Abstract: A method of promoting hair growth can include: a polypeptide having a sequence that has at least 75% complementarity to or at least 75% identical to SPR4; and topically administering the polypeptide to a subject. This can include putting or causing the polypeptide to be in the skin, such as in any dermal layer. In one aspect, the method can include administering the composition topically so as to administer the polypeptide to the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to skin of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a hair follicle of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a bald spot of the subject.

Abstract: An implant can include a plurality of polymeric fibers associated together into a fibrous body. The fibrous body is capable of being shaped to fit a tracheal defect and capable of being secured in place by suture or by bioadhesive. The fibrous body can have aligned fibers (e.g., circumferentially aligned) or unaligned fibers. The fibrous body can be electrospun. The fibrous body can have a first characteristic in a first gradient distribution across at least a portion of the fibrous body. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members, such as ribbon structural reinforcing members, which can be embedded in the plurality of fibers. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members bonded to the fibers with liquid polymer as an adhesive, the liquid polymer having a substantially similar composition of the fibers.

Abstract: Compounds described herein can be used for therapeutic purposes. The compounds can be TLR agonists, such as TLR7 or TLR8 agonists. The compounds can be included in pharmaceutical compositions and used for therapies were being a TLR agonist is useful. The pharmaceutical compositions can include any ingredients, such as carries, diluents, excipients, fillers or the like that are common in pharmaceutical compositions. The compounds can be those illustrated or described herein as well as derivative thereof, prodrug thereof, salt thereof, or stereoisomer thereof, or having any chirality at any chiral center, or tautomer, polymorph, solvate, or combinations thereof. As such, the compounds can be used as adjuvants in vaccines as well as for other therapeutic purposes described herein. The compounds can have any one of the formulae. Examples of the compounds can be reviewed in Table 1 and Table A1 for activates.

Abstract: Compounds can be used for treating polycystic kidney disease (PKD). As such, these compounds can be used in associated methods. The methods can include: method of modulating (e.g., activating) Liver kinase B1 (LKB1); method of modulating (e.g., decreasing activity) mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The methods may include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having PKD. The methods may include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having Autosomal Dominant PKD. The compounds can be used in methods of treating a disease modulated by a mTOR pathway, which can include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having the disease modulated by the mTOR pathway.

Abstract: A compound can be a fluorescent taxane derivative having a structure of Formula 1, salt, stereoisomer, tautomer, polymorph, or solvate thereof. Formula 1 can be defined as: L, L-NH, or L-NH—C?O is a linker; and R is a substituent, where —OH, —O?, —NH2, and NH—CH3 are examples. Examples of linkers can include glycine, beta-alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Pharmaceutical compositions can include the compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and may be configured for intravenous injection. The fluorescent taxane derivative can be used to treat cancer and non-cancer diseases. The fluorescent taxane derivative can be used to monitor cellular efflux and determine whether a cell will efflux paclitaxel.

Abstract: A method of promoting hair growth can include: a polypeptide having a sequence that has at least 75% complementarity to or at least 75% identical to SPR4; and topically administering the polypeptide to a subject. This can include putting or causing the polypeptide to be in the skin, such as in any dermal layer. In one aspect, the method can include administering the composition topically so as to administer the polypeptide to the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to skin of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a hair follicle of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a bald spot of the subject.

Abstract: An implantable hydrogel precursor composition can include: a cross-linkable polymer matrix that is biocompatible; and a plurality of polymer particles in the cross-linkable polymer matrix. The cross-linkable polymer matrix can include a cross-linkable hyaluronic acid polymer that has cross-linkable functional groups. The hyaluronic acid polymer can be a methacrylated hyaluronic acid polymer. The methacrylated hyaluronic acid polymer can have a molecular weight from about 500 kDa to about 1.8 MDa. The polymer particles can include a cross-linked hyaluronic acid. The cross-linkable polymer matrix having the polymer particles has a yield stress. The cross-linkable polymer matrix having the polymer particles has shape retention at physiological temperatures. The composition can include live cells in the cross-linkable polymer matrix. The composition can include a biologically active agent in the cross-linkable polymer matrix.

Abstract: A device for studying protein conformation transformation can include a macroscopic substrate, and chaperonin proteins bound to the substrate, each chaperonin protein being capable of binding to a protein of interest during or after undergoing protein conformation transformation. The device may also include the proteins of interest bound to the substrate, where the substrate is included in a label-free assay system. A method of studying protein conformation transformation can include: providing a macroscopic substrate bound with the chaperonin protein and immersing the chaperonin protein in a study composition having the protein of interest, or include providing a macroscopic substrate bound with the protein of interest; and immersing the protein in a study composition having the chaperonin. Such a method can be done with and without a potential stabilizer in order to determine whether the potential stabilizer stabilizes the protein of interest.

Abstract: A method of transforming human cells into mechanosensory hair cells (MHCs), such as inner hear hair cells in the cochlea and vestibular organs, can include: causing human Wharton's jelly cells (hWJCs) to increase expression of or biological function of HATH1 so as to transform the hWJCs into MHCs. The method can include; administering a nucleic acid that encodes HATH1 to the hWJCs; causing inhibited expression of or biological function of HES1 and/or HES5 in the hWJCs; administering a nucleic acid that inhibits HES1 and/or a nucleic acid that inhibits HES5 to the hWJCs; causing inhibited expression of or biological function of HES1 and/or HES5 in the WJCs by administering a nucleic acid that inhibits HES1 and/or a nucleic acid that inhibits HES5; nucleic acids are administered includes a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, and/or SEQ ID NO: 4.

