Abstract: Methods are disclosed for producing populations of cardiomyocytes from pluripotent stem cells. Populations may be enriched for either atrial or ventricular cardiomyocytes and the resulting ventricular population may be essentially free of pacemaker cells. The method includes incubating pluripotent stem cells in a suitable medium with a BMP component, and an activin component, the amounts of activin may be varied to enrich for either atrial or ventricular cardiomyocytes. The enriched populations, as well as methods of using the same to treat patients in need of cardiac repair are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for treating a neurodegenerative disease and/or an optic nerve, brain and/or spinal cord injury using a Ndfip1 fusion polypeptide, a Ndfip1 nucleic acid molecule, a construct or expression cassette comprising the Ndfip1 nucleic acid molecule, and a cell comprising the construct and/or expression the fusion polypeptide.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and devices for coregistering imaging data to form three-dimensional superimposed images of a biological target such as a wound, a tumor, or a surgical bed. A three-dimensional map can be generated by projecting infrared radiation at a target area, receiving reflected infrared radiation, and measuring depth of the target area. A three-dimensional white light image can be created from a captured two-dimensional white light image and the three-dimensional map. A three-dimensional fluorescence image can be created from a captured two-dimensional fluorescence image and the three-dimensional map. The three-dimensional white light image and the three-dimensional fluorescence image can be aligned using one or more fiducial markers to form a three-dimensional superimposed image. The superimposed image can be used to track wound healing and to excise cancerous tissues, for example, breast tumors. Images can be in the form of videos.

Abstract: A portable imaging system for visualizing bacteria in a wound in real time includes an excitation light source configured to emit violet and/or blue excitation light to illuminate a wound and cause at least one biomarker associated with the wound to fluoresce and a camera configured to detect fluorescence emitted by the at least one biomarker associated with the wound in response to illumination of the wound with the excitation light. A portable frame is configured to support the camera and the excitation light source for hands-free operation and to position the camera and the excitation light source relative to the wound. The system also includes a power source for the excitation light source.

Abstract: Methods for producing hepatocyte and/or cholangiocyte lineage cells from pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising (a) specifying the extended nodal agonist treated induced endodermal cell population to obtain a cell population comprising hepatocyte and/or cholangiocyte progenitors by contacting the extended nodal agonist treated induced endodermal cell population with specification media comprising a FGF agonist and a BMP4 agonist and/or active conjugates and/or fragments thereof; (b) inducing maturation, and optionally further lineage specification and/or expansion of the hepatocyte and/or cholangiocyte progenitors of the cell population to obtain a population comprising hepatocyte lineage cells such as hepatoblasts, hepatocytes and/or cholangiocytes, the inducing maturation step comprising generating aggregates of the cell population. Optionally, the method also comprises activating the cAMP pathway within the aggregates and forming co-aggregates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining bacterial load in targets are disclosed. An autofluorescence detection and collection device includes a light source configured to illuminate a target with excitation light causing at least one biomarker in the illuminated target to fluoresce. Bacterial autofluorescence data regarding the target is collected and analyzed to determine bacterial load the target. The autofluorescence data may be analyzed using pixel intensity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to neural progenitor cells and therapeutic uses thereof. More particularly, the present disclosure provides cervical spinal cord-specific neural progenitor cells (cerNPCs), methods of producing cerNPCs, pharmaceutical compositions comprising cerNPCs. and methods of treating neurological diseases or disorders with the cerNPCs.

Abstract: A system for determining a bacterial load of a target is provided. The system includes an adaptor for configuring a mobile communication device for tissue imaging and a mobile communication device. The adaptor includes a housing configured to be removably coupled to a mobile communication device and, an excitation light source for fluorescent imaging. The excitation light source is configured to emit light in one of ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and infrared ranges.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating cancer using an effective amount of a compound represented by the formula (Formula (I)) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an effective amount of an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also provided are compositions comprising the same compound represented by the formula shown above or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

Abstract: A method of visualizing bacteria in real time includes positioning a portable frame of a portable imaging system relative to a target, wherein the portable imaging system includes a camera and an excitation light source mounted on the portable frame, operating the portable imaging system in a hands-free manner to illuminate the target with excitation light having at least one wavelength to cause at least one biomarker associated with the target to fluoresce and to detect fluorescence of the at least one biomarker with the camera.

