor-specificity is critical to the success of these approaches and investigators at T...

Methods of X-aptamer generation and compositions thereof

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 15:59:04 GMT

Aptamers are structurally distinct RNA and DNA oligonucleotides (ODNs) that can mimic protein-binding molecules and exhibit high (nM) binding affinity based on their unique secondary three-dimensional structure conformations and not by pair-wise nucleic acid binding. Aptamers can be selected via high-throughput in vitro methods to bind target molecules. Aptamers are thus emerging as viable alternatives to small molecules and antibody-based therapies in the field of drug development. Provided herein are methods for a novel bead-based next-generation “X-aptamer” ...

System for Extracting Venous Pulsation and Respiratory Information from Photoplethysmographs

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 13:09:19 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas presents a technique that addresses the inaccuracy of skin-mounted photoplethysmographic (PPG) biosensor measurements by separating the arterial and venous signals - enabling extraction of other medically-relevant features, including: respiration rate, heart rate, and SpO2. The effective removal of various motion artifacts (e.g. tissue effects, venous effects) permits high-quality signal acquisition that is independent of the site of measurement – a common issue for skin-mounted PPG biosensors. PPG biosensors capture changes ...

Accurate and Motion-Tolerant Sensing of Arterial and Venous Pulsation for Wearable Photoplethysmographic (PPG) Biosensors

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 10:25:46 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas presents a real-time, adaptive technique that provides robust signal enhancement against motion artifact for wearable photoplethysmographic (PPG) systems, enabling the reliable extraction of heart rate and oxygen saturation. Despite the benefits of using PPG biosensors, most of the useful information they capture can be distorted or concealed by motion artifact. PPG biosensors capture changes in optical density that are recorded as voltage/current signals, and these PPG signals are known to be sensitive to pulsatile blood flow and ...

Hardware and Software System for At-Home Stereognosis Training

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 09:37:19 GMT

Sensory loss of the hand (including impaired proprioception, stereognosis, and tactile sensation) is common after peripheral nerve damage, stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis (MS), and other neurological conditions. While sensory retraining therapy has shown some benefits, there is no established method to restore tactile sensation following stroke. Recent studies indicate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with motor rehabilitation can enhance neural plasticity in patients – significantly improving their motor recovery. Recognizing the need for effective...

Compositions and Methods for Long-Term in Vitro Culture Of The Syphilis Spirochete.

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:33:06 GMT

Background Syphilis is a multistage sexually transmitted infection of world-wide importance, with an estimated 5.6 million new cases per year. Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, was first identified by Schaudinn and Hoffman in 1905, but in the past researchers have been unable to maintain T. pallidum viability or multiplication beyond 12 to 18 days. The inability to culture these organisms continuously in vitro has necessitated their propagation in rabbits for use in research and the production of antigens for serodiagnostic tests. Discovery UTHealth researchers have devel...

Multiplexed Chip System for Analysis of Drug Activity in Cell Extracts

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 09:46:55 GMT

This technology uses multielectrode chips with DNA monolayers to analyze drug activity of DNA-damaging cancer treatments to inform therapeutic decisions for personalized medicine. Due to the unpredictability of cancer drugs, it is difficult to identify which therapy will work most effectively for each individual while producing minimal side effects. Although a number of cancer treatments induce DNA damage to bring about cell death, there has yet to be a way to rapidly evaluate drug activity across both healthy and cancerous cell lines – until now. The presented platform res...

Desensitization and Reduction of Chronic Pain

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 09:38:01 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas presents a novel class of inhibitors, specificity-derived competitive inhibitor oligonucleotides (SPOT-ONs) that bind to poly(A) binding protein (PABP), and the associated inventive strategy to treat pathological pain. Pathological pain plasticity has been shown to take place in nociceptors, sensory neurons which sense pain and transmit signals to the spinal cord and brain, and can persist long after an injury is healed due to an alteration in gene expression of affected neurons. It has been shown that translation regulation pathways...

Gene Transfer to Improve Cognitive Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 06:24:34 GMT

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio researchers have developed a unique therapeutic approach which could restore learning and memory ability in those afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Abnormalities in the expression of cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) have been reported in Alzheimer’s patients. The inventors have demonstrated improved learning and memory deficits in an animal model of Alzheimer’s Disease by restoring CREB function via brain viral delivery of CREB-binding protein (CBP). &nbs...

Total Energy Shaping for Task-Invariant Control of Lower-Limb Exoskeletons

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 11:38:02 GMT

We present a total energy shaping control methodology for the development of portable lower-limb assistive exoskeletons and orthotic devices that help reduce the human’s effort and augment natural motion. Current robotic exoskeletons restrict joint motion to pre-defined position trajectories during gait rehabilitation; such methods aim to replicate normative joint kinematics but do not reinforce the patient’s natural gait. Although some trajectory-free controllers have been proposed for amplifying human motion, these assume that the user has the ability to fully produ...

A Lower Limb Powered Orthosis for Improved Rehabilitation Training

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 14:22:18 GMT

Physical training is often needed for patients to relearn how to walk after a stroke, or other neurological damage. However, the frequency and availability of physical training are limited by finite medical resources: most lower-limb rehabilitation orthoses are stationary and only available in a limited number of clinical settings, due to their large size and high cost. To address this, researchers are investigating powered lower-limb orthoses to relieve the repetitive, physically-tasking duties of therapists as well as to improve patient recovery efficacy. Past research has focu...

Method of targeting liposomes to bone marrow

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:18:40 GMT

UT Health San Antonio and Waseda University in Shinjuku, Japan have collaboratively developed a drug delivery system capable of delivering a cargo preferentially to bone marrow. This drug delivery system shows promise for therapeutic and diagnostic applications for which the cells of the bone marrow play an important role. Background:Targeted anti-cancer therapies and protectants for untransformed cells hold great promise for effective and safe anti-cancer treatments, but development of such targeted agents has suffered from lack of systems able to selectively or preferential...

