Abstract: Methods are disclosed for inhibiting esophageal inflammation in a subject, that include administering to the esophagus of the subject with esophageal inflammation a therapeutically effective amount of an extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel. Methods are also disclosed for reducing esophageal stricture. Compositions are disclosed that include an esophageal extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-based implant and methods of making and using the same. The polymer-based implant comprises a polymer component and a therapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the polymer-based implant can be used to treat and/or prevent retinal diseases and/or retinopathies. The polymer-based implant exhibits physical properties that provide the ability to safely place the polymer-based implant in an ocular region without undesired diffusion and also to allow for controlled and timely release of the therapeutic agent to a desired region of the ocular region, such as the retina. In particular disclosed embodiments, the polymer-based implant can be used for safe and effective gene therapy.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various bioreactor devices that mimic the mammalian joint. The bioreactor device can include a series of bioreactor chambers that contain different components of the joint, such as bone, cartilage, synovium, nerve and ligament. At least two different nutrient fluid circulation systems connect subsets of the bioreactor chambers to differentially supply nutrient fluids at concentrations optimized for the tissue that the fluid nourishes. For example, relatively hypoxic fluid can be supplied to synovium and cartilage to mimic oxygenation in the joint compartment, but normoxic fluid can be supplied to the bone and other components that have an arterial supply that provides higher oxygen concentrations. One or more or all of the bioreactor chambers can be supplied with separate inlets through which perturbation agents (such as drugs or other agents) can be introduced to model the effect of the perturbations on different components of the system.

Abstract: A method of monitoring operation of a reactor system includes causing a chemical reaction to occur within an assembly of the reactor system, and measuring a chemical composition of one or more reactants of the chemical reaction with spatial resolution at a plurality of points along a path within the assembly using a sensor system structured to implement distributed sensing. The sensor system includes an optical fiber sensing member provided at least partially within the assembly, wherein the optical fiber sensing member comprises a functionalized optical fiber based sensor device structured to exhibit a change in one or more optical properties in response to changes in the chemical composition of the one or more reactants.

Abstract: The invention relates to an in-utero ventriculoamniotic shunting device that includes a composite shunt tube composed of polymer material, e.g., silicone-based material, and metallic wire, having a bend or curve formed in the length of the shunt tube, with one or more anchors composed of super-elastic wire or mesh, e.g., shape memory alloy wire or mesh structures, attached to the shunt tube, and a one-way passive valve composed of a thin polymer membrane. The anchors are effective to prevent migration and dislodgement of the shunting device following its deployment, and the valve is effective to prevent the backflow of amniotic fluid.

Abstract: The disclosed methods relate to forming microneedle arrays from a production mold that comprises a flexible mold material. The disclosed methods can be used to reproducibly manufacture undercut dissolvable and coated microneedle arrays with various shapes and structures.

Abstract: An energy harvesting device includes a housing (2), a moveable device (12) disposed within the housing and including a first surface including a first material (15) and a second surface including a second material (17), wherein the moveable device is operable to move to bring the first and second surfaces together and apart to cause contact and separation between the first and second materials, a first strap (4) attached to the housing, a second strap (6) coupled to the moveable device, wherein movement of the second strap causes operation of the moveable device, and electronic circuitry (20) structured to harvest energy from the electrical charge generated by the contact between the first and second materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition (e.g., pharmaceutical composition) comprising a combination of two or more phages, wherein the phages are two or more of: (a) phage D29; (b) phage Adephagia?41?43; (c) phage Fionnbharth?47; (d) phage Fred313cpm-1; and (e) phage MuddyHRMN0052-1; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention provides a method of treating, reducing, or preventing a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a mammal comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of two or more phages wherein the phages are two or more of: (a) phage D29; (b) phage Adephagia?41?43; (c) phage Fionnbharth?47; (d) phage Fred313cpm-1; and (e) phage MuddyHRMN0052-1; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The composition can be administered alone or in combination with one or more antibiotics, wherein the length of treatment is reduced as compared to the length of treatment with one or more antibiotics alone.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and kits for evaluating predicting whether an individual IPF has slowly or rapidly progressive IPF.

Abstract: A method for treating an ocular disorder in a subject comprising administering a therapeutic agent-loaded carrier to an ocular site of the subject in need thereof, wherein the therapeutic agent loaded-carrier provides controlled delivery of the therapeutic agent under conditions suitable for recruiting regulatory T cells to an ocular region of interest or inducing regulatory T cells in an ocular region of interest.

