Abstract: A system and method of noise reduction in a blood panel testing comprising the steps of: drawing blood samples from a patient; and testing blood samples within a blood analyzer configured for noise reduction wherein the blood contacting surfaces of the blood panel testing platform have been activated and have been subsequently subject to wet chemistry treatment including enhancing the blood contacting surface of the blood analyzer with a wet chemistry treatment including an aqueous solution having a strong oxidizing agent; adding a positively charged spacer molecule to the blood contacting surface with a wet chemistry treatment including an aqueous solution having a cationic polymer; and covalently immobilizing heparin to the blood contacting surface of the blood analyzer with a wet chemistry treatment including heparin.

Abstract: In some examples, a graphical user interface (GUI) presented via a mobile application includes a first user interface element representative of a payment instrument of a user, and one or more second user interface elements. Each second user interface element is representative of a respective reward offer associated with a respective merchant, and the respective reward offer is selectable via interaction with the corresponding second user interface element. The second user interface elements are presented in a scrollable carousel that is presented separately from, and proximate to, the first user interface element. Based at least on receiving, via the GUI, a selection of one of the second user interface elements, a corresponding respective reward offer from a respective merchant is associated with the payment instrument of the user, and the corresponding respective reward offer is redeemable in association with a transaction involving the payment instrument and the respective merchant.

Abstract: A composition for healing or improving skin includes a fabric or material impregnated with an oxygen generating material. The fabric may include a first side in contact with the skin for providing oxygen to the skin and a second side between the oxygen generating material and the air surrounding the skin to form a barrier for retaining heat and inhibiting evaporation.

Abstract: An asymmetric hollow fiber membrane for oxidative coupling of methane reactions.

Abstract: A composition for healing or improving skin includes a fabric or material impregnated with an oxygen generating material. The fabric may include a first side in contact with the skin for providing oxygen to the skin and a second side between the oxygen generating material and the air surrounding the skin to form a barrier for retaining heat and inhibiting evaporation.

Abstract: Methods of making a supramolecular structure of lipids. The methods include providing an ink made of an aqueous solution of lipid micelles that are deposited onto a polymer pen or an array of polymer pens, such as by an electrospray technique to achieve a homogenous coverage of single and isolated micelles. The method further comprises transferring the ink to a substrate using polymer pen lithography (PPL). Nanoconfinement of the lipid micelles associated with the disclosed method, allow the lipid micelles to rearrange and ultimately lead to a highly ordered and homogenous supramolecular lipid structure. A supramolecular assembly made using the disclosed method and nanoscale delivery system comprising the supramolecular assembly of lipids are further disclosed.

Abstract: A method of preparing a crosslinked, collagen-based wound care dressing is provided, comprising: (a) immersing a sample of fibrous and/or non-fibrous collagen in a buffered acidic, aqueous solution comprising an alcohol; (b) contacting the collagen in solution with a catalytic component comprising 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride for a time at least sufficient to effect reaction between amino and carboxyl groups present on the collagen and to yield crosslinked collagen that is resistant to pronase degradation; and (c) drying the crosslinked collagen to yield a porous, crosslinked collagen article wherein the porous, crosslinked collagen article demonstrates a pore size of 10-500 microns. Also provided are bioactive collagen medical scaffolds for hernia repair prosthetics and surgical incision closure members, prepared using the method above.

Abstract: A system is provided that receives a signal file that includes multiple biophysical signals obtained from a patient by a signal capture or recorder device. The biophysical signals are measured from one or more sensors or probes of the signal capture device. The system executes one or more add-on modules that is each configured to generate information relevant to the health of the patient. Such information may include a score that in some embodiments represents a probability that the patient has and/or will develop a particular medical condition. The information generated for a patient from the signal file for each add-on module are provided to a health care provider and may be used to assist the healthcare provider in diagnosing the patient with respect to one or more of the medical conditions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes identifying an equity reward offer to be provided to a user, wherein the equity reward offer corresponds to an amount of equity associated a merchant, and redemption of the equity reward offer causes the corresponding amount of equity to be added to an equity account of the user, updating a redemption status of the equity reward offer based on activity of the specified user on the payment service and a pre-condition of the equity reward offer, such as a purchase associated with the merchant, and upon determining that the pre-condition has been satisfied, sending, to the client device associated with the specified user, instructions to display a notification message indicating that the equity reward offer can be redeemed using the payment account of the user to cause the associated amount of equity to be added to the equity account of the user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving information about a payment from a user to a merchant using a payment account issued to the user by a payment service, the payment account being linked to one or more reward offers. Each reward offer is redeemable upon satisfaction of one or more criteria. The method also includes determining that each criterion associated with a reward offer linked to the payment account has been satisfied, redeeming the reward offer to reduce a value associated with the payment, and sending, to an application installed on a client device associated with the user, a user interface indicating that the reward offer has been redeemed in association with the payment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for preventing and treating a Bruch's membrane dysfunction-associated disease, which includes a sea cucumber extract as an active ingredient, and more particularly, to a composition for preventing and treating a Bruch's membrane dysfunction-associated disease, which includes a sea cucumber extract having effects of regenerating the Bruch's membrane of an eye and improving a transport function. The composition according to the present invention improves the transport function of the Bruch's membrane and promotes the regeneration of the Bruch's membrane, thereby delaying or reversing an eye aging process, and thus has excellent effects on the prevention and treatment of a disease such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Sorsby's fundus dystrophy, Malattia Levintanese (ML), Stargardt disease, Best's vitelliform retinal dystrophy and Doyne's honeycomb retinal dystrophy (DHRD), which occurs due to the age-related dysfunction of the Bruch's membrane.