Increased-Cure and Color Stable Dental Adhesives

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 14:01:46 GMT

UT Health San Antonio researchers have developed a novel polyacrylate materials and/or light- and/or dual-cure resins that have low color and are color stable. The resins also demonstrate an increased degree of cure. The polyacrylate materials may be useful in dentistry applications as well as orthopedics and other biomedical applications. Background:Typically, self-cure and light-cure and dual-cure systems produce a yellow resin that continues to further yellow over time as the resin ages. Because of the high degree of color and the significant color shift over time, se...

Transient Optical Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Laser Excitation of Plasmonic Nanoparticles

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 12:41:22 GMT

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a low permeability to most drugs and poses a significant challenge to effective treatment of brain diseases. The BBB restricts the delivery of most drug molecules into the brain by tight junctions (TJs) that seal gaps between adjacent endothelial cells, displaying low permeability and high electrical resistance. Herein, we present a novel solution that implements TJ-targeting plasmonic gold nanoparticles to open the BBB upon excitation by ultrashort pulsed laser both in vitro and in vivo. A significant advantage of this novel BBB opening approa...

Shoulder Rehabilitation Device

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 11:10:39 GMT

The invention is a device to be used specifically for shoulder rehabilitation. It provides a method for the patient to exercise the shoulder for rehabilitation without the supervision of a medical professional, thus improving the therapeutic outcome. Background:Shoulder injuries do not occur with the same frequency as knee or hip injuries and, as a result, the rehabilitation equipment available for treatment can be sparse or require use in a professional setting. For a full recovery of shoulder injuries or shoulder surgeries, it is important that patients perform frequent exercise r...

PARP-1 Inhibitor Nanoparticle and Treatment Method for Ewing Sarcoma

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 13:16:56 GMT

A novel nanoparticle formulation of an existing PARP-1 inhibitor and an associated administration regimen has been developed for the treatment of Ewing Sarcoma. This technology allows the therapeutic treatment to be targeted to the tumors, resulting in reduced required doses and system toxicity. Background:Ewing Sarcoma is rare cancer of the bone that primarily affects adolescents and young adults. It occurs in approximately 3% of adolescents 10-19 years old and is considered an orphan disease. It has a fairly high survival rate if diagnosed before metastasis; however, t...

Novel Aconitase: Targeting Phenotypic Adaptation for Antimicrobial Development

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 11:24:17 GMT

Worldwide, bacterial pathogens pose an alarming public health threat due to their resistance to current antimicrobial drugs. While antibiotics have been widely used to prevent bacterial infections over the last 50-60 years, all major bacterial pathogens now are showing resistance to currently prescribed antibiotics worldwide. Increasing drug resistance is extremely concerning because bacterial diseases are globally widespread and can move easily between countries, culminating in the current global public health crisis. Antimicrobial drug-resistant infections become life-threaten...

Micro-RNA Therapy for High-Risk Pediatric Brain Cancer

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 11:41:50 GMT

A MicroRNA therapy has been developed for the purpose of increasing the chemo- and radio-sensitivity of tumor cells in Medulloblastoma. The invention would allow for lower dosages of radiation and chemotherapy by working synergistically with these therapies, thus reducing adverse side effects. It may also lead to more complete eradication of the tumor cells, improving quality of life, long term recurrence rates and survival rates. Background:Medulloblastoma is a malignant brain tumor with the primary tumor occurring in the cerebellum, a region of the brain at the base of the skull, and ma...

Glow Bright

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 11:59:32 GMT

Small, fluorescent surgical disposables (i.e. needles, sutures, and trocars) have been invented by UT Health SA that fluoresce to aid in visualization of the item. This functionality can be used in the event that the items are lost or unaccounted for during or after a surgical procedure. Background:Losing an instrument during surgery is a rare but potentially serious event that can cause prolonged operative time and patient harm. It is common practice for surgical teams to perform equipment counts before and after a procedure to account for all items. Equipment can be dropped,...

Virtual Body-Weight Support via Lower-Limb Exoskeleton

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 12:33:29 GMT

Summary:This is a novel control system for powered lower-limb exoskeletons (or orthoses) that provides body-weight support (BWS) for people who have sustained a stroke and other neurological injury. Patients are provided with BWS during conventional gait retraining to help them produce the coordinated muscle activities needed for walking. Although current powered exoskeletons address the challenge of mobility, their control systems follow pre-defined joint patterns while offloading body-weight. These conventional exoskeleton control systems discourage patients from actively participating in th...

Amorphous Silicon Carbide Ultramicroelectrode Arrays for Neural Interfaces

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 10:45:50 GMT

The clinical ability to record and stimulate neural activity with implanted microelectrode arrays has been limited by the problems of insertion trauma and foreign body response (FBR), which can lead to neuron damage and reduced reliability. Minimizing this tissue response is necessary for the development of implantable interfaces for studying neural activity and eventually treating chronic diseases. We present a multi-channel ultramicroelectrode (UME) array, comprised of amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) electrode shanks, that demonstrates effective neural recording ...

Neurocase: Peripheral Nerve Electrode for Neural Recording and Stimulation

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 08:47:38 GMT

The ability to record and stimulate neural activity with implanted microelectrode arrays has been limited by the problems of insertion trauma and foreign body response, which can lead to neuron damage and reduced reliability of results. Minimizing such tissue responses is necessary to develop implantable interfaces for studying neural activity and even treating chronic diseases. The Neurocase provides a stable intraneural interface that allows for minimally-damaging insertion of ultramicroelectrode dimensioned electrode arrays (UMEAs) into small peripheral nerves ...

Salivary Peptide Derived Biologic for Treatment of Breast Cancer

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 08:30:50 GMT

Background:Carcinoma of the breast is the second most common type of cancer among women and despite improved early detection, diagnosis and aggressive treatment approaches, consisting of surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, carcinoma of the breast is still a great threat to human life. Currently, there is an incomplete knowledge of the molecular principles underlying the malignant progression as well as the development and maintenance of local recurrence and distant metastasis of this cancer type. There is also additional problems in rendering treatment of triple negative breast ca...

