Abstract: In some embodiments a diagnostic system is disclosed including a test device for performing diagnostic analysis of a biological sample from a human or animal body, the test device having an assay and a reader to analyse the sample and determine one or more biological conditions and to generate a result data signal containing information on the determination of the one or more biological conditions. The system also comprises a base device to releasably receive the test device, receive the result data signal from the test device, and display results of testing based on the received result data signal. In some embodiments a fluid receptacle is configured to be releasably retained to a test device, the test device comprising a housing, the housing having an engagement element for releasably retaining the fluid receptacle on an outer surface of the housing.

Abstract: Techniques for determining geometries of hydraulic fractures include identifying a data structure that includes data associated with hydraulic fracture identifiers and observed fluid pressures, at least one of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a first hydraulic fracture formed from a monitor wellbore into a subsurface rock formation and at least another of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a second hydraulic fracture formed from a treatment wellbore into the subsurface rock formation, at least one of the observed fluid pressures includes a pressure change in a fluid in the first hydraulic fracture that is induced by formation of the second hydraulic fracture; performing a single- or multi-objective, non-linear constrained optimization analysis to minimize at least one objective function associated with the observed fluid pressures; and based on minimizing the at least one objective function, determining respective sets of hydraulic fracture geometries associated with at least one o

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to nanoparticle aggregates and to methods for preparing nanoparticle aggregates in a controlled manner The nanoparticle aggregates are useful in a variety of applications including detection and quantitation assays. In one illustrative example, the nanoparticle aggregates are particularly useful in medical diagnostic applications.

Abstract: A wellbore system includes a first fracture formed from a wellbore at a first location; a second fracture formed from the wellbore at a second location; a wellbore seal positioned in the wellbore between the first and second locations and configured to fluidly seal a first portion from a second portion of the wellbore; a pressure gauge positioned in the first portion; a pressure gauge positioned in or uphole of the second portion; and a control system configured to communicably couple to the pressure gauges.

Abstract: A tool is described for supporting an individual suffering from a mental condition or disorder characterized by auditory hallucination. The tool assists in training the individual to distinguish between an acute auditory hallucinatory episode and ambient sounds. The tool monitors for a deliberate overt activation action by a user, where the activation action represents an indication that the user is hearing sounds. The activation action causes the tool to receive a perception indication from the user. The perception indication is either an indication that the user perceives that they are hearing actual sounds, or an indication that the user perceives that they are experiencing an auditory hallucination. A microphone monitors ambient sounds, which are tested against a threshold to determine and whether the perception indication was correct. A report on the correctness of the perception indications may be provided to the user.

Abstract: An assay device is disclosed comprising a housing and a test portion, electronic circuitry and an optical assembly each a least partially located in the housing. The test portion comprises one or more test zones adapted to receive an analyte and a fluorescent label associated with the analyte, the fluorescent label being excitable by excitation light and adapted to emit emission light upon excitation by excitation light. The electronic circuitry comprises one or more light sources and one or more light detectors. The optical assembly comprises one or more excitation light guides adapted to guide excitation light from the one or more light sources to the one or more test zones, and/or one or more emission light guides adapted to guide emission light from the one or more test zone to the one or more light detectors.

Abstract: A sampling device for collecting and dispensing a sample is disclosed, the sampling device including a sample collector having an absorbent portion configured to collect a sample and a receiving section configured to receive the sample collector after the collection of the sample. In one embodiment, the receiving section includes a dropper, the sample collector configured to be secured to the dropper, the dropper defining an internal chamber in which the absorbent portion of the sample collector is received when the sample collector is secured to the dropper; and a base releasably engaged with the dropper and at least partially housing the dropper, wherein the dropper is configured to be released from the base to allow dispensing of the sample from the dropper. In one embodiment, the absorbent portion interferes with a surface of an internal chamber of the receiving section. In one embodiment, a length adapter for the sample collector is employed and, in another embodiment, a desiccant housing is employed.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a hydraulic fracture dimension include identifying pressure signal values of a first fracturing fluid in a monitor wellbore that represent a pressure change in the first fracturing fluid that is induced by formation of a second hydraulic fracture from a treatment wellbore; determining a particular pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values; based on the determined particular pressure signal value, determining a particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture formed from the treatment wellbore; and determining, based at least in part on (i) the determined particular dimension, and (ii) a first pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values that is less than the determined particular pressure signal value, a first intermediate dimension of the second hydraulic fracture that is less than the determined particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture.

Abstract: An assay device is disclosed comprising a housing (10) and a test portion (2), electronic circuitry (30) and an optical assembly (41), each at least partially located in the housing (10). The test portion (2) comprises one or more test zones (2E, 2F) adapted to receive an analyte (22) and a fluorescent label associated with the analyte, the fluorescent label being excitable by excitation light and adapted to emit emission light upon excitation by excitation light. The electronic circuitry (30) comprises one or more light sources (31, 32) and one or more light detectors (33). The optical assembly (41-44) comprises one or more excitation light guides (41, 44) adapted to guide excitation light from the one or more light sources (31, 32) to the one or more test zones (2e, 2f), and/or one or more emission light guides (43, 44) adapted to guide emission light from the one or more test zones (2e, 2f) to the one or more light detectors (33).