Abstract: A method of characterizing cellular phenotypes includes receiving multi-parameter cellular and sub-cellular imaging data for a number of tissue samples from a number of patients or a number of multicellular in vitro models, performing cellular segmentation on the multi-parameter cellular and sub-cellular imaging data to create segmented multi-parameter cellular and sub-cellular imaging data, and performing recursive decomposition on the segmented multi-parameter cellular and subcellular imaging data to identify a plurality of computational phenotypes. The recursive decomposition includes a plurality of levels of decomposition with each level of decomposition including soft/probabilistic clustering and spatial regularization, and each cell in the segmented multi-parameter cellular and subcellular imaging data is probabilistically assigned to one or more of the plurality of computational phenotypes.

Abstract: A method of managing data during execution of an application for use in a system that includes a host memory, a near memory, and a near device associated with the near memory. The application uses a working set of data that is distributed between the far memory and the near memory. The method includes counting a number of times that the near device accesses a unit of the working set of data from the far memory, determining whether the number of times exceeds a dynamically changing access counter threshold, wherein the dynamically changing access counter threshold is calculated dynamically based on a static threshold that is set for the system, and responsive to determining that the number of times exceeds the dynamically changing access counter threshold, migrating the unit of data from the far memory to the near memory.

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: The present disclosure provides interleukin-36 (IL-36) cytokine (e.g., IL-36?) expressing oncolytic viruses, and compositions comprising thereof. The present disclosure further provides methods of using said oncolytic viruses and compositions for treating cancer, and for improving a subject's responsiveness to an immunomodulatory agent.

Abstract: A method for treating a neurodegenerative disease or an inflammatory disorder in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need thereof, a compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, of formula II: wherein each of R3-R7 is independently H, halogen, optionally-substituted alkyl, amino, alkoxy or hydroxy; R8 is an optionally-substituted heterocycloalkyl; and a is 0 to 3.

Abstract: A method for sustained delivery of an agent to an ocular organ in a subject, comprising topically delivering to the ocular surface a liquid thermoresponsive hydrogel comprising agent-loaded polymer microparticles, wherein the agent is an antibody, a fusion protein, a chemokine, an interleukin, a growth factor, albumin, immunoglobulin, an interferon, a peptide, stem cell-conditioned media, plasma or serum.

Abstract: A method of forming a microneedle array can include forming a microneedle array having one or more chemotherapeutic agents. The microneedle array can include a base portion and plurality of microneedles extending from the base portion, and the one or more chemotherapeutic agents can be present in a higher concentration in the plurality of microneedles than in the base portion.

Abstract: An endovascular apparatus can comprise an array of emitters configured to emit light at a predetermined wavelength and an array of sensors configured to detect light emitted by the emitters and reflected off a surface. The device can be configured to be inserted into a stent within a blood vessel of a patient and the device can be configured to detect the location of a branch blood vessel based on the reflected light detected by the array of sensors. Some devices detect light through a stent wall from an emitter positioned in the branch vessel. Some devices include fiber optics or phototransistors for receiving light from the emitter. Some devices include a fenestration former and a guidewire director along with the light receivers all in one endovascular device.

Abstract: A data management method wherein a working set is distributed between near and far memories includes migrating first data from the far to the near memory according to a prefetcher algorithm. The first data (a subset of the working set) is maintained in the near memory in data structures according to predetermined semantics of the prefetcher that dictate that certain of the first data is prefetched when a first function evaluates as true. The method further includes detecting that the near memory has reached capacity, and in response, adaptively migrating a portion of the first data out of the near and into the far memory according to an eviction algorithm that is based on the set of prefetcher semantics such that certain of the portion of the first data is evicted when a second function evaluates as true, wherein the second function equals the inverse of the first function.

Abstract: Compositions that include a globin, such as hemoglobin, in a relaxed state are described. Globin molecules in a relaxed state (R state) have a higher binding affinity for carbon monoxide and oxygen than globin molecules in a tense state (T state). Hemoglobin in a relaxed state can be, for example, hemoglobin that is substantially free of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate or hemoglobin that includes a ?-Cys93 that is covalently modified to inhibit one or both salt bridges between ?-Asp94, ?-His146 and ?-Lys40. Methods for using these compositions, such as for treating carbon monoxide poisoning, and methods for producing these compositions, are also disclosed.