Abstract: A bioelectrochemical sensor utilizing a nanoporous gold electrode. The bioelectrochemical sensor is suitable for measuring redox in biologic media while having increased resistance to biofouling as compared to conventional electrodes such as planar gold electrodes, due to greater exposed surface area of the three-dimensional ligature structure defining the nanopores. The nanopores have a pore size of 5-100 nm, preferably with an average pore size of less than 50 nm, and more preferably with an average pore size of less than 20 nm.

Abstract: A droplet-based microfluidic rheometer system and method of use for real-time viscosity monitoring of blood coagulation is disclosed. Droplets of blood samples are generated in a microfluidic rheometer, and the size of the droplets is highly correlated to the sample viscosity. The size of the droplets can be determined optically using an inverted light microscope and a camera or using electrodes. The microfluidic rheometer systems provides viscosity measurements in less than a second and consumes less than 1?{umlaut over (?)} blood or plasma over an hour period. The viscosity measurements may be displayed and transmitted to the Internet or cloud storage.

Abstract: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) may be prevented in a patient, or its occurrence reduced in a population of patients, by using an anti-VAP device or an anti-VAP material such as an anti-VAP mouthpiece that absorbs secretions. By reducing the problem of bacterial-containing secretions that otherwise build up in the airway of, and elsewhere in, the intubated patient, VAP can be prevented from occurring in intubated patients, such as patients intubated with an endotracheal tube (ETT) or a nasogastric tube. Anti-VAP mouthpieces also are useable in non-intubated patients to maintain oral hygiene.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for continuously monitoring pressure and simultaneously monitoring changes in blood flow, vascular resistance, and/or vascular behavior are provided. The techniques are employed in measuring intracranial pressure (ICP), while simultaneously measuring cerebral blood flow and/or cerebrovascular resistance or behavior. A sensor device includes an optical and piezoelectric sensing assembly integrated into a deployable ICP monitoring device.

Abstract: A microfluidic device system includes a channel having an entrance and an exit, a height at the entrance being greater than a height at the exit. The height of the channel may decrease continuously from the height at the entrance to the height at the exit. Cells or particles or beads traveling through the channel become trapped based on their size and/or deformability. A visual sensor captures images of the trapped cells or particles or beads, and image software analyzes the captured images to provide size and/or deformability and/or fluorescence information. A method of fabricating such a microfluidic device includes introducing a glass wafer to an etching solution at a specific rate such that a first end of the glass wafer is etched longer than other portions of the glass wafer.

Abstract: A portable compact tourniquet includes a pivot housing, a strap carriage that is linearly translatable relative to the pivot housing, and a screw assembly. When the screw assembly is operated, the strap carriage away from the pivot housing, thus tightening a tourniquet strap that is attached to the strap carriage and to the pivot housing.

Abstract: A method of predicting patient deterioration includes receiving an electronic health record data set of the patient, determining a risk score corresponding to the patient by analyzing the electronic health record data set of the patient using a trained machine learning model, determining a threshold value using an online/reinforcement learning model, comparing the risk score to the threshold value, and when the risk score exceeds the threshold value, generating an alarm. A non-transitory computer readable medium includes program instructions that when executed, cause the computer to receive a list of patients, display selectable patient information corresponding to each of the list of patients according to an ordering established by a feature importance algorithm, receive a selection, retrieve vital sign information corresponding to the selection, and display the vital sign information.

Abstract: The invention is a passive, wearable sensor that uses a thin piezoelectric material to produce a time history of blood pressure of the patient, with signal processing algorithms to extract physiological information. The sensor consists of a piezoelectric transducer set in a polymer laminate that can be applied to the finger or wrist of the patient. During use, a combination of compressive and bending deformation in the piezoelectric layer in response to blood pressure in the finger or wrist as a voltage output. Using signal processing techniques, the raw signal is filtered and decomposed to obtain a information to form derivative signals such as blood pressure, pulse pressure, pulse pressure variability, heart rate, heart rate variability, and respiratory rate which can be very important pre-cursors in the monitoring of the patient's physiological conditions.

Abstract: A wearable assembly has a pulse plethysmography (PPG) sensor and a piezoelectric pressure sensor and is attachable to a patient's finger or other area corresponding to a peripheralvascular region, and further includes a signal processor configured to monitor blood flow dependent measurements and pressure measurements over time, comparing these measurements to determine properties of the vascular region, such as vascular resistance of a blood vessel, vascular radius of the blood vessel, vascular stiffness of the vascular region, blood pressure, and/or cardiac vascular power. The signal processor may apply a hysteresis comparison of the sensor outputs, e.g., using an elliptical model, and in some examples may apply an extended Kalman filter for optimizing output of the vascular region properties.

