Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for transplanting non-lymphoid tissues into lymphoid organs. It may be used to cultivate organ tissues including for the purpose of supplementing or reconstituting organ function. Tissues that may be propagated in this manner include but are not limited to lung, kidney, thyroid, intestine, and brain.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for the production of a medical device for use as a nerve guide. The system and method provide for coating a polymer layer with particles, wherein the particles can comprise active agents for the repair or regeneration of nerve defects. The present invention further provides an implantable device for repairing or regenerating a nerve defect prepared by the system and method set forth above, and methods of treatment using said device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of determining effectiveness of corneal stromal stem cell therapy through evaluation of stem cell markers, inflammation markers, and assessing a scarring index.

Abstract: Methods for treating a peripheral neuropathy are disclosed herein. Methods are also disclosed for improving nerve function in a subject with a peripheral neuropathy. These methods use a PNPase inhibitor or a PNPase purine nucleoside substrate. These methods include selecting the subject with the peripheral neuropathy; and administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase) inhibitor and/or a PNPase purine nucleoside substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for a healthcare ecosystem of computing devices participating as nodes of a distributed ledger (e.g., blockchain). The distributed ledger includes NFTs representing corresponding patients, where the initial NET behaves logically as a token scaffold that represents a “digital twin” of the particular patient. The initial patient token represents personal profile data of patient personal data for the patient. The nodes may generate new data and/or new sub-tokens (or other blockchain entry type) representing new data, which the nodes associate with the token scaffold. The sub-tokens contain data for representing physical or digital specimens, health data, and data derived from the health data (e.g., cell lines, organoids, other model systems).

Abstract: A chimeric antigen receptor is disclosed that includes: (a) an extracellular high affinity streptavidin; (b) a hinge domain from CD8; (c) a CD28 transmembrane domain; (d) an intracellular 4-1BB and/or CD28 signaling domain; and (e) an intracellular CD3 zeta signaling domain, wherein (a)-(e) are in N-terminal to C-terminal order. Nucleic acids encoding this chimeric antigen receptor, and T and natural killer (NK) cells transformed with this chimeric antigen receptor are also disclosed. The use of this chimeric antigen receptor for the treatment of tumors is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for administering a transgene into a fibroblast in a subject comprising: a) providing a herpes simplex virus (HSV) comprising a recombinant herpes simplex virus genome, wherein said recombinant herpes simplex virus genome comprises one or more transgenes encoding a polypeptide to be expressed in said fibroblast; and b) providing a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein said HSV has reduced cytotoxicity as compared to a wild-type herpes simplex virus.

Abstract: A fiber optic based sensing system and method includes a. functionalized optical fiber based sensor including an engineered sensing layer, a light source structured to generate light and couple the light into an input of the functionalized optical fiber based sensor, and an interrogator including a photodetector coupled to the functionalized optical fiber based sensor to receive transmitted or reflected tight, a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) circuit coupled to an output of the photodetector, a controller coupled to an output of the TIA circuit, and a transmitter (e.g., a wired or wireless transmitter) coupled to the controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to biodegradable iron alloy-containing compositions for use in preparing medical devices. In addition, biodegradable crystalline and amorphous compositions of the invention exhibit properties that make them suitable for use as medical devices for implantation into a body of a patient. The compositions include elemental iron, and one or more elements selected from manganese, magnesium, zirconium, zinc and calcium. The compositions can be prepared using a high energy milling technique. The resulting compositions and the devices formed therefrom are useful in various surgical procedures, such as but not limited to orthopedic, craniofacial, tracheal, and cardiovascular.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for generating a target mean arterial pressure (MAP) for a patient during a surgery. In some implementations, the disclosed methods include calculating the target MAP based on the age, biological sex, emergent surgery status, and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status (PS) class of the patient, and a predetermined intraoperative hypotension (IOH) risk benchmark. Treating the patient to maintain a MAP at or above the target MAP during the surgery reduces a risk of IOH during the surgery, a risk of administering an unnecessary therapy to avoid IOH during the surgery; and a risk of not administering a therapeutic MAP-decreasing action during the surgery. In some implementations, the method further comprises conducting the surgery on the patient and treating the patient to maintain the MAP of the patient at or above the target MAP during the surgery. Also provided are systems for implementing the disclosed methods.

