Abstract: A respiratory sensor system provides the ability to determine a respiration rate. The respiratory sensor system may include a respiratory sensor and a software solution, where the software solution determines respiration rate from the respiratory sensor (e.g., microphone) located on the bridge of the user's nose. The respiratory sensor may be placed on or near the nose, such as a microphone located in the nosepiece of a pair of glasses. Due to the placement of the microphone and the respiration detection system design, the wearer respiration rate can be determined reliably even with ambient noise and movement. This makes the respiration rate calculation accessible and reliable, both for everyday wear and for extreme situations such as sports.

Abstract: A method of treating cancer in vivo includes introducing in vitro into human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) at least one type of inhibitory oligonucleotide, and contacting a tumor tissue of syncytial cancer cells with the hMSCs in vivo under conditions permitting a hMSC to form a gap junction channel with a first syncytial cancer cell of the tumor tissue. As a result, the at least one type of inhibitory oligonucleotide is delivered into the first syncytial cancer cell by traversing the gap junction channel and the at least one type of inhibitory oligonucleotide is delivered into a second syncytial cancer cell of the tumor tissue by traversing a gap junction channel between the first syncytial cancer cell and the second syncytial cancer cell.

Abstract: An example apparatus for detecting respiratory rates includes an audio receiver to receive audio including respiratory sounds. The apparatus also includes an adaptive low-pass filter to process the audio using an adaptive bandwidth based on a mean breath rate to generate an envelope. The apparatus further includes a peak detector to detect a plurality of peaks from the envelope. The apparatus includes a respiratory rate calculator to calculate a respiratory rate based on the detected plurality of peaks.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an apparatus for stress event detection. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be a wearable device and may include at least one first sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a first sensor signal indicative of a brain activity of a user, at least one second sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a second sensor signal indicative of a heart rate of the user, and at least one third sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a third sensor signal indicative of a respiration rate of the user. The apparatus may further include a controller coupled with the at least first, second, and third sensors, to detect a stress event for the user, based at least in part on the first, second, and third sensor signals. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A respiratory sensor system provides the ability to determine a respiration rate. The respiratory sensor system may include a respiratory sensor and a software solution, where the software solution determines respiration rate from the respiratory sensor (e.g., microphone) located on the bridge of the user's nose. The respiratory sensor may be placed on or near the nose, such as a microphone located in the nosepiece of a pair of glasses. Due to the placement of the microphone and the respiration detection system design, the wearer respiration rate can be determined reliably even with ambient noise and movement. This makes the respiration rate calculation accessible and reliable, both for everyday wear and for extreme situations such as sports.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an apparatus for stress event detection. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be a wearable device and may include at least one first sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a first sensor signal indicative of a brain activity of a user, at least one second sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a second sensor signal indicative of a heart rate of the user, and at least one third sensor disposed on the wearable apparatus to generate a third sensor signal indicative of a respiration rate of the user. The apparatus may further include a controller coupled with the at least first, second, and third sensors, to detect a stress event for the user, based at least in part on the first, second, and third sensor signals. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: It is demonstrated that hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN)-based biological pacing, especially that achieved by transduction of the HCN2 gene into cardiac cells in vivo, was significantly improved by co-transduction of the skeletal muscle sodium channel 1 (SkMI) gene. Expression of both genes hyperpolarized the action potential (AP) threshold. When viral biological pacemaker constructs carrying genes for HCN2 and SkMI were injected into the heart of dogs in vivo, the pacemaker function was facilitated by the slow depolarizing HCN2 current and the hyperpolarized AP threshold generated by SkMI. This dual gene therapy provided both highly efficient pacing and a brisk autonomic response that is superior to those of previously developed gene- or cell-based approaches.

Abstract: A device and method for analyzing cells includes a housing with a chamber, a barrier supported by a frame disposed within the chamber, and a plate arranged at a bottom surface of the housing interior of the chamber. The plate is adapted to receive and sustain cells and the barrier separates the plate into at least two contiguous separate areas. In some embodiments, a thin rubber strip is arranged at the bottom edge of the barrier, which facilitates control of the area in which each cell type is grown, the size of the gap between the cells, and helps prevents over growth of the two cell types on to each other.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of creating an atrioventricular bypass tract for a heart comprising growing mesenchymal stem cells into a strip with two ends, and attaching one end of the strip onto the atrium of the heart, and attaching the other end of the strip to the ventricle of the heart. By this attachment, a tract is created that connects the atrium to the ventricle to provide a path for electrical signals generated by the sinus node to propagate across the tract and excite the ventricle.