Abstract: Provided herein are perfusion fluids for enzymatically cleaving A-antigens from a donor organ, and methods. uses. associated therewith. In particular, the perfusion fluids comprise two enzymes. GalNAcDeacetylase and Galactosaminidase and the fluids may further comprise a buffered extracellular solution and/or a crowing agent. Furthermore. the compositions described herein were found to have activity at temperatures and ph levels suitable for cell viability.

Abstract: There is described herein a method of detecting the presence of DNA from cancer cells in a subject comprising: providing a sample of cell-free DNA from a subject; subjecting the sample to library preparation to permit subsequent sequencing of the cell-free methylated DNA; adding a first amount of filler DNA to the sample, wherein at least a portion of the filler DNA is methylated, then optionally denaturing the sample; capturing cell-free methylated DNA using a binder selective for methylated polynucleotides; sequencing the captured cell-free methylated DNA; comparing the sequences of the captured cell-free methylated DNA to control cell-free methylated DNAs sequences from healthy and cancerous individuals and from individuals with distinct cancer types and subtypes; identifying the presence of DNA from cancer cells if there is a statistically significant similarity between one or more sequences of the captured cell-free methylated DNA and cell-free methylated DNAs sequences from cancerous individuals.

Abstract: There is described herein a method of predicting recurrence free survival in a patient with meningioma comprising: (a) determining a tumor DNA methylation profile from a tumor sample from the patient, the tumor DNA methylation profile comprising the methylation status of at least 200 loci represented by the probes set forth in Table 9; and (b) calculating a risk of meningioma recurrence based on comparing the tumor DNA methylation profile and a reference methylation profile comprising the extent to which the methylation status of the at least 200 loci is associated with a risk of recurrence.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the depth and fluorophore concentration of a fluorophore concentration below the surface of an optically absorbing and scattering medium suitable for use in fluorescence-based surgical guidance such as in tumor resection is described. Long-wavelength stimulus light us used to obtain deep tissue penetration. Recovery of depth is performed by fitting measured modulation amplitudes for each spatial frequency to precomputed modulation amplitudes in a table of modulation amplitudes indexed by optical parameters and depth.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining bacterial load in targets are disclosed. An autofluorescence detection and collection device includes a light source configured to illuminate a target with excitation light causing at least one biomarker in the illuminated target to fluoresce. Bacterial autofluorescence data regarding the target is collected and analyzed to determine bacterial load the target. The autofluorescence data may be analyzed using pixel intensity.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a brain electrical signal comprising forming a temporo-spectral decomposition of the signal to form a plurality of time resolved frequency signal values, associating each instance of the signal value with a predetermined function approximating a neurological signal to form a table of coefficients collectively representative of the brain electrical signal.

Abstract: An adaptor for configuring a mobile communication device for tissue imaging is disclosed. The adaptor includes a housing configured to be removably coupled to a mobile communication device, at least one excitation light source for fluorescent imaging, a white light source for white light imaging, and a power source for powering the adaptor. The excitation light source is configured to emit light in one of ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and infrared ranges.

Abstract: The invention relates to modulating the SIRP?-CD47 interaction in order to treat hematological cancer and compounds therefor. In some embodiments, there is provided methods and uses of SIRP? polypeptides, fragments and fusion proteins for treating hematological cancer, preferably human acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract: Treatments for therapy of a diabetic symmetrical polyneuropathy a subject in need thereof. The treatments includes administration of compositions comprising: an effective amount of a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist exemplified by pirenzepine, telenzepine, atropine, or derivatives thereof or salts thereof or analogs thereof or derivatives thereof, and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier. The composition may be injectable or alternatively, may be applied topically or alternatively, may be delivered orally. A suitable topical composition may comprise a lotion, a cream, a gel, or a viscous fluid. The muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist may be a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist salt or a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist derivative or a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist analog.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a system and a method for assessing a risk of ventricular arrhythmias for a patient. For example, the method may comprise receiving ECG data obtained from the patient; analyzing the ECG data to detect abnormal QRS peaks; determining the risk of ventricular arrhythmias for the patient based on the detected abnormal QRS peaks; and providing an indication of the risk of ventricular arrhythmias for the patient. The system may be configured to perform this method.