Abstract: Disclosed herein are low density particles comprising polymerized fibrin that are micrometer or nanometer sized in diameter. The particles can further include at least one therapeutic agent. The particles may be used to treat wounds, by administration directly or systemically to the site of the wound. Exemplary wounds that may be treated with the fibrin particles include a trauma wound, a surgical wound, a burn wound, or an ulcer wound. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing the particles using a shearing process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are low density particles comprising polymerized fibrin that are micrometer or nanometer sized in diameter. The particles can further include at least one therapeutic agent. The particles may be used to treat wounds, by administration directly or systemically to the site of the wound. Exemplary wounds that may be treated with the fibrin particles include a trauma wound, a surgical wound, a burn wound, or an ulcer wound. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing the particles using a shearing process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are low density particles comprising polymerized fibrin that are micrometer or nanometer sized in diameter. The particles can further include at least one therapeutic agent. The particles may be used to treat wounds, by administration directly or systemically to the site of the wound. Exemplary wounds that may be treated with the fibrin particles include a trauma wound, a surgical wound, a burn wound, or an ulcer wound. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing the particles using a shearing process.

Abstract: A fiber includes one or more layers of polymer surrounding a central lumen, and living animal cells disposed within the lumen and/or within at least one of the one or more layers, wherein the fiber has an outer diameter of between 5 and 8000 microns and wherein each individual layer of polymer has a thickness of between 0.1 and 250 microns. Also disclosed are model tissues including such fibers, and method of making such fibers. The fibers can serve as synthetic blood vessels, ducts, or nerves.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with at least one fluid transporting structure located in the top and bottom surfaces situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols. Uses include extruding materials and/or fabricating structures.

Abstract: A fiber includes one or more layers of polymer surrounding a central lumen, and living animal cells disposed within the lumen and/or within at least one of the one or more layers, wherein the fiber has an outer diameter of between 5 and 8000 microns and wherein each individual layer of polymer has a thickness of between 0.1 and 250 microns. Also disclosed are model tissues including such fibers, and method of making such fibers. The fibers can serve as synthetic blood vessels, ducts, or nerves.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with at least one fluid transporting structure located in the top and bottom surfaces situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols. Uses include extruding materials and/or fabricating structures.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with first and second fluid transporting structures located on opposing surfaces facing one another across the channel in the top and bottom surfaces of the channel situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols.

Abstract: A magnetic bead trap-and-mixer includes a channel having openings at opposing ends, and a rotor adjacent to the channel and comprising a permanent magnet, wherein the rotor is adapted to apply a magnetic field to the channel of sufficient strength to direct the movement of magnetic beads therein. In aspects, the channel is straight and/or has narrowed end. In further aspects, the rotor generates in the channel areas of areas of strong magnetic fields alternating with areas of very weak magnetic fields and the strong magnetic fields extend entirely across the channel.

Abstract: A perfusable, microtube-based flow system for microdevice models of human tissues and organs includes a microfluidic chip with a network of microtubes passing through at least one common chamber space suitable to hold cells of an appropriate organ and/or a biocompatible support matrix. The microtube model network can be used to create model tissues and organs for study and research.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with at least one fluid transporting structure located in the top and bottom surfaces situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols. Uses include extruding materials and/or fabricating structures.

Abstract: A fiber includes one or more layers of polymer surrounding a central lumen, and living animal cells disposed within the lumen and/or within at least one of the one or more layers, wherein the fiber has an outer diameter of between 5 and 8000 microns and wherein each individual layer of polymer has a thickness of between 0.1 and 250 microns. Also disclosed are model tissues including such fibers, and method of making such fibers. The fibers can serve as synthetic blood vessels, ducts, or nerves.

Abstract: A fiber includes one or more layers of polymer surrounding a central lumen, and living animal cells disposed within the lumen and/or within at least one of the one or more layers, wherein the fiber has an outer diameter of between 5 and 8000 microns and wherein each individual layer of polymer has a thickness of between 0.1 and 250 microns. Also disclosed are model tissues including such fibers, and method of making such fibers. The fibers can serve as synthetic blood vessels, ducts, or nerves.

Abstract: A fiber includes one or more layers of polymer surrounding a central lumen, and living animal cells disposed within the lumen and/or within at least one of the one or more layers, wherein the fiber has an outer diameter of between 5 and 8000 microns and wherein each individual layer of polymer has a thickness of between 0.1 and 250 microns. Also disclosed are model tissues including such fibers, and method of making such fibers. The fibers can serve as synthetic blood vessels, ducts, or nerves.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with at least one fluid transporting structure located in the top and bottom surfaces situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols. Uses include extruding materials and/or fabricating structures.

Abstract: A device having: a laminar flow channel for liquids; two or more electrodes; a confining fluid inlet; a sample inlet; and a meter for measuring the impedance of any fluid between the electrodes. The device may have one or more specific binding sites, or it may have sheathing and unsheathing fluid transporting structures. A method of: providing the device; flowing a confining fluid and a conductive liquid that may contain cells or particles through the channel as described herein; and measuring the impedance between the electrodes.

Abstract: A sheath flow system having a channel with at least one fluid transporting structure located in the top and bottom surfaces situated so as to transport the sheath fluid laterally across the channel to provide sheath fluid fully surrounding the core solution. At the point of introduction into the channel, the sheath fluid and core solutions flow side by side within the channel or the core solution may be bounded on either side by the sheath fluid. The system is functional over a broad channel size range and with liquids of high or low viscosity. The design can be readily incorporated into microfluidic chips without the need for special manufacturing protocols.

Abstract: A composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6. A method of administering to an immunosuppressed patient or a patient diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock a composition having a proanthocyanidin. A method of administering to a patient diagnosed with a gram negative bacterial infection a composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6.

Abstract: An apparatus having within or as part of a housing; a sample port; a microarray port; a lysis module; a purification module for containing a solid phase for binding of oligonucleotides; a thermocycling module for containing a polymerase chain reaction; a fragmentation module; and a microarray module for holding a microarray and a liquid in contact with the microarray. The apparatus is configured to be coupled to a device for: pumping a liquid through, in order, the lysis, purification, thermocycling, fragmentation, and microarray modules; sonicating any contents of the lysis module; thermocycling the thermocycling module to perform the polymerase chain reaction; heating the fragmentation module to fragment any oligonucleotides contained therein; circulating a fluid over the surface of the microarray; and performing one or more washing or staining steps on the microarray.

Abstract: A method of biochemical identification by: providing a plurality of capture species bound to one or more substrates and suspected of having one or more biological targets affinity bound to at least one capture species; detecting which capture species contain bound biological targets to generate a binding pattern; and identifying the biological target based on the binding pattern. The capture species are independently selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial peptides, cytotoxic peptides, antibiotics, and combinations thereof. A device having the capture species bound to the substrates. At least two of the capture species are capable of multi-specific binding to one or more biological targets and may have overlapping but not identical affinity properties.