Abstract: The described technology may include treatment processes to increase the red blood cell (RBC) population of individuals, particularly chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with renal anemia, by reducing an amount of Piezo1 chemical agonists in the blood of patients. In one embodiment, a method of treating a patient with renal anemia may include increasing RBC lifespan of an RBC population of the patient via reduction of a Piezo1 channel activation duration of at least a portion of the RBC population by reducing an amount of a target uremic compound in the blood of the patient, the target uremic compound having a form that prolongs the Piezo1 channel activation duration, wherein the amount of the target uremic compound may be reduced via selectively removing at least a portion of the target uremic compound from the blood of the patient. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or apparatuses may be operative to perform a dialysis process that includes a displacer infusion process. In one embodiment, a method for determining a displacer compound may include constructing a plurality of target protein quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, one for each of the plurality of binding sites, analyzing a set of candidate compounds using the plurality of QSAR models to determine a set of at least one potential compound with an affinity for binding to each of the plurality of binding sites, and selecting at least one displacer compound from the set of at least one potential compound. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or apparatuses may be operative to perform a dialysis process that includes a displacer infusion process. In one embodiment, a method for determining a displacer compound may include constructing a plurality of target protein quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, one for each of the plurality of binding sites, analyzing a set of candidate compounds using the plurality of QSAR models to determine a set of at least one potential compound with an affinity for binding to each of the plurality of binding sites, and selecting at least one displacer compound from the set of at least one potential compound. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for determining patient dialysis profiles, for example, of peritoneal transport status or disease progression, are described. For example, in one embodiment, a method of determining a patient profile of a dialysis patient may include obtaining a volume of fluid associated with the dialysis patient, generating patient information via fluorescence analysis of the patient fluid, and determining the patient profile based on evaluating the patient information with a profile library, the patient profile comprising at least one of a peritoneal transport status classification or a disease progression. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: An apparatus used in analyzing spent dialysate includes: at least one surface configured to accommodate a dialysate drain bag or drain line in a predetermined position; a light source positioned to emit light through the dialysate drain bag or drain line; and a light sensor positioned to sense light emitted by the light source through the dialysate drain bag or drain line.

Abstract: The present teachings generally include devices, systems, kits, and methods for collecting, storing, and transporting specimens, e.g., in the context of pool testing. For example, the present teachings may include a compound swab featuring a first swab and a second swab, where the first swab can be detached for pool testing and the second swab can be preserved for testing based on results of the pool test. The present teachings may also or instead include a container having a separator structurally configured to separate swabs of a compound swab. Further, the present teachings may include a swab having a suction enhancer to promote the capture of a specimen on a collection tip thereof. The present teachings may also or instead include a receptacle that can house a plurality of swabs and sever at least a portion of the collections tips thereof, e.g., for pool testing.

Abstract: methods, apparatuses, and systems for determining a peritoneal transport status of a patient based on mass analyzing low volumes of peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent to generate patient information that may be evaluated using PD effluent fingerprints to determine peritoneal transport characteristics of the patient are described. For example, in one embodiment, a method of determining a transport status of a dialysis patient may include obtaining a volume of peritoneal dialysis (PD) effluent of the dialysis patient, generating patient information via mass analysis of the volume of PD effluent, and determining patient profile information based on evaluating the patient information with a profile library, the patient profile information comprising a peritoneal transport status classification. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or apparatuses may be operative to perform a dialysis process that includes a displacer infusion process. In one embodiment, a method for determining a displacer compound may include constructing a plurality of target protein quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, one for each of the plurality of binding sites, analyzing a set of candidate compounds using the plurality of QSAR models to determine a set of at least one potential compound with an affinity for binding to each of the plurality of binding sites, and selecting at least one displacer compound from the set of at least one potential compound. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: An apparatus used in analyzing spent dialysate includes at least a first surface configured to accommodate a dialysate drain bag in a first predetermined position, and at least a second surface configured to accommodate a dialysate analysis device in a second predetermined position, such that when the dialysate drain bag is in the first predetermined position and the dialysate analysis device is in the second predetermined position, a light sensor of the dialysate analysis device is positioned to sense light passing through the dialysate drain bag.