Abstract: Medical syringe barrels having the inner surface coated with cured silicone oil are used for calibration and detection of silicone oil in medical syringe barrels. Calibration standards as provided in this invention allow for quick determination how well a lubrication system for lubricating medical syringe barrels with silicone oil is working.

Abstract: A stable biopolymer-based emulsion lubricant including Agar is provided to reduce the friction between a syringe barrel plunger and the interior surface of the syringe barrel. According to exemplary embodiments the emulsion has a friction of less than 4N, the emulsion is temperature stable in a range of 4-23 degrees Celsius and the emulsion is stable for a period of at least 60 days.

Abstract: A method is provided to disrupt tau entanglements and amyloid plaques in a person's brain. An ultrasound profile generated by an ultrasound device is applied to the person's brain. The generated ultrasound profile is characterized by a frequency between 20-100 kHz, a pulse power greater than 10 W/cm?2, a pulse length greater than 1 microsecond, and an interval between pulses greater than 1 millisecond. The method is performed without intravenous injection of microbubbles to the person or use of preformed microbubbles.

Abstract: A self-lubricating medical syringe is provided for self-lubricating the inner surface of a prefilled syringe barrel. The syringe has a plunger distinguishing a compressible porous cylinder, which can be infused with a lubricant and is sandwiched in between a proximal and distal rubber tip. The self-lubricating medical syringe will be able to compensate for any missing lubricant along the inner surface of the syringe barrel and will also be able to provide for a uniform motion of the plunger.

Abstract: A tracking and tracing method is provided during the life of the pharmaceutical container to improve the safety and efficacy of the pharmaceutical container and its content. An identification code is added to the surface of the pharmaceutical container, which is not visible under ambient light. The identification code contains encrypted information regarding temporal and physical properties of the pharmaceutical container and pharmaceutical fluid content. At multiple stages during the life of the pharmaceutical container the identification code is detected with an optical detection method. Given the material of the identification code, the identification code is only visible by using specific optical detection methods.

Abstract: High-definition particle detection during centrifugation of a pharmaceutical liquid is provided. Centrifugation of fluid containers drives particles to the interior surface of the container if the particles are denser than the fluid and to the middle of the container if the particles are less dense than the fluid. The imager can then be focused directly on the particle itself for rapid identification without the need for computing complex particle trajectories. If the centrifugation of the container is carried out at an angle to the axis of symmetry of the container, particles can be driven to a single line on the interior surface of the container by the centrifugal force, making the identification of the particles even more straightforward than in two dimensions. The particle imager can also be attached to the rotating container to prevent blurring of the particle image due to the relative motion of the container and imager.

Abstract: Medical syringe barrels having the inner surface coated with cured silicone oil are used for calibration and detection of silicone oil in medical syringe barrels. Calibration standards as provided in this invention allow for quick determination how well a lubrication system for lubricating medical syringe barrels with silicone oil is working.

Abstract: A self-lubricating medical syringe is provided for self-lubricating the inner surface of a prefilled syringe barrel. The syringe has a plunger distinguishing a compressible porous cylinder, which can be infused with a lubricant and is sandwiched in between a proximal and distal rubber tip. The self-lubricating medical syringe will be able to compensate for any missing lubricant along the inner surface of the syringe barrel and will also be able to provide for a uniform motion of the plunger.

Abstract: A stable biopolymer-based emulsion lubricant including Agar is provided to reduce the friction between a syringe barrel plunger and the interior surface of the syringe barrel. According to exemplary embodiments the emulsion has a friction of less than 4N, the emulsion is temperature stable in a range of 4-23 degrees Celsius and the emulsion is stable for a period of at least 60 days.

Abstract: A strain-hardened interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel is provided. The interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel is based on two different networks. The first network is a non-silicone network of preformed hydrophilic non-ionic telechelic macromonomers chemically cross-linked by polymerization of its end-groups. The second network is a non-silicone network of ionizable monomers. The second network has been polymerized and chemically cross-linked in the presence of the first network and has formed physical cross-links with the first network. An aqueous salt solution having a neutral pH is used to ionize and swell the second network in the interpenetrating polymer network. The swelling of the second network is constrained by the first network, and this constraining effect results in an increase in effective physical cross-links within the interpenetrating polymer network, and, in turn, an increase its elastic modulus.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for delivering medication to the lungs is described. Acoustic ink printing technology is modified to operate as an inhaler that generates tiny droplets near a patient's nose or mouth. The tiny droplets are easily carried by air currents into the patient's lungs. The inhaler itself is preferably a battery operated portable device that can be easily carried and easily cleaned to avoid contaminating the medication.

