Abstract: The systems and methods described herein are directed to resource monitoring and resource consumption analytics. Resource usage is tracked through a gateway device monitoring resources using remote input sensors, and usage data is transmitted to a central processing unit whereby the data is interpreted and compared with usage over time and site conditions such as weather. For example, incoming usage data is compared with resource signatures in a signature library representing an ideal usage or historical usage for given site condition. This data is interpreted into simple command displays with alerts, alarms, thereby reporting and alerting to an end-user via multiple delivery mechanisms, of potential sources of resource waste or loss. Further, the alerts or alarms can include easily interpreted recommendations to allow a non-skilled worker to take corrective procedures to maximize efficient use of the consumable resources.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein are directed to graphical user interfaces presenting resource consumption analytics. Resource usage is provided in a graphical user interface indicating current resource consumption and/or historical resource consumption. Weather data and a cumulative running total can be provided along with the resource consumption data to clearly provide a deep understanding of resource usage and operating conditions. Further, resource consumption information from multiple monitoring locations may be juxtaposed and/or presented simultaneously to provide an indication of outlying usage consumption among similarly situated monitoring locations. The graphical user interfaces may be provided with alerts, alarms, thereby reporting and alerting to an end-user via multiple delivery mechanisms, of potential sources of resource waste or loss.

Abstract: A computer software system that provides a requester and a physician with information on available cost savings for therapeutic equivalents to a patient's medication is disclosed. The computer software system can include an information-gathering template, a system administrator module, a search engine, a database and a message delivery module. The information-gathering template can be accessible by a requestor that is paying for the patient's medication and have an input field for accepting a medication name. The system administrator module can receive the medication name from the information-gathering template and instruct the search engine to search the database for a cost associated with the medication name, any therapeutic equivalents to the medication name and their respective cost.

Abstract: A process of preparing a sample for analytical testing, comprising enriching and/or growing the sample in an enrichment/growth medium in a vessel; and disrupting the sample to release the intracellular contents of the sample, wherein the disruption is carried out in the same vessel as the enriching and/or growing. The sample is typically a biological sample, such as tissue, cells, microorganisms, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a sample for detection of presence or absence of an organism of interest in the sample comprising (a) obtaining a sample; (b) subjecting the sample to a disruption treatment sufficient to fractionate any nucleic acid sequences present in the sample; and (c) detecting for presence or absence of an organism of interest in the sample. The detecting step (c) may comprise performing primer-directed amplification (preferably polymerase chain reaction) on the sample to produce an amplification result and analyzing the amplification result for an amplification product, wherein presence or absence of the amplification product is indicative of the presence or absence of the organism of interest in the sample.