Southwest Research Institute

Seno Medical Instruments, Inc.

University of Texas System

Harris, Jeffrey

Lamberson, George

Hanson, Heather

Zgonis, Thomas

Jeffrey Nelson Harris

Jian Ling

George Lamberson

Xingguo Cheng

Xavier Rey Saenz

Heather Shannon Hanson

Darren E Barlow

Albert M Zwiener

Tam Thien Do

Mark R Heistand

Ben Antebi

Lisa Michelle Richards Cook

Thomas Zgonis

Xiao-Dong Chen

Rijing Zhan

Maoqi Feng

Michael Joseph Rubal

Samuel Henry Feldman

Steven Solis

Carlos Avila

An optoacoustic probe for optoacoustic imaging of a tissue is provided. The probe has a distal end operable to contact the tissue and a proximal end. A transducer assembly is configured to receive optoacoustic return signals. An optical window is configured to carry light along a light path to the tissue. The housing comprises a distal portion that has a probe face that includes an acoustic opening into which the transducer assembly is disposed and an optical opening into which the optical window is disposed. The transducer assembly and the optical window extend proximally from the probe face. A gasket is disposed within the optical opening at the probe face and extends at least partially around the optical window. The gasket is configured to form an optoacoustic barrier to at least partially optically and acoustically isolate at least a portion of the optical window from the housing of the probe.

Optoacoustic probe

An optoacoustic probe for optoacoustic imaging of a volume is provided that includes a housing extending from a distal end operable to contact the volume to a proximal end. The optoacoustic probe includes a light source configured to generate light that is transmitted along a light pathway to generate return signals when the light reacts with the volume, and a transducer assembly including a transducer configured to receive the optoacoustic return signals and an acoustic lens provided over the transducer. The optoacoustic probe also includes a steering assembly coupled within the housing and configured to steer the light pathway to generate the light along the light pathway at different scanning areas of the volume based on the return signals.

An optoacoustic probe for optoacoustic imaging of a volume, the optoacoustic probe having a distal end operable to contact the volume and a proximal end. The optoacoustic probe includes at least one primary light source and an auxiliary light source that is configured to generate auxiliary light carried through an optical window to a volume. A detection device is configured to detect signals generated from the auxiliary light or primary light reflecting from the volume or the optical window. A microcontroller including one or more processors is also provided, that receives the signals generated from the auxiliary light reflecting from the volume from the detection device, determines contact between the volume and the optoacoustic probe based on the auxiliary light reflecting from the volume, and prevents the at least one primary light source from generating light until the optoacoustic probe is contacting the volume.

The present disclosure relates to the design, fabrication, and applications of a three-dimensional (3D) bioreactor for cell expansion and cell secreted substance production. The bioreactor is composed of non-random interconnected voids providing a continuous three-dimensional surface area for cell adherence and growth.

Three-dimensional bioreactor for cell expansion and related applications

A multi-disk spinning disk assembly for atomization and encapsulation applications. A number of disksand spacers () are stacked to form a disk stackhaving a feed wellin the center core of the stack. The fluid to be atomized or encapsulated is delivered to the feed well. The fluid then flows into spacer channels () within or on the surface of the spacers. The channels () communicate the fluid toward the outer edges of the disks. The disk surface past the spacers () can have various configurations, such as teeth, weirs, or a bigger or smaller diameter, as desired for particular atomization or encapsulation characteristics.

Multi-disk spinning disk assembly for atomization and encapsulation

A multi-disk spinning disk assembly for atomization and encapsulation applications. A number of patterned disks are stacked to form a disk stack having a feed well in the center core of the stack. Each patterned disk has channels defined by spacers, with the channels and spacers being of varying depths, heights, and/or widths. The fluid to be atomized or encapsulated is delivered to the feed well. The fluid then flows into the channels, which communicate the fluid toward the outer edges of the disks. The fluid exits the disk stack from a circumferential gap, which is created by interposing spacing disks between the patterned disks.

