Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for converting mesenchymal stem cells into endothelial cells by using specific transcription factors and, more specifically, a method for converting mesenchymal stem cells into endothelial cells by using Oct4, Nanog, Tal1, and LMO2, which are specific transcription factors. According to the present invention, the method for converting adult cells or mesenchymal stem cells, which are adult stem cells, into endothelial cells was developed by selecting two types of genes, which are less directly related to cancer induction, among cell reprogramming factors and two types of transcription factors, which are not expressed or expressed at a low level in mesenchymal stem cells, among transcription factors related to vascular development, and combining all four transcription factors. The method can be applied in the production of endothelial cells for forming regenerative tissue in tissue engineering and ischemic disease therapy.

Abstract: This application provides: an antibody which specifically binds to an ALK2 protein and has an activity of inhibiting BMP signal transduction mediated by ALK2; a method for producing the antibody; and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody, for treating and/or preventing ectopic ossification and/or bone dysplasia, anemia, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating non-root plant growth of a plant employing plant regulatory peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing shoot growth or accelerating shoot development of plants, whereby said plants: yield a greater amount of above-ground plant matter than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions; grows faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under tire same conditions; develops faster than an untreated or wild-type plant grown under the same conditions. The methods find particular application, wherein the conditions comprise stress conditions, and in particular abiotic stress conditions, which may be selected from increased salinity, drought, nitrogen limitation and pH stress.

Abstract: The present application provides a method for treating a black and odorous water body comprising the following steps: pre-treating the black and odorous water body; passing the pre-treated water body through a biomimetic intestine tubular purification system which imitates a digestion of small intestine; passing the tubular purification system-treated water body into a microbial fuel cell which imitates a digestion of large intestine to treat the water body; and pumping the microbial fuel cell-treated water body into an upward flow inclined tube sedimentation tank to treat the water body.

Abstract: Human cytomegalovirus vectors comprising heterologous antigens are disclosed. The vectors derived from the TR strain, are ganciclovir-sensitive, include active US2, US3, US6, US7 and UL131A genes, and have a deleterious or inactivating mutation in the UL82 gene preventing the expression of pp71.

Abstract: Described are Dynorphin A analog compounds and uses thereof for treating pain in humans and lower animals by administering to a human or lower animal in need of treatment. The compounds interact with the bradykinin receptor to relieve pain. Preferred compounds are amphipathic [Des-Arg7]-dynorphin A peptide analogs and specific cyclic dynorphin A peptide analogs.

Abstract: Compounds and methods are provided for the treatment of pathogen infections. In some embodiments, the anti-infective compounds have broad spectrum activity against a variety of infective diseases, where the diseases are caused by pathogens containing a basic amino acid PIP-2 pincer (BAAPP) domain that interacts with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP-2) to mediate pathogen replication. Also provided are methods of inhibiting a PI4-kinase and methods of inhibiting viral infection. In some embodiments, the compound is a PI4-kinase inhibiting compound that is a 5-aryl-thiazole or a 5-hetereoaryl-thiazole. The subject compounds may be formulated or provided to a subject in combination with a second anti-infective agent, e.g. interferon, ribivarin, and the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a composition comprising at least one of iridium diboride and iridium monoboride, and methods of making such. The present disclosure also relates to a composition comprising iridium monoboride and at least one of (a) rows of single iridium atoms and/or (b) one or more clusters of iridium atoms, and methods of making such.

Abstract: An oceaneering test platform device for simulating oceaneering working conditions is disclosed. The oceaneering test platform device comprises a main body, a lifting unit, a plurality of spud legs connected to the main body by the lifting unit, a plurality of base units located correspondingly to the plurality of spud legs and one or more vertical driving unit to enable vertical movement of at least one of the plurality of spud legs. The test platform device facilitates simulation of possible effects caused by unstable and complex ocean environments to an offshore work platform.

Abstract: The expandable intervertebral cage includes an upper block and a lower block movable relative to each other. The lower block defines a cam surface and the upper block defines a cam follower surface. Linkages connecting the upper and lower blocks maintain contact between the cam and cam follower surfaces. By rotating a screw, which extends through the lower block, the cam follower surface of the upper block is pushed along the cam surface of the lower block, thus resulting in vertical and horizontal displacement between the upper and lower blocks. Proximal and distal yokes in the blocks define protrusions in the cam and cam follower surfaces. When the cam follower surface slides along the cam surface, the protrusions cause vertical and angular displacement in the upper block, providing distraction, reduction, and lordosis of attached vertebra.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for imaging using complex lasers. In general, a complex laser may be used as an electromagnetic source for an imaging application. The use of a lower spatial coherence configured complex laser in imaging applications may advantageously mitigate coherent artifacts in imaging such as cross-talk and speckle and improve overall image quality. Imaging applications where a complex laser may be useful include both incoherent imaging applications, such as digital light projectors and traditional microscopy, and coherent imaging applications, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and holography. The systems and methods provided also enable controlling the degree of spatial coherence of a complex laser.

Abstract: A system for examining resistance exercise includes a first trap compartment, a second trap compartment, a main track compartment and a pulley system which can be aligned to form a continuous tunnel. Each of the compartments can have adjustable dimensions to retain small animals of various sizes. The pulley system includes a clamp and a pulley shaft. The pulley shaft is pivotally attached to the clamp at a lower end and a first pulley wheel at an upper end. A second pulley wheel is pivotally attached to the clamp. A rope is trained on the pulley wheels. The tunnel can be positioned on an elevated support surface. One end of the rope is attachable to a rat on the elevated support surface and the other end of the rope is to attached to liftable strength training objects positioned below the elevated support surface.