Novel Capsazepine Analogs to Treat Cancer

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 10:47:15 GMT

Novel compounds have been developed based upon the capsazepine pharmacophore that are effective in halting tumor cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Capsazepine is a known, off-patent, analog of Capsaicin that has been proposed and studied as a TRPV1 antagonist for treatment of pain. Although Capsazepine has been proposed for alleviation of pain, previous studies have not identified Capsazepine as an effective anti-tumor agent. Background:Often, patients with head and neck cancers are inoperable because these tumors invade or are close to critical structures, such as the...

Antipsychotic Drugs to Reduce the Abuse Liability of Opioids

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 12:20:03 GMT

This invention is a novel use of “atypical” antipsychotic drugs in combination with opioids to reduce the abuse potential of the opioid pain medication. The abuse potential is reduced by inhibiting the stimulation of the reward center in the brain. Background:The global pain market is estimated to reach $21.6 billion USD in 2022 and an estimated 207 million opioids prescriptions were written for pain in 2013. The U.S. sells over 80% of the opioid drugs worldwide with an estimated market value of $8 billion USD. With the rise of the opioid market, the U.S. had 1.9 million...

Device to Determine the Proper Operation of IV Catheters

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 09:55:38 GMT

A device to allow the verification of the correct placement of an intravenous (IV) catheter has been developed by a physician at UT Health San Antonio. The device contains a signaling unit which can introduce pressure or acoustic impulses into the fluid inside the catheter. The pulses can be detected visually to verify the patency of the catheter - that it has been placed successfully in the vein and/or that the vein is not blocked/occluded. Background:Over 250 million intravenous (IV) catheters are inserted into patients in the U.S. every year for the delivery of intravenous fluids...

Systems and Methods for Ultra-Fast, Powerful, Efficient, and Accurate Detection of Segments Identical by Descent in Biobank-Scale Cohorts

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 12:26:00 GMT

With the availability of genotyping data of very large samples, there is an increasing need for tools that can efficiently identify genetic relationships among all individuals in the sample. One fundamental measure of genetic relationship of a pair of individuals is identity by descent (lBD), chromosomal segments that are shared among two individuals due to common ancestry. However, the efficient identification of lBD segments among a large number of genotyped individuals is a challenging computational problem. Some methods, such as GERMLINE, use fast dictionary lookup of short seed sequence m...

Powered Prosthetic Leg for Restoring Natural Locomotion and Mobility Across Tasks

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 13:34:58 GMT

Current passive prostheses are used to alleviate the effects of amputation, but they are limited in their ability to completely restore functionality because such mechanisms may only dissipate energy that the user introduces. In the case of above-knee amputees, many passive prosthetic devices aim to mimic normal walking conditions but typically leave the amputee with an asymmetric gait. Significantly, most passive prostheses fail to address functionality across tasks, such as sit-to-stand or stair ascent/descent, which further impedes the amputee's ability to regain quality of li...

Noninvasive & High-Contrast Imaging of Kidney Function Enabled by Renal Clearable Nanofluorophores

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 11:25:52 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing a renal-clearable contrast agent that is the first to enable high-resolution, noninvasive, fluorescent imaging of kidney function. Kidney disease affects more than 10% of adults worldwide and the current technologies used to detect and track the progress of renal complications possess numerous drawbacks. Until now, very few fluorescent contrast agents have been able to noninvasively report Kidney Clearance Kinetics (KCK) – but even these have faced significant challenges due to limited lig...

Small Molecule Inhibitor of Forkhead Box Protein C2 (FOXC2): Therapeutic Candidate and Diagnostic Tool for Metastatic Cancers

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 12:08:48 GMT

The transcription factor Forkhead Box Protein C2 (FOXC2) is known to be necessary to initiate and maintain the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which has been a hot target for therapeutic intervention against cancers. The overexpression of FOXC2 bestows cancer cells with metastatic and cancer stem cell (CSC)‐like phenotypes, i.e., higher motility, invasiveness, self-renewal, and therapeutic resistance. Inventors at The University of Texas at Dallas are pioneering the development of small molecule inhibitors against FOXC2 – herein, we reveal one such novel chemical e...

Object Flow Integrity: A Method of Securing Binary Software Against Hijacking Attacks on Object-Oriented Systems

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 24 May 2018 14:33:30 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking partners interested in broadening the software security technique of control-flow integrity (CFI) to support a much larger class of target application programs and architectures while further enhancing the security capabilities. Object Flow Integrity (OFI) is the first work to safely support inter-module object flows by extending CFI security protections to the significant realm of mainstream software in which one or more object-exchanging modules are immune to instrumentation. Despite the usefulness of CFI, it is often impractical to ...

Attenuated Chlamydia Vaccine

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:12:10 GMT

An attenuated Chlamydia strain has been developed that can be used as a vaccination against Chlamydia infections. The attenuated organism is capable of infecting mucosal tissues and eliciting a robust immune response without inducing the typical inflammation associated with Chlamydia infections. Background:Chlamydia infections are the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in both men and women and are caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis organism. Chlamydia infections often have very few symptoms and, if left untreated, can potentially lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy,...

Intravenous Tramadol for Treatment of anti-NMDA Encephalitis

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:36:52 GMT

The invention is a combinatorial therapy used to enhance the efficacy of plasma exchange (PLEX) in treating patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. This treatment regimen would treat both the psychiatric and immunological manifestations of this disorder and substantially lower the patients’ recovery periods. Background:Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder that is characterized by serum and/or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) antibody titers positive for NMDARs. It is generally accepted that an infection and/or tumor leads to the development of NMDAR-targeting antibodies that...

Non-Contact Specific Electromagnetic Energy Dosimeter

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 15:38:50 GMT

This invention is a method and apparatus for quantifying the electromagnetic energy absorbed by a surface. It uses the change of speed of an acoustic wave, caused by a temperature change in the surrounding medium, to quantify the electromagnetic energy absorbed at the surface. It can be used to characterize the biologically significant Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), the electromagnetic energy dose absorbed by the human body. Background:Generation of radio frequency (RF) energy is a critical component of all communications equipment, such as cellular phones, radio towers, microwave ...