Abstract: A self-aware composite mechanical metamaterial, comprising first and second electrically conductive components disposed relative to each other to act as opposite electrodes to induce contact electrification; wherein the first and second electrically conductive components, along with a dielectric component serving as a skeleton of the self-aware composite mechanical metamaterial, form a lattice of snapping curved semicircular-shaped segments, wherein each of the snapping curved semicircular-shaped segments has an elastic snap-through instability mechanism; and wherein the lattice comprises periodic repeatable parallel rows of the snapping curved semicircular-shaped segments.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, compositions, and kits for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) and TBI-associated impairments in a subject. The methods include administering to the subject an interleukin-7 (IL-7) or IL-7 agonist, a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF?) inhibitor, or both. The present disclosure also relates to methods of using biomarkers for identifying a subject that is likely to respond to a treatment for TBI-associated impairments, and monitoring the subject's response to such treatment.

Abstract: Monoclonal antibodies and antigen binding fragments that specifically bind MCT11 are provided. Also disclosed are nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibody, vectors including these nucleic acid molecules, and host cells transfected with these vectors. Methods of using MCT11 specific antibodies to treat cancer, inhibit or treat T cell exhaustion, and/or enhance immunotherapy, are also provided.

Abstract: Described here are ophthalmic compositions and methods for treatment of dry eye disease. One ophthalmic composition includes an effective amount of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in a free uncomplexed form, or as a complex with a dermatan sulfate. A second ophthalmic composition includes an effective amount of interleukin-13 (IL-13) in a free uncomplexed form, or as a complex with a dermatan sulfate. A third ophthalmic composition includes effective amounts of IL-4 and IL-13 in a free uncomplexed form, or as a complex with a dermatan sulfate. A fourth ophthalmic composition includes at least one activator of interleukin-4 receptor signaling in a free uncomplexed form, or as a complex with a dermatan sulfate.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to modified viruses, e.g., oncolytic vaccinia viruses, which have been modified to contain an exogenous nucleic acid that expresses a protein that modulates STAT3 activity. It is based, at least in part, on the discovery that vaccinia viruses modified to contain nucleic acid encoding PIAS3 and that express PIAS3 or a fragment thereof can inhibit STAT3 activity and enhance the anti-cancer activity of the vaccinia virus. Accordingly, this disclosure provides for oncolytic vaccinia viruses and methods of using them in the treatment of cancers.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to devices for the separation of mixtures of fluid phases. In some aspects of the disclosure, the separation device comprises an angled capillary cell. In other aspects, the separation device comprises a plurality of angled capillary cells operating in parallel. In some aspects of the disclosure, the separation device may be monolithically formed by an additive manufacturing process, such as three-dimensional printing. In some aspects of the disclosure, the separation device may function independently of gravitational direction, and without the use of filters.

Abstract: Glucagon promoters are disclosed herein. In addition, disclosed are recombinant nucleic acid molecules that include a glucagon promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule encoding at least one heterologous protein. Vectors including these recombinant nucleic acid molecules, and host cells transformed with these vectors, are also disclosed. Methods of use for these promoters, recombinant nucleic acid molecules, vectors and host cells are disclosed.

Abstract: A computational systems pathology spatial analysis platform includes: (i) a spatial heterogeneity quantification component configured for generating a global quantification of spatial heterogeneity among cells of varying phenotypes in multi-parameter cellular and subcellular imaging data; (ii) a microdomain identification component configured for identifying a plurality of microdomains for tissue samples based on the global quantification, each microdomain being associated with a a tissue sample; and (iii) a weighted graph component configured for constructing a weighted graph for the multi-parameter cellular and subcellular imaging data, the weighted graph having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges each being located between a pair of the nodes, wherein in the weighted graph each node is a particular one of the microdomains and the edge between each pair of microdomains in the weighted graph is indicative of a degree of similarity between the pair of the microdomains.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for monitoring and regulating physiological states and functions are disclosed. Several embodiments include application of one or more microelectrode arrays to a dorsal root ganglion for measurement of sensory neuron activity, or stimulation of sensory reflex circuits. The methods and apparatuses can be used, for example, for monitoring or controlling bladder function in a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are small molecule compounds capable of disrupting Kv2.1-syntaxin binding. The compounds are useful for treating a variety of neurological disorders, diseases, and injuries.