Abstract: A system and method for stabilizing a spine of an animal subject involving a transverse rod installation instrument assembly for inserting a transverse rod on the spine of a subject percutaneously comprising: a first rod clamp extender mounted on a ipsilateral rod clamp and a second rod clamp extender mounted on a contralateral rod clamp wherein the ipsilateral rod clamp and the contralateral rod clamp are secured to a vertebra at the ipsilateral and contralateral pedicle; and a pivoting installation instrument pivotably mounted to the first rod clamp extender and the second rod clamp extender to pass a transverse rod percutaneously through a head portion of the ipsilateral side rod clamp and to the head portion of the contralateral rod clamp after passing through a spinous process of the vertebra through pivot axis “A” such that the transverse rod is secured at the head portion of the ipsilateral rod clamp and the head portion of the contralateral rod clamp.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for targeting a biomedical system. Aspects of the subject methods include determining the trajectory of a targeting device using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a MRI-visible style of a trajectory guide that is compatible with the targeting device. Targeted biomedical systems may be utilized for a variety of purposes including targeted delivery of a therapeutic, holding a therapeutic device, positioning of a therapeutic device and other uses. Also provided are devices and systems that can be used in practicing the described methods including but not limited to trajectory guides and adjustable targeting systems, as well as non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause a computing device to perform steps of the described methods.

Abstract: Flexible thermoelectric generators and methods of manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a flexible thermoelectric generator includes a plurality of pillars, a first and a second plurality of flexible interconnects, and a flexible material. The plurality of pillars having a first side and a second side. The first plurality of flexible interconnects electrically connecting pairs of the plurality of pillars on the first side. The second plurality of flexible interconnects electrically connecting the pairs of plurality of pillars on the second side. The first and the second plurality of flexible interconnects alternate among the pairs of plurality of pillars to form an electrical circuit having a first end and a second end. The flexible material covering the first and second plurality of flexible interconnects and having an external surface. The flexible material is configured to conduct thermal energy from the external surface to the plurality of pillars.

Abstract: Disclosed are capsid-mutated rAAV vectors and methods for their use in gene therapy, and particularly for use in delivering therapeutic transgenes to treat a variety of mammalian diseases and disorders, including dysfunctions and abnormal conditions of the human eye. VP3 capsid proteins comprising a modification of one or more of the surface-exposed tyrosine residues are disclosed, and in particular, VP3 capsid protein comprising tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutations at positions corresponding to Y444F, Y500F, and Y730F of the wild-type AAV2 sequence. Also provided are rAAV virions and viral particles that comprise such a mutated AAV capsid protein and a nucleic acid molecule that expresses one or more selected therapeutic or reporter transgenes in one or more mammalian cells of interest. Advantageously, the capsid-mutated rAAV vectors and virions disclosed herein afford improved transduction efficiency in a variety of cells, tissues and organs of interest, when compared to their unmodified (i.e.

Abstract: Various examples are provided for jamming avoidance response (JAR), and photonic implementations thereof. In one example, a method includes generating optical pulses that correspond to raising envelope of a beat signal associated with an interference signal and a reference signal; generating optical spikes that correspond to positive zero crossing points of the reference signal; and providing a phase output that indicates whether the beat signal is leading or lagging the reference signal, the phase output based at least in part upon the optical spikes. An adjustment to a reference frequency can be determined based at least in part upon the optical pulses and the phase output. In another example, a JAR system includes photonic circuitry to generate the optical pulses; photonic circuitry to generate the optical spikes; and photonic circuitry to provide the phase output. A logic unit can determine the adjustment to the reference frequency.

Abstract: A stacked composite material having at least one glass fiber layer, at least two nanocomposite layers comprising multi walled carbon nanotubes dispersed in an epoxy matrix. Each glass fiber layer is sandwiched between two nanocomposite layers and the glass fiber layers are oriented in a unidirectional or a quasi-isotropic orientation with respect to adjacent and non-contiguous glass fiber layers in the stacked composite material. A method of preparing a stacked composite material comprising applying a nanocomposite layer onto a mold, overlaying a glass fiber layer on top of the nanocomposite layer, rolling an aluminum roller over the glass fiber layer, repeating the applying, overlaying, and rolling to form a stacked composite material.

Abstract: Methods of reconstructing a 3D object model from portions of an object in a single 2D image using an existing 3D object model that is generic to a class to which the object in the 2D image belongs. In some embodiments, the methods determine a camera center from a computed estimated camera projection matrix. Landmark points on the object in the 2D image are back-projected to the existing 3D object model to warp the existing 3D object model according to the landmark points in the 2D image to create a derived 3D object model of the 2D object in the 2D image. Optional additional processing steps can include regularization, texturing, and infill of missing regions of the derived 3D object model. An example implementation of the disclosed methods is 3D craniofacial reconstruction from a single 2D image containing at least a portion of a face.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical systems-based calorimetric device includes first and second micromixers and first and second thermally-isolated microchambers. A first solution including a sample and a reagent is introduced to the first microchamber via the first micromixer, and a second solution including a sample and a buffer is introduced to the second microchamber via the second micromixer. A thermopile measures the differential temperature between the first microchamber and the second microchamber and outputs a voltage representative of the difference. The output voltage can be used to calculate reaction parameters.