Abstract: Provided are multi-layer bioreactors for growing, maintaining, stimulating, monitoring and testing organoids and tissues derived from or representing hollow organs in organoid chambers. Also provided are uses of those bioreactors in modeling a disease process for monitoring disease progress and/or for assessing a biological effect, such as therapeutic efficacy and/or toxicity, e.g., organotoxicity. Also disclosed are bioreactors comprising organoid chambers that are useful as systems for measuring the volume, pressure, contractility, pump function, or electrophysiology of an organoid chamber as well as systems for controlling the pressure experienced by an organoid or tissue in an organoid chamber.

Abstract: Provided are methods and materials for assaying known and candidate therapeutics for inotropic cardiac effects in one or more in vitro assay formats comprising preloaded cardiac tissues and/or organoids.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sample analysis device for increasing measurement resolution of forces generated by a sample and method of use thereof. The sample analysis device comprises a body stretchable along a central longitudinal axis. The body includes at least one attachment region engageable with a sample and a plurality of stretchable portions spaced apart by joining regions. The body also includes at least one detectable datum for determining displacement. Each stretchable portion extends generally longitudinally and includes an offset region inclined to the longitudinal axis. The stretchable portions increase the compliance of the body within a predetermined measurement range.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a device for developing organized tissue strips, such as cardiac tissue strips, for high-throughput assays of functional performance and the methods involved in fabricating, assembling, implementing, utilizing and analyzing data from such assays. The disclosure further provides systems for constructing such devices, systems comprising those devices comprising cells and extracellular matrix material for developing organized tissue strips or comprising the devices and organized tissue strips. The disclosure further provides methods for assaying a property of a tissue strip, such as contractile force.

Abstract: A system for screening compounds for therapeutic cardiac effects in the cells, tissues and organoids (1) of patients having diseases such as neurological diseases or disorders with significant cardiac comorbidities. The system comprises a medical device apparatus that can be suitable for a single-tier screen for cardio-active compounds that comprises a human ventricular cardiac anisotropic sheet (hvCAS) and human ventricular cardiac tissue strip (hvCTS), a two-tier system further comprising human ventricular cardiac organoid chamber (hvCOC) (20), or a three-tier system still further comprising a medical device comprising multiple organoids (20), which include tissues or organoids (1) of the same or different type (e.g., heart, liver, pancreas, kidney).

Abstract: A two-stage or two-tier system and method for rapid screening of compounds for inotropic effects is disclosed. The system comprises, in a first tier, an engineered cardiac tissue strip (CTS) comprising cardiomyocytes, such as human ventricular cardiomyocytes, embedded in a biocompatible gel wherein the gel comprises at least two biocompatible structural supports such as polydimethylsiloxane posts for elevating the gel. The system further comprises, in a second tier, an apparatus comprising at least one organoid module comprising at least one organoid cartridge, wherein each organoid cartridge comprises an organoid, and a minor arrangement. The system further comprises at least one detection device, such as a high-speed camera, for detecting deflection of the CTS gel in the first tier of the system and/or for detecting tissue or organoid behavior in the organoid cartridge or cartridges of the second tier of the system.

Abstract: An improved tissue engineering bioreactor and testing platform has been designed that integrates multiple testing and stimulation capabilities. The system allows for growth of multiple tissue strips in parallel with mechanical and electrical stimulation, media perfusion, and the automated monitoring of contractile force and extracellular electrical activity. The system is designed to be low-cost and scalable, to provide for high-content, biofidelic, non-destructive testing of engineered muscle tissue performance that is conventionally measured using muscle-bath systems.

Abstract: An improved tissue engineering bioreactor and testing platform has been designed that integrates multiple testing and stimulation capabilities. The system allows for growth of multiple tissue strips in parallel with mechanical and electrical stimulation, media perfusion, and the automated monitoring of contractile force and extracellular electrical activity. The system is designed to be low-cost and scalable, to provide for high-content, biofidelic, non-destructive testing of engineered muscle tissue performance that is conventionally measured using muscle-bath systems.

Abstract: Methods for providing diagnostic information using endocardial surface data for a patient's heart are described herein. In some embodiments, endocardial surface data for the left ventricle of a heart is received. The endocardial surface data represents the endocardial surface of the left ventricle at multiple times over a heartbeat and is obtained using a volumetric imaging application. A representation in prolate spheroidal coordinates of the endocardial surface of the left ventricle at least a portion of the multiple times is generated using the endocardial surface data. The prolate spheroidal coordinates include a longitudinal angular coordinate ?, a circumferential angular coordinate ?, and a coordinate ? as a function of longitudinal angular coordinate ? and circumferential angular coordinate ?. A measure that provides diagnostic information related to the left ventricle is computed based at least on part on the value of coordinate ?.

Abstract: A method for the exhaust dyeing of materials having hydroxy groups and materials containing carbonamide groups using a low salt content dye bath in conjunction with fiber reactive dyes exemplified by a dye of the following formula: ##STR1##