Abstract: This invention relates to use of a strain of lactic acid bacteria for inhibiting the growth of methane-producing bacteria and/or archaea in the gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals, reducing the ability of the microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract to produce methane, reducing methane production or emissions, and/or for improving feed efficiency, and/or body weight or body composition of a monogastric animal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: There is provided a release valve for releasing fluid from a source of compressed fluid for inflating an inflatable structure, comprising: a housing comprising an inlet for coupling to a source of compressed fluid, and an outlet; a flow chamber disposed within the housing and forming part of a flow path from the inlet to the outlet; a valve member configured to move to a release position to permit fluid to flow from the inlet to the flow chamber; and an actuator and a biasing device, wherein the actuator and the biasing device are disposed in the flow chamber, the actuator configured to move through the flow chamber from an unactuated position to an actuated position to move the valve member to the release position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: A method for tracking an item in a distributed environment is provided. At least one node in a network adds a new block to a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks that is stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the first cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a component identifier and a hash of a previous block in the first sequence of blocks. The at least one node in the network adds a new block to a second cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a second sequence of blocks that is stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the second cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a destination identifier, the first sequence of blocks, and a hash of a previous block in the second sequence of blocks.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: A face to face contact assembly having at least one electrically conductive spring element and at least one shielding spring element separated from one another by a spacing element. From the perspective of a centerline and extending radially outwardly, electrically conductive spring element is located closest to the centerline, then the spacing element, and then the shielding spring element. The electrically conductive spring element electrically connects two adjacent faces, which in one example can be adjacent printed circuit boards, and the shielding spring element at least partially shields such electrical connection. Other face to face contact assembly arrangements are also disclosed.

Abstract: A mobile audio distribution (MAD) system/method providing for synchronized audio distribution to modular audio modules (MAMs) is disclosed. The system/method utilizes a central audio synchronization module (ASM) that loads audio files onto audio playback recorders (APRs) such that the audio playback emitted from each APR is synchronized in time. These APRs are individually positioned within and electrically connected to a MAM that is positioned in a spatially diverse manner in a desired field of audio distribution. Each MAM is configured to be adaptable to removable physical fixation to a vertical standard such as a tripod, pole, tree, etc. Each MAM is configured with a speaker, amplifier, battery pack, APR, optional radio frequency receiver (RFR) in order to disseminate synchronized audio from the APR via the speaker. Each MAM may be removably interlocked with other MAMs via the use of one or more hermaphroditic plate connectors (HPC).

Abstract: A method for tracking an item in a distributed environment is provided. At least one node in a network adds a new block to a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks that is stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the first cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a component identifier and a hash of a previous block in the first sequence of blocks. The at least one node in the network adds a new block to a second cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a second sequence of blocks that is stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the second cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a destination identifier, the first sequence of blocks, and a hash of a previous block in the second sequence of blocks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for delivery verification. Delivery of a package is initiated by a courier by submitting an action to a distributed ledger. The courier records video of the delivery of the package to a customer site. The video of the delivery of the package is sent to a blockchain referenced by the distributed ledger. The video of the delivery of the package is added to the blockchain. The customer captures any motion detected video of the package occurring after delivery of the package by the courier and this video is added to the blockchain.

Abstract: A system and a method for the verification and visualization of subcomponents in a completed assembly is disclosed. The system receives upstream product component sourcing manifest from upstream source addresses. The system receives one or more downstream product component sourcing manifest from one or more downstream source addresses. The system generates a cryptographic verifiable ledger of transaction records based on the upstream and downstream manifests and upstream and downstream source addresses. The system propagates transaction records across a network. The system retrieves the records and instantiates a display tree graph structure based on the transactions in the master cryptographic ledger.

Abstract: A face to face contact assembly having at least one electrically conductive spring element and at least one shielding spring element separated from one another by a spacing element. From the perspective of a centerline and extending radially outwardly, electrically conductive spring element is located closest to the centerline, then the spacing element, and then the shielding spring element. The electrically conductive spring element electrically connects two adjacent faces, which in one example can be adjacent printed circuit boards, and the shielding spring element at least partially shields such electrical connection. Other face to face contact assembly arrangements are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.