Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for regenerating nervous system tissue or treating a neurological disorder by administration of a therapeutically effective amount of synthetic tissue containing a cell population of one or more nervous system cell types (e.g., neurons) or multipotent cells (e.g., mesenchymal stem cells), where the cell population is embedded within a modular synthetic hydrogel that is biocompatible. In some preferred embodiments the modular synthetic hydrogel includes a PEG hydrogel crosslinked with a glycosaminoglycan such as hyaluronan.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming a functional network of human neuronal and glial cells, wherein the cells are introduced into a synthetic hydrogel system with the components polyethylene glycol (PEG) and heparin and are cultivated therein. The cells are introduced into the PEG heparin hydrogel system together with one of the gel components, either PEG or heparin, with which the cells were previously mixed such that the cells are already located in the hydrogel system during the formation of the three-dimensional hydrogel.

Abstract: A multimedia information delivery network system is disclosed for delivering multimedia programs to a plurality of users at user-selected times. The network includes a wide area transmitter for transmitting the multimedia programs. Additionally, the network includes a plurality of network servers for receiving the programs and for selectively caching the programs for retransmission to downstream network servers and/or directly to one or more users at the user-selected transmission times. A scheduler receives the user-selected transmission times and, in response thereto, establishes a network server path by which the multimedia program is efficiently delivered to each user at the respective user-selected time.