Abstract: The present invention is associated with a method of evaluating platelet function in vivo using skin-irradiation and nanoparticle radiation treatment. The present invention in the recovery of radiation skin injury suggests that radiation skin injury can be used as a substitute model to evaluate platelet substitute products instead of measuring bleeding times. Submicron nanoparticles and a future platelet treatment product are administered intravenously before and after irradiation to subjects. The resultant radiation skin injury are compared and used to evaluate the effectiveness of the platelet treatment product on platelet function in vivo. The radiation skin injury can serve as a model to evaluate platelet and platelet-substitute products, by replacing bleeding time measurements.

Abstract: A composition and a method effective in the production of the composition. The composition is a ready-to-use aqueous suspension in large and small quantities comprising human-fibrinogen-coated human-albumin spheres and the supernatant, said suspension being useful for the treatment of thrombocytopenic patients.

Abstract: A submicron protein sphere and method to intravenously treat a patient requiring blood component transfusion. The submicron protein spheres have a size ranging from 1.0 micron to less than 0.1 micron and a molecular weight ranging from 780 billion Daltons to less than 0.8 billion Daltons. The protein spheres have no biologically active molecules added or bound to the protein spheres prior to administering to the patient. The protein used to construct the spheres can be human serum albumin from natural sources or recombinant DNA-derived serum albumin, or other proteins such as gelatin or synthetic polypeptides. However, the protein spheres can bind the various clotting factors including fibrinogen after the spheres have entered the blood stream, binding the necessary additional biologically active molecules supplied in vivo from the patient's own blood, and possibly in vitro.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient who has extravasation of blood from an intravascular compartment to an extravascular compartment. An agent is administered to the patient which mitigates a harmful effect of break-down products of blood at an extravascular site, resulting in the patient having reduced morbidity and mortality. The morbidity and mortality of the patient is further reduced by concomitant administration of a suspension of submicron protein spheres having a molecular weight of ranging from 780 billion Daltons to less than 0.8 billion Daltons.

Abstract: A method of inactivation of infectious agents in a fluid containing plasma protein and potentially containing at least one infection agent which includes unique steps of placing the fluid in a container which is resistant to leakage under high pressure, placing the container in a compression chamber, pressurizing the fluid inside the container to a pressure sufficient to inactivate the potential infectious agent, pressurizing the fluid under a high pressure for a time duration sufficient to inactivate the potential infectious agent and pressurizing the fluid under the high pressure at an initial temperature that does not inactivate coagulation factors under the conditions. The present invention also includes a fluid containing plasma proteins which is pressurized to inactivate infectious agents, the plasma proteins containing serum albumen and at least one coagulation factor.

Abstract: A microscopic protein device and the method of manufacture and the use of such a device for hemostasis. The device, made with biologic material such as serum albumin from a human or animal source, is less than five micron in any one dimension and typically less than one micron in diameter. It does not have any other biological or drug molecules attached to it in vitro. However, the device has properties that allow it to capture, concentrate, carry or bind biomodifying molecules, such as coagulation factor(s), or potentially other drugs, after exposure to plasma in vitro; and possibly in vivo as well. After infusion of said device intravenously inside the body, hemostatic effects can be demonstrated.

Abstract: Albumin particles in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against resolubilization without the aid of a cross-linking agent and witout denaturation, by the incorporation of a stabilizing agent in the particle composition. Stabilizing agents disclosed include reducing agents, oxdizing agents, hydrogen-accepting molecules, high molecular weight polymers, and sulfur-containing ring compounds. Also disclosed are fibrinogen-coated particles, cross-linked or non-cross-linked, and their use as co-aggregants with platelets and with themselves for purposes of shortening bleeding time and enhancing the effect of thrombin.

Abstract: The invention provides a particle comprising fibrinogen bound on the surface of an albumin matrix, wherein said particle is capable of coaggregation with platelet, and of aggregation in a solution containing soluble fibrinogen at a concentration of soluble fibrinogen not capable by it self of formation of a clot upon activation by thrombin.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions comprising microspheres of fibrinogen-coated cross-linked albumin microspheres having a size range of primarily from about 100 to about 5000 nanometers diameter, wherein the composition is substantially free microspheres and microsphere aggregates having a diameter of more than 10 micrometers. At least a portion of the fibrinogen on the surface of the microspheres is covalently attached. The particles of the invention are useful for reducing bleeding time when administered to a human or other animal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for large scale production of a product of in vivo medicine carriers for medicine administration. The reagents are prepared in solution and contained in respective bags. A series pumps and mixing chambers are connected to the reagent bags. The pumps are set at pre-determined rates and activated in a pre-determined sequence within respective pre-determined delay periods, to achieve instantaneous component mixing and controlled sequential mixing characteristics.

Abstract: Albumin particles in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against resolubilization without the aid of a crosslinking agent and without denaturation, by the incorporation of hemoglobin in the particle composition. Particles which are primarily hemoglobin in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against aggregation by the incorporation of either albumin, surface active agents or gelatin.