Synthetic Binders of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 13:35:56 GMT

In recent decades, abundant research data has indicated the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which represent a small, but significant, population among all cells within tumor tissues. These CSCs are mostly responsible for resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, thereby becoming a root of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Several known cell-surface and intracellular markers have been widely used for CSC identification. Novel CSC targeting therapeutics hold great promise for curing cancers. This technology highlights several synthetic ligands with high...

Bruxnostic Appliance

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:02:27 GMT

Bruxnostic ApplianceBruxism is a significant concern for restorative dentists and orofacial pain practitioners. Consequences of bruxism, if not addressed, can range from minor annoying tooth sensitivity, chronic pain and discomfort, to destruction of dentition and loss of masticatory function. Bruxism is excessive teeth grinding or jaw clenching considered being an oral parafunctional activity. According to relevant literature, its prevalence ranges from 8–31% in the general population according to some studies, while other studies estimated only 10% of the population. Symptoms commonly ...

Endovascular Aneurysm Coil Comparison

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 11:35:01 GMT

Background:About 30,000 people suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year in the U.S. alone. These rupture events result in death in about 40% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer some permanent neurological deficit. Treatment of aneurysm is most commonly treated by endovascular coiling, a less invasive treatment as compared to clipping, which requires open surgery. However, recurrence of aneurysm rupture after coiling is as high as 40%, necessitating frequent follow up after the procedure in order to monitor the aneurysm. Follow up is...

Entering the Fourth Dimension - Manufacturing Responsive Liquid Crystal Elastomer Structures

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 08:34:17 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing an innovative method for fabricating Liquid Crystal Elastomer (LCE) structures that undergo reversible actuation in a wide variety of environments. This method uses direct-write additive manufacturing to locally-control the molecular orientation of LCEs, thereby programming a stimuli-responsive 3D product – also known as four-dimensional (4D) printing. By strategically controlling and varying the print path of the printer, the LCE can be created with unique layers that allow for anisotropic optical prope...

Coherence Diversity in Frequency and Time

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 13:25:20 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing a diversity scheme for wireless networks, called coherence diversity, which provides a novel source of gain that is distinct from other kinds of diversity. As individual links in a wireless network often experience unequal fading coherence times and coherence bandwidths due to differences in mobility or scattering environment, the described scheme uses such disparities to improve system performance. Using a coherence diversity scheme improves the achievable rates for broadcast channels in several...

Recombinant Proteins for the Treatment of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 14:43:22 GMT

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke, with the highest mortality of all stroke subtypes. Rapid accumulation of blood and immune cells result in oxidative stress, inflammation, and the accumulation of toxic hemolytic products at the site of the stroke, leading to significant injury to the brain. There are no effective treatments currently available for ICH. Technology Description Lactoferrin is an endogenous glycoprotein with anti-microbial and immunoregulatory functions, with the potential to curtail the inflammatory res...

BOOTSTRAP: Behavior Obfuscation and Hardware Trojan Detection through Selective Post-Fabrication Transistor-Level Programming

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 14:28:17 GMT

The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing a technology that addresses the key security challenges of contemporary semiconductor manufacturing by enabling several design obfuscation features. This technology, termed a transistor-level programmable fabric (TRAP), builds on all of the capabilities currently offered by field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) - which are often used for building a prototype integrated circuit (IC) from standard parts – while providing improved performance efficiency, greater area utilization, and reduced time to market...

Twistron Mechanical Energy Harvesters

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 08:53:55 GMT

Mechanical energy harvesters are needed for diverse applications, including self-powered wireless sensors, structural and human health monitoring systems, automotive technologies, and the extraction of energy from ocean waves. Until now, few harvesters have been flexible enough to be used as yarns in textiles, and the performance of such yarns has been poor. Also, conventional harvester materials that can operate without requiring high voltages are unable to harvest the energy of large mechanical deformations. The presently described harvesters can generate up to 250 W of electrical power per ...

Efficient & Broadband Even-Order Harmonic Multiplication in Standard CMOS

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 09:01:11 GMT

A novel technique to realize highly-efficient passive multipliers in a standard CMOS process is demonstrated to efficiently generate even-order harmonics while simultaneously suppressing odd-order harmonics over broad-bandwidths. This is achieved by improving the cutoff frequency (fT) well beyond a THz. The higher fT combined with proposed nonlinearity engineering allows efficient operation deep into sub-millimeter frequencies. Additionally, the inherent adaptive biasing features of structures result in stronger harmonic generation with process variation resilience and can also b...

New approach to isolation and improved design of adipose cell-targeted cytotoxic peptides

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 12:41:49 GMT

METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TARGETING ADIPOSE TISSUE IN MAMMALSBackground and Market: Obesity, caused by overgrowth of white adipose (fat) tissue, is a risk and complicating factor for cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and may other pathologies. No effective pharmaceutical treatments against obesity are currently available. Competitors and Current Problems: Obesity is caused by expansion of white adipose tissue. This process relies on proliferation of adult stem cells, termed adipose stromal cells (ASCs). These cells, abundant in adipose tissue, can be re...

Method for Measuring Carbon Nanotubes Taken-Up by a Plurality of Living Cells

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 12:05:48 GMT

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, are undergoing extensive research due to their diverse commercial applications and potential for biomedical uses. The global increase in the production of CNMs and incorporation into consumer products is cause for concern because of the consistent reports that CNMs can be toxic. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that CNTs from anthropogenic sources can reach human lung cells.1 As such, it has become increasingly critical to be able to accurately assess environmental health and safety risks of CNMs. However, it is...

Enhancing Plasticity and Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 08:35:37 GMT

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to a wide range of functional impairments that reduce the independence and quality of life for millions worldwide. Intense rehabilitation therapy is the most consistently effective therapy for SCI patients, but serious impairments may persist even after years of treatment.While the impairments that result from SCI are primarily determined by the location and extent of the damage, there is increasing evidence that recovery from SCI is not predetermined by the lesion – opening up possibilities for enhancing treatment of SCI with new methods, such as ...

