Abstract: In various aspects and embodiments, the invention provides a method of treating a cardiovascular disease in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering an effective amount of a viral vector comprising a therapeutic polynucleotide directly into the heart of the subject. In various embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition is administered through a series of 15 injections at separate delivery sites in the heart of the subject, and wherein the viral vector diffuses through substantially all of the heart.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for in situ cardiac cell regeneration, including transdifferentiation of cardiac cells to cardiomyocytes. In particular embodiments, in situ cardiac cell regeneration encompasses delivery of p63 shRNA and one or both of Hand2 and myocardin, and in specific embodiments further includes one or more of Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5. In specific aspects of the disclosure, adult cardiac fibroblasts are reprogrammed into cardiomyocytes using viral vectors that harbor p63 shRNA and one or both of the transcription factors Hand2 and myocardin.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for in situ cardiac cell regeneration, including transdifferentiation of cardiac cells to cardiomyocytes. In particular embodiments, in situ cardiac cell regeneration encompasses delivery of p63 shRNA and one or both of Hand2 and myocardin, and in specific embodiments further includes one or more of Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5. In specific aspects of the disclosure, adult cardiac fibroblasts are reprogrammed into cardiomyocytes using viral vectors that harbor p63 shRNA and one or both of the transcription factors Hand2 and myocardin.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and compositions related to improving cardiomyocyte production by exposing starting cells to ETV2 and/or VEGF. The starting cells in specific embodiments are fibroblasts and/or endothelial cells, and following exposure to ETV2 and/or VEGF the resultant cells are exposed to one or more cardiomyocyte transdifferentiation factors, such as GATA4, myocyte enhancer factor-2c (Mef2c), T-box transcription factor 5 (TBX5), or a combination thereof. The produced cardiomyocytes are provided to individuals in need thereof, in particular embodiments.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include methods and compositions for in situ cardiac cell regeneration, including transdifferentiation of cardiac cells to cardiomyocytes. In particular embodiments, in situ cardiac cell regeneration encompasses delivery of p63 shRNA and one or both of Hand2 and myocardin, and in specific embodiments further includes one or more of Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5. In specific aspects of the disclosure, adult cardiac fibroblasts are reprogrammed into cardiomyocytes using viral vectors that harbor p63 shRNA and one or both of the transcription factors Hand2 and myocardin.

Abstract: A method of predicting a quality of a professional based on quality measures of the professional is provided. The method includes collecting recommendations associated with the professional and determining an independent variable for the professional based on the recommendations received for the professional. Here, the independent variable reflects the quality of the professional. The method also includes comparing the independent variable with quality measures associated with the professional and generating a model based on the comparison between the independent variable and the quality measures. The model associates each of the quality measures with the quality of the professional. Particularly, the model assigns a weight to each of the quality measures based on the probativeness of the quality measure in relation to the quality of the professional. Thus, the quality measure of the professional may be used to determine the overall quality of the professional.

Abstract: The present invention provides adipose tissue modified with a vector comprising or encoding, in which case it expresses, an anti-angiogenic factor, an angiogenic substance, an apoptotic factor, an adipsin protein or an Ob protein. Also provided is adipose tissue modified with a vector comprising a promoter and, operably linked thereto, a DNA sequence encoding a secreted protein. Methods of therapeutically treating adipose tissue and expressing a secreted protein in adipose tissue are also provided. The adipose tissue is optionally in the form of an implant, which can further comprise a lymphogenic protein or a vector that comprises and expresses a lymphogenic gene.