Abstract: A method of promoting hair growth can include: a polypeptide having a sequence that has at least 75% complementarity to or at least 75% identical to SPR4; and topically administering the polypeptide to a subject. This can include putting or causing the polypeptide to be in the skin, such as in any dermal layer. In one aspect, the method can include administering the composition topically so as to administer the polypeptide to the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to skin of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a hair follicle of the subject. In one aspect, the method can include administering the polypeptide to a bald spot of the subject.

Abstract: Polyelectrolyte nanoparticles are generated to stabilize foam for use in enhanced oil recovery. Stability is further enhanced by optimizing pH and a ratio of polycationic and polyanioinic materials, resulting in stronger and longer lasting foams in the presence of crude oil. Use of these nanoparticles results in negligible damage to formation permeability.

Abstract: Compounds are provided for use in treating polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and in associated methods that include a method of modulating (e.g., activating) Liver kinase B1 (LKBI); and a method of modulating (e.g., decreasing activity) mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The methods may include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having PKD. The methods may include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having Autosomal Dominant PKD. The compounds can be used in methods of treating a disease modulated by a mTOR pathway, which can include introducing the compound in a therapeutically effective amount to a subject having the disease modulated by the mTOR pathway. The disease modulated by mTOR is selected from the group consisting of multiple types of cancer, leukemia, kidney disease, obesity, neuro disorders and alcohol-related chronic diseases.

Abstract: Described herein are 3-dimensional clusters of reaggregated cells comprising cells reaggregated from at least two different cell sources, such as different cell types, different donors, and combinations thereof. Methods of making, using, and cryopreserving these 3-dimensional clusters of reaggregated cells are also described herein.

Abstract: A device for stimulating mechanosensory nerve endings can include: a housing having an internal chamber and first and second openings; optionally, a membrane covering the first opening of housing, the membrane being sufficient flexibility to vibrate upon receiving vibratory stimulation from a vibratory mechanism; and a coupling mechanism at the second opening configured for being fluidly coupled to the vibratory mechanism, wherein the entire device is magnetically unresponsive materials. The housing can be cylindrical, or any polygon shape. The membrane can be integrated with the housing or coupled thereto, such as with adhesive. Optionally, the membrane can be removably coupled to the housing. The membrane can be omitted such that the skin of a subject coupled to the device oscillates in response to the fluid vibrations.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for making a composition comprising a polymer and one or more chelators covalently coupled to polymer, wherein the one or more chelators has a benzene ring with more than one hydroxyl group at any position that is free, or a derivative of the chelator, or a salt of the chelator and methods of use.

Abstract: A method for providing vestibular stimulation includes: providing an infant in a vestibular stimulation device; associating sensors to the infant; moving the vestibular stimulation device to provide vestibular stimulation treatment; and obtaining sensor data during the treatment. The vestibular stimulation device includes a holder member; a platform; a mechanical system coupling the holder member to the platform; sensors configured to detect one or more parameters of the infant; and a computing system having a user input and/or output interface operably coupled to the mechanical system and the sensors to provide mechanical data to the mechanical system in order to control movement of the holder member relative to the platform and to collect the one or more parameters of the living subject from the sensors.

Abstract: A method of differentiating cells into CK19-positive cells capable of producing hair follicle-like and hair structure-like can include: providing a tissue scaffold; seeding cells into the scaffold, the cells being capable of differentiation; incubating the scaffold having the cells in a cell growth media; and incubating the scaffold having the cells in an osteogenic differentiation medium sufficient for CK19-positive cells to be generated in the scaffold. The tissue scaffold can be a decellularized Whartons' jelly matrix. The cell growth media excludes osteogenic differentiation components: dexamethasone, ?-glycerophosphate, 1?,25-hydroxyvitamin D3, and ascorbic acid 2-phosphate. The osteogenic differentiation medium includes the osteogenic differentiation components. The cells can be mesenchymal cells, such as WJMSCs.

Abstract: A compound that can function as a Cyclophilin D can include a structure of Formula 1 or Formula 2 or Formula 3 or Formula 4 or Formula 5 or Formula 6 or Formula 7 or Formula 8, derivative thereof, prodrug thereof, salt thereof, or stereoisomer thereof, or having any chirality at any chiral center, or tautomer, polymorph, solvate, or combination thereof, as presented herein. The Cyclophilin D inhibitors can inhibit onset or treat neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer's disease, or can be used for inhibiting progression or treating diabetes.

Abstract: A conformationally-constrained kinked peptide includes: a conformationally-constraining portion and a kinked portion linked to the conformationally-constraining portion that conformationally constrains the kinked portion, the kinked portion comprising an endosomal-disrupting peptide. The peptide can include a peptide sequence of one of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 5-38, or 40-54 or 61-69. The conformationally-constrained kinked portion can be a majority portion or minority of the peptide.