Abstract: The present invention relates to improved protective pleated facial masks or respirators that comprise a pleating spacer that is adapted to enter into, and stably separate the folds of one or more of pleats of a pre-pleated mask or respirator filter, or a pre-pleated filter layer thereof. The present invention also relates to improved protective pleated facial masks or respirators that comprise a pleating spacer that is adapted to stably form one or more pleats in an initially unpleated filter of a facial mask or respirator, or a filter layer thereof. The pleating spacers of the present invention thus act to increase the effective surface area of the filters of such masks or respirators, and thereby improve airflow while preserving the ability of the mask or respirator to protect the wearer from hazardous agents.

Abstract: Systems and methods for growing microbes and biofilms on a hydrogel in a controlled environment. The system can have a cup, and a liner with the liner inserted into the cup and a hydrogel inserted into the liner. The cup, liner, and hydrogel assembly can be placed into a containment tray. The hydrogel can be sterilized before being placed into the containment tray. A lid can seal the cup, liner, and hydrogel into the containment tray. A lid can have inoculations ports, or can be made out of a self-sealable material keeping the inside environment sterilized and free of contaminants. The hydrogel can be inoculated with microbes through the inoculations ports, and incubated for a period of time at a set temperature to allow the microbes, and biofilms time to grow. After being grown the microbes and biofilms can be separated from each other allowing for both microbes and biofilm to be separately tested.

Abstract: An AC power supply drives and controls an array of non-thermal plasma emitters at desired frequencies at a controlled power level. The power supply comprises a step-up transformer, a balanced driver, and a controller. The transformer operates at the resonant frequency of the combined capacitance of the array and the cable connecting the array to the power supply. The power into the array is monitored by the controller and can be adjusted by the user. The balanced driver may be driven directly by the controller. The controller monitors the phase relationship between the transformer primary winding voltage and the gate drive voltage, and adjusts the drive frequency to resonance. Alternatively the balanced driver is configured as an oscillator which drives the transformer at resonance by default. A signal from the transformer driver generates an interrupt to the controller for synchronizing current and voltage measurements for power control.

Abstract: Systems and methods for growing microbes and biofilms on a hydrogel in a controlled environment. The system can have a cup, and a liner with the liner inserted into the cup and a hydrogel inserted into the liner. The cup, liner, and hydrogel assembly can be placed into a containment tray. The hydrogel can be sterilized before being placed into the containment tray. A lid can seal the cup, liner, and hydrogel into the containment tray. A lid can have inoculations ports, or can be made out of a self-sealable material keeping the inside environment sterilized and free of contaminants. The hydrogel can be inoculated with microbes through the inoculations ports, and incubated for a period of time at a set temperature to allow the microbes, and biofilms time to grow. After being grown the microbes and biofilms can be separated from each other allowing for both microbes and biofilm to be separately tested.