Multi-hop Passive RFID Systems

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 08:41:08 GMT

This invention relates to radio frequency power transfer circuits and, more specifically, to passive tag transponder circuits of radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, with applications in tag-to-tag (T2T) communication systems. The proposed architecture eliminates the interference generated by a reader’s continuous wave (CW) on other communicating tags by separating the CW frequency from the tags’ communicating frequency. The frequency of the received CW is passively doubled through a rectifier, while the output power of the rectified waveform is maximized - ...

Compact System for Label-Free Analysis of Binding Kinetics for Multiple Analytes

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 10:43:21 GMT

There are numerous problems faced with many of the standard biomolecular analysis tools, such as limited sensitivity, expensive set-up and per-test necessities, and space requirements that have prohibited their use outside of a dedicated laboratory space. The need for a portable and inexpensive diagnostic tool that can be customized for various target analytes has been shown. Such a device would revolutionize testing at the point of care for healthcare applications, or serve numerous purposes for rapid on-demand analysis of biomolecules in the environment. The disclosed Multielectrode Array (M...

Portable Electrochemical Impedance System for Universal Molecular Diagnostics

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 10:42:43 GMT

Current methods of producing molecular diagnostic tools have many drawbacks, such as: the high-cost of fabrication, poor biodegradability, limited customizability, or issues with controlled fluid flow. Such problems have limited the ability to create portable detection devices for use in point-of-care settings that use environmentally-safe disposable parts. The present invention uses paper-based microfluidics and handheld potentiostats to detect biomolecules and other target analytes. This device has the capability to revolutionize testing at the point of care for healthcare applications, or c...

Improved Dental Abutment Geometries for Cement-Retained Crowns

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 08:45:06 GMT

According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, over 500,000 dental implants are performed per year in the United States. Despite being such a common procedure, peri-implant disease has been found to affect as much as 48% of implants according to the American Academy of Periodontology. Inefficiencies of commercial dental implant systems have become increasingly apparent as the link between residual cement and peri-implant disease has been made, with excess cement being associated with signs of peri-implant disease in approximately 80% of cases. Despite residual cement bei...

Intelligent Textiles Prepared from Nanofiber Yarns and Polymer Fiber Actuators

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 30 May 2017 09:06:49 GMT

While there has always been a desire for smart textiles, including fabrics which adapt depending on environmental stimuli, it has yet to be effectively accomplished due to the lack of suitable materials. These polymer fiber actuators have enabled the creation of fabrics that can reversibly change properties such as porosity, shape, color and texture. Nylon is inexpensive and easily obtainable and already used in clothing worldwide, enabling the incorporation of these coiled fibers in actuating textiles and braids for a multitude of applications. Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are ...

Novel Solution for Selective Adsorption and Release of Gases Within Porous Materials

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 26 May 2017 07:37:15 GMT

The potential for nanoporous materials, such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), to be used effectively for energy storage and gas capture has been hindered by their relatively weak adsorption of gases. The primary approach for weak adsorption has been to develop metal centers that are more active. Such an approach often leads to complex synthesis procedures and release mechanics that are molecule-specific, limiting applicability to targeted molecules. The proposed solution utilizes these nanoporous structures, which are well-suited to adsorb small molecules, and simplifies synth...

An Environmentally Friendly Solution for Preservation and Increased Nutritional Value of Hay and Forage

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 13:41:09 GMT

Researchers at UT Dallas have developed a preservative solution that can be used in place of current preservatives, such as those that contain propionic acid. Unlike propionic acid, this new preservative solution is much safer and provides additional value to treated feed. Whereas many commercial hay preservatives evaporate over time, this formulation remains as a salt and provides indefinite protection during storage. Additionally, this preservative will add nutritional value to the hay, while other preservatives only aim to retain its initial value. The nutritional enhancement ...

A New Environmentally Friendly Acid for Hydrolysis of Celluloses

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 13:41:07 GMT

Current methods for cellulose hydrolysis have serious setbacks that impede progress in ethanol production from biomass. Researchers at UT Dallas have developed a novel, minimally corrosive acid that can be used in place of the caustic chemicals that are currently used. By using this new organic acid, commercial acid hydrolysis can be undertaken without the need for expensive, corrosion-resistant alloy equipment. Additionally, there is less safety hazards to employees: this method does not use volatile acids and contents do not need to be treated as hazardous materials nor require...

Spectrum-Agile Massive MIMO System and Capacity Adaptation Between Uplink and Downlink

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 08:40:10 GMT

Massive MIMO is a potential candidate for next-generation wireless communication, such as for 5G. Massive MIMO uses a large number of base station (BS) antennas to potentially allow for orders of magnitude improvement in spectral and energy efficiency. Existing Massive MIMO literature views that such technology with large number of beams (large number of simultaneous users) is not compatible with systems using frequency division duplexing (FDD) due to prohibitively large overhead required to obtain channel knowledge. The practical need for enabling massive MIMO tec...

ForecastED

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 07:51:23 GMT

Background:Emergency department crowding is an issue that widely affects healthcare, resulting in impaired patient outcomes, decreased access to healthcare, and diminished profitability. There is a need for predictive modeling solutions that can help alleviate emergency department crowding. Technology:Dr. Nathan Hoot at UTHealth has developed a forecasting tool for measuring and predicting patient flow through emergency departments, called ForecastED. ForecastED is a simulation-based software tool to forecast near-future emergency department staffing needs. It integrates with...

Novel Bone Regeneration System

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 08:28:45 GMT

Researchers at UT Health San Antonio have developed a process to form bone grafting material. One may provide a porous collagen scaffold and insert the scaffold into a perfusion chamber of a perfusion flow system. This may then be followed by continuously providing a mineralization perfusion fluid flow through the scaffold at a flow rate to provide dynamic intrafibrillar mineralization of the scaffold and form a collagen/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold. One may optionally provide the scaffold with bone tissue forming cells and then deliver a perfusion fluid including oxygen and one...

