Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for diagnosing late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), treating LOAD and assessing efficacy of therapeutic agents used to treat LOAD.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods related to derivation of human notochordal cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The inventors have developed a two-step process for generating these iPSC-derived notochordal cells (iNCs), which can provide a renewable source of therapeutic material for use in degenerative disc disease (DDD). As iNCs are capable of reversing DDD and supporting regeneration of intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue based on the understanding that NC cells maintain homeostasis and repair of other IVD cell types such as nuclear pulposus (NP).

Abstract: The present invention describes methods for treating idiopathic short stature. Described herein are also methods of increasing a subject’s height. The methods involve administering an effective amount of a pan FGFR inhibitor or a selective FGFR inhibitor to the subject. An example of an FGRF inhibitor used in the methods described herein is erdafitinib.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for treating fibrosis and/or cancer in a subject in need thereof. The methods include providing a composition comprising an inhibitor of IL-4/IL-13 receptor function and administering an effective amount of the composition to the subject to treat fibrosis and/or cancer.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the invention teaches systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging. In some embodiments, the invention teaches systems and methods for determining the source of pain in intervertebral discs by measuring one or more physiological biomarkers associated with disc pain and/or disc degeneration.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of prognosing high or low probability of developing an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a subject and a method of diagnosing an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a subject. The invention further provides for a method of identifying genes/genetic loci associated with a disease condition, such as IBD, CD and/or UC.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods related to use of cardiosphere-derived cells and their extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes and microvesicles, for achieving anti-aging and rejuvenation. This includes discoveries for effects on heart structure, function, gene expression, and systemic parameters. For animal studies, intra-cardiac injections of neonatal rat CDCs was compared to in old and young rats including evaluation of blood, echocardiographic, haemodynamic and treadmill stress tests. For in vitro studies, human heart progenitors from older donors, or cardiomyocytes from aged rats were exposed to human CDCs or cardiosphere derived cell (CDC) derived exosomes (CDC-XO) from pediatric donors. CDCs and CDC-XOs were capable of effectuating youthful patterns of gene expression in the hearts of old, along with a variant of physiological and function benefits, including elongation of telomere length.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of cardiovascular imaging and/or measurement of blood markers for detecting, diagnosing and/or prognosing cardiac or myocardial microbleeds, especially in subject with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Treatment methods are also provided for subjects identified, diagnosed, prognosed, or detected with cardiac or myocardial microbleeds. In some embodiments, the subject has hypertension-induced microbleeds, but has not had a myocardial infarction or reperfusion therapy.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and methods for treating, inhibiting and/or reducing the severity of neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), large cell neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC), large-cell carcinoma (LCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC), and/or adenocarcinoma (AC) in subjects in need thereof. The methods include providing an agent that inhibits expression or activity of ONECUT2 and administering a therapeutically effective amount of the agent so as to treat, inhibit and/or reduce the severity of neuroblastoma, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), large cell neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC), large-cell carcinoma (LCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC), and/or adenocarcinoma (AC) in the subject.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: The invention described herein provides for methods and systems for determining, selecting, and/or treating diseases and conditions caused by or associated with high quantities of methanogens in a subject, or diseases and conditions caused by or associated with low quantities of methanogens in a subject. In various embodiments, a therapy to inhibit the growth of methanogens or to promote the growth of methanogens are selected and/or administered to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: An osteogenic composition for implantation at or near a target tissue site beneath the skin is provided, the osteogenic composition comprising bone morphogenetic protein and a NEMO binding domain peptide, where the NEMO binding domain peptide reduces soft tissue inflammation at or near the target tissue site. In some embodiments, a method is provided for treating a target tissue site in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising implanting an osteogenic composition comprising bone morphogenetic protein and a NEMO binding domain peptide, where the NEMO binding domain peptide reduces soft tissue inflammation at or near the target tissue site.

Abstract: Assessment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) can be performed by calculating a cardiac pyrophosphate activity (CPA) measurement from single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images. SPECT images obtained using 99mTechnetium-pyrophosphate as a radiotracer can be analyzed to calculate CPA. Scan-specific thresholds for abnormal myocardial activity are identified based on left ventricular blood pool (LVBP) radiotracer counts, then radiotracer activity in regions of the myocardium with abnormal myocardial activity is determined. Finally, a CPA measurement can be calculated as a function of the mean radiotracer counts in such regions over the maximal LVBP radiotracer activity multiplied by the volume of involvement (e.g., the volume of abnormal activity). This CPA measurement can then be used as an assessment of ATTR-CM.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of sensitizing a cancer in a subject and methods of treating, slowing the progression of, reducing the severity of, preventing the recurrence of, and/or reducing the recurrence likelihood of a cancer in a subject. The invention further provides for a method of preventing the recurrence of and/or reducing the recurrence likelihood of a cancer in a subject who has been treated with a cancer therapy.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for multiplex tissue imaging by methods such as imaging mass cytometry (IMC) and methods for analysis of imaging mass cytometry data. In various embodiments, methods are provided of cell-of-origin analysis and mutational analysis, coupled with spatial parameters derived from tumor clusters in the tumor microenvironment; which reveals signature marker profiles and therapeutic targets for treating cancers including diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Abstract: Organs-on-chips are microfluidic devices for culturing living cells in micrometer sized chambers in order to model physiological functions of tissues and organs. Engineered patterning and continuous fluid flow in these devices has allowed culturing of intestinal cells bearing physiologically relevant features and sustained exposure to bacteria while maintaining cellular viability, thereby allowing study of inflammatory bowl diseases. However, existing intestinal cells do not possess all physiologically relevant subtypes, do not possess the repertoire of genetic variations, or allow for study of other important cellular actors such as immune cells. Use of iPSC-derived epithelium, including IBD patient-specific cells, allows for superior disease modeling by capturing the multi-faceted nature of the disease.

Abstract: A heterogeneous catalyst composition for para-hydrogen induced polarization includes ligand-capped nanoparticles dispersed in water. The ligand-capped nanoparticles include metal nanoparticles that are surface functionalized with organic ligands, a molecular weight of the organic ligands is no greater than 300 g/mol, and the organic ligands each includes multiple binding moieties as coordinates sites for binding to a nanoparticle surface.

Abstract: Described herein are donor vectors and systems for use in in vivo dual recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Also described are animal models for consistent, rigorous, and facile investigation of transgene expression. Further described are methods of screening for therapeutic drugs using these animal models, and methods of treatment.

Abstract: Described herein are donor vectors and systems for use in dual recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Also described herein are animal models and human cells for consistent, rigorous, and facile investigation of transgene expression. Further described herein are methods of screening for therapeutic drugs using these animal models, and methods of treatment.

Abstract: The invention provides various methods for imaging a subject's cardiovascular system. The imaging method may be used to provide a diagnosis or prognosis of various cardiovascular diseases in the subject, without contrast agents or radioactive tracers, and further generating a Gaussian Mixture Model to obtain a reference value of a normal myocardium.