A method of inducing ischemia includes: providing a cell culture device having a first cell culture in an internal chamber and a second cell culture in at least one fluid channel and a perfusion modulating system that causes changes in oxygen flow in the internal chamber and/or at least one fluid channel; flowing liquid media having oxygen through the internal chamber and at least one fluid channel of the cell culture device; modulating oxygen perfusion in the internal chamber with the perfusion modulating system by varying and selectively blocking the flow rate of at least one of the liquid media or oxygen through the internal chamber to induce varying levels of ischemia; and assaying for ischemia in the first cell culture.

The present invention provides methods for the identification of an antigen receptor (e.g., an antibody) that specifically binds to an antigen of interest. Generally, this involves contacting a plurality of antigen receptor-expressing cells with an antigen of interest; measuring the level of activated adhesion molecules on the surface of the antigen receptor-expressing cells; and, identifying from the plurality of antigen receptor-expressing cells an antigen receptor-expressing cell that exhibits an increased amount of activated adhesion molecules on the cell surface.

A method of assaying metastasis can include: providing a device of one of the embodiments; introducing the at least one cancer cell into the at least one internal chamber or at least one fluid channel; and studying metastasis of the at least one cancer cell. Optionally: introducing cancer cells into a first internal chamber; detecting escape of the cancer cell from the first internal chamber into the fluid channel; detecting migration of the cancer cell through the fluid channel; detecting adhesion of the cancer cell to a coating on the fluid channel; detecting invasion of the cancer cell into a second internal chamber from the fluid channel; or visualizing metastasis of the cancer cell with a visualization device.

The present invention relates to the field of brain injuries. More specifically, the present invention provides methods and compositions useful in the diagnosis/prognosis/assessment of brain injuries. In a specific embodiment, a method for identifying which patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) require a head computerized tomography (CT) scan for diagnosing acute intracranial pathology comprises the steps of (a) obtaining or collecting a sample from the patient; (b) measuring the levels of one or more biomarkers in the blood sample obtained from the patient, wherein the biomarkers comprise glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100B, metallothionein 3 (MT3), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and intracellular adhesion molecule 5 (ICAM5); and (c) identifying the patient as requiring or not requiring a head CT scan based on the measured levels of one or more of biomarkers comprising GFAP, S100B, MT3, NSE and ICAM5.

Described is a method for predicting the risk of a subject of rapidly progressing to chronic heart failure and/or of hospitalization due to chronic heart failure and/or death. The method is based on the determination of at least one biomarker selected from B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), IGFBP7 (IGF binding protein 7), a cardiac Troponin, soluble ST2 (sST2), FGF-23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 23), and Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15), in a sample of a subject along with the assessment of the presence or absence of (i) abnormal midwall fractional shortening or (ii) left ventricular hypertrophy.

Methods for treating cancer, e.g., in conjunction with anti-cancer therapy, like immunotherapy, and for identifying candidate therapeutic agents, by targeting ICAM4. While MDSCs in mice have been extensively characterized, their human counterparts are not well defined, and cell markers present in mice are not always usable in humans. MDSCs have been described as a heterogenous population of myeloid derived cells with immune suppressive capacity (5, 9, 40, 41). Recent renewed interest in the role of MDSC accumulation in human tumors has resulted in the increased need to define these cells better in order to target them for therapeutic intervention.

The present invention relates to the field of brain injuries. More specifically, the present invention provides methods and compositions useful in the diagnosis/prognosis/assessment of brain injuries. In a specific embodiment, a method for identifying which patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) require a head computerized tomography (CT) scan for diagnosing acute intracranial pathology comprises the steps of (a) obtaining or collecting a sample from the patient; (b) measuring the levels of one or more biomarkers in the blood sample obtained from the patient, wherein the biomarkers comprise glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100B, metallothionein 3 (MT3), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and intracellular adhesion molecule 5 (ICAM5); and (c) identifying the patient as requiring or not requiring a head CT scan based on the measured levels of one or more of biomarkers comprising GFAP, S100B, MT3, NSE and ICAM5.

The present invention provides methods of treating and enhancing efficacy of immunotherapy for a solid tumor in a subject, comprising the step of contacting the subject with a compound or composition that modulates the expression or activity of ETRB, ET-1, ICAM-1, or another protein found herein to play a role in homing of T cells to a solid tumor. The present invention also provides methods of prognosticating a solid tumor in a subject, comprising the step of measuring an expression level of a protein found herein to play a role in homing of T cells to a solid tumor, or a nucleotide molecule encoding same.

Beta-cryptoxanthin compositions and methods are described for the management of cardiometabolic syndrome and associated risk factors, in a subject, in need thereof. Methods herein are directed to identifying such subject at risk of developing cardiometabolic syndrome and administering beta-cryptoxanthin composition to assess the condition of an organ. Compositions and methods herein can effectively reduce risk factors of cardiometabolic syndrome, such as hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and/or related cardiovascular disorders. Beta-cryptoxanthin compositions and methods herein can reduce body weight, body fat, glucose levels, and free fatty acids, when administered in effective amounts. The compositions and methods herein can also reduce oxidative stress on organs such as the eye and liver and/or reduce inflammatory and/or oxidative markers, when administered to subjects in need thereof.

A method for determining whether a subject has an impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) or is at risk of developing an impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprising determining the level of one or more biomarkers in one or more samples obtained from the subject, wherein the one or more biomarkers comprise serum amyloid A (SAA).