Abstract: Methods of enabling locomotor control, postural control, voluntary control of body movements (e.g., in non-weight bearing conditions), and/or autonomic functions in a human subject having a spinal cord injury, a brain injury, or a neurological neuromotor disease are described.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method of modulating myocardial blood flow (MBF) as compared to a control in a patient in need thereof, comprising administering an agent that interacts with a Kv? protein.

Abstract: Provided are compositions, optionally pharmaceutical compositions, that include a plurality of exosomes generated from stem cells, optionally ESCs and/or iPSCs, that have been modified to express a granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) polypeptide, optionally a human GM-CSF polypeptide. Also provided are methods for employing the presently disclosed compositions for preventing and/or inhibiting tumor growth in subjects in need thereof, for preventing and/or inhibiting metastases in subject in need thereof, for inducing anti-tumor immune responses in subjects, and uses of the presently disclosed compositions for prevention and/or treatment of tumors and/or cancers and for the preparation of medicaments for treatment of tumors and/or cancers.

Abstract: In certain aspects, provided herein are methods of inhibiting neutrophil degranulation in a patient infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by administering a composition comprising (a) a TAT-fusion protein comprising an 11 amino acid cell penetrating peptide TAT operably linked to an N-terminal SNARE domain of SNAP-23 (TAT-SNAP-23), and/or a TAT-fusion protein comprising an 11 amino acid cell penetrating peptide TAT operably linked to a SNARE domain of syn-taxin-4 (TAT-STX-4), wherein the inhibition is compared to a control.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for providing simple, fast, effective, and repeatable anastomotic graft connections, which can reduce (or eliminate) risks associated with graft anastomoses, thus improving patient outcomes. An example embodiment is an anastomotic graft connection device that includes a connector and a cuff. The connector includes a first flared end and a second flared end. The first flared end is configured to be inserted into a vessel (e.g., blood vessel). At least the second flared end is configured to be attached to a graft. The cuff includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring is configured to secure the graft to at least the second flared end of the connector, and the outer ring is configured to exert force on the vessel to seal the first flared end of the connector against an inner wall of the vessel.

Abstract: A sulfide-based composite electrolyte for use in solid-state batteries and methods for making same. In some embodiments, the sulfide-based composite electrolyte comprises the combination of an inorganic sulfide Li argyrodite (Li7PS6) with a polyvinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) polymer.

Abstract: Methods of making a spheroid are provided whereby a suspension is first produced including one or more biologically-relevant materials dispersed within a biocompatible medium. A droplet of the suspension is then bioprinted into a salt solution by bringing the droplet into contact with a surface of the salt solution in a controlled manner to reproducibly yield a spheroid containing a desired size and a desired amount of biologically-relevant materials.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a therapeutic agent encapsulated by an edible plant-derived microvesicle are provided. Methods of treating an inflammatory disorder and methods of treating a cancer are further provided and include administering an effective amount of a composition comprising a therapeutic agent encapsulated by an edible plant-derived microvesicle to a subject. Further provided are methods of diagnosing a colon cancer that include the steps of administering an edible plant-derived microvesicle incorporating a detectable label to a subject and then determining an amount of the detectable label in an intestine of the subject.

Abstract: Methods and systems for producing a structure having selectable piezoelectric properties via additive manufacturing. Such methods can include coupling an ultrasound generating device to a print head of the additive manufacturing apparatus; transmitting acoustic energy from the ultrasound generating device to the print head to vibrate the print head in an oscillatory manner; extruding a feed material from the print head; moving the print head in at least one dimension relative to a substrate on which the structure is being manufactured; and dispensing layers sequentially on top of each other to form the structure. Such systems can include an additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a print head movable in at least one dimension relative to a base configured to support the structure being produced; and an ultrasound generating device that is connected to the print head.