Abstract: This invention provides a bypass bridge comprising a tract of gap junction-coupled cells having a first end and a second end, both ends capable of being attached to two selected sites in a heart so as to allow the conduction of a pacemaker and/or electrical signal/current across the tract between the two sites, wherein the cells functionally express a sodium channel. The invention also provides related methods of making the bypass bridge, methods of implanting same in a heart, and methods of treating a disorder associated with an impaired conduction in a subject's heart.

Abstract: A method for treating a subject afflicted with a cardiac disorder, in vivo, comprises (i) inducing differentiation of a progenitor cell, in vitro, to a cardiogenic cell; and (ii) administering a therapeutically effective amount of the cardiogenic cell of step (i) to the subject, thereby treating the cardiac disorder in the subject. This invention further provides related articles of manufacture and methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for testing the efficiency of delivering an inhibitory polynucleotide to a target cell or tissue. The invention also provides a method for testing efficiency of delivering and efficacy for an effect on tumor size of an inhibitory polynucleotide against a target gene.

Abstract: This invention provides a bypass bridge comprising a tract of gap junction-coupled cells having a first end and a second end, both ends capable of being attached to two selected sites in a heart so as to allow the conduction of a pacemaker and/or electrical signal/current across the tract between the two sites, wherein the cells functionally express a sodium channel. The invention also provides related methods of making the bypass bridge, methods of implanting same in a heart, and methods of treating a disorder associated with an impaired conduction in a subject's heart.

Abstract: This invention provides methods for determining the ability of a gene construct to alter the rhythm and contractility of a syncytial cell. Furthermore, this invention provides methods for constructing a gene construct capable of altering the rhythm or contractility of a syncytial cell. Finally, this invention provides a method for constructing a gene construct capable of coupling to a syncytial cell.

Abstract: A method of delivering an oligonucleotide or a plasmid expressing an oligonucleotide into a target cell comprises introducing an oligonucleotide into a donor cell, particularly a stem cell, and contacting the target cell with the donor cell under conditions permitting the donor cell to form a gap junction with the target cell, whereby the oligonucleotide or a product of the oligonucleotide is delivered into the target cell from the donor cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to the labeling of target cells with nanometer scale fluorescent semiconductors referred to as quantum dots (QDs). Specifically, a delivery system is disclosed based on the use of negatively charged QDs for delivery of a tracking fluorescent signal into the cytosol of target cells via a passive endocytosis-mediated delivery process. In a specific embodiment of the invention the target cell is a stem cell, preferably a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). Such labeled MSCs provide a means for tracking the distribution and fate of MSCs that have been genetically engineered to express, for example, a hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (“HCN”) channel and administered to a subject to create a biological pacemaker. The invention is based on the discovery that MSCs can be tracked in vitro for up to at least 6 weeks.

Abstract: A method of creating an atrioventricular bypass tract for a heart comprises growing mesenchymal stem cells into a strip with two ends, attaching one end of the strip onto the atrium of the heart, and attaching the other end of the strip to the ventricle of the heart, to create a tract connecting the atrium to the ventricle to provide a path for electrical signals generated by the sinus node to propagate across the tract and excite the ventricle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to expression of CXCR4 in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and homing of MSCs to sites of injury. In particular, the invention provides expanded cultures of MSCs which maintain cell surface expression of CXCR4. The MSCs are capable of homing to sites of injury and are suitable for treatment of ischemic disorders, including cardiac disorders, bone and cartilage disorders, liver disorders, inflammatory disorders, and stroke.

Abstract: A method of creating an atrioventricular bypass tract for a heart comprises growing mesenchymal stem cells into a strip with two ends, attaching one end of the strip onto the atrium of the heart, and attaching the other end of the strip to the ventricle of the heart, to create a tract connecting the atrium to the ventricle to provide a path for electrical signals generated by the sinus node to propagate across the tract and excite the ventricle.

Abstract: A method of increasing the velocity of AV conduction in a mammal that may be in heart block or at risk of heart block by causing, in an AV node and/or His bundle having less than normal conduction speed, the expression of a sodium channel or gap junction protein, such as the SkM-1 channel, Cx43 or Cx32, so as to increase the velocity of conduction by the AV node.