Abstract: Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.

Abstract: Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.

Abstract: Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.

Abstract: Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.

Abstract: Blood-derived plastic articles prepared from compositions including blood and, in some embodiments, at least one crosslinking agent and/or at least one biological response modifier, that can be useful for biological applications such as wound repair and tissue grafts; methods of making and using the same; methods for assessing the concentration of a biological response modifier in an article; and systems for preparing blood-derived plastic articles are provided.

Abstract: A method of prevention of acid rock drainage excludes oxygen from waste rocks that contain ferrous sulfides by building an oxygen bio-barrier over exposed surfaces of the waste rock. The bio-barrier may be formed by applying a slurry to the rock. The slurry may contain several components such as microbial material, one or more nutrients, water or another fluid, and optionally water-absorbent material. The microbial material may include bacteria, algae, fungi or a combination thereof. Additionally, the slurry may contain one or more acid-neutralizing compounds, one or more cellulose-containing substances, and one or more UV protecting agents.

Abstract: A hand hygiene compliance monitoring system includes a portable data reader having a display and a memory, a portal trigger configured to recognize an entrance event in response to a person with the reader entering a room, and a dispenser trigger configured to cause the reader to record a dispensing event in the memory when the person with the reader causes a cleaning dispenser to dispense cleanser. The display shows feedback relating to the person's compliance with hand hygiene requirements.

Abstract: A method of in situ treatment of wastewater that is contaminated with a heavy metal may include passing a flow of contaminated wastewater through a reactor vessel. The reactor vessel may contain a plurality of biofilm retaining structures. Each of the structures may at least be partially coated with a biofilm. Additionally, the biofilm may include a plurality of bacteria retained in a matrix and the matrix may include DNA, protein and carbohydrates produced by the bacteria.

Abstract: A method of in situ treatment of fracture fluid that is contaminated with a heavy metal may include passing a flow of contaminated fracture fluid through a reactor vessel. The reactor vessel may contain a plurality of biofilm retaining structures. Each of the structures may at least be partially coated with a biofilm. Additionally, the biofilm may include a plurality of bacteria retained in a matrix and the matrix may include DNA, protein and carbohydrates produced by the bacteria.

Abstract: Methods of treating, reducing or preventing fibrosis or scarring including administering a therapeutic molecular agent selected from the group consisting of an agent that inhibits chaperonin containing Tcomplex polypeptide subunit eta polypeptide (“CCT-eta”), an agent that inhibits a-Smooth Muscle Actin (“a-SMA”), or a combination thereof, are presented. The fibrosis may include Dupuytren's contracture, Peyronie's disease, pulmonary fibrosis, cirrhosis, interstitial lung disease or scarring alopecia.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the biosynthetic pathway for a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) derived drug and analogs thereof. The invention also discloses polynucleotide sequences useful for heterologous expression in a convenient microbial host for the synthesis of the NRPS derived drug.

Abstract: An MRI includes imaging coils. The MRI includes receiving coils. The MRI includes a controller in communication with the imaging coils and the receiving coils which controls the imaging coils and the receiving coils to sample k space associated with a patient in a pattern based on prior knowledge of k space data, and which reconstructs an image of the patient from the sampled k space. A method of an MRI includes the steps of acquiring preliminary k space data of a patient indicating the extent of k space data for all receiver channels using imaging and receiving coils. There is the step of determining with a controller which regions of signal associated with the k space are to be targeted by multiple acquisition blades of data with the imaging and receiver coils based on the preliminary k space. There is the step of sampling each of the regions determined by the controller with the blades to obtain k space data. There is the step of storing the k space data in a memory.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing a patient includes a catheter having a tip. The apparatus includes a bioptome disposed in proximity to the tip to obtain a tissue sample of the patient. The apparatus includes a radiodetector disposed in proximity to the tip to detect radiation in the patient. A method for diagnosing a patient includes the steps of moving a tip of a catheter to a desired location in a blood vessel of the patient determined by radiation detected by a radiodetector disposed in proximity to the tip. There is the step of obtaining a tissue sample of the patient with a bioptome disposed in proximity to the tip.

Abstract: A method of making a bioplastic, and a bioplastic produced thereby, by using human plasma in which human plasma is clotted, either dried through its gel phase or dried and powdered, and processed into a bioplastic with the addition of at least one plasticizer followed by forming and heating to form a final bioplastic construct.

Abstract: Embodiments herein are directed to an anchor and an insertion tool. The anchor may be sized for near cortex anchor fixation or for fixation into the intramedullary canal of a bone. Embodiments also describe a cortical anchor and insertion tool assembly including an anchor having a tool receptor, a leading face, a central face, a rear face, and a suture spool to receive suture that is situated away from a center of a longitudinal axis of the anchor; and an insertion tool having a rod member having a distal end. A tip of the rod member may include a pivot structure capable of actively pivoting the anchor at the tool receptor. In some embodiments, the anchor may be guided into a hole in a bone by the insertion tool and pivoted at the tool receptor to fully or partially cover the hole.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for an object in change includes an MRI system having a first channel which produces images of the object using alternate lines of k-space applied along each of the two phase encoding directions and a computer which combines the individual images into a composite 3D image. The MRI system acquires alternate lines of temporally resolved data along each phase encoding direction. A method for imaging an object in change includes producing an individual image of the object with a first channel of an MRI system using alternate lines of k-space applied for each phase encoding direction, producing an individual image of the object with at least a second channel of the MRI system by acquiring alternate lines of temporally resolved data using alternate lines of k-space, and combining the individual images into a composite 3D image of the object with a computer of the MRI system.

Abstract: A system which allows healthcare providers to monitor hand hygiene compliance includes a data reader adapted to be worn by a healthcare provider. The system includes a portal trigger disposed at each door portal of a patient room which activates the reader to record an entrance event when the provider enters the patient room. The system includes a dispenser trigger disposed at each cleaning dispenser having cleanser in or at the entrance of each patient room which activates the reader to record a dispensing event when the provider causes the dispenser to dispense cleanser, the reader having a display which displays a number of dispensing events and a number of entrance events. A method which allows healthcare providers to monitor hand hygiene compliance. A system which allows a person to monitor hand hygiene compliance. A method for allowing a person to monitor hand hygiene compliance.

Abstract: An MRI includes imaging coils. The MRI includes receiving coils. The MRI includes a controller causing the imaging coils to produce RF pulses at every repetition time so different parts of a patient are receiving excitation by RF pulses at different rates and k space data are acquired at each repetition time by the receiving coils to form images of the patient with the k space data. A method for an MRI includes the steps of causing with a controller imaging coils to produce RF pulses at every repetition time so different parts of a patient are receiving excitation by RF pulses at different rates. There is the step of acquiring k space data at each repetition time by receiving coils. There is the step of forming images of the patient with the k space data using approaches such as Fourier transformation or filtered back projection.

Abstract: Methods for identifying bacterial strains by using sets of distributed genes that are present in some but not all strains of a given species, associated methods for treating bacterial infections are disclosed. The methods may include examining a sample of a bacterial species, selecting a strain of interest based on possession of a unique genetic characteristic that is present in only the strain of interest and not in the other strains, examining the distributed genes possessed by the strain of interest, and detecting gene-possession variation in the distributed genes of the sample strains as compared to genes of known strains.

Abstract: A method for improved, automated analysis of a data set improves the reliability of the data set by comparing the data set with a model of similar data. The method may be used in applications such as medical imaging, clinical trial participant selection, marketing, security, traffic control, and other applications.