University System of Maryland

University of Arkansas

E Albert Reece

Peixin Yang

Joseph R Lakowicz

Ramachandram Badugu

YingKing Wu

Zhiyong Zhao

A material, article, system and method include a probe composition that includes a hydrophobic portion, a hydrophilic portion, an analyte-binding portion and a fluorophore portion. The analyte-binding portion is configured to bind to an analyte in an aqueous solution. The fluorophore portion is configured to change an optical property of fluorescent light emitted in response to incident excitation light when the probe composition changes between a first state in which the analyte is not bound to the analyte-binding portion and a second state in which the analyte binds to the analyte-binding portion. A material includes the probe composition and a silicone hydrogel substrate having a hydrogel network that allows flow of aqueous solution through the solution and a silicone network that occupies interstices of the hydrogel network. A contact lens having the material enables remote detection of glucose concentration in tear fluid of a subject.

Silicone hydrogel based fluorescent assay and contact lens

Maternal diabetes suppresses autophagy in neuroepithelial cells of the developing neural tube which leads to neural tube defect formation. Trehalose treatment reversed autophagy impairment and prevented neural tube defects in diabetic pregnancies. Trehalose resolved homeostatic imbalance by correcting mitochondrial defects, dysfunctional proteins, ER stress, apoptosis, and delayed neurogenesis in the neural tubes exposed to hyperglycemia. Methods of using trehalose as an intervention against hyperglycemia-induced neural tube defects are provided herein.

Use of trehalose for prevention of neural tube defects

Maternal diabetes can lead to a developmental malformation of an embryo. A developmental malformation caused by maternal diabetes is commonly referred to as a diabetic embryopathy. There is currently no effective treatment for reducing or inhibiting a diabetic embryopathy. To this end, the present invention is drawn to novel methods of treating a diabetic embryopathy.

Methods of treating a diabetic embryopathy

The present invention provides uses of multi-nutrient supplements to rescue aberrant biochemical pathways and reduce birth defect caused by maternal diabetes. Choice of supplements is based on the ability of each supplement to correct the following hyperglycemia-associated abnormalities: increased reactive oxygen species generation, abnormal membrane phospholipid metabolism, and decreased glutathione synthesis.

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Lutherville, MD, United States of America

E Albert Reece