Abstract: Methods of recovering nutrients from a high nitrogenous liquid waste are disclosed. The methods include collecting the high nitrogenous liquid waste, introducing the high nitrogenous liquid waste and an oxidant into a reactor to produce oxy-anions of nitrogen, maintaining a predetermined pH to control concentration of the oxy-anions of nitrogen, and concentrating the liquid to produce a concentrated product and a dilute water. Systems for recovering nutrients from a high nitrogenous waste are also disclosed. The systems include a solids-liquid separator, a reactor having an inlet fluidly connected to the solids-liquid separator and an inlet fluidly connected to a source of an oxidant, a pH control subsystem, and a dissolved solids concentrator.

Abstract: Methods of recovering nutrients from a high nitrogenous liquid waste are disclosed. The methods include collecting the high nitrogenous liquid waste, introducing the high nitrogenous liquid waste and an oxidant into a reactor to produce oxy-anions of nitrogen, maintaining a predetermined pH to control concentration of the oxy-anions of nitrogen, and concentrating the liquid to produce a concentrated product and a dilute water. Systems for recovering nutrients from a high nitrogenous waste are also disclosed. The systems include a solids-liquid separator, a reactor having an inlet fluidly connected to the solids-liquid separator and an inlet fluidly connected to a source of an oxidant, a pH control subsystem, and a dissolved solids concentrator.

Abstract: A system and method for disguising and de-identifying data is provided. Records are extracted from an input data set containing confidential information (e.g., a production database). One or more data transformation algorithms for disguising specific types of data, including first names, last names, company names, telephone numbers, addresses, social security numbers, and e-mail addresses, in addition to generic data, are applied to the records to disguise or “scrub” confidential information therefrom. The transformation algorithms retrieve substitute information from one or more lookup tables, or generate substitute information using in-memory manipulation rules, and produce output records containing the substitute information. The output records are structurally similar to the input records, contain no confidential information, and are stored in an output data set that can be utilized in less-secure (e.g., non-production) environments.

Abstract: A surgical tissue retrieval instrument has a collapsible pouch at the distal end of an elongated support tube for retrieving internal body tissue through a trocar tube. The instrument includes a belt which is formed into a loop slidably attached about the open end of the pouch. The belt is slidably extendable through the support tube for expanding the open end of the pouch to receive the tissue and retractable into the support tube for drawing the open end of the pouch closed to enclose the tissue in the pouch. The belt has an oblong, e.g., rectangular, cross section oriented with its larger cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the plane of the loop to provide stability at the open end of the pouch and to enable use of the pouch in a scoop-like manner to place the tissue therein. A portion of the belt is thermally set into a curved configuration to urge the loop into a normally expanded shape with the belt extended from the distal end of the support tube.

Abstract: A surgical tissue retrieval instrument has a collapsible pouch at the distal end of an elongated support tube for retrieving internal body tissue through a trocar tube. The instrument includes a belt which is formed into a loop slidably attached about the open end of the pouch. The belt is slidably extendable through the support tube for expanding the open end of the pouch to receive the tissue and retractable into the support tube for drawing the open end of the pouch closed to enclose the tissue in the pouch. The belt has an oblong, e.g., rectangular, cross section oriented with its larger cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the plane of the loop to provide stability at the open end of the pouch and to enable use of the pouch in a scoop-like manner to place the tissue therein. A portion of the belt is thermally set into a curved configuration to urge the loop into a normally expanded shape with the belt extended from the distal end of the support tube.

Abstract: A medical device for ligation or approximating tissue is disclosed. The device has a cannula with proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the cannula has a beveled surface, and the cannula has first and second channels, the first channel extending axially through it, and the second channel extending from the beveled surface to the first channel. The device includes a suture with a slide end and a distal loop, as well as a slip knot securing the loop to the slide end. The slide end is threaded thorough the first and second channels of the cannula and it protrudes from the proximal end of the cannula. In addition, the device incorporates means for securing the positioning of the slide end of the suture in the first channel of the cannula. The device may optionally have a frangible proximal end wherein the proximal end of the suture is mounted to the frangible proximal end.