Abstract: A tool is described for objectively identifying and providing assessment of acute psychotic episodes, such as auditory hallucinations, symptomatic of a mental condition or disorder. The tool can include an audio interface on a microphone-equipped networked mobile wireless telecommunication computing device which a patient can use to determine whether the perceived sounds are real or hallucinatory. If the microphone fails to detect ambient sounds indicating that the sounds are real, the application can provide a remote alert signal so that appropriate parties (e.g. the patient's treatment team or emergency medical personnel) can take action.

Abstract: A wireless communication device may include a communication interface, a screen configured to display a graphical user interface (GUI) of a native application, a processor, and memory containing instructions of the native application that, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless communication device to perform operations including: requesting and receiving, by way of the communication interface, data that defines content for display on the GUI, an arrangement of the content, and a script; displaying the content in accordance with the arrangement; receiving input that modifies some of the content as displayed; determining that the wireless communication device is in an offline mode; invoking execution of the script; and while the wireless communications device is in the offline mode: (i) obtaining, as a result of the execution of the script, modifications to the content, and (ii) displaying, on the GUI, the content as modified in accordance with the arrangement.

Abstract: A wellbore system includes a first fracture formed from a wellbore at a first location; a second fracture formed from the wellbore at a second location; a wellbore seal positioned in the wellbore between the first and second locations and configured to fluidly seal a first portion from a second portion of the wellbore; a pressure gauge positioned in the first portion; a pressure gauge positioned in or uphole of the second portion; and a control system configured to communicably couple to the pressure gauges.

Abstract: A sterilization system with integrated instrument recall capabilities and related methods is disclosed. In one aspect, the sterilization system is adapted to determine a failed sterilization cycle of a sterilizer in response to failure of a biological indicator test for the sterilizer, identify sterilization cycles to be recalled based on the failed sterilization cycle, identify one or more patients for whom an item in a recalled sterilization cycle was used, and initiate a patient notification routine comprising at least one of outputting of identifying information of the one or more patients for whom an item in the recalled sterilization cycle was used and notifying the one or more patients for whom an item in the recalled sterilization cycle was used about the recalled sterilization cycle.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a hydraulic fracture dimension include identifying pressure signal values of a first fracturing fluid in a monitor wellbore that represent a pressure change in the first fracturing fluid that is induced by formation of a second hydraulic fracture from a treatment wellbore; determining a particular pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values; based on the determined particular pressure signal value, determining a particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture formed from the treatment wellbore; and determining, based at least in part on (i) the determined particular dimension, and (ii) a first pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values that is less than the determined particular pressure signal value, a first intermediate dimension of the second hydraulic fracture that is less than the determined particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a proppant-area of a hydraulic fracture include identifying a fracture fluid leak-off curve that includes time-dependent pressure signal values of a first fracturing fluid in a monitor wellbore that is in fluid communication with a first hydraulic fracture formed from the monitor wellbore. Each of the time-dependent pressure signal values is a pressure change in the first fracturing fluid induced by a second hydraulic fracture from a treatment wellbore formed by a second fracturing fluid that includes proppant.

Abstract: Techniques for determining geometries of hydraulic fractures include identifying a data structure that includes data associated with hydraulic fracture identifiers and observed fluid pressures, at least one of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a first hydraulic fracture formed from a monitor wellbore into a subsurface rock formation and at least another of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a second hydraulic fracture formed from a treatment wellbore into the subsurface rock formation, at least one of the observed fluid pressures includes a pressure change in a fluid in the first hydraulic fracture that is induced by formation of the second hydraulic fracture; performing a single- or multi-objective, non-linear constrained optimization analysis to minimize at least one objective function associated with the observed fluid pressures; and based on minimizing the at least one objective function, determining respective sets of hydraulic fracture geometries associated with at least one o

Abstract: Techniques for determining geometries of hydraulic fractures include identifying a data structure that includes data associated with hydraulic fracture identifiers and observed fluid pressures, at least one of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a first hydraulic fracture formed from a monitor wellbore into a subsurface rock formation and at least another of the hydraulic fracture identifiers representing a second hydraulic fracture formed from a treatment wellbore into the subsurface rock formation, at least one of the observed fluid pressures includes a pressure change in a fluid in the first hydraulic fracture that is induced by formation of the second hydraulic fracture; performing a single- or multi-objective, non-linear constrained optimization analysis to minimize at least one objective function associated with the observed fluid pressures; and based on minimizing the at least one objective function, determining respective sets of hydraulic fracture geometries associated with at least one o

Abstract: Techniques for determining a hydraulic fracture dimension include identifying pressure signal values of a first fracturing fluid in a monitor wellbore that represent a pressure change in the first fracturing fluid that is induced by formation of a second hydraulic fracture from a treatment wellbore; determining a particular pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values; based on the determined particular pressure signal value, determining a particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture formed from the treatment wellbore; and determining, based at least in part on (i) the determined particular dimension, and (ii) a first pressure signal value of the plurality of pressure signal values that is less than the determined particular pressure signal value, a first intermediate dimension of the second hydraulic fracture that is less than the determined particular dimension of the second hydraulic fracture.