Multi-disk spinning disk assembly for atomization and encapsulation with spacing disks for adjusting exit gap

The present disclosure is directed at a process to form bone grafting material. One may provide a porous collagen scaffold and insert the scaffold into a perfusion chamber of a perfusion flow system. This may then be followed by continuously providing a mineralization perfusion fluid flow through the scaffold at a flow rate to provide dynamic intrafibrillar mineralization of the scaffold and form a collagen/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold. One may optionally provide the scaffold with bone tissue forming cells and then deliver a perfusion fluid including oxygen and one or more nutrients through the collagen/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold and to the bone tissue forming cells at a flow rate such that the bone tissue forming cells remodel the collagen/hydroxyapatite composite scaffold and form a bone tissue extracellular matrix. The bone tissue extracellular matrix may then be decellularized to form an acellular bone repair scaffold.

Fabrication of bone regeneration scaffolds and bone filler material using a perfusion flow system

A hybrid tissue scaffold is provided which comprises a porous primary scaffold having a plurality of pores and a porous secondary scaffold having a plurality of pores, wherein the secondary scaffold resides in the pores of the primary scaffold to provide a hybrid scaffold. The pores of the porous primary scaffold may have a pore size in a range of 0.50 mm to 5.0 mm, and the pores of the porous secondary scaffold may have a pore size in a range of 50 &#x3bc;m to 600 &#x3bc;m. The primary scaffold may provide 5% to 30% of a volume of the hybrid scaffold.

Hybrid tissue scaffold for tissue engineering

In general, various embodiments of the present invention comprise an external fixation device, an internal fixation device, and a lower extremity stabilizer. The external fixation device is connected to the lower extremity stabilizer and the external fixation device is adjustably connected to the internal fixation device. The internal fixation device is capable of being attached to at least one bone in a patient's foot, ankle, and/or lower extremity. The system is capable of simultaneously compressing and stabilizing at least one bone for treating Charcot neuroarthropathy, fractures, revisional foot and ankle surgery including but not limited to malunions, nonunions, delayed unions, fibrous unions, avascular necrosis, resected osteomyelitis, incorporated autogenous and/or allogenic bone grafts for arthrodesis procedures, pseudoarthrosis and bones with decreased mineral density and cortical stiffness, and/or the like for any reconstructive and/or elective foot and ankle surgery where a compression arthrodesis is needed. The external fixation device and/or lower extremity stabilizer can be removed after a certain period of time, leaving the internal fixation system within the body for prolonged stabilization and maintenance of the arthrodesis site(s).

Foot, ankle and lower extremity compression and fixation system and related uses

A selective non-catalytic reduction apparatus for exhaust gases comprising a reactor for elevated temperature reduction of NOx comprising an injection zone, internal structure zone and rear zone. The internal structure zone includes packing materials and provides a surface area of 5.0 m/g to 20 m/g where the packing material is present in the reactor at a level of 10% to 50% of the reactor volume. The reactor provides one or more of the following: (1) a residence time for exhaust gas of 0.1 seconds to 5.0 seconds; (2) a pressure drop of less than or equal to 1400 Pa/m at an exhaust gas velocity of 1.0 meter/second.

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The present devices, systems and processes can simultaneously reduce a malady of the foot, ankle, and/or lower extremity and provide compression and stabilization through the use of a combined internal fixation device, external fixation device and a lower extremity stabilizing device. The various embodiments of the system are capable of providing adequate compression in the medial, central and/or lateral columns and/or sides of the foot, ankle, and/or lower extremity, as well as treating Charcot neuroarthropathy, fractures, revisional foot and combination of ankle surgeries. The external fixation device and/or lower extremity stabilizer can be removed after a certain period of time, leaving the internal fixation system within the body for prolonged stabilization and maintenance of the arthrodesis site(s).

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey Nelson Harris