Abstract: A valve includes an orifice plate including at least one orifice surrounded by an orifice plate seal surface, a seal plate, and an actuator. The seal plate includes a seal boss having a seal boss surface that faces the orifice plate, and a pocket that overlays the at least one orifice. The pocket includes a recessed surface that is surrounded by the seal boss surface and is displaced from the seal boss surface along an axis. The actuator is configured to move the seal plate relative to the orifice plate along the axis to transition the valve between open and closed states. The seal boss surface engages the orifice plate seal surface, surrounds the at least one orifice, and blocks a flow of fluid through the at least one orifice when the valve is in the closed state.

Abstract: A stent for a respiratory organ includes a bioabsorbable polyester copolymer. The bioabsorbable polyester copolymer is a polyester copolymer having residues of two kinds of ester bond forming monomers as main constituent units, and where the two kinds of ester bond forming monomers are referred to as monomer A and monomer B, respectively, an R value given by the following formula is 0.25 or larger and 0.99 or smaller: R=[AB]/(2[A][B]) 100. In the formula, [A] is a mole fraction (%) of monomer A residues in the polyester copolymer; [B] is a mole fraction (%) of monomer B residues in the polyester copolymer; and [AB] is a mole fraction (%) of structures (A-B and B-A) in which a monomer A residue and a monomer B residue are adjacent to each other in the polyester copolymer.

Abstract: This document relates to methods and materials for generating oilseed (e.g., pennycress) plants that have oil with reduced levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and/or increased levels of oleic acid. For example, oilseed plants having reduced expression levels of one or more polypeptides involved in fatty acid biosynthesis (e.g., fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2) and reduced oleate desaturation 1 (ROD1)), as well as methods and materials for making and using such oilseed plants are provided.

Abstract: Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of producing a preparation of fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs) from a cell mixture. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of producing a preparation of human FAPs from a skeletal muscle biopsy sample for later use.

Abstract: A method of estimating in-cylinder pressure includes receiving a vibration signal from a vibration sensor mounted proximate a compression ignition (CI) engine, receiving angular position information for the CI engine, and determining in-cylinder pressure based on the angular position information and on a combustion component of the vibration signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptively controlling an electrical stimulation device, such as a closed-loop stimulation device, based in part on a Bayesian optimization of the operational parameters of the device are described. An adaptive dual control of the stimulation device can be provided. In a first control loop parameters are extracted from signals recorded from the subject by the stimulation device, and in a second control loop a Bayesian optimization is implemented with a hardware processor and memory to compute updated operational parameters for the stimulation device. As noted, the stimulation device is an electrical stimulation device, and may be a closed-loop stimulation device. Such devices can be used for deep brain stimulation (“DBS”), cardiac resynchronization therapy (“CRT”), and other electrophysiological stimulation applications.

Abstract: Garments having active and passive knitted rows can provide desired levels of compression. Garments made of active and passive knitted rows can provide dynamic levels of compression with respect to both location and over time to address a variety of conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides benzothiadiazine and chroman derivatives and particularly diazoxide and cromakalim derivatives for use in treating glaucoma, retinopathy, treating age related macular degeneration, treating, stabilizing and/or inhibiting blood and lymph vascularization, and reducing intraocular pressure by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a prodrug disposed in an ophthalmically acceptable carrier to the eye, wherein the prodrug specifically modulates a KATP channel to reduce an intraocular pressure.

Abstract: This disclosure describes decellularized, biologically-engineered tubular grafts and methods of making and using such decellularized, biologically-engineered tubular grafts.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for treating conditions associated with decreased activity of hydrogen sulfide.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, kits and systems for enhancing the efficacy and longevity of denervation procedures.

Abstract: In some aspects, the present disclosure pertains to methods of treating a tissue volume comprising (a) administering an implantable composition comprising a releasable membrane-active agent to a target site such that the membrane-active agent is locally released to the tissue volume and (b) performing irreversible, reversible and/or thermal treatment by application of a pulsed electric field to the tissue volume. In other aspects, the present disclosure pertains to embolic compositions that comprise releasable membrane-active agents.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides variant major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) beta chains, as well as heterodimers and multimers including MHCII alpha chains and the variant MHCII beta chains. Also provided by the present disclosure are nucleic acids, expression cassettes, and expression vectors encoding the MHCII beta chains. The heterodimers and multimers of the present disclosure have a higher affinity for CD4 co-receptors than comparable reagents including wild type MHCII beta chains, and therefore are advantageous for use in methods of phenotyping or activating CD4+ T cells.

Abstract: A method improves yield and/or combats Fusarium wilt in a member of the family Cucurbitaceae wherein the method comprises applying mesoporous silica nanoparticles to a seed or plant of the member of the family Cucurbitaceae. Chitosan may be used in combination with the mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles are usable as an agricultural amendment with or without the chitosan. Of particular interest is watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). When seeds of Citrullus lanatus are infused with mesoporous silica nanoparticles with or without the chitosan increased germination was observed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for treating Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) including primary and recurrent CDI. In particular, the compositions and methods described herein are capable of achieving a CDI clearance rate of at least 80% through a single oral dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a freeze-dried fecal microbiota preparation.

Abstract: Articles including a solid porous material having a selenium nanomaterial bound to a surface of and within the solid porous material. The article may be a include no polymeric stabilizer or proteinaceous stabilizer. The solid porous material may be a sponge, a film, a fabric, a non-woven material, or a metal-organic framework (MOF), or a combination thereof. The article may be produced by treating a solid porous material with an aqueous selenous acid solution and heating the solid porous material to form the selenium nanomaterial on the surface of and within the solid porous material.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated stem cells of non-embryonic origin that can be maintained in culture in the undifferentiated state or differentiated to form cells of multiple tissue types. Also provided are methods of isolation and culture, as well as therapeutic uses for the isolated cells.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for creating magnetic resonance (MR) images with reduced motion artifacts from the MR data from which the images are produced. The method includes selecting a candidate image from a plurality of candidate images reconstructed from the MR data. The method also includes registering the candidate image to a reference image, comparing the candidate image to a consistency map, and, based on comparing the candidate image using the consistency map, selecting a blending algorithm. The method also includes generating a blended image using the blending algorithm and the candidate image and repeating these steps for each candidate image. The method also includes performing a Fourier aggregation to generate a combined image and displaying the combined image with reduced motion artifacts compared to the plurality of candidate images.

Abstract: Methods for modulating the release and content of extracellular vesicles from target cells using electrical stimulation are provided. Compositions comprising extracellular vesicles or extracts of extracellular vesicles and methods of administering the compositions to a subject are also provided.