Compatibilized Immiscible Polymer Blends and Molecular Sieve Membranes

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 13:34:20 GMT

Non-Confidential Description: This invention describes novel nanostructured membranes for gas separations, comprising compatibilized, immiscible high performance co-polyimide (PI)/polybenzimidazole (PBI) blends. The compatibilizer used in this invention is a commercially available and inexpensive imidazole-based small molecule (SM). SEM images revealed that PI/PBI blends without the SM compatibilizer demonstrate a phase-separated matrix-droplet (MD) type morphology. Also, large domains of the dispersed phase were distributed non-uniformly within the mem...

Sheath-Core Fibers for Superelastic Electronics, Sensors, and Muscles

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 12:42:48 GMT

Summary:From fitness trackers to smart clothing, wearables are in high demand. Researchers at UT Dallas have invented a new class of elastic wires that can be woven into clothing or made into super-stretchy charger cords. Lighter-than-air, electrically conductive sheets of tiny carbon nanotubes are wrapped around a long rubber core to create conducting fibers that can be reversibly stretched 14 times their initial length while increasing electrical conductivity by 200-fold. By adding a thin overcoat of rubber to the sheath-core fibers and then another carbon nanotube sheath, the research...

High Torque Density Switched Reluctance Motors

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 14:41:42 GMT

Applications like aerospace, automotive and robotics require high torque to volume/weight ratio machines. Permanent Magnet Machines have been considered to be the sole candidates, however, the limitation of the operational temperature, relatively high price, and unstable overseas supply of permanent magnet material limits its massive applications. There arises the need for a high torque density machine which contains fewer permanent magnets or even none at all. The conventional reluctance machine benefits from a relatively simple and rugged structure which make it a...

Multifunctional Ionic liquids for Surface Modification of Dental Implants

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 14:41:40 GMT

Titanium dental implants are known for their high success rates and adequate osseointegration in vivo. However, with an increasing number of implants used, higher incidence of failures has been reported. These failures have been associated with microbial colonization, peri-implant inflammation, corrosion, implant design, overload, as well as a combination of multiple factors. Ionic liquids (ILs) constitute a versatile class of materials in which modifications in cationic and anionic moieties can be performed to obtain compounds with specific properties. Non-toxic and multifuncti...

Unified Lower-Limb Prosthetic Control Strategy

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 12:55:45 GMT

Non-Confidential Description: This technology defines a novel control strategy for a powered prosthetic leg that unifies the entire gait cycle, eliminating the need to switch between controllers during different periods of gait. Current control methods divide the gait cycle into several sequential periods with independent controllers, resulting in many patient-specific control parameters and switching rules that must be tuned by clinicians. Having a single controller could reduce the number of control parameters to be tuned for each patient, thereby reducing the clinical time an...

Virtual Mitral Valve Repair Simulation

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 14:43:50 GMT

The mitral valve (MV) controls the flow of blood between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. Surgical repair of the MV is a therapeutic option for leaking or regurgitating heart valves. Selecting an appropriate surgical procedure for MV repair is dependent in part on the nature of the MV disease and the MV’s geometric parameters, which are measured by diagnostic imaging (e.g. echocardiography). Due to complex tissue geometries and variances in the MV rings that are implanted during a MV repair, it is not uncommon for multiple surgeries to be performed on a single pati...

Stroke: Conversations and Explanations

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 09:40:43 GMT

Stroke: Conversations and Explanations Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have created Stroke: Conversations and Explanations. This DVD features two videos that depict the impact of stroke through the eyes of survivors and their spouses and provides the latest information on early detection, prevention, and treatment of strokes. Living After Stroke: Conversations with Couples is an honest and poignant exploration of the impact of stroke on the lives of six couples. The couples, interviewed two to four years after their...

Agglomerated particles responding to hypoglycemia

uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 11:23:41 GMT

Background: Diabetes is a disease caused by an insulin deficiency or a resistance to insulin in the body. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease that damages the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, resulting in an inadequate amount of insulin in the body. Without insulin treatments, Type I diabetes is fatal. Type II diabetes results from an insufficient production of insulin or an inability of the patient’s body to respond properly to insulin. Insulin resistance associated with Type II diabetes prevents adequate levels of blood sugar from entering into cel...

Novel hamstring stretching device to treat lower back pain

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 13:48:30 GMT

Researchers at the UT Health SA have designed a machine that effectively stretches the hamstring muscles while reducing strain on the lower back. This machine maintains lumbar stability while stretching the hamstring muscles, resulting in the optimum posture needed for safe and effective stretching exercises with minimal lumbar strain. A measuring tool is incorporated into the device which can be used to record a variety of measurements to track the progress of a patient. The machine contains foot, leg and hip supports and is fully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of body types and sizes...

Potential Cancer Therapeutic: TGF-beta Trap

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 11:13:06 GMT

The discovery is a group of novel pan-TGF-beta inhibitor fusion proteins that bind TGF-betas with higher affinity than other compounds currently in preclinical and clinical studies. This TGF-beta antagonist may be useful for treating and/or ameliorating cancer, especially at the metastatic stages. Background:TGF-beta is a potent growth inhibitor in normal epithelial cells by inducing cell cycle arrest, cell senescence, and/or apoptosis. The loss of the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta may lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and the development of cancer. This effect may ...

Allosteric Proteasome Inhibitors for Treatment of Cancer

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 10:08:55 GMT

UT Health San Antonio scientists have discovered novel small-molecule compounds that have allosteric signaling activity to modulate proteasome catalytic activity. The allosteric proteasome inhibitors can be used alone or in combination with existing competitive proteasome inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. Studies of combination treatment demonstrate that the allosteric inhibitors sensitize the proteasome to inhibition by established proteasome inhibitors. This synergistic effect may allow use of established proteasome inhibitors in solid cancers. Background:The pro...

System for Selectively Labeling RNA

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 08:58:34 GMT

The invention pertains to a three step initiation, elongation and termination method and platform for synthesizing selectively labeled RNA molecules by first polymerizing a first liquid phase RNA molecule from a solid phased DNA template fixed onto a solid phase. Background:The method includes the steps of incubating the solid and liquid phases at appropriate elongation temperatures and then terminating elongation by a separation stage where the phases are incubated at near 0 degrees Celsius where it selectively terminates RNA elongation. The steps can be repeated by the number bases (rN...