Abstract: Methods for segmenting medical images from different modalities include integrating a plurality of types of quantitative image descriptors with a deep 3D convolutional neural network. The descriptors include: (i) a Gibbs energy for a prelearned 7th-order Markov-Gibbs random field (MGRF) model of visual appearance, (ii) an adaptive shape prior model, and (iii) a first-order appearance model of the original volume to be segmented. The neural network fuses the computed descriptors to obtain the final voxel-wise probabilities of the goal regions.

Abstract: Provided are probiotic bacterium-derived extracellular micro- and/or nanoparticles.

Abstract: Methods for optimization of surgical placement of an implantable electrode for spinal cord epidural stimulation of a subject include creating a computational model of the subject spinal cord based on medical imagery, determining the position of the lumbosacral enlargement, and determining an optimal placement to maximize volumetric coverage of the lumbosacral enlargement by the implantable electrode.

Abstract: An automated segmentation system for medical imaging data segments data into muscle and fat volumes, and separates muscle volumes into discrete muscle group volumes using a plurality of models of the medical imaging data, and wherein the medical imaging data includes data from a plurality of imaging modalities.

Abstract: A concrete mixture is provided. The mixture includes cement powder, a plant biomaterial in a solid form, wherein the plant biomaterial does not comprise ash, and concrete aggregate, wherein a ratio of cement powder to the biomaterial ranges from 10:1 to 100:1. Methods of controlling concrete setting by adding a plant biomaterial in a solid form to a concrete mixture are also provided.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing a patient showing symptoms of acute myocardial infarction includes obtaining a plasma sample from a patient, performing a differential scanning calorimetry test on the sample to produce a thermogram, comparing the thermogram to reference thermograms, and determining if the patient has thrombotic myocardial infarction, non-thrombotic myocardial injury, or stable coronary artery disease.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include methods for treating melanoma in a subject. In other embodiments, the methods for treating melanoma in a subject comprise quantifying an RNA expression level for at least one biomarker in a sample (e.g., from a sentinel lymph node of the subject) and administering to the subject a treatment for melanoma (e.g., by administering to the subject immunotherapy, interferon, a BRAF inhibitor, a checkpoint inhibitor, a Wnt10b inhibitor, an IRAK3 inhibitor, or a combination thereof). In still other embodiments, the at least one biomarker can comprise FOS, NR4A, ITGB1, IRAK3, Wnt10b, or a combination thereof. Additional embodiments of the invention are also discussed herein.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods of treating or preventing a Rhabdoviridae virus infection in a mammal comprising administering griffithsin, or a fragment or mutant thereof, to the mammal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for improvement in lower urinary tract function in an individual with neurogenic urological dysfunction through epidural stimulation of the spinal cord. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise applying a pattern of epidural electrical stimulation to the spinal cord of an individual with impaired lower urinary tract under stimulation parameters sufficient to improve the storage of fluid in the bladder, sensations of fullness and/or emptying, detrusor over-activity, high detrusor pressure, voiding the bladder, transitioning from a storage state to a voiding state, and decreasing detrusor-external urethral sphincter dyssynergia. In certain embodiments, additional patterns of epidural electrical stimulation may be applied simultaneously, such as to maintain a normotensive cardiovascular state of the individual.

Abstract: An exosomal composition is provided that includes a therapeutic agent encapsulated by an exosome. The therapeutic agent can be a phytochemical agent, a chemotherapeutic agent, or a Stat3 inhibitor. Pharmaceutical compositions that contain the exosomal compositions are also provided. Methods for treating an inflammatory disease or a cancer are further provided and include administering an effective amount of an exosomal composition to a subject in need thereof to thereby treat the inflammatory disorder or the cancer.

Abstract: A respiratory training device providing both inspiratory and expiratory functional evaluation and training, as well as independent regulation of both the inspiratory and expiratory airway resistance levels used during training. The respiratory training device also includes data acquisition, recording, storage, retrieval and display functions for airway pressure monitoring data to provide functional evaluation, physiological monitoring, and diagnostic features. The respiratory training device allows the user to easily develop and follow precise and advanced training protocols, and utilize the respiratory device in both the clinical and home setting.