Abstract: A bioelectrochemical sensor utilizing a nanoporous gold electrode. The bioelectrochemical sensor is suitable for measuring redox in biologic media while having increased resistance to biofouling as compared to conventional electrodes such as planar gold electrodes, due to greater exposed surface area of the three-dimensional ligature structure defining the nanopores. The nanopores have a pore size of 5-100 nm, preferably with an average pore size of less than 50 nm, and more preferably with an average pore size of less than 20 nm.

Abstract: A bioelectrochemical sensor utilizing a nanoporous gold electrode. The bioelectrochemical sensor is suitable for measuring redox in biologic media while having increased resistance to biofouling as compared to conventional electrodes such as planar gold electrodes, due to greater exposed surface area of the three-dimentional ligature structure defining the nanopores. The nanopores have a pore size of 5-100 nm, preferably with an average pore size of less than 50 nm, and more preferably with an average pore size of less than 20 nm.

Abstract: A decision-support system and computer implemented method automatically measures the midline shift in a patient's brain using Computed Tomography (CT) images. The decision-support system and computer implemented method applies machine learning methods to features extracted from multiple sources, including midline shift, blood amount, texture pattern and other injury data, to provide a physician an estimate of intracranial pressure (ICP) levels. A hierarchical segmentation method, based on Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), is used. In this approach, first an Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) ventricle template, as prior knowledge, is used to estimate the region for each ventricle. Then, by matching the ventricle shape in CT images to the MRI ventricle template set, the corresponding MRI slice is selected. From the shape matching result, the feature points for midline estimation in CT slices, such as the center edge points of the lateral ventricles, are detected.

Abstract: A system for maintaining permissive hypotension in a patient includes monitoring of blood perfusion and pressure, combining blood perfusion and pressure data to determine systolic blood pressure, monitoring for detection of systolic blood pressure below a critical threshold value, and providing an alert to perfusion options to maintain permissive hypotension. The system may be adapted to adjust the critical threshold value for systolic blood pressure as treatment progresses.

Abstract: A blood clot retraction assay device and methods of measuring whole-blood clot retractive forces during coagulation are described. When placed in proximity to a micro-beam, a blood droplet attaches thereto, applying a force to the micro-beam during clot formation. Using Piezoresistive micro-beams or other Piezoresistive components disposed upon such micro-beams, the device measures retractive force of a blood droplet based upon changes in resistance. The sensitivity of such measurements allows use of small quantities of blood for measurement, between 15 microliters and 300 microliters. The device further permits continuous measurement of coagulation, allowing measurement of distinct reaction, contraction development, and fibrinolysis phases for each blood sample.

Abstract: A droplet-based microfluidic rheometer system and method of use for real-time viscosity monitoring of blood coagulation is disclosed. Droplets of blood samples are generated in a microfluidic rheometer, and the size of the droplets is highly correlated to the sample viscosity. The size of the droplets can be determined optically using an inverted light microscope and a camera or using electrodes. The microfluidic rheometer systems provides viscosity measurements in less than a second and consumes less than 1 blood or plasma over an hour period. The viscosity measurements may be displayed and transmitted to the Internet or cloud storage.

Abstract: A portable compact tourniquet includes a pivot housing, a strap carriage that is linearly translatable relative to the pivot housing, and a screw assembly. When the screw assembly is operated, the strap carriage away from the pivot housing, thus tightening a tourniquet strap that is attached to the strap carriage and to the pivot housing.

Abstract: A system analyzes angiogram image data, including video data, in order to extract vasculature information. Advanced image processing and machine learning techniques are used in pre-processing, frame selection, and vasculature segmentation to remove classes of artifacts from angiogram videos, and specifically from frames selected as having a sufficient amount of image data. From segmentation, accurate vasculature diameters are calculated, and, in some examples, stenoses and/or the extent of stenosis is automatically determined and displayed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides oxygen generating compositions including sodium percarbonate, manganese dioxide, and trisodium phosphate dodecahydrate which generates high purity breathable oxygen. The disclosure further provides methods of generating oxygen and portable chemical oxygen generators including the oxygen generating compositions of the disclosure.

Abstract: Compositions comprising clay minerals and methods for their use in promoting hemostasis are provided. The compositions comprise clay minerals such as bentonite, and facilitate blood clotting when applied to a hemorrhaging wound. Electrospun or electrosprayed materials (e.g. bandages, micron beads, etc.) which include clay minerals, and methods for the treatment of acute hemorrhage, are also provided.

Abstract: Methods which increase the bioavailability of beneficial gases in the circulatory system are provided. The methods involve administering agents that changes the binding affinity of a medicinal gas such as NO, CO, H2S, N2O, SO, SO2 and O2 for IIb and/or hemoglobin based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). The change results in increased release of gases carried by Hb and HBOCs. As a result, the concentration of the gases in circulation is raised, and they are more available to exert their beneficial effects, e.g. in the treatment of disease or conditions caused by low levels of the gases. The methods are optionally used together with administration of medicinal gases and/or administration of HBOCs and/or other non-HBOC gas carriers such as PFC, and as (or in conjunction with) diagnostic methods.