Pneumococcal Vaccine with Cardiac Protection

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 08:49:24 GMT

With the emergence of pneumococcal infections caused by non-vaccine serotypes and multidrug resistant strains, this broadly effective vaccine may be the best strategy for decreasing morbidity and mortality. Because it also protects against adverse cardiac events during and after pneumococcal pneumonia, it has strong potential as a vaccine for seniors who already have cardiovascular disease and it provides an additional indication for a pneumococcal vaccine outside of the current vaccine recommendations. Phase 1 clinical study is ongoing.KEYWORDS: Community-acquired pneumonia adverse cardiac ev...

Thin-Film Capacitive Sensor with Multiple Applications

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 08:43:48 GMT

This wireless implantable flexible sensor technology addresses the ubiquitous need for blood pressure monitoring and control, and could serve patients with chronic cardiovascular conditions to ensure compliance with treatment and as a warning system for an acute event. There are significant uses beyond biomedical ? the sensor can be configured to measure capacitance, resistance, or resonance. This platform technology provides for a range of sensors with thin and flexible profiles which are suitable for constrained spaces that were previously inaccessible.

Novel Inhibitors of Proto-Oncogene PELP1

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 07:31:08 GMT

Novel peptide inhibitors that disrupts the functional interactions of oncogenic protein PELP1 have been discovered by researchers at UT Health San Antonio. These inhibitors can be used for treatment of cancers that are characterized as over-expressing PELP1. Background:PELP1 overexpression, noted in many hormone-related cancers such as breast, prostate, ovary and glioma, promotes cancer cell proliferation and is prognostically linked to shorter survival, development of hormonal therapy resistance, and metastasis. Targeting PELP1, an important downstream co-regulator molecule for many sign...

Compression/Stabilization for Foot and Ankle Surgery

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 07:44:27 GMT

A novel orthopedic device providing simultaneous stabilization and compression for patient's foot, ankle, and/or lower extremity has been developed by UT Health San Antonio researchers. It is intended for use by surgeons during Charcot foot and ankle surgeries, revisional foot and ankle fusions (nonunions), and in cases where a patient's bones suffer from decreased mineral density and cortical stiffness, such as those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Background: Charcot Neuroarthropathy (CN) is defined by a bone and/or joint deformity in limbs that have lost sensory innervations. ...

Advanced Cervical Ripening System (ACRS)

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 13:40:49 GMT

UT Health San Antonio researchers have developed a unique method for advanced cervical ripening which causes the effacement and thinning that occurs in natural child birth. This advanced cervical ripening system is superior to traditional methods because the unique design allows for uniform ripening by adapting to the geometry of each patient, and the device does not cause localized pressure to the fetus' head. Background:In normal child birth, cervical ripening (the effacement or thinning of the cervix) is followed by dilation in preparation for the birthing process. The ripening p...

Image Alignment in Radiographic Imaging

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:59:47 GMT

A researcher at UT Health San Antonio has developed a unique, patented data registration device and methods to facilitate alignment of two or more digital radiographic images. The technology is particularly useful in Cone Beam CT (CBCT) or dental radiography to align and compare digital images after acquisition of the images, thus reducing inconvenience to the patient, allowing quantitative comparison and facilitating digital subtraction radiography (DSR). Background:Improvements in digital dental imaging have facilitated DSR for early disease detection, measurement of disease progre...

Novel Class of pH Responsive and Renal Clearable Tumor Imaging Agents

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:36:00 GMT

Non-Confidential Description:The technology is a novel class of pH responsive luminescent gold nanoparticles that are renal clearable and that selectively bind to cells in an acidic environment such as tumor cells. An advantage of these novel pH responsive nanoparticles is that they can be used to specifically target the acidic microenvironment of tumor cells irrespective of tumor type and can be used as imaging probes for early diagnosis of tumors. Background:The recent use of multifunctional gold nanoparticles that combine imaging and therapeutic applications have transformed cancer de...

Novel Nitric Oxide Releasing Surgical Sutures, Bandages and Fabrics

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:57:55 GMT

Non-Confidential DescriptionThe technology is novel nitric oxide (NO) releasing acrylonitrile-based copolymer and terpolymer fibers that can be used as surgical sutures or non-woven bandages and fabrics that enhance wound healing. These copolymers have a higher NO loading capacity per gram than other known NO releasing acrylonitrile polymers. In addition, the fibers are coated with biodegradable polymers that allow for the timed, slow release of NO when the suture, bandage or fabric is in contact with the wound. These fibers have a long shelf life and when used in wound closure applications ha...

Low-Cost, Small-Size Multi-String LED Driver Circuit Architecture

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:01:34 GMT

Overview The University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing a novel LED driver circuit architecture which promises to provide a low-cost, small-footprint Light Emitting Diode (LED) driver solution for a large variety of applications, including backlighting for portable devices, electronic displays, street lighting, traffic lights, and automotive lighting. LED lighting systems, comprised of LED drivers and LED display modules, have become very attractive due to numerous advantages such as low power consumption, high optical efficiency, low ...

Real-Time Automatic Tuning of Noise Suppression for Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:11:27 GMT

OverviewThe University of Texas at Dallas is seeking companies interested in commercializing a novel adaptive noise suppression algorithm for Cochlear Implants (CIs) and Hearing Aids (HAs) which significantly improves speech intelligibility in noisy environments by automatically classifying the type of ambient noise present and applying the optimum noise filter parameters – all in real-time, with no user intervention required. This noise suppression methodology is computationally efficient and can be readily implemented on conventional CI and HA processors with no additional hardwa...

