Abstract: The disclosure provides methods of preventing or treating heart failure in a mammalian subject. The methods comprise administering to the subject an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to subjects in need thereof.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions comprising cardiomyocytes and epicardial cells for the treatment of cardiac disease.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling an optical fiber, comprising impinging electromagnetic radiation from a laser on an optical fiber comprising a core, in which the electromagnetic radiation is substantially confined, and a cladding, in thermal communication with the core, configured to provide optically activated cooling of the core via the electromagnetic radiation from the laser.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes simple, stable, and scalable antiviral therapeutic agent compositions that transform short-acting antiviral (e.g., anti-HIV) therapeutic agents that would otherwise require daily short-acting oral administration into long-acting injectable forms that lasts for many weeks per administration. A mixture of water-soluble and water-insoluble antiviral therapeutic agents can be present in the long-acting and drug-combination composition.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials for expanding antigen-specific T cells (e.g., antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and/or antigen-specific CD8+ T cells) in culture. For example, methods and materials for performing a polyclonal stimulation step for a particular duration (e.g., from about 1 hour to about 48 hours) to increase the expansion of T cells having a desired antigen specificity are provided.

Abstract: An immunogenic composition is provided herein. The immunogenic compositions are used to identify and select immunogenic antigens that elicit immune responses in a subject and may be subsequently used in multi-antigen vaccine compositions against one or more diseases or conditions. According to some embodiments, the immunogenic composition may include a plurality of nucleic acid fragments or minigenes derived from a nucleic acid library, wherein each nucleic acid fragment encodes a different antigen or functional portion thereof, and wherein the different antigens or functional portions thereof are associated with one or more disease or condition. The immunogenic composition may also include a delivery medium loaded with the plurality of nucleic acid fragments and in some embodiments, the delivery medium is loaded with nucleic acid fragments in such a way that individual antigen presenting cells receive only a subset of the nucleic acids within a vaccine in order to minimize antigenic competition.

Abstract: Devices and methods configured to determine characteristics of tissue specimens are provided. Representative tissue analysis devices include a sensing module and a reference module. The sensing module includes a first post and a second post configured to have the tissue specimen affixed thereto, and a displacement sensor configured to output a displacement signal corresponding to a displacement of the first post. The reference module includes a reference sensor configured to output a reference signal corresponding to a reference input such as an ambient magnetic field. The devices further include instructions that determine: a displacement value based upon the displacement signal; a reference value based upon the reference signal; a reference-canceled displacement value based upon the displacement value and the reference value; and a characteristic of the tissue specimen based upon the reference-canceled displacement value.

Abstract: Methods of uniquely labeling or barcoding molecules within a cell, a plurality of cells, and/or a tissue are provided. Kits for uniquely labeling or barcoding molecules within a cell, a plurality of cells, and/or a tissue are also provided. The molecules to be labeled may include, but are not limited to, RNAs, cDNAs, DNAs, proteins, peptides, and/or antigens.

Abstract: The current disclosure provides use of high dose nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) precursor regimens for reduction of inflammation in human patients with preexisting inflammation. The NAD precursor can be nicotinamide riboside (NR) and the high dose regimen can include at least 1000 or 2000 mg/day for at least 9 days.

Abstract: Catheter systems configured for emergency blood-vessel occlusion and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. A catheter system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a catheter, a sheath, and an extracorporeal proximity sensor. The catheter includes an elongated body having a tip, a sealing portion, and a main shaft proximal to the sealing portion. The tip is configured to dilate a blood vessel ahead of the distal end portion of the sheath as the catheter and the sheath are advanced together through the blood vessel. The distal end portion of the sheath is configured to fit snugly around the sealing portion. The catheter further includes a balloon and a proximity-sensor target less than about 10 centimeters from the balloon. The proximity sensor is configured to receive a signal from the proximity-sensor target to aid in positioning the balloon without fluoroscopic guidance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are nanostructures and their use, where the nanostructures include (a) a plurality of first assemblies, each first assembly comprising a plurality of identical first polypeptides; (b) a plurality of second assemblies, each second assembly comprising a plurality of identical second polypeptides, wherein the second polypeptide differs from the first polypeptide; wherein the plurality of first assemblies non-covalently interact with the plurality of second assemblies to form a nanostructures; and wherein the nanostructure displays multiple copies of one or more paramyxovirus and/or pneumovirus F proteins or antigenic fragments thereof, on an exterior of the nanostructure.

Abstract: Examples of systems and methods described herein may provide saliency-based video compression. A saliency map associated with a video may be generated and/or provided. A tile configuration may be selected for the video and quality settings assigned to each tile in accordance with the saliency map. The video may then be compressed (e.g., encoded) in tiles in accordance with the quality settings. Compressed videos may be stored together with saliency metadata, facilitating storage management and/or re-compression.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and compositions for reducing or preventing arrhythmias associated with or caused by transplantation of cardiomyocytes to cardiac tissue. In particular embodiments, the pre-treatment of in vitro-differentiated cardiomyocytes with amiodarone before administration to cardiac tissue for engraftment reduces or prevents engraftment arrhythmias, and/or reduces the need for adjunctive anti-arrhythmia drugs after cell administration.

Abstract: A thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin assembly is provided. The assembly can include a cover portion representative of mammalian tissue partially enclosing a thermal cavity having a thermally representative material therein. The cover portion can have an opening with a cap extending across the opening and configured to further enclose the thermal cavity. The cap can have an aperture extending therethrough to receive a device extending through the aperture and into the thermally representative material within the thermal cavity. The device can be a thermocouple configured to measure a temperature of the thermally representative material. In assemblies representing mammalian limbs, the assembly can further include a second thermal cavity representing an additional portion of the limb, e.g., thermally representative upper and lower leg cavities.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improved labeling and/or de-labeling a molecule or cell in the context of scientific experimentation, industrial applications, and clinical investigation, including the means to repeat the process of labeling and de-labeling in an efficient manner.

Abstract: Fracture-induced composite sensors and methods of their fabrication are disclosed. The sensors can be used as strain sensors, piezo-resistive sensors, piezo-capacitive sensors, and non-contact displacement wearable sensors.

Abstract: Examples of digital architectures for OFDM backscatter communication are described herein that use RF switches and discrete loads to implement digitally controlled single-sideband OFDM backscatter devices. One or more transforms may be implemented, including one or more IFFTs, LUTs, and/or numerically-controlled oscillators using one or more sine LUTs.

Abstract: An adaptive system for efficient and long-range wireless power delivery using magnetically coupled resonators responds to changes in a dynamic environment, and maintains high efficiency over a narrow or fixed frequency range. The system uses adaptive impedance matching to maintain high efficiency. The wireless power transfer system includes a drive inductor coupled to a high-Q transmitter coil, and a load inductor coupled to a high-Q receiver coil. The transmitter coil and receiver coil for a magnetically coupled resonator. A first matching network is (i) operably coupled to the drive inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the drive inductor and the transmitter coil, or (ii) is operably coupled to the load inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the load inductor and the receiver coil.

Abstract: Examples of systems and methods described herein may be used to track a tagged object through a scene. Techniques are described herein to calculate a position of the tag using wireless communication with multiple anchor devices. In some examples, the anchor devices may be self-localizing, e.g., they may dynamically determine their position and relationship to one another. In some examples, position of a tag may be calculated by calculating multiple candidate positions using different localization techniques—such as geometric localization techniques and/or optimization-based techniques. An error may also be identified associated with each candidate position. A final position may be determined for the tag based on the errors associated with the candidate positions (e.g., the candidate position with the smallest error may be utilized as the position, e.g., the determined position, of the tag).