Abstract: A method of using electrokinetics for separating particles in a buffer solution is provided, where a chromatographic column is provided having a non-uniform internal longitudinal cross-section. At least one main inlet for inputting solution and at least one main outlet for outputting solution are provided. At least one sample inlet and at least one sample outlet are provided. The particle is introduced to the column from the sample inlet and fractionated samples are eluted from the sample outlet, where quality control and further analysis are enabled. An electric field is applied to the solution in the column to generate a charged double layer at a solid-liquid interface within the column. The electric filed moves ions within the double layer, and a non-uniform velocity profile is induced to the buffer solution. The moving ions carry the particles along the column and the particles are separated according to size or charge.

Abstract: The present invention provides materials that have high glucose and oxygen permeability, strength, water content, and resistance to protein adsorption. The materials include an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel that is coated with biomolecules. The IPN hydrogels include two interpenetrating polymer networks. The first polymer network is based on a hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer. The second polymer network is based on a hydrophilic monomer. The hydrophilic monomer is polymerized and cross-linked to form the second polymer network in the presence of the first polymer network. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer is PEG-diacrylamide, PEG-diacrylate or PEG-dimethacrylate and the hydrophilic monomer is an acrylic-based monomer. Any biomolecules may be linked to the IPN hydrogels, but are preferably biomolecules that support the growth of cornea-derived cells. The material is designed to serve as a corneal prosthesis.

Abstract: A material that can be applied as implants designed to artificially replace or augment the cornea, such as an artificial cornea, corneal onlay, or corneal inlay (intrastromal lens) is provided. The artificial corneal implant has a double network hydrogel with a first network interpenetrated with a second network. The first network and the second network are based on biocompatible polymers. At least one of the network polymers is based on a hydrophilic polymer. The artificial cornea or implant has epithelialization promoting biomolecules that are covalently linked to the surface of the double network hydrogel using an azide-active-ester chemical linker. Corneal epithelial cells or cornea-derived cells are adhered to the biomolecules. The double network has a physiologic diffusion coefficient to allow passage of nutrients to the adhered cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels that have high oxygen permeability, strength, water content, and resistance to protein adsorption. The hydrogels include two interpenetrating polymer networks. The first polymer network is based on a hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer. The second polymer network is based on a hydrophilic monomer. The hydrophilic monomer is polymerized and cross-linked to form the second polymer network in the presence of the first polymer network. The telechelic macromonomer preferably has a molecular weight of between about 575 Da and about 20,000 Da. Mixtures of molecular weights may also be used. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer is PEG-diacrylamide and the hydrophilic monomer is an acrylic-based monomer. The material is designed to serve as a contact lens.

Abstract: The present invention provides materials that have high glucose and oxygen permeability, strength, water content, and resistance to protein adsorption. The materials include an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel that is coated with biomolecules. The IPN hydrogels include two interpenetrating polymer networks. The first polymer network is based on a hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer. The second polymer network is based on a hydrophilic monomer. The hydrophilic monomer is polymerized and cross-linked to form the second polymer network in the presence of the first polymer network. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic telechelic macromonomer is PEG-diacrylate or PEG-dimethacrylate and the hydrophilic monomer is an acrylic-based monomer. Any biomolecules may be linked to the IPN hydrogels, but are preferably biomolecules that support the growth of cornea-derived cells. The material is designed to serve as a corneal prosthesis.

Abstract: A material that can be applied as implants designed to artificially replace or augment the cornea, such as an artificial cornea, corneal onlay, or corneal inlay (intrastromal lens) is provided. The artificial corneal implant has a double network hydrogel with a first network interpenetrated with a second network. The first network and the second network are based on biocompatible polymers. At least one of the network polymers is based on a hydrophilic polymer. The artificial cornea or implant has epithelialization promoting biomolecules that are covalently linked to the surface of the double network hydrogel using an azide-active-ester chemical linker. Corneal epithelial cells or cornea-derived cells are adhered to the biomolecules. The double network has a physiologic diffusion coefficient to allow passage of nutrients to the adhered cells.