Endocrine Therapy Diagnostic for ER+ Breast Cancer

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:30:05 GMT

UT Health San Antonio seeks to partner with a diagnostic products company to develop and commercialize a clinical diagnostic with the potential to determine if a patient with estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer is suitable for treatment with endocrine therapy (e.g., tamoxifen and/or the aromatase inhibitors anastrozole (Arimidex®), letrozole (Femara®), and others). Background:Overall, approximately 60-65% of breast cancers are found to be ER-positive upon biopsy. Estrogen is a growth hormone and in patients with ER+ breast cancers, estrogen binds to the estr...

A High-Efficiency System for in vitro and in vivo Biotinylation

saenzv@uthscsa.edu — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:53:58 GMT

A novel system with an improved efficiency for in vitro, as well as in vivo, biotinylation of a large amount of Avi-tagged target proteins. This system is an improvement over the only pre-existing commercial systems available for in vivo biotinylation because it greatly improves biotinylation efficiency and enables the complete labeling of target proteins. In addition, this MBP-BirA fusion encoding vector can be used stand-alone to produce a large amount of enzymatically active BirA biotin ligase that can be utilized for in vitro biotinylation. Expanded Description:UT Health San Anto...

Automatically Bridging the Semantic Gap in Virtual Machine Introspection

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:06:21 GMT

This invention encompasses a set of techniques to automatically bridge the semantic gap in virtual machine introspection thus allowing a trusted machine to inspect other machines (physical or virtual) safely, quickly, and reliably. Background:In Cloud Computing, a secure (“trusted”) virtual machine is often used to monitor (“introspect”) the activity of other virtual machines, because the trusted machine can be isolated from the Internet and it is therefore difficult for hackers to compromise. This technique, Virtual Machine Introspection, or VMI, is one of the fou...

Standards-Compatible Method for Near-Best Signal Throughput in Mobile Wireless Communications

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:30:22 GMT

Marketing Title: Standards-Compatible and Near-Best Transmission Method for Enhancing Throughput in Mobile Communications Non-Confidential Description:This novel signal transmission method significantly increases throughput in modern wireless systems, e.g., LTE/LTE-A., and is shown to be near-optimal. The method is standards-compliant and compatible with existing wireless network hardware, therefore offering cost-effective implementation and fast integration with existing standards. This technology embeds data information together with the pilots that are required by any wireless systems ...

Biscrolling Nanopowders and Carbon Nanotube Sheets into Fibers, Yarns and Textiles

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:05:20 GMT

Non-Confidential Description:The technology is the first known method to spin biscrolled fibers/yarns from nanopowder materials using carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets as the host. Nanopowder materials (nanoparticles, nanofibers) are loaded onto the CNT sheets to form bi-layered sheets, which are then scrolled into fibers. A key advantage of this technology is that it enables the functional nanopowder to be the largest component of the yarns constituting 95-99% (by weight) of the yarn, thereby ensuring that the properties exhibited by the yarn are largely those of the nanopowder. Nanopowders with d...

Electrolyte-Free Charge Injection Tuning of Carbon Nanotube Sheets – Offering Novel Supercapacitor Technology

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:38:17 GMT

This invention utilizes bulk material property modification via hole or electron injection into conducting and porous materials including but not limited to carbon nanotubes. Bulk carbon nanotube (CNT) assemblies (sheets, rods, etc) can be charged electrochemically in an electrolyte bath. After the CNT sheet is charged (positively or negatively) in a NaCL solution (electrolyte), it is taken out of the salt solution (now electrolyte-free), washed and then dried. The charges remain on the CNT sheet for several years. Magnetic, electronic or optical properties of the ...

Improved Auto Exposure for Digital and Smartphone Cameras

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:08:08 GMT

This invention is an improved auto exposure (AE) method which, unlike existing AE methods, does not make a middle brightness assumption. As a result, this invention allows for better exposed images, in particular in poor lighting conditions such as front/back lit and low light scenes. The developed method has been implemented on a camera platform and results obtained have shown generation of better exposed images as compared to existing auto exposure methods. Technical Summary:Getting proper image exposure is a critical component of digital or smartphone camera image pipelines. In profess...

Fuel-Powered Artificial Muscles

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:39:33 GMT

These inventions are new, highly-efficient actuators which can function as artificial muscles. They are 100 times stronger than natural muscles, able to do 100 times greater work per cycle, and produce larger contractions than natural muscles. Developed using nanotechnology, these actuators are powered through two methods that convert the chemical energy of high-energy-density fuels (hydrogen, methanol, or formic acid) to mechanical, electrical, and thermal energy. The first artificial muscle type employs a catalyst-containing carbon nanotube electrode that simultaneously functions as an...

Logistical Tracking System: 21st Century Facilities Management

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:00:57 GMT

The Logistical Tracking System (LTS) provides an integrated and flexible tool used to track and report on characteristics, contents and personnel associated with locations/facilities. It has several features that can assist first responders, military personnel or law enforcement agencies. LTS can capture personnel information, dimensional data, space attributes, and inspection information, including Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT), telecommunications and other equipment. For example, it has the ability to tie directly into security camera feeds as well as other security infrastruct...

A Method of Storage and Controlled Delivery of Nitric Oxide

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:11:01 GMT

Invention:The invention is unique Titanium dioxide nanotubes decorated with NO releasing groups to store and deliver NO using photochemical methods in both external and internal medical treatments. It provides a method of storing NO that can be delivered to targeted spaces and a controlled photodynamic activation process that eliminates any potential by-product formation. This safe storage system can be combined with cream or lotion for topical treatments. The materials used in the fabrication of this delivery system are cheap and readily available and TiO2 nanotubes are produced in larg...

A Method of Nitric Oxide Delivery for Healing and Organ Preservation

brent.schultze@utdallas.edu — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:16:25 GMT

Invention:The invention is a medical device, more specifically a bandage, which releases Nitric Oxide to help heal wounds, improve blood circulation and preserve organs being stored for transplant. Nitric Oxide opens blood vessels and keep them relaxed, two of the key factors that help blood flow. Secondly this device inhibits thrombosis thereby preserving transplant organs. Though some recent efforts toward Nitric Oxide delivery have been concentrated on the fabrication of materials that release Nitric Oxide, this invention permits practitioners to control the discharge of this gas itsel...