Abstract: A sparse DOA estimation is based on a multi-level prime arrays (MLPAs) as a general structure for coprime arrays. The array uses multiple uniform subarrays “or levels” where the number of antenna elements of the subarrays are pairwise coprime integers. The subarrays overlap only at their first antenna element by adjusting the inter-element spacing. By selecting the number of antennas of the subarrays and controlling the inter-element spacing, various MLPAs of different features can be constructed. The configuration that realizes the maximum number of unique lags is recommended because the DOF is upper bounded by the number of lags.

Abstract: Described are various embodiments of space-compressing methods, materials, devices, and systems, and imaging or optical devices and systems using same. In one embodiment, an optical system comprises an optical convergence element having a defined optical path convergence distance and disposed so to produce converging optical rays along an optical convergence path to converge at said distance; an optical space-compression medium disposed along the optical convergence path to intersect the converging optical rays to compress a resulting optical convergence distance by imparting an inward transverse translation of the converging optical rays while substantially maintaining respective incident convergence angles upon output.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a medical product having an engineered heparin bioactive matrix for clinical application on a blood contacting surface comprises: a) activating a blood contacting surface of at least one component of a medical device via one of plasma treatment or gas activation; b) assembling the medical product; c) Setting up medical device for wet chemistry in which wet chemistry treatments follows a blood flow path through device; d) enhancing at least the blood contacting surface with a wet chemistry treatment including an aqueous solution having a strong oxidizing agent, such as ammonium persulfate; e) adding a positively charged spacer molecule to at least the blood contacting surface with a wet chemistry treatment including an aqueous solution having a cationic polymer, such as PEI; and f) covalently immobilizing heparin to at least the blood contacting surface with a wet chemistry treatment including heparin, preferably deaminated heparin.

Abstract: A composition includes a sea cucumber and ginseng/red ginseng composite extract which has the effect of regenerating the Bruch's membrane of the eye and improving the transport function of the Bruch's membrane. The composite composition improves the transport function of the Bruch's membrane and eliminates lipids accumulated on the membrane to promote the regeneration of the Bruch's membrane, thereby showing the effect of delaying or reversing the senescence process of the eye. Further, the composition is highly preventive or therapeutic of various diseases attributed to a decrease in the function of the Bruch's membrane with age, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and can solve the problem associated with the eye health maintenance of ordinary persons and with the transport reduction, resulting from senescence, of vitamins, metals, and anti-oxidative materials.

Abstract: A method of preparing a crosslinked, collagen-based wound care dressing is provided, comprising: (a) immersing a sample of fibrous and/or non-fibrous collagen in a buffered acidic, aqueous solution comprising an alcohol; (b) contacting the collagen in solution with a catalytic component comprising 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride for a time at least sufficient to effect reaction between amino and carboxyl groups present on the collagen and to yield crosslinked collagen that is resistant to pronase degradation; and (c) drying the crosslinked collagen to yield a porous, crosslinked collagen article wherein the porous, crosslinked collagen article demonstrates a pore size of 10-500 microns. Also provided are bioactive collagen medical scaffolds for hernia repair prosthetics and surgical incision closure members, prepared using the method above.

Abstract: A composition for healing or improving skin includes a fabric or material impregnated with an oxygen generating material. The fabric may include a first side in contact with the skin for providing oxygen to the skin and a second side between the oxygen generating material and the air surrounding the skin to form a barrier for retaining heat and inhibiting evaporation.

Abstract: A method to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from C6 carbohydrates. The method includes the steps of reacting a reactant comprising at least one C6 carbohydrate, in a reaction mixture comprising at least about 5% (v/v) water, a polar, aprotic solvent, and an acid, for a time, at a temperature, and at a hydrogen ion concentration wherein at least a portion of the C6 carbohydrate present in the reactant is converted to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (“HMF”).

Abstract: A method of preparing a crosslinked, collagen-based wound care dressing is provided, comprising: (a) immersing a sample of fibrous and/or non-fibrous collagen in a buffered acidic, aqueous solution comprising an alcohol; (b) contacting the collagen in solution with a catalytic component comprising 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride for a time at least sufficient to effect reaction between amino and carboxyl groups present on the collagen and to yield crosslinked collagen that is resistant to pronase degradation; and (c) drying the crosslinked collagen to yield a porous, crosslinked collagen article wherein the porous, crosslinked collagen article demonstrates a pore size of 10-500 microns. Also provided are bioactive collagen medical scaffolds for hernia repair prosthetics and surgical incision closure members, prepared using the method above.