Abstract: Albumin particles in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against resolubilization without the aid of a crosslinking agent and without denaturation, by the incorporation of a stabilizing agent in the particle composition. Particles which are primarily albumin in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against resolublization by the incorporation of a reducing agent, oxidizing agent, hydrogen-accepting molecule, high molecular weight polymer, sulfur-containing ring compound or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for large scale production of a product of in vivo medicine carriers which are medicine coated crosslinked protein microspheres for medicine administration. The reagents are prepared in solution and contained in respective bags. A series pumps and mixing chambers are connected to the reagent bags. The pumps are set at pre-determined rates and activated in a predetermined sequence within respective pre-determined delay periods, to achieve instantaneous component mixing and controlled sequential mixing characteristics.

Abstract: Albumin particles in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against resolubilization without the aid of a crosslinking agent and without denaturation, by the incorporation of hemoglobin in the particle composition. Particles which are primarily hemoglobin in the nanometer and micrometer size range in an aqueous suspension are rendered stable against aggregation by the incorporation of either albumin, surface active agents or gelatin.

Abstract: The present invention is a novel method of producing a unique device of stable porous and membraneless nanomatrixes for carrying medication for in vivo administration. The present invention method produces the device of stable nanomatrixes by mixing a first type of protein which is hemoglobin, a second type of protein which is albumin, and a solution containing an organic solvent which is an alcohol, where the weight ratio of the first and second type of proteins is within the range of approximately 92.+-.5 to 8.+-.5. This results in a turbid suspension of monodispersed nanomatrixes which are typically larger than 1 micron but less than 4 microns in diameter and stable against aggregation and re-solubilization in hypotonic saline for at least 24 hours. An additional solution containing a biologically active substance may be added before or after the solution containing an organic solvent, such that the biologically active substance is entrapped within or bound on the surfaces of the nanomatrixes.

Abstract: A multi-compartment vacuuming machine which maintains a high flow rate capacity and low resistance from obstructions in the flow path through arrangement of the multiplicity of vacuum canisters in parallel so that obstructed flow in one filter canister will not impair the flow through the remainder of the filter canisters. The flow path of the dirty fluid is arranged such that there is a straight line from the dirty fluid to the most distal filter canister so that the most distal canister fills up first and then intermediate filter canisters are filled. The transverse path leads from the main dirty inlet flow tube to the various filter canisters. In the preferred embodiment, the canister inlet flow tube to each filter canister is generally perpendicular to the dirty air inlet tube and the vacuum suction motor is remote from the most distal of the canisters.

Abstract: Processes for producing biocompatible and biodegradable protein microspheres with controlled porosity and microsphere sizes are disclosed. Generally, the processes are accomplished as follows: (a) dissolving a source of protein in a mildly acidic or basic aqueous medium, in the presence or absence of a biomodifying agent, (b) adding a cross-linking reagent to the dissolved protein molecules in an amount effective subsequently to cross-link the protein molecules without gelation; (c) adding a water soluble surfactant to modify the surface of the partially cross-linked protein molecules, (d) adding a water soluble organic desolubilizer to desolubilize the protein molecules to allow cross-linkage of nearby protein molecules into water-insoluble microspheres. Alternatively, the cross-linking step of (b) is employed after desolvation of the microspheres.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner assembly including a multiplicity of vacuum cleaner canister units each of which has a filter for receiving dirty fluid sucked into the canister unit and is configured such that two suction forces operate on each canister unit, with one suction force pulling fluid onto the filter and being of greater force than the second suction force pulling fluid away from the filter and pulling it out of the canister unit to an adjacent canister unit, the filter in each canister unit located in a removable compartment which can be removed when the compartment is filled with dirt, and valve means to turn off the flow into a canister unit after its compartment has been filled with dirt while permitting the vacuum cleaner to continue running and directing the flow of dirty fluid to adjacent canister units with uninterrupted and undiminished suction power.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a soft stopper such as a cork from a container such as a bottle. The apparatus includes a hollow cylinder having one or more slits along its length and a handle attached to the top of the cylinder. The interior surface of the cylinder includes one or more spiral wound threads having a flat upper surface. The cylinder is inserted between the outer circumference of the cork and the interior wall of the bottle and is rotated so that the threads are embedded in the outer wall of the cork and serve to compress the cork inwardly as the apparatus is screwed into the container. A stop ring serves to limit the penetration of the apparatus into the bottle and when the apparatus has reached its maximum penetration, the apparatus begins to force the cork out of the bottle as the turning motion of the cork continues. Various embellishments serve to enhance the efficiency of operation of the device.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner assembly including a multiplicity of vacuum cleaner canister units each of which has a filter for receiving dirty fluid sucked into the canister unit and is configured such that two suction forces operate on each canister unit, with one suction force pulling fluid onto the filter and being of greater force than the second suction force pulling fluid away from the filter and pulling it out of the canister unit to an adjacent canister unit, the filter in each canister unit located in a removable compartment which can be removed when the compartment is filled with dirt, and valve means to turn off the flow into a canister unit after its compartment has been filled with dirt while permitting the vacuum cleaner to continue running and directing the flow of dirty fluid to adjacent cannister units with uninterrupted and undiminished suction power.